I’m writing for tomorrow, day 95, before leaving to do volunteer work in prison. The plan is to go to bed, when I return tonight, and then do the puzzle and upload the articles whenever I wake up. I’ll be meeting with around 100 prisoners.
Late (Early) Update:
Meeting was fantastic. I’m frazzled.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 5:21 (average 5:14). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From The New Yorker: Britain’s Prince George, who is celebrating his first birthday this week, is facing a rising chorus of criticism within the United Kingdom, with many calling the first year of his reign a major disappointment.
Alistair Strott, a journalist and one of George’s most outspoken critics, calls the Prince’s first year “long on hype and short on solid achievement.”
“Like a lot of us, I followed the royal birth last year with a great deal of excitement and anticipation,” says Strott. “But one year in, we all have to look at each other and say, ‘That’s it?’ ”
While defenders of Prince George cite a packed schedule of events during his first year, Strott is unimpressed. “Yes, he’s been on TV and magazine covers,” he says. “So have the Kardashians.”
I trust Andy realizes that, on this side of the pond, the media have had little trouble assigning blame: it’s Obama’s fault.
From Daily Kos: In a new ad similar in style to her previous ad on Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s support for Rep. Paul Ryan’s Medicare budget, Kentucky Secretary of State and Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate Alison Lundergan Grimes is taking aim at McConnell’s statement earlier this year that creating jobs isn’t one of his jobs.
Bough Bitch Mitch’s job is to squeeze quarters so tight between his butt cheeks, that it kills the eagles.
From NY Times: The rush to purchase Piketty’s book suggested that Americans must have wanted to understand inequality. The apparent rush to put it down suggests that, well, we’re human.
So let me satisfy this demand with my own “Idiot’s Guide to Inequality.” Here are five points:
First, economic inequality has worsened significantly in the United States and some other countries. The richest 1 percent in the United States now own more wealth than the bottom 90 percent. Oxfam estimates that the richest 85 people in the world own half of all wealth.
The situation might be tolerable if a rising tide were lifting all boats. But it’s lifting mostly the yachts. In 2010, 93 percent of the additional income created in America went to the top 1 percent.
This is worth the read. Click through for the other four points.
Cartoon:
12 Responses to “Open Thread–7/25/2014”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
5:24 Looks like the exit goes down the rabbit hole. TC, get some rest.
New Yorker – I thought in the UK everything was Kate Middleton's fault, as it is Obama's fault here.
Daily Kos – She's not doing badly in the polls, but of course polls are not the election, as Tom Dewey and Eric Cantor could tell you in no uncertain terms. What's that broker record? "We need to GET OUT THE VOTE."
NY Times – Very basic, but all valid; and, while we who think here understand it, way too many don't, and this is concise and accurate.
Cartoon – I would love to hear how the right wing nots who salted SCROTUS with five male Roman Catholics would blame Obama for the Spanish Inquisition.
Your wish is my command.
3:22 I ran for that exit.
3:44 Gee, I thought that sign was "run for the loo" and now I'm stuck in the line up trying to get out!
3:39 I trotted.
I couldn't see straihht!!
Glad you had a good meeting. Rest well, dear friend.
New Yorker ~ I think Pres. Obama tripped him when he took his first step too.
Daily Kos ~ Great ad! Let's hope the good people of Kentucky pay attention to it and anything else Allison has to say. Republican Senators are already speculating over Bought Bitch's job in the senate if he loses the race. John Cornyn appears to be the front-runner. OMG!
NY Times ~ He nailed it when he said our "Education system is broken". GW succeeded with his "dumbing down of America". No child left behind, my ass!
Cartoon ~ Good one!
Bush wants every child behing your ass.
I am happy for you that the meeting was fantastic. Get some rest.
The New Yorker: Andy is so funny. Love your summary, they can somehow blame Obama for every thing.
Daily Kos: Allison is slamming him with her commercials. The latest one has half a dozenunemployed coal miners asking him why it is not his job to find jobs for Kentucky. He tried to deny that he made that statement, but the editor of the small paper in Beattyville, Ky would not back down. She has him on the run for sure.
NY Times: This was a very enlightening article. The top 1% also own our government and that is how they stay the top one percent. We need to start electing more people like Elizabeth Warren an Bernie Sanders and eliminate those like McConnell and Paul. To do that we have to educate the voters. I don't know how we do that, either. I am blue living in a red state and no matter how much I talk, few listen.
Cartoon: Of course it was Obama's fault, everything is.
Both Lizzie and Bernie have made it clear. They are NOT running.
Puzzle — 3:44 Gee, I thought that sign was "run for the loo" and now I'm stuck in the line up trying to get out!
The New Yorker — Should we tell Andy that Prince George is only 4th in line to the Crown? . . . he's not a reigning monarch. Prince Georges main problem is how to look cute when he has nappy butt (aka diaper butt)!
Daily Kos — To say something Terrie on Care2 would say: Dayum! If creating jobs is not McTurtle's job, then that is one area in which he has excelled. . . . but it is nothing of which to be proud! And TC, McTurtle probably killed the eagles on the quarters when he passed wind.
NY Times — "Inequality and lack of opportunity today constitute a national infirmity and vulnerability — and there are policy tools that can make a difference."
I think this is a universal truth, not just an American truth. The question then becomes "Are we ready to make the policy decisions necessary to promote opportunities and reduce inequality, or at least manage it better?"
Cartoon — Good one. Anything that goes against their grain is Obama's fault! I sure hope these right wing nut jobs get their asses kicked so hard during the next election that they turn inside out and can't right themselves!
If that sign had been for the loo, I would have left a puddle in the hallway.