Open Thread May 28 2024

 Posted by at 6:06 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
May 282024
 

Yesterday was pretty quiet.  Today I will be getting in touch with my plumber, because over the weekend, my mud room developed a pond.  It’s right between my water heater and my washing machine, so I don’t know which is at faultBut whatever it is, it needs to be gone.

I’m not going to embed this, nor count is as an article, because it is not political. What it is about is how, when you post a comment on the internet (especically when it isn’t answered on the site, you have no idea how much it may impact someone. And you may never know. Humility is a good thing, but it’s possible to be too humble about what we do here, and easy to get discouraged. Please don’t get discouraged. (Oh, BTW, hanky alert)

Hanky alert here too. I can actually see why MAGAts would hate people like Steve and Skyler – because they are nearly impossible to live up to, their existence lays bare all the failings of the right.

I’m not ceazy about predictions, especially ones that depend on people I don’t know. But this is amusing. On that jury, I would have fit in well.


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Open Thread May 27 2024

 Posted by at 6:09 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
May 272024
 

Yesterday, Trinette came by. I didn’t have a lot for her to do, but I had muffins to give her – gluten free with duck eggs and coconut milk (and raspberries.) Later, while looking for an image, I found this. Hanky alert.

Joyce Vance originally wrote this for café, but the Brennan Center picked it up (with permission). Sometimes the newest news is less important than much older precedents – in other words, history.

In addition to the Memorial Day Thoughts of his title, Robert Hubbell has some information on the Supreme Court, including how to file a complaint. Correct me if I am wrong, but wan’t it the right that was ao adamant that all people had to do was “Just Say No” to drugs? They need to learn to “Just Say No” to bribes – and sedition.

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Open Thread May 26 2024

 Posted by at 6:05 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
May 262024
 

Yesterday’s radio opera was Puccini’s “La Fanciulla del Ouest” (Girl of the Golden West.” It was taped before the pandemic, and it’s one of the operas I streamed during the pandemic, so no surprises, and I was glad to hear it again. Puccini is famous (notorious?) for the pathos of his doomed heroines, and most of his operas certainly fit the pattern. I am sure of only three operas where the heroine doesn’t die (one is iffy, as there are two heroines, and one dies and the other doesn’t.) This is the only one where the heroine can actually look forward to a new ife with her lover. It follows the play closely, including the blood dripping from the ceiling, and the cheating at cards, but leaving out some things because singing takes longer than speaking – her trip to the mission (on which she meets Dick Johnson – and feel free to laugh – everyone does) is not shown, only alluded to. And this summer Tme General manager’s wife will be touring with the Ukrainian Freedom orchestra, including in Kyiv and Lviv. and next year – Moby Dick.

Although today is not Memmorial Day, the National Memorial Day Concert  on PBS airs tonight at 8:00 p.m. most places (but check your local listings( and again at 9:30 pm (immediately after the first airing.)  If you have ever seen one of these concerts, you will likely not want to mss it.

I no longer ger newsletters from Mother Jones, but Talking Points Memo referred this article about RFKJr. David Corn has always been an excellent writer and a real journalist, and I think it’s worth sharing.

Heather Cox Richardson looks at Alexander v. South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP through the lenss of Lincoln’s “House Divided speech, including some background that most people don’t know. If only Republicans had any shame, this would devastate them. It’s a pity they don’t.

RGB version

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Open Thread May 25 2024

 Posted by at 6:04 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
May 252024
 

Yesterday, Robert Reich announced he is starting a series he is calling “Debunk” in which he will debunk the ten biggest political-economic myths. It’ll run for ten weeks. Any episode i don’t share i will at least link to so you can follow it.

The headline here says it all, really. And the artice connects the dota, with each new dot adding something more appalling.

This should bring a smile to your face. (I wonder whether they invited Bernie to the ceremony.)

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Open Thread May 24 2024

 Posted by at 6:12 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
May 242024
 

Yesterday, I picked up a new Randy Rainbow parody, the first one he has made since “Don’t Arraign on My Parade, which was 9 months ago. (He made an “Interview with Mike Johnson,” but it’s not musical.) This one is called “Forty-Five” and based on “Nine to Five.” Here’s the link.

This is just the introduction of a bill. It doesn’t mean it will pass, with or without amendments. But it is IMO a good, even a great, bill and long overdue. Kudos to Elizabeth Warren.

Well, this is – unfortunately – unusual. A littlr more of it and it would be more than Texas which would see improvement.

