Personal Update–2/28/2020

Posted by TomCat at 6:39 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 282020

It’s a busy day, here in the CatBox. I was able to keep the last three meals down. I usually have the most trouble at breakfast and wonder if my morning pills are blocking the tiny opening around the tumor. I have my Medicare Advantage company researching liquid prescription alternatives. Today is my PET Scan. I’ll get the results sometime next week. I’ll get home at around 1:00 PM, and by the time I change clothes, put everything away, and prepare and eat lunch, I’ll have a very short nap at best, so you may not hear from me until tomorrow. Hopefully, I’ll be back in the saddle then. Remember: Democrats debate, Republicans masdebate! TGIF to all!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:35 (average 5:49). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Take:

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Dion The Wanderer

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Open Thread–2/26/2020

Posted by TomCat at 9:45 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 262020

It’s a tired day here in the CatBox, but I did stomach the last three meals with minimal pain. Tonight is a WWWendy night. Happy Hump Day to all.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:43 (average 5:25). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Yesterday was soup and crackers. This is the chili and rice.

0226Chili

Short Takes:

From Crooks and Liars: At the last debate, Bernie Sanders defended his supporters while also condemning anyone who exhibited the culture of bullying that many who claim to support him display online. Earlier tonight, reporter Scott Bixby of The Daily Beast reported that one of Bernie Sanders staffers was using a private Twitter account to trash the other Democratic candidates.

Using the account @perma_ben, Ben Mora, a regional field director for Sanders’ campaign based in Michigan, has attacked other Democrats in the field—as well as their family members, surrogates, journalists, and politically active celebrities—in deeply personal terms, mocking their physical appearance, gender, and sexuality, among other things.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mora has tweeted, “looks like her name: pained, chunky, [and] confused origin/purpose.” Former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg “is what happens when the therapist botches the conversion,” and his husband, Chasten, Mora predicts, will be “busted for running a meth racket” in 10 years. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), a frequent subject of Mora’s private account, is called a “dumb Okie,” “an adult diaper fetishist” who “looks like shit” and who lied about having Native American ancestry “to get into Harvard.”

The thing is, this is a thing. This is exactly what other candidates were complaining about. It’s what many of us experienced online in 2016, and it’s an acknowledged problem by the Sanders campaign despite his disavowal of the attitudes and sentiments expressed by these guys.

So it was encouraging — very encouraging — to hear that Mora had been fired. Unfortunately, that’s not the end of the story. Since Mora was fired, the reporter has been doxed and is being harassed.

Kudos to Bernie for canning the SOB. I think Bernie supporters are great, but some Bernie Bros are just stinking Republicans! RESIST!!

From The Borowitz Report: Asserting that his personal interests put him in direct conflict with the interests of the United States of America, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has demanded that Donald Trump recuse himself from all decisions involving the future of the U.S.

Speaking from her office at the Supreme Court, Ginsburg said that Trump’s oft-stated allegiance to himself makes it impossible for him to render unbiased decisions on issues affecting people other than himself.

“Since the United States is populated by three hundred and thirty-one million people who are not him, any decision regarding their fates would, by definition, ensnare Trump in an insoluble conflict of interest,” she said.

Ginsburg enumerated a list of issues about which Trump should immediately recuse himself, including immigration, trade, taxes, the social safety net, women’s reproductive rights, health care, the economy, the military, the environment, “and any other issues related to domestic or foreign policy not listed above.”

Amen Andy! What else is there to say? RESIST!!

From YouTube (Trae Crowder Channel): Liberal Redneck – Super Tuesday Smorgasboard [sic]

As usual, Trae is funny as hell, but realistically, only two choices are best for America: Liz or Bernie! RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): The Turtles – Happy together (video/audio edited & remastered) HQ

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Open Thread–2/24/2020

Posted by TomCat at 11:28 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 242020

