Open Thread–7/20/2015

 Posted by at 11:12 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jul 202015
 

Fortunately, today should be the last day in the heat wave.  85° is the forecast high, but the last two days have both been more than 5° hotter than forecast.  It will then take a couple days for the building to bleed off the heat.  I’m so ready.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:03 (average 4:19).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From TPM: Israel’s ambassador to the United States raced in and out of offices on Capitol Hill, trying to persuade lawmakers that the nuclear deal with Iran is a historic mistake.

On the other side, liberal groups ramped up the pressure, warning of political consequences for Democrats who undermine the agreement and casting opposition as a vote for war.

The lobbying fight is on over the pact that the U.S. and other world powers just signed with Iran. The State Department said Sunday it had submitted the agreement to Congress, kicking off a 60-day review period on Monday.

A foreign government has no business lobbying the US Congress! Keep contacting your Congress Critter and Senators.

From Think Progress: The state of the world’s climate is complex enough that it takes 413 scientists from 58 countries half a year to completely summarize a year’s worth of data.

And 2014 was a doozy…

…For those without the time to peruse nearly 300 pages of scientific summaries, here are seven records that fell in 2014.

0720temps

There’s one. Click through for the other six.

From Raw Story: John Oliver bashes ‘a**hole’ Donald Trump while tackling America’s astounding food waste

 

He does cover the subject, doesn’t he? However, I do have to disagree with his statement that dog balls are delicious. CAT is where it’s AT!! Seriously, do you waste a lot of food? I throw little away, but I do convert quite a bit to methane.

Cartoon:

0720Cartoon

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  28 Responses to “Open Thread–7/20/2015”

  1. jla says:
    July 20, 2015 at 1:25 pm

    We're forecast for 96 degrees, then two days high 80s before back to low 90's for the rest of the 10 day forecast.

    I'm embarassed that anyone that took the oath of office for Congress encourages or participates in such Israeli behavior.

    Good data to note and consider for future plans (e.g., holiday travel and other vacations, home improvement projects, etc.).

    Kudos to Oliver!  I signed a Care2 petition earlier today (tried to find and failed) to USDA to redirect the excess milk production to hungry children instead of dairy producers dumping it (it cited 600,000 gallons thrown out).

    They don't even bother with the sheep's clothing for wolves either.

  2. Lona Goudswaard says:
    July 20, 2015 at 1:26 pm

    You sound like you've reached the end of your tether, TomCat. I do hope the weather forecast is correct this time and cooler days are in your near future. Best to stay in heat-wave mode for the next couple of days and get your energy back before you go all out again.

    TPM: You are absolutely spot on, TomCat. The Israeli ambassador has no right to be lobbying on Capitol Hill. There are at least two dozen Jewish lobby groups who are already doing that; the Jewish lobby is one of the largest and effective lobbies in Washington, besides those of the Koch brothers and the like, that is. 😉
    But seriously, it really doesn't do for a foreign power to lobby, Israel is making a fool of American democracy again.

    Think Progress: Seven records broken in 2014, and everything points to more records broken in 2015. But it has nothing to do with climate change whatsoever. It's the Lord's wrath because of abortions/same-sex marriage/homosexuals/…. take your pick. In the end, when nobody heeded the warnings of the scientists and this planet has been completely destroyed, it won't matter much who was right, will it? There won't be anyone left to fight about it.

    Raw Story: Food waste is a problem in all rich countries. All have adopted the same standards for their food, the same too large portions and the the same financial drive to push people into buying more, new, fresh… I found it helped me enormously to buy organic as much as possible: the price alone keeps you from splurging, there's much less produce on the market, so it's not all A++ grade, so I hardly throw anything away. The consume-before-date on refrigerated products is however another plus: that date really keeps you from buying products that are about to go off (especially in very hot weather), especially if you don't do shopping every day for your next meal.

    Cartoon: LOL LOL LOL, but very cute.

  3. Joanne D says:
    July 20, 2015 at 1:52 pm

    3:43 (average 4:19)  Most cats don't like hot sauce but I suspect it may be an ingredient in TC's signature chili.

    My last couple of days have been 3-5 degrees cooler than forecast.  I would gladly take those few degrees if I could.  It would be hot but bearable – as opposed to your hot and unbrarable.  (I see California finally got some rain, which immediately became flooding.)

    TPM:  The People's Email Network has a page …  "So what we decided to do was set up an action page where YOU can select YOUR position on this, and THAT is the message your members of Congress will get:
    Iran Nuclear Deal Position Action Page:
    http://www.peaceteam.net/iran_nuclear_deal_position.php
    Alan Grayson is opposed to the deal, and I think he is wrong on this.  From the Daily Kos Election Digest this morning, I also think he is wrong on taxation.  He is disappointing me.  I am in favor of the deal as a veteran myself.

    Think Progress – One of the factors making the oceans more acidic is CO2 emissions, and some group – of course I can't find the info – is making a formal applidation to the EPA to classify CO2 as a toxic chemical on this basis.  It's a great article.  I hope I find it.

    Raw Story – Well, I don't throw out 20#/month.  In fact, I waste very little.  (But I surely do see a lot of overstocking.  And beautiful produce.)  I have never thrown away food just because of an expiration date alone – unless I can demonsrate it is spoiled.  I can't help thinking there is a lot more waste by corporations than by consumers, even though real or perceived consumers' attitudes may be driving a lot of it.  BTW, what ever happened to gleaning?  All those Republican Supply-Side Christians who think the poor and hungry are like animals and should forage may want to remember that the Old Testament addressed that issue and in fact made it mandatory for farmers to leave part of their crops for the poor to glean.

