I'm running quite late today. I changed the Poll, collected the data for and made all the graphics for tomorrow's Monthly Report. I spent over an hour holding for and fighting with UPS, because my new keyboard and mouse combo was shopped two-day air on 5/23 and they still haven't delivered it. Save the Post Office!! Julie was here and she primped the puddy tat. She have me a report on Killer Dawg, who, if you remember is a Chihuahua-Terrier mix. Last Weekend I gave him a bowl of γέεννα chili. He liked it, but later, neighbors thought they heard someone playing a tuba badly. 
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today's took me 4:06 (average 5:09). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From The New Yorker: The theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking angered supporters of Donald J. Trump on Monday by responding to a question about the billionaire with a baffling array of long words.
Speaking to a television interviewer in London, Hawking called Trump “a demagogue who seems to appeal to the lowest common denominator,” a statement that many Trump supporters believed was intentionally designed to confuse them.
Moments after Hawking made the remark, Google reported a sharp increase in searches for the terms “demagogue,” “denominator,” and “Stephen Hawking.”
“For a so-called genius, this was an epic fail,” Trump’s campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, said. “If Professor Hawking wants to do some damage, maybe he should try talking in English next time.”
LOL!! Andy knows that any word over one syllable is a stretch for Bubba Bagger. Three is virtually out of reach!!
From NY Times: Gov. Jerry Brown of California has run three times for president. He is serving his fourth term as governor and stands as one of the most popular elected officials in the state.
He has also kept a noticeably low profile as the Democratic presidential primary contest has moved to California, reflecting what aides described as the interest he had in both candidates.
But that ended on Tuesday as the Democratic governor came off the sideline and endorsed Hillary Clinton as someone who has the “tenacity and skill to advance the Democratic agenda” and defeat the presumptive Republican candidate, Donald J. Trump.
That surprises me. I would have thought Governor Moonbeam would back Bernie.
From Daily Kos: On the subject of Social Security Trump has made his opposition to cuts in the program a stock part of his campaign repertoire. He boasts about his support for it despite being at variance with the official stance of the Republican Party. Paul Ryan, the GOP Speaker of the House of Representatives, has been proposing cuts and/or privatization for Social Security and Medicare for years.
Republicans have been taking heat for their eagerness to make seniors pay for the deficit that they ran up with tax cuts for the rich and two wars. Now they are understandably worried about being seen again as the enemies of Social Security, one of the most popular government programs in history.
Which begs the question: Is Trump really committed to preserving the benefits of Social Security? He recently met with Ryan in a widely publicized attempt to smooth over their differences as he became the presumptive GOP nominee for president. Neither of them disclosed the details of their discussion or any new areas of agreement. However, news is beginning to leak out from others who were in attendance. A source has told Bloomberg BusinessWeek that Trump's promise to protect Social Security may not be particularly trustworthy. With regard to cutting benefits in order to reduce the deficit, Trump said…
"From a moral standpoint, I believe in it," Trump told Ryan. "But you also have to get elected. And there’s no way a Republican is going to beat a Democrat when the Republican is saying, 'We’re going to cut your Social Security' and the Democrat is saying, 'We’re going to keep it and give you more.' "
What better reason could there be to…
Vote Blue No Matter Who!!
Cartoon:
11 Responses to “Open Thread – 6/1/2016”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
5:13 (5:09) Looks edible – but if it's in oils, it might be too rich; and if in acrylics, too plastic.
New Yorker – Do you think they might understand this better? http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/5/31/1532864/-Comedian-John-Mulaney-is-able-to-put-a-finger-on-exactly-what-is-so-strange-about-Donald-Trump (Reader's Digest version: He doesn't act like a real rich man but like a hobo might imagine being a rich man.)
NYTimes – He is no longer the Governor Moonbeam I supported for President in 1992. He has swung neo-lib. If you have seen the news about Bernie this week in Californis learning about the water crisis, some (of course not all) of which has been affrected by fracking in the Central Valley, you will get it, I think.
DKos – I don't think I need this kind of candor to know what Trump would do if elected. Being entirely dependent on Social Security to survive gives one a certain clarity on the issue.
Cartoon – Oh, now YOU are doing straight reporting!
I was surprised that Jerry Brown gave his support for Hillary. I thought he would give his support for Bernie given Brown's past history.
Excellent background history of Jerry "Moonbeam" Brown, currently a popular Governor of California.
