I'm having a very busy day. I have a grocery delivery coming in the next couple hours, and need to unpack them and put them away. Later Wendy is coming to scrub and de-stink the TomCat, tighten down the nuts and bolts on my power chair, do some light cleaning, and eat both the supper I prepared for her and some sweets to contribute to the Southern Exposure Project. Tomorrow I'm going to the prison to help facilitate a Victims Impact Meeting, involving several outside victims and up to 100 of my guys. Because I won't be home until quite late, please assume that I will be publishing Personal Updates only and Thursday and Friday and will not be sending links messages on Care2, so please don't worry.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today's took me 4:10 (average 5:30). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From NBC: Defense Secretary Ash Carter ordered the Pentagon on Wednesday to stop clawing-back the bonuses that thousands of soldiers got for reenlisting to serve in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"There is no more important responsibility for the Department of Defense than keeping faith with our people," Carter said in a statement. "That means treating them fairly and equitably, honoring their service and sacrifice, and keeping our word. Today, in keeping with that obligation, I am ordering a series of steps to ensure fair treatment for thousands of California National Guard soldiers who may have received incentive bonuses and tuition assistance improperly as a result of errors and in some cases criminal behavior by members of the California National Guard."
Carter's announcement was greeted with cheers in Kempner, Texas where Don and Susan Haley — both Iraq War veterans — had been struggling to pay back the bonuses they got when they reenlisted a decade ago in the California National Guard.
I trust JD will be most pleased with this.
From US News: A new report finds that the global gender pay gap will not be closed for another 170 years if current trends continue.
Click through to watch the video. I had to remove it because it autoplays.
A woman's place is in the House… and the Senate… and the White House… and above the glass ceiling!!
From NY Times: Thanks to recent gains, the Democrats now have a clear but vulnerable lead in the race for Senate control. Prediction markets give them a 78 percent chance of winning control, according to PredictWise.
There are nine competitive races, and the Democrats need to win at least five of them (if they also win the vice-presidency, which breaks Senate ties).
Every weekday, get thought-provoking commentary from Op-Ed columnists, the Times editorial board and contributing writers from around the world.
Democrats have seemingly safe leads over Republican incumbents in Illinois and Wisconsin and are also favored in Nevada, Indiana, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire. Missouri is a toss-up.
If you see new polls from Pennsylvania and Missouri, pay particular attention. Recent polls have shown the Republicans slightly ahead, but the prediction markets seem to think the polls haven’t yet caught up to the Republicans’ Trump-inflicted wounds.
Keep an eye on North Carolina and Florida, too. The Republicans — Richard Burr in North Carolina and Marco Rubio in Florida, both incumbents — are still favored, but the Democrats have a shot.
I happily endorse every Democrat. Even a DINO is better than a Rump Dump Rectumite!
Cartoon:
The military doesn't want the F-22, but Republicans won't allow its removal from the budget.
12 Responses to “Open Thread – 10/26/2016”
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5:08 What fun, if you're a dog!
This is just too funny not to share – a Daily Kos commenter (Kossack) has come up with what just HAS to be the official bottled water of the Republican Party, though it's from Belgium: Beaux Eaux de Klaaewn.
NBC – I, Pat B, Carrie B – many of us are veterans or have ties to veterans. We are all pleased. It's a start – and it looks like a good one. I was going to share the LA times version if you hadn't. Thank you!
USN – Amen to your comment! From your mouth to God's ear!
NYT – "Even a DINO is better than a Rump Dump Rectumite!" Quite true. But I would love to have all genuine progressives.
Cartoon – Perhaps we should all start calling the F-22 an "abortion." Then the Republicans may be willing to scrap it.
NBC: When I first read that people had to pay BACK their re-enlistment bonuses, I was incensed to read about it. I think Joanne summarizes it quite well in her comment, above, and Kudos to Carter for stepping up to the plate on this topic. Thank you, Joanne. 😉
USN: Can I get a Hallelujah? Thank you, Tom.
NYT: Encouraging news, Go VOTE BLUE!!!
A friend just sent me this, Interesting…
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/10/25/republican_nominee_has_given_up_fundraising_for_the_ticket_and_party_he.html
My Veteran interview went well today. I miss the kids MS/HS level. Wish you well on your travels, I know your will enjoy your time with your guys too. Take good care, too. Enjoy your evening, and Thanks, Tom.
Oops, wrong link.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/10/24/watch_donald_trump_absolutely_gush_over_hillary_clinton_in_2008_interview.html
Just a footnote:
Most assuredly NOT just JD!!!
