It’s another warm, sunny day here at the CatBox. I have not recovered from sproinging yet, so I’m going to get as much rest as I can, until my routine follow-up appointment on Friday. I got my test results back. My A1C is 7.0, which is a tiny bit high, but very well controlled for a diabetic. My Cholesterol and Lipids are in the ideal ranges. I may live to see 70.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:52 (average 4:43). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Huffington Post: Donald Trump has backed down from making the sweeping changes to US gun laws he mooted in the wake of the Florida school shooting last month and will instead support a modest set of fixes.
Opting for a plan the administration officials described as “pragmatic,” Trump backs legislation proposed in Congress aimed at providing more data for the background check system – a database of people who are not legally allowed to buy guns, reports Reuters.
More contentious proposals, such as raising the minimum age for buying guns to 21 from 18, or requiring background checks for guns bought at gun shows or on the internet, will be studied by a commission headed by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, the officials said.
The change of heart is in stark contrast to a combative televised meeting where he chided lawmakers for being afraid of the National Rifle Association [terrorist Republicans delinked](NRA), one of the most powerful lobbies in the US.
I told you it was all an act. With DeVos heading the commission, it might as well be headed by the NRA. RESIST!!
From Fortune: Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into whether President Donald Trump obstructed justice is said to be close to completion, but he may set it aside while he finishes other key parts of his probe, such as possible collusion and the hacking of Democrats, according to current and former U.S. officials.
That’s because Mueller may calculate that if he tries to bring charges in the obstruction case — the part that may hit closest to Trump personally — witnesses may become less cooperative in other parts of the probe, or the president may move to shut it down altogether.
The revelation is a peek into Mueller’s calculations as he proceeds with his many-headed probe, while pressure builds from the president’s advisers and other Republicans to show progress or wrap it up.
The obstruction portion of the probe could likely be completed after several key outstanding interviews, including with the president and his son, Donald Trump Jr. The president’s lawyers have been negotiating with Mueller’s team over such an encounter since late last year. But even if Trump testifies in the coming weeks, Mueller may make a strategic calculation to keep his findings on obstruction secret, according to the current and former U.S. officials, who discussed the strategy on condition of anonymity.
Any clear outcome of the obstruction inquiry could be used against Mueller: Filing charges against Trump or his family could prompt the president to take action to fire him. Publicly clearing Trump of obstruction charges — as the president’s lawyers have requested — could be used by his allies to build pressure for the broader investigation to be shut down.
As much as I want to see Mueller hump on Trump NOW, I see the wisdom in waiting. RESIST!!
From NY Times: The Trump administration is putting the finishing touches on its long-awaited Middle East peace plan, three senior officials said on Sunday, and President Trump is likely to present it soon, despite risking swift rejection by the Palestinians and having already taken on another of the world’s thorniest disputes, with North Korea.
While the exact timing of the plan’s release is still not set, these officials said, the most immediate challenge for the White House is how to roll it out so that it is not proclaimed dead on arrival.
This is why it will be dead on arrival. The Trump plan would do for Palestinians what the Wannsee Conference did for Jews. RESIST!!
Cartoon:
14 Responses to “Open Thread – 3/12/2018”
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4:57 Beachy keen.
Sounds like excellent results. Good for you! Results like that do not come from goofing off.
HuffPo – I doubt if there is a millilitre of sincerity hidden in the orange. But, if there were, it would be no match for the NRA. So, no surprise here.
Fortune – I’m just going to quote myself here (posted at Raw Story this a.m.)
“No one in our history has ever attempted to indict a sitting President. An attempt to do so now would not have bipartisan support. A referral to Congress for potential impeachment would also not have bipartisan support. Mueller has done, and is doing, an excellent job, and he probably doesn’t want to throw it all away by acting in a climate where nothing would be done. I also don’t want him to throw it all away. I doubt if anyone here wants him to throw it all away either. (Well, nazis and porn-again christians might. But no one with a shred of love for our country would.) I know it feels like being suspended in a time warp, I feel that too, but I want results that lead to action, and that is exactly what we will NOT get if Mueller tries to move too fast.”
NYT – If Trump were ever to present a plan that wold not (or should not) be dead on arrival … he would backtrack from it as soon as he released it.
Cartoon – But not, unfortunately, the last.
HP: I saw this this morning. Say one thing, and say another. OR…Dangle a banana in front of his face, and he’ll do anything,…..or not. I am also against teachers packing heat too!
Fortune: What Joanne said. thx!
