Yesterday I felt quite tired and walking 3/4 mile did not help, so when I returned home, I slept most of the day. It was another slow day for news. I’m current with replies. Today is a catch-up day for tasks too long neglected.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today it took me 4:54 (average 5:41). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From CNN: A political crisis that threatens more sectarian strife in Iraq took another twist Monday as the bloc loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called for the dissolution of Parliament and early elections.
Iraq’s misery would have been over long ago, if we had taken out Saddam with a drone strike instead of the Republican war for oil and conquest. Obama is wrong to continue the other Republican war.
From NY Times: I [Paul Krugman] got my wish, in the form of new Environmental Protection Agency standards on mercury and air toxics for power plants. These rules are long overdue: we were supposed to start regulating mercury more than 20 years ago. But the rules are finally here, and will deliver huge benefits at only modest cost.
So, naturally, Republicans are furious.
Would a Republican President have done this?
From Huffington Post: Dondero goes on to relay another display of Paul’s "discomfort" with gays, years later at a Surfside Beach party:
"Bobby," a well-known and rather flamboyant and well-liked gay man in Freeport came to the BBQ. Let me stress Ron likes Bobby personally, and Bobby was a hardcore campaign supporter. But after his speech, at the Surfside pavilion Bobby came up to Ron with his hand extended, and according to my fellow staffer, Ron literally swatted his hand away.
Cenk has more.
What a hate filled little man he is!
Cartoon:
8 Responses to “Open Thread–12/27/2011”
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Remember the Rand Paul interview with Rachel Maddow? What he refused to say said more about his core beliefs than anything he did say. Like son is the father.
I remember it well. Excellent point.
Well, of course repubicans are going to be furious about limiting mercury exposure. Preventing brain damage and mental retardation in our nation’s children is going to wreak havoc on their future electoral base.
Nameless, you would know. Too true.
4:18
Mercury and air toxics regulations for power plants would never happen under a republican administration. They purposely appoint incompetent leaders to prove that government does not work. The republicans are very good at spending government money and accomplishing nothing that helps the average person.
Another win for you. You’ll have to excel on the next one.
Bingo!
Iraq — In yesterday’s article about the military analysts, there was reference to wanting Iraq as a state that was settled and a state that was pro Washington (my words). Get in, get out and take Saddam out! Well, 10 years later, the US is getting out, Saddam is dead, and there is still a crisis. Iraq is a country with a majority of Shiites, and a Kurdish semi-autonomous region, both of which were ruled by the Sunni minority under Saddam. Seeing the sectarian violence that plays on, it is evident, no matter how much people hated Saddam, he was keeping a lid on a powder keg, although his lid was held on by violence and intimidation. Baby Bush made a mistake with his war for oil, his insistence of WMDs, and the taking out of a despot. What would Iraq and the world look like today had Baby Bush not illegally attacked Iraq?
As for Afghanistan, that is another war that needs to end. Let the Afghanis settle their own disputes. The Russians tried in Afghanistan for their own purposes, and failed. Now the American lead coalition. I as a Canadian am glad that Canada has pulled out. I hope that we as a country, return to the role that we are known for — peacekeeping.
EPA — That’s great! Would a Republican/Teabagger president have done that? Not a bloody chance! They are too busy trying to figure out how they can frack up the country.
Ron Paul — I have seen nothing yet that would induce me to vote for him were I an American elector. Right from the debate when he said he would let an uninsured patient die, I lost any and all respect for the man. He is a medical doctor and that very statement goes against the essence of the hypocratic oath. He has shown himself to be racist, homophobic, and just a bit on the ‘stupid like a fox’ side.
Cartoon — great! How come I never get vacations like that and I’m a career banker at a management level?
I think Arab spring would have arrived.
Amen.
Agree!
But you aren’t well paid enough to be a Bankster.