Open Thread January 31, 2023

 Posted by at 6:44 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jan 312023
 

Yesterday, I slept later than I have for months – apparently after all that worry I needed to. Of course the disadvantage of thet is that the longer I sleep, the worse the aches and pains are when I arise. Fortunately the TENS makes short (not instant, but short) work of that. Virgil called – his friend dialed for him – so I was able to accept the call. I stressed that he needs to gethis friend to dial for him when he calls – it’s not a matter of money (an “unaccepted” call is not charged for), but the stress to bothe of us (probably more to me than to him, since I am more aware of what’s going on.) I’m not sure how much he actually absorbed, but his friend will get the point.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

ProPublica – How Congress Finally Cracked Down on a Massive Tax Scam
Quote – After six years of failed efforts by the IRS, Justice Department and lawmakers, new legislation is expected to prevent the worst abuses of a tax-avoidance scheme that has cost the U.S. Treasury billions of dollars. Tucked into the massive, $1.7 trillion government spending bill signed into law by President Joe Biden on Dec. 29, a provision in the law seems poised to accomplish what thousands of audits, threats of hefty penalties and criminal prosecutions could not: shutting down a booming business in “syndicated conservation easements,” which exploit a charitable tax break that Congress established to preserve open land.
Click hrough for details. I had never heard of this, though it doesn’t realy surprise me. Sometimes, thankfully, our elected representatives are more knowledgeable than we are, which is good, since one can’t advocate on something one doesn’t even know is a problem.

PolitiZoom – Pelosi Attacker Calls SF Television News to Apologize… For Failing to Kill Paul Pelosi, ‘Unprepared’
Quote – David DePape called the KTVU newsroom from San Francisco County Jail Friday, the same day a superior court judge ordered video of the hammer attack on Paul Pelosi to be released. The call was unexpected. He told our reporter he had an important message…. In the chilling and bizarre phone call, he apologized for not going further. “I want to apologize to everyone. I messed up. What I did was really bad. I’m so sorry I didn’t get more of them. It’s my own fault. No one else is to blame. I should have come better prepared,” he says.
Click through for story. C.S. Lewis once penned the phrase “the disinterested hatred of evil for good” (not meaning a lack of intellectual interest, but an absence of an ulterior motive, such as greed or fear) in a way that suggested it didn’t really exist. I think it does – it may be rare, but some actions seem so far out as not to be explainable otherwise. Is this one of them? I don’t know.

Food For Thought

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Open Thread January 21, 2023

 Posted by at 6:56 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jan 212023
 

Yesterday, I heard from James on how he is doing after his amputation. He is working aain, and is taking his beloved dog, Cinnamon, for walkies every day. Last Monday, while the weather was pretty good, they took a walk of four and a half miles. Wow. I have long believed that how well one recovers after surgery, any surgery, is pretty much determined by the amount of work one puts in on recovering (bearing in mind, of course, that varous factors may affect one’s ability to do so.) James has worked hard both in prescribed and self-motivated physical therapy and I would say it shows.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

HuffPo – She Was The Most Powerful Woman In Ohio. But There Was One Big Problem She Couldn’t Fix.
Quote – Out of office, [Maureen] O’Connor hasn’t lost sight of the fight for fair districts. She says she’ll work to build support for a constitutional amendment in the state to create an independent redistricting process and “get the politicians, the elected officials, off the redistricting commission.” But for now, the product of the GOP-drawn maps is clear: It’s a stacked deck.
Click through for details. Unless we want to continue to live under permanent minority rule (and such a deluded minority at that), we need a new voting rights act. Among other things, in needs to require an independent commission to draw new district maps for every state (not necessarily the same commission, just that every state must have one.) Every state. The last I looked, Ohio was not in Alabama.

