Day 93. I slept in, which is good. I needed it. This afternoon my building is having a community meeting in which management will be going over the steps they are going to start talking to help us recycle and lower our carbon footprint. While that may see like a pain in the ass, I’m glad they care. You folks back east had betted get ready for some nasty weather. Although it has been unseasonably warm here, it’s been raining nonstop for over a day and is forecast to continue for two – three more. When that mixes from cold air out of Canada, watch out!!
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today;s took me 2:59 (average 4:14). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos: Florida Attorney Steve Medina has been working on a case, pro bono, to expose the environmental corruption which has been taking place in Tallahassee and Putnam County, Florida.
Tons of toxic waste is being dumped into St. Johns River, daily, by the Koch Brothers company, Georgia-Pacific. Aspects of the deal allowing Georgia Pacific to massively assault the environment, were misleading, sometimes illegal, and unbeknownst to the local citizens. Florida Governor Rick Scott and former Governor (and Republican presidential hopeful), Jeb Bush, are also involved.
Click through for the dirty details. Those four are peas in a pod.
From Reuters: A senior Israeli official suggested on Friday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been misled into thinking an invitation to address the U.S. Congress on Iran next month was fully supported by the Democrats.
Netanyahu was invited by the Republican speaker of the house, John Boehner, to address Congress on March 3, an invitation Boehner originally described as bipartisan.
The move angered the White House, which is upset about the event coming two weeks before Israeli elections and the fact that Netanyahu, who has a testy relationship with President Obama, is expected to be critical of U.S. policy on Iran.
I don’t doubt that Agent Orange lied. After all, his mouth was open, and there was no inflow of whiskey. However, if Butcher Ben were truly concerned, he would cancel the trip. He says he has no such plans.
From Right Wing Watch: Creationist leader Ken Ham is incensed that the state of Kentucky is supposedly abridging his organization’s “fundamental rights” by declining to provide around $18 million in tax incentives to his Noah’s Ark theme park. The park is a planned addition to Ham’s Creation Museum and is intended to be, according to Ham, “one of the greatest evangelist outreaches of our day.”
Since Ham’s group plans to discriminate on the basis of religion in its hiring practices, it is no surprise that it won’t get public funds. But Ham claims that he has a “right” to receive taxpayer money and has filed a lawsuit [pseudo-Christians delinked] against Kentucky, insisting that his organization, Answers in Genesis, is the real victim of discrimination.
He took his case to “Washington Watch” [pseudo-Christians delinked] yesterday, where he told host Tony Perkins that Kentucky’s decision somehow violates his organization’s right to the freedom of speech: “Anyone who wants to have freedom of speech in this nation, freedom of religion, free exercise of religion, needs to stand with us as we do this because that is what we are standing for.”
In short this Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christian is saying that failure to fund his attempt to proselytize others in a manner that violates the US Constitution violates his freedom of speech and freedom of religion. He is free to spread the Republican gospel of greed, lies and hate to his heart’s content, and I defend his right to do so. But, if government pays for it, that violates our rights.
Cartoon:
15 Responses to “Open Thread–2/6/2015”
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4:28, average now 4:26. That starling is indeed superb. All the starlings I have ever seen were gray, in fact such a dark gray people sometimes mistook them for ravens or crows. Don't the grubs look like Cheetos? Incidentally, it was starlings who got famous for stealing quarters from I think it was self-serve car washes and storing them on the roof.
Daily Kos – Yes, and I think Steve Medina needs a bodyguard. I am happy to see that anyone who wants to contact him has to go through the Executive Director of the Florida Clean Water Network. I hope that gives him some protection.
Reuters – For some reason that made me think of this. http://www.care2.com/news/member/864072146/3846045 Not that the two stories have much in common besides deliberate misdirection.
I has a boss once who described holders of that type of attitude as having "balls the size of church bells." It also reminds me of the classic definition of chutzpah – murdering both parents and then expecting mercy from the court because one is an orphan.
Cartoon – And you can tell when they've been using the computer because there is white-out on the screen.
Might Medina knock out two presidential hopefuls with one case?
Will the GOP land on the wrong side of Israel on this one?
