Personal – Politics Plus

Open Thread January 17 2025

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:02 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jan 172025

Yesterday, I made an appointment on line to get blood work done. Besides being able to make appointments on line, and communicate with providers through what is essentially email but on their site, so with all the privacy of HIPAA. Another is that they have multiple locations, so if the lab closest to you is booked up through March, nd they want it done in early February, you can choose another location. Yes, the lab I chose is farther, but I can get to it on the Interstate, so it should take about the same amount of time. It’s also in one of my old neighborhood – one of them – so I know exactly where it is.

On Wednesday, Steve Schmidt, after a short rant about Pete Hegseth, addressed the My Lai massacre, it’s [lack of] consequences for the murders, and finally described his own journey to Viet Nam and the forgiveness he found there (he was not born yet when My Lai happened, but what he found was an attitude of forgiveness for all.) I was alive then – I was on active duty in the Marine Corps – but I was not aware of all the details he includes (and of course it did not become public knowledge for quite a while.) Someone who was aware of it was Scott Peck (known as the author of “The Road Less Traveled,” though I personally consider his second book, “People of the Lie,” far more significant – and about eight years ago would have been a good time for it to become popular again.) It is, I think, obvious why Schmidt connects My Lai to Hegseth, since a military filled with war criminals who are “tough” is the kind of military Trump** wants, and wants Hegseth to make it so. Steve sees this as an issue of courage – I see it as an issue of truth – but we are really in the same position in the end. Anyway, consider this a plug for “People of the Lie.”

I really don’t have much, if anything, to say about this Talking Points Memo article. Except that it would have been nice to know about it years ago, like, say, early in Obama’s first term, when we might have been able to start a reform movement. We won’t be able to do that during this administration, and even if we could, it’s already too late to accomplish much. Hopefully we may get another chance, down the road.

Open Thread January 13 2025

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 5:52 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jan 132025

Yesterday, Virgil and enjoyed each other’s company and also cribbage. We had another almost brand new deck – there was one little tear in one card, but they we so slick they were sliding. Getting there, now – that was a challenge. The roads, including the interstate were still slippery, even though asphalt underneath was mostly visible and the snow and ice which hadn’t melted was already wet enough that just driving in traffic splashed enough water into the air, and that water picked up so much dust, for a while there I was spraying cleaning fluid onto my windshield about every other mile. Going home was easier – although I had to stop for gas – my own fault – I had dealt with the snow on the car windows by running the engine for an hour with the heater on high. Had I spent the hour brushing and scraping, I couldn’t have gotten them nearly as clear, and I would have worn myself out and likely sprained something. I know that from long experience including a couple of fender-benders. But even going home took over an hour – getting there was closer to two hours. It wasn’t even that big a storm, and the sun was out and melting stuff all day, but the temperature never got above 32°F (0°C). OK, I’ll stop whining now and concentrate on getting this post up.

Wonkette referred me to this Mother Jones article on climate. So Republicans again are deliberately creating a mess for Democrats to clean up later so they can make another mess. Not news. But the details will be new – since the world has not has a worldwide climate crisis before, or I should say, while the human race was alive and recording history.

Heather Cox Richardson posted this summary of the California wildfires, with a concentration on the lies of the Apricot Antichrist and his supporters, late last Wednesday night, so it’s not new. But it’s a convenient summary up to that point. They’ve probably invented some new lies by now. (Off topic and not in this post – but she plays cribbage with her husband too! Except they play “killer cribbage” whereas we play “patience with the bad vision and bad memory” cribbage.)

Open Thread December 30 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:03 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 302024

Yesterday, we lost one of the only two Presidents (of my lifetime – because I wasn’t the ones before that through good chunks of their lives. I have thoughts but no evidence.) whose entire lives were marked by a deep love of, and an equally deep commitment to, pure goodness. I’m just not able to process it yet. Nameless, however, has posted an In Memoriam – you’re on the home page just scroll down one post, and if you are on the page which allows comments, go back one post with the direction under the comments section. (And, after that, do whatever you did one more time to read a new “Sound Off” by Freya. I’ll try to send a letter out but don’t know whether I’ll be able to. As nearly as I can tell, he died while Virgil and I were playing cribbage (and enjoying it immensely.) I don’t believe he would have minded that one little bit.)

