Oct 282021
 

Yesterday, I figured I couldn’t wait any longer, and started looking for cartoons to re-use for November. To be pellucidly clear, I started, randomly, in 2013, and have just stayed with that year, and my plan is to move up thrugh time, re-using when possible, and coming up with something new if the one for a particular day is hopelessly dated (for example, there’s one about Harry Reid’s balls.) It looks like I’ll need to come up with 6 new ones in November, and three of them are in the first teo weeks. So I stated looking at history. I found events for all 6 of them. I made the first one and found pictures for the next two before I ran short on time. But that’s a good start.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

The New Yorker (Borowitz Report) – Trump Tells January 6th Panel He Has Diplomatic Immunity as Russian Official
Quote – While Trump waits to see if his claim of diplomatic immunity succeeds, he is also prepared to argue that, having once hired Rudolph Giuliani as his attorney, he would be justified in pleading insanity.
Click through. Good luck with that. (BTW, unlike many of Andy’s reports, this one is clearly satire. For it to be straight news, Trump** would have to have told the truth, and that’s imposssible.)

Oh Sh*t, Dallas Teacher Did A Critical Race Theory To The Texas Wingnuts!
Quote – There’s not the slightest hint of CRT in having students read and analyze a text; if the lesson was supposed to “indoctrinate” the students, it didn’t work, since if anything I think the kid goes a little too easy on Cato’s methods, and doesn’t seem especially bothered that the email urges district employees to report on each other — then again, that’s a common enough method of enforcing discipline among students, so perhaps the kid doesn’t know just how creepy the tactic is.
Click through for details. It would be great if this teacher could be cloned and placed in every high school in t America. Teaching critical thinking skills “has not been tried and found wanting, but has been found difficult and left untried” (G. K. Chesterton) for a long time. This shows it can be done. I particularly like SPACECATS.

How commercialization over the centuries transformed the Day of the Dead
Quote – In 2019, I talked to a grandmother building a Day of the Dead ofrenda, an altar with offerings for her family’s dearly departed that included candles, food, flowers, and festive decorations. For years she’d tried to get her grandchildren to help her erect the altar for their ancestors, to no avail. It wasn’t until they watched Disney’s “Coco” and saw sugar skulls at Target that they took interest in the holiday. Now they eagerly help their grandmother build the altar. Commercialization is and has been transforming Day of the Dead. But, from what I’ve seen, it’s also giving a new generation a chance to be proud of their culture.
Click through for story. It’s a good point. Also, a pet peeve pf mine is that people criticizing advertising for a holiday too early don’t cut purveyors of craft materials and supplies any slack. If I am going to make a hiliday gift, a week before is not enough time. If I am making several, so much more so. There are 99 (at least) things to criticize Hobby Lobby about, but advertising Christmas too early is not one of them.

Signature-worthy IMO:
Bill Pascrell and Elizabeth Warren are looking for co-sponsors to nail Trump** et al.
https://action.billpascrell.com/crimes/?source=211026_bp_crimes_b1&link_id=1&can_id=dd94559fa9486ce8a4824766af6a024f&email_referrer=email_1336070&email_subject=will-you-sign-on-as-an-official-citizen-cosponsor-of-my-political-crimes-act-with-sen-warren-to-hold-donald-trump-accountable
I can’t shorten it or it won’t get you there, sorry. After you sign you’ll be asked for a contribution but it isn’t necessary.

Food for Thought –

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Oct 222021
 

Glenn Kirschner – Bannon is Poised to be the “Target” of a Grand Jury Investigation; Trump Poised to be a “Subject”

Meidas Touch – Matthew Dowd: Democrats are the ONLY party that supports democracy

The Lincoln Project – Last Week in the Republican Party

MSNBC – Charlie Sykes: Understand The GOP Is Setting Itself Up For Restoration To Power. This is late, but it’s a good review and a good discussion

Really American – Trump Again Claims He Doesn’t Like To Be Peed On

City News – Heroic effort by international students saves lives of two hikers in B.C. A Sikh’s turban is both a religious symbol and a part of his identity. This is sort of as if you or I had taken all our clothes off to make that rope. I am so impressed – awed, really.

