Open Thread December 27, 2022

 Posted by at 6:55 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Dec 272022
 

Yesterday, I got a “best-of-the-year” email from The Conversation (there are going to be a lot of those from every publication – articles as well as emails) and skimmed it. They asked all the editors what their favority article under their purview was. The answers were not that surprising, but what did catch my eye was that, among their politics editors, they now have a Democracy Editor, new this year. Now that scared me. If democracy is in such peril that they need a specialist just to watch it – cleary, we are not out of the woods. There is a new article on new legislation, which I’ll make a short take for tomorrow.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Crooks & Liars – Happy Holidays! Welcome To Our 2022 Crookie Awards!
Quote – It’s been a long and sometimes frustrating year, but still one of the better ones we’ve had. Thanks to vaccines, we were able to get out and do things even if we had to wear a mask, the January 6 hearings came off monumentally well, and heroes and villains were everywhere. We’ve put together our own list of naughty and nice people this year, along with some overall failures and successes worthy of recognition. All of our staff has been busy at work in the Crooks and Liars workshop writing posts to honor and dishonor this year’s awardees.
Click through – The point of the “Crookies” is to call out crooks and liars (says Captain Obvious), but there are some good person and hero awards too.

CPR News – Club Q [couldn’t] have its annual Christmas dinner tradition this year, so a Colorado Springs church [stepped] up to host it
Quote – Every year, for Thanksgiving and Christmas, Club Q was the home of a special tradition. A community tradition that brought together a lot of different kinds of folks to a place that meant so much to them. They sat and laughed — and they shared a meal…. The [Pikes Peak Metropolitan Community Church] congregation stepped in with an initial plan to host a potluck dinner on Christmas Day — as a stand-in for the Club Q traditional dinner.
Click through for story … which actually gets bigger and better.

Food For Thought

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Video Thread 12/26/2022

 Posted by at 11:46 am  Open Thread, Politics
Dec 262022
 

Glenn Kirschner – Trump White House Attorney Stefan Passantino tampers with witness Cassidy Hutchinson

Meidas Touch – DOJ busts INSURRECTIONIST PLOT to ATTACK Investigators

Farron Balanced – Republicans Tout Homeland Security Chief’s Successes While Calling For His Impeachment

Six13 – Elton Johnukah (just barely got it in)

This Perfect Little Baby Is Called A ZEBU

Beau – Let’s talk about responses to Minnesota’s proposed regulations….

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Open Thread December 26, 2022

 Posted by at 6:50 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Dec 262022
 

Yesterday, of course, was Christmas Day. I got to the mailbox to pick up the cards which had come since the recent snowfall. As I was doing that, the “neighborhood cat” came byand I found him some treats. Sadly, he doesn’t like to be touched. But he did like the treats. I did a little knotting – though at the point I was in the project, I did more counting and calculating than actual knitting. Just a nice, peaceful day. Hope all of your days were equally peaceful!

Cartoon – 26 george RTL (and Kwanzaa-RTL)

Short Takes –

Crooks and Liars – Trump-Paid Lawyer Takes Sudden ‘Leave Of Absence’
Quote – Stefan Passantino, the original advisor to key Jan. 6 witness former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, has taken a leave of absence from law firm effective immediately, as documented evidence and related scrutiny grows about his initial guidance for Hutchinson to mislead the Jan. 6 committee during her testimony.
Click through for a few details. It’s the arrogance that gets me. When she fired him, and hired someone unconnected with Trumpworld, why would he think she would not testify, and testify truly, about the “advice” he gave her? He should have quit long before now, and left the country. But I’m glad he didn’t.

Common Dreams – Biden Admin Opens First-of-Its-Kind Civil Rights Probe Into Book Banning in Texas Schools
Quote – The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) has opened an investigation into Granbury Independent School District in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, as NBC News, ProPublica, and The Texas Tribune first reported Tuesday. The district was the subject of a complaint by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) earlier this year regarding school superintendent Jeremy Glenn’s order that school librarians remove 130 titles from library shelves–“one of the largest mass book removals in the state,” according to NBC News. Nearly 75% of the books that were flagged for removal had LGBTQ+ characters or plot themes, said the ACLU of Texas.
Click through for story. The “Independent State Legislature Theory” is a pipe dream – but I’m sure there are limits to what the Feds can enforce in a state. And I’, just as confident that Biden and his staff know those limits precisely as I am that Abbott will lie about them.

Food For Thought

 

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Open Thread December 25, 2022

 Posted by at 6:41 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Dec 252022
 

Yesterday, the radio opera was Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” – not the whole thing, but an abridged version aimed at children. And sung (and spoken) in English. With sets and costumes by Julie Taymor (very fairy-tale-y and lots of puppets.) The Queen of the Night‘s famous “Holy Racket” aria is included, of course. They’ve been using this production for some time (they have another production for the full opera in German) and their experience is that the kids are always most enthralled by Papageno. Not unexpected. He’s the most childlike – not in the sense ob being uncomplicated, but in the sense of being easily distractable, and that’s where all the humor comes from.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Good Word News – How do Christmas traditions vary around the world? See the pictures
Quote – In a show of resilience among Christmas celebrants, 40 Ukrainian refugees in Krakow, Poland, sold handmade items such as candles, tree ornaments and gingerbread cookies during a Christmas craft fair organized with the help of the United Nations Refugee Agency. A stall at the Ukrainian Christmas Market in Krakow, Poland…. It was an opportunity to showcase the “great talent within the refugee community,” Argaz said, adding that the idea for the event was born when UN staff members received a stone “ intricately painted” by one of the residents of a collective center, which is a dwelling that houses a large number of refugees.
Click through. There are other parts of the world included, but this struck me as special.

