Open Thread June 19 2024

 Posted by at 6:14 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 192024
 

Yesterday, Joyce Vance shared a link to the “Projct 2025” ducument which is the Republican Party’s plan for governing us (and it will be governing us – no representation here.) It’s 920 pages long, and they are joping we won’t read it (heck, I had to struggle with the URL. It resisted being cut. But maybe that’s a good thing. Every time this link is used, the Republicans will know it’s someone who was, directly or indirectly, referred to it by Joyce Vance. And the more of us do, the more they will know she has supporters.) Because they hope we won’t read it, I hope that all of us will at least open the link. If you go, start with the Table of Contents. Ignore the glittering generalities, such as “the general welfare.” All the chaters are aspects of government which they wasnt to take over and destroy. All they need is Trump**.  Try to enjoy your Juneteenth anyway (red beverages are apropos.  I have some res herbal iced tea, some raspberry iced tea, and some strawberry soda, so I’m ready.)

I applaud Colorado for leading the way here. Our law may not be perfect (in fact, it probably isn’t – it’s nearly impossible to achieve peerfection in the very first law on anything new. The Second Amendment certainly didn’t.)  But at least it’s a law. I hope other states will not just follow, but also alter details to make the law better.

If you disagree with me that Wonkette’s unique style adds to this story, you probably can find it elsewhere. I personally feel that people who say and do things such as the potential defendant in this potential litigation dod ans said deserve all the mockery that gets aimed at them, and likely more. There’s also a neat little twist of Virginia law in the story, and although I can see how it could be abused,I kind of like it.

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Open Thread May 27 2024

 Posted by at 6:09 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
May 272024
 

Yesterday, Trinette came by. I didn’t have a lot for her to do, but I had muffins to give her – gluten free with duck eggs and coconut milk (and raspberries.) Later, while looking for an image, I found this. Hanky alert.

Joyce Vance originally wrote this for café, but the Brennan Center picked it up (with permission). Sometimes the newest news is less important than much older precedents – in other words, history.

In addition to the Memorial Day Thoughts of his title, Robert Hubbell has some information on the Supreme Court, including how to file a complaint. Correct me if I am wrong, but wan’t it the right that was ao adamant that all people had to do was “Just Say No” to drugs? They need to learn to “Just Say No” to bribes – and sedition.

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Open Thread May 6, 2024

 Posted by at 6:14 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
May 062024
 

Yesterday, I was able to see Virgil for the first time in just about six months. I hadn’t told him I was coming, for two reasons. First, when I emailed on Monday for a reservation, they immediately replied that I had been move to the inactive list and needed new paperwork. I know exactly where to go on the web to find the right forms and make sure they are the most up to date. So I got them done, scanned them, and emailed them back the same day (after their office closes, but waiting for them the first thing Tuesday morning. Between waiting for that, and this being the first time I was driving for just about six months, I was worried that something might go wrong. And that leads me to the second reason. Virgil does not handle disappointment well at all, but he’s just fine with being surprised pleasantly. (I’ about the opposite. I can handle disappointment, but not so good with surprises.) Well, i made the right decision. Turned out I had four almost-flat tires an a possible radiator leak. No tire needed to be changed, but inflating them was time consuming. I had allowed an extra hour, but was still 20 minutes later than I intended. But it was all well worth it. He was delighted. And we even got a “Happy Anniversary” from the prison dog (a black lab named JJ) including a few doggy kisses. I had no trouble getting my wheel chair the way I always have, but putting it back in, I had to come up with a different strategy. It took me several tries, but I came up with a process that works. And now that I know I need a plan B, I don’t expect to waste as much time in the future. Also, if anyone cares, the railroad bridge is functional again.

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/may-3-2024
Heather Cox Richardson was tired Friday night, so decided to “look elsewhere for a break.” For her , that means an article on “Ten Famous American Horses” as a nod to the Kentucky Derby. Enjoy.

Since May 1 is Labor Day everywhere but here, and May is Labor History Month here, I thought it might be interesting to look at a situation in Canada where both the labor and the customers are fed up (but not, alas, with food, but with those proces.)

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Open Thread April 25, 2024

 Posted by at 6:14 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Apr 252024
 

Yesterday, the Arizona State House voted to overturn the 1864 abortion law, the one whose author has been so discredited. If it gets through the Senate, the Democratic Governor will, I am sure, sign it. Arizona appears to be on a roll – they also indicted some election conspirators, including Giuliani and Meadows. Also, my radio station was playing Passover music (it’s not till Tuesday night, but this DJ normally only works this station on Wednesdays, so next week would be late. (The rest of the time he works at the sister station whoch features jazz.) That made me think that 613’s Passover piece might be up, and it is. They are a group which makes videos for Jewish holidays, picking an artist to parody and then signing information about the holiday in a nedley of that artist’s works. This year’s is titled “Matza Mia”, parodying Abba (of course).

