Open Thread for November 12, 2021

 Posted by at 6:57 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Nov 122021
 

Yesterday, I took advantage of some halfway nice weather to go out and install the visor extender. It fits perfectly. I also started a file to keep track of the time of sunset – I really only need to know in the day I go, but to have an idea in advance of roughly how late it is, and even which direction it is going, is helpful.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Crooks and Liars – FAIL: ‘QAnon Shaman’ Tries Forrest Gump Defense
Quote – Chansley “[riled] up other members of the mob with his screaming obscenities about our nation’s lawmakers and flouting the ‘opportunity’ to rid our government of those he has long considered to be traitors,” U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves and assistant U.S. attorney Kimberly Paschall wrote in the 28-page sentencing memo.
Click through for more. I used the quote even with its error in diction. I doubt anyone but me noticed.

Daily Kos (Eleveld) – Turns out McConnell gifting the party to Trump is killing Senate GOP recruitment
Quote – Notably, Trump is playing key role in nearly every one of those Senate contests. In almost every state, Trump has done at least one of several things: repelled a top-tier candidate, made an endorsement, radicalized the GOP field, or become a complicating factor by incessantly pushing his election fraud lies and demanding absolute fealty.
Click through for specifics. Sounds like good news, but it is contingent on there being enough sane Republicans left in the country. That was not somethng we had to worry about in 2010. There were crazies, yes, but they weren’t the majority, or in control, or the face of the party.

Sojourners – AN OPEN LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR OF OKLAHOMA
Quote – “I was a juror on the case… and this thing has weighed on me for a long time. What happened was, several of us from the jury were getting on an elevator. This was well before deliberations. And one of the jurors said, ‘Well, they should just take that n—– out back, shoot him and bury him under the jail. It didn’t matter what happened, this was a Black man that was on trial for murder. He did it.’”
Click through for the full letter. Our national shame of still exercising capital punishment and our national shame of racism are both on display here.

Food for Thought –

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Open Thread for November 6, 2021

 Posted by at 6:51 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Nov 062021
 

Yesterday, another quiet day, thankfully.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

The 19th – A Duchess and a senator go to dinner
Quote – In a furious dash to ensure a universal paid leave policy — however small — makes it into the final version of a care package weaving its way through Congress, the Democratic legislators who have advocated for the policy for years are trying everything — including working with the Duchess of Sussex.
Click through for how this happened. I have nor forgiven Gillibramd, but if this helps get it done, that may help. (Incidentally, SOME people are capable of rising above “I’ve got mine” and work to help others.)

Wonkette – Special Counsel John Durham Arrests Russian Pee Tape Man For TERRIBLE LIES!
Quote – We’re sorry, but does any of that rise to the level of “lied to FBI about secret negotiations with Russian government”? We are just asking, because we are unclear on what the standards are here in Wonderland.
Click through for story. I don’t know what else you’d expect from a “Special Prosecutor” appointed by Bill Barr. Couldn’t (and shouldn’t) he be replaced with a real person?

The Hill – Democrats ramp up filibuster talks after voting rights setback
Quote – After months of trying to give space for bipartisan discussions on election legislation, Democrats are planning internal talks about what, if any, rules changes they’ll be able to get through on their own. Those ideas include smaller shifts on nominations or amendments. But altering the filibuster — particularly when it comes to elections bills — is getting the most attention.
Click through for more – I should bloody well hope the filibuster’s abolishment is getting discussed!

Food for Thought –

Democracy for America and Robert Reich want you to sign (and share) this petition (and I don’t know why you wouldn’t want to.)

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Video Thread 10/23/2021

 Posted by at 12:24 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Oct 232021
 

Glenn Kirschner – Any Member of Congress Who Votes AGAINST Holding Bannon in Contempt, Aids/Abets Steve Bannon’s Crime (Answer: All but 9)

MSNBC – Rep. Schiff ‘Surprised’ 9 Republicans Voted To Hold Bannon In Criminal Contempt

Thom Hartmann – Could Harris Use Nixon Playbook To Break Filibuster?

Robert Reich – America is on Strike

Now This News – Elementary School Teachers Surprise Colleague With New Car. (This is the kind of community Beau wirks at making heppen.)

Kitten Refuses to Share Her New Puppy Sister with Anyone

Beau – Let’s talk about paternity leave…. (Just put this beside the article about Cawthorn in Tuesday’s (10/19) Open Thread…)

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Open Thread for October 21, 2021

 Posted by at 7:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Oct 212021
 

Yesterday, It was pretty quiet. I got to do some knitting and even play at some games a little. Nice.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

The New Yorker (Borowitz Report) – El Chapo Refuses to Share a Prison Cell with Steve Bannon
Quote – The ex-kingpin said that, although he had not heard of any plans to house Bannon in his prison cell, he was speaking “out of an abundance of caution.”… El Chapo’s sentiments have been echoed by the nation’s prison population, two million of whom have signed a petition refusing to share their cells with Bannon.
Click through. Oh, Andy, that’s so disappointing!

