Open Thread–3/14/2020

Posted by TomCat at 11:31 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Mar 142020

It’s a busy day here in the CatBox. The pain in my back is so severe today that I just broke down and took an oxycodone. I hope it kicks-in quickly. Tomorrow is a WWWendy day, so please expect no more than a Personal Update or Open Thread from me. We have a lot of goop-prep to do in addition to de-stinking the TomCat. It snowed this morning. It wasn’t much but it was the only this year. Later: it’s snowing again!

0314Snow

Have a great weekend!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:35 (average 5:38). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Trump Virus Update:

0314TrumpVirus

0314TrumpVirusTesting

Short Takes:

From The Hill: One model from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggested that between 160 million and 210 million Americans could contract the disease over as long as a year. Based on mortality data and current hospital capacity, the number of deaths under the CDC’s scenarios ranged from 200,000 to as many as 1.7 million.

It found as many as 21 million people might need hospitalization, a daunting figure in a nation with just about 925,000 hospital beds…

…Another model built by experts at Resolve to Save Lives, a global health nonprofit, and the Council on Foreign Relations found the number of potential deaths could range from as few as 163,500, if the virus is no more deadly than seasonal influenza, to more than 1.6 million if the virus carries a mortality rate of just 1 percent.

Basically this mean that, thanks to Republicans’ inadequate response, due to their lust for power, somewhere between 163,000 and 1,700,000 Americans are likely to be murdered by Trump* Virus and the Republican Party. RESIST!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Infection Rate Charts Forecast Steep Rise In US Coronavirus Cases

Jack Ma is also giving the US 500,000 test kits. He’s doing this in spite of the anti-Chinese racist rants coming from criminal Fuhrer Trump*, Faux Noise and the Republican Reich. Kudos to Jack for helping us. “Without testing you are blind,” Ho says, but the Republican party intentionally sabotaged our ability to test to “keep our numbers low” At least FEMA is in charge, because Trump* finally declared a national emergency. But will Trump* appoint Michael “Heck of a job, Brownie” Brown to head FEMA again? RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): ROY ORBISON – CRYING – LIVE 1988

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Open Thread–3/13/2020

Posted by TomCat at 11:02 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Mar 132020

It’s a busy day here in the CatBox, as back pain is slowing me down a bit. WWWendy is back to Sunday, as the Trump* virus is shutting down her school. Throw some salt over your shoulder, and stay away from Republicans. They bring bad luck! TGIF!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:10 (average 6:23). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Trump* Virus Update:

0313TrumpVirus

This does not include the thousands of Americans that have Trump* virus, but can’t get tested.

Short Takes:

From NY Times: First came the tickle in the throat. Then, a hacking cough. Then, a shortness of breath she had never experienced before. Hillary King, a 32-year-old consultant in Boston who lives down the street from a hotel where dozens of Biogen executives contracted the new coronavirus, decided that she had better get tested.

But getting tested is far easier said than done, even as testing slowly ramps up nationwide. Five days after President Trump announced that anyone who wants a test can get a test, Ms. King’s experience shows how difficult it can be in the United States to find out if you have the coronavirus.

Many who fear they have the virus have faced one roadblock after another as they try to get tested, according to interviews with dozens of people across the country.

Some have been rejected because they had no symptoms, even though they had been in proximity to someone who tested positive. Others were told no because they had not traveled to a hot spot abroad, even though they had fevers and hacking coughs and lived in cities with growing outbreaks. Still others were told a bitter truth: There simply were not enough tests to go around. [emphasis added]

This is exactly what I said yesterday. In spite of lies from the same Republicans, who turned down FREE tests from the WHO, there are far fewer tests than there is need. People are sickening and dying, because of Republican incompetence. RESIST!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): How A Country Serious About Coronavirus Does Testing And Quarantine

The Fuhrer of the Fifth Reich is handling the Trump* virus pandemic as well as the Fuhrer of the Fourth Reich handled Katrina. Republican incompetence kills! RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Righteous Brothers – You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ (Top Gun 1986)

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Open Thread–3/12/2020

Posted by TomCat at 10:59 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Mar 122020

It’s a busy day, here in the CatBox. I haven’t lost a meal since Tuesday, and Propanol has managed my back pain to a 2-3 level so far this morning. Store to door is delivering groceries this afternoon, and I’ll need to put them away. I am quite tired, though, because I ate late and got to bed late. WWWendy is flying to Iowa for a few days to see a boyfriend. I’m trying to talk her out of it. If she goes, she’ll be coming this Saturday and next Tuesday. Have a great day.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:24 (average 5:26). To do it, click here. Not edible. How did you do?

