Yesterday I got some sleep, so I have another article for you today. I had to set back my quit date to the 14th, because the plan has me taking Chantix for a full week before quitting, and I still have not received my prescription. Tomorrow will definitely be a short writing day, if any at all, because I will be making my first major excursion, since leaving the hospital: my quarterly foot surgery at my podiatrist’s office to remove the recurrent growth. For the next day, we’ll have to wait and see how well I handle this trip. I plan no Monthly Report for May, but our top commentators were:
- Lynn Squance (76)
- Patty (53)
- Pat A (35)
- Edith Belcher (26)
- SoINeedAName (23)
- Lisa G. (20)
- Rixar13 (16)
- Lee Evans (12)
- Angelica (11)
- William Lemeshevsky (6)
- jl a (3)
- John Dasef (3)
- Marva (3)
- Terrie (3)
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 4:29 (average 4:54). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Politicus USA: During the George W. Bush presidency, there was a lot of talk about patriotism any time a question arose about the legitimacy of the Iraq war, and the implication was that questioning the Bush administration was unpatriotic because a real patriot is someone who feels strong support for his or her country regardless the leader’s deceit in taking a nation to war based on lies. Early in President Obama’s first term, the Koch brothers, neo-conservatives, and Republican Party took advantage of racial animus for the African American President and funded a so-called “grassroots” movement of alleged patriots who, within months of the President’s swearing in, complained they were overtaxed and suffering tyranny. The teabaggers, as they called themselves, immediately claimed they were patriots and any opposition to their agenda was tantamount to Marxism or Nazism and they demanded to take “their country” back to when a white man inhabited the Oval Office. However, there is nothing remotely resembling patriotism in teabagger ranks, and as time went on a pattern developed that linked teabaggers to the Taliban and it did not take long for them to threaten violence to impose their will.
The concept of threatening, calling for, and inciting violence against the government has never been part of being a patriotic American, but there has been no dearth of violent threats from conservative malcontents that make up the majority of teabaggers. Recently, another instance of a teabagger calling for gun violence was reported over a Republican senator’s vote for immigration reform, and it is becoming an all too common occurrence unique to the so-called patriot group that throughout its existence threatened violence and armed insurrection to control the direction of the government. Threatening to use force to impose their will is not limited to disaffected racists, and has been embraced by teabag leaders since the anti-American group came into existence…
How many times do I have to say it? Thou shalt not commit TEAbuggery!!!
From NY Times: …Whether directly from their wallets or through insurance policies, Americans pay more for almost every interaction with the medical system. They are typically prescribed more expensive procedures and tests than people in other countries, no matter if those nations operate a private or national health system. A list of drug, scan and procedure prices compiled by the International Federation of Health Plans, a global network of health insurers, found that the United States came out the most costly in all 21 categories — and often by a huge margin.
Americans pay, on average, about four times as much for a hip replacement as patients in Switzerland or France and more than three times as much for a Caesarean section as those in New Zealand or Britain. The average price for Nasonex, a common nasal spray for allergies, is $108 in the United States compared with $21 in Spain. The costs of hospital stays here are about triple those in other developed countries, even though they last no longer, according to a recent report by the Commonwealth Fund, a foundation that studies health policy.
While the United States medical system is famous for drugs costing hundreds of thousands of dollars and heroic care at the end of life, it turns out that a more significant factor in the nation’s $2.7 trillion annual health care bill may not be the use of extraordinary services, but the high price tag of ordinary ones. “The U.S. just pays providers of health care much more for everything,” said Tom Sackville, chief executive of the health plans federation and a former British health minister…
As always, the problem rests not, as Republicans deceitfully claim, with the need of those whom they call "takers", but with the greed of the 1%.
From Salon.com: When Anthony Weiner resigned from his post as congressman due to an embarrassing Twitpic scandal in 2011, the media expected that any serious political career was over. But Weiner has recently returned to politics, entering the Democratic primary as a mayoral candidate; not only is the media taking his bid seriously — but it’s possible that thanks to deep pockets and a vibrant persona he could win it.
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The only difference between Weiner and Republicans, who still live after scandal, such as ‘Trailwalker’ Sanford (R-NC) and "Diaper Dave" Vitter (R-LA) is that Weiner never claimed to be a paragon of "family values" virtue, ordained by Supply-side Jesus (not the real one) to practice pseudo-Christian judgment and condemnation of others. In any case, with Batshit Bachmann leaving, a Weiner in the mayor’s office would give the comedy profession a much needed boost.