I do wish Robert Reich would take a look at The Political Compass. Yes, I realize everything is linked – but for those of us not as smart as Robert (and I am certainly one), looking at them all at once is distracting. And, frankly, the pictures help. I would have no problem to adding civic morality to economic systems and government style to make a three dimensional graph – which I guess Windows can now do that. (Adding personal morality would alienate far too many Americans.) Also, I disagree with myth #11. I’m afraid that one’s true. I grant they may not have been ignorant before they started following Trump** – but having done so for eight or nine years – they are ignorant now.

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Christmas is over, but Hannukah continues, Kwanzaa has begun, and New Year’s Day awaits. So it’s still the holiday season. (And Robert Hubbell also has a surprise holiday gift in the astrophotography today.)

Open Thread December 29 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:01 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 292024

Yesterday, the radio opera was “Hansel and Gretel” by (the original) Englebert Humperdinck. It was a performance from 1982 (Christmas Day, actually) which featured Judith Blegen as Gretel. I mention her because she is an unusual talent – she could as easily had a career as a violin virtuoso as she had as a operatic soprano, and I know that because I took lessons from one of her former violin teachers. You won’t find his name in Wikipedia, because only some of her teachers of voice and violin are named there. Gian Carlo Menotti denied that he had written his opera “Help, Help, the Globolinks” with her in mind – but he certainly had no difficulty with her playing Emily in the American debut, which requires the lead soprano to also play the violin. Hansel was played by Frederica von Stade, whom I mention because of her sense of humor. One of her voice coaches was a cat person, and at their first lesson, the coach’s cat threw up on her shoe. All she said was, “I hope it wasn’t my singing.” That’s not to belittle the rest of the cast, who were also excellent – just personal memories of mine. Off to see Virgil now – will check in when I get home.

From Wonkette, a piece of good news that everyone else appears to have missed. I thought it belonged on Sunday. I doubt we’ll get many more for some years.

And one more piece of good news, also from Wonkette. No spoiler.

Okay, this, from Steve Schmidt is now VERY late (yet still far more recent than the history it discusses.) Steve Schmidt may not know as much history as Heather Cox Richardson does. But he does have a flair for knowing about moments of history which invoke strong feelings – and for telling them so that you almost feel you are there. The Christmas he tells of here was also in a dark night for America. That we came through it may give us some hope. But you may still need a hanky.

Open Thread December 26 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:05 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 262024

Yesterday, I continued knitting, finishing a couple of small things. I also tried a cup of coffee flavored with Torani’s white chocolate flavor syrup. The flavor of white chocolate seems to me such an unobtrusive, mild flavor that I wasn’t expecting much, but they nailed it ) Earlier this month they sent me an email announcing it was their 100th anniversary. I’ve dealt with them before – they’ve always made more flavors than you’ll ever see in the stores, but I wasn’t prepared for just how many they do make. I splurged on a sampler pack of flavors designed to go with coffee, and the white chocolate was one of those. Also, I stepped away from the computer for a while because the mouse I am now using is one that you never have to change the battery, but you do have to charge it periodically, and it ran out of charge. It’s charged now obviously, since this post is up. I hope y’all had as peaceful a day as mine, whatever, if anything, you celebrate.

This, by Marc Elias, was recommended by Joyce Vance a few days ago, and I put it aside until after Christmas. Maybe I should have put it aside until after New Year’s Day, hoping we would all gather more strength by then to grasp it and act on it. But here it is. I have to hope that he is at least correct in not expecting us to have a full-blown fascist government. I am not so confident.

Heather Cox Richardson on the history of polarization in the United States, starting with Nixon. To my mind she omits the one thing Gingrich did which had the most dire consequences, although there is plenty of evidence without it. (He removed the requirement for Congressfolk to maintain a residence in DC. Yes, that could be reinstated, but it would take far longer to build trust back again than it required to deteriorate it.)

