This is my only article for today. Fear mongering over the Daesh is dominating the news. Hopefully I can find more material tomorrow. I’ll be fitted for a prosthetic Monday or Tuesday. Since there are still no openings in an approved SNF the plan has changed to complete my rehab here and discharge to home. I’m guessing that.s a month away. Reorganizing my home for amputee use without being there is boggling my mind.
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos: Roanoke Mayor David A. Bowers released a public statement yesterday saying that he was calling for an end to any assistance for Syrian refugees and calling it “imprudent” to help relocate any refugees to Virginia. Taking it a step further, he also referenced a painful chapter in American history:
“I’m reminded that President Franklin D. Roosevelt felt compelled to sequester Japanese foreign nationals after the bombing of Pearl,” he said, “and it appears that the threat of harm to America from ISIS now is just as real and serious as that from our enemies then.”
Actor George Takei, who played the iconic Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu in the original Star Trek franchise, was a prisoner in an internment camp for four years when he was a young boy. He has opened up in recent years about the pain it caused his family and the damage it did to thousands of Japanese-American families. So, it’s no surprise he penned the perfect response to Mayor Bowers:
Click through to read Takei’s brilliant response to this bigot. I’m ashamed to admit that he’s a Democrat, when he is acting so Republican.
From TPM: Federal prosecutors continue to pursue criminal charges against three top campaign advisers to 2012 presidential candidate Ron Paul.
In a new grand jury indictment filed Thursday in federal court in Des Moines, Paul’s 2012 campaign chairman Jesse Benton, campaign manager John Tate and deputy manager Dimitri Kesari are charged with conspiracy to cover up $73,000 in campaign payments to former Iowa Sen. Kent Sorenson. Sorenson dropped his support for Michelle Bachmann and endorsed Paul in December 2011, six days before the Iowa caucuses.
Benton, Tate and Kesari also are charged with causing false campaign contribution reports to be filed to the Federal Election Commission and participating in a false statement scheme. Benton and Tate are charged with causing the campaign to file false records of the payments. Kesari was convicted of that charge last month.
Benton is now a top strategist for America’s Liberty PAC, a dirty money front for the campaign of Idiot, Son of Idiot, Named after Idiot. Republicans have a special way of dealing with criminals. They hire them.
From Think Progress: While the world has made progress closing the gap between women and men in health, education, economic participation, and political empowerment over the last decade, the United States is not keeping up.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) just released its 2015 Global Gender Gap report, which showed that the gap has dropped by 4 percent in the last ten years. While this marks progress, it could take another 118 years to completely close the gap. Gender equality will not be reached until the year 2133 at this rate.
Progress also isn’t even across the globe. Over those 10 years, Nordic countries have consistently been doing the most to close the gender gap. Iceland came in at number one over the past six years, followed by Norway, Finland and Sweden.
The United States, on the other hand, has actually moved backward. On the list of 145 countries, the United States has never broken into the top 15 countries with the lowest gender gap. Worse, it fell eight places over the last year, to a rank of 28 for overall gender equality
The Republican Solution:
Cartoon:
16 Responses to “On the Edge–11/21/2015”
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Any reputable home care provider organization will do the assessment of your apt. before you are discharged to fix anything unsafe and identify anything new which should be added.
Takei's response did say what needed to be said (the mayor gave a poor excuse of an apology which I read about–there are more than 100 ethnic groups in his city of 99,000).
Thanks for the update on Rand's campaigns' questionable choices. I'm glad folks are seeking accountability. And hopefully things will become cleaner like they did after Nixon's tape fiasco.
The gender gap issue could have gotten so much better had Congress cared about what is good for families, children and women.
Cross posted on Care2 at:
http://www.care2.com/news/member/527046926/3929338
Thanks, Judi, for the cross post.
Dang – that would boggle anyone's mind. Of course I am wishing you the best (and probably speaking for everyone).
Daily Kos – George was a lot nicer than I would have been, I suspect. Of course, he generally is. A true gem of a human being. Which of course does not mean any Republicans will pay any attention. As for Bowers – he just has to be a Dixiecrat.
TPM – Ah, you managed to find some good news. Modified rapture, only because prosecution takes so long. But better than nothing.
Think Proogress – http://www.makeitworkcampaign.org is referring to the gender gap in wages now as a "Lady Tax," and inviting women to tweet or post on Instagram what they would do with the money they would have if they weren't paying it. I am not on either site (and besides, I'm retired), but I think it's a great idea and would love to hear more thoughts. Here are a few:
Here’s what I would spend my #LadyTax on:
• Saving money to purchase my first home
• That dream trip to Greece
• Tickets to next year’s Comic Con (don’t judge!)
• Saving for our first child (because babies ain’t cheap)
• A car that was built before Marty McFly went back to the future the first time
• And so much more…
Cartoon – Oh, yeah. How I remember. Well, the disappearance of the material may or may not have kept him out of prison, but it didn't keep him in the Presidency.
The good news is that you can return to your existing place…a place you are familiar with.
Excellent point Jerry–and must mean that most with prosthesis become able to do all they used to do or more.
