It’s a very busy day here in the CatBox. Store to Door will be delivering groceries, and I have to unpack and put them away. Later WWWendy comes fumigate the mangy TomCat and help with chores. Last night, at 2 AM, a fire alarm blasted me from a sound sleep. The fire department came and found no fire, but by that time I was up, dressed, ready to be evacuated, and wide awake. I could not get back to sleep.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 5:46 (average 8:18). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From YouTube (Jeff Merkley Channel): Senator Jeff Merkley on CNN New Day
I fully agree with my senator, Jeff Merkley. Oregon leads the way! RESIST!!
From NBC News: The massive cold weather front descending over the Midwest this week has commentators straining for analogies (“Deep Freeze,” “Arctic Outbreak” and “Ice Age”) and at least some people wondering what has become of global warming.
President Donald Trump and radio provocateur Rush Limbaugh seemed bemused by the notion that the climate is warming at a time when most of America will be hunkering down against sub-freezing temperatures.
But climate authorities, including those inside Trump’s government, said the record-setting cold does nothing to contradict the consensus on climate change. According to a tweet Tuesday morning from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: “Winter storms don’t prove that global warming isn’t happening.”…
…The discussion of climate and weather, and how much one influences the other, has become politically charged at a time when some political conservatives have rejected the scientific consensus about climate change: that greenhouse gases have warmed Earth’s atmosphere and helped fuel heat waves, extreme storms, droughts and extreme wildfires.
This week’s blast of cold air has been linked to a familiar phenomenon — the polar vortex.
If you don’t understand the connection between polar vortices and global warming, watch this excellent movie: The Day After Tomorrow. RESIST!!
From Alternet: Just over a year after the GOP rammed through its $1.5 trillion tax plan—which has predictably rewarded the ultra-rich while doing virtually nothing for workers—Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and his Republican colleagues were condemned for pushing yet another “blatant giveaway to their wealthy donors” by introducing a bill on Monday that would permanently repeal the estate tax.
“At a time of record inequality, the very last thing we should do is line the pockets of the rich.”
—Sen. Bernie Sanders
“Greed has no limit for the GOP,” declared Frank Clemente, executive director of Americans for Tax Fairness. “We need to reverse direction—not allow the GOP to hand the rich even more tax cuts.”
The deeply unpopular Republican tax law already significantly weakened the estate tax by doubling the exemption, allowing couples with up to $22 million to pass on their fortunes tax-free.
If it passes Congress, the plan introduced by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), John Thune (R-S.D.), and McConnell—and co-sponsored by dozens of Senate Republicans—would accomplish the longstanding GOP goal of completely eliminating the estate tax.
“Ending the estate tax would give a tax break of up to $63 billion to the Walton family and $39 billion to the Kochs—but $0 to 99.8% of Americans,” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) noted in a tweet on Tuesday. “At a time of record inequality, the very last thing we should do is line the pockets of the rich.”
I bet Trump’s new election Aide, Howard $chultz, is all for this one. RESIST!!
Cartoons:
He had a great influence on Dr. MLK.
13 Responses to “Open Thread – 1/30/2019”
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11:41 Sepia is only toxic to tumors. Wood and heavy cardboard are tough to chew, though. If you want to know more about shades of brown than you can possibly ever need, check this out.
Not being able to get back to sleep is a bummer So sorry.
I got an email yesterday from Amy McGrath. I was happy to see that she’s not going away. And Stacey Abrams will be responding to the “SOTU”! How cool is that!
CNN – Jeff just couldn’t help laughing at Whitaker, could he? Hmmmph. If a lot of Republicans support a sane bill, it’s pretty certain Mitch will not let it be voted on. Unless, of course Mitch gets arrested. Mr. Mueller, if you’re reading this …
NBC – You know, I’m not a huge science nerd, but in the late nineties and the oughts when we here in the Rockies started to see huge dumps of snow to the point of many being inprecedented, and I asked myself where this was coming from, of course it occurred to me that it was coming from the melting of ice at the poles, and particularly the North Pole, because that is closest. We were getting it then because we were the highest thing in the way (barring Denali). It could not have happened without global warming. Now, we are not getting that kind of snow any more, which is endangering our water supply year round, and th extreme cold is going elsewhere. But its also true that the polar vortex has now split into two or three vortices, so it’s reasonable that other weather conditions would also get weird. But … stupid people will open their mouths and make foools of themselves. Always have, always will – that’s one thing that doesn’t change. Sigh.
AlterNet – My take on the estate tax hasn’t changed. The GOP is the party claims that anyone can pull him or herself up by his or her bootstraps, and become a better person for it. Why would they not want their own children to become better people? I suggest we keep the estate size cutoff the same, but make the tax rate for the affected estates 100%. Problem solved.
Cartoon I – I’m going to say “Happy Belated Birthday,” because by the time you see this, Lona, it will be tomorrow for you.
Cartoon II – I’m glad you didn’t add a GOP take to this one. It’s painful enough as it is.
Thoughtful, as always. Thanks, Joanne.
