Sep 032021
 

Yesterday, I was a little drowsy, having not slept well. As long as i could manage to do what I needed to do, I welcomed that – hoping it would help me get to sleep early last night, which I needed to do in order to get up so early today. By the time you see this (which should be fairly early), I will already be on the road. I’ll respond to comments when I return.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

The Hill – Federal judge approves bankruptcy settlement for Purdue Pharma
Quote – Purdue, the maker of OxyContin, filed for bankruptcy in 2019 in an attempt to settle about 3,000 lawsuits from states, tribes and other local entities related to the company’s aggressive opioid marketing that they argue contributed to the opioid crisis that has killed nearly 500,000 people over the past 20 years. The settlement plan would shield members of the Sackler family and hundreds of their associates from future opioid lawsuits.
Click through for details. “Controversial” apparently in this case (as too often) being a euphemism for “outrageous.” I will say it sounds like the judge was holding his nose when he signed it.

Crooks and Liars – Even Karl Rove Is Bashing Madison Cawthorn
Quote – Rove wants the Congressman to focus more on Western North Carolina and less on traveling around the country. If it’s his own money then that would be fine, but he’s using his donors’ money to fund his trips around the country to focus on grievance politics. He’s already burnt through much of his coffers at this point.
Click through for a little more detail. His primary opponent is hitting this hard against him. But … look at all the people who voted for Mr. “Not paying taxes makes me smart.” Sigh.

New York Times – Go-to Lawyer for Capitol Riot Defendants Disappears   (Following up)
Quote – While the government has not yet weighed in on the merits on [Pierce’s] claims, prosecutors did express concern in their letters filed on Monday about the young associate, Ryan Joseph Marshall, who has been standing in for Mr. Pierce at the hearings he has missed. For one thing, Mr. Marshall is not a licensed lawyer, prosecutors said, and has taken actions on behalf of clients “that he is not permitted” to take. Moreover, they went on, it remains unclear if and when Mr. Marshall will be able to get his law license given that he is under indictment in two criminal cases accusing him of corruption, theft and fraud in Pennsylvania. Mr. Pierce’s situation is not his first encounter with personal and professional setbacks. Last year, his law firm nearly collapsed in a swirl of debts and resignations. Then his most prominent client, Kyle Rittenhouse, the young man charged with murder at a racial justice protest in Wisconsin last year, fired him in a highly public spat that included allegations that a charity arranged for the defense had engaged in financial improprieties.
Click through for a lot of information. I really hope y’all can get past the paywall. This is so much more bizarre than any secondary source has yet published.

Food for Thought –

Addendum:  The dude who assaulted the reporter has been nabbed.

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Aug 282021
 

Glenn Kirschner – Florida Judge Rules Gov. Ron DeSantis CAN NOT Stop Schools From Requiring Masks to Protect Children

Don Winslow Films – #TheTruthAboutIvanka

Meidas Touch – Texas Democrat: Greg Abbott is a Psychopathic Murderer

The Lincoln Project – Pro-Life

Really American – Republicans Taking Horse De-Wormers

Trump’s the Disease That Keeps on Spreading, by Mangy Fetlocks

Al Franken on The Only Former U.S. Senator on Tour Tour (Yes, it’s a promo. But he’s funny.

Let’s talk about civilians, equipment, troops in that order….

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Aug 282021
 

Yesterday, I mostly rested. And thought. And crocheted some. I do have a small tip to share – if you are looking for a product and want to order online, either because of CoViD or any other reason, and would really rather not give money to amazon, consider Chewy. Yes, they’re for pets. But there are products which are needed or useful for pet care but which also have household uses completely unrelated to pets. Like, for instance, a “rug rake.” I am the only one who is shedding around here – but the rug rake I got from them is great and came fast. Other things too – cleaning items – you might be surprised. And they are the customer service polar opposite of amazon. I’ve heard stories of their going above and beyond what anyone might think of, let alone expect – like refunding for an automatic delivery upon the death of a pet -and then also sending flowers! They aren’t going to stock everything under the sun … but what they do stock can be surprising.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Dem Underground – Just click through (NSFW)
This could help get male MAGAts vaccinated with Pfizer – eat your heart out, Moderna and J&J!

