I ended up feeling rather stupid yesterday, when I called Safeway.com to ask why my food was late and they told me I had scheduled the delivery for today. Then I ended up feeling frustrated today, when they called me to tell me my delivery was cancelled due to hazardous driving conditions. I’m hoping I can reach Wendy in time to ask her to pick up a few staples for me before she goes to work and bring them in the morning. Today and tomorrow are holy days in the Church of the Ellipsoid Orb. If your team is still meditating, may the Orb bless them with it’s divine light.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:34 (average 5:28). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Common Dreams: The rise of political populists threatens democracy worldwide, a new report from Human Rights Watch (HRW) released Thursday says.
In its World Report 2017, the human rights organization highlights President-elect Donald Trump‘s victory in the U.S., the power grabs of "strongman" leaders in Russia, China, Turkey, and the Philippines, and the rise of right-wing demagogues in Europe, as trends that "denigrate legal standards and disdain factual analysis, directly challenge the laws and institutions that promote dignity, tolerance, and equality."
Trump and other populist leaders work from a similar propaganda playbook that supports bigotry and discrimination; scapegoats immigrants and refugees for economic problems; encourages people to give up their rights in favor of authoritarian rule as a defense against outside threats; and foments division between demographics, the report states.
We aren’t the only ones. We just have the worst Fuhrer. RESIST!!
From Daily Kos: The Democratic National Committee is holding the first of four regional “Future Forums” today in Phoenix, Arizona. The forum begins at 9 AM Mountain Time. You can view a livestream at democrats.org…
…Candidates for Chair:
• Sally Boynton Brown, Idaho Democratic Party Executive Director, President of Association of State Democratic Executive Directors
• Ray Buckley, New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair, Association of State Democratic Parties Chair
• Pete Buttigieg, Mayor of South Bend, IN
• Keith Ellison, U.S. Representative (MN-5)
• Jehmu Greene, Fox News Political Analyst
• Jaime Harrison, South Carolina Democratic Party Chair
• Tom Perez, secretary of Labor.
I still like Ellison because of his progressive resume. If you disagree, who do you support and why?
From Think Progress: Early Saturday morning, President-elect Donald Trump attacked the Georgia congressman and famed civil rights hero John Lewis for being “all talk, no action” and presiding over a “crime infested” district that’s “falling apart.”
The thinly veiled racial smear — essentially suggesting Lewis is a slumlord — came on the weekend of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, as the nation prepares to honor the civil rights leader with whom Lewis worked closely in the 1960s to advocate for racial and economic justice.
What else would a Republican Racist say? RESIST!!
Cartoon:
12 Responses to “Open Thread 1/14/2017”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
6:47 Too bad. I might have been able to use the painkillers.
Common Dreams – I will likely NEVER not believe that toxins in air and water have something to do with this. I don't say they account for all of it; aftera ll, there have always been bigots, macissists, and the like, but – in these quantities?
DKos – Idaho should certainly give a person experience being blue in a red state. But she doesn't appear to have made much headway. I am still behind Ellison. No progressive leadership, no party.
TP – No action? Well, he doesn't grab pussies – that must be what the Papaya (not-my-) Presedent is referring to, because John Lewis has been active for a lifetime. Crime infested? His area of Georgia has seen among the biggest reductions of crime in recent years. You know, a smear can be fact-based but twist the facts in order to sound bad. This smear does not do that. It is false from beginning to end. And, yes, it makes me angry. Fortunately it has made a lot of the Internet angry also. http://www.rawstory.com/2017/01/trump-trolled-by-john-lewiss-constituents-after-insulting-their-district-as-horrible-and-crime-ridden/
Cartoon – Oh, yeah. Right on the money.
CD: Saddening, and very frightening.
TP: #1. Dumpelthinskin (A–Hat), is NOT a politician. #2. Mr. Lewis is dignified, honest, a civil rights activist, a hero to many, and a revered Congressman. To which I say Trump doesn't even come to close to those qualities. At. All. RESIST!!!!
Cartoon: Yep, always!!
Hope that all goes well in getting groceries. My guys are playing the Patriots, but I don't know if I'll watch, I have picked up a head cold, (free, no less!!), and am feeling it as I type. I hope that you have a great evening, take care, and Thanks, Tom.
Puzzle — 3:56 I slowed down by sneezing my face off!
Common Dreams — I read this yesterday in another source. The world, it seems, is going to hell in a hand basket piloted by far right wing demagogues whose only concern is the amount of power they can amass.
Resist!!!
