I’m leaving for my meeting in a while, and this is my only article today.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:03 (average 4:51). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From YouTube (NY Times Channel): A Conversation With Native Americans on Race
It’s enlightening to hear this from, the perspective of these young Natives. I would, however, like to have seen the perspectives of some older people included too. Racism is Republican. RESIST!!
It’s enlightening to hear this from the perspective of these young Natives. I would, however, like to have also heard the views of some older people included. Racism is Republican. RESIST!!
From YouTube (CNN Channel): Toobin: Comey’s account devastating for Trump
I agree with Toobin and think Trump’s bot was absurd. RESIST!!
From NY Times: President Trump’s re-election campaign has ramped up its fund-raising this year, bringing in $20.2 million, while investing heavily in cultivating a wide base of small donors, according to reports filed Sunday afternoon with the Federal Election Commission.
Anyone foolish enough to donate will find their money spent on lawyers, porn stars and hookers. RESIST!!
Cartoon:
12 Responses to “Open Thread – 4/16/2017”
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NYC: Glad to see the young people spread awareness, and speaking out about this. The basic needs for these folks is being ignored, and most live at poverty level. To me, it’s heart wrenching to listen to them say that they have to prove themselves, (tribe(s)), after all…..they and their forefathers were here long before we got here. Who are the immigrants now??
CNN: Very well articulated, and direct. I think that dt’s behavior/tweets/abusive language speaks loudly about his culpability & panic over this investigation.
NYT: How much did Putin contribute to his step-child??
Cartoon: Gawd, I remember when this happened, we (staff), were all stunned, working at school. Seung-Hui Cho, a senior at Virginia Tech, shot and killed 32 people and wounded 17 others in two separate attacks (another six people were injured escaping from classroom windows), approximately two hours apart, before committing suicide. NRA you listening or even care??
Best at your meeting. Enjoy your day, take care, and Thanks, Tom.
4:40 Where is everybody?
Have a wonderful meeting (as I expect you will.)
There was apparently a massive collection of prison fights at a prison in South Carolina last night, resulting in 7 dead and 17 wounded. It was not a single riot, but separate fights in three different living areas, apparently. If we even manage to hear about it in major news sources (doubtful), I would have to cue the NRA with “Guns don’t kill people….” in 3 … 2 … 1 …
UPDATE
YT/NYT – Disgraceful. But we need to talk about it. Because we need to get over ourselves and let “The Other be human. I don’t know, TC, from older people you might have gotten different language, with similar feelings. Henry Louis Gates says (with family photos) “My grandparents were Negroes My parents were African-American. Me? I’m blsck.” The terms have changed … and that represents an effort by good hearted people to recognize humanity … but then evil hearted people make the new term as ugly as the old … and it needs to change again. And still there are one-drop rules and blood tests. Faugh!
CNN – If Jason Miller wants to talk about a God complex, he should start with a mirror. In real life, everyone makes judgments about who is ans isn’t lying. The more they slander Comey tha angrier I get.
NYT – I would certainly welcome some evidence that his base would even care about their money being spent the=is way. I certainly haven’t seen any yet.
Cartoon – It’s been that long. It seems like last week, or at most last month.
NYT: I’d never heard about the blood quantum before, and how it is used differently by the white man to suppress people of color (one drop makes you a black person, i.e. property) and native Americans (the tiniest “dilution” means they are no longer native, i.e. no longer entitled to the treaties). It’s appalling and its continued use to rob people of both their identity and their land and resources is unconscionable.
CNN: Of course Toobin is right: it’s not evidence of obstruction, it IS obstruction when Drumpf asks Comey to let the Flynn investigation go. Jason Miller (Drumpf tool) has got his gods confused: there’s only one person in the whole equation who thinks he’s god himself and that is lying Drumpf.
NYT: Of those $20.2 million in donations, more than $5.2 million were already spent on raising those funds. And the $863,000 on legal fees, spent on “a handful of legal fights, as well as the special counsel investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign”, may well be the tip of an iceberg that is in fact rapidly melting away with those fund-raising and legal costs. If I were a businessman I wouldn’t invest in such a low-yielding enterprise, but then most of Drumpf donors aren’t very business-savvy, are they. Or rather: not savvy at all.
Cartoon: Forgotten in the many mass shootings that followed, all aided and abetted by the NRA.
I hope you have a wonderful meeting, TomCat. Enjoy.
Since TC is busy with his meeting, I’m gong to sneak in and ask a couple of questions.
But first, my brother has finally got a Hospitalist I have some confidence in. She even tried to call me – but I obviously didn’t hear it, nor see the phone flash for me. *sigh*
[1] How many of you are planning to buy Comey’s book?
I have real mixed emotions about it. On the one hand he – and HE alone – screwed over America by announcing that “investigation” into Hillary’s email ELEVEN days before the election, while totally ignoring the ongoing investigation of Trump.
Damn right he screwed America by helping Trump get elected!
BUT pushing the sales of the book up will really, REALLY piss off Twitler! Plus it sounds like it may actually be interesting reading.
Just hard to pass up anything that will piss off Donnie.
[2] Anyone have ANY idea why my already feral cat goes absolutely BALLISTIC (hackles up, ears back, snarling, growling, lunging, biting – THIS IS FOR REAL) when I go out to any gardening. Pruning, planting, grass cutting, etc.
