Open Thread September 21, 2022

 Posted by at 6:46 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 212022
 

Yesterday, I decided that if I wanted to recognize Banned Books Week, I had better do so before the week was over (hence the FFT).  I also received a grocery order. It came kind of late, and a few things were missing, but no substitutions, thank heaven. Both store that deliver are getting better at this (I probably should knock on wood as I type that.) Both now allow you to go down the entire list and mark each item “no substitutions” (or not) – so they don’r need to do any second guessing. One of them allows you to select a preferred substitute from a list of similar items – or specify no substitutions if none of them works This can be time consuming, but it’s way preferable to fighting after the fact about a bad substitution.

Also – Tish James has a mystery press conference scheduled for this morning at 10:30 Eastern.

Cartoon – 21

Short Takes –

Political Wire – Liz Cheney Introduces Bill to Avoid Repeat of January 6
Quote – [T]he legislation would direct challenges to state elections to courts and limit the vice president’s role in electoral vote-counting as “ministerial.” It also would raise the bar to challenge a state’s electors to one-third of both the House and Senate. Currently, if one member of Congress from each chamber objects to a presidential election during the arcane certification process, the chambers have to debate and hold a vote on the objection, as was done in 2021
Click through for article. It will definitely help (if they can get it through both houses, of course. The co-sponsor is Zoe Lofgren. Both are (says Captain Obvious) on the J6 committee. The more the committee learns, the tighter they could probably make it – but this is insurance against losing one or both houses. No point letting the perfect be the enemy of the good.

CPR News – New COVID Boosters: What to know about the bivalent vaccines that offer better protection against omicron
Quote – Q How is this new bivalent booster different from the original booster? A The original vaccines and booster were monovalent, which means they only contained genetic information for the original coronavirus strain. The new bivalent booster contains information for both the original strain we’ve seen since 2020 and the most commonly seen one now — omicron and its subvariant BA.5, which we’re seeing causing the most infections in Colorado.
Click through for details. Colorado may be aabout a week late to the party, so you may already know this. But just in case.

Food For Thought

Share

Open Thread September 20, 2022

 Posted by at 7:14 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 202022
 

Yesterday, when I opened up Weather Underground to record the times of sunrise and sunset (I want to have a full year), I noticed two things. The first one I couldn’t have missed, becausethe first thing that shows up id a 10-day graph of local weather conditions with the temperatiure in red – and yesterday, showing that Wednesday and Thursday are going to be cold. Most people might not think so, but for me, highs in the high fifties and lows in the low forties are “bundle up, or spend the day sneezing” weather. But the other thing I noticed was that California is due for some much-needed rain. I hope it goes into all the places that need it the most, and doesn’t flood too much. I expect Colleen will keep us up to date – hopefully her home will not flood.

Cartoon – 20 Meredith loaded

Short Takes –

Civil Discourse – Will the 11th Circuit Trump Trump?
Quote – By now, we all know that DOJ executed a lawful search warrant at Mar-a-Lago after Trump spent months haggling over the return of papers that belonged to the government. Ultimately one of his lawyers signed a document certifying that all of the materials were returned. This was a lie. Numerous records including approximately one hundred classified documents were found when DOJ executed its search warrant. Some folders that should have contained classified material were empty. Nothing is publicly known about the fate of those documents.
Click through. This is a great summry of how we got to where we are in the documents investigation (and they are not all that easy to keep straight.)

Justice News – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Administers the Oath of Allegiance and Delivers Congratulatory Remarks at Ellis Island Ceremony in Celebration of Constitution Week and Citizenship Day
Quote – Like [the authors of the Constitution], each of you has now made a commitment not only to this nation and your fellow Americans, but to the generations of Americans who will come after you. In that commitment, you have given your posterity – and the posterity of all of us – a precious gift. I know how valuable that gift is because it is the same one my grandparents gave my family and me…. Of course, we still have work to do to make a more perfect union. Although the Rule of Law has always been our guiding light, we have not always been faithful to it. The Rule of Law is not assured. It is fragile. It demands constant effort and vigilance.
Click through for the full speech. Yes, this is a feel-good article. We sometimes need (at least I do) to allow ourselves to feel good, even though what we are feeling good about may not be perfct.