Daily Kos — I have known about Keith Ellison the longest and I like his drive and progressiveness. Jehmu Greene, I don't know but according to a Politico article, she is a political analyst for Faux Noise, and that calls into question her decision making — Faux Noise??? She certainly does have an impressive background as highlighted in Wikipedia. I heard Pete Buttigieg, Mayor of South Bend, IN speak about starting at the grassroots level in municipal and state level government to build a new Democratic party. At 34 years old, he's also the youngest.
Think Progress — Drumpfenfarten: Don't need no stinkin' facts!
IMO, Drumpfenfarten is trying to deflect his own lack of community service, his own lack of caring about anyone other than himself. He is the dregs at the bottom of the barrel while John Lewis is the cream at the top.
Resist!!!
Cartoon — Ain't that the truth!
Resist!!!
I hope Wendy is able to get you a few things to get you through until your order can be delivered. It gives me pause for those who rely on home delivery of groceries but have no one like Wendy to help them in such circumstances. My local market has delivery and I sometimes run into the pickers as I am cruising down the aisles. A valuable service. When I was on crutches with a fractured foot about 2 years ago, shopping was difficult at best. I went to the store and the store manager ended up doing my shopping for me and then took it out to the car. He is still there and amkes a point of saying "hi". The staff love him. Great guy!
Drumpenfarten always puts down people better than him, does not have to go far to find them! But, his latest little string (certainly not his last) of putting down Lewis, Streep, may show the fools who had any faith in him just how much of an idiot and jackass he is!
Our local supermarket has a shop at home sevice, delivers to the quite elderly couple next door. Be well, TC!
Silly me! I just realized the error in my last comment–Anybody is better than him! Though, yes, some are close, hey just look at the GOPig leadership in congress!
Oh poor TC – I've done that once too, mistaking the day of ordering a food delivery – you do feel silly don't you (well, I did!). I do hope you've got some supplies to keep you going in the cupboard till some food gets there!
Common Dreams – I quite agree, and the elections soon in France and Germany need a LOT of prayer by us and everyone else to stop the fascists taking over there too. I don't know any other way to stop them but by prayer – they lie their a*ses off and no-one seems to care – what the heck is going on with people, don't they dislike being lied to?! If France and Germany go over to evil, then we are in for a global 'dark night of the soul' – God help us all.
Have just written that on my prayer list otherwise I'd forget and kick myself (again!).
Think Progress – well if Drumpf is attacking him then he has to be OK doesn't he? Oh my poor friends, how I feel for you with this nithing* to be your public representative, you do not deserve this at all.
* I used this in the old Anglo Saxon sense of a person of such little worth and goodness that if they left a room, everyone would look up to see who had come in – looking it up on the net, the Urban Dictionary had something similar.
Like most of us, you may have considered losing a few pounds as a New Year's resolution, TomCat, but I wonder if just not having groceries delivered is the right way to go about it. You know those crash diets never work, dont you? 😀 So I hope Wendy get's you both groomed and fed soon.
Just checking in for a quick update for my dear friends at PP, not up for commenting, I'm afraid. I'm back in one piece, but had a hard time travelling and coughing/astma-like spasms and didn't quite manage to get the noise down without pulling a muscle in my rib cage.
I wish that was the worst of it – my lungs will start healing soon – but I couldn't find my female fur ball when I got home (the one who was recently diagnosed with feline AIDS) but found her in the end at the side of the house, where someone kindly placed her body that must have been in the driveway. Apparently she was last seen on Thursday evening by the care taker, so it seems Friday 13th didn't go well for her and I was home a day too late. It'll remain unclear what happened, but is seems another incurable feline desease has claimed the second of my cats in 4 months time.
Oh, my dear, what terrible news! And it seems so unfair to happen when you are already not feeling well, and you are also worried about us (not to mention the rest of the world, which is having its own issues with incipient fascism.) You must be numb. When the numbness starts to thaw and lets in the pain, please remember that you are a wonderful person, you are loved, and we are here for you to do whatever we can. (And also that none of it is your fault – it's so tempting to try to bear guilt.)
So sorry to learn of your loss. I don't know if the sentiments in the graphic are true or not – but they're a nice thought.
Having grown up with cat critters all my life, I know the terrible sense of loss when one crosses over the Rainbow Bridge. The hardest part is the constant sense of absence.
But I do believe the words that VP Joe Biden shared with military families who had lost a loved one – and it holds true for our cherished critters:
So true, Nameless.
Lona, I'm so sorry about your kitty,
Thanks all! Groomed fed huigs!