Open Thread – 12/12/2020

Posted by TomCat at 11:37 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 122020

It’s another sore day here in the CatBox, but better today than yesterday. I plan to be in the saddle tomorrow, but Sunday is often a slow news day. Time will tell. It’s also a holy day in the Church of the Ellipsoid Orb. My Broncos are playing the Panthers, but the game won’t be televised here. Have a fine weekend.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:24 (average 5:48). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

They would again, if they had the slightest excuse.

Short Takes:

From Daily Kos: After World War II, Germany was subject to a round of de-Nazification. When Saddam Hussein was routed, Iraq underwent de-Bathefication. When Joe Biden moves into the White House, there’s no doubt the whole government is going to need a serious round of de-Trumpification to clear the lobbyists, zealots, and simple incompetents that Donald Trump has spread around federal agencies. But before any of that can happen, Biden is calling in the cleaners to scrape away the heavy coating of Trump-shed coronavirus.

As Politico reports, the General Services Administration (GSA) is bringing in a private contractor once Trump has been escorted off the premises. The specialist will go over every surface in both the East and West Wing. The plan is to “thoroughly clean and disinfect” everything from doorknobs to desks before anyone on the Biden team has to touch them. The GSA will also bring in a commercial mister to kill viruses in the air and on fabrics. It is not known whether this will remove the odor of Filet O’ Fish or clean up orange stains that could be either nacho cheese or excess “bronzer.”

I’m having a triple size helping of my infamous green-cloud chili, normally used for fumigating the Sasquatch. I will allow federal staff to compress several clouds for use in fumigating the White House. RESIST!!

From Crooks and Liars: Suddenly Rush Limbaugh doubts two different outlooks can exist in the same country while ignoring that he has stoked the fires of hate and division for decades. In the end stages of lung cancer, not only does Rush argue this dishonest point, but he also argues for secession. We just can’t all get along anymore.

Here’s where it begins (transcript courtesy of Media Matters):

I thought you were asking me something else when you said, “Can we win?” I thought you meant, “Can we win the culture, can we dominate the culture.” I actually think — and I’ve referenced this, I’ve alluded to this a couple of times because I’ve seen others allude to this — I actually think that we’re trending toward secession. I see more and more people asking what in the world do we have in common with the people who live in, say, New York? What is there that makes us believe that there is enough of us there to even have a chance at winning New York? Especially if you’re talking about votes.

For 240 years or so we’ve had plenty in common with one another, or at least we DID until the likes of Rush Limbaugh came along and began pointing fingers at “The Other.” Then suddenly it’s time to secede because God knows we couldn’t get along with New Yorkers.

LimBarf Bag Alert!!

Actually, secession might not bad idea. Remove everything of value from a few acres of wasteland somewhere, build a wall around it, call it the Confederated National Socialist State of Bullshitania and let Rush Limbarf be the pied puker to draw the Republicans in. RESIST!!

From YouTube (Liberal Redneck Channel): Buttercream Dream / Liberal Redneck MASHUP

Trump is a symptom. How many times have you seen me say that? On a scale of one (low) to ten (high), give Trey a fifty for this one! RESIST!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Supreme Court Derails Trump Legal Fight And FDA Clears Vaccine

These are the two biggest stories of the weekend. I only wish we would get rid of Trump’s* Republican plague as well as we seem to be succeeding in getting rid of Trump*! RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast of Christmas): O Holy Night (1968 Version)

This is my favorite carol. In my younger days, our choral group did a medley of carols in which each of us sung one as a solo. This was mine. Ah… the memories! HUGS!!

38 Days Until the Big FLUSH!!

Video Thread 12/11/2020

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 1:35 pm Open Thread, Politics

Dec 112020

Georgia – Jon Ossoff – Breaks my heart, but MUST be said.

Meidas Touch – getting a little giddy – but I love it (full screen to read captions)

Chris Hayes – Very clearly stated and supported. Not really anything we don’t know, but it needs to be said.