DK: The lack of compassion & understanding for these victims/refugees is absolutely appalling. George was spot on in his comment. I watched a video of his musical Broadway play, Allegiance. Wish I could go see it, I'm so glad that he is getting awareness out there on how it was back then. Kind of like how it is today with hatred, prejudice and discrimination towards Syrian refugees. What's changed…??
TPM: I believe it. Childcare has gone up too, for working moms, who take their little ones to daycare. Then little is left over for the necessities for the household and children, as this is not factored in on their paychecks.
The first thing I thought of are stairs at your apartment. But…like JL mentioned they will access all your needs for you before they let you go home. I know it's hard, but try not to worry too, too much about it. In the meantime, take care, and enjoy your evening. How are your laps coming along? lol. Thanks, TC.
I believe the current place has an elevator–one why it would be better than his old apt.
Correct!
Going home, will, hopefully, be a pleasure.
DK: Good for George T. The quote from the fool mayor, ending with "just as real and serious as that from our enemies then," ignores the fact that the people "then" were not at all our enemies.
TPM: Benton and ASScociates really need to get their asses into federal prison! In the meanwhile Rand needs to get into brain rehab, maybe one run by the great DrCarson!
TP: Women need to get out and vote, en masse, for people who value them as humans.
Cartoon: Until the coming of Bush the 2nd, Nixon was my go to guy for scumbaggiest president! Of course if any of the clown car riders get to be president…sorry, I had to take time out to hunt for the barf bag…who knows where that might go!
Wow, TC. The "h" word! You haven't mentioned that at all! I am so glad to see you getting that far in your recovery! And to get a chance for a prosthetic fitting! That will be a GIANT step forward! I can't wait to see how that goes!!! It will be a new feeling to have two "legs" under you! Good luck with that!!!
It is good to know you will be able to go home soon. Do you have anyone to help you reorganize? Surely, there is some agency at the facility that can get you some help. Wish we all lived in Portland, you would be swamped with well meaning fans.
Daily Kos: Good for Takei! He certainly has a right to call this ignoramous out. I lived in lala land during the late 70's and most of the 80's, thinking we were all civilized now, and surely actions like these would not be repeated, that the KKK was extinct, that prejudice was being wiped out, what was I thinking. I am horrified every day now, listening to the bigotry coming out of the mouths of some of our so called leaders. I am signing every petition that I can to stop this action of keeping Syrian refugees out of our country.
TPM: I will be pleasantly surprised if any of them are convicted on even one of the charges.
Think Progress: I believe you take on the Republican solution is correct. I will never understand why any woman or person of middle class would vote for one of them.
Cartoon: I remember that so well. That is whenTricky Dick's house of cards started tumbling down.
Daily Kos — Bowers is an ignoramus in my mind, one who ignores details and context. And a Democrat? How about a DINO at best, at least on this point, but I suspect others as well.
TPM — Mr Rand Paul, you're heading for a fall. Your campaign in tatters, nothing seems to matter. Benton, Tate, and Kesari have your back against the wall.
Think Progress — Of course I checked out Canada and we too went backwards to 30 from 19. Back in 2006, we were 14th while the US was 23rd. I wonder how things will look after a year with Trudeau at the helm?
Ah, the sweet sound of home! As others have said, there will be professional help to assess your living quarters and make suggestions. It will be your choice to accept, reject or modify any suggestions. When I broke my ankle, temporary as it was, I had some help assessing the workplace and home. Easily said, harder to do, but don't worry about that now. Concentrate on the physical healing and skills building that you need. Of course that includes chasing the nurses around the floor. When you can "duck and weave" through the hall traffic quickly, you'll know you're ready for the next step.
Cartoon — . . . and Humpty Dumpty had a great fall!
Nice to hear you're getting your prosthetic fitted in a few days, but I'm sure your not looking forward to the PT on your back for a month learning you how to use it. But being the TomCat we know you to be, you'll do your level best and will be chasing nurses in a wheelchair and on foot before they know it. It'll take them by surprise and you'll be sure to ketch yourself a purdy one.
Can you get a specialized group/society to adapt your apartment for you? Or at least give you advice and addresses where to buy/lease the stuff you need, TomCat?
Daily Kos: The fear mongering against Da'esh is getting to be grotesque; officials are seeking high and low for excuses to refuse the Syrian refugees entry and Mayor Bowers' is about as low as you can get. Wonderful how George Takei stood up for the refugees and in a very dignified manner invited the Mayor to his show and have him change his mind with the truth.
TPM: So Ron Paul's top campaign advisers are now indicted and are going to trial soon. The net is tightening around the father, let's hope that when Benton, who's now working for the son in his campaign, is convicted, the son is caught up in the net too. Seems the only way to get rid of these idiots.
Think Progress. Like Lynn, I had to check my own country The Netherlands and were at at 13, but no other information is available. I'm sure we're on the way down too, the newspapers have been filled with how bad we're doing education wise. While more women attend university (53%), it's downhill from there in their representation as lecturers, professors and university board members (4%). I have no figures for the other categories, but I'm sure the financial crisis is pushing us down in other areas too. I blame it on our right wing politicians/parties.
Thanks all and hugs. Going home will be a big pleasure and a bigger challenge.