Video Thread 12/6/21

 Posted by at 12:01 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Dec 062021
 

Glenn Kirschner – From Trump’s False Claim of Exoneration to Jeffrey Clark Pleading the 5th: A Legal Recap of Nov 2021

Thom Hartmann – War on Christmas Causing North Pole Labor Shortage?

Ring of Fire – Moms For Liberty Group Smacked Down In Tennessee For Suggesting Slavery Was A Positive Achievement

Cracked – If Crowdfunding Sites Were Honest

A football (or as we would say in the US, “soccer”) team in Russia (St. Petersburg) teamed up with local shelters to put some adoptable dogs into the spotlight at a game.

Beau – Let’s talk about a low to no snow future….  (I’ve been worried about this for several years now.  It’s been hard to watch happening.)

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Open Thread for December 3, 2021

 Posted by at 7:19 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Dec 032021
 

Yesterday, I got the groceries put away. I finished all the cartoons for December. I put together and submitted the claim for reimbursement for my thyroid. And I puttered around a little with beads and pendants.

Cartoon –

Short Takes

Crooks and Liars – Wait Til You Hear What Kimmel Called Tucker Carlson This Time
Quote – To scare grandma, they need fresh villains. So they zero in on this tiny, adorable, tired man, who has done nothing but good for this world. Dr. Fauci has probably done more good for the world than all of us in this room combined.”
Click through for what he called Tucker. What impressed me more was his description of Fauci, so that’s what I quoted.

The Revelator – Invasive Species Are Threatening Antarctica’s Fragile Ecosystems
Quote – We mapped the last five years of planes and ships visiting the continent, illuminating for the first time the extent of travel across the hemispheres and the potential source locations for non-native species. We found that, luckily, while some have breached Antarctica, they generally have yet to get a stranglehold, leaving the continent still relatively pristine. But Antarctica is getting busier, with new research stations, rebuilding and more tourism activities planned. Our challenge is to keep it pristine under this growing human activity and climate change threat.
Click through for details and prognosis. The Revelator is a niche publication, ;iterally all about saving the earth for human habitation, which means it’s very much about climate change and reversing its effects.

SILive – Honoring frontline workers and more: See how Jill Biden decorated the White House for Christmas
Quote – This year marks Joe and Jill Biden’s first holiday season in the White House as president and first lady. Jill Biden explained they were inspired by Americans across the country who remind us that “our differences are precious and our similarities infinite.” The year was also defined by the uncommon acts of compassion, bravery and selflessness by many — and the White House celebrates their service and sacrifice, Jill Biden said.
Click through for more. I wanted an article that was positive about it, which eliminated Slate and the New York Times quickly. I think most of us are glad to have a President and First Lady who are human and humane.  BTW, I think the video – in the Video Thread – shows more detail.

Food for Thought –

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Open Thread for December 1, 2021

 Posted by at 6:32 am  Politics
Dec 012021
 

Yesterday was Giving Tuesday, and also the last day of November, and had I not already known that, I would have deduced it from my email inbox, which was well over 200 by 3:00 pm, and may even have broken 300 by midnoght. Next Tuesday will be a little heavy too, but not like yesterday. It’s only “Colorado Gives” Day.

Cartoon –

Short Takes

Coooks amd Liars (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) – Editorial Calls For Investigation Of Cruz And Hawley
Quote – Hawley and Cruz were the only two senators to object to certification of Joe Biden’s clear victory in the 2020 election results, citing (with zero evidence) supposed concerns about the election’s integrity. That was the same baseless, toxic nonsense then-President Donald Trump had been spewing since before the election. Such talk whipped up the mob of Trump loyalists to attack the Capitol on Jan. 6.
Click through for more. My only criticism of this is that we have really got to stop saying “Trump** loyalists” abd start saying “Trump** cultists.”

