I was sitting here trying to concentrate but the neighbours were setting off fireworks starting at 8 pm. Over 2 hours of louds cracks. Unfortunately, I have mountains and highrises around me so the noise ricochets and grows louder before finally dying off. My furbabes were relatively calm as long as I was there with them. What a great excuse for a nap with the baby curled up under the blanket and solidly at my waist.
Puzzle — Today’s took me 4:44 (average 7:06). To do it, click here. How did you do? For those that don't know, we always do the 48 piece classic.
Short Takes
Mother Jones — In his new book, Anything for a Vote, Joseph Cummins looks back at more than two centuries of campaign sleaze and scandal, from twisted words and unfounded rumors to blackmail and burglary. While this grimy lens can be a hilarious way to look at the history of presidential politics, it's often a sobering one as well—colored by policies of discrimination and assaults on voting rights that are still relevant today. It's enough to make Donald Trump's Twitter-bullying look pretty tame.
OK, I thought you might enjoy this little activity, afterall, it is the day after Hallowe'en and some might be recovering from partying. I am not promoting the book, just having a bit of fun. How did you do?
Huffington Post — Most of us imagine that we will grow old with the ones we love, surrounded by family members and friends until our final days. But the reality is, 35 per cent of senior women and 17 per cent of senior men live alone.
It is these people who are sometimes forgotten and left to fend for themselves.
Click through and watch the 10 minute video about Mary, age 98 years.
Some of you will know that my mother is 87 years old and lives in a specialised care centre for people with dementia. I visit her regularly, but I also spend time with many of the other residents, some of whom do not have visitors or family. I keep music going; we dance and sing; and we laugh! Now you might be wondering why I included this on a political blog. With an aging population, many in my generation, the baby boomers, have already headed officially into our senior years. True, we may be more active for more years than previous generations, but we are still slowing down, or as I like to say, maturing like a very fine wine. So think of some of the things going on in many Republican dominated states.
As noted in Richard Zombeck's article GOP Begins Assault on Elderly, Poor, Disabled, Math, and Reason, Elizabeth Warren says "House Republicans should stop playing political games to put America's most vulnerable at risk.", and the most vulnerable include disabled citizens and senior citizens. Richard Eskow, in his article The GOP’s Anti-Elderly, Pro-Billionaire Agenda, talks about various Republican policies such as the cuts to Medicare and social security. "There’s a through-line between the GOP’s embrace of Social Security cuts and its attempts to cut and privatize Medicare. In both cases, benefit reductions are being offered to distract voters from a simpler and fairer approach. And in both cases, private interests would profit: Wall Street would have more retirement income to manage (for a costly fee), and health insurers would receive a flood of new customers."
It is so important to protect programmes for the most vulnerable in society. The only way to do that is to vote out Republicans.
Mother Jones — At first glance, there are just two groups of presidential contenders when it comes to climate change: those who think it's real and urgent, and those who don't. But take a closer look, and the picture blurs. The matrix above depicts subtle differences, at least in the Republican field, in the extent to which the candidates believe the science and want to act on it. Of course, selecting each set of coordinates wasn't an exact science—many of the White House hopefuls have a history of confused and contradictory statements on the issue. But here's a short analysis of the candidates' positions on global warming and an explanation of how we came up with this graph.
It is interesting to note that Ted Cruz is more than "stuck in the mud" having told Glenn Beck recently that climate change is really a religion. He should be moved to the far left lower corner.
My Universe — OK, cuteness is big in my universe, even with puppies!
11 Responses to “Squatch’s Open Thread 01/11/2015”
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MJ: Well, I got 7 out of 10 correct…..it's still mean and ugly today too, as far as the GOP goes, imo.
Huff Po: My MIL is 85, and bless her,… she still gets around. Family members pick her up, and take her to shows, and out for dinner/a movie. When I was young, I never thought of the elderly's plight of being forgotten, I never thought of me being 'old',… now. The video spoke volumes, in taking care of our Seniors. We need more health care, disability insurance, SS, pensions, and Medicare to help our older people. As far as Repugs go, their motto is the "anti-elderly, pro-wealth agenda".
MJ2: I see that after the heavy rains and flooding that is still going on in my county in Texas, that the Clown Car is stuck in the mud allright!! They forget to get a winch….lol.
My Universe: Oh, how adorable. I ended up watching the other ones too.
The coyotes were nipping and barking around 2 a.m. this morning, so I feel somewhat groggy with all the big dogs barking their alerts to neighbors. My two, cat/Corgi were safely nestled their beds, but they heard them too. A nap is the 'order of the Day' for me later on. Hope that you have a relaxing day, and Thanks, Lynn.
I didn't know fireworks were part of Halloween too, Lynn. So sorry you had to get through two hours of it, while keeping your fur babes from panicking. I hope my catnaps came in handy there too.
Mother Jones: I don't know about you, but I wouldn't be a very happy American if a book got promoted with: "Anything for a Vote reminds us that dirty tricks in presidential campaigns are as American as apple pie."
Huffington Post: You are so right, Lynn. After women, the elderly are now the focus of Republican attack. Increasing the retirement age, cuts to Medicare and social security, privatization of Medicare… all of these are direct attacks on the elderly and further undermining their already hard and lonely existence while the money taken from their purse goes directly to the 1%. By trying to take Medicare away from the elderly or make it unaffordable for them, Republicans seem to not only want their money, but also shorten their lives by taking their (health)care away. Why spend more money on people that only cost rather than yield money, right?
Mother Jones: Few surprises there except for Bobby Jindal, who believes what the scientists are saying, and want's to do something about it, but apparently not too much, because he starts of with wanting to roll back Obama's energy regulations. Turning back something, anything, Obama's put in place is obviously more important than trying to save this planet. So he's a real Republican after all.
