Open Thread October 28 2024

 Posted by at 6:06 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Oct 282024
 

Yesterday, Trinette came by – besides the normal help with mail, trash, and rcyclables, she also helped with hangin up some drapes which I had finally gotten all the stuff preventing access pout of the way, helpedn me get an old fashined monitor (one of the big ones – remember those?) out of a corner so I can tie it up and put a handle on it, and took in for a refund a product which was an unauthorized substitution (and I already have the email that it’s processing)  I’m short of sleep – but I did mange to lie down for six hours las night and get up without being crippled.  Sorry yesterday’s went up so late in the day.  I’m pretty well useless when I’m not getting sleep.

As a child, Robert Reich had the privilege of meeting Henry Wallace (FDR’s VP in his third term.) He was so young at the time that he didn’t appreciate it them. But he does now. It’s interesting how often in history political figures have been put into place because the inseen party powers believed that those figures could be controlled by them – for good and for bad. Sometimes it has worked, and sometimes not.

At eight days before the election, I’m glad this film (64 Days) in Talking Point Memo‘s report has comeout,but hope it isn’t too little, too late.

Belle gotcha

Cat

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Open Thread October 4 2024

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Oct 042024
 

Yesterday, I had expected some commentary from Joyce Vance Wednesday night on Jack Smith’s newest filing, which was (somewhat redacted) released then by Judge Chuutkan. But no, she’s taking a couple of days off for Rosh Hashanah (she wishes us all “besorot tovot”  (may we hear good news.) She did, however, provide a link to it (it’s down from 180 pages to 168.) No, I didn’t try to read it – I am having an everything everywhere all at once week. But if you want cammentary without going through the whole thing, i’d recommend Harry Litman at Talking Feds on YouTube. He’s detailed, yet speaks colloquially enough for just about anyone to grasp all the points. Also yesterday, Tina Peters was sentenced – to 9 years in prison. The judge had some things to say.

Heather Cox Richardson did address the filing along with the debate – and while it’s longish, it’s nowhere near 168 pages. Also, it makes one thing pellucidly clear which I want to point out, because you will see (maybe already have seen) articles in sources you trust which claim that Trump** said “Make them riot!” That is false. Those words were spoken, but not by Trump**. It was Mike Roman in DEtroit who said that. Richardson provides the circumstances under which it was said.

Everyone here who loves Betty Bowers is going to really love this. Not that she is known for being subtle, but this one really pulls no punches and takes no prisoners.

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Open Thread August 5 2024

 Posted by at 6:10 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Aug 052024
 

Yesterday, I went to the mailbox and picked up the note from Paul Whelan. The note I sent was dated December 15, 2022. He received it, or at least wrote a response May 8, 2023. The envelope has Russian stamps and postmarks with a postmark date of June 19, 2024. it was a lovely note. I had mentioned Virgil was incarcerated and he included “please do pass along my regards to your husband.” And just about then Virgil called, so I passed along his regards right away.

Pretty sure this means the entire State Department is also on the same page. I realize many feel this is way too late. But a nation cannot just desert an ally without warning – and particularly if there is a treaty, which under the Constitution is the law of the land. He has hated this from Day One. But he goes by the book because the country comes first.

This was written Saturday, but I didn’t see it until Sunday. So Friday, August 2, was the date Chutkan received the case back. No, she isn’t wasting any time.

Dog

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Open Thread February 9, 2024

 Posted by at 6:01 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 092024
 

Yesterday, my state’s attorneys were at the Supreme Court presenting oral arguments in Trump(**) v. Colorado, along with some amici curiae, including CREW. It wasn’t going well in the morning, and, according to Harry Litman, it won’t go well in the deliberations or the verdict.

Robert Reich has some good news which surprised even him.

I’m a bit late bringing this piece of Black history news – but I think it was worth waiting for.

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Personal Update January 10, 2024

 Posted by at 6:05 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jan 102024
 

Yesterday I got a bunch of stuff done – mostly on the computer rather than with physical objects, but it still tired me. I guess whie I was busy, the Appeals Court looked at TFG’s “immunity” claim and apparantly those looks were all askance.

I thought this was kind of nice. I well remember Andy Kim starting on cleanup on that day.

