It’s hot enough to melt a brass monkey, and my little AC is going full speed, trying to keep it tolerable in the room. When Wendy gets here for my shower, it will be 93° outside, so it will be at least that hot or hotter in the shower room. It will be a dry off twice day, once when I finish the shower, and once when I’m back in my room. Tomorrow I have an annual board meeting with my prison volunteer group, and Friday I have a follow up appointment with my gall bladder surgeon, so please expect no more than a Personal Update on both days.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:25 (average 6:28). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Newsweek: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has taken a pop at the political direction of the U.S. and the U.K. in a conversation with Ireland’s new Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.
During his official visit to Ireland, Trudeau said in a joint press conference with Varadkar that Canada and Ireland had major allies who were going in a “different direction” from them, underlining his souring relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump.
"There are tremendous opportunities for countries like Canada and Ireland, at a time where perhaps our significant allies and trading partners in the case of both the U.S. and the U.K. are turning inward or at least turning into a different direction,” Trudeau said in comments carried by AFP.
Kudos to Trudeau. We all know what country the Fuhrer wants to insert into Canada’s favored position. RESIST!!
From NY Times: …Republican senators have had to decide whether public appearances would be fruitful or the crowds hostile. Many lawmakers seem to have given up on town hall-style meetings and parades…
In short, most Republicans are avoiding the rich political opportunities for grandstanding the 4th offers, so they can to stay in hiding from their constituents. What anti-American cowards they are! RESIST!!
From Alternet: Did you hear about the Civil War Part II over the weekend? Somehow, word got around among Confederate “patriot” groups that AntiFa (anti-facists) were planning to desecrate Confederate memorials like Gettysburg. Never mind there are no Confederate memorials at Gettysburg.
For their part, the Central Pennsylvania AntiFa organization made it clear they had no plans to show up and emphatically denied they ever had any intention of going to Gettysburg.
Nevertheless, the rally cry had already gone out, the Confederate bugle sounded, and so-called “patriots” heeded the call and made their way to Gettysburg to defend their great, great, great, great grandpappy’s honor. Among the “patriots” was Ben Hornberger, a Trump supporter, who accidentally shot himself while resting his flag pole on his gun at the rally of Gettysburg:
A "patriot" who brought a revolver to Gettysburg National Military Park Saturday amid rumors of desecration of memorials accidentally shot himself in the leg Saturday.
Benjamin Hornberger, 23, of Shippensburg, accidentally triggered the revolver, which was inside a leg holster, when he temporarily rested the bottom of his flag pole against the holster, according to witnesses.
Park police were nearby when the shooting occurred and officers quickly applied a tourniquet that may have saved the man’s life, said Sgt. Anna Rose, a spokeswoman with the U.S. Park Police.
After police took the gun, it went off again as they were trying to unload it. Humiliation aside, Hornberger is expected to recover.
As long as the fool was shooting himself, it’s a shame this Nazi Republican Ammosexual didn’t shoot himself in a place that would have prevented him from polluting the gene pool. RESIST!!
Cartoon:
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6:23 My hair is getting to where I have to worry about it getting caught in machinery.
new TV ad from VoteVets
Newsweek – Encouraging.
NYT – Yes, people are so desperate to communicate with Congress that Mainers were reduced to cheering Susan Collins for just speaking against Deathcare.
AlterNet – There are no Confederate graves at Gettysburg. I believe there are a few statues. It’s a moot point anyway, except for Hornberger, the punch line, as it were.
Cartoon – Happy Birthday Pam indeed!
What a wonderful Vote Vets ad — truth, something “Donny” will not understand!
I wonder if the Orange Ogre will see this and lose his Twitter temper.
Donny, I expect, CAN NOT understand! However, he could go on a twitter rant. I responded to the C2petition to the his twitter account away from him, by writing to the woman who started the petition writing “NO! Do not take his account away, as each and every time he twits, he shows just how utterly ill prepared he is to be president!!”
That petition is so old that I signed it before he took office. I would not sign it now. Those are now official documents.
So perfectly well said!
Love the Vote Vets ad.
I can empathize, as I got my Dad’s sweat gene. So do I sweat? You could grow rice!
In the summer after a shower I put on a “blotting” set of a t-shirt and shorts until I stop sweating after my shower. THEN I’ll change into my regular clothes.
It looks like Pam is having a bit of a problem with those trick Birthday candles people like to use. But “Happy Birthday” anyway! (And the cake looks delicious!)
*Joanne: Saw that ad yesterday, Bless them all !!
Newsweek: Kudos to Mr. Trudeau and Mr. Varadkar, for going forward, unlike the U.S. Unfortunately.
