TGIF!! I did not get the sleep I needed yesterday, because my helper friend came a day late. We washed my hospital bed sheets and made the bed. I need her help, because there is one corner where I cannot place the fritted sheet. There is no room to get close enough in my chair. That took up most of my afternoon nap time. Then I watched the debate, and I won’t take today off, because it may be the last time Bernie and Hillary debate head to head. so I have to report on it. Jeannie (Shower-Aide) has come and gone. Arvilla (PT) was due in fifteen minutes (now gone), and Tracey (OT) comes right after Arvilla! When I finish blogging, I’m going to hide! TGIF!!
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:29 (average 5:54). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From The Jeff Merkley Channel:
Merkley: Stop the wave of dark money in politics
Amen Jeff!! He’s one of the reasons that Oregon leads the way!
From The New Yorker: In a feat that some observers called nothing short of miraculous, the embattled pharmaceuticals C.E.O. Martin Shkreli single-handedly made the American people side with Congress on Thursday morning.
According to polls taken after his appearance before the despised legislative body, Shkreli’s smug, smirking, and utterly douchey performance had the effect of temporarily transforming members of Congress into marginally sympathetic figures.
The University of Minnesota’s Opinion Research Institute, which tracks the American people’s attitudes toward the legislative branch, said that after Shkreli’s appearance Congress’s approval rating surged from eleven per cent to fourteen per cent.
Well the guy is an asshole (syn, Republican), but frankly, I think Andy has been smokin' that Wacky tobbacky. The only thing that could make Congress more popular is a Democratic majority!
From FAIR.org: A few months ago, I raised concerns about Washington Post food columnist Tamar Haspel (FAIR.org, 10/28/15) after she admitted taking money from agribusiness interest groups that she covers.
I pointed out that her columns are biased in favor of those industry groups, particularly on the topic of GMOs, even though her column is presented to readers as an unbiased effort to find middle ground in debates about our food system.
My article was met with crickets of silence from Haspel, her Post editor Joe Yonan and the band of biotech promoters who prolifically praise Haspel on Twitter. I figured that, soon enough, Haspel might write another column that would warrant raising the concerns another notch up the pole. She didn’t disappoint.
In her January column (Washington Post, 1/26/16), Haspel offered an investigation (“the surprising truth”) about the food movement—without speaking to anyone in the food movement—concluding that there isn’t much of a food movement after all, and most people don’t really care about labeling genetically engineered foods (GMOs).
Her sources? A two-year-old survey, another survey conducted by a food-industry front group, and consumer research by the agrichemical industry’s public relations firm. [emphasis original]
Busted!! GMOs must be contained where grown and labeled for consumers. Click though for the rest of this extensive exposé.
Cartoon:
26 Responses to “Open Thread–2/5/2016”
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5:09 (5:54) Yes, that certainly is green.
News flash from Daily Kos: Ted Cruz's new logo actually MEANS "Uranus Inspector." SRSLY. You can take their word, or google it yourself.
Jeff – Amen indeed! But it won't go over well with Republicans, because of that wild-eyed librul, Tom Jefferson, backing it.
New Yorker – I don't know, Andy may be right. Daily Kos has a description of the hearing, and a petition to hold Shkreli in contempt of Cangress.
FAIR – Sigh. There has been a wee bit of good food movement news lately, but I'll bet no one will hear any of it from Haspel.
Cartoon – It took long enough to accomplish.
Off topic (all the tpoics here) but I wanted to share these Trum jokes from a friend in Australia: Y'all may have, but I haven't seen them elsewhere (and one is original to my friend, who is on a mission "to save the United States from itself.")
* What is Donald Trump telling Barack Obama supporters? Orange Is The New Black.
* What plane does Donald Trump aspire to fly on? Hair Force One!
* Why are Muslims worried about Trumps immigration plans? Once you deport Juan you deport Jamal.
* Trump supporters’ new campaign slogan? “We shall over-comb.”
* Donald Trump. Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow.
Well, I don't want to Trumpet my warning to you too loudly – but after joking about "The Donald" like that … let's just say you should note"that he's well staffed. So I'll just flat out warn you to be sharp and remain tuned in – because Trump has a way of keeping a very close eye on people like you!
Too funny!
Music to my ears.
Dang!! That cost me my lunch!
Sharing these.
Thanks Joanne, I hadn't heard these yet.
The list of candidates joining Jeff on this issue on the related petition keeps growing-one sign of leadership.
That hearing may actually influence action to prevent a corporate merger in the industry–one good result.
Apparently Haspel believes her responsibility and journilistic ethics should be dictated by those who give her money.
Sometimes patience and persistance brings justice, like with the third trial.
Merkley is good people; Andy is good people; de la Beckwith was NOT good people!
