I got up super early this morning to do my taxes on the last possible day. It went quite well. I posted the Squatch’s birthday article first, because I wanted to be sure that was up, no matter what else happened, I don’t owe Infernal Revenue or the State of Oregon any money. I did, however, have to pay a $35 Portland Arts Tax. The poor and middle classes get to pay for the rich to attend events that the rest of us can’t afford. It’s been a pet peeve of mine for years. Also on a positive note, I’m stable enough on George that I can now pee standing up. At this rate, it won’t be long, before learn how to miss the pot like a normal guy. Tomorrow I have an appointment with one of Megan’s (PCP)associates. Julie, cannot approve my Oxycodone, because she’s a PA. It should be an interesting trip, because I’m taking the normal bus, and the forecast high is 88°. I may have only a Personal Update tomorrow.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 2:56 (average 5:23). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos: Donald Trump’s father, Fred, was a pretty crummy guy. He was a low-income housing profiteer who used state and federal subsidies in developing his real estate empire—the one his son Donald benefits from—and abused his position.
As the man who controlled the FHA’s New York office, Powell controlled the flow of money for Beach Haven, a big apartment complex Fred Trump built with FHA loans. He allowed Trump to start building before Beach Haven was actually approved and start renting to vets and others six months before he had to start repaying his loan.
In that time Trump pocketed $1.7 million in rent payments. Trump was also allowed to pocket most of a fee—5 percent of the Beach Haven development’s cost—that was earmarked for architectural work. Trump was also permitted to borrow more in federally subsidized funds—$3.7 million, to be precise—than he actually needed.
Beach Haven was the apartment complex Woody Guthrie moved into in 1950. Unfortunately for Woody, Trump was a racist shit (apples and trees).
Here’s Woody!
Like Republican father, like Republican son!!
From TPM: In an extraordinary display of internal discord, the chairman of the Republican Party’s rules committee is accusing top GOP officials of "a breach of our trust" by improperly trying to impede a proposed change in bylaws that would make it harder for party leaders to nominate a fresh candidate for president.
Bruce Ash, RNC committeeman from Arizona, wrote the harshly worded email to the other 55 members of the GOP rules committee that he chairs. The confidential email, obtained by The Associated Press on Saturday, was written days before party officials gather in Hollywood, Florida, for preliminary discussions about what rules the GOP will use at its presidential nominating convention this July.
Ash wrote the note at a time when some top Republicans consider the party’s two leading presidential contenders, billionaire Donald Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, to be likely November election losers and have discussed how to replace them with alternatives at the summer convention in Cleveland, Ohio. It is possible that no contenders will have the 1,237 delegates needed to clinch the nomination at that gathering, which would produce the first GOP convention without a presumptive nominee since 1976.
Because this has become such a contentious issue, I’m going to leave the current poll up for the rest of the month. May Republicans have a civil war between themselves. Nothing could be better for our down-ballot candidates.
From Raw Story: Saturday Night Live took aim at a multitude of subjects associated with the rise of religious freedom laws that are anti-LGBT legislation in disguise, with a parody film preview of an “oppressed Christian” baker forced to not only make a cake for a same-sex couple but also to declare that “God is gay.”
Dang!! It looks like God and I have something in common!! 
Cartoon:
15 Responses to “Open Thread–4/17/2016”
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5:12 (5:23) I'm out of energy myself.
DKos – Unfortunately for Woody, Drumpf Sr was a racist shit. OTOH, unfortunately for Drumpf Sr., Woody was a communicator who was competent to write things which can, or still could, be a time bomb for Drumpf Sr's son. Spread far and wide, folks.
TPM – ROTFLMAOACGU. May this be the whirlwind that those who have sown the wind inherit.
Raw Story – Well, actually, She's black. All kidding aside, the mindset being parodies here does certainly illuminate the mindset of tiny people with tiny brains who can actually think that pure spirit wants to f**k. I still believe we have fifty-sixty tears of air and water pollution to blame for this. BTW, TC, I feel that you and God do have things in common (caring and kindness leap to mind), but that is probably not one of them.
Cartoon – Can Inspector Goosestep explain how someone can steal something that doesn't exist? Actually I'm a little surprised that he can even tell the current crop is all idiots.
Inspector Giisestep is a Republican. That makes him too stupid to know they don;t exixt.
3:42 I ran out of gas.
3:15 Me too!
Woooo Hoooo!! Here Birdie, Birdie, Burp!!
Figures that Drumpf Sr was a roach-motel owner!!! Ugh, it sure does run in the gene pool! Too bad that Woody had to endure the crap that Drumpf Sr put out back then. I'm sure it was ALL and worse than what his son is doing right now!!