Wonkette – Could Anything Have Prevented Diabetic Child From Dying In Arizona Foster System? Guess We’ll Never Know!
Quote – Type 1 diabetics are insulin-dependent and require regular blood glucose monitoring. If they are deprived of insulin, they will go into ketoacidosis, which if untreated will result in brain swelling (cerebral edema) causing a coma and eventually brain death. It just wouldn’t happen if the kid had been getting his insulin. Does that really count as a natural death? Richard Blodgett says he believes the Arizona Department of Child Safety failed to take care of his son, which they obviously did. He would very much like to know if his insulin pump was removed, if his blood glucose was monitored, if his regular doctor was consulted. So far, the Department of Child Services has not given him any answers.
Click through for story. This is worse than a tragedy (in a tragedy, the hero brings his fate upon himself through a tragic flaw. Type 1 diabetes does not constituta a tragic flaw.) I would call it a travesty (in the metaphorical sense of destruction through absurdity, not in the original sense of cross-dressing.) I wonder whether there will ever be any accountability here. The author thinks not, and I fear she is right.

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Open Thread January 7, 2023

 Posted by at 7:08 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jan 072023
 

Yesterday, the Daily Beast newsletter was a gosip rag, and Steve Schmidt wrote about January 6. Rep. Scott Perry told us that the adage “Be nice to people you meet on the way up; you’ll meet them again on the way down” even applies to Republicans like Kevin McCarthy. In other news, Bold Progressives is collecting signatures for a Get-Well message to Jamie Raskin.

Also yesterday, my new space heater (and a spare) arrived 5 days earlier than promised. They are larger than I expected but they fit in the space, and they are most definitely adequate for the job. So I expect to be able to qui wearing socks with my (faux of course) fur lined shoes and boots.

And I would add Cavin’Kevin was finally elected on the 15th ballot … but it was after midnight in DC, so it actually happened today.

Cartoon – 07 7Cartoon.jpg

Short Takes –

Crooks and Liars – Now It’s The Proud Boys’ Turn To Find Out
Quote – The seditious conspiracy trial of Proud Boys leader Henry “Enrique” Tarrio and four [other] members of the Proud Boys … is underway. Opening statements have not yet begun, however. Instead, jury selection has moved at a glacial pace at the federal courthouse in Washington, D.C…. [They] face nine charges apiece including seditious conspiracy; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of an official proceeding; conspiracy to prevent an officer from discharging their duties; obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder; destruction of government property; and aiding and abetting, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers.
Click through for story. The seating of the jury is taking longer, because the Proud Boys are a tad more notorious than the Oath Keepers – otherwise, we can hope this trial will go pretty much like that one.

Wonkette – Dipsh*ts Charged In Christmas Attacks On Four Washington Substations
Quote – Matthew Greenwood, 32, and Jeremy Crahan, 40, were charged in federal court Tuesday with conspiracy to damage energy facilities, and Greenwood also caught charges of possessing unregistered firearms. When Greenwood was arrested, he was found with an illegally modified short-barreled rifle with a homemade silencer, as well as a short-barreled shotgun, neither registered as required by law. In the Justice Department press release announcing the charges, US Attorney Nick Brown noted, “We have seen attacks such as these increase in Western Washington and throughout the country and must treat each incident seriously. The outages on Christmas left thousands in the dark and cold and put some who need power for medical devices at extreme risk.”
Click through for details. Basically, these people are murderers who are too cowadly to face their victims. There are colder places than Western Washington (the ocean to its west gives it some protection from the kind of blizzarda and sub-zero temperatures we see on the prairie and in the northeast) but it can still get cold enough fot hypothermia to kill- even if one doesn’t need oxygen or other electric-powered medical support.

Food For Thought

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Open Thread December 17, 2022

 Posted by at 6:15 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Dec 172022
 

Yesterday was Beethoven’s birthday – although, in Eurpoe in his day, no one kept a record of birthdays. Most records were not kept by the state but by the church, and those recorded baptisms, not birthdays (if you are into genealogy you probably knew that.) We assume his birthday was the 16th because he was baptized on the 17th, and it was normal to baptize babies as soon as possible, usually on the day after the birth. Of course we could be wrong. But it’s such a long-established tradition now it would be a shame to have to change it. He would be 252, in case anyone cares. And there was no snow Thursday night (not that I expected any.) Tomorrow, I’ll be going to see Virgil, and yes, I will pass on all the greetings, and thank you very much for them. Last week I mentioned how tickled he was to get a card from my “frosted sister” and I should follow up by sharing that, when I sent her a note of thanks, she reaponded, “I couldn’t forget my brother-in-law at Christmas.”