The Hill – Supreme Court blocks Biden’s eviction moratorium
Quote – Some 15 million people are currently behind on rent in the U.S., according to one recent estimate, though it was not immediately clear how many tenants could be placed at greater risk of eviction as a result of the court’s move. A patchwork of state and local eviction freezes were unaffected by Thursday’s ruling…. The measure aimed in part to provide an additional layer of protection while emergency federal rental aid made its way to tenants. But the Treasury Department on Wednesday said only some $5 billion of the roughly $46 billion allocated for emergency rental aid had been distributed by state governments.
Click through for more. What I think pisses me off the most is that the moratorium might not even be necessary if the states government would get off their posteriors and distribute the over $40 BILLION on rental aid which they are still sitting on.

Wonkette – Texas’s Law Against Critical Race Theory Is Why Kids In One District Can’t Have Nice Things
Quote – Texas’s dumb law forbidding the teaching of “critical race theory” has led the school district in McKinney, Texas, to eliminate a popular elective program that gave students the chance to participate in a mock legislature and learn how bills are written. The district’s Youth and Government program had been a matter of pride for the schools, touted by the district as a “perennial standout” in its middle and high schools. But an attorney for the district advised that the program might fall afoul of the new law, House Bill 3979, which will go into effect September 1. Beyond banning anything that might make white parents uncomfortable about America’s history, HB 3979 also bars classes that require “political activism” or awarding grades or course credit for any classes “involving social or public policy advocacy,” and puts strict limits on classroom discussion of current events, requiring that “both” sides of any issue be presented equally and “fairly.” That must make science classes a load of fun, too.
Click through for story. Look, I’m not trying to dog on Texas (or Florida or Missouri or Alamaba or any other state where readers live). But some things really can’t be ignored. Or shouldn’t.

Food for Thought –

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Aug 162021
 

Yesterday I was pretty well behind with everything. I did learn that Mitch got back from his trip safely, but he now cannot get in to PP. So it may be a while before we hear from him. But he’s fine. Does anyone else here know anything about Apple/Mac systems and Safari? If so, would you consider allowing me to send your email to Mitch? If you aren’t getting my emails weekly, the “Contact me” link under “Other Links” on the bottom right, second to last section, above “WordPress.org links, now comes to me. If your email client is not set to pop up, right-click on it, select “copy email address,” and then paste it into your address line. I don’t swear that will work in every browser, but hopefully it will. If it doesn’t, you could leae a comment and let me know it’s OK – you don’t have to put your address in the comment, as WordPress will record your email in a place that only Administrators can see.

Cartoon –

There’s a typo in it – it was 11 seconds, not 0.11.

Short Takes –

Democratic Underground – Mary Trump: the most cogent description ever of our current peril as a democracy
Quote – McConnell is the greatest traitor to this country since Robert E. Lee (with the difference that McConnell has been trying to take our country down from within). He has always been expert at using existing rules and procedures in ways they weren’t intended to be used, and yet—whether it was denying Merrick Garland a hearing, pushing through Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation, or ending the filibuster as it applied to Supreme Court nominees but employing it to block legislation that would expand voting rights—his anti-democratic maneuvers have been performed within the bounds of the system.
Click through for the rest, and then, if you like, click through again to the meta-source.