Food For Thought

Share

Open Thread September 19, 2022

 Posted by at 7:07 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 192022
 

Yesterday, I received an email from the Holocaust Museum – not unusual. Sometimes I can handle reading some of the stories, sometimes not so much. But this one was only one story – about a survivor, David Bayer, who is also a museum volunteer, and is about to celebrate his 100th birthday. I signed an electronic birthday card for him, and you can too if you wish to. I really wonder – so many flat-earthers, and Holocaust deniers, and now election deniers – David has reached many people – but what will we do when he is gone? (Quote from the letter: “I’ve had many Museum visitors tell me it is firsthand experiences with survivors such as David that create a personal connection to Holocaust history.”

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Letters from an American – September 16, 2022
Quote – As Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo says, none of it adds up. None of it, that is, except the politics. DeSantis apparently dispatched the migrants with a videographer to take images of them arriving, entirely unexpectedly, on the upscale island, presumably in an attempt to present the image that Democratic areas can’t handle immigrants (in fact, more than 12% of the island’s 17,000 full-time residents were born in foreign countries, and 22% of the residents are non-white). But the residents of the island greeted the migrants; found beds, food, and medical care; and worked with authorities to move them back to the mainland where there are support services and housing. In the meantime, there are questions about the legality of DeSantis chartering planes to move migrants from state to state.
Click through for full letter. She fills in the DeSantis travesty with background on Martha’s Vineyard and the truth about immigration and immigration policy.

Crooks & Liars – Lindell’s Subpoena Reveals ‘Subjects’ Of [election tampering] Investigation
Quote – The subpoena covers “all records and information” on Lindell’s phone that constitutes as evidence against seven named individuals or any other unnamed co-conspirators. It details several areas of interest for investigators related to Dominion voting systems and any efforts to damage or access them. Two of the individuals, Belinda Knisley and Sandra Brown, were Peters’ deputies in the Mesa County elections office and were charged in the Colorado state case earlier this year.
Click through for more. I added “election tampering” to the title because there are so many investigation it’s hard to keep them straight.

Food For Thought

Share

Open Thread September 18, 2022

 Posted by at 7:10 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 182022
 

Yesterday, the radio opera was “The Pearl Fishers” by Georges Bizet (who is far better known for “Carmen.”) It is a typical triangle story with an exotic setting (maybe Sri Lanke, or maybe not.) It’s an early work and in some ways uneven, but what makes it stand out is the tenor-baritone duet “Au fond du temple saint,” which as an expression of male friendship in opera is perhaps only rivalled by the one in Verdi’s “Don Carlo” – musically, that is. I saw this streamed from the Met and the host during intermission asked the tenor and the baritone whether performing this famous duet in cotext has informed their interpretations. The tenor replied that he had not known until learning the whole opera that in this duet his every word was a lie (in the “Don Carlo” duet both the tenor and the baritone are in deadly earnest.) I think that’s a bit harsh, but certainly the tenor is not being strictly truthful throughout. It’s still gorgeous. This is the first of four programs which were recorded in China, and it’s sung in French, and the four principals appear to be European, by their names, as is the conductor. Besides the production photos, some photos of the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing were included in the supplemental materials. It is extremely different from, for instance, the Sydney Opera House, but it appears both architects had the same desire to make people say “Wow!” – inside and out.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Wonkette – Patagonia Founder Hands Entire Company To The Lorax, For The Trees
Quote – Rather than selling the company or taking it public, Mr. Chouinard, his wife and two adult children have transferred their ownership of Patagonia, valued at about $3 billion, to a specially designed trust and a nonprofit organization. They were created to preserve the company’s independence and ensure that all of its profits — some $100 million a year — are used to combat climate change and protect undeveloped land around the globe…. The company will continue to run as a profit-making bidness under the new arrangement, without direct ownership by the Chouinard family; the family will oversee the “Patagonia Purpose Trust” to make sure the company’s values and commitments are maintained, what with all the social and environmental responsibilities and sustainable manufacturing. Patagonia will also continue its existing practice of donating one percent of its sales to grassroots environmental activists.
Click through for story and free NYT link. Good news is always welcome, and this is jawdropping. This is orders of magnitude bigger than a charitable foundation. The closest think I can think of in history to it is Siddhartha Gautama – but he didn’t set up a trust, he simply walked away from the wealth.

