The heat wave continues. I took a thermometer down the hall to the shower room with me at 4:00 AM. Because the building collects the heat the temperature was 102°. I hate taking a shower and mopping up my own sweat, before I finish drying. Portland remains under a severe weather alert for excessive heat through the weekend. I did manage, however to get about 6 hours sleep in the last 24.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 2:52 (average 5:25). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Fantasy Football Recruiting:
We still need one or two new players for Lefty Blog Friends, our fantasy football league. We’re trying to get Viv in, but are not sure if it will support her smart phone. How about you? For more information, click here.
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos: There have been so many ridiculous responses to the Supreme Court ruling on the side of marriage equality, it would be quite the challenge to pinpoint the stupidest of them all. The Who’s Who of right-wing crackpots seem to all have a bet going to see which one of them can make the most outlandish, perverse statement against all this gay marriage having. I believe we may have a real contender for top prize in Arkansas pastor Tim Brooks.
David Barton, who delights in wildly distorting American history to suit his fundamentalist Christian beliefs, founded an organization called Wallbuilders [Republican hate group delinked]. Of course they have their own radio show called Wallbuilders Live. It was on their whackadoodle airwaves that Pastor Brooks gave us what very well may have been the most over-the-top overreaction of over-the-top overreactions.
His voice rising to fever pitch, Brooks asserted that America has gone the way of Sodom and Gomorrah. He then leaps to the logical conclusion that gay people will be coming to your home, dragging you into the street, bending you over and having at you with lusty gusto.
If ever there was a case of projection, this is it. What this Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christian describes with his antichristian lies is exactly what the Republican Party is doing to the American people.
From Washington Post: …Today, as he works toward his run at the White House, Bush touts his business experience as a strength that gives him the skills and savvy to serve as the nation’s chief executive. He has said he “worked my tail off” to succeed. As an announced candidate, Bush soon will be making financial disclosures that will reveal recent business successes and show a substantial increase in his wealth since he left office as Florida governor in 2007, individuals close to the candidate told The Post.
But records, lawsuits, interviews and newspaper accounts stretching back more than three decades present a picture of a man who, before he was elected Florida governor in 1998, often benefited from his family connections and repeatedly put himself in situations that raised questions about his judgment and exposed him to reputational risk…
Criminal business dealings runs in Strike Three’s family. GW ChickenHawk’s scams are legendary, and the clan’s patriarch, Prescott Bush, committed treason. He continued to profit by selling war materials to Hitler, even after the US and Germany were at war.
From Upworthy: As if Dolly Parton wasn’t cool enough, look what she’s been doing for kids — every single month.
Kudos to Dolly! While she won’t get involved in "politics", we know that she is not a Republican, because she supports gay marriage and women’s rights. Rumor has it that she tried to be a feminist once, but when she tried to burn her bra, they had to call the fire department to put it out. 
Cartoon:
39 Responses to “Open Thread–7/2/2015”
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4:41 average unchanged.
DKos – "If ever there was a case of projection, this is it. What this Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christian describes with his antichristian lies is exactly what the Republican Party is doing to the American people." Truer words were never spoken – or written – or posted. And elegantly said. (Perhaps this projected panic is why they are building the wall?)
WaPo – Very little demonstrated that there is a different law in America for the wealthy than Prescott Bush. Even more egregious than the banks that caused the 2008 depression.
Upworthy – I know that Dolly wasn't playing herself, but the movie "9 to 5" still broadened my horizons. This project of hers is really doing serious good here.
Cartoon – Yeah, evaded and then gutted.
Amnesty has a petitin for a cartoonist in Malaysia who goes back to court 7/7. Petition and details at
http://www.amnesty.org.au/action/action/37496/?utm_source=link2&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=crisis_659
thanks for the petition promotion Joanne–signed when I got the email
Thanks, Joanne, I signed.
Thanks, Joanne, I signed the petition with my Australian postcode.