New Mexico Poliitical Report – Study: Emergency managers should plan for volcanic eruptions in the southwest
Quote – The type of volcanoes found in the southwest are also different from those of the Pacific Northwest. While scientists monitor Mount Saint Helens and other volcanoes for activity that could signal another eruption, Valentine said the future eruptions in the southwest are unlikely to come from the same spot, or vent, where past eruptions occurred. This makes monitoring for future eruptions a bit more challenging.
Click through for more science. Well, this is interesting. Though not – they say – anything to stress about.

The 19th – What you need to know about the Supreme Court case that could overturn Roe v. Wade
Quote – The court has heard cases on specific types of abortion laws, weighing in on whether different types of restrictions and regulations violate that “undue burden” standard. But this case poses a different kind of question. It’s an outright challenge to the core protections established in 1973. In its legal filings, the state of Mississippi has argued that the court should overturn Roe v. Wade entirely and allow states to individually determine whether abortion remains legal or not.
Click through for history, details, and probability estimates. I hope I don’t need to tell anyone here that this is not just a women’s issue but affects everyone. Many of us are old enough to remember what it was like before Roe.

Food for Thought –

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Video Thread 11/26/21

 Posted by at 6:34 am  Open Thread, Politics
Nov 262021
 

Glenn Kirschner – Michael Cohen Tells CNN that New York and Federal Prosecutors are Working Toward Indictments

politicsrus – Insulin

Thom Hartmann – Why Won’t Social Media Stop “Tokyo Roses” From Destroying Our Democracy?

Vox – Why you don’t hear about the ozone layer anymore. How did we manage to not get this dismissed as a hoax? And how can we do it again?

MSNBC – There’s Still Work To Do’ Says Rev. Al Sharpton On Arbery Trial Guilty Verdict

Rocky Mountain Mike – Auto Con-Bot 3000 (not a song.  But funny.

Beau – Let’s talk about hot takes, the Christmas parade, and intent….

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Video Thread 11/23/21

 Posted by at 11:56 am  Open Thread, Politics
Nov 232021
 

Glenn Kirschner – NY Prosecutors Investigating Yet More Trump Financial Crimes; When Will the Indictments Come?

Courtesy of Politizoom, who refers to her as a “Karen in Training.” I don’t think she needs any training.

Now This News – It only took him TWO DAYS to collect all those bottles! That should scare people.

politicsrus – Beto 1 (I hope that means there will be more.)

Really American – Republicans Want National Holiday For RittenHouse

Smartest Stray Cat Follows Woman Home

Beau – Let’s talk about Birmingham, Biden, and deception….

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Video Thread 11/13/21

 Posted by at 11:51 am  Open Thread, Politics
Nov 132021
 

Glenn Kirschner – Insurrection Defendant Gets 41 Months in Prison. But What of the Cases that are Set for Trial?

Thom Hartmann – Why Is The Judge Hiding Rittenhouse’s Ties To White Supremacy? (Shades of Zimmerman)

Rebel HQ – Crooked Judge In Kyle Rittenhouse Trial EXPOSED

PBS – Amanpour & Co – Chase and Takota Iron Eyes. Yes, this is almost 20 minutes.

RepresentUs – Limp Democracy

Cracked – If Dating Apps Were Honest

Beau – Let’s talk about a message from a small government conservative…. [This is the video which contains Beau’s method for predicting what Republicans will do.]

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Open Thread for November 13, 2021

 Posted by at 6:38 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Nov 132021
 

Yesterday, I mostly got ready for today’s drive. I also tried to collect a little extra news and videos, so Saturday’s posts may be a trifle dated.  Also yesterday, Steve Bannon was indicted by the DOJ on 2 counts of Contempt of Congress – one for not providing documents, and one for not providing testimony

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Mother Jones – The Furriest, Cleverest, and Hands-Down Cutest Way to Fight Climate Change
Quote – But it’s tricky to quantify exactly how much carbon a healthy kelp forest gobbles up. A redwood tree, for instance, grows to be massive over hundreds of years, locking away lots of carbon over long timescales. (Unless it catches on fire, in which case the carbon goes back into the atmosphere.) Things are more in flux underwater. All manner of critters, including sea urchins, are nibbling on kelp—and pooping out the carbon. Plus, the churning sea breaks off bits of the forest, which fall to the seafloor and decompose, releasing stored carbon. So a kelp forest constantly decays and grows back, sequestering and releasing carbon all the while.
Click through for story. So long I have been screaming into the wind that messing with nature when we don’t know what function everything serves is simply suicidal. This explains a lot. Just don’t get dizzy from all the twists and turns.