HuffPost – GOP Governors Are Escalating Their Use Of Migrants As Political Pawns
Quote – “States like Massachusetts, New York and California will better facilitate the care of these individuals who they have invited into our country by incentivizing illegal immigration through their designation as ‘sanctuary states’ and support for the Biden administration’s open border policies,” the communications director for DeSantis said on Thursday. “We’re sending migrants to her backyard to call on the Biden Administration to do its job & secure the border,” Abbott tweeted.
Click through for details. This is so outrageous you have almost certainly read about it by now. But because it’s so outrageous, I didn’t feel I coulf ignore it either.

Food For Thought

Share

Open Thread September 17, 2022

 Posted by at 7:14 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 172022
 

Yesterday, it was pretty uneventful here. Which was a good thing, since I hadn’t slept well. So I kind of plodded along, trying to get enough done that if I need to crash I can. There may be typos.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Robert Reich – The rail strike averted?
Quote – What can we learn from this near economic disaster? Unlike most management-labor impasses, this one wasn’t solely around wages. It was also around sick time and penalties for missing work. Like so many workers deemed “essential” during the pandemic, the engineers and conductors who drive the nation’s freight trains have been fed up. Their work schedules are unpredictable and inflexible. They’ve been penalized for taking days off when they’re sick or tending to a family emergency. Like most of us, they want a better quality of life — and they feel, with justification, that they deserve it.
CLick through – he wrote this before the announcement of the aversion and updated it a little.

Wonkette – January 6 Committee Announces New Fall Season
Quote – This week Chair Bennie Thompson announced that the committee intends to hold its next public hearing on September 28. They’re clearly going to run this thing through the tape, acknowledging the very real possibility that Rep. Kevin McCarthy is going to take back the speaker’s gavel and devote all congressional hearings going forward to investigating Hunter Biden’s laptop. The committee plans to issue a final report, likely in December, summarizing its work.
Click through for article. I’m not expecting to forget, but I put a 2-day-advance pop-up reminder in my calendar.

Food For Thought

Share

Open Thread September 16, 2022

 Posted by at 6:57 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 162022
 

Yesterday, The New Yorker’s newsletter informed me that Andy Borowitz has a new book out. It’s called, “Profiles in Ignorance.” In fact, so many newsletters were so informative today on interesting but less-than-earthshaking news the=at I was spoikled for choice. Elijah Cummings potrait was unveiled Wednesday (there’s a grammatical error in this one – it should be “lay in state,” not “lied in state.”) Heather Cox Richardson has a good overview of presidential (including their staff) lawlessness through the years. Axios has a story on the “Twitter Whistleblower,” about whom Beau of the Fifth Column says, “If we were scuba diving together, and he told me my bears was on fire, I’d blieve him.” And The Nib has an extended graphic story on the fraudulent lending practices of the nineties. And, in a story which is all over but can wait, the potential railroad strike appears to have been averted.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

The 19th – The Affordable Care Act’s biggest gender-based protections are under threat
Quote – After a federal court decided that HIV prevention medication does not need to be covered under the Affordable Care Act, experts fear that many other reproductive health services — screening for sexually transmitted infections, breastfeeding counseling and even contraceptive care — could now be threatened. The ruling’s scope — including the nuances of how it could affect people’s insurance plans — will be addressed at a hearing [today]. If upheld, the case could ultimately reverse one of the most significant reforms established by the ACA, with particular impact on the law’s gender-based health protections.
Click through for full article. These are the same “I’ve got mine, screw you” jerks who think they shouldn’t have to pay union dues, when in fact without the union their pay would be 50% less (and they’d have no weekends.) I think if they don’t want to be a part of the community, we should accomodate them in that by kicking them out.

Mother Jones – The Stigma of “Late-Term Abortions” Is the Point
Quote – As Laurie Bertram Roberts, who runs the Mississippi Reproductive Freedom Fund, puts it, the seemingly arbitrary 15-week mark “was right there where people start getting a little bit like, ‘Well, why would someone need an abortion that late?’” The reasons why people get them are often not all that different from “early-term” ones; in fact, many patients want to get their abortions earlier—but stigma, paired with the ever-growing net of restrictions pushed by lawmakers who claim to want to “protect women,” creates barriers that push people further into pregnancy before they can get care. Jessy Rosales knows from experience.
Click through for the full reprint. Yes, it’s from 2021, but still needs to be pointed out. As Molly Ivins said, “No pregnant woman ever waddled by a Planned Parenthood and said, ‘Gee, it’s a nice day, I think I’ll get an abortion’.”