Good News Network – Man Spells Out ‘Hi Kevin’ in Lights for 20 Years–to Honor His Neighbor
Quote – Witmer says passersby are sometimes confused by his lights, which read ‘Hi Kevin’ across his roof, but it’s to honor the memory of a young boy who passed away from cancer in 2010…. “When I heard he had cancer and was going through chemo and radiotherapy, I wanted to support him. I had this idea to write ‘Get Well Kevin’ in my Christmas lights—what 11-year-old doesn’t want to see their name in lights?” Witmer continued to do it every year, even after his cancer went into remission and Kevin went off to college….
Click through for full story.  (Hanky alert)

Food For Thought

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Video Thread 12/24/2022

 Posted by at 12:10 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Dec 242022
 

Glenn Kirschner – Despite criticism, J6 committee’s criminal referral of Donald Trump to DOJ was right thing to do

Farron Balanced – Republicans STILL Don’t Understand Why The Public Hates Them

Puppet Regime – Zelensky vs Santa Claus

Rocky Moutain Mike – Elon Musk is Watching Your Feed

Wild Groundhog Won’t Let Woman Go Home Without Her

Beau – Let’s talk about Trump’s move with McCarthy….

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Open Thread December 24, 2022

 Posted by at 7:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Dec 242022
 

Yesterday, to be honest, I concentrated on getting posts ready for today, tomorrow, and Monday – which means all three days will contain a lot of fluff.That’s probably fine – this is supposed to be a season of peace. If something horrendous (or stupendous) breaks, I’ll squeeze it in somehow. But I’ll be content if it ddoesn’t.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Common Dreams – Record Number of US Cities, Counties, and States to Raise Minimum Wage in 2023
Quote – By the end of 2023, additional increases are planned in five states and 22 localities—with 21 reaching or topping $15 an hour—bringing the total for next year to 86: 27 states and 59 cities and counties, says the report, Raises From Coast to Coast in 2023. The totals take into account that multiple increases are planned in Michigan and four local jurisdictions. “The raises we are seeing are a true testament to the power of organizing,” said Yannet Lathrop, senior researcher and policy analyst at NELP, in a statement. “These raises were achieved in a variety of ways, from ballot initiatives to statehouses to workers making their demands to employers directly.”
Click through for details.  At least it is something.

The Grio – McClellan wins Democratic nomination for Virginia US House seat
Quote – McClellan won the nomination with 23,661 votes in Tuesday’s firehouse primary over [State] Sen. Joe Morrissey, who netted just 3,782, and two other candidates. She will be the overwhelming favorite in the heavily Democratic 4th Congressional District when a special election is held Feb. 21.
Click through. The special election is February 21. No, this wouldn’t give us the House. But it couldn’t hirt.

Food For Thought

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Open Thread December 23, 2022

 Posted by at 7:11 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Dec 232022
 

Yesterday, there was not a lot of snow on the ground – there was some – but there was also a lot of soil and road showing through it. However, it was COLD.  Today should still be sub-zero C, but not also F. There should be sun, but not much melt. I did finish my electronic Christmas cards (readers of the weekly newsletter should get one. If you get the newsletter and didn’t get one by Saturday, let me know.) I am trying to stay with positive news as much as I can over the holiday.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

NM Political Report – The New Deal and the story of a New Mexican family
Quote – New Mexico has more than 300 buildings and other structures built by the Works Progress Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps nearly a century ago. These buildings include courthouses, schools, women’s clubs and some structures and trails on National Parks and Monuments such as those at Bandelier National Monument and Carlsbad Caverns National Park. The CCC and WPA could not have been successful without the people working for them.
Click through for story. Mr. Wooley is a person to be remembered. And New Mexico was far from alone in receiving such service. Probably every state can say the same.

Wonkette – Biden Admin. Declares Housing A Human Right, Announces Plan To End Homelessness
Quote – We have a pretty big problem in this country. We need people to do low income jobs. If the pandemic taught us anything, it is that the vast majority of the workers most essential to our daily survival are the workers making the least amount of money. At the same time, the cost of housing has increased exponentially, so that there is no way these workers can afford to actually live anywhere. The plan points out that “there are only 37 affordable and available rental homes for every 100 extremely low-income renters” in the US and that there is no place where someone working full-time, earning the federal minimum wage can afford a two-bedroom apartment. The average monthly rent for a one-bedroom or studio in the United States is about $2,000 and 40 hours a week at the federal minimum wage nets only $1,208 before taxes.
Click through for background and details. Robyn Pennacchia can be snarky witht the best of them, and she also knows when that’s not appropriate.

Food For Thought

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Video Thread 12/19/2022

 Posted by at 11:54 am  Open Thread, Politics
Dec 192022
 

Glenn Kirschner – DC Bar counsel finds Rudy Giuliani committed ethics violation, recommends he be DISBARRED

MSNBC – Fauci Addresses Elon Musk’s Critical Tweets: ‘I Don’t Pay Attention To That’ (Ignore Mrs Greenspan – Fauci has something to say which needs to be heard.)

Robert Reich – How the Corporate Takeover of American Politics Began

Mrs Betty Bowers – Grooming Children with Bibles, Not Drag Queens!

Twitter Willow

Beau – Let’s talk about my son’s questions about Christmas cards….

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