It’s a painful day here in the CatBox. I overdid it yesterday when pitting groceries away. WWWendy is coming late this afternoon. I will be in the saddle tomorrow. To give you a heads up, next week will be gruesome. Happy Hanukkah! Thank God it’s Friday!
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:36 (average 7:51). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Cartoon:
Short Takes:
From The New Yorker: A furious Donald J. Trump attempted to fire the Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, sources report.
According to the sources, Trump was so irate about the Supreme Court’s dismissal of his election challenge on Tuesday that he phoned Barrett directly to inform her that she was “history.”
“I hired you to get a job done, and you didn’t get it done,” Trump angrily informed Barrett. “You’re out of here.”
Sources say that Barrett had the unenviable task of informing Trump that Supreme Court Justices are appointed for life and therefore cannot be fired, a revelation that left Trump “flabbergasted.”
Dang, Andy! I thought this was satire, until the part that Trump* didn’t know that it’s a lifetime appointment before Injustice Amy Coney Bullshit told him. Now I believe it. RESIST!!
From Alternet: Rep. David Byrd (R-TN) made a post on Facebook [Fakebook delinked] this Thursday saying that he may be soon placed on a ventilator due to coronavirus, and asked people to pray for him.
“I really need a miracle today!!” Byrd wrote Thursday. “My doctor said if my oxygen level doesn’t improve then he has no choice but to put me on a ventilator. So please pray that God will breathe His healing spirit into my lungs!!”
Byrd was flown by helicopter from Wayne County Hospital to St. Thomas in Nashville, where he still remains. According to the Tennessean, he was among the nearly 70 House Republicans who attended a caucus meeting held in the House chamber on November 24. A week and a half later, he was hospitalized with the virus. Reports say he was seen on the House floor without a mask. Just days before, he hosted a dinner for dozens of his fellow caucus members at a restaurant.
I’ll tell you what infuriates me. Because he’s a Republican pseudo-Christian Nazi who helped his Fuhrer spread Trump* virus to dozens (if not hundreds) of innocents, he will get special drugs and special treatment not available to those who deserve it. That is so sick! RESIST!!
From Daily Kos: After the Electoral College presumably votes Monday to affirm Joe Biden’s win, some Republican senators are reportedly preparing to acknowledge the de facto truth that never should have been in question: Donald Trump lost fair and square.
Many Senate Republicans have viewed the Dec. 14 vote both literally and figuratively speaking as the moment of truth, according to CNN. After electors in state capitals across the country finalize the certified results, those same Republicans are realizing they may have to actually part ways with their whiny, rage-y, delusional Dear Leader.
Now that’s a shit storm I can’t wait to see! RESIST!!
From YouTube (a blast of Christmas): Bing Crosby – Silent Night
As a small child, this is the first carol I ever learned. Ah… the memories! HUGS!!
39 Days Until the Big FLUSH!!
20 Responses to “Open Thread – 12/11/2020”
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Cartoon: Repugs – What mean Grinches! Steal what they can get away with! Of course!
NYer: Ahhh…the ire of dt not getting his way……sweet!!
AN: Seems the ones who bow down and kiss the fuhrer as-, get the high class medical treatment.. ugh!
DK: Love it !! What a grand day that will be!! I’ll bring the bucket of water to put dt’s fire out. lol
BoC: Such a sweet melody and song!
Can’t wait for the BIG flush!! What a great day that will be!
Hope that you get a day to rest and relax! HI, WWWendy, hope that y’all get your chores done. Happy Hanukkah, everyone. Take good care, and Thanks, Tom.
***This just in: TomCat and Friends here: ***My daughter (who lives in CA, and has for over 20 years), is moving home (TX), as she got approval from her job to do so. She’ll work remote. I do believe that Santa gave me my Christmas present early with this news! So I will be sporadic till she gets settled in. I expect her to arrive in sometime late next week. Merry Christmas to me. lol
***
1. Re: execution of Brandon Bernard on Thursday – “He has been through, I think, so much suffering and remorse for what he did. ~ Sister Helen Prejean ~
2. Time Magazine names Joe Biden and Kamala Harris – “Person of the Year” ~ TIME ~
3. “German Magazine ‘Der Spiegel’ names Trump as ‘Loser of the Year’. ~ Celine Castronuovo ~
4. “Trump has scheduled 5 executions between now and Biden’s inauguration. Not since Grover Cleveland’s presidency in the 19th century, has a president ordered the executin of incarcerated people during a lame duck session.” ~ Robert Reich ~
5. “More Americans have now died from Covid-19, than the number of US soldiers killed in battles during World War II.” ~ John H. ~
6. re: dt – “Silence from him is the calm before the storm. He’ll have something vicious and pathological to say, and act on it.” *pb*
TJI #0 – Oh, Pat, how wonderful! Merry Christmas to you indeed!
TJI ##1 and 4 – Just childish spite. Yet real human beings will die on account of it. And none of his people will care, because they don’t believe that anyconvicted felon IS a real human being.
TJI #2 and 3 – So perfect!
TJI #5 and 6 – I can’t even.
TJI #1 and 4: Brandon Bernard was black; Alfred Bourgeois, executed today was also black. One of the people on the list is a white woman, though what are the chances the other two scheduled to be executed are also black? Vindictive, a racist and a misogynist, what a terrible combination.
TJ: Wonderful news, Pat. I’m so happy for you. Wow for 20 years she’s been in CA. That’s a long time to be away from you. Now you’ll be able to enjoy Christmas with her. Let us know when she gets there.
TJ1 and TJ4: Despicable. tRump is vicious, so full of hate. How he could do such a thing???
TJ2: Wonderful news. Well deserved.
TJ3: Good…fits him perfectly.
TJ5: Shameful news.
TJ6: Scary to think of how much uglier he will get between now and January 20.
