Well, The Cat is back home which is very good news. It will take some time for him to get into a routine, but he'll do it. I am going off to the chiropractor for some "bone cracking" which I know helps with the back. When I return, I'll do the final work on stats for October and November . . . just in time for December's.
Puzzle — Today’s took me 3:33 (average 5:29). To do it, click here. How did you do? This one was a toughie for me!
Short Takes
Huffington Post — They escaped a civil war that has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions more, leaving behind homes that have been bombed to pieces, their livelihoods and future hopes in tatters.
They fled to Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon — living in refugee camps, shantytowns and private apartments, trying to figure out their next steps, watching as what they thought would just be a temporary move away from their home country began to look more permanent.
Mazan Khabbaz, centre left, a refugee from Syria, is embraced by a well wisher as he arrives with his family at Toronto's Pearson Airport, on Dec. 9, 2015.
This week, hundreds of Syrians will be on the move again, this time to Canada with the first mass arrival of refugees as part of the Liberal government's commitment to Syrian refugee resettlement.
As I watched the news videos with this article, I wept . . . tears of joy for these people who arrived at Toronto. Please take a few minutes to watch the news videos. Life will not be easy, but there will be opportunities, challenges, frustrations, and joys, but above all safety. The people you see here are part of a private sponsorship. The first group of refugees coming under the auspices of the Canadian government arrive tonight at Toronto on a military flight. The second will arrive Saturday at Montréal also aboard a military flight. It has begun!!!
Alternet — What have Muslims ever done for America? If your sole source of information were Donald Trump, you’d think that the answer was not much. The Republican presidential hopeful has called for a halt to Muslims entering the US until American authorities “can figure out” Muslim attitudes in the wake of last week’s killings in San Bernardino. (If only Scotland had had the same thought about Trump before he was allowed in to blight Aberdeenshire with another of his golf resorts.)
What Trump doesn’t seem to grasp is how many American achievements worth celebrating are the work of the kinds of people—Muslims—he wants to keep out.
Click through for the many accomplishments of American Muslims. Religion is no determinant to national patriotism. There are Muslim members of the armed forces who fight and die alongside other Americans. Is their sacrifice any less? Seems Trump would have everybody believe so. Personally, I think Trump should be charged with sedition for inciting people to do violence against other Americans and against the government. Don't know that it fits all the legal definitions but it sure feels good saying it!
The Nation — The COP21 Paris Climate Summit has seen some very positive developments in the global effort to combat climate change. But a new wave of international trade deals—deals that are being pushed between the US and the EU, and between Canada and the EU—threaten to undermine the actual implementation of any smart and sane climate policies.
In this dispatch from Paris, Naomi Klein explains how companies like Exxon and Shell are pushing for these trade deals because they see them as ways to create new markets for fossil fuels—which is exactly what we cannot do if we are to save our planet.
This very short article is so true. Klein mentions a lawsuit against the Canadian government for $250 million under NAFTA because it wants to frack in the St Lawrence River but a Québec fracking moratorium prevents it. This is the kind of thing that will continue to happen with all trade agreements if they are legally binding and adjudicated by a tribunal composed of corporate lawyers. The TPP is the most recent agreement with some of the most far reaching clauses.
My Universe —
15 Responses to “Squatch’s Open Thread 10/12/2015”
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For Syriann refugees finding any place in which they can settle, in peace, is a marvelous thing.
What have Muslims done for the USA is wonderful, as is the case with any similar group that has immigrated, including Trump's German kin, and Michio Kaku's Japanese kin! But, either he, and his ilk, are too dumb to recognize ths, or they are REALLY playing to the sickest portion of Americans!
For Capitalism to derail reasonable progress (NEEDED) reasonable progress on climate change is just fucking stupid,and, in the end, elf-defeating. But these bastards do not think to the end, they just go as far as the next quarterly report to te shareholders!
Thursday 5.54 (average 6:07 when I did it, early this morning) Oh, what a tangled web we weave. I suspect the ones where the average does not change throughout the day are repeats.
HuffPo – a bit off topic, but I found a roll call vote on that bill to make admission harder for refugees (the one that passed the House 407-19). Here are the Dems who voted "No":
AZ, Grijalva
CA, Bass, Farr, Honda, Lee, Takano, Maxine Waters
FL, Wilson
GA, N Johnson
IL, Schakowsky
MI, Conyers. Dingle, Kilyee, Lawrence
MN, Ellison
NJ, Watson Coleman
NY, Clarke
WA, McDermott
WI, Pocan
Note that Andre Carson of Indiana is NOT on this list. He is the second Muslim in Congress, after Keith Ellison of Minnesota (who is on the list). Please do not ask me what he was thinking (although having received death threats might have had an impact.)