Cartoon

Short Takes –

The 19th – The hate hasn’t stopped, Club Q shooting survivors tell House lawmakers
Colorado Public Radio – Club Q co-owner and shooting survivors testified at Congress about the tragedy and rising anti-LGBTQ hate
Quote 1 – Matthew Haynes, founding co-owner of Club Q in Colorado Springs, says he’s witnessed several kinds of anti-LGBTQ+ hate in the wake of the mass shooting there last month that left five people dead. There’s visceral hate, which he says the club, a longtime queer community space, has received through hundreds of vitriol-filled emails and letters since the shooting took place. Then there’s the “subtle hate” — which he identifies as legislation and leaders not respecting LGBTQ+ people or families, and in Republicans who did not vote for the just-signed Respect for Marriage Act.
Quote 2 – “To the politicians and activists who accuse LGBTQ people of grooming children and being abusers: Shame on you,” [Michael Anderson] said…. His testimony was part of a hearing on the rise of anti-LGBTQ violence convened by Rep. Carolyn Maloney of New York, who chairs the committee. She said the Club Q attack is part of a broader trend of violence and intimidation across the country that includes the rise in anti-LGBTQ laws in state houses and in Congress.
Click through to one or both for more imformation.Once again I am combining two stories because they are the same, but for different audences. The first was written for a target audience of women and minorities, including LGBTQIA+, and the second for Colorado residents regardless of identity. Both can be painful to read … but I’m grateful for the Oversight Committee under Carolyn Maloney for holding the hearings, despite pushback from the GOP.

The Daily Beast – Discipline Crackdown Freaks Out Parents in Florida Schools
Quote – Two weeks ago, Brevard County, Florida, Sheriff Wayne Ivey stood at a podium set in front of the local jail and its barbed-wire fences and suggested that children were not sufficiently terrified of getting in trouble at school. “They know they’re not going to be given after-school detention, they’re not going to be suspended,” Ivey, whose school-based officers carry long guns, declared. “They’re not going to be expelled or, like in the old days, they’re not gonna have the cheeks of their ass torn off for not doing right in class.” The statement—made alongside newly installed far-right school board chair Matt Susin—ushered into public view a simmering conflict over safety and student discipline at one of the larger districts in the country.
Click through for details. I’d freakout too – even just as a citizen, not a parent. Actually, no matter where you live in the US, there is potential for adults who were damaged by this distrct as kids to move into your neighborhood. (I have no idea whether this sheriff is any relation to the Governor of Alabama.)

Food For Thought

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Open Thread December 12, 2022

 Posted by at 6:42 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Dec 122022
 

Yesterday, Steve Schmidt posted some history, apropos of the Macron-Biden meeting. I’m sure everyone who reads this blog knows who Lafayette is, but you may still learn some details (including the French for “Lafayette, we are here,” if you don’t speak French.) And I can’t even read the full article (not being a paid subscriber.) Also, I did finish sorting my meds for the coming two weeks.

Cartoon 12 1212Cartoon.jpg

Short Takes –

Mother Jones – We Found the Guys Behind the Hunter Biden Porn That Elon Musk Won’t Shut Up About
Quote – I have previously reported on various messages and recordings detailing what Guo and Bannon and their backers were up to in 2020. One thing this material shows is that in October 2020, Bannon—working with Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trump’s personal lawyer—arranged for Guo and his followers to spread salacious videos and pictures from Hunter Biden’s laptop.
Click through for tedious details. Surprise, surprise! (NOT) – Republican dirty tricks.

