I’m writing for tomorrow, day 195. I had to take advantage of a break in the bad weather to out and buy a new winter coat, as the zipper was torn in my old one. That is one of the few items I cannot buy online, because anything that reaches around my middle has sleeves a foot too long, so I’m getting one tailored. The down side is that, even though it’s downtown, the trip required about a mile and a half of walking. I was already worn out. So this will be the only article for the day. I have the data collected for the monthly report, but I’m just too pooped to write it tonight. Tomorrow is a Holy Day in the Church of the Ellipsoid ORB. My AFC West leading Broncos are worshiping with the AFC East leading Patriots, the week’s featured game. I won’t get to see it, because CBS thinks Portland would rather watch the AFC West last place Raiders against the NFC West 3rd place Seachickens. Grrrrrrrr!!!!!
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 5:01 (average 5:56). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From The New Yorker: The billionaire Koch brothers have approved a controversial plan to shoot cash from cannons directly at voters heading into polling places on Election Day.
The plan, which Koch insiders have privately referred to as Operation Money Shot, would distribute as much as seventy million dollars in small bills in the hopes of seizing Republican control of the United States Senate next Tuesday.
While most state laws prohibit electioneering within a hundred feet of polling places, the Koch plan craftily skirts that restriction by using high-powered cash cannons, similar to the T-shirt cannons used in sports arenas, which have a range of up to a hundred and fifty feet.
According to a spokesman for the Kochs, “Under the law, corporations are considered people, and people have always had the right to fire money from cannons at other people.”
I wouldn’t be surprised, Andy. There’s nothing else they haven’t done!!
From NY Times: Democrats are nervously counting on an enduring edge among female voters in most states to prevent a Republican rout in Tuesday’s elections. Yet so great is the uncertainty that even before the returns are in, some are second-guessing the party’s strategy of focusing more on issues like abortion and birth control than on jobs and the economy.
This is a mistake. Women are just as interested in jobs and the economy as they are in abortion and birth control. Both are fronts in the Republican War on Women.
From Daily Kos: How many times have you heard Republicans accuse Democrats, specifically blacks and Latinos, of using the race card. Many times they get away with the accusations because they have mastered Lee Atwater’s techniques. Lee Atwater was an adviser to U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush and chairman of the Republican National Committee. He was the strategist who taught Republicans how to touch their constituents racial funny bones without being explicitly racist.
It turns out Dallas County Judge candidate Ron Natinsky learned the technique but was rather clumsy in its use. The Dallas Morning News reported about statements Ron Natinsky made in a video a few months ago.
Get Out the VOTE!!!
Cartoon:
Given the media projections of Republican wins, may this happen again Tuesday!
15 Responses to “Open Thread–11/2/2014”
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3:19 Is this a lighthouse?
3:56 I'm fairly certain this is not a traditional lighthouse, if a lighthouse at all. The write up says it is a castle in Ireland in the background with 2 former boat sheds converted into residences. There is a place near me that has 2 garages that look very similar but no castle. I have often thought that it would be nice to convert the garages to living spaces.
Whatever ir is, Patty Monster ate all the food there. 🙁
Sorry. I was hungry.
I hope you found the perfect warm coat for yourself.
New Yorker ~ If they thought it would work, they would try it. After all, they were successful in buying politicians.
NY Times ~ I am sorry to say that many women here are only considering gun control issues as spouted by the NRA and their male partners instead of reality. I'm still trying to educate them. Where we live the only crucial election is Governor and they hate Cuomo because of the Safe Gun Act. I'll never be able to turn them because they are all deaf to the real issues. I try though.
Daily Kos ~ Despicable men!
Cartoon ~ Bazinga!
Patty, sadly it was the only coat we could figure out how to make fit.
5:20 average unchanged. It was pretty obvious it was going to be a tough one. Sorry CBS has their head in the shade.
New Yorker – Well, if Andy gave the Kochs ideas, I would say take the money, vote Democratic, and run. It wouldn't be available to me – all mail ballots here.
NY Times – I agree with you, TC. For one thing, contrary to the stereotypes, there are a lot of post-menopausal women who are Democrats (several are regulars on this blog, including me.) On the other hand, we tend to have enough compassion yo be concerned about womens' health in general, even if we don't have daughters and/or granddaughters. But we also worry about Social Security and Medicare (not about their being mogmanaged or broke, which they aren't, but that Republicans will steal them given half a chance, which they will.)