NYT: Seems hypocritical to me. They’re all for digging holes.
AN: I’m sure dt applauded them too. Ended with a bang too! ugh!
Happy Birthday, Pam. Hope you have a great day!
It’s hot here too. We, (development) had a fire here last night, to which the FD response was quick, and put out. The cause? Fireworks/firecrackers. It’s very, very dry here, I sure don’t want a repeat of 2011 either. Best to you at your meeting tomorrow. Take good care, and Thanks, Tom.
VoteVets Ad: Excellent ad. Short and to the point!
Happy Birthday to PAM with many more to come. Celebrate your SPECIAL DAY with Family & Friends. Hugzzz…
Just in case anybody noticed, there is a spell checker in this new format. It worked for me as
I tend to be a bit sloppy at times. lol.
.
Yup Jim, I noticed the spell checker — it even recognises Canadian English! . . . and it does not leave red squiggly lines all over the place for them!
Puzzle — 5:00 It’s all yours Puddy Tat! Just don’t go near any security screening devices or magnets if you choose to eat it to boost your iron intake.
Newsweek — When I think back during the election campaign, reporters etc were trying to get Trudeau to comment on Drumpf, should he become POTUS. Trudeau was not very forthcoming saying only that he would work with Drumpf. I was OK with that because the two had not met etc nor had any discussions. I am very glad that Trudeau is calling a spade a spade and calling out Drumpf, of course with typical Canadian politeness, for the jackass he is. Drumpf, the always bombastic bozo, has made the US a pariah state — all in just 5.5 months.
NY Times — Representing people in a political forum is supposed to be a public service. Republicans have not yet grasped that concept. Instead they are in self service. As a result, constituents are rightfully angry that Republicans are screwing with their constituent’s lives. Republicans are spineless when it comes to doing the job they were elected to do.
The sign at my church reads: Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself, but of yourself less. Something for Republicans to think about, although I doubt they would get past the first word.
Alternet — Stupid is as stupid does!
Cartoon — Happy Birthday Pam! Hope you’re celebrating like a queen!
Resist and Persist!!!
Heat has not been bad these past few days, but the next few are going into the mid 30s C (95 F) so I will not be pleased. I finally had that fresh fruit sorbet I talked about last week and it was oh sooooooooooooooo good and refreshing — pineapple, raspberry and lime. Yum, yum!!! I have a chiropractor apt and teaching tomorrow so colour me gone most of the day. Today I had physio and ended up snoozing as I was doing my exercises. It happened last year too when I was riding the recumbent bicycle — the legs kept peddling but I was snoozing. Good thing I don’t do that while driving!
Newsweek: I like that Canada, Europe, Australia and many other nations are looking for a new way forward, getting rid of the ties that hold them back to do so and form new alliances. And from a Commonwealth point of view it is understandable that Canada and Ireland look to each other and away from both the US and the UK. However, Ireland has also very strong ties to the EU, and is largely indebted to it after it bailed it out when Ireland’s economy collapsed. And unlike the UK, Ireland wants to remain in the EU, giving Downing Street 10 a headache what to do with the open border with Northern Ireland after the Brexit. Ireland will want to look to the EU first for any new trade agreements with Canada, whose CETA had to be renegotiated before the EU was willing to sign it.
NYT: After hiding in the bushes for their own constituents instead of appearing at town-hall meetings to explain their stance on TrumpCare, or even at any other public events for that matter, these heroic Republicans will go back after this recess and vote for it, maintaining they are following “the will of the majority of people”. And then hold a lavish party in DC to celebrate this “victory.”
Alternet: Civil War II indeed. Drumpfians are only too eager for “a good fight” to “defend their rights”. As I’ve mentioned before, the resemblance to the fights between football(soccer) hooligans and these mindless patriots is uncanny. Both groups are just looking for a fight and and consist of the same mixed bag of right-wing extremists. Have a look at those that disturbed a march to impeach Drumpf:
Take note of the Nazi salute in the background. I suppose the marchers against Drumpf were lucky the Drumpf supporters didn’t carry guns in Austin. Those guns may have gone off accidentally too, but I doubt if they would have hurt these supporters in their own leg.
Happy birthday, Pam!
Newsweek: Trudeau rocks!
NYT: At least these bozos can not make believe that everybody loves them!
Alternet: These fools give new meaning to the idea that the North won the war, but the South won reconstruction! It’s like the Civil War never ended, when you consider all the attacks on Pres. Obama!
Happy, Happy, Pam!
Thanks all. Hurried Hugs!