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Open Thread May 23 2024

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
May 232024
 

Yesterday, I observed that Donald Trump** is now claiming that Biden ordered him assassinated, specifically on the day of the raid on Mar-a-Lago. Magats are, frankly, to evil to eben be able to imagine a person who just wouldn’t do that, so perhaps we should counter with something like “Democrats get things done. If Joe wanted him assassinated, he’d have been assassinated. He wasn’t. End of story.” Also, among the petitions I signed was one for Thomas and Alito to recude from the Trump** immnity case. Actually, I’d rather leave those to on and have the three he nominated recuse.Knocking out those two still leaves it 4-3, and the best hope we have is for Roberts to do the right thing. But if we knock out Gorsuch, Javanaugh and Barrett, it’s now 3-3. Unless Roberts does the right thing, there’s an unbreakable tie.

I’m going to word my hanky alert differently on this by quoting Shakespeare’s Mark Antony: “If youhave tears, prepare to shed them now.” Yes, I’m preaching to the choir. But sharing it couldn’t hurt.

Just as I’m highly in favor of the National Interstate Popular Vote Compact, because I don’t see any possibility to amend the Constitution without the nation being able to see that the popular vote works, I also don’t see equirable tax reform happening unless people can see it works. That’s why I;m posting this,and enci=ourage sharing it as widely as possible.

And here is yet another article which desperately needs to be widely shared. I’ll try to help on this one with the”Food for Thought” cartoon below.

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Open Thread May 22 2024

 Posted by at 6:04 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
May 222024
 

Yesterday, and I can still hardly believe it, I spoke with Lynn Squance  (Squatch). My phone rang, and after 2 rings stopped, and I hadn’t had time to read the full caller ID, but I thought the first two letters were BC,so I checked my call log, and checked my contact list, and it was her number. Except that in my contacts there was one wrong number – I had the last two digits as 81 and it was actually 61. So I called back, and she said she hadn’t called, but was happy to hear from me. She’s fine. All her cats that we knew are at the Rainbow Bridge, but she has another now named Simon who was born the day after her last prior cat died. We haven’t seen her lately because she tried to register at Disqus, and was told she was already registered, and had no idea under what username or password. We talked about ways to get around that – “logging in” through facebook, Xitter, or google – or starting a new profile. She mentioned a couple of usernames, so if she follows through, I’ll know it’s she and will pass that on. The relief is overwhelming.

Today, after a day filled with snark, we have a day with two articles “as serious as a heart attack” (though, I hope and believe, not equally life-threatening – but instead I hope life-inspiring. Although – I have seen the results of one actual heart attack which was amazingly life-inspiring – and life transforming – for the survivor. I’ll have to write about that. It’s quite a story. But not today.)

Robert Reich digs into the possible reasons why so many people are so wrong in their evaluations of Trump** and Biden – and what can be done about it.

Heather Cox Richardson covers Biden’s commenceement speeach at Morehouse College last week, adding some historical background here and there.

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Open Thread May 21 2024

 Posted by at 5:54 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
May 212024
 

Yesterday, after seeing Virgil, I slept in, as pretty much always. It isn’t the visit that is tiring, nor the driving, but the missed sleep before it. Yeah, I know, you’d think I’d take something for that, but my reactions to all substances, on and off the schedule are so paradoxical, I haven’t found anythong I can trust to always work. For instance, caffeine tends to help(as I said – paradoxical) but isn’t reliable. I’ve been playing a bit with chocolate, which works better than caffeine alone, but again, not reliable. I’m really not comfortable any more playing with anything on the schedule. Oh, and I’ve also tried deliberately shorting my sleep for a few days before the night I need to get up early, and that also doesn’t work. I ticed when posting that I ssem to have picked a good deal of snark for today. All of it is appropriate for the material, so I hope y’all don’t mind. Even Beau is unusually snarky. Also, my package from Katie Porter’s merch arrived, as did an email that what she still has is all 20% off, in case anyone is interested.

Of course Wonkette is going to be snarky even with good news, and this is indeed good news. It’s well sourced – even includes a gift link to the Washington Post – so if you want it more serious it’s available.

(Gift link – you stll need to click but it looks different) Jeff Tiedrich puts more substance between his profanities in his blog but doesn’t dispense with them entirely, and of course he is always snarky. You may already have read about this new demand for Joe to take a drug test before he’ll debate him. I think I’d say “Sure, pal – after you.” But that’s just me.

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