Cartoon:

I know of 5 more times US troops have intervened there.

Trump* Virus Update:

0312TrumpVirus

Short Takes:

From Crooks and Liars: House Democrats held a meeting this morning to get out in front of Trump on a coronavirus relief bill and make sure their priorities are included, MSNBC reporter Leigh Anne Caldwell said.

“It’s to ensure that people who aren’t receiving any income because of coronavirus get relief and that those who are food insecure also get some relief,” she said.

What’s that translating to in a draft bill in the House of Representatives, including sick leave for people who either have to be quarantined because of coronavirus or who actually have the virus. Other things, an extension of unemployment insurance and an extension of food stamps and aid for kids who get free and reduced lunches at school, but can’t go to school because their schools are closed.”

Criminal Fuhrer Trump* refused to negotiate with Pelosi on the Trump* Virus relief bill, so she went ahead, and it will pass the House tomorrow. Will Bought Bitch Midnight Moscow Mitch sit on it, or will Trump* veto it to exacerbate Americans’ suffering? RESIST!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): U.S. Unprepared For Expected Explosion In Coronavirus Cases

While nobody can be completely prepared for a pandemic of this magnitude, the ineptitude of criminal Fuhrer Trump* and the Republican Reich will kill hundreds if not thousands of Americans. RESIST!!

From YouTube (CNN Channel): Camerota to Pence: Why are number of tests going down?

Damn! If pseudo-Christian Pence gets hos nose any deeper in his criminal Fuhrer’s ass, he’ll be able to see the bottom of Trump’s* tonsils. The reason the number of tests are going down, according to Occam’s Razor, is that we have a diminishing supply of tests available. Nevertheless, criminal Fuhrer Trump* refused FREE tests from WHO! RESIST!!

0312corona-virus-tests-8-countries

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Lemon Pipers – Green Tambourine

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Open Thread–3/11/2020

Posted by TomCat at 11:00 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Mar 112020

It’s a difficult day here in the CatBox. I was able to keep my serving of strawberries and cream instant oatmeal down this morning, but I have a lot of back pain. Tonight, WWWendy comes to de-stink the TomCat and help with chores. For some reason, my shower chair really exacerbates my back pain. I have a few Oxycodone left. I’ll take one when she gets here. Happy Hump Day!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:09 (average 4:43). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Trump* Virus Update:

0311TrumpVirus

Short Takes:

From Alternet: Critics are denouncing as ‘corporate socialism’ the Trump administration’s reported consideration to offer oil and gas companies in the U.S. fracking industry a massive bailout amid a drop in prices that comes amid the global coronavirus outbreak.

“Corporate socialists seek welfare from Trump administration,” tweeted journalist David Cay Johnson, in response to reporting by the Washington Post on Tuesday.

According to the Post, the administration is looking to bail out the fracking sector due to its instability in the wake of the ongoing financial downturn:

White House officials are alarmed at the prospect that numerous shale companies, many of them deep in debt, could be driven out of business if the downturn in oil prices turns into a prolonged crisis for the industry. The federal assistance is likely to take the form of low-interest government loans to the shale companies, whose lines of credit to major financial institutions have been choked off, three people said.

I fully agree with one caveat. Bailouts for the worst mother fracking corporate criminals is not corporate socialism. It is Republican National Socialism. RESIST!!

From Crooks and Liars: Always nice to see the fair and balanced (and not completely deranged) hosts of Fox News, or in this case, Fox Business News, working on behalf of Dear Leader. Trish Regan’s monologue was called the “coronavirus impeachment scam.” I suppose none of which should be in any way surprising, as Fox News and its bizarre offspring, Fox Business News, exist to prop up this failed and inept president, even at the expense of public health and safety.

Barf Bag Alert!!

