I’m writing for tomorrow, day 113. It’s a muggy sticky day, and when I step out of my apartment, the heat is like a slap in the face. Tomorrow I have a grocery delivery coming.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:18 (average 4:34). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From BBC: The appointment of Haider al-Abadi as prime minister-designate has been generally well-received in the mainstream Iraqi media.
Private television channels broadly support the move, and some pro-Sunni stations have strongly criticised outgoing Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s refusal to quit.
State-run Al-Iraqiyah TV continued its pro-Maliki line on Monday evening, but by Tuesday morning it stopped interviewing guests critical of the move and has been running more neutral reports on Mr Abadi’s career and background.
Meanwhile, the non-partisan press has shown impatience with Mr al-Maliki, and news websites generally support the appointment of Mr Abadi.
Nouri Al Maliki (R-IQ) may try to stage a military coup, because his policies and practices have made him a man so hated that he sees a noose in his future. Although a recent report indicates he may step aside peaceably,m I don’t see how he can do so, without putting his life in jeopardy.
From TPM: One thing is certain: Michael Brown, 18, was fatally shot by Ferguson police officers on Saturday. His family has told the media that he was scheduled to start attending Vatterott College, a trade school with several Missouri campuses, this week.
Little else is agreed upon, though. A friend of Brown’s who was with him at the time of the shooting told MSNBC that a police officer told them to "get the fuck off the sidewalk" as they were walking down the street. An altercation ensued, Brown’s friend said, and the first shot was fired. Brown then attempted to flee the scene, according to the friend, but the police officer pursued and eventually fired multiple gunshots that killed Brown. The officer’s name has yet to be released, police say, because of "threats" made toward officers via social media.
The New York Times reported the police’s version of events. Brown had assaulted the police officer and then been shot in a struggle for the officer’s firearm, the police said. That account was met with skepticism from community leaders, especially as the police acknowledged that Brown had been unarmed.
According to two independent eyewitness accounts I have seen, the officer was chasing Brown down the street, and Brown had his hands in the air to surrender when the officer fired the fatal shots. The police assertion that Brown was going fire the officer’s gun is a standard police lie, when they murder an unarmed victim. Brown certainly was not going for the officers gun when the officer killed him. Most police officers are dedicated professionals, but far too many Republican racists are hired as police officers, and bring their hatred and need to abuse power to their jobs.
From Right Wing Watch: \Fox News commentator Todd Starnes appeared on “The 700 Club” today where he went through his usual talking points about how the Obama administration is waging “war” on conservative Christians while giving special treatment to Muslims.
Barf Bag Alert!!
When Pat Robertson gets together with a propagandist from the Republican Reichsministry of Propaganda, Faux Noise, the result frequently fouls screens and keyboards.
Cartoon:
16 Responses to “Open Thread–8/13/2014”
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2:43 Who's going to whiz past me?
3:04 My feet turned to stone!
4:55 This is what I expect verdigris to look like, as opposed to the last one they called verdigris.
BBC: Interesting. I don't suppose al-Maliki would flee the country instead?
TPM: As angry and outraged as this sort of thing makes me (the very fact that I can say "This sort of thing" since it is not an isolated incident) is infuriating in itself), I cannot even imagine how I would feel if I were black. I think American mainsream black people must be the most patient, most forgiving, most peaceful, kindest, gentlest group in the world not to be making the streets run with blood like those in Iraq. God knows they have had provocation. And no, I'm not suggesting it. I'm suggestingthat whites should repent in dust and ashes. Yeah, like that will ever heppen.
RWW: Sorry, can't watch. I'm not up to cleaning my monitor and keyboard today.
Cartoon – Yes indeed.
Here are a couple of petitions on subjects covered here recently. I've included the names of the groups sponsoring them. I know I'm not the only one who gets their emails.