CNN: I agree with what Mr. Merkley said. McConnell needs to let Congress see the report (after it’s done), and let the people know what’s in it.
NBC: The Plains is extremely cold, and in WI where family members are it was -21 last night. I worry about the homeless, and the animals outside.
AN: The poorer get poorer, and the rich get richer. Hasn’t changed much since I’ve been on this earth either.
Cartoon: Hope that you have a Wonderful Day! Happy Birthday, Lona!!!
Cartoon 2: He was against violence. A very, very sad day.
Boy, that alarm would be scary and then not getting back to sleep while you’re dressed for evacuation. Wow! Hi, WWWendy! Hope that you have a good evening, take care, and Thanks, Tom.
*This just in: “It was never this cold when Mr. Obama was President.” ~ Larry F. ~
NBC: One ironic result of global warming is harsher winters. This is because warmer oceans give off more water vapor, which winds pick up and carry northward, where the moisture forms more clouds and precipitation.
Alternet: Greed is a monster whose appetite knows no limit.
Since Twitler has a problem reading long texts, this graphic might help him understand Climate Change:
And Happy B-Day, Lona! Let’s have some cake and ice cream!
(Ice cream … that’s why the are spoons there.)
Early night for you tonight TC! ??
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY FAVORITE NEW AUSTRALIAN!
CNN: McConnell is the problem!
NBC: “Record setting cold,” is exactly what one with a half of a brain could have expected from global warming…as “The extremes will become extremer” implies, rather directly!! No Name’s cartoon explains it all in a split second.
Alternet: What else is new?
Ghandi’s murder: Horrid!
Thank you TomCat. I hope you get some rest tonight.
Love the look of a fondant icing on your cake. Need to try it sometime.
Happy Belated Birthday Lona.
CNN: McConnell definitely is a major problem. He like his idiot leader aren’t doing what the people want. either. Neither one of them are listening to what we want. Screw them both.
NBC: Sad to continue to hear of the insane extreme freezing weather across our country. I have been praying for their safety ever since I heard of it happening. Sad that the fool in the W. H. continues to do nothing in regard to our Climate Change/Global Warming problems.
AN: Shameful that the poorer are getting poorer while the richh a*s ones are glowing in their glory. They will pay their dues soon, once we get the idiots our of the W.H. And get our country back on track.
Ghandi’s murder: Awful loss then, but always was and will continue to be remembered..
Sorry you had the fire alarm drama earlier this morning. Hopefully you’ll get some sleep tonight.
6:25 Such a boring and soporific picture.
CNN: I’m with you on fully agreeing with your senator, TomCat. Jeff Merkley’s analysis of the Mueller situation is spot on.
NBC: It comes as no surprise that misanthrope Drumpf and Limbaugh would be amused by weather that has already killed more than six people in the US and that is known to have been caused by man-induced climate change. Only people filled to the brim with hate and in a comfortable spectator position would mock the misery of others instead of taking responsibility for once, admitting to the truth and start doing something about it. These men disgust me.
AN: All those filthy rich, like the Waltons and Kochs, are getting on in years and also know that this tax needs to be pushed through now, while there is still a Republican majority in the Senate, for their heirs to benefit even more. If this bill is passed – and Mitch had ample time to work on that while Drumpf was diverting the country with a shutdown for a wall – the only hope is the Democrats will reverse it in 2020, and even add a hefty percentage, before the old geezers croak.
Thank you all, dear friends, for the many lovely birthday wishes. I appreciate them so much.
Thanks and tiring hugs.
Puzzle — 7:03 I never learned how to play chess!
Jeff Merkley — AMEN Mr Merkley! Perhaps McTurtle should be charged with obstruction of Congress for not letting bills come up for votes. The new Axis of Evil: Trump, McCarthy and McTurtle!
NBC News — In an article I was reading earlier this week, possibly in AlterNet, the temperatures in Antarctica are warmer than those in many areas in the US midwest. So there’s no climate change, eh! Guess again Republican morons! Oh, and don’t confuse climate change, global warming, and the damn weather!
AlterNet — It is almost a foregone conclusion that McTurtle will allow a vote on this and it will pass because there no Republicans that don’t think of their own pockets first! I hope a Democrat Senate in 2020 can repeal that bill to promote equality and fairness among other things.
Cartoon 1 — Happy Birthday Lona!
Cartoon 2 — On that fateful day the world lost a true leader. For a non Christian, Mahatma Gandhi is the most Christ like individual we are likely to see. Such an inspiration! As a tribute to Gandhi, here’s a collection of some of his thought provoking quotes.
ON LIFE
“My life is my message.” (This is the essence of the message on my church’s sign.)
ON BEING A SOLDIER
“I regard myself as a soldier, though a soldier of peace.“
ON THE SEVEN SINS
“Seven social sins: politics without principles, wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, and worship without sacrifice.”
ON TRUTH
“An error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propagation, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it. Truth stands, even if there be no public support. It is self sustained.”
ON LIBERTY
“I’m a lover of my own liberty, and so I would do nothing to restrict yours.”
ON FORGIVENESS
“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”
ON THE NATURE OF MAN
“A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.”