The good news is that I got enough sleep. The bad thing is that I slept through many tasks and am now running way behind. Pardon my brevity, please.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Todays took me 2:32 (average 4:51). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Fantasy Football Recruiting:
We still need two new players for Lefty Blog Friends, our fantasy football league. How about you? For more information, click here.
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos:
UPDATE: Karen Fitzgibbons was just fired.
Yes, that’s a real post from a real elementary school teacher in Texas responding to the mess in McKinney. Karen Fitzgibbons, an elementary school teacher at Bennett Elementary School, had the nerve, the racist gall, the ignorance, to log into Facebook and post:
"I’m going to just go ahead and say it … the blacks are the ones causing the problems and this ‘racial tension.’ I guess that’s what happens when you flunk out of school and have no education. I’m sure their parents are just as guilty for not knowing what their kids were doing; or knew it and didn’t care. I’m almost to the point of wanting them all segregated on one side of town so they can hurt each other and leave the innocent people alone. Maybe the 50s and 60s were really on to something. Now, let the bashing of my true and honest opinion begin….GO! #imnotracist #imsickofthemcausingtrouble #itwasatagedcommunity"
Among TX Republicans, Fitzgibbons is what they call a moderate.
From NY Times: A month and a half after six officers were charged in Mr. Gray’s death, policing has dwindled in some of Baltimore’s most dangerous neighborhoods, and murders have risen to levels not seen in four decades. The totals include a 29-year-old man fatally shot on this drug corner last month. Police union officials say that officers are still coming to work, but that some feel a newfound reluctance and are stepping back, questioning whether they will be prosecuted for actions they take on the job.
What’s going on here is that Baltimore police are shirking their duties to punish the community, because their brother officers have been charged for their criminal acts. Police have long believed that being above the law is their right for protecting the community from criminals. It’s shameful.
From USA Today: A former Republican campaign operative was sentenced to two years in prison Friday in what the Department of Justice says is the nation’s first criminal prosecution for illegal coordination between a candidate’s campaign and an outside group.
Prosecutors said Tyler Harber’s case should serve as a warning to others as the 2016 campaign heats up and an array of super PACs and other outside groups spring to life to help individual presidential and congressional candidates.
Harber, 34, admitted this year that he helped create a super PAC and used it to buy $325,000 in advertising to help Virginia 2012 congressional candidate Chris Perkins. Harber also managed Perkins’ unsuccessful campaign.
Federal law bars candidates, who face strict contribution limits, from coordinating their spending with outside groups, which can take unlimited sums.
Can America afford to jail all the Republicans that deserve to be in the cell with Harber?
Cartoon:
17 Responses to “Open Thread–6/13/2015”
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I hope many more cases follow on the heels of Tyler's with illegal campaign activities being prosecuted with convictions–it might at least make others think twice before doing likewise or refuse orders to do so. (And help keep the benefits from the 14th amendment from further erosion at GOP hands).
Someone should do a public info. query for the rosters and reports of Baltimore officers assigned to that community–and if fewer than previously, hold the chief and other administrators accountable…if strictly the officers doing less, an investigation into ripping off the taxpayers would be in order it seems.
KF showed herself too ignorant to be teaching children who might mimic such ignorance–so I find her consequence just.
2:30 What was it that the Puddy Tat said yesterday . . . "I figured that, by catching the early train to today's puzzle, I might get to eat the dawg, before that Sasquatch gets there. " How'd that work out for you Puddy Tat? And don't give me that line "poor starving kitten". I'm immune
3:39 No scraps left for this old dog?
That mean old Saswquatch deptived that poor little dawg of a nice warm home inside a puddy tat!
Puzzle — 2:30 What was it that the Puddy Tat said yesterday . . . "I figured that, by catching the early train to today's puzzle, I might get to eat the dawg, before that Sasquatch gets there. " How'd that work out for you Puddy Tat? And don't give me that line "poor starving kitten". I'm immune.
Daily Kos — People need to know and understand that they are accountable for their actions and any subsequent consequences. Fitzgibbons should never be allowed to teach again. Even if her class is all white, she will end up infecting the minds of other children with her racist views thereby creating more problems.
NY Times — Perhaps it's time to look at a wholesale change in the Baltimore PD, starting at the top. An oath to "serve and protect" is just that. There are no cavaets like "when we feel like it" or "only if our brother officers are not held accountable".
USA Today — This is just one of how many Republicanus/Teabaggerum that think the rules are made for others and not them. Until there are serious and permanent reforms to campaign finance laws and reasonable donation limits, the conniving will continue. Personally, in addition to prison time, when a campaign worker or candidate is found guilty of similar offences, if the candidate was successful, that candidate should be forced to step down and a byelection called in which the candidate would be ineligible to run.
