Open Thread April 19, 2024

 Posted by at 6:09 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Apr 192024
 

Yesterday, I had had a pretty good night’s sleep. Of course I had done some stuff the day before – packed and tied four boxes for pickup, unpacked my new (to me and already obsolete) computer and broke up the box it came in, fighting staples and glue, and a couple of other little things. But I felt good enough to take in a small grocery order, and assemble ingredients for a recipe which I can now make. (Don’t get too excited about the computer. I am not going to plug it in until I can also plug in a USB multi-hub, since the place I am putting it makes it very difficult to reach the back.  And I don’t want to move my present 8-port one from where it is.  So I ordered a new one – probably nect week sometime it should arrive.)

Someone has made what I can only call a “mockyoumentary” out of Trump’s** anecdote of the Battle of Gettysburg. Yes, it’s awful, but it’s also short – and very funny in a schadenfreude kind of way.

Mary Trump, as you know, is following Trump**’s cases from a personal perspective. She put together a group of topics from Tuesday’s jury selection, including a list of characteristics on selected jurors which are allowed to be made public.

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Open Thread April 17, 2024

 Posted by at 6:07 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Apr 172024
 

Well, I did do a post for yesterday, but the computer ate it.  And I didn’t discover that early enough to try to reconstruct it.  Sorry.

Yesterday, the court in Manhattan managed to select and swear in 6 jurors, includinng the foreperson (which surprises me – I thought the foreperson was chosen from [and by] the full jury. But whatever.)

None of us is completely immune to the belief that “Everyone thinks exactly the way I do.” In people who value the truth and facts, it sometimes presents as “Everyone knows exactly what I know.” None of this is accurate. This article may give you an idea just how inaccurate it is. It really cannot be repeated too often.

This may be just me … but this article starts with the statistic “Internet scammers targeted more than 10,000 Coloradans last year, stealing a total of $187,621,731.” I immediately thought, that averages out to almost $19,000 per victim. Who are these people (who can come up with that kind of money to lose)? I do realize a lot of victims are businesses – but still.

Pat B is having fun with family and company probably the rest of the week. I don’t expect to have a TJI every day, but I thought I should share this one – “The media has wrongly adopted a narrative that views the trial as a proxy for the election. It is not. If we let go of that false narrative, we can observe the trial for what it is—a clunky, imperfect way to arrive at a procedural determination about whether the state has met its burden of proof.” – Robert Hubbell

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Open Thread April 15, 2024

 Posted by at 5:52 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Apr 152024
 

Yesterday, I came across a new Parody Project video at Democratic Underground, and I’m providing the link to that site (you can easily get to YouTube from it if you prefer.) The poster,, “DFW,” is “The freedom Toast” just as Don Caron is “The Parody Project.” DFW is an ex-pat living in Europe after a lifetime of foreign service. In the one photo I’ve seen of him, he looks a bit like Santa Claus in a dress suit – and that’s probably more than you wanted to know. I recommend the YouTube CC because the white type washes out on some of the light backgrounds – the CC isn’t perfect, but it’s something.

This has taken a long, long time to accomplish, and it’s really only starting, but I for one am glad it has at last gotten this far.

On the eve of a major trial, Richardson takes a look at the other (neglected by the MSM) story of how the economy works, and when it works best, and why. While attending to the Trump** story, we also need to be telling this one.

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Open Thread April 13, 2024

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Apr 132024
 

Yesterday, Robert Reich’s column was about the Manhattan criminal charges against Donald Trump**. He explains in detail exactly why it is wrong to call it a “hush money” case. I umderstand, and I’m sure he also does, the temptation to find a way to distinguish it from all his other legal woes, so that people know instantly which case one is talking about. But it also plays into his hands. “New York election interference case” or “Manhattan election interference case” are two ways we can call a spade a spade and still make it clear what case is being alluded to.

This is a “Colorado leads the Way” story. I’m sad that it took this long. But I’m bursting with pride that it’s being done now.

Not to suggest there is such a thing as a good Republican today – but, you know, the House could have done a lot worse than Mike Johnson.

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Open Thread April 12, 2024

 Posted by at 5:36 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Apr 122024
 

Yesterday, I heard from Trinette that she has a cold, and might not make it Sunday. I said let’s skip a week – I want you to be well. (Thoughts and prayers welcome.) Also, yes, I’m aware that O.J.Simpson died Wednesday. It’s not something I really want to discuss. But the New Yorker, the Atlanta Black Star, and The Root, are packed with discussion, so if anyone wants to, the resources exist.

I realize that conservative groups consistently mis-name themselves to suggest the opposite of whatever bug is in their brains when they form the group – but this is extreme even for them.

This is something Joe can do without Congress. and I think – but am not sure – that the Food for Thought might be another thing. If so, I’m all for it.

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Open Thread April 10, 2024

 Posted by at 5:51 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Apr 102024
 

Yesterday, Democratic Underground had this short eclipse video from Xitter. I’m not going to send you to Xitter, but the embed is worth watching. (If you read the comments, you’ll know it was first posted by Eric Swalwell.)

Because this is not exactly current events, I held it for a few days. Heather Cox Richardson reviews the history of Yellowstone and of the Antiquities Act. It made me realize how close we came to not having something I have always taken for granted – our National Park system. I’ll try not to take it for granted any more.

Well, this doesn’t look good for my Congressinal District (Not that anything ever looks good for my Congressinal District.) On the other hand,perhaps, with enough publicity about this creep (of course I mean Williams, not Fish)a Dem might be able to win – or at the very least to make a good showing, which might be able to carry forward to 2026.)

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Open Thread April 9, 2024

 Posted by at 5:32 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Apr 092024
 

Yesterday, a member of Democratic Underground posted a new Biden-Harris campaign ad there. Wow. I’m going to provide the DU link (embedded YouTube videos don’t have the advertising) but also the regular YouTube link in case you need full screen, CC, and 75% speed, which I did, to fully appreciate it (or you can navigate to YouTube from the embed.) Hanky alert.

After addressing the Key Bridge tragedy and the tragedy for our nation that is Trump**, Robert Hubbell turned this weekend to immigration. If you want to skip the first part, it’s fairly east – it has its own headline, large and bold – “How foreign immigrants support the US economy.” In addition to his own words, he links to an interactive map where you can, if you wish, find ypour own county, possibly even city, and see how may live there, how much they pay in taxes, what their spendinh power is, and how many are eligible voters (naturalized and 18 or over. Just under half of my county’s are in this category.) And some other data as well. You probably already knew that immigrants are good for the country, but this will really open your eyes to just how much and in what ways that is so.

RFK Jr is best known for being Anti-Vax (Off Topic – but another article at the Daily Beast reveals that Anti-Vaxxers are now trying to take over a hospital.) But it appears he is not averse to accepting support from other shady types.

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Open Thread April 8, 2024

 Posted by at 5:48 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Apr 082024
 

Yesterday, Trinette came by. I didn’t have a lot for her to do this week. I was working on my closet more than clutter. She says hi to all.

The Reich on the left is right as usual – about the likely event – and I hope he is equally right about the lag time. Much more than that and it will be too late. I apologize for not making a note of where i read this, but apparently some polling in swing states specifically showed voters positivw abot their state’s economy but negative about the national economy (which makes little sense -but i guess that’s why they’re swing states.)

I don’t know how public this knowledge is – by which I mean, technically it’s public knowledge, but no one will know it if news outlets don’t pick it up.

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