Wendy is here and is doing a little cooking, so I may as well get a start. I'll finish when she leaves. She just left. She is a positively magnificent helper.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today's took me 4:30 (average 5:34). To do it. click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From NY Times: President Trump came to a farm expo center here on Saturday to celebrate his first 100 days in office by bathing in the support of his bedrock supporters, reprising the populist themes of his campaign and savaging a familiar foe: the news media.
In a rally timed to coincide with an annual dinner of the White House press corps in Washington, which he declined to attend, Mr. Trump laced into what he referred to as “the failing New York Times,” as well as CNN and MSNBC, which he accused of incompetence and dishonesty.
Disapproval from the Pumpkin Pussy-grabber is the best recommendation the Times, CNN and MSNBC could have. RESIST!!
From Think Progress: Until November, it was easy for the National Rifle Association to galvanize its members against a common enemy. Hillary Clinton appeared likely to ascend to White House, where she would destroy the Second Amendment, according to leaders of the gun lobby. This fear of Clinton drove up gun sales, boosted firearm manufacturers, and bolstered the NRA’s lobbying power.
But with President Trump’s win — unexpected even for many here at the NRA’s annual meeting — the group had to reorient itself around a new target able to drive just as much anger in its millions of members.
ISIS or other international threats may have been easy marks. But judging by the rhetoric used by NRA leaders and President Trump in Atlanta this week, the gun lobby has set its sights elsewhere: the media.
For the Fuhrer to organize thousands of armed Republican ammosexuals against the free press sounds like something Hitler would do. RESIST!!
From Politico: Democrats couldn’t be less interested in the whole Jared Kushner vs. Steve Bannon drama, and they have given up on the idea that President Donald Trump’s son-in-law will push him to work across the aisle on tax reform or anything else.
The crisis of confidence they felt after Trump’s shocking win has faded and his record-low poll numbers have killed any incentive in their minds to suck it up and compromise with him.
“There is zero chance of any of this working out that way, and it doesn’t matter who you’re changing,” said Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), who notes that many of his colleagues who once decried his absolute opposition to Trump now agree with him. “At the end of the day,” he added, “this is Donald Trump, and we don’t want to work with him.”
If Trump ever proposed a plan that was acceptable to progressives, I could not penalize the American people by opposing it for the sake of partisan division. That said, I consider the possibility that Trump might offer such a plan to be somewhat less that having a bear dressed in a tux lecturing on fine wine choices in the street below my window. RESIST!!
Cartoon:
11 Responses to “Open Thread – 4/30/2017”
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5:00 Well, I guess if I had been made in 1764, I'd be looking a little green around the gills now too.
NYT – The New York Times – which just hired a new op-ed – a climate change denier. How come Donald doesn't like them? Aaaaaaargggh! MSN, even CNN, I can see him not liking. Entirely too much fact for him.
TP – The latest NRA bill in Congress is the "Hearing Protection Act," in order to remove all regulation from silencers. I am not making this up.
Politico – I would love to see that bear. But I certainly won't hold my breath.
Cartoon – Ah, yes. Sad.
BTW, I quoted you (with credit) over at Raw Story on an article with similar info to the Politico article. I assume that's OK.
Also apropos of nothing, I am sending a small package to you that's not actually for you. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if Wendy gets first pick.
In answer to your question about who was in the picture behind Rep. Cummings, it actually wasn't Rep. Schiff – but Sen. Udall (D-NM) (although they do resemble each other). And the other "mystery gentleman" is Sen. Whitehouse (D-RI).
At least I think this is the photo you're referring to. If not … in my best Emily Litella voice, "Never mind"
It was from a Democratic press conference WRT the Flynn investigation:
http://www.sfgate.com/nation/article/Flynn-under-defense-investigation-over-foreign-11104508.php
That is exactly the photo, and of course you are right. They do look alike, and I assumed Schiff because, like Cummings, he is in the House. So that's Whitehouse. I don't think I've ever seen his picture before. He has done some good work. Thank you!!!!
Sunday April 30, 2017, 2:28 pm
NYT: What a whiner. Attending his rallies so that he can get stoked, and bad mouth the press, and journalists. Such an A–Hat.
TP: Indeed, this is how it starts. Silencing the people, and media. RESIST!!!!!!!
*Signed petition too, btw. Thanks, Joanne.
Politico: Yes,…..RESIST.
Cartoon: If you're interested, in watching, His Holiness, the Pope gave a TED talk about Peace & interactions with others, about 17 minutes long. Here's the link: https://www.ted.com/talks/pope_francis_why_the_only_future_worth_building_includes_everyone?language=en
Kudos to Wendy, she sounds very caring about your needs. A beautiful day here, hope that you have a good evening, take care, and Thanks, Tom.
NYT: With their new Op-ed putz, it is like they are pussy grabbing she who used to be "The Great Grey Lady!"
NYT#2: Like any master manipulator, Rumpy knows what turns on his own people!
