I did most of the research for this article last night, so I could hit the ground running today and get a nap, before Wendy comes, so I can watch my Broncos without falling asleep. Please be sure to catch today’s lead article, my Christmas greeting to you. Hugs!!
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:33 (average 8:13). To do it, click here. How did you do?
A Fascist (Republican) Nativity:
It was drawn byJoanna Wieruszewska from Poland. She asked for her brother Marek Wieruszewski to be credited with the idea for the drawing. Hat-Tip: SoINeedAName
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos (Classic 12/2014): According to Scott McConnell’s 100 Voices: An Oral History of Ayn Rand she did indeed. Unfortunately, none are included in McConnell’s 656 page book.
Fortunately, with a little help from the Ayn Rand Archives*, we’re able to present to you this exclusive, never-before-seen collection of Ayn Rand favorites.
I shared 2. Click through for the rest. Rand is Lyin’ Ryan’s hero.
From Raw Story: On Friday, former Green Party candidate Jill Stein—who launched a recount effort in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania following the election of Donald Trump—asked U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch to investigate the integrity of the nation’s electoral system, the Hill reports.
“We write to urge the Department of Justice to launch an investigation into the integrity of our nation’s election system generally, and our nation’s voting machines specifically, based on the information we discovered in the course of this representation,” Stein’s counsel wrote in a letter to Lynch.
The letter urged the department to focus specifically on human and machine error that may impact voting machines in future elections.
While I agree with her request, it’s another publicity stunt. She proved that she cares nothing about the integrity of US elections every time she parroted Russian lies on Putin’s propaganda network, RT.
From Politico: As Putin climbed the ranks in the Kremlin, eventually becoming the autocratic president he is today, he and Kissinger kept up a warm rapport even as the United States and Russia grew further apart. Kissinger is one of the few Americans to meet frequently with Putin, one former U.S. ambassador recently recalled — along with movie star Steven Seagal and ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson, the likely next secretary of state.
Now, as Donald Trump signals that he wants a more cooperative relationship with Moscow, the 93-year-old Kissinger is positioning himself as a potential intermediary — meeting with the president-elect in private and flattering him in public. Like Trump, Kissinger has also cast doubt on intelligence agencies’ conclusion that Russia sought to sway the election in Trump’s favor, telling a recent interviewer: “They were hacking, but the use they allegedly made of this hacking eludes me.”
In addition to many other atrocities, Kissinger is the bastard that engineered the violent overthrow and murder of Chile’s elected President Salvatore Allende, a democratic socialist, and the takeover by Agosto Pinochet, one of the century’s most brutal fascist dictators. Kissinger organized CIA training of Pinochet’s death squads in torture, disappearing and murder of tens of thousands of Chilean citizens. He did this to exploit Chile’s copper for US vulture capitalists. As such, Kissinger will fit right in with other members of Trump’s Reich.
Cartoon:
19 Responses to “Open Thread – 12/25/2016”
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4:15 – Tricky, yes, but – EIGHT minutes? Maybe on a holiday a lot of people are doing it who normally don't.
DKos – OMG, those cards. Aaaargh!
Raw Story – I'll support the request and reserve judgment. It is possible for people to change, though I grant most don't. If it weren't, we really would be screwed, forever and ever, amen!
Politico – Yeah, that's all we need – Kissinger back. Thank God at least HE wasn't born in the US!
Cartoon – Meowry Christmas to you, too!
Or maybe they have been into the egg nog!
Well, yes, that or alcohol-soaked plum pudding with hard sauce.. I should have thought of that.
I understand you reserving judgement. The reason that I am not id that from my own experiene and my years of working to help prisoners change I know that change does not come without remorse. Stein has expressed none.
Nativity Scene: Yep. So sad. Thanks, Nameless.
DK: DT's new 'Hero'. The comments section is priceless!
Cartoon: Ho, Ho, Meow!!
Company coming over here(back) in a few. My guys won, it was a nail biter though. Best to you this Day, and enjoy your dinner, and company too. Take care, and Merry Christmas to all !!!
Nativity scene is priceless.
Kissinger on the other hand is worthless imo. Don't want to see him, hear him – I'm glad he's that old as his time is limited now.
Caught an interview with Stephen Colbert who was asked what he thought Trump should read before taking office. Colbert said, that since he seems so unfamiliar with it, Trump should read the Constitution. Yes! Colbert also mentioned "The Buck Stops Here" sign which would be a complete novelty for Trump, wouldn't it?
Colbert gave T some good advice here.
The things that will happen are too scary to think about today. We are watching westerns, of course, and then we will watch the Ravens and Steelers, if we can stand it. Our day is spent just together, me and my husband, as always. Kids came by a couple of days ago. We never celebrate on THE day of a holiday. We do it when it is convenient for people to get together. Just never thought any one day was that special. All days are special, as long as family can be together!