Please do not think other people's taxes should fund your religious efforts Ham–we have freedom of religion and if you want your speech funded, get others who agree with you to pay for it as is constitutional and appropriate. There is a Perkins restaurant with ham on the menu…hmmmmmmmmm
Glad your building will support recycling efforts.
Daily Kos: I read the whole story and shared on Facebook with my Florida friends. After the Gore/Bush decision, I never expect any honesty from Florida's politicians.
Reuters: Boehner may have gulped more than even he can swallow with this one. I hope the majority of Democrats boycott. There is no excuse for this to have happened.
Right Wing Watch: Yes, he has sued. He initially promoted this as an amusement park that would provide hundreds of jobs, much needed in Kentucky. When the truth emerged, funding was denied. Surely, no judge will rule in his favor, not even here.
Cartoon: Love it.
3:17 JD, I don't think I can eat another cheeto ever again!
Probably just as well for your health. No need to thank me. 😀
It has been raining here in Sonoma. As much as we need the rainfall, it is a very cold and windy one. Brrr.
Daily Kos:
"The St. Johns was named one of 14 American Heritage Rivers in 1998 but was included on a list of America's Ten Most Endangered Rivers in 2008."
Steve Medina, working on this pollution case, pro bono, is going after some biggies. Yes, he most likely will need a bodyguard and some help from fellow citizens to bring down those scoundrels. More power to him!
Reuters:
Yes, Boehner lied and he did extend this invitation to Butcher Ben without the White House permission.
Boehner has also invited the Pope Francis to speak before a joint Congress on September 24th. For the Pope to speak before Congress would mark the very first time a Pope has ever done it. Reported on Democracy Now! Feb, 06-2015.
Right Wing Watch:
Glad that the State of Kentucky has decided to opt out of this boondoggle!
Cartoon:
Teabaggers know how to use Crayons…???
Puzzle — 3:17 JD, I don't think I can eat another cheeto ever again!
Daily Kos — Given that Jeb Bush is a potential presidential candidate, it will be interesting to see if this corruption affair has anyeffect on his candidacy. To me, this is another Republicanus/Teabaggerum SNAFU. As far as the Kochs are concerned, this is SSDD. I recall another location, I think in the northern mid west, where effluent from a Koch industries operation was dumped in a river and people in the area were getting and dying of cancer at record rates. Prison is too good for these 4 crooks . . . they should be chained to land at these toxic sites and forces to sleep, eat and work there until they die.
Reuters — A couple of points . . .
If the intended audience is 'world powers', why is Bibi addressing the US Congress, and not the UN?
First, I don't believe that Bibi was unaware of Boehner's lies, but once publically aware, why hasn't he cancelled the speech?
Netanyahu said that he is not meddling in US affairs, and I say bullshit! He is even more duplicitous than Boehner, and a loose cannon in the Middle East.
Boehner is trying make an end run around Obama, but all he has accomplished is to make himself and the Republicanus/Teabaggerum look petty and deceitful, which of course they are.
Right Wing Watch — Ham and Perkins are 6 beers short of a six pack! These certified right wing evangelical pseudo Christians don't understand that the 1st amendment to the constitution says "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion …" and showing favour to his organisation would be doing just that.
This isn't freedom of speech or freedom of religion! It is freedom to be greedy with the public purse instead of his own purse. Last time I looked, that is not covered in the US Constitution.
Cartoon — I'm not even sure they're capable of using that device.
TY TC.
Governores playing
favorites for GOODIE,S and BOEHNER IS Lying.!
I,M SHOCKED , SHOCKED !!!! (I,m fooling!)
I just can’t believe that Bibi didn’t know when Boner asked him that it was a bipartisan invitation. He KNEW. He is very tuned in to to the machinations of the US Congress. He knows we had an election that swung everything to the red and wants to get in on the goodies while he can. Too bad it became public knowledge and we all know that he is trying to do! He thinks he can swing more money his way AND swing his election!
Politics makes strange bedfellows! And Bush and the Kocks make me worry for our future! They are pollution on STERIODS!
God don’t like liars. And there are plenty in this bunch of yayhoos!
Puzzle – 4:25 😆
It boggles my mind how these Republicans get away with this.
Woooo Hoooo! The bird is mine!
. . . and the grubs . . . er cheetos too!
Now, you may thank me if you want, for taking away the Sasquatch's appetite LOL!