Yesterday, JL and Pam and I exchanged some emails with Mitch about his internet issues. His correspondence included “[I} believe that the situation is just that I did NOT do Mac updates for years, and my system is unable to adapt to changes elsewhere.” I can’t really argue with that …
Cartoon – 6 6Cartoon.jpg
Short Takes –
The 19th – Elizabeth Warren isn’t in the White House. But she knows how to use the tools she’s got.
Quote – It wasn’t big news outside of higher education and financial circles, but their departures could result in roughly 15 million borrowers having their loans transferred to other institutions. The thought is that at better-regulated lenders, borrowers will have a greater chance at paying down debt loads that disproportionately weigh down people of color. But, Warren said, the best solution would still be to cancel $50,000 in federal student debt per borrower.
Click through for more. One doesn’t have to be President to accomplish stuff. Thank God.
The New Yorker – Why Republicans Are Still Recounting Votes
Quote – A more subtle mind than Trump’s would see the futility of having a questionable firm undertake an unnecessary recount only to offer findings that are counter to his immediate interests. But the point of the exercise, and of others like it taking place across the country, is not so much to delegitimize the past election as it is to normalize specious reviews of future ones—including, perhaps, a 2024 race in which Trump’s name is on the ballot. We have seen too much of this form of mainstreaming of the absurd in recent years to note every example, but its origins likely lie in Trump’s fixation on Barack Obama’s birth certificate. In that case, once the birther myths were finally dispelled, Trump pivoted to congratulating himself for forcing people to get to the bottom of the issue. In effect, he recast a conspiracy theory as a legitimate inquiry resolved by legitimate means. The danger is the probability that some illegitimate future inquiry will be used to achieve illegitimate ends. The groundwork for this is more advanced than we care to contemplate.
Click through for more about why this is so important.
Los Angeles Times – Jan. 6 rioters exploited little-known Capitol weak spots: A handful of unreinforced windows
Quote – Those upgrades were part of a well-publicized, large-scale renovation to the exterior stone and ironwork of the Capitol and surrounding office buildings. But the security improvements were not widely disclosed at the time. Most of the Capitol was covered in scaffolding during the multiyear project, and much of the work took place at night. Funding to reinforce the windows came from a mix of classified and unclassified appropriations, which helped mask the scale and cost of the project.
Click through for story. It is possible to argue against it, but I personally feel, given all the other information we have, that this reinforces the idea that they had help from inside and that many inside had prior knowledge. The Times has a paywall, so if you want to be able to access it any time, “printing” it to a PDF or other file might be a good idea.
Food for Thought –
This is from the Wonkette newsletter from yesterday. The newsletter is put together by the CEO’s (Rebecca) husband who goes by “Shypixel”:
My best friend for many years was a quadriplegic man named Shane. One of the reasons we got along so well, according to Shane, was that I would call him on his shit, when nobody else would. Everyone was always so tender to him, even when he was being a raging asshole, because he was in a wheelchair. He hated it, hated the pity behind it. So let’s all honor Shane’s memory by calling Madison Cawthorn a raging asshole, loudly, to his stupid face.
– The Shypixel loves you all and wants you to be happy.
12 Responses to “Open Thread for October 6, 2021”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Elizabeth Warren isn’t in the White House. But she knows how to use the tools she’s got.
My dream for the Oval Office duo: Pres. Elizabeth Warren & VP Katie Porter!
Why Republicans Are Still Recounting Votes
That is exactly right – with the broader goal of delegitimizing our government’s institutions.
That’s why they proceeding w/ similar “Cyber Ninja” shenanigans in Pennsylvania & Wisconsin.
Jan. 6 rioters exploited little-known Capitol weak spots: A handful of unreinforced windows
The LA Times is a behind a paywall for me, but from your synopsis I think it at least buttresses reasons to look very deep at “The-cal-is-coming-from-inside-the-house” aspects of the 1/6 seditious insurrection riot.
And if you were wondering why TFG was booted from Forbes list of the richest 400 folks in America, Andy Borowitz has the answer:
https://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/trump-claims-he-fell-off-forbess-richest-list-because-they-failed-to-count-rubles
Bummer about Mitch and the issues he’s having with his computer, and programs. Hope that he can get it resolved soon…I miss him. Dentist appt. went okaaay… ptl.
Cartoon: Liar! AND …. speaking of a raging A – -hole!!….
19th News: Love Ms. Warren. Her remarks are short, sweet and to the point!