My Universe: Thank you for this cuteness assault.
Fireworks on Halloween…?
Mother 1: Anything for a vote. The sleaze and lies in which candidates try to do damage to other candidates is unbelievable. It is still going on even today. Witness the recent GOP Select Committee on Benghazi attack on Hillary Clinton. That committee failed miserably and needs to be disbanded immediately. Remember the "Swift Boat" against John Kerry's war time service. Kerry was eventually cleared of all charges after 9 years. If anything, the "swift boat" committee should have gone after John McCain's own war record. Shrub's own military record should have been swift boated!
I elected not to take the quiz after looking it over. Most likely there was only one question which I could answer and get it right. lol.
HuffPo: This is an interesting and sobering statistic that 35% and 17% of our seniors live alone. In US, we do not have an extended family living under one roof as do in some other countries where they revere and care for their own elderly relatives. In US, we are scattered throughout the country living as separate entities. Granted, more needs to be done in protecting and caring for our aging populations. We need to elect progressive candidates for office that have stated positive objectives for our elderly. GOP/TP/Koch Party candidates are NOT to be supported in local, state and national elections.
GOP Begins Assault on Elderly, Poor, Disabled, Math, and Reason: We cannot allow the private sector to control Social Security, Medicare and Veterans Administration. If it does happen, kiss them all good-bye.
Mother 2: Interesting graph to say the least. It does show where the current candidates and the Mother Jones article of them as to where and why they stand on the climate issue in the graph. It is fairly simple to read the commentaries and understand the positions of the candidates in the graphic chart. Some of the comments made by the candidates are laughable especially from the GOP people.
Universe: cute video of very young pups exploring and playing with a pumpkin.
7:20 (average 7:12 when I did it, and not surprising). They all look alike.
MoJoI – Two out of ten. The only one I actually knew was Lincoln. The other was a lucky guess. That is below probability so maybe I have a mental block, or don't care what they say since it's all false anyway.
HuffPo – Can't get the page to load on this computer. However, as one of the 35%, I am quite aware of this. Elizabeth Warren is in my opinion quite generous in calling their actions "political games." I would call it "deliberate murder." Although, on the principle that the most effective insult is not the one that sounds worst to you, or even the one closest to the truth, but the one that hurts the insuiltee worst, she is probably right.
Off Topic – Oh goody. We just had our own homegrown shooting spree here in Colorado Springs.
http://gazette.com/4-dead-including-suspected-gunman-after-morning-shootings-in-downtown-colorado-springs/article/1562310
MoJoII – What a wonderful graphic.
Universe – All mammalian babies are the same, aren't they? "Don't know what it is, gotta put it in my mouth to find out."
5:07 Looks like you've got this one all buckled up, Lynn, unless Jerry does better.
fireworks on halloween.? No way. Try to remember the 5th. of November of "Gunpowder, Treason and Plot..when Guy Faulks try to blow up the houses of Commons in the UK. NOW thats the night for fireworks.!(and How).
re.our REPUG darlings.Mr Rubio fiddling and lying re. his finances. and gets caught.What a great resume!
But I am sure that some idiots will vote for him.!
School boys in the Caroliners trying to raise money for one of their own, diagnosed with Lymphoma,so that he may have treatment.!!!Shame on ALL who nixed Universal Health Care. and what a nasty BLOT on the USA.( would not be necessary in civilized countries in Western Europe.)Hope that you get some rest tomorrow Lynn.
Thanks Lynn–I loved the puppies but can't stomach the sleaze aspects of the dangers you present at the moment.
Clarification provided for “Fiscal Hawk” republicans:
No, our country is NOT running a deficit from feeding the poor, caring for the sick and tending to our elderly.
You’re thinking of the billions lost in “Welfare Queen” tax cuts for the über-rich one-percenters and corporations.
Clarification requested from all you Rethuglicans NeoCons:
While you are happy screaming for “WAR! WAR! WAR!” – and more than happy to increase military spending by gutting Social Security and getting rid of Medicare, while at the same time cutting taxes for the wealthy – I have a question:
If we can’t afford social safety nets to aid our elderly, take care of our sick and provide a living wage to middle class working families – then just what is that huge defense budget supposed to be defending?
Nameless, they are defending the bank accounts of the arms manufacturers
My cats hid all evening. We had no fireworks, but I had a lovely time giving out treats to about 150 goblins, ghosts, princesses, and soldiers. I so enjoy the small ones who trick or treat.
Mother JOnes: I failed miserably, 3 out of 10. It was interesting.
Huffington Post: My mom is 86 and has dementia. So far we are keeping her in her own home, with three wonderful caregivers. Her mind is going so quickly, though, that I don't know how much longer we will be able to do this. If her Social Security and Medicare benefits are cut, we won't be able to afford it. The other alternative here is a nursing home that will take her home and anything else she owns. Such is the sad tale in the USA at present. She lived through the depression and WW2, sacrificed often for her family, and now that she is unable to take care of herself, her Congress want to take what little she has.
Mother JOnes 2: Ike would be so ashamed of the Republicans today if he were alive. We all know they are catering to their corporate bosses. Climate change reform means reining in carbon emissions, so trouble for oil, gas, and coal industries. Obviously, they think that they and their families will have a safe place to live while the rest of us are suffocating.
My Universe: Those are the sweetest faces, thanks for this one.
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150 Trick or Treaters! YIKES!
I had about 35 – and that's probably about average for me. (I live at the end of a cul-de-sac, which probably cuts down on traffic)