Cartoon:
29 Responses to “Open Thread–6/2/2013”
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Interesting bunch of news, but I'll comment only on the Mayoral race in NYC (close to home) – as for Weiner – I'd vote for him – I don't understand why his was such a scandal when it involved nothing but pix – that doesn't hold a candle to some of the jerks that have brought attention to themselves (Sanford for one) — the questions I'd like to have answered are those of the "Spectra" Pipeline, and the intended use of fracked gas (carrying far more radon) in NY apartments that have little ventilation to accomodate it without health risks.
It will be refreshing to have someone who doesn't have a billion+ dollars in the Mayor's office – it might mean change to Wall St not having it's advocate in the city's office – and perhaps a bone will be thrown to the poor!
That makes goos sense to me, Lee.
4:36 Lazy Patty Monster! Can't seem to speed up at all today.
3:56 Now that is one cute pussy cat!
3:15 One cute (and quick) pussy cat.
Critter Crunched!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Critter Crapped too! 😉
Politicus USA ~ Teabuggery is the worst sin of all!
NY Times ~ I wonder if BigPharma is allowed to buy advertisements for in other countries…
Salon.com ~ Weiner's scandal was nothing compared to most RepublicanTs and they are so easily forgiven.
Cartoon ~ LOL
Amen!
I really have no idea.
Anen again.
Thanks.
Sorry to say not even watching the video jogged my mind about Weiner. However it does seem to have been a very small scandal that unseated him before, and as Lee says others do far worse and escape scot-free.
Glad you had a bit better day TC – 'slow and steady wins the race'!
He sent a nude photo of himself to the cell phone of a woman who did not want it.
Thanks, Pat.
Puzzle — 3:56 Now that is one cute pussy cat!
Politicus US — The Teabaggers might have had some valid points when they started, but they were very quickly sidelined into a Talibanesque programme — trying to impose their minority views on the majority any way they can. Too bad there is no vaccine for TEAbuggery!
NY Times — You know when the cost of medical care in the US is about 18% of GDP, while Israel is about 9% and Canada about 11% of GDP (both universal healthcare), there is something grossly wrong. Health insurance companies are making huge profits at the expense of ordinary people. Obamacare will help to bring this down provided the Republican/Teabaggers are not successful in any kind of recall. The GOP is only interested in protecting the interests of the insuance companies, not the people they represent.
Salon.com — No doubt that Weiner made a mistake. But was it any worse than Sanford or any other of the GOP scandals. Amazing how there are different standards of conduct depending on the party.
Cartoon — I hate that picture of Cruz! Every time I see it, I am reminded of a greasy hair hood from the 50s. Wouldn't surprise me if he had white tube socks on! I didn't remember that Cruz went all McCarthy! I know Alan Jones claimed that there were about 90 Democrats in the Congress that he claimed were communists. The bunch of them are all losers!
Critter Crunched!
They started as an anti-tax group, but quickly became Koch Suckers and learned to goose-step.
Exactly. Any healtg care dfollars going to Big Insurance is too much, unless they can bring better service at less cost that a public option.
Ous smallest failing is an unforgiveavle sin. Their unforgiveable sin is negligible.
Cruz has even claimed to have a list.
Weiner wants to get something straight from the get-go: he recognizes it’s a long, hard pull – but he has always viewed himself as an ordinary working stiff. And Weiner says his polls show he’s is on the rise, and that he’s holding his own.
He certainly does not want to peak prematurely, but is concerned that if his support turns cold, he’ll suffer some serious shrinkage – and may end up an inch or two short. But Weiner also believes you’d be nuts not to vote for him.
It should be noted that even though his leading opponent, Christine Quinn, is an open lesbian – she still wants to lick Weiner.
(I’m sure there are a few more puns out there, but I thought we’d cover most of them.)
Ted Cruz & Joe McCarty … Separated at Birth?
Thanks, I needed a laugh and this gave me several!
Nameless, you certainly have a way with words!
You proved my last line in the Weiner Short-Take. 🙂
SoINeedaName: You're a very very bad boy. That's the worst bunch of puns I've seen in many a moon.
Why, thank you.
After all, isn't that the goal of puns?
Maybe she just needs to look at the other side of the moon.
ARGH!
I'd be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to thank Jean Stapleton (aka, Edith Bunker) for the years and years of sheer joy she provided – not only on "All in the Family" but in many, many and varied venues.
That was one of my favorite shows. I sised with the meat head.
TC, I wish you the best of luck tomorrow. we are happy to read anything you send. Take care of yourself first.
Thanks Edie.
I had weird but entertaining nightmares when I began Chantix. The knowledge that they were caused by the drug made them tolerable.
Thanks Will. I have hoped that is how I will handle that, if it happens.
Puzzle – 7:01
You can do it TomCat….! In seven more days it will be 3 years and 1 month for me Smoke Free…:smile:
Thanks Richard. Congrats!