E & E News – Attacks on grid infrastructure in 4 states raise alarm
Quote – The incidents in the Carolinas followed attacks at six substations in Oregon and Washington in October and November. Local news outlets reported on those events this week. Grid security experts said it’s too early to tell whether the incidents were related or unusual in number, but said they showcase a need for the energy industry to be vigilant and prepared. “It remains troubling and highlights how vulnerable is our critical infrastructure,” Richard Mroz, a senior adviser at the grid security advocacy group Protect Our Power, said in an email, referring to the string of incidents.
Click through for details. You are probably thnking cyber attacks – I certainly was – but it turns out guns can kill people just as effectively when used on power infrastructure which people need to survive.

Democratic Underground (kpete) – A little girl wrote to Los Angeles Dept of Animal Control asking if she could have a pet unicorn
Quote – Thank you very much for your letter requesting permission to have a unicorn in your backyard. I am pleased to tell you that the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control dies license unicorns under the following conditions:
1. The unicorn must be cared for in compliance with all animal caretaking regulations set forth in Los Angeles County Code Title 10….
5. Any sparkles or glitter used on the unicorn must be nontoxic and biodegradable to insure the unicorn’s good health.
Do click through. This is a feel good story we all need – especially after those first two short takes. And there’s more to the story – not to mention some delightful comments.

Food For Thought

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Open Thread November 28, 2022

 Posted by at 6:48 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Nov 282022
 

Yesterday, I finished knitting a sweater, finished knitting a collar extention onto a sweatshirt, started a new sweater – and took a fairly deep dive into Joyce Vance’s newsletter, which was in the category of “The Week Ahead” – she doesn’t do one of those every weekend, but she often does. For this coming eeek, she is anticipating the circus (not her term, my interpretatin only) than can be expected in the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals pursuant to Jack Smith’s demolition of Judge Cannon. It’s long and nerdy (she says so herself), and I’ll not try to boil it down further here, but I do provide a link. I do hope she is 100% correct – and I feel there is a good chance of it.  ALso, I did a few December cartoons – just enough to take me several days past my next visit to Virgil (this Sunday).

Cartoon – 28 Blackbeard loaded

Short Takes –

Democratic Underground (multigraincracker) – Her mother was also her uncle, DNA test.
Quote – The mother had XY chromosomes in her blood and saliva, but her hair and cheek cells had XX chromosomes. Parts of the daughter’s genome matched each kind of her mother’s mismatched DNA. The daughter had inherited some DNA from her mother which originally belonged to her mother’s fraternal twin brother, who was never born. That makes the mother a chimera, the result of an embryo that had absorbed and incorporated cells from a twin who had vanished before anyone knew he had existed.
Click through for article, and don’t neglest the comments, which include more links to other anomalies. We are constantly learning so much more about genetics – and all of it makes the arrogance of people who insist there are two sexes, period, more outrageous.

Mother Jones – Hundreds of New York Women Are About to Sue Alleged Rapists (and Enablers) Under a Revolutionary New Law
Quote – Now, Carroll and thousands of other sexual assault survivors in New York state are getting a new chance to seek legal accountability against people who harmed them years or decades ago. Under the Adult Survivors Act, New Yorkers who were sexually assaulted as adults but who have run out of time to seek accountability in court will have a one-year “lookback window” to sue their abusers, as well as institutions that were negligent in responding to the assault.
Click through for details. To me, in a kind of rarefied way, this is analogous to the Federal statute of limitations’ exception for availability. But here, its society’s contempt for and distrust of women which conctitutes the unavailability.

DNYUX (also the NY Times, which is paywalled) – At Protests, Guns Are Doing the Talking
Quote – Across the country, openly carrying a gun in public is no longer just an exercise in self-defense — increasingly it is a soapbox for elevating one’s voice and, just as often, quieting someone else’s…. Whether at the local library, in a park or on Main Street, most of these incidents happen where Republicans have fought to expand the ability to bear arms in public, a movement bolstered by a recent Supreme Court ruling on the right to carry firearms outside the home. The loosening of limits has occurred as violent political rhetoric rises and the police in some places fear bloodshed among an armed populace on a hair trigger.
Click through for more – examples and analysis. This is what happens when people (I’m looking at you, SCOTUS) are allowed to conflate speech with something which isn’t speech at all.

