I’m writing for tomorrow and feeling more rested after my partial day off yesterday Today I’m back to the grind of finishing with the apartment.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 4:52 (average 5:16). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From NY Times: One of the first votes the Senate plans to take when it returns Monday is on restoring unemployment benefits to 1.3 million people who lost them on Dec. 28. It’s hard to imagine a more important action for those who have been out of work the longest and for the economy.
And what’s at the top of the House’s agenda? Yet another vote to undermine the health care reform law. (In this case, a bill to impose unnecessary security requirements on the health care website, though there is not the slightest indication of security problems.)
Nothing could show the priorities of the two chambers — and the slog that lies ahead this year — better than these votes. At one end of the Capitol, lawmakers are actually trying to help people in deep financial distress, continuing a vital Washington practice. The other end is holding a meaningless symbolic vote, designed solely to embarrass the Obama administration and continue its politically motivated attacks on the health law.
Somehow, I’m not surprised. However, Republican Senators are talking about the need to pay for it with entitlement cuts. Pay for it with 1% revenue increases.
From TPM: Nebraska Senate candidate Ben Sasse has a proposal: move the Capitol from Washington D.C. to Nebraska.
"That’s it, the way to cure the incredible ineffectiveness and dysfunction of both parties in Washington — we move the Capitol to Nebraska where they can experience family, conservative values, living within a budget, and pulling together, not pulling apart," Sasse said in a new campaign ad.
Sasse needs to learn the Eleventh Commandment: Thou shalt not commit TEAbuggery!!
From Raw Story: Alien species have been visiting earth for thousands of years, says Canada’s former defense minister, and they’re worried that humans are going to wreck the planet.
“Something dreadful is going to happen to it if we don’t smarten up and change our ways,” said Paul Hellyer, who served as defense minister in the 1960s.
He’s the first top official from a G8 nation to claim that extraterrestrial life has been confirmed, and he discussed his beliefs Tuesday on Russia Today.
Hellyer said up to 80 different species regularly visit earth, from the “short grays” seen in cartoons and illustrations to species called “Nordic blondes” and “tall whites” who could almost pass as humans.
He claimed the “tall whites” are working with the U.S. Air Force in Nevada, and that two women from that species had dressed as nuns and went to Las Vegas to shop.
They come from all over the galaxy — including from Venus, Mars and Saturn’s moon, Andromedia – and other star systems, Hellyer said.
This Progressive Conservative (what Canada calls their Republicans) gives us a whole new dimension of loony! I bet he advises both Harper and Cruz!!
Cartoon:
Republican were furious that nobody offered them a BJ! 😉
12 Responses to “Open Thread–1/7/2013”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
3:38 My boat's faster than yours, TC. Who's going to swanp me?
3:18 I may have gotten away from the dock first, but it is yet to be seen there is a misskitty zipping past me.
NY Times ~ They are supposed to hold the vote at 10 AM EST. The vote is on a Bill proposed by the junior Senator from Nevada, a Republican and a Democratic Senator. They can work together if they really care about our country. Why can't the House learn that? Last night Rachel Maddow had a great segment on the House. They passed a total of 72 Bills which made it to the White House last year making them the most unproductive Congress in American History. Their plans for this year ~ work a total of 112 days (last year was 135 days) and do even less. How to distinguish yourself for posterity. Way to go, Bonehead!
TPM ~ I hear he's running for "Silliest Candidate in 2014"
Raw Story ~ I wonder if he's ever been abducted and probed.
Cartoon ~ Impeach Clinton for silliness and let war criminal go scott-free. The American way of justice.
Dear TC – could you and others send 'kitty hunting vibes' to my beloved cat Tabitha – who is ignoring a rodent in my house (please God it is only one so far) – and of a distressingly large nature judging by the one piece of evidence found today… Trying to find humane deterrents (with tolerable reviews) has taken all day and I have SUCH a headache! Hope you are settling in well to your lovely new apartment TC – take a rest curled up in one of those cardboard boxes if you are tired, we know how kitties love boxes!
I have such a shocking headache that I can't assess the Raw Story article – but this bit "He claimed the “tall whites” are working with the U.S. Air Force in Nevada, and that two women from that species had dressed as nuns and went to Las Vegas to shop." really made me giggle – that is seriously bad camouflage!
Have looked through to the article and have seen he appears to think the aliens think we are going to destroy the world with atomic bombs – surely nanobots are more likely to destroy us all – and all life on the earth – it just seems to take one lunatic programmer with access to nanobots and 'farewell Vienna!'. Off to lie down and take some painkillers…
Ermahgerd – that was a tough one 5:06!
I thought the news yesterday was pretty darn good; Yellen's nomination approved, Mitt Romney brought up on RICO charges and Liz Cheney drops her bid for the Senate.
Now we are brought back down to the drudge of reality. The House and Senate neither accumulating sweat on their brows from work, have a full plate of things to ignore. I guess that must be the "aliens" using their phaser guns to make them stupid. Sometimes I wonder about the gullibility of the human race.
For those who have been around Care2 for a while we once had a nut job that claimed the "lizard people" were the impetus of the NWO. Entertaining, we all need a laugh.
5:14 Feeling a little better, but haven't restored any abilities, unfortunately.
UI: Speaking as a retired insurance professional… If a private insurance company acted like this about a claim, Congress would be the first to be at their throats. What really adds insult to injury is that the disaster insured against was ultimately created by Congress (through deregulation) and has been and will continue to be extended by Congress (through inaction). Maybe we need to start calling it Unemployment DAMAGES. None of the foregoing is intended to denigrate those in Congress who are trying, such as Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Allen Grayson.
Nebraska – His vision almost makes me applaud ineffectiveness.
Raw Story – Well, it must be fun to live in his universe. He probably thinks the "Nordic blondes" and/or "tall whites" are actually angels of God, so dressing up as nuns would make sense. Although what they would want from Las Vegas shops I am not sure. I'm coming to think it is not the belief itself that defines you as nuts, but the willingness to go public with it. As Sam: Johnson said about Christopher Smart.
Pat A: Best of luck with your rodent problem. Just don't try to train the cat the way the Professor did in the Chekhov story "Who Was to Blame?" Or whaever that is in Russian. Is there a local chapter of any humane group you could get advice and maybe assistance from?
NY Times: The senate passed it, with six Republican votes. Now the house will probably hold it up as long as they can, but their constituents are getting pretty angry.
Raw Story: Maybe those aliens brought Cruz and Rand Paul here!
Cartoon: That still disgusts me. If Hilary had hit him with a ball bat, he would have deserved it, but the Impeachment was a political ploy for the Repubs to gain control.
Good luck finishing the apt. It takes a while to find everything after a move.
Thanks everyone.
I'm sorry for not repling individuallly as usual, but I seem to have come down with a cold/flu and feel just horrid.
5:00 – I am on the phone nuw with the NAACP and a Town Hall workshop… 😆
They're Jealous… 😆
Tom, I’d like your advice if I may. I just came across a very amusing little video I would like to share with all the folks in the column. Maybe it will even help you get over your flu. It shows Al Roker, the weather reporter on the Today Show, who got fed up with Rush Limburgercheese claiming that the polar vortex was something made up by climate warming people, telling climate deniers to stuff it right on the air. Can you tell me how to do this or would it just be better to supply the URL of the news column I was reading?