    Cartoon – The itty bitty henhouse committee.  Cute.  And typically Republican.

  4. jla says:
    July 20, 2015 at 6:24 pm

    But not my part of CA where we learned how to store it for future use…sigh

  5. Lynn Squance says:
    July 20, 2015 at 9:08 pm

    2:58  Now that's hot!  A group of us at work went out for lunch to a Thai restaurant.  They label their entrées with chilis — 1 mild – 9 call the fire department — to signify how spicey hot they were.  One woman ordered a '9' and asked for extra chilis in the dish which made it about a 14.  When she tasted it, it still wasn't strong enough so I watched as she poured Tobasco on it.  I was ill watching her eat it.  Apparently, hot spices are supposed to increase your metabolism, especially if you eat spicey all the time.  I don't know how true that is, but if it is, I'll have the slowest metabolism going!

  6. Edie says:
    July 20, 2015 at 9:46 pm

    I hope your heat wave is over.  Ours is supposed to end Wednesday.

    TPM:  Boehner invited intrusions to our government when he asked Benji to address Congress.  I voted that the bill would pass in the polls. I hope I am right.

    Think Progress:  This is disheartening, to say the least. Until the whole world recognizes the problem and starts working to eliminate the green house effect, we are all in trouble.  The recent floods here are being called a 500 year flood by FEMA.  How does that happen?  None of the people had flood insurance because they did not live in a flood zone. 

    Raw Story:  There is too much food waste!  When we eat out, I always bring home at least half of the food I get, the servings are ridiculously large. That doggie bag becomes lunch, sometimes twice.  I buy only what we will eat and we do eat leftovers frequently.  Sometimes they taste better the next day.  These groceries that are discarding perfectly fine fruits and veggies should donate them to a local Hunger Pantry.

    Cartoon:  Perfection!

     

     

  7. Lynn Squance says:
    July 20, 2015 at 11:20 pm

    Puzzle — 2:58  Now that's hot!  A group of us at work went out for lunch to a Thai restaurant.  They label their entrées with chilis — 1 mild – 9 call the fire department — to signify how spicey hot they were.  One woman ordered a '9' and asked for extra chilis in the dish which made it about a 14.  When she tasted it, it still wasn't strong enough so I watched as she poured Tobasco on it.  I was ill watching her eat it.  Apparently, hot spices are supposed to increase your metabolism, especially if you eat spicey all the time.  I don't know how true that is, but if it is, I'll have the slowest metabolism going!

    TPM — So whose country is it anyway?  I agree with you that foreign governments should not be lobbying the Congress, just like Netanyahu should not have addressed the Congress without the expressed invitation of POTUS.  This got me wondering about Canada's rules for lobbying.  This from the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada http://ocl-cal.gc.ca/eic/site/012.nsf/eng/00403.html

    "Certain individuals, such as members of other levels of government, members of an aboriginal government or band council, and diplomatic officials, are exempted from registration."

    Don't think I like that!

    Think Progress — And the fossil fuel industry (among others) would have us believe that there is no such thing as global warming and climate change!  Storms have increased in intensity, oceans are warming up, green house gases are increasing as well as their effect on other measures such as the ocean.  JD, like you, I remember reading about the increased acidification of the oceans with one component being CO2.  Also like you, I can't remember where I read it.

    Raw Story — John Oliver does have a way of presenting a serious subject with humour.  I do throw out a bit of food but not much.  Here in Metro Vancouver, we must separate food waste for composting . . . that's the law. Likewise, we must recycle all paper, plastics, metals etc.  For me, there is little garbage except the cat box and used tissues.  I know that greater Toronto is doing the same.  It is about getting away from the methane.

    Cartoon — Too right you are!  But these guys can't be Republicanus/Teabaggerum . . . they're too cute!

  8. Pat A says:
    July 21, 2015 at 1:42 am

    TY TC – loved the articles and comments. TPM It is terrible that another sovereign state can so influence America. 

    Raw Story – never throw away food – it can be composted or otherwise treated (our council burns it, whereas they could convert it into biochar [burning it at a lower temperature without air] which would massively benefit farmer's fields, the fertility of the soil, and amazingly reducing contaminents etc   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biochar  .)

  9. Patty says:
    July 21, 2015 at 4:40 am

    TPM ~ I've written to both my Democrat Senators to vote for the Deal. Schumer said he was going to read the entire agreement from cover to cover over last weekend before making any decision.I haven't heard anything yet. He has been getting a lot of pressure from the Israeli Ambassador and Zionist groups especially because he himself is Jewish and may possibly take Leg HOund Harry's place when he retires.

    Think Progress ~ Warming oceans, shrinking Polar ice caps and glaciers and severe climat changes mean nothing to those with their heads buried up their butts.

    Raw Story ~ John Oliver was brilliant in this week's show! I don't aste food. It costs too much money. Even kitchen scraps go out in the field next door for the wild critters. I will be starting to compost for my garden in the fall.

    Cartoon ~ That's their idea of appropriate.

     

     

  10. TomCat says:
    July 21, 2015 at 12:14 pm

    Thanks all.  Maybe I can stare recivering from the heat soon.  Hugs!

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