Food For Thought

(Just till after the runoff)

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Video Thread 11/26/22

 Posted by at 11:48 am  Open Thread, Politics
Nov 262022
 

Glenn Kirschner – Mike Pence utters 7 words that should disqualify him from ever holding public office again

Ojeda Live- What Are The 10 Republican Commandments!?!

Ring of Fire – Polls Show Incoming Republican Majority In Congress Is Already DOOMED

Liberal Redneck – The Results of Rhetoric

Cop Kindly Walks Duck Family All The Way Home (no words)

Beau – Let’s talk about Colorado, stats, and speculation….

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Open Thread November 23, 2022

 Posted by at 7:01 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Nov 232022
 

Yesterday, I had (not for the first time) to reckon with the fact that in the US system ol labeling knitting needles for size, there are two different “size 6.” One is 4mm and the other is 4.25mm. You might not think that would make much difference – and sometimes it doesn’t – but it can. I also discovered I am very low on batteries – I was able to change the one in the mouse at least. Other than that, it was not (thankfully) an eventful day. I hope the week continues that way.

Cartoon – 23 1123Cartoon.jpg

Short Takes –

ProPublica – “We Need to Defend This Law”: Inside an Anti-Abortion Meeting With Tennessee’s GOP Lawmakers
Quote – On Oct. 27, the Tennessee affiliate of National Right to Life held a webinar to encourage GOP legislators to hold the line. The anti-abortion organization helped write and lobby for so-called trigger bans — laws that outlawed abortion in anticipation of Roe being overturned — in Republican-majority statehouses across the country. ProPublica reviewed a recording of the call. It provides the clearest examples yet of the strategy that the law’s architects are pursuing to influence legislators and the public amid growing national concerns that abortion bans endanger women’s health care and lives.
Click through for more on this call, Tennessee’s law and how it passed, and other information. If you see any difference between this group and the KKK (other than the specific targets), I’d be interested to hear it.

The Daily Beast – Secret Signs Show Putin’s Own Henchmen Are Turning on Him
Quote – A human rights group that works closely with Russian inmates and investigates abuses by the security services has reportedly received a flood of calls from members of those same security services desperately trying to flee. Gulagu.net, founded by Vladimir Osechkin, reports that the final straw appears to have been the brutal sledgehammer-execution video released by Russia’s private army last week—a stomach-churning extrajudicial killing that the Kremlin politely averted its eyes from while the Putin-linked businessman thought to be behind it uses it for his own PR campaign.
Click through for details. This is s good news article, with the caveat that cornered rats can be more vicious than uncornered rats. Still, this one needs cornering.

SPLC – BUILDING NETWORKS & ADDRESSING HARM: A COMMUNITY GUIDE TO ONLINE YOUTH RADICALIZATION
Quote – This guide provides readers actionable steps to support those who have been targeted by hate-fueled acts. It offers adults information and practical lessons about how to help young people resist the manipulative rhetoric and the supremacist narratives they encounter online and off, and to identify warning signs and intervene when a young person seems to be heading in a dangerous direction. “Each trusted adult in a young person’s network of care has a unique vantage point into young people’s lives,” said Dr. Brian Hughes, Associate Director at PERIL. “That network of trusted adults – whether they’re coaches, religious leaders, tutors, or others – has an opportunity to help young people build resilience against the manipulation of extremist groups. They are also the first line of support for those who have been targeted and harmed. Those two roles go together, each one strengthening the other.” The guide is available for free here. We encourage you to share it widely across your community to help strengthen and prepare networks of trusted adults to reduce harm and build resilience in your community.
Click through for access to the complere guide. I doubt whether anyone knows more about hate than the SPLC. This is an incredible resourse – and it’s free.

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