This is today’s only article, because an unusual situation has me running behind. This morning I was awakened by a bang on my door. I woman who lives on the floor could not breathe well, and was trying to use an Advair dispenser. I tried to help her, but saw that she had no doses left. I called 911, notified building staff, and cared for her until help arrived. I was pleased that the EMTs arrived in under 15 minutes. I lay back down to rest for just a few minutes, and slept a couple hours past the time I planned to arise. Today is a grocery delivery day, and I’m waiting for Store to Door to arrive.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 2:55 (average 4:33). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Upworthy: When a self-proclaimed "white redneck" starts a video with "white people are racists," it’s hard not to listen.
He looks like Bubba Bagger. He sounds like Bubba Bagger. But there is nothing Republican about him.
From Daily Kos: 1. You want to finance the wealthy?
You think the banking bailout wasn’t enough for the elite? They need tax breaks to invest more in the developing world so their companies become more profitable? Pleas give them tax cuts to do so.
Do you want to decrease unemployment overseas, give corporations tax cuts and breaks to finance their move to the land of cheap labor of their choice? So what if the workers are to young or kept in dormitories and the conditions resemble those of forced labor. You really want that stuff to be so cheap that you can afford it on the unemployment line? Well then:
Vote Republican
2. You believe victims of crime are whiners?
Two wrongs make a right?
Women who are raped and become pregnant should be forced to carry the baby of a crime?
That those complaining of sexual and moral abuse at work are just lazy and have no right to be treated equally at the workplace?
Vote Republican.
Here are just two things voting Republican will help you get. Click through for the other eight.
From The New Yorker: With a stop in Iowa on Tuesday, the Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton officially embarked on a nineteen-month marathon of looking concerned.
Sitting with patrons at Jones Street Java House, in Le Claire, the former Secretary of State listened intently, sipped from a cup of coffee, and nodded her head at appropriate junctures, flawlessly reënacting a brief scene from her first campaign video.
After about twenty minutes of virtually nonstop displays of empathy, a Clinton aide said, “we decided to shut it down.”
“Hillary is staring down nineteen months of sipping coffee and nodding her head,” the aide continued. “We want to make sure she paces herself.”
Andy is probably more accurate that we want to consider. We need to pressure her to make the kinds of commitments on issues that we can live with.
Cartoon:
29 Responses to “Open Thread–4/15/2015”
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Just a quick note WRT the "redneck". He's actually an actor – Jorge Eugene Moran.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/04/10/1376881/–Redneck-s-viral-video-calls-for-other-whites-to-post-their-own-white-racial-responsility-videos
http://www.examiner.com/article/racism-at-bass-pro-shop-a-white-man-s-burden-the-story-of-jorge-moran
Thanks. Nevertheless, It appears he;sincere.
3:40 average 4:33. If the noise hasn't scared away ALL the wildlife, there might be some lunch nearby.
Upworthy – Well now, this is confirmation that we need blunt messengers! They do get attention when a smoother , more rational presentation won't. You can tell by the phrasing he uses he is very capable of putting it in big words! But keeping the attention of his audience is more important. I see Nameless says he is an actor, and that makes sense, but based on the Bass Pro Shop interview he is speaking as himself. Kudos to him! I hope this goes viral if it hasn't already. I wish everyone in America would see it.
Daily Kos – Another somewhat blunt message. I did read this in Kos and could have used a barf bag myself.
New Yorker – Agreed that we need to pressure her to make commitments we can live with – and there are plenty of people and groups creating petitions to put that pressure on. And I'm sure there will be more. Good thing I won't have to sign them all by hand or I'd get writer's cramp.
Cartoon – OK, granted, but it still beats a Federal Sales Tax replacing income tax. Or a flat tax across the board. IMHO.
By noting he's an actor, I didn't mean to imply those aren't his heartfelt sentiments. He sincerely means what his video conveys.
From what I've read, as an actor who is very civil rights oriented he felt this was the best vehicle to get his message out. And it certainly has been effective. And rest assured it's gone viral. (But unfortunately probably a case of "preaching to the choir".)
I didn't take your information to mean he was not sincere. Actors are people too, and have opinions, and these are pretty clearly his.
I agree. I just want people with more to pay more and people with less to pay less.
First, you should take a bow, TC, for your thoughtful performance as the Good Samaritan last night. Kudos to you!
Second, I'm sure most of you have read about Robert Bates who "accidentally" shot and killed Eric Harris while playing cop for the Tulsa County Sheriff's Dept. Because Bates donated thousands of dollars in cash, guns, ammo and equipment to the department, they loaded him up with a REAL Taser and a REAL gun a badge of some sort and let him roam the streets.
<snark>
Back when I was practicing medicine at our teaching hospital, we routinely had wealthy donors drop by, scrub up, slip into surgical gown, grab a scalpel and whittle away for a while.
I mean we all thought, "What could go wrong?"
</snark>
What the HELL were they thinking?!?
I read that it is common practice for the rich to "pay to play cop" in quite a few communities, most commonly in Michigan. It's a big money making scheme for the small towns.
http://www.vocativ.com/usa/guns/oakley-michigan/?page=all
The idea of not helping would never occur to me. I remember that in May 2013 I barely crawles to my door and was laying in the hall calling for help (old residence). People helped.
Nameless, I am quietly gibbering with horror at the stories about Tulsa County Sheriffs dept and your teaching hospital – AARRGGHHH!!