Food For Thought

Share

Open Thread September 15, 2022

 Posted by at 6:50 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 152022
 

Yesterday, I saw my doctor for my annual visit. I’ve lost a little more weight since last year (some of it in my face, which is annoying, because on my cordless phones the answer/off puttons hit me right at the cheekbone, and now that the cheekbone is closer to the surface, I need to be reeally careful to not accidentally hang up), my blood pressure is the best it’s been in years, and my doctor tells me I look 10-15 years younger than I am. Not that any of that will prevent me from whining from time to time, but it may help cut down on any serious concern.

However, does anyone know anything about SpyKat? My Sunday message was returned with the message that her inbox was full, and I tried twice more (including yesterday) with the same result. The last time she commented or recommended was September 6. I have replied to that last comment hoping Disqus will notify her – although if she’s not checking her inbox, she may not see that either (unless they have a different email address for her.)

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

CPR – Clear Creek County deputies shoot and kill man who asked for help after car crash
Quote – After getting stuck on a dirt road in Clear Creek County in June, Christian Glass called 911 for help. Instead, the 22-year-old was killed while locked inside his own car after a long, tense, confusing and chaotic confrontation played out between him and Clear Creek deputies and a handful of other agencies. Video footage was released by his family’s lawyers.
Click through for full story. Apparently the Clear Creek Sheriff’s Office is staffed with equal opportunity [insert epithet here]s. Glass was not a POC.

Daily Kos (David Neiwert) – Tragedy in small Michigan town once again demonstrates how lethal conspiracy theories can be
Quote – Responding officers first spoke with neighbors who had also reported gunfire. As they were doing so, they heard a gunshot from the Lanis’ house next door, and began moving toward it when Igor Lanis emerged from the front door, armed with shotgun. He reportedly fired at them and they fired back, killing him. It was the first time any Walled Lake police officer had ever shot anyone, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. “I think there was danger to anybody,” Bouchard said. “He had his keys with him so who knows where he was headed. …This is terribly sad on so many levels.”
Click through for full story. There’s also a petition to sign. I note that the sister who was not present refers to QAnon as “demonic.” Some Christians do know where the demons are.

Food For Thought

Share

Open Thread September 14, 2022

 Posted by at 6:53 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 142022
 

Yesterday, Lindsey Graham introduced a bill in the Senate to ban abortion at the federal level. This irritates me… but it doesn’t alarm me, because if they really wanted to pass it, they would wait until they have a majority in both houses, and some of them think that is going to be soon. This is political theater. And it is more likely to backfire than not. Also I need to give you all an update on James. the amputation has happened (he didn’t say anything about the process, so I’m going with “No news is good news.”) He is already confident that he made the right choice. Now the recovery begins.  Incidentally, I have an appointment myself today – just for an annual checkup.  Oh, and one other thing – the candidate running against Boebert is Adam Frisch.  I’m not hopefull of beating Buck or Lamborn, bothe of whom are well established, but I think Boebert might be beatable.  If you check Adam out, let us know what you think.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Robert Reich – Who will bear the pain?
Quote – Get ready. The war on inflation is about to get ugly…. Who will bear this pain? Not corporate executives. Not Wall Street. Not big investors. Not the upper-middle class. The draftees into the war on inflation will be — already are — lower-wage workers. As the economy cools due to interest rate hikes, they will be first to be fired as the economy plunges and the last to be hired. The Fed is obsessing about a “wage-price” spiral — wage gains pushing up prices — when it should be worried about a profit-price spiral.
Click through for full article. All of this could be avoided if we used a different benchmark for the economy than the stock market. Usng the stock market is a little bit like doctors using the health of peole’s genitals as an indicator of their overall health. Not really representative.

AP News – Ken Starr, whose probe led to Clinton impeachment, dies
Quote – Ken Starr, a former federal appellate judge and a prominent attorney whose criminal investigation of Bill Clinton led to the president’s impeachment and put Starr at the center of one of the country’s most polarizing debates of the 1990s, has died at age 76, his family said Tuesday. Starr died at a hospital Tuesday of complications from surgery, according to his former colleague, attorney Mark Lanier. He said Starr had been hospitalized in an intensive care unit in Houston for about four months.
Click through for full obit. Please don’t dance in the streets. It’s tacky. And if you have any Republican neighbors you could be putting yourself in harm’s way.

Food For Thought

Share
 Older Entries  Newer Entries