Lu arrived a day late, yesterday. She had lost her wallet, and with it, her bus pass. I became a sweet smelling Puddy Tat. Today I am about go to to my PCP appointment with Ellie, Megan’s PA. Color me hurried.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 2:22 (average 4:27). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From The New Yorker: In an indication of shifting global attitudes toward the United States, the nation has become the laughingstock of the world for something other than its gun laws, a new survey of foreigners indicates.
According to the survey, which was conducted by the University of Minnesota’s Opinion Research Institute, America’s gun laws, which used to inspire the most derision toward the country from people around the world, now place a distant second.
In another startling result, the U.S. Congress’s position on climate change, which in the past had been a leading candidate for making the U.S. the world’s favorite punch line, also finished far out of the money.
Davis Logsdon, who supervised the poll for the University of Minnesota, said he was struck by the unanimity of foreign respondents when they were asked to name what, in their opinion, currently made the United States the laughingstock of the world.
“In all the years we’ve done this survey, we have never had ninety-four per cent of respondents give an identical answer,” he said.
Andy has the US pegged. Pathetic, huh?
From NY Times: Of all the ways Donald Trump has shocked the political system, one of the most significant is how he wins primary after primary with one of the smallest campaign budgets.
He still doesn’t have a super PAC. He skimped on ground organization and field offices. Most important, he spent less on television advertising — typically the single biggest expenditure for a campaign — than any other major candidate, according to an analysis by SMG Delta, a firm that tracks television advertising.
When Networks give Trump free air time, we should be calling the sponsors that advertise in these segments and threaten to withhold patronage.
From NY Times: With more than half the states having now held their nominating contests, Donald J. Trump and Senator Ted Cruz are quietly directing their attention to a second, shadow election campaign — one that is out of sight, little understood but absolutely critical if Republicans arrive at their national convention with Mr. Trump short of a majority of delegates.
This parallel campaign is to select the individual delegates who will go to Cleveland in July for what could be the first contested convention in American politics in more than 60 years. Chosen through a byzantine process in each state, most of the delegates will become free agents if no one wins a majority on the first ballot.
The mere prospect that delegates could deny Mr. Trump the nomination led him to predict Wednesday that violence could erupt in such a situation.
Click through for a good explanation about how the Criminal Convention could be contested. It’s so like Hateful Hairball, alias Fecal Dump, to threaten violence.
Cartoon:
18 Responses to “Open Thread–3/17/2016”
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3:52 (4:37 then) Brrrrr!
Nice that you got to shower before going to see your PCP PA.
New Yorker – "Texas" was it for a while also. It was – maybe still is – a slang word for crazy in some Scandinavian languages. I'm sure no one needs to click through to know what it is now.
NY Times I – Someone will have to tell me who the sponsirs are since i don't have cable and onl watch PBS. I will gladly join in boycotts (assuming I'm not in them already).
NY Times II – I know people have peacefully protested Drumpf rallies, and I certainly admire their courage and idealism. I do think we ought to stay away from the Republican Conventin – all on the left, certainly all who are opposed to Trump for any reason. Why? Because I believe they can screw it up enough by themselves and anything we do would only distract from that.
Cartoon – Too bad it didn't stick. There are still plenty of them there.
2:52 Were you sliding on your kitty butt to get down that slope so fast, Puddy Tat?
The ski lodge serves salmon!
I would also like to know who these sponsors are. The moment I see Trump on T.V. I turn it off. Can't stand to see, hear or watch him talk. Love the cartoon.
Nice that St. Patrick drove the Rethuglicans out of Ireland.
But NOW he needs to come to the USA and do the same for us!
NYer: LOL, Andy. LOL.
NYT: This is horrible, and outrageous! He shouldn't have any air time at all, imo. I try to block my ears, and think of happy places when he speaks. Yes, we should boycott those companies that pay for Drumpf too!!!
NYT: "Another complication for Mr. Trump is that party activists, who have historically dominated the state conventions where delegates are elected, tend to favor people with ties to the party establishment. Mr. Trump’s powerfully insurgent campaign has been anti-establishment since Day 1, and he has attracted few endorsements from Republican leaders". Cruz and Kasiak have their work cut out for them. I am in favor of Drumpf being cited for inciting violence (riots) if he doesn't win the GOP nomination too.
Good luck with your appointment, glad you met with Lu. Take good care, and Thanks, Tom.
I neglected to tell Lona congrats on your Big Mouth Award. BTW, love your avatar. So cute.
Thank you very much, Dotti. On both accounts.
Love the cartoon… and note how Andy didn't have to actually say any names in order to make his point.
Now threatening that there will be violence, Trump is basically giving his approval, yes? He plants the seed and the lemmings do his bidding. Sigh.
Gee, you smell good, TC!
Cricky, it feels like I've just finished commenting on your articles of the 16th and here are another two…
You must have felt much better after your shower, TomCat. Good thing Lu showed up before you had your appointment with Ellie. I hope she was able to sort something out for the pain in your hands.
TNY: I can't comment on Andy's excellent piece of satire just now…too busy laughing…
NYT: The Media have made Drumpf to what he is now. Not only because they have given him almost all the attention this megalomaniac craved without it costing him a penny, but also because those networks/reporters that dared to criticize his flagrant racism, xenophobia, misanthropy, rebel rousing… were few and far between for fear of losing ratings. Like all of us, Drumpf has two parents: the GOP and the media. By the way, for Drumpf ALL media attention is good, even if it is negative, so the media on the left is just as culpable.