The Theater of War has a new project called “An Enemy of the People,” using the play by Ibsen. “The play tells the story of a doctor who discovers the water supply in his small, rural town has been poisoned by a tannery. Despite his efforts to convey the truth to the public, the doctor fails to save his community from environmental disaster and is ultimately scapegoated for his whistleblowing.” Ibsen didn’t pussyfoot around the truth, as long ago as 1882. This sounds a lot like how Fauci was treated – and in fact Dr. Fauci will be one of the actors (the actors will change from one event to another so if you want to hear what he has to say you will need to checking cast lists.) The first two events are 2/22 and 2/24, and Fauci is scheduled in the 2/24 event but not the 2/22 event. This is the link for 2/24 (it looks like you might be able to scroll from it.)

Here’s my response to the “poop Nazi” telling everyone to get over stuff – stuff like their kids being shot in school:

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Personal Update January 7, 2024

 Posted by at 6:09 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jan 072024
 

Yesterday’s radio opera was Verdi’s “Nabucco,” his first big hit, loosely based on the Biblical figure of Nebuchadnezzar. Much of the plot is dramatic malarkey which makes for ear-catching arias and ensembles. But the “Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves” (“Va, pensiero”) – based on Psalm 137 – something like it apparently did happen, and had resonated through centuries, and still resonates. Whether you have been taken away from your country, or your country has been taken away from you, it will resonate with you too. It is the one number in all of opera which is never not encored in performance, even during periods when encores in performance are out of fashion. My recollection is that in the latter half of the 20th century “Nabuco” was seldom performed, but that as the 21st century progresses, it is performed more often, at least in the United States, as we see our rights slipping away from us. And of course “Va pensiero” outside of the opera has never fallen out of favor (and it’s often encored in the concert hall, also.) Not a bad choice to broadcast on this anniversary, I’d say.

Speaking of the anniversary, remember Harry Dunn? Well, he’s now running for Congress in Maryland.

The news from Ukraine inspires me to reprise this video (which I first used in an article on Saint Javelina).

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Video Thread 9/9/2023

 Posted by at 12:08 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Sep 092023
 

Glenn Kirschner – Jim Jordan tries to assist Trump in avoiding accountability; obstructs Georgia RICO prosecution

Thom Hartmann – Ticking Bomb Inside GOP’s Plan To Defund Trump Prosecution

MSNBC – Lawrence: If Jan. 6 leader of ‘Trump’s army’ gets 22 years, what about Trump?

Armageddon Update – To My Republican Countrymen…

Street cat had enough, convinces human to adopt him

Beau – Let’s talk about how Smith is still investigating and Trump….

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Open Thread September 5, 2023

 Posted by at 5:48 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 052023
 

Yesterday, The New Yorker’s “Name Drop” was most appropriate for Labor Day. The first two clues were news to me, but I did get it on the third one. Also, Steve Schmidt quoted a big chunk of Theodore Roosevelt’s Labor Day speech given in 1903. I’ll spare you the need to look for “continue reading” and just link to the speech in the Educational Video inc.’s Speech Vault. It contains the quote “The welfare of each of us is dependent fundamentally upon the welfare of all of us,” which was worked into a rug placed in the oval office in 2010 (yes, during the Obama Administration.) I don’t know whether it is still there (or possibly there again.) The speech is remarkable – and should be trotted out more often by Democrats, if only to emphasize that we are the ones who have preserved this orignally Republican platform.

Cartoon – 05 great fire of london

Short Takes –

Wonkette – Matt Schlapp’s CPAC Team-Building Exercises Sound Fun, If You’re Into Exorcisms
Quote – Oh. My. Lord. They have been on Twitter posting pictures of their favorite saints and begging those saints to rain down hell on the Daily Beast. It’s so deranged. “Our Lady of Guadalupe, strike down the BEAST,” tweeted Schlmatt. “St Michael the Archangel take down the beast,” tweeted Schlmercy, with a bit less flair and punctuation. We guess all this has put people in the mood to spill more Schlapp Schlecrets to (natch) the Beast. Now Roger Sollenberger is bringing us the story of that time last year when Matt Schlapp got a priest to come in and do exorcisms to get all the demons out of the CPAC offices.
Click through for details. Remember it is Substack now. If Matt Schlapp could exorcise himself, he would disappear in a puff of smoke.

Liberals Are Cool (on tumblr)
Quote – To remind everyone, January 6th wasn’t Trump’s Plan A. It wasn’t even Plan B. Plan A was to steal the 2020 election with Putin’s help, just as he’d done in 2016. Blackmailing Ukraine for dirt on Biden was part of that effort. But it didn’t work twice.
Click through. This is a Twitter thread, rolled on a thread reader, reposted on Tumblr, which was shared on Democratic Underground. It’s not long and it’s all important.

Food For Thought

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