Peace, Love and Hugs, TC! Merry Christmas to you, my friend! Lasting friendship is its own reward.
Love to ALL on PP and C2!
DK: I looked at a few, the other day, before I began to feel this funny sense deep in my bowels. Then I thought, "Oh,yes,the widom of the body. Were she to return to haunt us in more than the insipid idiocy of her fans, that's where she would belong!"
RS: Any former hint of respect I ever had for Stein, has taken a hike, is out of sight, and is NOT coming back this way! She is welcome to join Nader in the Great Hall of those who ought not be allowed to have an ego!
Politico: The assasination of Allende is one of the low points in American policy and ethics! Kissy neds to go fly….
Cartoon: So well said, and so far over the heads of the Pseudo-Christians!
Yes, it is a Christmas unlike any of us have had. I was stuck in a public place for a bit today, and was assailed by CNN's "10 worst scenes from the 2016 election," as i recall they called the presentation. So, there was the Orange Fart on the big screen! The election needs to be voided, done over, as I've said before, without Mr. Comey's bullshit, and more. But no! This country just goes on with the flow, as a fellow I know said, "We don't void, we avoid!"
Enjoy your feast together with Wendy, TomCat. Your description of it was mouthwatering, so I expect you both will have to ease your belts a notch or two and then need a full day to recuperate. Enjoy it in the knowledge that you deserve it!
Isn't it funny how not only nativity scenes have become a global theme, but also people's awareness of the right-wing version? Kudos to Joanna and Marek for their creativity, Nameless for his “Republican twist” and you for researching and posting it, TomCat.
DK: I never thought I’d be called a mystic 🙂 nor that Ayn Rand would actually give us arguments why Drumpf and his horde shouldn’t be allowed to take over the continent 🙁
You know I’m not a believer, but it always amazes me how people who claim to be “True Christians” can be a fan/follower of someone who takes all commandments and moral code in the Bible and either throws them out as without reason or foundation (God’s word is apparently not enough) or twists them to fit her narrow-minded 1% worldview.
RS: Publicity stunt may be one reason, a bad conscience and a trying to stop supporters from turning their backs on her in time for 2018 may be others.
Politico: Onwards towards even more isolationistic policies for the Putin-Drumpf empire. The rest of the world knows exactly who Henri Kissinger is and what he did “for America”, and there will be no other function for him in Drumpf’s entourage than to suck up to Putin. So while becoming close allies, the Russian-American block, perhaps loosely joined by Britain after their hard Brexit, will stand alone against the rest of the world. I hate to think what their next step will be with Kissinger on board.
And Ho Ho Ho to you too, TomCat.
The facist nativity really sums up the feelings of many of our government leaders these days.
Daily Kos: I shared this one on FAcebook, hopefully, some of my red friends who are also believers in Christ will see some of the delusions they are suffering.
Raw Story: Is Jill Stein going to be like Sarah Palin and never go away?
Politico: Kissenger has had too much influence in this country all ready, but I suppose Trump will find him useful in making a better connection with his beloved Putin.
Cartoon: Of course I love anything that looks like Oreo.
Puzzle — 3:27 Looks like the inside of an Aero bar turned inside out. Yum . . .
A Fascist Nativity — Spot on! But I wonder if the star should be there . . . a little too much science involved!
Cartoon — Such a cute puddy! Looks like my Scooter (RIP 2007)
I am having too much trouble concentrating to do The Thread. I visited my mother, who is definitely deteriorating, this afternoon and found that my dance partner, Maurice, passed away last Sunday at age 83 (he would have been 84 in January). Combined with the death of a friend at church, age 91, it has left me teary eyed. I did not get home until 2300 hr after brushing my mother's hair for almost 3 hours and singing my mother to sleep (or she closed her eyes just to be rid of my singing!). Good night all!
Sorry to learn of your friends passings.
You are a good and caring daughter!
Back at you! You treat your mum and aunt like the queens they are and I know it means a lot to them to have you in their lives. Thank you for all you do for them!
Lynn and Nameless, you are both the best offspring any Mom could ever want. And I'll bet you don't think about that at all. I'll bet what's in your minds and hearts is how lucky you are to have living Moms (and one aunt) to "spoil."
What Nameless saud.
You are a true blessing.
No doubt your Christmas repast was scrumptious! You're quite the accomplished chef!
Thx for researching the nativity drawing and was glad you could use it.
Thanks all! Hugs!
Food for thought! I hear rumblings of many wishing to disrupt the crowning of Rumph on Jan. 20. surely the following would be much more effectve. IGNORE the whole dog and pony show. HE and the grease heads,Who slaughter endangered species (just because they can),and the latest bought woman would be (in my opinion) MORTIFIED, to think that they could not,at least even raise a protest!.so insignificant are they.Yes business as usual on the mall , ,nothing to see there!
I look foreward to your opinion TC.Hope that you had a good day on 25th.Don,t let PUDDY eat Too Much.