Open Thread December 23 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:01 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 232024

Yesterday, Trinette came by and took out my trash and recycling (for once I had more trash than recycling), changed a light bulb, brought me a Christmas card, and then we chatted. It’s always so good to visit with her.

Rebecca Schoenkopf, the original (and current owner and publisher of) Wonkette, is pissed. And I believe rightly so. Elon Musk claims to support free speech – and means “as long as you agree with him.” Substack actually practices free speech – by not censoring or in any observable way even suggesting they might have an opinion on subject matter produced by a Substacker otherwise eligible, and now this. Rebecca puts it better than I would (and not only because the knows more in the subject from the inside – she’s also a better writer.) It would not surprise me if Substack were very soon to become the main source for people to get their – without their needing to distinguish fact from fiction – because anyone can pick and choose to whom they will subscribe – and there’s very full range. And it’s free. Sure, you can gat a paid subscription and get some extras – but you don’t have to. I have six free subscriptions, not counting the subscriptions to Wonkette, Talking Points Memo, and others who post as groups rather than as individuals), and it doesn’t cost me a dime. Read or skim Rebecca’s rant and see what you think.

Wolves and Sheep is a Substack which I don’t subscribe to, but Chris Bowers, who is connected with it, has started sending me newsletters of his own, and one of them included this, and I found it worth sharing. It really would be terrible if Democrats, buth elected and unelected, started acting like Republicans. I question whether life would even be worth living were that to happen. That said, that doesn’t mean we can’t take some tips.

Open Thread December 18 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 5:59 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 182024

Yesterday, I managed to bake a batch of cookies and also a batch of muffins. I used half and half spelt and potato flour for both. I also used more liquid than I use with spelt flour alone, and it really still wasn’t enough. But I’ll do better next time. At least the cookies taste fine (I haven’t tasted the muffins yet.) I added “Craisins” (dried cranberries) to both, and at least in the cookies, those worked out well. Speaking of food, the star animal in today’s video is a porcupine. Years ago there was a a rescue porcupine which the family named “Teddy Bear” who went viral. There was even – may still be – a short mp3 file available to download as a ringtone of the sound he made enjoying a pumpkin. I would never have expected a porcupine to sound cute, but Teddy Bear did. I use the sound on my desktop 3rd party software for pop-up reminders – I’ve assigned it to grocery delivery reminders, since it’s food-related.

From Steve Schmidt, a new “Schmidt Storm.” This link is from the subscribers’ email, but it also contains its own link to he transcript (one of three buttons just below the audio-only and just above the title.)

This is from the New England Journal of Medicine, translated into lay language by Democratic Underground member “Doctoris Extincti.” Every one of us who went through the CoViD-19 pandemic – and that is every one of us – will immediately recognize the protocol and will remember that viruses can travel with humans into every corner of the world. Don’t panic – but maybe have a plan.

I’m not going to do this all the time, but I just found a new Randy Rainbow and am using it as today’s cartoon. I cut all but a second of the ad off the front for us.

Open Thread December 17 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:00 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 172024

Yesterday, I set up all the e-Christmas cards for y’all and my personal list. I like them to go out early – not everyone checks their email on special days, so I scheduled them to go out the 23rd. (And that includes a birthday card to Trinette, who was born on Christmas. Is that appropriate, or what! And her children were also born on or very close to holidays. Her older son was born Jan 3 and the younger on Valentine’s Day.)

This kind of goes along with what Robert Reich was saying last week about the story of “The Rot at the Top,” and the need to re-associate it with the actual roe et the top, namely corporation CEOs.

The title of this The F* News article includes the phrase “A Running Tally,” which suggests to me that it may be worth saving the link. Of course, with Trump**, it’s a coin flip whether a broken promise is a good or a bad thing, depending on what the promise was and how it is broken. Obviously, this can’t cover everything – but it is a needed attempt to start bearing witness.

Belle judges

Cat

Today’s cartoon is a video for Christmas making fun of MAGA-type Christianity. I hope it gives you a chuckle or two.

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