Oct 282021
 

Yesterday, I figured I couldn’t wait any longer, and started looking for cartoons to re-use for November. To be pellucidly clear, I started, randomly, in 2013, and have just stayed with that year, and my plan is to move up thrugh time, re-using when possible, and coming up with something new if the one for a particular day is hopelessly dated (for example, there’s one about Harry Reid’s balls.) It looks like I’ll need to come up with 6 new ones in November, and three of them are in the first teo weeks. So I stated looking at history. I found events for all 6 of them. I made the first one and found pictures for the next two before I ran short on time. But that’s a good start.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

The New Yorker (Borowitz Report) – Trump Tells January 6th Panel He Has Diplomatic Immunity as Russian Official
Quote – While Trump waits to see if his claim of diplomatic immunity succeeds, he is also prepared to argue that, having once hired Rudolph Giuliani as his attorney, he would be justified in pleading insanity.
Click through. Good luck with that. (BTW, unlike many of Andy’s reports, this one is clearly satire. For it to be straight news, Trump** would have to have told the truth, and that’s imposssible.)

Oh Sh*t, Dallas Teacher Did A Critical Race Theory To The Texas Wingnuts!
Quote – There’s not the slightest hint of CRT in having students read and analyze a text; if the lesson was supposed to “indoctrinate” the students, it didn’t work, since if anything I think the kid goes a little too easy on Cato’s methods, and doesn’t seem especially bothered that the email urges district employees to report on each other — then again, that’s a common enough method of enforcing discipline among students, so perhaps the kid doesn’t know just how creepy the tactic is.
Click through for details. It would be great if this teacher could be cloned and placed in every high school in t America. Teaching critical thinking skills “has not been tried and found wanting, but has been found difficult and left untried” (G. K. Chesterton) for a long time. This shows it can be done. I particularly like SPACECATS.

How commercialization over the centuries transformed the Day of the Dead
Quote – In 2019, I talked to a grandmother building a Day of the Dead ofrenda, an altar with offerings for her family’s dearly departed that included candles, food, flowers, and festive decorations. For years she’d tried to get her grandchildren to help her erect the altar for their ancestors, to no avail. It wasn’t until they watched Disney’s “Coco” and saw sugar skulls at Target that they took interest in the holiday. Now they eagerly help their grandmother build the altar. Commercialization is and has been transforming Day of the Dead. But, from what I’ve seen, it’s also giving a new generation a chance to be proud of their culture.
Click through for story. It’s a good point. Also, a pet peeve pf mine is that people criticizing advertising for a holiday too early don’t cut purveyors of craft materials and supplies any slack. If I am going to make a hiliday gift, a week before is not enough time. If I am making several, so much more so. There are 99 (at least) things to criticize Hobby Lobby about, but advertising Christmas too early is not one of them.

Signature-worthy IMO:
Bill Pascrell and Elizabeth Warren are looking for co-sponsors to nail Trump** et al.
https://action.billpascrell.com/crimes/?source=211026_bp_crimes_b1&link_id=1&can_id=dd94559fa9486ce8a4824766af6a024f&email_referrer=email_1336070&email_subject=will-you-sign-on-as-an-official-citizen-cosponsor-of-my-political-crimes-act-with-sen-warren-to-hold-donald-trump-accountable
I can’t shorten it or it won’t get you there, sorry. After you sign you’ll be asked for a contribution but it isn’t necessary.

Food for Thought –

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Oct 272021
 

Glenn Kirschner – Rolling Stone Article: Members of Congress Assisted Insurrection Organizers; Gosar Dangles Pardons

Meidas Touch – Terry McAuliffe calls Glenn Youngkin ‘Trump in Khakis’

The Lincoln Project – What’s on the Ballot?

Armageddon Update – Vaccine Mandate

PBS – GOP lawmakers were ‘intimately involved’ in Jan. 6 protest planning, new report shows. So nice to see PBS getting into this.

MSNBC – Congressman Reacts To Latest Draft Of Biden’s Social Spending Plan

Beau – Let’s talk about Trump, Cowboys, Rolling Stone, and a bumpy ride….

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Oct 222021
 

Glenn Kirschner – Bannon is Poised to be the “Target” of a Grand Jury Investigation; Trump Poised to be a “Subject”

Meidas Touch – Matthew Dowd: Democrats are the ONLY party that supports democracy

The Lincoln Project – Last Week in the Republican Party

MSNBC – Charlie Sykes: Understand The GOP Is Setting Itself Up For Restoration To Power. This is late, but it’s a good review and a good discussion

Really American – Trump Again Claims He Doesn’t Like To Be Peed On

City News – Heroic effort by international students saves lives of two hikers in B.C. A Sikh’s turban is both a religious symbol and a part of his identity. This is sort of as if you or I had taken all our clothes off to make that rope. I am so impressed – awed, really.

Beau – Let’s talk about Mayor Pete messing up the supply chain….