PolitiZoom – WATCH: COVID ‘Shedding’ Theory Is More Deranged Than You Can Possibly Imagine
Quote – It is astonishing to me that as a species we have done remarkable things like send mankind into outer space. We’ve built technological marvels. We’ve extended life expectancy and the quality of life with surgical procedures and medicinal interventions of one kind or another. We’ve invented communication devices and transportation that were beyond imagining a century ago. Yet despite all that, there are people who listen to this level of ignorant witchcraft fear mongering and believe it to be true. “Don’t go near the vaccinated. They’ll contaminate you. They’ll shed on you.” Shed how? Hair, skin, cooties? Frankly, I’d rather listen to tales of witchcraft and sorcery than this non-intellectual make believe hooey.
Click through for story. I could go on quite a rant here, but I’ll restrain myself.

Washington Examiner – Rachel Maddow reports sign of life in Georgia criminal investigation of Trump 2020 election efforts
Quote – Prosecutors began the investigation in February, following Trump’s call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, in which he asked the official to “find” the 11,780 votes sufficient to reverse his loss. Maddow told her audience on Friday that she had an “exclusive” with new information regarding a top official at the Justice Department that will help the process move forward.
Click through for story, and then through again to Maddow Blog if you like.

Food for Thought –

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Aug 152021
 

Glenn Kirschner – AG Rosen Tells Senators Trump was “Persistent” in Pressuring DOJ Officials to Overturn Election

Armageddon Update – 8 Years of Perfect – Aaaaaaaw.

politicsrus – Reinstatement Day HD

Now This News – Joe Biden Addresses Anti-Maskers Threatening Health Care Workers

Robert Reich – The Media Bias Nobody is Talking About

Founders Sing – YOU’RE ALL A BUNCHA SUCKERS

Beau – Let’s talk about Trump, Crystal Lake, and coming back…. Obviously this is from Friday … but it’s not getting old any time soon.

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Jul 312021
 

Glenn Kirschner – Trump Tells DOJ Officials to Lie About the Election Results & He “Will Take Care of the Rest”

Meidas Touch – The GOP’s BIGGEST FRAUD Revealed!

Crooks and Liars – Since General Honoré’s earlier vid got age-restricted before all could see it, here’s this one. It’s not exactly the same, but it’s something.

Robert Reich – What’s the Real Reason Democrats Won’t Protect Democracy? IMO it really isn’t fair to fault a President – even a Republican President – for not doing something that only Congress can do. (Faulting a Presidential candidate for promising something that only Congress can do is defiitely on the table, though.)

Armageddon Update: Delta Blues (The CC is in Dutch, god knows why – and I didn’t even try to change it this time.)

politicsrus – Opening Gambit HD

Beau – Let’s talk about executive privilege and Trump….

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Jul 192021
 

Glenn Kirschner appears to have taken a day off – and heaven knows he’s entitled.

Meidas Touch – Here’s Why Republicans are KILLING Their Voters

Pro-Trump, Profanity-laced Signs Cause Problems In Roselle Park. And to think, the family’s name is actually “Dick.” You can’t make this stuff up.

Corey Ryan Forrester – John Jacob Johnson Jr: Walker County Texas Ranger

1. Grumpy Street Cat (Grandpa Mason) LOVES Being A Grandpa To Foster Kittens

2. For Grandpa Mason, on his 3rd gotchaversary (hanky alert)

Beau – Let’s talk about Tucker Carlson, Dietrich, and June….

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Jul 182021
 

Glenn Kirschner – With Donald Trump It’s Always About the Grift: His Latest Plea for Cash from the Red Hat Crowd

Meidas Touch – Jenna Ellis HUMILIATES Herself | Weirdo of the Week

Thom Hartmann – Is This America’s Last Chance At Multiracial Democracy?

RepresentUs – What the F@#k Is the Filibuster? Everyone here knows this, but passing it on could help someone – maybe.

Puppet Regime – Jeff Bezos Has a Solution for Work-Life Balance

Republican Accountability Project on Twitter

Liberal Redneck – PREGNANT MAN EMOJIS AND FREEDOM PHONES YALL I haven’t seen the emoji, but the phone … well, here.

Beau – Let’s talk about Trump’s coup denial….

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