I’m writing for tomorrow, day 50 and Christmas Day. I’m waiting for Safeway to deliver groceries and when they arrive, I’ll begin cooking for tomorrow, a complete dinner featuring roast turkey!! Yum!
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:19 (average 5:18). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From The Guardian: Republican congressman Michael Grimm pleaded guilty to one count of felony tax evasion on Tuesday at a federal court in Brooklyn, weeks after he was overwhelmingly re-elected to a third term in Congress.
Grimm had been hit with a 20-count indictment in April over practices at his New York restaurant, Healthalicious. The charges included perjury, employing undocumented immigrants and concealing more than $1m in wages and sales.
May he be the first Republican convicted of many.
From CNN: The first votes of the 2016 campaign won’t be cast for another year but there’s already a race well underway: The Christian primary.
Republicans are actively courting white evangelical and born again Christian voters, knowing they will be crucial in early-voting states such as Iowa and South Carolina.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is urging people to join him next month in Baton Rouge for a day of fasting, repentance and prayer focused on the future of the United States.
Rachel Maddow provided great coverage of this.
We need to keep a close watch on how Republican candidates employ the hatred from Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christians.
From The Hill: Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) logged the most speaking time on the House floor this year out of his more than 400 colleagues.
That could account for the record number of Americans who threw up while watching C-Span.
Cartoon:
14 Responses to “Open Thread–12/25/2014”
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I'm sure your dinner will be absolutely marvellous TC – I hope you enjoy every bit!
The Guardian – how on earth did this reprehensible man ever get elected (sorry, of course….) – I do hope at least that he will be duely sacked and another election take place – or am I hoping too much? If Congress allows members convicted in open court of such crimes etc to stay in power then America is doomed.
From The Guardian " The charges included perjury, employing undocumented immigrants and concealing more than $1m in wages and sales.
" “I made some very big mistakes … But I also accept full responsibility,” he told reporters outside court after he entered his plea. “As long as I’m able to serve, I’m going to serve.” " – you what? These were 'mistakes' – and such a lot of them going on for so long – and he is going to 'continue to serve' – serve who? Mammon?!!
(Dear God – he was a member of the FBI?!! Oh help!).
Rachel Maddow – I think I rather like Kevin Cope, LSU Professor – but the preceding excerpts of the American Family Association seem not only vicious, evil, but clinically insane – what is wrong with these nutcases?! I like the fact that it was pointed out that neither Governor Jindall nor his staff had read all the stuff on the website that they so recklessly endorsed – either this is incompetence or it is trying to have their cake and eat it – or both – I bet they can do both!
Happy Christmas to all who celebrate it!
Bobby Jindal & Louisiana
Not only is Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana NOT a viable candidate for the Office of the President of the USA, there won't be a "state" of Louisiana in the future. Jindal is a pro-oil, anti EPA and anti global warming. Jindal defends the oil companies (BP and others). Louisiana is sinking.
ALL IN WITH CHRIS HAYES 08/29/14
Why is Louisiana sinking?
An eye-opening new report describes the ever-shrinking coastline of Louisiana, and why the state is losing a football field worth of land every hour. Bob Marshall joins Chris Hayes to discuss the problem.
http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/why-is-louisiana-sinking–323488835662
Rachel Maddow: Jindal STOPS Lawsuit v. Big Oil for Destroying Louisiana Wetlands???
Published on May 30, 2014
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and GOP Republican state legislators protected the oil and gas industry RETROACTIVELY from being held accountable for oil pollution that has destroyed vital, protective Louisiana coastal wetlands.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvAoQJt7A9o
Bobby Jindal: Oil Spill Hero or BP's BFF???
http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2010/06/bobby-jindal-bps-best-friend
Bobby Jindal may be a Rhodes Scholar but he needs to be fined for failing his alumni school for intelligence and clear thinking. lol.
5:56 average up to 5:36. And this one is made of?