Kansas School District Bans Pulitzer Prize-winning Books
Quote – It’s not just Kansas. In Virginia, one school district is hard at work removing “sexual content” from their libraries. Two board members, Courtland representative Rabih Abuismail and Livingston representative Kirk Twigg, said they would like to see the removed books burned. “I think we should throw those books in a fire,” Abuismail said, and Twigg said he wants to “see the books before we burn them so we can identify within our community that we are eradicating this bad stuff.”
Click through for story, including a list to a list of 29 books from Kansas.

GOP leaders say little to condemn violent political rhetoric
Quote – The GOP’s reluctance to crack down on — or even mildly criticize — violent rhetoric in its own ranks is part of a broader pattern in which the party tries to minimize such behavior. Gosar removed the tweet aimed at Ocasio-Cortez, but the Arizona congressman and his digital director said those offended by his tweet should “relax.” Trump, meanwhile, has attempted to divert attention from the Jan. 6 violence at the U.S. Capitol by saying that last year’s Election Day was the “real insurrection.” There was no insurrection on Election Day. There was a free and fair election won by Biden.
Click through for examples. GOP condoning violence? By GOPs? Surprise, surprise!

Food for Thought –

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As Seen from Afar 11/12/2021

 Posted by at 5:53 pm  Politics
Nov 122021
 

COP26 Day 12 | It’s finally crunch time

 

Euronews Green delivers a Special COP26 email to my mailbox every day during the two weeks it is running (01-12 November 2021). I’ll publish it in its entirety for those who are interested. This is the ninth in the series.


Today’s takeaway

COP26 was due to wrap at 7pm CET today but there is still no white smoke for a final agreement as this newsletter goes to publication. If the almost 200 countries involved in the talks are unable to strike a deal this evening, it is likely COP26 will go into overtime.

A new draft decision published early this morning appeared to water down the language from the previous text calling to end all use of coal and phase out fossil fuel subsidies completely. While the change has sparked criticism from climate activists, some conceded that the draft text at least had the merit of retaining a mention to fossil fuels for the first time in decades of UN climate talks.

The draft cover deal has also retained a core request for countries to set more ambitious climate targets next year. But this request appears to use weaker language than the previous draft, saying the upgraded pledges should take into account “different national circumstances.”

On the positive side, many observers find the new text stronger on climate finance. “We’ve moved from richer nations largely ignoring the pleas of developing countries for promised finance to tackle climate change, to the start of recognition that their calls should be met,” said Greenpeace chief Jennifer Morgan.

“A small number of key issues remain which require our urgent collective attention,” said COP26 chairman Alok Sharma this afternoon as he urged “a final injection of can-do spirit” to deliver on an ambitious climate deal.

Looking ahead, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates will host the next COPs in 2022 and 2023 respectively, following announcements in Glasgow yesterday. An Egyptian official said the North African country would hold the next climate talks “on behalf of Africa.”

In case you weren’t able to follow along on Thursday, here are five key takeaways from Day 11.

At a glance

Latest draft of COP26 deal ‘waters down’ language on ending coal use

The change in wording suggests a shift away from unconditional demands that some fossil fuel exporting nations have objected to.
Read more

What is ecocide and why is it so important that we enshrine it into law?

Ecocide can literally be translated as “home-kill,” making clear its violence and absurdity. It refers to the destruction humans knowingly do to the environment, from deforestation to ocean plastic pollution. So why is it legal?
Read more

Meet the filmmaker who swapped a London flat for an off-grid boat

In the third episode of Euronews Green’s new video series Low Impact Living, we speak with adventurer and filmmaker James Levelle about being a ‘river nomad’.
Read more

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