Thanks for the petition link Joanne – already signed.
Been there. Signed that.
I do know that most people see these elsewhere – but even one person who sees it here first is one person more. Lona, good choice. Thanks, all.
Well, David Barton must live in one of the isolated rural communities. You know, like the ones that the Google 360-degree videocam car gets to last. Because "The Gays" have been dragging folks out of their homes all up and down my street since the day after the SCOTUS ruling!
Fortunately w/ my hearing loss, I don't answer the doorbell – because I can't hear it. See … sometimes there ARE advantages to being deaf.
On a lighter note, a Hispanic brewery in Chicago that was supplying a bar at Chicago's Trump Tower (Rebar) has decided to stop because of Trump's racist remarks.
Unfortunately they had quite a bit of brew left over.
FORTUNATELY they decided to rename it and sell it under its new label – "Chinga Tu Pelo". Which translates to "F\/CK Your Hair"
http://national.suntimes.com/national-world-news/7/72/1388892/latino-brewery-renames-beer-trump-calls-chinga-tu-pelo
How I long to be back in Chicago now! But if you're lucky enough to be in the Windy City, you can enjoy a draft at a number of watering holes. Scroll down in the below link to find out where:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/ct-5-rabbit-cuts-off-trump-tower-20150629-story.html
And for kicks, the Sun-Times gave Trump a hair makeover using the pates of some famous folks:
http://national.suntimes.com/national-world-news/7/72/1385110/donald-trump-haircut
Thanks, NoName, although I won't be visiting the Windy City anytime soon, I enjoyed the Trump hairdos quite a bit.
May the Hispanic Brewery flourish and flourish! Thanks Nameless!
Viva chinga tu pelo!!
3:10 My flowers are wilting.
2:33 There is a line from the movie 'King Arthur' that is so appropriate for you Puddy Tat.
"My arse is so hungry . . . it's snapping at the grass!" (canal grass and pretty posies for you Puddy Tat!)
I had nip growing there!!
Amnesty petition in Joanne's box above signed.
Would you have guessed NE and SD would be the states where proportionately fewest counties were complying with SCOTUS?
Macy's cut ties with Trump and now pinatas of him are very popular in Mexico, who will not send contestants to his pageants.
Reporters find that Jeb personally made a mint off the ACA despite all his verbage.
Dolly's always done some good stuff.
Anti-trust enforcement has been noticeably absent since the merger mania of the 1980s.
Other good court news in OK Supreme Court says individuals can sue fracking companies for earthquake damage.
Excellent news, jla. Thanks.
HOORAY! Wonderful news – thanks jla!
Wooo Hooo!!
Bernie Sanders in Madison, Wisconsin 07-01-2015
Published on Jul 1, 2015
Bernie Sanders campaign Rally in Madison, Wisconsin. The largest rally (10,000) so far for any candidate in the 2016 election for President of the United States.
1:04:11 Well worth listening to Bernie! Just sit back and enjoy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=UsWf0TuM6AA
Thanks Jim!
Glad you got some sleep last night. Portland's normal weather is here in Ky. It has rained for a week with day time temps in the mid 70's. Normally, we are wishing for rain with temps in the high 80's and low 90's.
Daily Kos: This is so sad it isn't funny. How ignorant and stupid!
Washington Post: Either Jeb is incredibly dumb, or incredibly intelligent to have had dealings with all these crooks and come out unscathed. Nothing works better than family connections!
Upworthy: Dolly Parton has done so much for Tennessee, they should have a statue of her on their Capital grounds. She is so unpretentious, but yet is always a lady and a wonderful person. We need more like her.
Cartoon: And they would do away with it entirely if they could.
They can't erect a statue of Dolly. It woulf fall over.
Not if they used underwire!
Puzzle — 2:33 There is a line from the movie 'King Arthur' that is so appropriate for you Puddy Tat.
"My arse is so hungry . . . it's snapping at the grass!" (canal grass and pretty posies for you Puddy Tat!)