The Guardian – The first convicted while in office, indeed. And on serious charges (though it may be a challenge to get Republicans to realize that.) I can hardly wait until a Republican in office is convicted of crimes committed while in office. In response to how did Grimm get elected, Staten Island is one of the darkest red districts in the country; the Democrats have difficulty fielding anyone credible, and frankly, this time, they fielded someone who was not credible. If you lived there, and faced that ballot, you might even have abstained yourself. We have a similar problem in Colorado 5 – this time we fielded someone who was pretty credible but he still lost. Of course Lamborn has not been indicted (yet).
CNN – Somebody needs to tell these "born-again" Christians that if they had a life changing encounter with, and accepted as their personal Savior, a spirit who told them to believe these things, it was not Jesus Christ, it was an imposter. Aren't they even the least bit curious as to who it might have been?
The Hill – Yes, that would do it.
Cartoon – and a Merry Christmas to you. I'm making a bird too but somewhat different in scale – to wit, a game hen. And preparing to get on the road tomorrow morning. (I will have the laptop but may be on line at odd times).
My turkey breast was only three pounds. Enjoy your trip
3:42 Merry Christmas
3:32 The funny fat man in the silly red suit, stuck in the smoke hole of our tipi!
Joyeux Noël . . . Merry Christmas . . . Christmas Mubarak (Farsi) . . . Feliz Navidad
3:13 I think he got to my house first this year.
Puzzle — 3:32 The funny fat man in the silly red suit, stuck in the smoke hole of our tipi!
Joyeux Noël . . . Merry Christmas . . . Christmas Mubarak (Farsi) . . . Feliz Navidad
The Guardian — So Healthalicious wasn`t so healthy after all! Does this mean that Grimm will be grim over the loss of his seat? I wonder if his constituents will finally get it that this Republicanus/Teabagger is a crook and does not deserve their vote, and that a party that supports his ilk does not deserve their vote either? What the heck, Darrell Issa`s constituents hasn`t learned it yet either!
CNN — "… a non partisan event …" Not a chance! Rachel was great! I hope this "prayer meeting", probably no different than that organised for "Oops!" Perry last presidential cycle, goes the same way . . . flushed!
The Hill — Goh-Merde might have spoken the most among his colleagues, but that noise was just that . . . noise, not intelligent discourse. I really find it hard to understand how so many Americans can be deceived so easily as to elect the likes of Goh-Merde, Batshit Crazy Bachmann, Cantaloupe Calves King, Crooked Issa, and a whole host of other Republicanus/Teabaggers
Cartoon — Cute Santa Cat! Did he eat the nip and drink the milk you left out?
Thank heavens for deliveries and Rachel and courts that impose accountability. Laws do not permit felons to hold various elected offices-that should prevent taking office one would think. Celebrate 50 days and the holidays both.
I hope your dinner was great!
The Guardian: The fact that he was under indictment for that many counts of fraud and still won a landslide election is disgusting.
CNN: This is not good news for most of us, the pseudo Christians plan to make the rest of us conform to their standards!
The Hill Another reason not to watch C Span.
Love the cartoon!
Another favour to ask from you guys . . .
One of the care aids that looks after my mother, Momma Lou, has a 29 year old son who was diagnosed in November with a brain tumour. Momma Lou has been off for about 6 weeks caring for her son post surgery. Fortunately the tumour is not cancerous. But additional surgeries will be needed as they couldn't get it all in the 1st surgery. Momma Lou is 67, working fulltime hours because she likes the job, and has an older son who has low functioning autism and needs care. In addition to being stretched, she is naturally concerned for both sons.
Would you keep Momma Lou and her boys in your thoughts or prayers? I would really appreciate it. Thanks guys.
BTW, my mother seemed much better today than 2 days ago. She didn't eat a lot, but she did eat all her butterscotch pudding. Go figure . . . a sweet tooth! I sure couldn't get away with that when I was a kid. If I didn't eat all my dinner then there was no dessert and I had to sit at the table and watch everyone else eat theirs. Of course my dinner plate was still infront of me in hopes I'd finish my dinner.
I would be sad to do do, Lynn.
Certainly.
Thanks all! As one stuffed cat, I have only one appropriate comment: {{{BURP!!!}}}