Yesterday WWWendy and I cooked up a storm. We made liquified Progresso Italian Wedding Soup and crackers, liquified Campbell’s Chunky Sirloin Burger Soup and spaghetti, liquified chili con carne, rice, mixed veggies, tomatoes, jalapenos, and chili powder (watch out Squatch), liquified fried eggs, hash browns, and milk, and liquified sliced peaches and cottage cheese. The chili was damn good, for baby food. The Chunky (NOT!) Soup wasn’t bad. The eggs and taters were a problem, because they glopped-up in the fridge overnight. I needed to add a load of milk to soften it up. Then it hardened while I was eating it. Bring on the heartburn. It will be trial and error. Today was supposed to be a lazy day, but I had to work on my grocery list and schedule my PET Scan (for Friday) and Lift rides. Oh God, it’s Monday.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:31 (average 4:58). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From Daily Kos: In an unapologetic display of animal cruelty, an anonymous group of terrible people released over two dozen pigeons into Las Vegas, with political accessories affixed to their heads. The group, which will not be named here, released the abused birds on Tuesday, in a “sarcastic” protest of the Democratic presidential debate the next day.

0224MAGAPigeonsinLasVegas

Republicans have no qualms about cruelty to animals. Look how cruel they are to people. And why did they need birds in the first place? Deplorable Republicans also wear MAGA hats, also squawk and tweet about their criminal Fuhrer Trump*, and also shit all over everything. RESIST!!

From NPR: The daredevil “Mad” Mike Hughes was killed in a rocket launch gone wrong Saturday in Barstow, Calif., two witnesses to the accident confirmed. He was 64.

It was the third launch for Hughes in one of his homemade rockets and part of his eventual plan to be able to determine for himself, up in the sky, if Earth was as flat as he proclaimed to believe.

Anyone, who would get in a homemade rocket to prove the earth is flat, was so stupid, that he has to be a Republican. Condolences to his family, but I’m sure glad Trump* can’t appoint that dingbat to head the National Science Foundation.

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Gerry & The Pacemakers – Ferry Cross The Mersey (1965)

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Open thread–2/23/2020

Posted by TomCat at 8:42 am Open Thread, Politics

Feb 232020

It’s a very busy day, here in the CatBox. WWWendy worked late at her night job, so she’ll be a bit late today. We have a ton of stuff to do. Happy Sunday.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:24 (average 5:27). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Sen. Bernie Sanders Is The Projected Winner Of The Nevada Democratic Caucus

Kudos to Bernie, and sad condolences to Liz! I’ll post the delegates total, when Nevada is done counting. RESIST!!

From YouTube (CNN Channel): Anderson Cooper on Rod Blagojevich claim: Just nuts

Blago comparing himself to Nelson Mandela is like comparing a steaming pile of shit to a Rose. Blago is calling himself a ‘Trumpocrat’. He’s no kind of …crat. The way he talks and acts, he’s an dishonorary Republican, like that other famous Illinois political criminal: Chicago’s Mayor Richard Daley. RESIST!!

Also from YouTube (CNN Channel): Warren insults Bloomberg after Nevada caucuses

While her candidacy is in deep doo doo, we owe Liz a major debt of gratitude for exposing Bloomberg to America. Her insults are far less than he deserves. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): The Mamas And The Papas – California Dreamin’. Audio Gold Song ful HD.mp4

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Open Thread–2/22/2022

Posted by TomCat at 9:55 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 222020

The labs are in, and the news is bad. I do have esophageal cancer, probably in stage III. That gives me a three year survival rate of 32%, with chemo and radiation. The next stage is a nose to knees Pet Scan. So it’s not a happy time in the CatBox. I plan to get our hosting paid at least a couple years in advance and take steps to transfer ownership of Politics Plus to Nameless, Lynn, Joanne and Lona on my passing, so the community here will survive me. I plan to dedicate whatever time I have left to do as much good as I can. I’m very tired. I had an emergency Republicosis run at 1:30 AM. Fortunately, I made it to the throne without accident this time. Tomorrow, please expect no more than an Open Thread. It’s a WWWendy day, and we have lots of extra work, using the new blender to prepare food less likely to get stuck in my tumor. Have a great weekend.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:37 (average 5:10). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From ProPublica: President Donald Trump’s new acting intelligence director, Richard Grenell, used to do consulting work on behalf of an Eastern European oligarch who is now a fugitive and was recently barred from entering the U.S. under anti-corruption sanctions imposed last month by the State Department.