Dr. Fauci – Please not he is not willing to go farther than “some degree of normality that is close to where we were” by the end of next year if 75-80% of the population is vaccinated. IF.

Henri – Cat Litterature [sic]

Beau – Texas. I think he’s wrong about Trump supporters as a group. Some will, yes. Not all. Probably not even a majority.

Let all mortal flesh keep silence (Greek) Yesterday’s was so fun and silly, today’s is more serious.

Keith is running so late now I think I’ll always be a day late. But he doesn’t get old, so…

Open Thread – 12/11/2020

Posted by TomCat at 11:06 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 112020

It’s a painful day here in the CatBox. I overdid it yesterday when pitting groceries away. WWWendy is coming late this afternoon. I will be in the saddle tomorrow. To give you a heads up, next week will be gruesome. Happy Hanukkah! Thank God it’s Friday!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:36 (average 7:51). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From The New Yorker: A furious Donald J. Trump attempted to fire the Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, sources report.

According to the sources, Trump was so irate about the Supreme Court’s dismissal of his election challenge on Tuesday that he phoned Barrett directly to inform her that she was “history.”

“I hired you to get a job done, and you didn’t get it done,” Trump angrily informed Barrett. “You’re out of here.”

Sources say that Barrett had the unenviable task of informing Trump that Supreme Court Justices are appointed for life and therefore cannot be fired, a revelation that left Trump “flabbergasted.”

Dang, Andy! I thought this was satire, until the part that Trump* didn’t know that it’s a lifetime appointment before Injustice Amy Coney Bullshit told him. Now I believe it. RESIST!!

From Alternet: Rep. David Byrd (R-TN) made a post on Facebook [Fakebook delinked] this Thursday saying that he may be soon placed on a ventilator due to coronavirus, and asked people to pray for him.

“I really need a miracle today!!” Byrd wrote Thursday. “My doctor said if my oxygen level doesn’t improve then he has no choice but to put me on a ventilator. So please pray that God will breathe His healing spirit into my lungs!!”

Byrd was flown by helicopter from Wayne County Hospital to St. Thomas in Nashville, where he still remains. According to the Tennessean, he was among the nearly 70 House Republicans who attended a caucus meeting held in the House chamber on November 24. A week and a half later, he was hospitalized with the virus. Reports say he was seen on the House floor without a mask. Just days before, he hosted a dinner for dozens of his fellow caucus members at a restaurant.

I’ll tell you what infuriates me. Because he’s a Republican pseudo-Christian Nazi who helped his Fuhrer spread Trump* virus to dozens (if not hundreds) of innocents, he will get special drugs and special treatment not available to those who deserve it. That is so sick! RESIST!!

From Daily Kos: After the Electoral College presumably votes Monday to affirm Joe Biden’s win, some Republican senators are reportedly preparing to acknowledge the de facto truth that never should have been in question: Donald Trump lost fair and square.

Many Senate Republicans have viewed the Dec. 14 vote both literally and figuratively speaking as the moment of truth, according to CNN. After electors in state capitals across the country finalize the certified results, those same Republicans are realizing they may have to actually part ways with their whiny, rage-y, delusional Dear Leader.

Now that’s a shit storm I can’t wait to see! RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast of Christmas): Bing Crosby – Silent Night

As a small child, this is the first carol I ever learned. Ah… the memories! HUGS!!

39 Days Until the Big FLUSH!!

Open Thread – 12/10/2020

Posted by TomCat at 11:12 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 102020

It’s a busy day here in the CatBox. Store to Door will be coming to deliver groceries. When they do, I have to unpack and put them away. Tomorrow is a WWWendy day, but I’ll be in the saddle. She won’t be here until late afternoon. I hope you have a fine day and enjoy the joke below.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:48 (average 12:14). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

A Joke from Mitch: (Ours, not BBMM)

Have you ever wondered who first uttered the phrase,

“You Gotta Be Shittin’ Me?”

