Yesterday, I found the missing item from yesterday’s package, and contacted the supplier to ask about paying for the extra one. They said just keep it with their compliments. Virgil called (as he generally does several times a week – I usually don’t mention it) and asked whether I’m coming this weekend, and I told him no, I’m coming on Christmas, and he was all twitterpated. Bless his heart, his short term memory is virtually zero. And the TBI was 57 years aho.
Cartoon – (Theme song by Danny Elfman)
Short Takes
Mother Jones – Congress Agreed on Drastic Military Sexual Assault Reform. Then “Four Men Behind Closed Doors” Got Their Hands On It
Quote – With the exception of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Democratic women lawmakers and survivor advocacy groups have widely praised the final bill, which will pass as part of this year’s National Defense Authorization Act, as a significant step toward making the military court system fairer. In a statement, Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), called the reforms “the most significant since the creation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice in 1950.” The reforms amount to a “sea change” in how the military approaches sexual assault cases…. “This is huge,” says retired Col. Don Christensen, the former chief prosecutor for the U.S. Air Force and the president of Protect Our Defenders, a nonprofit advocating for military justice system reform. “But,” he adds, “it’s also a missed opportunity.”
Click through for story. I know, I’m upset with Senator Gillibrand too over Al Franken. But she – and, more to the point, all the women in the military – didn’t deserve this.
ProPublica – What’s Polluting the Air? Not Even the EPA Can Say.
Quote – The only reason I’d heard about the issue at the Portland plant was because my colleagues Lylla Younes and Al Shaw, who have been reporting on toxic air since 2019, spent the past year calculating the cancer risks posed by industrial air polluters across the entire country. Their first-of-its-kind analysis of the EPA’s modeled data initially found that Portland — despite its reputation as an eco-friendly, farm-to-table mecca — was home to one of the worst hot spots of cancer-causing air in the country, all because of a single plant’s emissions.
Click through for details. Pro Publica is on fire this last month or so. Please also check this map (enter your Zip Code) – unless, of course you don’t want to know whether you are endangered by your air.
The 19th – Soledad O’Brien and Natalie Wilson show how quickly missing Black women are discounted
Quote – A simple classification really changes the narrative. I mean, think about if you see a missing person’s flyer: If you see “missing” or if you see “runaway,” which one would act on or pay attention to? Definitely not the one that says “runaway,” because you’re under the impression that the person left voluntarily. So, we really need to look at policies and procedures and training of law enforcement officials regarding sensitivity and cultural [understanding].
Click through for more. There’s a fair amount of repeating the same points in different words here, which I think is an effort to do whatever it takes to beat the reality into peopl’s brains. So sad that this is needed … but it is.
Food For Thought:
9 Responses to “Open Thread for December 17, 2021”
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Comment from Mitch –
MJ: Anything that Inhofe is involved in is going to be screwed up. Not that the other men are not culpable, as ell.ProPublica: What else is new?
19th: They are women, and they are Black. In this society it’s hard to be in a more discounted grouping!
Mitch
How nice of the company to say that you can keep it, by you calling and letting them know. Awww….re: your Virgil. I wish him and you both well.
Cartoon: My kids loved this show, years ago, when it first came on.
MJ: This! I remember that Vegas incident like it was yesterday. Shame that the reform(s) weren’t considered. I completely understand the frustration. I agree, we deserve better.
The 19th: Oh, how sad. With each missing individual lost, it is so important to find them, and quickly.
FFT: 4 stars indeed, to the lady and her cat.
TJI: “Nation shocked that Jim Jordan is capable of writing a text.” ~ Andy Borowitz ~ H/T Joanne D.
2. “I may not agree with most of her politics, but Liz Cheney is the bravest person in our entire government.”
~ The Other 98% ~
3. “Fox News dealt a staggering blow as a judge rules that Dominion Voting Systems can proceed with it’s
$1 BILLION Defamation Lawsuit against the right-wing ‘news’ network over it’s dangerous election conspiracy theories.” ~ Occupy Democrats ~
4. re: the R’s – “The proof of their fear is their silence.” ~ Lawrence O’Donnell ~
5. “@POTUS and @HouseDemocrats are actively working to lower prices and costs for the American people with the #BuildBackBetter Act. On the other hand, Republicans have no plan to help struggling families — and they’re rooting for higher prices and costs.” ~ Speaker Nancy Pelosi ~
TJI #1 – I must admit I was astonished.
TJI #2 – Adam Kinzinger is rigt up close to her, but yeah, she’s running for reelection and he isn’t (of course the Rethugs took his chances away be redictricting anyway.)
TJI #3 –
TJI #4 – Their silence is such a wonderful sound. We don’t get to hear it enough.
TJI #5 – Truer words were never spoken.
What’s Polluting the Air?
Loved the map where you can type in your Zip Code & find the nearest “Hot Spot”.
https://projects.propublica.org/toxmap/
For me, it’s 12 miles away – so not too bad. But not as good as Colorado Springs – it has ZERO Hot Spots.
… how quickly missing Black women are discounted
How sad.
Helps to be white, young, cute and blonde. We can thank the late Gwen Ilfill (PBS) for coining the phrase: “Missing White Woman Syndrome”.
UPDATE
Make good progress on earning my CME credits.
I got my new modem & router (bought at Best Buy & Costco respectively). But the new computer and laptop (ordered online) are still scheduled to arrive Xmas time give or take.
We can hardly wait! You probably feel the same or even more so.
(And yes, I noticed that too about Springs, but I wasn’t going to brag.)
Thanks for the update Nameless. Glad more pieces are in hand and no longer subject to delays in shipping, etc. Also glad you feel good about your CME progress.
Cartoon: Popular series for many. My son never was into them.
MJ: Taken them a long time to get this bill created. I’m sick of hearing about all of the women who’ve been abused by these creeps. It makes me angry to hear of the ones who went missing and then found dead that supposedly reported sexual abuse to whomever. Really sad. I agree with you Joanne about Al Franklin.
ProPublica: Great information. I too checked it out and it was showing that the nearest hot spot is over 14.8 miles.
The 19th: Sad fact that’s not good at all. No matter what race, creed or color, a missing person shouldn’t be discounted.
Nice to read that Virgil can call you. I honestly thought you only got to when you went to visit him. Hope he’s doing well.
That was nice of the company telling you could keep the item. Shows they appreciate having customers like you who are honest.
Hope you have a nice evening.
Take care. Thanks Joanne
Yes, he can call me. I can’t call him, but I can send a kind of email, through a provider which forwards it to the prison, who print it out and hand it to him (in color, if there’a a colored attachment). Both of us can use snailmail, for letters, as long as it meets the rules (like for instance no glitter Or any paper which has been wet and has dried.) I can send pachages, but only drop-shipped .through certain vendors. I’ve always been faily good at making rules for in my favor (I won’t be hurt if you want to call that “gaming the system.”) But nothing replaces an in-person visit.
anything polluting the air shouldn’t be, we need to know and act to save humanity from itself.