Daily Kos — I think actor Sir Ian McKellen of Lord of the Rings (and many other productions) fame had the perfect answer to Tim Brooks, David Barton, Rick Green, "… Ted Cruz, Tony Perkins, Mike Huckabee, Bryan Fischer, Rick Santorum, Brian Brown, and all you other Hysterics for the Lord.". He wore a red t-shirt with "Some people are gay. Get over it!" emblazoned on the front. Truly, these so called "hysterics for the Lord" are certified USDA grade A fruitloops!
Washington Post — Jeb Bush hitched his wagon early on to his father's coat tails and used that association to build a career
And this is someone who thinks he's ready for the big stage where the risks are higher?
Upworthy — This is great! I had no idea that Imagination Library existed, and is in Canada, the UK and Australia in addition to the US. I teach English second language to a woman from South Sudan who does not read or write in her native tongue because she was not allowed to go to school on account of her gender. She is a single mom with 6 kids, the youngest being 1 year old. Her dream is to be able to read stories to her youngest 2 children and to be able to read notes from teachers etc. This seemed a good fit for her so I have started making enquiries. With 6 kids and on welfare, there is no extra money for books. Thanks for posting TC.
Cartoon — With Republicanus/Teabaggers in the White House and in control of the Congress, it and other laws are likely to end up in the trash.
Thanks for sharing how you take what you learn and turn it into action–a worthy model for all of us.
Amen!!
I sure hope our heast wave is not going to get as bad or as long as yours, TomCat. I envy you not in the least. And all you can do is sit it out, hoping you don't have to go outside soon, can't you. The heat and a clowns-car full of raging idiots, the combination is almost too much to handle.
Daily Kos: Sometimes I get the impression that even these demented Pseudo Christians don't take themselves seriously anymore. They're so intent on getting attention and there's so much competition from other demented Pseudo Christians that they'll say anything to keep people listening in. John Stewart can sleep easy after he retires, these nutcases are doing a teriffic job parodying themesleves.
Washington Post: Money makes more money, even if you're as dumb as Jeb or Donald Trump who he's trying to immitate by this disclosure. But to a European it says rather more about the American mind works than about Jeb or Donald if Americans are impressed by how scamming millionaires make more millions with the help of tax cuts and federal or state subsidies and believe those are accomplishments that make you a good president of a nation where the middle class is disappearing and the number of people living in poverty is on the rise. I'm sure the 1% is duely impressed and expects Jeb or Donald to do more of the same for them, but all the other Republicans?
I love how you remind us all of how the rest of the world views our political players. Thanks Lona
Interesting to watch from the outside isn't it! One of the reasons I started watching US politics back in 2011 was to give me perspective on Herr Harper and his harlots. And like you, I find it mystifying how people can vote against their best interests, electing these scammers.
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If your heat wave is like ours, you won't need your dikes.
Oh TC, I never thought that the Repuglicon Supply-Side Pseudo Christians could make me laugh – but the end of that did! Why do these nutters think that people are after their bodies – I seriously doubt that anyone is that desperate!
Your comment on the Washington Post article – "the clan’s patriarch, Prescott Bush, committed treason. He continued to profit by selling war materials to Hitler, even after the US and Germany were at war." – good grief – no wonder they love the Kochs so much, they behave just like each other. I'd have called that treachery myself too.
FDR threatened him. but he agreed to support the US war effort instead.
I forgot to say that I like Dolly Parton – and I liked her even more when I heard of her literacy campaign a few years ago – good for her, and I am delighted that she supports gay marriage etc.
Upworthy: Big Kudos for Dolly! I had no idea that she is the "book lady". Simply AWESOME!
Thanks all. Hugs from the heat!!
To the rest of the World.American polititions are the laughing stock. and unfortunately so is America..
Other European countries have REAL healthcare,and driveable roads..(and safe bridges!)
America has hungry children and pot holes.Whoops!.