Cartoon first: John Boehner had a little item put into a bill, some years ago, that requires an armaments company to produce twicw as many parts as the Air Force orders from it. The Air force does not want these parts, I read, in the same article, but the company, presumably, makes a lot of money from this. Of course one option could be to request 1/2 the # of parts, but who knows the details? So, is it just possible that congress people are making out nicely on the F 22?
NBC: This is good news, to me…some little bit less hypocrisy is always welcome! I've posted, I thonk, on this, and signed petitions in this regard.
NYT: VOTE BLUE ALL THE WAY THE HELL DOWN THE LINE! Stopping the career, at any stage, of any Republican is a good thing!
U.S.News: And, of course, the jingoists in our midst still want to call this the land of opportunity! Well, yeah…if you meet certain criteria, like born with a penis, like….
NBC: I am thrilled by this, having signed half a dozen petitions against this horrid action. The National Guard is supposed to stay in the USA, but have been sent to other countries since Dubya was in office. They deserve the bonuses and should never have to pay them back. Whomever made that decision for pay back deserves his or her butt kicked out of the job.
US News: Isn't that disgusting? When I began my last job, there was only one man in our department who did the same work as I and five others did, but was paid twenty percent more. We were employees of the state, too. He made more than our female supervisor. I thought by this time we would have some parity.
NY Times: I sincerely hope this is right, we need a majority so we can get some things accomplished without constant filibustering. It would be nice to see Cruz, Rubio, Ryan, and McConnell gone. Rand Paul may not be back, Jim Gray is doing well in the polls in Kentucky.
Cartoon: Yet another example of how money influences Congressional decisions. Lockheed Martin knew which horse to bet on when they made their donations.
Puzzle — 4:02 The ball's my court!
NBC — As I said 2 days ago, "Did I read that some of these go back 10 years? Is there no statue of limitations? The military made the "mistake" and they should own up to it, not service members." JD said there is no statute of limitations. My comment stands. It is good that Carter has taken the bull by the horns and stopped the clawbacks.
US News — Within the past 2 days, I heard in the local news that the gender pay gap has narrowed in Canada. Marginal improvement after several periods of widening. The gap is also tied to the level of education, but it still remains thatwomen make less than men for the same work. I have lived it in my own career. The glass ceiling is alive and well.
NY Times — Don't leave it to chance.
GET OUT THE VOTE!
VOTE BLUE ALL DOWN THE LINE!!!
Cartoon — Another boondoggle! We have one with fighter jets too.
I hope you had a good night's sleep after such a busy day in preparation of your day with your guys, TomCat. You'll need all your energy for something as demanding as a Victim Impact Meeting. Make it a good one for your guys, the participating outside victims and the facilitators.
NBC: Sounds like a very good start to me. I'm sure Joanne will keep us updated on those "steps to ensure fair treatment for thousands of California National Guard soldiers" and on how much the Pentagon is willing to waver the clawing-backs already in place.
USN: "… given the widening economic gender gap since last year," now that sounds really ominous, turning the prognosis of it to take 170 years to close the gap into a rather wild and pointless guestimate. The World Economic Forum might just as well have said that the gap will never be closed, not by governments/corporations any way. We need more women politically and socially active and in better positions in the working place to change this bottom up.
Today's news had it that in The Netherlands Unions have lost more members last year, but the rate of decline they've been facing for quite some time now seems to have halted by more women joining a union than before. That's good news and a good place to start doing something about the gap.
NYT: The suspense is bad for my blood pressure; I'll be so happy when it's November 9, a day past the elections, but here goes:
Don't get complacent, don't think the race is over because a poll says Democrats are ahead in your state. Don't get discouraged, don't think the race is over because a poll says Republicans are ahead in your state either. It is your vote which is the one needed to make possibility into reality. Send in your early voting forms or get yourself to a voting booth on November 8th, do anything except not vote (blue).
Cartoon: The Dutch don't want this badly built, dangerous and noisy plane, costing at least three times as much as planned and to be delivered years behind schedule, which didn't bring any of promised jobs our way, either but are stuck with dozens of them nevertheless.Billions of taxpayers down the drain in many countries.
😀 make that last remark "billions of taxpayer's money down the drain"
When that much taxpayers' money goes down the drain, it's a good bet that some taxpayers are going with it. Sadly.
Sadly that would also mean that Drumpf wouldn't be among them, because he doesn't pay any taxes. 👿
Glad to see that Carter got his stuff together about those bonuses! Those things should be forgiven!