Daily Kos – Clumsy is throwong roses at it. I would say he never learned the technique at all. I hope the targeted voters hear him loud and clear, and VOTE Go Wendy!
Cartoon – This was a very famous sampling error, and the results changed the nature of sampling forever. Al the polls were drawing their samples from phone books – at a time when Republicans were way, way overrepresented among owners of telephones. I would love to be able to think of a corresponding dichotomy today that would cause a similar polling error, but I can't. I do point out that some pollsters are polling "registered voters" against "likely voters," and that the Dems are doing much better among "registered voters," but all this means is the need to GOTV, and we knew that (and have been working on it). Anyone have any thought on what might skew the polls today?
Speaking as a former opinion research professional, the biggest challenge to accurate political polling is making the determinination as to who the likely voters are.
Good grief TC – long distance kitty to walk so far in search of a warm winter coat – well done!
New Yorker – the only thing that would stop that happening is that some of the money shot out would fall into the hands of the poor and the Koch's won't like that!
Daily Kos – typical and repulsive and patronising video – vote Democrat instead of them!
Thanks Pat. I hope it keeps out tge cold. Because Oregon is so humid, much like the UK, it tends to cut through clothing,
Some thought if Nixon hadn't conceded that the election opposing JFK would've might've replicated headline errors.
I sort of hope the poll methodologies not capturing the Hispanic vote will prove to be the key to actual results in most of the close states so Natinsky and Abbott both bite the TX dust and render Atwater's approach obsolete. Latinos care about immigration just as women care about minimum wage and workplace rights and benefits.
Hope the canons misfire and catch the Kochs with something they didn't plan for.
Kudos on 195.
I think our biggest hope is that those voters that Republicans are trying to disenfranchise get so pissed that they voted in record numbers.
I hope you get your new coat soon. I had to wear mine last night and was glad to have it. It was eighty degrees here last Tuesday. Go figure!
The New Yorker: Andy might be onto something here. If the Kochs could get away with it, they would probably do it. Of course, they are all ready throwing so much money at politicians and judges, they really don't need to bribe the voters.
NY Times: I agree, it is a mistake to not focus on jobs and the economy. Women are interested in birth control and abortion, but they have to make a living, too. We are not focused soley on issues that affect women. I so wish our party had some good pr people to advise them.
NY Times: This is part of the problem, people think their vote won't matter so they don't vote. Many races have been won by a margin of a few votes. Everyone needs to exercise their right to vote while we still have it. Vote people!
Cartoon: I really hope this what happens with Grimes and McConnell. He is currently ahead in the polls. I really don't want to move!
It will be ready Thursday, Edie. Hewre4 it was summer one week and winter the next. This id pretty noemal for mid winter, but I have a fealing we're goungf to have some climate-change frigid this year.
Puzzle — 3:56 I'm fairly certain this is not a traditional lighthouse, if a lighthouse at all. The write up says it is a castle in Ireland in the background with 2 former boat sheds converted into residences. There is a place near me that has 2 garages that look very similar but no castle. I have often thought that it would be nice to convert the garages to living spaces.
The New Yorker — Why would they do that when they already have bought and paid for Republicanus/Teabagger politicians and the RNC election fraud machine?!
NY Times — If people, both men and women, would stop and think about what the Republicanus/Teabaggers have done about American jobs and the economy in the last 6 years — butkus! They have blocked every piece of legislation that would have sparked the economy and put people back to work. Many of the corporations that they support have shipped American jobs overseas. They have blocked equal pay legislation in addition to their war on women. In my view, their war on women encompasses this and reproductive rights. Really it is a war on the family which takes in education, healthcare, the economy and jobs. And why . . . because Mr Obama is guilty of being black while POTUS.
Daily Kos — Natinsky is an ignorant SOB that has no business sitting on the bench. With racist remarks like that, how can he be considered impartial as a jurist?
Cartoon — "The election is considered to be the greatest election upset in American history." Truman defeated Dewey. TC, as you say, from your cartoon to God's eyes!