Well, it just so happens to have originated through the Father of America , way back when George Washington was crossing the Delaware river with his troops.

There were 33 (remember this number) in Washington’s boat. It was extremely dark and storming furiously and the water was tossing them about.

Finally, Washington grabbed Corporal Peters (remember this name) and stationed him at the front of the boat with a lantern. He ordered him to keep swinging it, so they could see where they were heading.

Corporal Peters, through driving rain and cold, continued swinging the lantern back and forth, back and forth.

Then a big gust of wind and a wave hit and threw Corporal Peters and his lantern into the Delaware. Washington and his troops searched for nearly an hour trying to find Corporal Peters, but to no avail. All of them felt terrible, for the Corporal had been one of their favorites.

Sometime later, Washington and his troops landed on the other side, wet and totally exhausted. He rallied the troops and told them that they must go on. Another hour later, one of his men said, ‘General, I see lights ahead.’ They trudged toward the lights and came upon a huge house.

What they didn’t know was that this was a house of ill repute, hidden in the forest to serve all who came.

General Washington pounded on the door, his men crowding around him. The door swung open, and much to his surprise there stood a beautiful woman..

A huge smile came across her face, to see so many men standing there.

Washington was the first to speak, ‘Madam, I am General George Washington and these are my men. We are tired, wet, exhausted, and desperately need warmth and comfort.’

Again, the Madam looked at all the men standing there, and with a broad smile on her face, said, ‘Well, General, you have come to the right place. We can surely give you warmth and comfort. How many men do you have?’

Washington replied, ‘Well, Madam, there are 32 of us without Peters .’

And the Madam said, ‘You gotta be shittin’ me!’

Short Takes:

From Daily Kos: Remember the experiment monoclonal antibody that Donald Trump received during his own bout with the novel coronavirus? Trump promised to make that treatment free for every American. But despite Trump repeating that claim several times, the government has actually only ordered 300,000 doses—not enough to administer to the Americans who come down with COVID-19 on any two days of the last month. Also it’s still not free. Actually, it’s still not even available.

On an all-too-similar note, when Pfizer first announced the results of Phase 3 trials of their coronavirus vaccine in mid November, Trump was quick to proclaim this a win for “Operation Warp Speed” and to insist the vaccine would be available before the end of the month. But all of that is just another round of Trump’s claims, not the truth. The truth is Pfizer was not part of Operation Warp Speed. And when the United States had an opportunity to put in a big order for their vaccine … Trump passed. Other nations didn’t. As a result, it will be at least June before one of the two most successful vaccines so far is widely available.

I bet Trump* was seeking against Pfizer for refusing to give him a free lifetime supply of Republicans’ favorite party drug. RESIST!!

From Crooks and Liars: Jenna Ellis, an attorney for Donald Trump, on Monday explained that she had religious reasons for trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

During an interview on Fox Business, Ellis was asked how she maintains a positive attitude amid setbacks in court and Rudy Giuliani’s COVID-19 diagnosis.

Barf Bag Alert!!

Actually, her god is Republican Supply-side Jesus, the exact opposite of the real Jesus. Republicans invented Republican Supply-side Jesus to justify their National Socialist gospel of hate, lies, greed, and lust for power. RESIST!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): 17 States Say Texas Should Decide Swing States’ Elections

This has to be one of the most absurd scams yet. When even Cornhole Cornyn says it’s BS, it won’t get any worse. I don’t think even Injustice Amy Coney Bullshit will back this. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast of Christmas): Ring Christmas Bells

I’ve always loved the harmony and syncopation this song offers. May more bells of joy and celebration ring all over the world in 40 days! HUGS!!

40 Days Until the Big FLUSH!!

Video Thread 12/9/2020

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 1:13 pm Open Thread, Politics

Dec 092020

GEORGIA -American Bridge – one each.