Sorry, I forgot to mention that Shkreli is not good peple. Actually, he looked, and acted, like the poster boy for "Schmuck!"
NYer: Watched the hearing, and his behavior was absolutely galling.He's a AH to the 3rd degree. Why is he not being held in contempt?
Cartoon: On this day in 1994, white supremacist Byron De La Beckwith is convicted in the murder of African-American civil rights leader Medgar Evers, over 30 years after the crime occurred. Evers was gunned down in the driveway of his Jackson, Mississippi, home on June 12, 1963, while his wife, Myrlie, and the couple’s three small children were inside. *History
Get some much needed rest, enjoy your evening, and Thanks, Tom.
Andy is getting close to the bone! Wow!
Glad you got your aides in and their stuff done! Get ready for some FOOTBALL!!! The last game for about 6 MONTHS! Oh! The agony!!
Take care, TC!
Some action on our So Cal methane leak problem from State of CA to share:
"OAL APPROVES EMERGENCY REGULATIONS FOR NATURAL GAS STORAGE
On February 5, 2016, the Office of Administrative Law approved the Department of Conservation's (DOC) emergency regulations for all underground gas storage projects in the state. The emergency regulations were established under the emergency rulemaking process to protect public health, safety, and the environment while permanent regulations are being finalized.
Consistent with the mandate of the Governor's emergency proclamation related to the Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Storage Facility in Los Angeles County, DOC's Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources determined that there was an immediate need to require implementation of performance standards specifically designed to ensure that operators of underground gas storage facilities are properly mitigating risks and taking all appropriate steps to prevent uncontrolled releases, blowouts, and other infrastructure-related accidents.
For more information about the approved emergency regulations please visit http://www.conservation.ca.gov/
"
Is an email I got today…the question will be how watered down the final regulations become with industry having more input into the process then.
Update: AG Kamala Harris (and Senate candidate) announced that criminal charges had been filed against the methane spewers I read in an email this morning.
Great news!
3:00 At least I didn't get hosed on this puzzle!
3:49 I tripped on the hose and fell in the leaves.
Wow, you really had a rough day, hope today was easier.
Any chance of getting Merkely to come to Kentucky?
The New Yorker: It will be a long time before Congress gets popular, but Shkreli could make almost anyone else look better. He obviously needs psychiatric help. I can't believe his narcissism.
Fair.org: Yet she calls herself a journalist!
Cartoon: He was convicted, too many others were never even charged with any crime.
I worked hard ti earn Jeff's representation. I had to help duimp a Republuican (Gordon Smith) to do it,. Go thou and do likewise.,
I have been trying since dubya ran the first time!
After this very busy day and your reporting on the Democratic debate, I hope you found my catnap and put it to good use, TomCat. I understand the Home Care angels are going to keep you busy until the 12th of February, so I better send you a whole batch of naps to tie you over.
The Jeff Merkley Channel: I gather that Merkley is holding a series of speeches on this subject and he's doing a magnificent job and I wish there would me others in the room to listen to it, or support it, other than those there because they have to be in their function. He may not be such a gifted speaker as Obama or others, but his speeches are well composed and bursting at the seams with truth. Wouldn't it be wonderful if other Democrats would rise and do the same from their prospective? At one point it would then have to be picked up by the media and be given attention, I would think.
The New Yorker: I think you didn't quite catch that one, Andy. Martin Shkreli is just a younger version of Republican icon Donald Trump, so the people who already like the Donald wil also like this new style Republican with a "smug, smirking, and utterly douchey performance". Since he's only a Trump clone, ratings will not have favored old style GOPers who are already in Congress any more than Trump already has.
Fair.org: The last line of the article really gives it all in a nutshell: "The Post should require Haspel to disclose funding she receives from agrichemical industry interests and take action accordingly." It makes no difference if it is GMO or Climate Change, the Republican way to deal with is to find and pay those few scientists who are willing to come up with research that "proves" that GMO are harmless or that Climate Change doesn't exist, prefereably accompanied by survey makers who put questionaires together which show that the public is also in denial of GMO/Climate change, and then find and pay journalists who report of that as if it were the findings of the majority of scientists and not a few loners at the fringe. Haspel is just one of those endnodes in the Monsanto/Koch network of deceit and the Washington Post apparently is willingly and knowingly the medium for a number of endnodes.
I did and need another!
Puzzle — 3:00 At least I didn't get hosed on this puzzle!
The Jeff Merkley Channel — Amen!!! Very eloquently said.
The New Yorker — Shkreli is a zit on the face of the US and it needs to be popped! For that matter, so is the Republican dominated US Congress. Open popping session in Nov 2016.
FAIR.org — Can you say "Republican"?!!
Cartoon — Not soon enough!
I did.
Thanks all! Hugs!!