In 2016, Grenell wrote several articles defending the oligarch, a Moldovan politician named Vladimir Plahotniuc, but did not disclose that he was being paid, according to records and interviews. Grenell also did not register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which generally requires people to disclose work in the U.S. on behalf of foreign politicians.

FARA is the same law that Trump’s former campaign manager Paul Manafort and former deputy campaign manager Rick Gates were convicted of violating. (Manafort went to trial. Gates pleaded guilty.)

Although such behavior would disqualify a Democrat, in the Republican Reich, proof of such criminal corruption must be tendered by all applicants seeking employment in high office. RESIST!!

From YouTube (Parody Project Channel): GHOST DONALD IN THE SKY – Parody

Wonderful! May your song be prophetic about the political demise of every Republican politician starting with Bought Bitch Midnight Moscow Mitch and continuing beyond Criminal Fuhrer Drumpfenfarten*! RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): The Byrds – “Mr. Tambourine Man” – 5/11/65

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Open Thread–2/21/2020

Posted by TomCat at 9:53 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 212020

It’s a yucky day here at the CatBox. My stomach has heartburn has been screaming all morning. I have to stay up, because Providence Home Medical Equipment is swapping-out a six pack of the portable O₂ tanks I use, when I’m out and about. TGIF to all!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:57 (average 5:49). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Republicans alternate between blaming Obama, Hillary, Nancy and Bernie.

Short Takes:

Froom YouTube (Washington Post Channel): Resurfaced video shows Bloomberg referring to transgender people as ‘some guy wearing a dress’

We knew Bloomberg [R-NY] was racist and misogynist. Add homophobic to his unsuitable list. RESIST!!

From Washington Post: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) mounted a new defense Wednesday for the toxicity emanating from pockets of his presidential campaign’s supporters, implying it was possible Russian actors were again manipulating social media to incite Democratic divisions.

Sanders’s language was indirect, offered on the debate stage here as his opponents faulted him for the behavior of his most strident fans. It drew criticism from experts in disinformation, who said they had no direct evidence the Kremlin had masqueraded as Sanders voters to interfere in the 2020 race much as Russian trolls had done four years earlier.

“All of us remember 2016, and what we remember is efforts by Russians and others to try to interfere in our elections and divide us up,” said the senator from Vermont. “I’m not saying that’s happening, but it would not shock me.”

I tend to doubt that, because I remember the toxicity of many ‘Bernie Bros’ toward me in 2016, because, as a Bernie supporter, I committed to voting for Hillary, after Bernie asked his supporters to do so. ‘Bernie Bros’ were a factor in my switch to Liz Warren this year. I understand that some of the hate-mavens, threatening Democrats who disagree, are employees on Bernie’s paid staff. If so, he needs to identify and fire them immediately. That said, I would not put such skullduggery past Putin [R-RU] and his Puppet Pervert Trump* either. RESIST!!

From YouTube (Robert Reich Channel): Bloomberg Flounders, Warren Rebounds, and Bernie Brings the Heat

Of course the Reich on the left, Robert Reich, is right. Liz and Bernie were head and shoulders above the rest. And he’s right that the debate should have focused more on the evil Reich on the Right, the Republican Reich, and their criminal Fuhrer Trump*. I particularly liked how Robert used FDR as an example of democratic socialism. If Bloomberg [R-NY] wins the nomination in a brokered convention, it will destroy the Democratic Party and probably, the USA with it. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Bad Moon Rising – Creedence Clearwater Revival (HQ – 5.1 Studio )

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Open Thread–2/20/2020

Posted by TomCat at 8:53 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 202020

It’s a tired day here in the CatBox, and I’d like to get an early head start on my nap as Store to Door is delivering groceries some tome this afternoon. Have a Republican flush day.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:45 (average 5:34). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

TC from the Inside:

Here are the endoscope photos I promised you.

Barf Bag Alert!!