So glad to hear about your daughter Pat! And sadly, their health risk may be less in TX than in that part of CA these days.
Given that DT ignored his WH guests when he got the SCOTUS news and that TN election results are not being challenged by him, I’m less sure than you TC that Rep. Byrd would gain access to the experimental drugs Rudy, Christie, Trump (forgetting the 4th who got that pricey cocktail) got that led so quickly to hospital discharge.
Am looking forward to more GOP voices honoring their oaths to the constitution…given my rep. signed on to the TX SCOTUS fizzle, am hoping Pelosi ensures there are consequences to them beyond her vocal chastisement. Will any of them recognize SCOTUS as having shown them what should result from an oath to defend the constitution looks like?
Hope you recover quickly from overdoing it TC.
Regarding your daughter, WOOOO HOOOO!!
Well, we got our promised snow, so far. More is promised for tomorrow. i’m so sorry about the pain Did i not nag you hard enough? Anyway, you rest and recover to the max.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say I trust Walgreen’s (certainly not as much as I trust Dr. Fauci, for instance), but my part D insurer does, and I have to say this source is more pertinent to what I can and can’t do than general news sources.
The amicus (I should say amici, I guess) brief in the Texas case – proud Colorado is one of the amici.
Ordinarily we don’t think much about where everything we need comes from. This is a sign that maybe we need to start.
Cartoon – Almost there.
Andy – I’ll bet she didn’t tell him she could retire or resign, either. It’ll probably end up just as well.
AlterNet – Is it AlterNet saying it is CoViD? Or is he saying that? I did not see a direct quote from him, and my advice if for him to repent that he mocked God (and exposed so many other people) if he wants some of God’s healing energy.
Daily Kos – I just hope no one gets violent – or, if that’s too much to hope for, that the violence is limited to small and isolated groups.
Blast – It never gets old, does it. And the legend is true – which is why my favorite versions run to voice and guitar only (although I heard a voiceless, guitar-lute duet once that had me in tears (of respect for its beauty.)
As long as we maintain Separation of Church and State!
Amen.
True religious freedom is based on separation of church and state, and is not possible without the separation of church and state. That’s what Republicans (whatever they call themselves, and wherever they are) don’t get.
I fully agree. My personal religious faith has no place interfering with government, and government has no place interfering with my personal religious faith!
A TRUE BREAKING NEWS STORY:
SUPREME COURT REJECTS TEXAS SUIT SEEKING TO SUBVERT ELECTION
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/11/us/politics/supreme-court-election-texas.html
The Editor of SCOTUSblog penned an editorial (their first in over two decades) hoping SCOTUS would write a Per Curiam (by the court) DECIMATING AG Paxton’s effort to subvert our election with his Texas lawsuit.
https://www.scotusblog.com/2020/12/opinion-dont-just-deny-texas-original-action-decimate-it/
I don’t know if that is still doable or not – but I liked his idea.
~~~~~~
Sorry to hear of your pain – but at least the groceries are safely put away.
While I wish Mr. Byrd no ill, it’s hard for me to work up much sympathy for him.
“Hanukkah sameach!” which means “Happy Hanukkah!” or …
“Chag urim sameach” which means “Happy Festival of Lights.”
I’m sorry you’re in pain, TomCat. Is the dosage of your patches still working for you? After a few weeks, your body becomes habituated to the level of narcotics and the pain creeps back in.
3:09 Ouch.
Cartoon: Not many left after four years of Trump.
TNY: Where did you get the transcript of that call between Trump and Barrett, Andy? Did somebody leak?
Alternet: I never understand how these people have the gall to ask other to pray for them when it obviously is all their own doing and it has possibly affected others even worse. David Byrd should be on his knees praying for the others he’s infected. It’s very difficult not to wish in some abstract way for some of these selfish Republicans to succumbe to the disease and not gloat after the best treatment they could get that they feel 10 years younger.
DK: Can’t wait for the other shoe to fall on Monday. But I think we can have faith it falls now that SCOTUS has denied its filing. Note that only Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas voiced objection to denying the filing, but would not grant other relief.
BOXmas: I’ve been taught this Christmas carol in German, its original language by my mother. A rendition in German by a boy’s choir always transports me to that time.
As time goes on, the spinal cancer causes more pain, so if it were not for the patches/pills it would be excruciating. We man increase dosage again next week. Thanks.
Cartoon: Yep, exactly what the good old repug grinches are good for.
TNY/Andy: Too bad tRumpy, she took a job to do it, not to kiss your behind.
AN: Sick of hearing how tRumpy’s family, friends and all his cronies get the royal Covid-19 treatment in the hospital. Here we’ve have thousands of people who have been suffering/dying from it who have received nothing. Something certainly isn’t right here.
DK: I too hope that there isn’t any violence. Will be happy when it’s confirmed. This afternoon the Supreme Court dismisses tRump’s bid to overturn the election. He must be having a fit over that. I just can’t wait till the next 40 days are over and he is gone.
Blast of Christmas: Lovely song by Bing Crosby. I remember watching Bing and his family’s specials on tv when I was younger.
Sure hope you get to feeling better. Hope your visit with Wendy was pleasant. Tell her, “hi”.
Take care. Thanks TomCat
Thanks and weekend hugs to all!
As hospitals start rationing care, it would be nice if rationing could be based in part on how well people wear masks and socially distancing…….and while I won’t belittle anyone’s thoughts on God….I think God is probably caring for the loving, compassionate, caring, thoughtful who don’t help cause the covid pandemic to spread out of control and then pray for his or her assistance…..it will be the doctors who save this and many other freaks…… I will say that if you want to give God credit, give God credit for giving us science, medicine, and the skills we have.
Two excellent points there, both of which would be lost on Trump*ublicans.