Cartoon — No wonder the Republicanus/Teabaggerum want to repeal the 14th amendment . . . they'd all potentially be out of a job. Mind, a 2/3s vote of the Congress would have to be held and with the preponderance of the Republicanus/Teabaggerum, that 2/3s is in jeopardy.
You just do NOT come across idiocy of this magnitude everyday – even if you read all the right-wing rags.
California Assemblywoman Shannon Grove (R – Was there any doubt?) has a solid explanation as to why her state is suffering from a severe drought: ABORTIONS!
… AND she has the perfect remedy:
http://www.alternet.org/tea-party-and-right/5-right-wing-doozies-week-climate-deniers-square-against-pope
Well, who can argue with "logic" like that? OK – I'll give it a shot.
If God saved severe drought-stricken Texas because they passed hugely restrictive abortion laws, then given the current MASSIVE and HISTORIC flooding that has plagued Texas, it would clearly be evident that God is telling Texas:
Love your analagy
This is the noise Shannon Grove makes me emit "AAARRRGGGHHHH!!!", and I do feel that God may make a similar noise!
When Pat Robertson prophesied a Disney World hurrucane to punish gays, the next ine to make landfall damaged his Virginia Beach HQ.
Nameless, I think you understand God pretty well. Certainly better than Shannon Grove does.. LOL.
SoINeedAName! That was perfection, to say the least! I have never laughed harder in my life!
Kudos to the BPD for giving proof that they are absolutely USELESS!
The good news is that you got enough sleep! That is important at our age. My nephew stained my back porch yesterday, all the junk that was there is in the house, and the humidity is so high the stain has not dryed yet, so the cats can't go out and the junk stays inside. I am feeling what you feel on grocery delivery day.
Daily Kos: She shouldhave been fired, but I am surprised she got fired in Texas.. She should not be teaching school with that attitude. Social media is exposing a lot of jackasses.
NY Times: Indeed this is shameful! They are hired to serve and protect ALL, not just those of the right color or neighborhood. Will something be done about this derelict of duty? I doubt it.
USA Today: I doubt there are enough jail cells to hold all the candidates who did the same thing, they are too full of people caught with pot.
Cartoon: Sad but true.
Edie – can't you tell the cats that 'The stuff which was outside but is now inside is a new 'jungle gym' for kitties and it will only be there for a day or two, so you had better explore it while you can!' – if you say it with enough conviction you might convince a few of them to believe you for a few hours….!
Daily Kos – ah DENIAL, thy name is Karen Fitzgibbons.
NYT – 'protect and serve' – but only if they feel like it, it seems. Shameful.
USA Today – you'd have to build a lot more jails, methinks.
Pat, I tried, but they cried anyway, and still are.
(Sorry, put this in the wrong place jusy now)
Daily Kos – ah DENIAL, thy name is Karen Fitzgibbons.
NYT – 'protect and serve' – but only if they feel like it, it seems. Shameful.
USA Today – you'd have to build a lot more jails, methinks.
Good to hear you had enough sleep, TomCat, though I hope you feel rested and clearheaded enough to catch up on the tasks you didn't get to do by sleeping in. It's always difficult to restore the balance once something threw you off it, isn't it. Hope you have a good night's sleep tonight and you're back on track tomorrow.
Daily Kos: Karen Fitzgibbons is one of the many right wingers who try to get away with racism by trying to turn the people she hates into the bad guys, who are asking to be treated like this, and herself into the victim. Of course her hatred is further fueled by any response that she turned into bashing of her true and honest opinion beforehand and she may go ballistic now that she's fired over that true and honest opinion of hers. Her skull is sealed airtight against any other information that may contradict her bigotry, and she and her fellow right wingers will allow nothing to interfere with these true opinions. I'd hate to be black and live in her neighborhood right now and I hope they are keeping an eye on her. Well, come to think of it, that would be by the same police that started this incident in the first place, so not much hope of that.
NY Times: another case of people turning themselves into victims rather than face the consequences of their actions and beliefs, this time it's the cops in Baltimore who feel so persecuted and sorry for themselves they can't do their jobs properly. You're spot on, TomCat: they're punishing the community for criticizing them for being above the law.
USA Today: Harber is just the tip of the iceberg, I'd say. The iceberg of fraudulence, bribes, illegitimate dealing…in campaigns is so big, there's hardly any seawater left. Which could be useful in fighting climate change, but not in a fair and democratic election.
Thanks all. Hugs!