Meidas Touch – a Lady GaGa parody for Dr. Fauci.

Now This News – GEORGIA

Really American – GEORGIA

The Lincoln Project

Trumpty Dumpty Cycle Episode 5

Keith – from yesterday – late (but has CC)

Open Thread – 12/9/2020

Posted by TomCat at 10:56 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 092020

It’s a lazy day here in the CatBox. I did my research and rested for an hour and a half for my back. Tomorrow I’ll be in the saddle, but it will be a grocery delivery day. Happy Hump Day!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:32 (average 5:51). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From Crooks and Liars: Dr. Rebekah Jones built her own COVID-19 dashboard to track Florida infections and deaths after being fired for accurately reporting that data as part of her job with the state.

Since then, she’s been reporting COVID stats on her own from her own hardware in her own home. Until today. (WARNING: The video in her first tweet is triggering):

1/
There will be no update today.

At 8:30 am this morning, state police came into my house and took all my hardware and tech.

They were serving a warrant on my computer after DOH filed a complaint.

They pointed a gun in my face. They pointed guns at my kids.. pic.twitter.com/DE2QfOmtPU

— Rebekah Jones (@GeoRebekah) December 7, 2020

She is guilty of truth-telling. If the Republican Reich is not destroyed, they will continue to fight to make opposition to Republican lies a capital offense. RESIST!!

From NPR: The federal government on Monday released detailed hospital-level data showing the toll COVID-19 is taking on health care facilities, including how many inpatient and ICU beds are available on a weekly basis.

Using an analysis from the University of Minnesota’s COVID-19 Hospitalization Tracking Project, NPR has created a tool that allows you to see how your local hospital and your county overall are faring. (Jump to look-up tool.)

It focuses on one important metric — how many beds are filled with COVID-19 patients — and shows this for each hospital and on average for each county.

This is a handy tool. Click “(Jump to look-up tool.)” above to use it. RESIST!!

From YouTube (Robert Reich Channel): The Biden Administration: Who Will Hold the Power?

Of course the Reich on the left, Robert Reich, is right, and in this case, most informative! RESIST!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Chris Hayes: The Rot Won’t Go Away With Trump

Of course you know that I’ve been saying this for years. Trump is not the cause of the National Socialism in the Republican Reich. He is the reflection of it. They are turning on him now, because he is a scapegoat to blame for who they are and what they have done. The only you to make the rot go away is to destroy the Republican Party. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast of Christmas): Nat King Cole – Away in a Manger

I pray this season brings peace and beauty to you and yours whether or not you celebrate Christmas. HUGS!!

41 Days Until the Big FLUSH!!

Open Thread – 12/7/2020

Posted by TomCat at 10:39 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 072020

It’s a comparatively lazy day here in the CatBox. Tomorrow, please expect no more than a Personal Update, because WWWendy is coming in the morning to destink the TomCat, cook, and do chores. Oh God, it’s Monday!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:31 (average 5:40). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Religious Agony:

The Broncos played a hell of a game, but I have to admit that, having watched pro ball since the 1950s, the Chiefs today are the best team I have ever seen. Beware of Nameless. We may see some swollen head syndrome.

Short Takes:

From Crooks and Liars: Well, it looks like COVID has yet another trick up it’s sleeve: Long term erectile dysfunction. Yes, that pesky problem that men take little blue pills for to allow them to continue … you know, having sex. Well, it looks like COVID causes vascular problems that are now being shown to cause ED! Even “mild” cases of COVID are causing this issue.

So your cousin/coworker/GOP politician who says “it was just like a little cold” may actually be wrong.

Hmm….. Is this sufficient cause to tell Republicans to attend super-spreader events without masks? RESIST!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Why Trump’s Imprint On The GOP Is Likely To Remain

Considering the influence criminal Fuhrer Trump* will have on the future Republican Reich is a premier reason that the demise on the Republican Reich is imperative. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast of Christmas): Mary’s Boy Child