LA Times: I read about that. I am thinking that they will be reinforced and checked periodically now, for the safety and well being of the people inside.
FFT: Will do. I concur with Shypixe, and Shane’s comment.
THIS JUST IN: 10/4 – “American scientists David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian win the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.”
2. “Louis DeJoy is still being allowed to run the United States Postal Service into the ground. Is there a sane explanation for this?” ~ Mary L. Trump ~
3. “Retweet if you believe Election Day should be a federal holiday.” ~ Tammy Duckworth ~
4. “Majorie Taylor Greene should be on a watch list. NOT in Congress.” ~ Hillary Clinton ~
5. “President Biden at the White House: The debt ceiling comes down to paying what the U.S. owes. We always pay our debt. That’s who we are. That’s America. It’s rock solid.” ~ Yamiche Alcindor ~
p.s. Priceless!! Gotta love Andy. Thanks, Nameless for link.
TJI #2 – TFG appointed DeJoy and made his primary mission to destroy or at least cripple the USPS so no meaningful voting by mail can occur.
The problem is the archaic and arcane rules the Board of Governors has to follow to get rid of him.
TJI #5 – Press Sec. Jen Psaki used a fantastic and sophisticated Katie Porter “White Board” yesterday to show that the debt ceiling McConnell is obstructing is money TFG spent while McTurtle was Senate Majority Leader.
Pres. Biden also used in his tweet:
I’m afraid we are not likely to see Mitch here again. He is not going to install the updates he has previously turned down, and he has his reasons. I miss him here too. I think we all do.
TJI #1 – Gee – I wonder which woman, working for them, did the actual work.
TJI #2 – Yes, there is. It’s the law.
TJI #3 – I’m cool with that,but Vote by Mail is also needed, and in my opinion , actually more important. Having worked in call centers, I know that making Election Day a national holiday will disenfranchise a good chunk of the working poor, who will elect to work that day rather than vote. I don’t really understand why some don’t get that. It’s almost like privilege is blinding.
THI #4 – She’s probably on both right now.
TJI #5 – Of course he is right, but the message is falling of deaf ears. It’s too bad we didn’t bring up the talking point, and fiercely, when there were still sane Republicans. Noe, for anyone who does’t already know it, it will not sink in.
Maybe Mitch will be back if he ever gets a new computer.
Sadly, although I can find you a rebuilt PC with Windows 10 and a warranty for under $300.00, I can’t find you a rebuilt Mac with the newest OS and a warranty for anything under $1200.00. I’d call that prohibitively expensive.
UPDATE from John Pavlovitz – 18 minutes ago…
RECOVERY UPDATE.
“Well, blood work is still not right and doctor has scheduled endocrinologist team consult, which likely won’t happen until tomorrow.Super frustrated as we’re on Day 6 here and I had expected to be home Monday at latest.Will check in if we get any good news.I hope my kidneys are good, as I may need to sell one to pay for all of this.”
Ouch. Sending prayers his way.
Prayers being sent for his way. Glad they’re keeping a close eye over his abnormal health issues. Hopefully these specialists can figure out what’s causing his blood levels to be off.
19th: Elizabeth Warren is highly thought of when it comes to important issues. She’s a true fighters for the people.
TNY: Awful that it’s still ongoing. To think that this all started because one flipping loser who still thinks he won.
L A Times: Couldn’t read past the first paragraph where they mentioned skipping enforcing the lower floor windows and entrances. Sure they’ll make sure they’ll be taken care of now.
Sorry to hear about Mitch’s MAC computer issues. I’ve never used a MAC device. We miss reading his comments. Maybe he’ll do like Nameless suggested and buy a new one soon so he can get back online here with us.
Hope you have a good day.
Take care. Thanks Joanne
It looks like Mitch is not planning on returning any time soon to PP unless he buys himself a new operating system/computer. A real shame.
Cartoon: TFG had the best teacher. These were the only classes he picked up on.
19th: A President can in fact only accomplish something with people like Elizabeth Warren.
TNY: When a machine or computer goes haywire usually the only thing that helps is finding the right button to reboot and start anew. Unfortunately, the only reset button a nation has is one market “war”.
LAT: It is indeed tempting to see the use of these now disclosed unprotected windows as inside knowledge, but even if it were true, it probably wouldn’t lead to any convictions.
FFT: Sitting in a wheelchair doesn’t give anyone the privilege to be a raging asshole, most of all not when it is parked inside the Capitol.