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Oct 202021
 

Glenn Kirschner – The Late Colin Powell: From WMD’s to Secretary of State to Announcing “Trump is a Liar”. (Glenn and I believe much the same about him; I’m just a trifle more outspoken because I’m not a public figure.)

MSNBC – Trump Goes Under Oath For First Time Since His Presidency

Thom Hartmann – He Refused Vaccine Only For COVID Complications To Ruin His Life

Ring of Fire – Big Trouble For Matt Gaetz As Judge Postpones His ‘Wingman’s’ Sentencing

Armageddon Update – Layer upon Layer –

Really American – Lauren Boebert: Dangerously Dumb

Beau – Let’s talk about a crashed tractor and unskilled labor…..

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Oct 192021
 

Yesterday, I did sleep in,and I feel much more rested. I hope I can translate that into fewer typos – or at the very least, more easily interpreted typos. We shall see.

Cartoon – Another prescient one from 2013

Short Takes –

Crooks and Liars – Oath Keepers’ Jan. 6 Trial Delayed Because Evidence Keeps Rolling In
Quote – The federal judge overseeing the Oath Keepers conspiracy case in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection ordered their trial delayed this week, primarily because of the overwhelming amount of evidence still being produced in their cases. Though the delay was expected, its reasons are stark reminders that Jan. 6 will be one of the most complex prosecutions in history and that the investigation remains very active as more evidence piles up. There are likely some very big shoes still to drop.
Click through for examples and more explanation. I know it’s tough. We don’t hear much if at all about people being impatient and frustrated about Al Capone … but if there had been an internet and social media then, I’ll bet we would have.

Buzzfeed – “DANGER WARNING”: WOMEN SAY MADISON CAWTHORN HARASSED THEM IN COLLEGE
Quote – BuzzFeed News spoke with more than three dozen people, including more than two dozen former students, their friends, and their relatives, who described or corroborated instances of sexual harassment and misconduct on campus, in Cawthorn’s car, and at his house near campus. Four women told BuzzFeed News that Cawthorn, now a rising Republican star, was aggressive, misogynistic, or predatory toward them. Their allegations include calling them derogatory names in public in front of their peers, including calling one woman “slutty,” asking them inappropriate questions about their sex lives, grabbing their thighs, forcing them to sit in his lap, and kissing and touching them without their consent.
Click through for story. Like other Republican politicians, this dude is a real piece of work.

Yes, Colin Powell Was Fully Vaccinated. He Was Also Seriously Immunocompromised.
Quote – Here’s another bit of nuance that I haven’t seen anyone really talking about but seems the most significant: The reason Colin Powell died of COVID-19 is that he caught it—which meant that it was still circulating among people he had contact with. This point may seem obvious, but too often we forget that one of the greatest risk factors for contracting COVID-19 is community spread. The more people around you who have the disease, the more likely you are to catch it.
Click through for some truth. I saw one meme or tweet which said “Colin Powell did not die because he was vaccinated. He died because you weren’t.”

Food for Thought –

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Oct 152021
 

Glenn Kirschner – Bannon to Appear Before Congress on 10/14. When he doesn’t show, Congress Should Use Contempt x 2

The Lincoln Project – Last Week in the Republican Party

MSNBC – Original Victims Of Havana Syndrome Reveal Identifies, Describe ‘Painful Symptoms’

Really American – I wanted to put this up yesterday, but it was age restricted. I hope that hasn’t happened again.

Liberal Redneck – Making Fun of Madison Cawthorn (Excerpt)

Lonely Baby Rhino Starts Wrestling With A Goat

Beau – Let’s talk about the new Superman and the supermad….

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Oct 142021
 

Glenn Kirschner – Rep. Adam Schiff’s Promise To Refer Contemptuous Witnesses to the DOJ for Criminal Prosecution

The Lincoln Project – Glenn Will Not Replace Us

Ring of Fire – Trump Loving Grifters Lin Wood And Marjorie Taylor Greene Feud Over Who’s More Corrupt… You can’t make this stuff up.

Thom Hartmann – Are Republicans The Most Mediocre People In The World? Personally, I think “mediocre” is a compliment for most.

Robert Reich – Meet the Democrats Keeping Your Drug Prices High

New Jersey – OK, I laughed.

Beau – Let’s talk about how to take criticism….

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Oct 132021
 

Glenn Kirschner – Reason for Optimism: Biden Rejects Trump’s Executive Privilege Claim, Trump “Subverted” Constitution

The Lincoln Project – Not for Sale –

Ring of Fire – MyPillow CEO Says He’s Found People 850 Years Old Who Voted In 2020 Election

Robert Reich has emailed a free link to his documentary “Inequality for All.” It’s over an hour and a half, but apparently it’s normally PPV (and actually have times when I want to turn off hte rdio for an hour or more and want something else to listen to or watch.) Here it is if anyone wants to save it.
https://tubitv.com/movies/587315/inequality-for-all

MSNBC – Republican Threat To Wisconsin Elections No Laughing Matter

Puppet Regime – COVID Family Reputation on the Brink

Beau – Let’s talk about Biden’s monumental move….

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