Beau – Let’s talk about Mayor Pete messing up the supply chain….

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Oct 112021
 

Glenn Kirschner – If Bannon, Meadows or Others Plead the 5th, What are Congress’s Options? To Immunity and Beyond.

VoteVets – U.S. Army Veteran Andy Berman Understands That The Climate Crisis Is A National Security Threat

Ring of Fire – 84% Of Trump Voters Think White People Are Being Discriminated Against

Thom Hartmann – Democracy Faces Domestic Threat

Titus Satire – Holistic Medical Covid Cures®

Bohemian Catsody is making the rounds

Beau – Let’s talk about your electric bill and the environment….

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Oct 052021
 

Glenn Kirschner – Recap of Legal Stories for September, 2021: From McCarthy’s Obstruction to Congressional Subpoenas

Really American – Republicans Up Hostility Towards Science

MSNBC – Miles Taylor: ‘Mark Zuckerberg Should Be Sweating’ (spoiler: the first whistleblower is likely not the only one)

ICU – Lona – Pandora Papers: An unprecedented leak exposes the inner workings of a shadow economy (sequel to Panama Papers which was a sequel to Paradise Papers – it keeps getting more so.)

School Board Meeting – SNL (It’s very well done, but the real thing is much worse. No one gets shot or spit on in this.)

Lonely goose falls in love with woman. Then things get weird.

Beau – Let’s talk about Biden’s per mile tax and “not real news”….

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Oct 032021
 

Glenn Kirschner – Two Insurrectionists Sentenced; Prosecutors Promise “Consequences” for those who “Incite Riots”

Mother Jones – NEW EVIDENCE: Trump Rioters Brought Guns to the Capitol (This accompanies article in Open Thread)

RemoveRon – a newish PAC – Remove Ron – Florever Purge

politicsrus – Debt Ceiling Part II

The Late Show – John Lithgow as Rudy Giuliani (I started as Lithgow starts but you can click through if you want more.)

Keith – LET’S STOP THE PLEASANT EUPHEMISMS: They aren’t “anti-Vax.” They’re AFRAID OF GETTING VACCINATED!

Beau – Let’s talk about Biden’s surprising immigration announcement….

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Oct 012021
 

Glenn Kirschner – Why Weaponizing the Law is a Losing Republican Strategy; Republicans Seek to Defund Federal Police

politicsrus – Get Up Stand Up HD

Meidas Touch – Trump Cult KILLS

MSNBC – FBI And Homeland Security Dept. Warn Of Domestic Extremists

Really American – Republicans Try And Humiliate Military Leaders

Puppet Regime – Boris Johnson’s AUKward Phone Call

Beau – Let’s talk about the debt ceiling and calling the bluff….

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Sep 282021
 

Glenn Kirschner – Trump Admits to Georgia Election Crimes; Brookings Institute Publishes Piece on Trump’s GA Crimes

VoteVets – Hurts

Thom Hartmann – The “Businessman‘s Conspiracy” Authoritarian Plot Is Close

RepresentUs – John Oliver on How to Fight Voter Suppression

Robert Reich – Trump & Biden BOTH Use This Law to Prevent Asylum

Mrs. Betty Bowers – “Bringing Integrity To Christian Homemakers” Awards Dinner

Beau – Let’s talk about water in the southwest US….

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Sep 262021
 

Glenn Kirschner – House Investigation of 1/6 Insurrection Issues 4 Subpoenas. Here’s an Overview of the Legal Issues

Really American – Richest Americans Pay Under 9% Taxes

Robert Reich – Democrats Have to Make This Choice

Puppet Regime – Angela Merkel’s Farewell Song

Parody Project/Freedom Toast – NO BUSINESS

Beau – Let’s talk about Missouri, a petition, and critical thought….

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