TP:The NRA lives on hate…will always seek new targets. Yes, the "Hearing Protection Act," is about silencers. Hey, the NRA would not want the serial killers to go tone deaf on them!
Politico: Screw Kushner, screw Bannon! Kudos to Gallego!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cartoon: Too true- they look for people to cruxify as part of their hate agenda!
Do you remember Rachael Leigh Cook and her frying pan starting smashing up eggs in her infamous, “This is Your Brain on Drugs” ad? (CC). I remember the ad quite well 20 years ago. It caused a big buzz and a "Wow".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAHoxaphbEs
Rachael has a new one out, on 4/20, with her frying pan and eggs are back but this time in a new ad that slams the drug war and its racist enforcement. Remake of Classic "Your Brain on Drugs" Ad Slams Disastrous Drug War. (CC). There is a petition "TakeAction" on the right side of the new video.
http://www.drugpolicy.org/blog/remake-classic-your-brain-drugs-ad-slams-disastrous-drug-war?
.
I'd be 100% FOR the Ronnie Raygun era "War on Drugs" – IF it worked …
But it doesn't …
So I'm not.
(But that doesn't mean AG Beauregard Sessions isn't licking his chops to lock-up all those folks "cursed" w/ too much melanin)
Puzzle — 4:57 Ding dong!
NY Times — Drumpfenfarten is such an unintelligent asshat spewing lies and misinformation! Unfortunately, his base bows down at his altar.
As I recall, the numbers of people crossing the border illegally is on the decline, and those returning to Mexico is on the increase. In addition, drugs will come into the country by multiple routes which a wall does nothing to stop. Perhaps Drumpfenfarten should look at the causes of Americans providing such a willing market for illicit drugs and deal with those who are addicted as the health issue it is. All of this is not a Democrat problem but rather a human problem exacerbated by Republican policies. Further, the only fake news I see is that being promulgated by team Drumpf. Drumpf et al are a bunch of billionaire and billionaire wannabe right wing liars who are only interested in their own enrichment.
Think Progress — If there was an indication that the US is sliding into fascism, this is it.
He who controls the media, controls the people. Threats of law suits will surely drive the truth underground.
Politico — Tic for tac???
McTurtle declared from day 1 that Republicans would obstruct Obama and make him a one term president. Obstruct they did, but he was a 2 term POTUS much to the dismay of Republicans. It seems that the shoe is on the other foot now, or is it? I do not believe in 'tic for tac' per se, not for the sake of vengeance. But I do believe in stopping Drumpf who is an ignoramus and totally unsuited to be POTUS.
Cartoon — There is an evangelical Christian comedian named Mike Warnke whose recordings I listened to back in the 80's with my youth group. In one recording he talks about driving down the highway towards Brownsville, Texas with a plastic bobble head Jesus glowing in the dark on the dashboard. I often think of his routines when I think of the Christian right and their pseudo Christianity. I wanted to check if he was still alive so I googled him. I read his bio in Wikipedia and he appears to present just as that plastic bobble head Jesus, very fake. I left him behind long, long ago but I did get a few laughs back then.
Resist and Persist!!!
Glad you're all buffed and fluffed, smelling like roses again. It's nice when someone else does the cooking isn't it! Thursday nights, I always come home from Neda's with something very tasty — a few days ago it was celery stew and saffron rice. So good! I hope that the pain is receeding and you're able to get more sleep. Take care.
You're so lucky to have Wendy as a helper, especially when you're feeling poorly. Can't praise her enough.
NYT: Drumpf is getting to be a pathetic, demented old fart, having to run all the way to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to hide out with some hard core fans in order not to have to hear the majority of America tell him what failure he is as a president and as person. Savaging media like The New York Times in front of these farmers gives him the response he so desperately needs to hear to survive, but as his followers would never read, listen to or watch these media anyway, it no longer harms them but in fact is good for business. Their subscriptions and ratings go up every time he rants against them. The shoe is on the other foot now, Drumpf.
TP: To be fair the NRA, and Drumpf, rallies against the three most dangerous voices in America: academic elites, political elites, and media elites. And any moderate Republican, so far as that category still exists, should be worried about the second one, if nothing else. Rousing people against these three is straight from the Nazi handbook and has the Alt Right markings on it. The only difference between Nazi Germany in the 1930 and NRA America now is that few Germans had a gun in the house and if they had only those that did relatively little harm. Apparently Drumpf, Alt Right and the NRA are willing to start a civil war if a war with North Korea or someplace else far from American soil, is not viable. I wonder what Putin's instructions are.
Politico: Democrat should get a grip on motivation. Saying that it's Drumpf they oppose for Drumpf's sake is very Republican and should be avoided. Opposing Drumpf's plans because they're shitty plans is the way to go. By all means, RESIST & PERSIST! but work against his bad policies, not just because he's Drumpf. Remain a Democrat and
FIGHT EVERY FIGHT
with
PASSION & GUMPTION
Thanks all. Pooped hugs!