If you are looking for some really juicy news about what a fiasco Trump’s trial is being (especially on Trump’s side), Mary Trump is your go-to source. This column is dated Wednesday, but looks back to Tuesday

Joyce Vance has links to trial transcripts and documents. This might be a good one to save as a fact-checker reference.

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Open Thread March 31, 2024

 Posted by at 6:04 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Mar 312024
 

Yesterday, the opera was not an opera, but Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem Mass. It is dramatic certainly (the Dies Irae alone takes 40 minutes to perform, and the whole mass is only an hour and a half), and Verdi was criticized for makng it “too dramatic,” but if you can’t be dramatic about death, what can you be dramatic about?

Three Substack writers this weekend posted articles which are profound, too much so to ignore any of them. Joyce Vance writes about Treump**’s latest threat of violence. Robert Hubbell writes about the real purpose of government, including quoting Lucian Truscott on the subject. And Heather Cox Richardson writes abot Russian disinformation, and how it it Russia’s strongest weapon against Ukraine, and also against us insofar as it affects our electoral process. I hate to be grim on what should be a joyous holiday – but unfortunately we can’t afford to ignore reality.

Senator Ron Wyden (the other Democratic Senator from Oregon) is asking questions which need to be asked – and answered – and that very publicly.

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Open Thread March 19, 2024

 Posted by at 6:27 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Mar 192024
 

Yesterday, I got a couple of my hospital stay bills paid (with my HRA credit/debit card.) I haven’t paid them all because I haven’t gotten them yet – the hospital got my address wrong and then passed that on to everyone. I have like 8 MSNs (they used to be called EOBs), many have more than one provider, and one of them has so many providers it’s 14 pages. But the combination of Medicare and an HRA is a real blessing. Incidentally, today is Saint Joseph’s Day. Just two days after St. Patrick’s, and coming asthey do in the middle of Lent, they make a nice little break from Lenten fasting … if anyone is still doing that.

Robert Hubbell provided a link to a transcript of President Biden’s Gridiron speech. Unlike the White Hose Correspondents’ Dinner, video is never released from the Gridiron, so this is all we’ll get. FactBase, who posted it, attempts to provide reactions along the way. Remember, when you see negative reactions, that everyone there is a journalist. My reaction is very positive to thse remarks.

Viktor Orbán is in some ways more dangerous than Trump**. Unlike Trump**, he knows what he is doing and he is good at it. The meeting Heather Cox Richardson writes about was blatant subversion, and a public slap in the face to the United States (though it wpuld have been more public had the media bothered to notice it.)

A slice of Arkansas women’s history, through the telling by one woman who was there (and is now in Colorado.)

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Open Thread February 14, 2024

 Posted by at 5:51 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 142024
 

Yesterday, my ballot for the Presidential primary arrived. The election is March 5th. I’ve been avoiding going out the front door since my hospital stay, and even more so, avoiding the porch steps (the last time I ventured on them wasthe day I came home, and that was one way only.) But with that much time, and Trinette coming Sunday, I’m sure I can wait tll then. I know for whom I am voting, and it’s only one block to fill in, and if she takes it out the same day it comes in, it should get there in time easily.

I’m sharing this as a Black Histoy story because IMO there’s no doubt that it is one. You can make up your own mind,of course.

This is a crash course in foreign affairs. If that makes it sound difficult – it isn’t. And it explains a lot about how we got to this point. And it’s available for free to anyne, so you can share (you might want to mention scrolling a little for “continue reading.”)

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Open Thread February 10, 2024

 Posted by at 6:03 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 102024
 

Yesterday, I didn’t have to read up on the opera – in fact I may sleep theough it – because it’s not a full opera but a selection of love duets for Valentine’s Day. I am so much intp opera as a vehicle for storytelling and plot that I can’t get excited about selections. But if anyone is interested in a sampler, it bradcasts at 1:00 pm EST, 12 noon CST, 11:00 am Mountain, and 10:am Pacific. All of those are the same time. KCME.org will broadcast, as aell as WFMT.com in Chicago, WQXR.org in New York. I wasn’t able to confirm KUSC.org in Los Angeles (though as active as LA OPera is I’d be surprised if it doesn’t), but if you are listening on the internet, the sound isn’t any better from somewhere close than is is from the other side of the country.

I expect everyone’s heard of Trump**’s plan to alter the hiring criteria for Federal civil service so that he can fire anyone he doesn’t think is “loyal” enough and replace them with someone he thinks is. The Project on Government Oversight (POGO) takes a hard look at the implications of this here.

I know crap when I see it, and I presume y’all do also. But, sadly, Steve is still right.

This sounds glorious, but it’s not something I know enough about to address.

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