The Republican Reichsministry of Propaganda, Faux Noise, are so full of shit that their Nazi blue eyes are turning brown. This Republican disinformation will kill people. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): the beach boys – fun, fun, fun

I occasionally dated a gal with a 1957 T-Bird 2 seat convertible (LOVED that car!!). Friends and I used to sing and play this tune to her to tease her. Ah… the memories. RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Open Thread–3/7/2020

Posted by TomCat at 9:40 am Open Thread, Politics

Mar 072020

It’s a hectic day here in the CatBox. I had trouble holding my supper down last night, but it was my fault. I became distracted by the news on TV and ate too much too fast. That will do me in every time. I received the results from my PET Scan last night, but I could not understand a damn thing about what they mean. Therefore I sent them to Dr. Nameless in email, and hopefully he can tell us more. Please expect short days from me on both Sunday and Monday. Tomorrow is a WWWendy day, with all the attendant de-stinking and chores. On Monday, I’m going out for a drive with Sandi, a good friend for 35 years with whom I have made hundreds of trips to the prison for volunteer work. She is also a cancer survivor. I should be fully back in the saddle on Tuesday. Have a wonderful weekend.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:15 (average 4:56). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

They are building a National Socialist Reich to do that very thing!

Short Takes:

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Trump Praises Coronavirus Response As Cases Rack Up And Markets Spiral

Criminal Fuhrer* Trump and the Republican Reich don’t give a damn about the 3,500 Americans trapped on that ship. He only cares about keeping his “numbers” low. Earth to asshole… come in! Your numbers are going way up, anyway. But he told the truth about one thing: that he should have become a medical expert instead of running for President. AMEN! If only he had done ANYTHING, other than running for President! RESIST!!

From The New Yorker: Senator Susan Collins, of Maine, has not decided whether she will wash her hands in response to the coronavirus outbreak, Collins confirmed on Friday.

Speaking to reporters at the Capitol, Collins said that she was “deeply troubled” by the behavior of the covid-19 virus.

“The behavior of the coronavirus is, to me, profoundly disturbing,” she said. “Whether it rises to the level of something I should respond to by washing my hands is a question I am devoting a great deal of thought to right now.”

Dang, Andy, I have an idea! Until she makes up her mind, she should go live on the cruise ship her criminal Fuhrer Trump* refuses to rescue. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Three Dog Night “One”

Ah… the memories. RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

The Trump Virus

Posted by TomCat at 10:32 am Politics

Feb 292020

Criminal Fuhrer Donald “Blame the Dems” Trump* and criminal Vice Fuhrer Mike “The HIV Guy” Pence have so badly mismanaged the federal response to the rapidly growing epidemic of COVID-19, it’s time to change its name. It is now the Trump Virus.

On Thursday, a whistleblower revealed that the U.S. personnel who greeted potentially infected arrivals from Wuhan, China, were not given either the protective gear or the training necessary for the situation. Despite being exposed to these evacuees—some of whom have since proven to be carrying the SARS-CoV-2 virus—the workers have still not been tested for COVID-19.

That might seem like a bullet that was dodged, except that just two days ago the CDC confirmed that a U.S. patient who had not traveled outside the country or associated with someone known to be infected was infected with the COVID-19 virus. It was the first case of “community spread” COVID-19 in the nation. And that patient lived in the same county as the location of the incident the whistleblower described.

It’s clear now that the very first time this White House was forced to confront this threat, it fumbled the response. One time may be all it took… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <Daily Kos>

The health workers who treated arrivals from Wuhan and did not take precautions when testing and treating them should have been quarantined. They were not, because “the workers did not exhibit symptoms”. Of course they didn’t, as it was before the incubation period could finish. Now they are loose in the population.

Because of Trump* and the Republican Reich, the disease has now spread to California, Washington, and Oregon.

Window Of Opportunity For Containing Coronavirus Rapidly Closing

To sum this up, all the information were getting from criminal Fuhrer Trump* and the Republican Reich 100% pure unadulterated bullshit. All they care about is protecting the economic improvements Obama built and Trump* pretends to own.

Michael Moore: Trump Calling Coronavirus ‘Hoax’ Is ‘Dangerous’

Last night I learned that it is now in the Portland area. Given my stage III cancer, I’ll probably be spending a lot of time at the hospital getting chemo and radiation therapy. This puts me at at much higher risk for infection than most. If it kills me, please send the bill for my funeral to the asshole in the White House responsible for Trump Virus!

RESIST!!

Is Bernie Russia’s Choice?