These is going to be a BATTLE ROYAL at the RNC convention. I'm stocking up on popcorn and appetizers for the show! Should be a GOOD one!
Glad SNL took a swipe at the new "laws" in N. Carolina and such southern states! "Religious freedom"! My ass!!! They're no more religious freedoms than the sky is green!!! They have sent those states back 50, if not more, years and is costing those states a bundle of real CASH! And I'm GKAS that all the concerts and companies are pulling out of there!!! I hope there is more like Bruce Springsteen and PayPal that hang in to their purse strings when it comes to spreading money around them!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BOYCOTT ALL YHE STATES THAT HAVE LAWS LIKE THIS!!!
DK: So true.Woody hated Sr. Drumpf, I can only think how he would sing against the son if he were alive today?
TPM: YAY! …Nothing says internal 'dischord' like the Repugs.
RS: SNL rocks, glad to see them get on board with current issues. Talented team!
Ridiculous you have to pay an Arts fee, glad you got your taxes done. Sounds like you & George are a good team, working together in a good way. lol. You have warmer weather than we do, it's average mid 70's here.
Have a safe trip to and back tomorrow, take care, and Thanks, Tom.
Arts Tax – in an area the size of Portland, everyone is taxed for the Arts, but they are priced based on filling the venue which usually means only the wealthy can afford it.
If the place only holds 1000 people, and 10,000 want to see "it", if it is priced low, chances are you wont see it even if you can afford it. If it is priced high, chances are you will see it, if you can afford it. From a capitalistic point of view, the optimum price is where there is 1000 people who want to see it, can afford to see it, and buy tickets to see it.
The question is, "Does society benefit when all of society pays for it, but only a fraction of society can afford to see it?
No!
I did my taxes and my mother's also, yesteday and today. Ready to throw my computer out the window by the time I finished. Once again, she owed the federal government money. It sounds like you and George may become compatible at last.
Daily Kos: I doubt anyone is surprised that Trump's father was a conniver, too. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Gee, wish my dad had loaned me a million dollars.
TPM: The Republican convention in Cleveland should be very interesting. They are terrified of Cruz and Trump and desperately want the White House back. Wonder who they will choose?
Raw Story: SNL is tops in my book. They are not afraid to tackle anything. Loved this one.
Cartoon: Good one indeed.
Puzzle — 3:15 Me too! (ran out of gas!)
Daily Kos — The apple, worm and all, doesn't fall far from the tree. So it is with the wormy Drumpf!
TPM — Isn't it just like the Republicans to screw with the rules, even their own rules. Instead of voter suppression, I think we could call this candidate suppression.
Raw Story — Not available.
Cartoon — Republicans and non-idiots? That is an oxymoron!
That's wierd. Holland gets it, but Canada doesnt.
Looks all your physical therapy paid off, TomCat, soon you'll be standing up as proud as the next guy in the urinal (do you have these in Portland?) But do you know that research has shown it would be healthier for guys to sit down and pee like a girl? Better for the prostrate, if I remember correctly. Don't think you're about to change your mind on that one, right? 😉
Good luck with going to your appointment in that hot bus. You're temperatures are way too high for this time of year, aren't they? We're lucky if we reach half of that lately.
DK: Racist apples fall even closer to the tree, it seems. And apples getting rich on other people's money do too. But Drumpf junior doesn't seem to be a seedling, he was grafted on the old Drumpf tree, making sure he inherited all of daddy's nasty traits. I expect Donald Drumpf's kids to be no different, their moms didn't have much to do with their upbringing either.
TPM: It's hard not to gloat when a party that still thinks it can win the election in November if they put up a brand new candidate in July to replace the two most unsavory critters that are left from the Clown Car that was bursting from its seams with unsuitable candidates. As if they had a secret candidate stashed away somewhere, some kind of miracle worker that would have all the furious Drumpf and Cruz voters they dismissed, turn on their heels and return to the GOP to vote for this Regan resurrection they kept hidden so long. How pathetic is that.
RS: It looks like Saturday Night Live is hitting the jackpot every week now; I'm sure they're sending thank-you notes to the GOP and the Southern States for all the material they're being handed by them. Soon they'll need to start a Friday Night Live too to cover all they're getting to make these great video's on.
Cartoon: That's only true if you're inclined to believe they had any good ones to steal.
TPM: The GOP is so enamored with gun laws that, perhaps, it will allow weapons into the convention. A Hoot! lol.
Raw Story: SNL got a good one in this video. Have a watch and listen.
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Thanks all! Hugs!!