Julion Evans (Faithful America)
http://act.faithfulamerica.org/sign/florida_funeral?referring_akid=422.240419.GOCkRW&source=taf
Michael Brown (CREDO)
http://act.credoaction.com/sign/mike_brown_justice?referring_akid=a160874132.2616308.LFc_jx&source=conf_email
Petitons signed. Thanks to Joanne for listing them.
Another Michael Brown petition, this one from MomsRising:
http://action.momsrising.org/sign/BlackYouthMatter_JusticeMikeBrown/?t=2&akid=5701.2117271.601hsS
Signed this petition as well. Thanks, Joanne.
Obviously I should never have left this site today, at least until I finished with my email. Here's one from Jon Soltz, founder and chairman of the Progressive group VoteVets, who was one of the last advisers to leave Northern Iraq in 2011:
"One of my responsibilities was to train the Kurdish fighting force, better known as the Peshmerga. U.S. Special Forces have been training the Kurds for years since they resisted Saddam Hussein, and they fought ably alongside our troops when the Iraq War started in 2003.
"So I had a strong personal reaction when news began to spread that the Kurdish capital of Irbil was under threat from an Islamic State advance.
"Many times I've explained that it isn't in the United States' security interest to take sides in a Middle Eastern civil war — most recently our decision to arm Syrian rebels which helped give rise to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. But the Kurds are not proactive actors in that civil war, they are our best allies in the Gulf region.
"That's why I supported President Obama's announcement of limited military action to protect US installations and tacitly support the Kurds."
All signed. Thanks JD.
Thanks!
BBC ~His best mov at this point is to flee the country like the Shah of Iran did in the 1970s.
TPM ~ Too bad there isn''t a sure-fire test to ferret out the racists before hiring.
Right Wing Watch ~ Starnes should join up with the Duck Dynasty crew.
Cartoon ~ Really?!
Puzzle — 3:04 My feet turned to stone!
BBC — Whether Al Maliki steps aside peaceably or stages a coup d'état, I think his chances of living another year or so are limited. He has made too many enemies because of corruption. True, if he stages a coup, he'll have an army. But how long before that army abuses its power and creates great upheaval. If he steps aside and leaves the country, he might have a chance.
TPM — "With great power comes great responsibility." (Voltaire) This officer, and indeed so far the police department, have accepted the power, but the rsposibility that comes with it . . . not so much. I hope they get their ducks properly lined up, and soon.
Right Wing Watch — Double barf bag alert — Starnes and Robertson, the old reprobate, together doing a duet! Christians are NOT being persecuted. They don't get their way and the persecution même comes out. What a bunch of crap!
Cartoon — Inspector Goosestep, you're getting paranoid! There is no conspiracy! Porch monkey or not, progressives all know that Republicanus/Teabaggers as a group are racists.
Must admit, I had to look up "porch monkey" having never heard of it before. It seems it originally was not a racist term but a reference to welfare recipients . . . sitting on the porch when they should have be looking for work. I understand it has in some circles taken on a racial tone.
Whether welfare recipients or referencing non whites, there is no doubt that Republicanus/Teabaggers don't like them.
That's a quarry load of stone!!
Inspector Goose Step claiming not to bne racist, while using a racial slur.
I hope you finally got enough sleep and had a better day today.
BBC: Maliki has been part of the problem in Iraq with his exclusionist policies. I agree with you, he will probably not leave without causing more turmoil in that all ready devastated country.
TPM" I am sure we will not get an unbiased report from the police dept. They have too much to lose. Daily Kos had a photo today of about six heavily armed policement pointing assault weapons at an unarmed man. This is what our country is coming to today. Unless you are white, blonde, and expensively dressed, you can no longer claim they are your friends.
Right Wing Watch: barf bag alert needed! I can never watch a whole video from this source. If these people practiced half of what Christ taught, we would have no need for many of the laws we have today. They do what they do for the money and to appeal to the ignorant.
Cartoon: Yes indeed. Loved it.
I did, bit my eyelids are drooping