Jun 082014
 

I’m writing for tomorrow and still feeling quite tired.  The Grand Floral Parade is about to start, and if I can get a few good snapshots through the window, I’ll make an article from them.  I’ve been so busy that it will take a couple days of research, before I’m fully up to date on happenings.  Day 48.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:20 (average 5:14).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Me:

This pic was taken during my prison volunteer trip.

TomSalem06052014

Short Takes:

From Upworthy: This is a fascinating video, I have to admit. Pay special attention to how people react to the speaker.

 

This also explains how the 1% markets Republican candidates to sheeple.

From Daily Kos: The name is Gavin McInnes, and Fox gets credit for continuing to know under which rocks such people can be found.

Barf Bag Alert!!

 

I only hope that an advanced alien culture is not learning about humanity by watching the Republican Reichsministry of Propaganda, Faux Noise. If they are, we are soooo screwed.

From Common Dreams: Independent scientists who have reviewed a water analysis conducted by state authorities of a Texas resident’s drinking well say the chemical signatures found in the water may provide "the nation’s first conclusive link" between fracking operations and aquifer contamination.

Though a state investigation—conducted by the Texas Railroad Commission in response to an official complaint filed by landowner and Parker County resident Steve Lipsky—said it found the chemical analysis of the water inconclusive, experts shown the results say the commission was simply wrong. "And not just by a little," reports local ABC-affiliate WFAA News who shared the results with several scientists, "but by a lot."

The Texas Railroad Commission, which is responsible for oversight in such matters, found the results inconclusive, because they represent the polluters. This is what they call "inconclusive".

Cartoon:

0608Cartoon

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  21 Responses to “Open Thread–6/8/2014”

  1. Time – 3:20 – Not the triple crown but not too shabby.

    Nice picture TomCat, I think you look healthier than ever.

    I posted this Upworthy video as well.  Because we need to look at our food system not just as a petition we sign, or some vague idea that something is not right.  We need to dig in and discover why so much of our food is pre-packaged.  What does that mean, do we read labels and if we do: do we understand them. If you can not pronounce the items on the label, should you be eating that stuff?  It's things we should all ponder.

    I could not watch the video.  I don't know who that jackass is, but I know he lacks the intellectual ability to follow along with some very simple humor.  Yes dummy, that "classic Americana" that makes you drool over days gone bye, is sadly some of the first things we sent out there to space.  Even when we didn't know that we were telling the universe that we treat women as inferiors and any race not white is worthy only of the occasional parody, nothing more.  Yes, Neil deGrasse Tyson has an intellect that leaves anything Fox has to offer standing at the starting line waiting for instruction.  Yes, the man is one of the bright stars of real science for the real world, and yeah — he is black, suck it up and learn a little respect. He is brilliant and has a sense of humor.

    Texas lives on oil and gas.  Texas has recently learned that this state can make more money, employ more people, save more money on the cost of energy by using wind and solar.  Texas lives on intravenous feeding of the dollars for politicians by the oil and gas companies.  This is no new discovery and there is no way the this state will admit that our water is toxic from FRACKING.  This is another one of THOSE things, everyone knows it and no one admits the truth.  

    Thank you, Tomcat

  2. 5:10  My mouse was dragging, failing to pick up pieces and then failing to drop them, and overshooting.  Must have been scared of getting stepped on.

    Pic – I said a few days ago that no one here but you would call you ugly, and I stand by my statement.

    Upworthy – If she was a real merketer and not an actress, I'll bet she's out of a job now.

    Daily Kos – I didn't watch the video either; did read the article.  :He fit the profilr."  Well, yes, he did.  The profile is black and male.  The profile IS the problem.  In no universe is Neil deGrasse Tyson the problem.

    Common Dreams – misstexaskitty, I am so sorry you are stuck with the elephant in the room.  Partilarly this elephant.  And I'm sure it's no consolation to realize many other states are stuck with the same elephant.  I know you are working hard for Wendy Davis and I pray all the time that your efforts will be rewarded.  I have sent a little money, not much.  In a general way, isn't it funny how long we sometimes have to wait, how much money has to be spent, how much obfiscation there is, to get proof of what everybody knows?  Yes, I realize sometimes "everybody knows" wrong. but that hasn't seemed to be the problem lately.

    Cartoon – Good grief.

    • Re Pic — You said that and I agreed with you then, and now.  A cuddly teddybear, authenicate on the inside and a real working brain.  No fiber filling!  Nice hair, but it is still longer than mine!!

    • Well, afterwards the camera did not work properly for a while. 😉

  3. Well bless my soul!  A little squirrel just came and balanced himself on my window!  My windows push out at the top and this window (den) has a drain pipe right beside it.  He must have come down the pipe from the roof and decided to investigate the opening.  One look at me and he hightailed it out of the window.  Cute little guy! Good thing my furbabes weren't right here or there would have been a real ruckus!

    Puzzle — 3:19  Giddy-up horsie!

    Upworthy — "This also explains how the 1% markets Republican candidates to sheeple." Yup!  It is in the wording and knowing that people really are concerned about getting through the day, not about an event, an election, in the future.  Key tactic — lying and obfuscation!  Make it easy to understand the GOP point so the sheeple don't have to think.  Thhe dumbing down of the electorate.  BTW, it is not just in the US.

    Although she was talking specifically about the meat industry and factory farms, Kate Cooper said:

    "We only get away with it because people are prepared to look the other way."

    Daily Kos — Neil deGrasse Tyson is a man of intellect and humour.  As for the people on that panel, their combined IQ might hit 3 on a good day.  As for Gavin McInnes, he clearly is a lower life form and is likely upset that aliens did not make contact with him.  Good on the aliens!

    Common Dreams — "…the chemical composition shows they are an exact match to the gas being fracked at two nearby drilling site … operated by Barnett."

    Incontrovertible proof, and yet Barnett still denies it.  I wonder how much a member of the Texas Railroad Commission can be bought for?  Oh, sorry, this is Texas we're talking about.  They go cheap.

    Cartoon — One SNAFU after another!  From Wikipedia  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Liberty_incident

    "“It seems [President] Johnson was more interested in avoiding a possible confrontation with the Soviet Union, …than in restraining Israel.”"

    It seems that type of relationship exists today.

  4. 5:46 – Puzzle

  5. Now THAT is some tricked out walker – not to mention the guy driving it!

    I'll be AWOL for a bit.  Heading up to Illinois to start the evaluation of Assisted Living facilities for my 97 y/o Mom.  She's finally decided that living in a 2-story home by herself (w/ the only bathroom on the 2nd floor) is just getting to be too much for her.  At least she has now agreed to have her Health Care Aide come in daily to help, rather than q.o.d (every other day) – so I've got time to evaluate.

    Sadly, there's been another apparent NRA/RWNJ shooting in Las Vegas – killing two policemen and an innocent bystander in WalMart before the gun-nuts committed suicide.

    This may be harsh – but so be it: I just wish these NRA gun-nuts committed suicide BEFORE they took innocent lives.

  6. Thanks for the pic, TC.  You look very good.

    Upworthy, I quit eating chicken 25 years ago, now after watching this, I am giving up pork, too.  No more bacon, which is about the only meat I still eat.         Marketing is all it takes.

    Daily Kos:  I couldnt watch all of it.  I think Fox should lose their license to broadcast !

    Common dreams"  Is anyone surprised that a government agency in Texas would side with the oil industry?

     

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