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 5/31/16
Former Clinton foe, California's Jerry Brown, endorses Hillary
Seema Mehta, political writer for the Los Angeles Times, talks with Steve Kornacki about how the endorsement of Hillary Clinton by California Governor Jerry Brown fits into the context of the historically bitter rivalry between Brown and the Clintons. Duration: 17:59 (CC)
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/former-bitter-clinton-rival-endorses-hillary-696371268000
.
NYer: Good one, Andy. LOL.
NYT: We shall see. I was hoping for an endorsement from Brown too, for Saunders.
DK: A very important issue that I have worked for my whole life, and every cent of it is in my limited budget. Trump will lie through his teeth, I have no confidence in any of his statements. Vote BLUE!
Cartoon: Yep, and Repugs want it that way!
Funny story about the dog. Enjoy your evening, take good care, and Thanks, Tom.
Brown is not conventional still-IMO this is his way of say Clinton is not qualified to handle climate change and related environmental issues for the country and is making himself available for that appointment no matter who wins (it is viewed as a tepid endorsement in CA's press).
Obama made a statement today about increasing benefits and expanding SS.
I had a similar problem with UPS 2-day air. It was supposed to fly from Houston to LA and "somehow" went the Philadelphia instread. It took over a week for me to get the item.
New Yorker: I read about Hawking's astonishment over the Rumpy popularity, but this reading of it is funnier!
NY T: Is Gov. Brown looking for a VP call? In any case, from my perspective, his endorsement of Hillary is a good sign, as it may take some steam from Bernie's lost cause; may help Bernie join the team.
Rumpy's position on SS is not to be trusted…but then Rumpy is not to be trusted on anything.
Cartoon: Yes, that's Carl "Shitface" Rove's job!
Julie seems to be a bonus!
The New Yorker: Andy is so right, you must speak in simple sentences to Trump! And his supporters.
NY Times: I was surprised that Brown did not endorse Sanders, too.
Daily Kos: The moral of this story is that ninety percent of them, in both parties, will do whatever it takes to get elected again.
Cartoon: Yes they will!
Puzzle — 5:33 A little birdie says that my times are improving using my laptop w/o mouse. Puddy Tat, that birdie will be a little woody tasting because it is painted on paper.
The New Yorker — The lowest common denominator — Bubba Bagger and Trumplodytes. Andy is spot on!
NY Times — How much influence does Jerry Brown have with California voters?
Daily Kos — "A source has told Bloomberg BusinessWeek that Trump’s promise to protect Social Security may not be particularly trustworthy. With regard to cutting benefits in order to reduce the deficit, Trump said…
Interesting that the Huffington Post use a disclaimer on every Drumpf article that goes like this:
VOTE BLUE NO MATTER
WHO!!!!!
Cartoon — And ever since, Republicans have been rewiring them!
UPS is trying to take over Europe as well and I always dread when a package is send through them. Their service is abominable. I hope you get your knew keyboard an mouse soon now, TomCat. Best not feed the Killer Dawg any more of your chili, as Julie will have no place left to breath easily after Chili days.
TNY: Andy is spot on again, as he always is about Drumpf and his followers, and so was Stephen Hawking of course, but I don't think Neither Drumpf himself nor his supporters will have watched an English interview of this eminent theoretical physicist. Unless a clip of it was shown on Faux News, who had to air it without comment because they didn't understand the long words either, but had the gut feeling somehow that it wasn't all that favorable.
NY Times: Perhaps Brown has seen the writing on the wall – it is statistically impossible for Bernie to gain enough delegates for the nomination, is thinking ahead and therefore trying to unify Democrats behind the most likely nominee to defeat Drumpf. Much like you do, TomCat. You felt the Bern, and still feel it, but you urge like-minded progressives to Vote Blue No Matter Who.
DK: "A source has told Bloomberg BusinessWeek that Trump’s promise to protect Social Security may not be particularly trustworthy." That must be the understatement of the year…well, week then. It still hasn't dawned on everyone that none of his statements are trustworthy with one exception: "But you also have to get elected…" which is Drumpf's free pass to say whatever he thinks will give him a vote from a crowd at that particular point in time and then say the exact opposite the next time.
Thanks all!! Hugs!! I'll upload articles when the CAT is done with me!!
Ryan did not have any problem accepting government benefits after the death of his father, paid for his college education,OK for him,but he would cut off Seniors! Typical.