Posted by TomCat at 9:56 am Politics

Feb 222020

To avoid any misunderstanding, my answer is an unequivocal “NO!” Nevertheless the propaganda mavens and liars, who speak for the Republican Reich, are crowing that Russia is getting involved in the 2020 election to help Bernie Sanders, not their own criminal Fuhrer, Donald Trump*, based on the following.

Russia has been trying to intervene in the Democratic primaries to aid Senator Bernie Sanders, according to people familiar with the matter, and Mr. Sanders said on Friday that intelligence officials recently briefed him.

The disclosure came a day before the Nevada caucuses, where Mr. Sanders is a favorite, and followed revelations a day earlier that Moscow was interfering on President Trump’s behalf this year, as it did in 2016.

Mr. Sanders denounced Russia in a statement, calling President Vladimir V. Putin an “autocratic thug” and warning Moscow to stay out of the election. Drawing a contrast with Mr. Trump, he said he would stand against any efforts by Russia or another foreign power to interfere in the vote…. [emphasis added]

Inserted from <NY Times>

Here is more of Bernie’s response.

Officials tell Sanders Russia is trying to help his campaign

Although Republicans are blaming Bernie for not coming forward with this information a month age, remember that intelligence briefings to presidential candidates are classified and may not be divulged.

So why is Putin [R-RU] trying to help Bernie? The obvious answer is that he’s trying to move voters away from moderate candidates, because it’s easier to hand the election to Trump*, if he’s running against a progressive. I think the obvious answer, like the common wisdom it reflects, is wrong, because Putin knows that the publicity surrounding Russian help will really hurt Bernie. That’s what Putin is trying to do.

Putin appearing to help Trump doesn’t hurt Trump, because Republicans, lacking in ethics, drool for Russian help. But Democrats, who are far more ethical, object to Russian interference, so it hurts any candidate that appears to receive it. So the real question is this. Why is Putin trying to hurt Bernie?

Putin is afraid to have his puppet run against a progressive, who can excite and motivate voters to turn out. He thinks he can steal the White House from an establishment Democrat, like he did from Hillary. Since Putin wants Trump to run against an establishment Democrat, and Bernie is the progressive front runner, he’s pretending to support Bernie. If Liz were the progressive front runner, we’d be having this discussion about her.

RESIST!!

Open Thread–2/16/2020

Posted by TomCat at 7:52 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 162020

It’s a busy day here in the CatBox. WWWendy if coming to de-stink the rancid TomCat and help with chores, including the preparation of what I need for my day trip to the hospital on Tuesday. I hope your day is fully Republican-free. If not, flush!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:09 (average 5:05). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From Daily Kos: Moscow Mitch McConnell went on Fox News to chortle and gloat over the 395 bills the Democratic House has passed in the last year that he’s refusing to consider.

“It is true,” the Senate majority leader said. “They’ve been on full left-wing parade over there, trotting out all of their left-wing solutions that are going to be issues in the fall campaign. They’re right. We’re not going to pass those.” Like making sure state and local governments have enough funding to secure the 2020 election and legislation ensuring that people’s health care is protected. You know, crazy “full left-wing parade,” unlike his Senate that’s cranking out extremist, unqualified judges and voting on forced-birther bills that can’t even pass in the Senate.

At the same time Bought Bitch Midnight Moscow Mitch’s beloved criminal Fuhrer Trump* is whining about how the House of Representatives get nothing done, because they spend all their time persecuting him. The only solution is to dump every Republican dawg catcher, the Nazi Republican Fuhrer, and every Republican in between. Every Republican in office is one Republican too many! RESIST!!

From Raw Story: Appearing in MSNBC’s “AM Joy” former lead prosecutor Glenn Kirschner hammered Attorney General Bill Barr of a pattern of deceit and perjury that began with his Senate confirmation hearings and continues to this day.

Speaking with host Joy Reid about Barr’s ABC interview admission that he is unhappy with Donald Trump’s tweets and that he doesn’t let them influence him, the prosecutor called him out.

“Bill Barr is not to be believed,” Kirschner explained. “You know, from day one, Joy, at his confirmation hearing he lied — he committed perjury. [Sen.] Kamala Harris asked him, did anybody at the White House including the president ask you to open an investigation or suggest you should open an investigation? What did he say? ‘You know, I’m grappling with the word suggest.’”

First, Barrf should be impeached. Then, Barrf should be disbarrfed! RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): The Marcels – Blue Moon

This was the first 45 RPM record I ever owned. Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

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