Mind you – the distinctly eccentric Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, did go along on a couple of drug busts (if I remember correctly they got the wrong address for one) – and I must frighten you all – as he was born in America – he could [if he switches countries and joins the Republicants], be eligible to become President – be afraid, be very afraid!
2:56 OK Puddy Tat, this one is yours, providing that Jerry or Patty don't come in ahead of you. But I don't recommend trying to eat this one, even if you are anemic! You'll most assuredly end up dragging your ass about town!
3:02 I wonder if that nasty old puddy-tat spied a little birdie hiding inside the bell…
Maybe a really big dinner bell will call me a really big dinner.
Upworthy: He might be a redneck,but he is certainly not ignorant. He speaks truth. I am sharing this on FB with a caveat that there is a lot of profanity, (I do live in the Bible belt), but this is worth hearing. Thanks for sharing this one.
Daily Kos: This is so simple, I don't understand why so many, who have so little, keep voting for them. I shared this on FB, too.
The New Yorker: Love Andy, and this one is spot on. She will need to commit herself this time around, and not rely on the trite, previously used, phrases to get elected. She is a pragmatist, so perhaps she will understand what needs to be done to get elected.
Cartoon: That is exactly how I felt when I finished Mother's taxes.
Disgusting, isn't it? How did she feel?
She was furious!
I forgot to add, your neighbor was lucky you were there.
Puzzle — 2:56 OK Puddy Tat, this one is yours, providing that Jerry or Patty don't come in ahead of you. But I don't recommend trying to eat this one, even if you are anemic! You'll most assuredly end up dragging your ass about town!
Upworthy — I agree with Jorge Eugene Moran.
When I was about 11 years old, my mother took my brother and I to Buffalo NY to visit her father. My grandfather took my brother and I down the street (Archie Bunker had to have lived on that street) to the corner store for a bottle of Squirt. As we approached the store, there were a number of African American young men outside. My grandfather grabbed me by the coat collar and pulled me in saying "Get over here girl or the "N#@^$*"s will get you!". That was more than 50 years ago and it is still fresh in my mind. At that age in those times, I would not talk back to an adult, but I was mad. He was so wrong. I had no respect for him after that and I did not talk to him again, nor have I forgiven him. Instead I have in prayers thanked him for teaching me a valuable lesson. Many years later when I was in my late 20s early 30s, my mother made a remark about South Asians — the r#%$&*@s in town … — to which I called her out telling her that she was racist and not to use that term. I think she was totally flummoxed that I would dare to say anything to her.
Daily Kos — Barf bag alert!!! Republicanus/Teabaggerum family and social values really do suck!
The New Yorker — I can see it now . . . the Hillary bobblehead! I hope the former mayor of Toronto, Rob Ford, didn't spoil the bobblehead idea for Hillary.
Cartoon — I thought this was just another Republicanus/Teabaggerum with his head up his ass until I realised that his head was not where the sun doesn't shine.
Here's another Bubba Bagger who's starting to see the light:
http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2015/4/15/164152/626
Let's hope it's a trend.
He struck me as pretty selfish, but I'd love to see more like him.
Upworthy ~ This video has been making the rounds on FB. The problem is that the people who should listen to him, won't.
Daily Kos ~ I posted this on FB the other day. Strange, but I got no responses from my TeapublicanT friends and relatives. They probaly looked at the headline and figured I went over to the dark side with them. LOL That's because the judge every book by its cover.
New Yorker ~ Our petitions made her stand up against Citizens' United. Step one in a long list.
Cartoon ~ Bernie Sanders has been posting all manner of examples of inequality in our tax processes. His current poll has 98% of the people against corporate loopholes. Will Congress listen? No because they have their heads too far up their asses.
Well I guess I am not buying it. Why well there will not a Obama in the White House again. And the chances that Hillary will be able to be President is in the odds. (because if she runs on her own beliefs not on someone eles well people think she is not worthy and have a reason not to vote for her) which I personally see as just another cop out. ( And we all know how that worked for Obama) The difference is Obama ran on what he believed not what others thought he should) Will Clinton? The right the left the middle or who ever always has an excuse why we should not vote for anyone except for a white man. ( it seems to not matter if he sleeps around or if he can lie) But lets see Bush got away with everything and where was the republian/tea party then.( I know cheering him on.) (even most demorats) Now there just a few who has and will fight for the middle class Warren being on the top of the list. Clinton is on that list and is willing to put her name and all the life she has left doing it. But after all she is a woman and will be treated just as bad as Obama if not worse. And without suport of the party will she make in roads? (So the redneck republian/teaparty can bark all they want but. words are just words
The job of the elected official is to act, not on their own beliefs, but on the beliefs of the people that elect them.
I agree Tom, But if you do believe in health care, equal pay, rights for all and so on. You tend to work for the isses most American believe.
Kudos to you, TodAy,for saving That woman’s life! You were probably the only one around That knew what kind of terror it is to not be able to breathe! Good Job, my friend!
That video brought tears to my eyes! In would Never have thought such progressive thoughts would have come from someone that….. Geez! There I go! He is DAMN GOOD! AND RIGHT!
I dsoubt that I saved her life. Within a couple minutes other neighbors were helping too.
Thanks all!!
Thank goodness you live in such a good block flats TC – your neighbour had you to call and and others – hooray for you all!
Good example of why the ACA incentivizes case management for those released home.
Nice example of why stereotypes are dangerous and can be very wrong.
Wish the IRS was going after corporations and the 1% that way a whole lot more than the rest of us.