I’m hurrying, because WWWendy is due in under an hour. Exhausted. WWWendy thank you for your greetings.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:21 (average 4:30). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Tales:
From YouTube (CNN Channel): Lack of diversity in White House intern group
The Trump group of interns is very diverse. He has Nazis, Homophobes, KKK, Misogynists, pseudo-Christians, Ammosexuals, and Grabables. RESIST!!
From Daily Kos: Ralph Peters is a retired Army officer who was a Fox News commentator for a decade. Ten days ago he declined to renew his contract with Fox, not only closing that door but slamming it off the hinges with an impassioned internal memo which was leaked, decrying the network as a propaganda machine and saying that Peters was ashamed to be there. He’s not a rat leaving the ship, he made clear, rather, “the best sailors were driven overboard by the rodents.” Peters elaborates on the Trump Russia probe in an illuminating op ed piece today at the Washington Post:
I was the one person on the Fox payroll who, trained in Russian studies and the Russian language, had been face to face with Russian intelligence officers in the Kremlin and in far-flung provinces. I have traveled widely in and written extensively about the region. Yet I could only rarely and briefly comment on the paramount security question of our time: whether Putin and his security services ensnared the man who would become our president. Trump’s behavior patterns and evident weaknesses (financial entanglements, lack of self-control and sense of sexual entitlement) would have made him an ideal blackmail target — and the Russian security apparatus plays a long game.
As indictments piled up, though, I could not even discuss the mechanics of how the Russians work on either Fox News or Fox Business. […]
All Americans, whatever their politics, should want to know, with certainty, whether a hostile power has our president and those close to him in thrall. This isn’t about party but about our security at the most profound level. Every so often, I could work in a comment on the air, but even the best-disposed hosts were wary of transgressing the party line.
Fox never tried to put words in my mouth, nor was I told explicitly that I was taboo on Trump-Putin matters. I simply was no longer called on for topics central to my expertise. I was relegated to Groundhog Day analysis of North Korea and the Middle East, or to Russia-related news that didn’t touch the administration. Listening to political hacks with no knowledge of things Russian tell the vast Fox audience that the special counsel’s investigation was a “witch hunt,” while I could not respond, became too much to bear. There is indeed a witch hunt, and it’s led by Fox against Robert Mueller.
Rarely an honest conservative like Peters surfaces. I would disagree with him on many issues, but I respect his integrity. RESIST!!
From NY Times: Gov. Jerry Brown of California on Friday pardoned five ex-convicts facing possible deportation, drawing criticism from President Trump and heightening continued tensions between Washington and California.
I support this move, if and only if they qualified for pardons, because they are not a danger to the community. I commend Brown’s courage. RESIST!!
Cartoons:
9 Responses to “Open Thread – 4/1/2018”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
CNN: They appear to be all the same shade of pasty-white and prejudiced.
DK: How could there still be any questions of (Ras)Putin’s involvement in our 2016 election?
NYT: Talk of California seceding pops up from time to time, but I personally don’t see it developing into anything serious. Then again–
Cartoons: Good ones today!
4:51 Brrrrrr.
Here’s an article that makes the case for calling white terrorism terrorism.
CNN – Do I see one Asian in that bunch? Or am I just being blinded by all that white?
DKos – “There is indeed a witch hunt, and it’s led by Fox against Robert Mueller.” That would make a strong meme. I welcome anyone with integrity who speaks out, and will refrain from criticizing him for staying as long as he did. Of course if at any time he now says something dumb, he is fair game – as is anyone.
NY Times – Suspecting our criminal justice systems as I do, I am only sorry they needed to admit guilt by accepting the pardons. But – between a rock and a hard place – one must do what one must. Thanks, Gov. Brown.
Cartoon – We sure have a bunch of spring babies here, don’t we? Happy Birthday indeed, Pat! Hope you are well enough to come see the greetings.
CNN: Yep, no diversity, none whatsoever. Sad!!
DK: An honest man, who doesn’t sugar coat the subject. Kudos to Mr. Peters for getting the info out of there, (for his own sanity), and speaking out.
NYT: YAY! for Gov. Brown. Kudos, Sir!!
Cartoon: HI Pat A. I’m Pat B, and I wish you a wonderful & Happy Birthday!!!
Hi back, Wendy! Thank you for taking such good care of Tom. Hope that you have a relaxing evening, take care, and Thanks, Tom.
DK: Gee, who woulda’ thunk? I have saved that, on the off chance that I might have reason to present it to some imbecilic Faux News fan, like my cousin, perhaps.
CNN: Holy White Bread, Batman!
NYT: Brown rocks!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PAT!
Pat –
A Birthday that falls on Easter (as mine did once) calls for something special:
CNN: This picture is an advert for favouritism. Like with everything else regarding the Drumpf clan: follow the money and you’ll probably find that all these interns are family members of people in the Administration, White House staff, and important donors or their parents are friends with them. And we all know how diverse they are, don’t we. Of course there was an additional requirement for the girls: they had to be pretty. Look at the front row: with the exception of the one token guy it looks like the audition for Chorus Girls.
DK: It’s been a while, if ever, since I typed in “Kudos to you” for a right-wing news commentator, but Ralph Peters gets one from me now. Not for his work on Faux News, but for not renewing his contract and most of all for his ‘straight from the horse’s mouth’ op-ed in the Washington Post. So here’s Kudos to you, Mr. Peters.
NYT: And Kudos to Gov. Brown too for protecting men who have duly served their time for their crimes, and are now back in society, from being punished more and unduly by deportation. Their pardon is deserved as there is no other way to prevent deportation and nothing like Drumpf’s pardon of former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio on Friday, sparing him a jail sentence after he was convicted of criminal contempt. Drumpf didn’t Tweet to ask the people of Arizona if the wanted that, did he.
I have now lost my entire comment twice, the 2nd time because a certain little boy put his paw on the mouse!
Puzzle — 4:13 Very inviting!!!
CNN — “White bread!” I have always preferred multi grain bread.
Daily Kos — A man of integrity, which is something I can respect. Kudos to Peters!
“There is indeed a witch hunt, and it’s led by Fox against Robert Mueller.” — Sooooo true!
NY Times — A pardon can be granted “…to those who have been out of custody for at least 10 years and have exhibited “exemplary behavior” after their convictions…”. IMO, Drumpf is a bigger criminal than these people that Brown has pardoned. I might also say the same for the congressional Republicans! Deport Drumpf from the WH and Republicans from the Congress without delay to the trash bin of history!
Cartoon — For sure old Abe is rolling in his grave at the thought of what the Republican party has become.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Pat!!!!
Well today is the last day of the Easter holiday here. It was frosty this morning but sunny and the high is expected to be 14C. The rest of the week is rain. My Primo seems to be doing better today. He only had some mashed pumpkin yesterday so I expect he may be a little hungry. At least I was able to get some sleep last night.
Thanks all. Stinky Republicosis hugs!
Happy Birthday, Pat. Enjoy your “Special Day” with Family & Friends.
Hugzzz, Jim. .