At first I thought it might be because my backyard abuts a HUGE county park – so I get deer, wild turkey, raccoons, fox – even a bobcat – in the backyard on a regular basis. (Well, not the bobcat.) So I thought he might smell them on me when I come in.
But he acts the SAME way when I go out and snowblow 6″ of snow off the front driveway in -10 degree weather. He’s not smelling any critters when I come in from that.
AND he also goes BALLISTIC (see above) when I go down to the basement. I usually keep the basement door closed and he BEGS to go down to the basement on his own.
He’s never been “put” down in the basement at ANY time for ANY reason.
It’s to the put I have to bring the leaf rake with me when I come back from just mowing the lawn to keep him from attacking me!
1. I might do, if I were still into reading books, but I’m not. The last book I actually finished was “The Big Book of Andy (Now with More Aliens!)” And, you know, that really isn’t that big.
2. You’ve asked about Nike and the basement before. No one could think of any reason that didn’t involve a prior owner, and you say there never was one. The going outdoors is new – at least, it’s new to us, though it’s probably been going on a long time for you. All I can think of is separation anxiety, and frankly, that seems far-fetched. I’ve been owned by a lot of cats and have never had to contend with anything like what you are going through – I’m so sorry, I really wish I could help.
I’m REALLY glad to hear your brother has a hospitallist you can trust. That’s the best news all day.
First of all, its good to hear the hospital your brother is in now has a internist you can connect to. That should lay some worries to rest.
1. I might do when it becomes available here. I’d prefer an e-book version, but that’ll not happen, I think. I won’t buy anything through Amazon, but their kindle version is no good to me should an e-book follow later on. All scenarios point to me being one of the last to ever read it if I do get it.
2. Nike doesn’t seem to go ballistic when you just come in from being outside, does he? So first I thought it might be something to do with him smelling a bit of perspiration or a change in breath on you after some exertion, but the basement bit doesn’t fit into that. Unless climbing up stairs is a workout for you. But I’d imagine he’d go ballistic after you’ve climbed any stairs in the house. I can’t think of anything else that would make a cat do that, unless it’s one particular item of clothing you’ve been wearing on all these occasions.
Have you tried taking him in the basement with you, or outside when you’re not gardening, to see how he reacts?
1. I will likely read it if for no other reason than to piss off Drumpf. I mean really, Drumpf has not read it and he is attacking Comey on Twitter from what I have seen on the news.
2. Nike, Nike, Nike! Why are you going after your dad like that? Shame on you!!! How old is Nike? I ask because I wonder if it is a type of kitty dementia. I worked with a girl that had a cat who attacked her out of the clear blue. The girl’s father had to use a hockey stick to subdue the kitty into death. The young lady had blood poisoning from the attack and had I not driven her to the hospital for treatment, she’d probably have died . . . the attack was that fierce. Nike is an indoor cat, right? Otherwise, could he have come into contact with rabies? Separation anxiety is possible but unlikely. Have you tried to have a trip to the basement with him? Go downstairs but leave the door open so he thinks it is his idea to go down. That way, he may not think he is being manoeuvred into doing what you want him to do . . . going downstairs.
Great that your brother finally has a hospitalist that you can have some confidence in. That last Republican should be shot, figuratively of course. I hope she will use email with you.
We are fortunate that Comey did not goose step with the Fuhrer, but I have no reason to read his book. The juicy parts will be out there anyway.
Nike is 7 y/o.
The even odder thing about Nike is that when I’m gone all day running errands or w/e – when I get back he is ecstatic (at least for him) to see me. He rubs up against my legs and is like a shadow following me around. Very lovey-dovey – for him.
So it’s not just being outside – it’s working outside. And yes I sweat gardening/mowing, but it also happens in the winter w/ the snowblower.
I often wonder what his two brothers are like.
Puzzle — 3:23 Get your fins and snorkel ready! Since you ate your pelican, there is nobody to do your fishing!
NY Times — Everybody should be happy with their heritage. You can’t change it, only ignore it. But a shame to ignore the person you are. One drop of blood can change that? What a crock!!! Everybody is equal and everybody should be proud of their heritage.
CNN — Toobin is correct. As for Miller, What a sick joke! The only god complex I see is the one that the supreme narcissist Liar-in-Chief portrays. Comey, from what I can see, has nothing to gain or lose by coming out with his side of things, save maybe a boost to his self respect. Drumpf’s addled brain sycophants and supporters won’t read the book. And certainly Drumpf will not read it . . . does he even know how to read? The only reason for Twitler to be on the attack is because he knows that Comey is correct.
NY Times — The news yesterday carried accounts of massive amounts of Drumpf’s re-election campaign funds being used to pay his legal bills and not legal bills connected to the campaign.
From MarketWatch:
If this is not illegal, it should be! Were I a contributor (which would not happen in a million years!), I would be so angry at Drumpf’s misuse of my donation.
Cartoon — This was one very sick individual. May he rot in hell since he put himself there. Ideally, may the NRA join him!
My boys turned 10 years old yesterday so we are having either fish or white meat chicken for a joint party! . . . although I am not 10, I am box cars. I hope your meeting went well.
I did not eat my Pelican!
Thanks all. Tired hugs!