0220TCguts

Short Takes:

From The New Yorker: Shortly after the Democratic Presidential debate on Wednesday night, aides to Michael Bloomberg announced that he would spend ten billion dollars to buy an entirely new personality.

Acknowledging that some attributes of the former New York mayor’s new personality have yet to be ironed out, campaign advisers indicated that the eleven-figure outlay would be used to purchase warmth, empathy, and humanity.

Additionally, billions of Bloomberg’s war chest will be used to remove several unappetizing qualities from his current personality, including arrogance, touchiness, and a glaring inability to hide his contempt for others.

Amen, Andy. Straight news! RESIST!!

From NY Times: President Trump on Wednesday named Richard Grenell, the ambassador to Germany who quickly antagonized the establishment after arriving in Berlin in 2018, to be the acting director of national intelligence overseeing the nation’s 17 spy agencies.

By choosing Mr. Grenell, who has little experience in intelligence or in running a large bureaucracy, the president signaled that he wants a trusted, aggressive leader atop an intelligence community that he has long viewed with suspicion and at times gone to war against.

As ambassador, Mr. Grenell made public statements that some German officials took as expressing opposition to the government there, an extraordinary intervention into domestic affairs that diplomats typically avoid. He attacked what he called “failed” open-border policies in Germany, which has resettled hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees, and criticized Berlin’s stances on Iran, military spending and Chinese investment in global telephone networks. He also expressed an eagerness to empower conservatives throughout Eur

What we have here is an appointment that exemplifies Fuhrer Trump* and the Republican Reich: a Director of National Intelligence, who is completely devoid of intelligence. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Zombies – Time Of The Season HD

Ah… the memories. RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Open Thread–2/19/2019

Posted by TomCat at 8:43 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 192020

It’s an exhausted day here at the CatBox, so this is my only article today. Yesterday, they started my test an hour early. The nurse inserted my IV in a very small vein, and the pain I felt when the anesthesiologist shot the Jungle Juice was extreme and intense for the minute or two it took to knock me out. I was done and ready to go home at 12:30. WWWendy’s school had told her she could leave an hour early at 2:30. But both of her co-workers called in sick, so they let her go an hour late at 4:30, and she hit rush hour traffic. She did not get to the hospital until after 5:30, and it was after 6:30, before she got me home. None of this was her fault, and I am blessed to have her. I have a very sore throat and raging heartburn. I have a tumor growing where the esophagus meets the stomach, partially blocking the passage. Food gets hung up there, and when it can’t go down, it comes up. The doctor said it looks malignant, but we won’t know for sure until the lab results from the biopsies come back. The pictures he took are sitting on WWWendy’s dashboard. I’ll scan and post them for you tomorrow, as tonight is a WWWendy night. Those are not the results I wanted to get. ARGH! I just can’t catch a break these days. Happy Hump Day to all!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:07 (average 6:13). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From The Borowitz Report: In an apparently successful attempt to get under the skin of Donald Trump, former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg has purchased Greenland from Denmark.

In an official statement released on Tuesday, the Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, would not disclose the price that Bloomberg paid for Greenland but indicated that it was an “all-cash offer.”

“Mr. Bloomberg has a lot of money,” Frederiksen added.

News of Bloomberg’s purchase of Greenland reportedly infuriated Trump, who immediately ordered his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to make an offer to buy the Faroe Islands from Denmark.

Andy, is it true that Fuhrer Drumpfenfarten* was so pissed that he went to Nambia for a Hamburder? RESIST!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Lawrence & Rachel Question Reports That Barr May Leave DOJ Over Trump Tweets

I so wish Barrf would quit that I can taste it, but if you believe it, we really do need to talk about that bridge I’m selling. RESIST!!

From YouTube (Robert Reich Channel): How Democrats Clean Up the Messes Left by Republicans with Robert Reich

Of course the Reich on the left, Robert Reich, is right, and the Reich on the Right, the Republican Reich, is shitting all over America with their welfare for billionaires. This is NOT Trump. The Republican Reich had done this for years, and I have been calling them on it for years too. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Ricky Nelson – Travelin’ Man 1961

I danced the cha cha to this, when I was 13. Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

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