Cartoon: Must have bananas on my mind, as this occupation was part of the ‘Banana Wars’. *The Banana Wars were the occupations, police actions, and interventions on the part of the United States in Central America and the Caribbean between the end of the Spanish–American War in 1898 and the inception of the Good Neighbor Policy in 1934 *wiki
Glad your report came back good. Get some rest, enjoy your evening, and Take care, Tom. Happy, Happy Birthday too!!! Hope you have a wonderful day!!!
Please watch this, ‘‘Trainwreck’: Watch Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ Brutal 60 Minutes Interview by Ms. Stahl
‘https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiuvnijhmXQ
Clearly, DeVos is a Republican nitwit!. . . and a dinosaur!!!
HP: The Orange Ogre’s backpedaling on guns doesn’t surprise me. I suspected his apparent support for reasonable gun policy to be B.S.
Fortune/NYT: I hope that tRump is terrified by Mueller. The end of the tRump regime cannot come a moment too soon!
Cartoon: Washington howls about other countries interfering with legitimate governments around the world, while doing exactly the same and setting up dodgy puppet regimes.
HP: What you see is what you get, orange tinged bull pooh!
Fortune: Clever and devastating, is what I want to see. Joanne does put it well.
NYT: There is no plan that this clown can/will put together that is reasonable and humane, as he is neither. Putting DeVos in charge of anything, especially a gun issues panel, is like giving it to Alfred E. Neumann; “What, me worry?”
Because you’ll be well into Tuesday, March 13th, by the time you read the comments, let me start with
Happy Birthday, TomCat
(Yes, you did live to see 70
, now try for 80!)
I would have liked to have given you a small dog-size Republican for you to ‘play’ with but I’m afraid you’ll have to contend yourself with this mongrel:
If that’s not to your li(c)king , enjoy your birthday party I’m sure WWWendy is going to celebrate with you.
HP: The only thing this two-year-old in the Oval Office is good at is popping the balloons he has inflated himself (mostly with the help of others). He’s also become very predictable in his unpredictability.
Fortune: From his point of view I certainly can see why Mueller would delay closing the ‘obstruction’ part of his investigation, but there are two problems with it. First of all, going to keep his findings on obstruction secret, because those will be based on Drumpf’s testimony and nothing that goes into the White House is kept secret for very long, which means he’ll have to investigate those leaks too. And in the meantime Drumpf is free to wreak more havoc on the US, and the rest of the world, for instance in North Korea if that summit doesn’t work out. Or a war with Iran, to help his buddy Netanyahu, who’s just paid a visit and is in the same predicament as Drumpf and who could do with another war to divert the attention too.
NYT: Drumpf has a plan for the Middle East? Other than annihilating the Palestinians and challenging Iran to a war? He’s mad a deal with Australia’s PM Turnbull not to put up tariffs for Aussie steel and about which Turnbull inadvertently dropped “military security” as the counter gesture, which is now being denied of course. But Australia has been one of the most, if not THE most, loyal partners in any war the US has started, so that may mean that OZ is going to have to support either invading North Korea or Iran to secure its steel exports.
Glad your lab test result came back with such positive readings, TomCat.
Big Hugs!
Puzzle — 4:07 A new scratching post for you!
Huff Post — The Liar-in-Chief lied to the students of Parkland. What a great lesson in civics for them. This should motivate them even further to push for change. Drumpf lying is nothing new and will always be! I read that the NRA has launched a court challenge to Florida raising the age of gun ownership from 18 to 21 years. It is unconstitutional the NRA says.
Fortune — Timing is everything! Kudos to Mueller!
NY Times — A Middle East Peace Plan from the Drumpf régime? Drumpf may like to think he has a peace plan, but he is quantifiably nuts! Drumpf is stirring up tensions, not quelling them. DOA is an understatement!
Cartoon — . . . but not the last!
Great test results! I need to get tips from you! Mine will be done this weekend or Monday and I see the doctor next Tuesday.
I’m on the IC diet. When I C a dawg, I eat it!
Thanks all. Server intermittently down. Hugs!
Been trying to wish you a “Happy Birthday!” since 5 this morning!
This is the first time I was able to actually get to the site – so I’m going to post it here … and again on the 13th IF the 13th posts actually ever show up.
That’s me on your right, and I’m not sure who that is on your left (too much “partying” … if you know what I mean). We just got done singing “Happy Birthday to you …” to you.
You look great! Well, except I’m not really all that fond of your long, red tie. Reminds me way too much of Twitler. But still, very classy! (As you can see – me, being the slob that I am, dressed in my finest flannel)
Thanks Nameless. So sorry about the HSP issues. That was a hell of a birthday present!
Well, as my brother always says: “Not sure what the big deal is WRT Birthdays – you’re really just a day older.”
(And I thought I had the curmudgeon gene in the family)
Actually, I liked 69 better.