Some of these Representatives are getting up a petition to the Senate that, if they feel they simply have to vote for it, could they at least put in a sunset provision so it won't need to hang around forever like an albatross? It's at http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/sunset-the-nationality?source=s.icn.em.cp&r_by=973201
Alternet, Nation – i have belabored all of this so long and loud I will temporarily shut up. Don't worry; it's only temporary.
Universe – I'm not crazy about spiders either, but I would rather have them than flies, so I am restraining myself.
Glad it is only temporary!
Petition MoveOn signed in Joanne's box above signed.
HuffPo: "Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on hand to welcome them at a temporary processing centre at Pearson International Airport." Doing more in humanistic fashion than would a number of current GOP candidates would ever do. Kudos to Justin Trudeau for being on hand to Welcome refugees. Bravo Canada! Bravo Justin!
Now, the real work for the refugees is getting and becoming familiar with life in Canada, a bit of cultural shock.
Alternet: Muslims have done more than was indicated in the article.
Nation: The COP21 is not all that good and is currently in a bit of a quandary now that it has been extended through the weekend. The corporations are doing its best to keep on polluting while giving lip service in saying that it is helping Climate Change.
Naomi Klein: Have a listen to her video. 4 minutes. "Legal Binding Agreements"
Naomi Klein Decries Climate Deal as Extraordinarily Dangerous; Backs Defiance of French Protest Ban: http://www.democracynow.org/2015/12/9/naomi_klein_decries_climate_deal_as
The TPP has far reaching destructive forces, phrases and agreements which will undermine the safety of world economies and the effect on people as well. Both the TPP & TTIP must not be passed!
Watch the current broadcast of Democracy Now! as it is in Paris for the COP21 discussions: http://www.democracynow.org/
Universe; Who's afraid of a teeny weeny itty bitty spider… lol.
Cultural shock is an understatement. Fortunately there are Syrian Canadians to help. The first year is always the hardest.
Good luck with the chiropractor, Lynn. After a pop or two, your back will certainly feel a lot better.
HuPo: A lot of Syrians have already arrived here in Europe and in The Netherlands, but I wish I could say they've gotten such a warm welcome as they're getting in Canada. Of course the people arriving here are not fully screened but are admitted on a temporary basis and may have to return after the full screening. I suppose the Syrians entering Canadian can be fairly certain they'll be able to stay for a while and that can make all the difference.
Alternet: Trump has no idea what he's talking about when he blurts out sound bites like that, but neither do his fas so that seems a pretty good match. I don't think Trump will be charged with sedition just yet (he'll just maintain its his freedom of speech as an individual, but if the RNC should decide in all its stupidity to nominate him/ let him be nominated then it becomes a different ballgame.
The Nation: I just received a video from SumOfUs directed at Europe, dealing with exactly this problem: TTIP — how big polluters are hijacking the world's climate future Our national news was rather pessimistic about the results of the negotiations today; the leaders/nations seem to be far too far apart to reach any agreement. After seeing all these videos I stopped wondering why.
My Universe: I just love the way Simon's cat exchanges looks with the spider, shrugs and then flattens the spider (again) , but for good this time. Simon must have observed this from one of mine for sure.
Thanks for the video Lona.
4:08. Hugs!
4:05 Looks like I grabbed the driftwood just before TomCat sank his claws into it.
How could you? I had it first!
HP: Glad to read that the refugees have received a warm welcome! Kudos to Canada and those countries who have embraced them. Signed petition, thank you, Joanne.
AlterNet: Excellent article, Trump would do well to read their history. But he won't. Sadly.
My Universe: Love Simon. Anything that moves, my cat will attack it. Except for the wasp that got in the house the other day. Then she'll hide. Smart kitty.
Hope that your appointment goes well. Enjoy your day/evening. Thanks, Lynn.
You mean Trump knows how to read something other than numbers and dollar signs?
You Canadians should be PROUD!
(We Americans … not so much.)
The "Simon's Cat" video wouldn't run for me yesterday – which is why I'm commenting late.
Loce that little guy!
As I have been reading recently, overall, Americans and Canadians are about the same as concerns the refugees. Although I do think Americans against refugee settlement are more noticeable and louder. Where I know we differ is in our leadership, now that we have kicked Harper to the curb. Trudeau is leading by example, walking the talk, setting the tone. I am very proud of him for that.
Thanks all!