NYT2: Bookies are going to be terribly busy around Republican Convention time. Odds are that the GOP establishment will do everything possible to keep Drumpf from getting the nomination, but it's a certainty that violence will break out if Drumpf doesn't get nominated, he'll make sure of that. As a foreigner I'm inclined to think that if things get really out of hand with people getting killed that the GOP would be banned from participating in the election, or that the election would be postponed, but that probably is my un-American brain in override.
Cartoon: America needs its own Saint Patrick to rid it from the serpents…uh…Republicans. They're both cold-blooded, so hard to tell apart, but your St. Patrick should leave those of the animal kingdom in peace and concentrate on the human-looking reptiles.
Trump got telephone in coverage by media as the media skipped a major Sanders speech on Mon. just before this election…I'd kinda like to see the GOP convention in that upheaval…in the 1970's there were multiple strong candidates so one DEM convention did not have a winner on the first vote (or was it 1968?)…I don't think DEM rules are the same as for the GOP.
I really wish that Obama had changed things enough to stop people here from trying to make the country a laughingstock.
Glad you fur is purrfect again.
I love the cartoon! I wish it REALLY worked that way!
Andy never had to say anything about what or who they were laughing at is for!!! It's is the only THING that is on our media and has been for the last YEAR!!! HumptyDrumpf will not only make us a laughingstock, he will ruin the country!
I dread the convention!!! There will be a LOT of blood spilled, no matter WHO gets the nomination!!! The Repukkklicans will not be HAPPY, no matter who gets the delegates! They will be pissed, for sure, if Drumpf get a it and if he doesn't get it, the HumptyDrumpf delegates will cause a RIOT!! Damned if they do, damned if they don't!!!
Lona, there ain't no postponing the election. And there sure ain't no way to take the GOPers out of the election! Then there would SURE be a RIOT all over the PLACE!!!
Glad you got your fur fluffed and brushed! Hope th. appt. went well. Pain is a bad subject to bring up nowadays! The CDC has banned anyone from being in pain anymore. They think they can just make people's pain disappear by making new rules on pain meds. They want EVERYONE to take Tylenol or Ibuprofen and that's all! Unfrigginbelievable !!!
Take care, TC! And have a great St. Paddy's Day!
Hope your visit wih Ellie went well.
Trump trained the all too willing media to direct its spotlight on him. And Andy is so spot on!
Trump, therehe is again, and his noise about possible violence is definitely a threat! Malignant narcissism is a threat!
The cartoon is great!
#ChargeTrump for Inciting Violence at his Rallies
C2 members are adding their own personal comments in this petition. This is the only petition I have ever seen where the vast majority of people signing this petition and are adding their comments in great numbers. 45,266 have signed.
C2 Petition:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/771/301/463/?z00m=27572916
Another one from CREDO:
Tell CBS News: Stop boosting Trump coverage for profits
http://act.credoaction.com/sign/cbs_trump/?t=2&akid=17224.2965095.DgElW3
.
Puzzle — 2:52 Were you sliding on your kitty butt to get down that slope so fast, Puddy Tat?
The New Yorker — Andy is spot on! Something I find amusing . . . as you know, Justin Trudeau was just in Washington and was a hit. The media kept asking what he thinks of Trump. His stock answer is that he thinks he can work with him. He finally said at one point that he did not agree with Trump's modus operendi nor his talking points.
NY Times — I think we'd have to boycott the news programmes and their sponsors. Drumpf, IMO, deliberately says the most hateful things to not only build and rile his base, but also to get his name and views out. Republicans like to talk about the takers, the moochers . . . well there is the biggest one right in their own playpen!
NY Times — Well I think this answers my question from yesterday — "If I understand correctly from a Maddow tape that Jim posted yesterday, delegates are not bound to vote for the person that 'won' them, or was that only for the RNC?" — or at least in part. Drumpf is a malignant cancer that needs to be excised.
Cartoon — This is one elephant on which open season should be declared.
Republican delegates are bound to bote for their pledged candidate on the first ballot, unless that c andidate releases his delegates, like Border Nooter Bot Rubio did. If no candidate has the 1237 votes needed to win on the first ballot, delegates are not bound on subsequent ballots.
Hi T,C. A few thoughts!
Has theSenate turtle(McConnell) EVER done anything positive for America?Does he have a job description?
Serious.thoughts.More lead in the water in more states,unsafe Tuna in the stores,infrastructure in shambles.Worst roads in the industrealized world,No real health care, poor education,no public transportation,(Europe is superb) One can get around without a car.!!.I could go on and on. Try this yourself.
I ask myself, on which day was The USA great? Am still looking, and not a single one ,in the Repug party wannabees could EVER be considered "Presidential" How embarrasing they would be when meeting with heads of state etc,in civilized countries. and think of the impressions of the possible Ist. ladies !!!.
Wake up America. the current laughing stock of the World. I see that the European countries fear the election results.( read their papers etc.)
America a glorious continent which is being destroyed by greed and a public that is totally ill informed.
Avril, I was in the hospital for over three months. They saved my life, and it cost me $1260. Ti say that we have no real health care is inaccurate.
I have been getting around just fine on public transit since 1990. They have special door-to-door lift bused for disabled people. Portland has excellent public transit.