AL dot com – A murdered Alabama woman’s wedding ring was sold at auction. The Missouri man who bought it won’t sell to her grieving family.
Quote – “This fella was wanting to buy the ring back,’’ Blaker said. “I bought it fair and square. He thinks I should let him have and him send me the money,’’ Blaker said. “I don’t trust anybody anymore. I’ve been screwed around on deals like this.” Blaker said they didn’t initially agree on the price. Stanton called him again. “He was preying on my sympathy I guess and said, ‘Well that was my wife’s wedding ring,’’’ Blaker said. “I said, ‘Well, I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want to get rid of anything.’’
Click through for tragic story. Speaking pf people with hearts of stone ….

The Daily Beast – Joe Manchin Isn’t Moved by Dem Attacks—He’s Emboldened By Them
Quote – And it’s exactly these big moments—when Sanders and like-minded Democrats express their endless frustration with Manchin—that help him burnish the gadfly credentials needed for a Democrat to survive in a state that went for Donald Trump in 2020 by 38 points. So, despite visits from angry kayakers, millions of dollars spent on ad campaigns pressuring him, thousands of calls to his office, and countless meetings with various constituents, Manchin has so far not budged a dollar on the Democrats’ signature legislation. If anything, he’s doubled down.
Click through for details. And now he may be thinking about turning Republican (he denies this.)

Food for Thought – This ought to be the last word on Mayor Pete and Chasten:

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Video Thread 10/19/2021

 Posted by at 11:55 am  Open Thread, Politics
Oct 192021
 

Glenn Kirschner – NY Judge Orders Trump to Testify at a Deposition on Monday, October 18-What Could Possibly Go Wrong

Don Winslow – #JoeManchinSenatorForSale. Gotta say, Don doesn’t mince words.

The Lincoln Project – Morph

CNN – Acosta Reminds Us That Trump Knows He Is A Snake

MSNBC – Mother Of Ahmaud Arbery: We Will Get Justice For Ahmaud

Now This News – Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin Remembers Colin Powell

Beau – Let’s talk about prices and supply chains….

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Video Thread for 8/19/21

 Posted by at 12:20 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Aug 192021
 

Maybe we need to nake a category forRepublicans who are so insane and destructive that their familie turn on them.  Besides Trump** and Paul Gosar, there’s Steve Miller, and now Laura Ingraham (see Meidas Touch video below).  And I’m sure I’m missing some.

Glenn Kirschner – Why Are The Criminal Trials For Insurrection Defendants Being Set Well Out Into 2022? Here’s Why

Meidas Touch – Laura Ingraham and Dinesh D’Souza OUTED Gay Students at Dartmouth, Leading to Suicide, Allegedly

The Lincoln Project – Monster Trump Rally

The Ring of Fire – MyPillow CEO Trashes Right Wing Media Outlet After His Cyber Symposium Flopped – So funny – TC always used to say TruthOut was so far left it made him look conservative. I always found them good on facts but not so much on opinion. I still get their newsletter. TruNews, on the other hand, is a projec of Rick Wiles, who has been certifiably nuts for years, maybe decades.

MSNBC – Rep. Hakeem Jeffries Recounts Jan. 6 Moment When The ‘Jackets Came Off’

So, the Liberal Redneck is on Patreon and wants to share an excerpt of a review he did for them

Beau – Let’s talk about me giving dating advice….

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Open Thread for August 16, 2021

 Posted by at 7:03 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Aug 162021
 

Yesterday I was pretty well behind with everything. I did learn that Mitch got back from his trip safely, but he now cannot get in to PP. So it may be a while before we hear from him. But he’s fine. Does anyone else here know anything about Apple/Mac systems and Safari? If so, would you consider allowing me to send your email to Mitch? If you aren’t getting my emails weekly, the “Contact me” link under “Other Links” on the bottom right, second to last section, above “WordPress.org links, now comes to me. If your email client is not set to pop up, right-click on it, select “copy email address,” and then paste it into your address line. I don’t swear that will work in every browser, but hopefully it will. If it doesn’t, you could leae a comment and let me know it’s OK – you don’t have to put your address in the comment, as WordPress will record your email in a place that only Administrators can see.

Cartoon –

There’s a typo in it – it was 11 seconds, not 0.11.

Short Takes –

Democratic Underground – Mary Trump: the most cogent description ever of our current peril as a democracy
Quote – McConnell is the greatest traitor to this country since Robert E. Lee (with the difference that McConnell has been trying to take our country down from within). He has always been expert at using existing rules and procedures in ways they weren’t intended to be used, and yet—whether it was denying Merrick Garland a hearing, pushing through Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation, or ending the filibuster as it applied to Supreme Court nominees but employing it to block legislation that would expand voting rights—his anti-democratic maneuvers have been performed within the bounds of the system.
Click through for the rest, and then, if you like, click through again to the meta-source.

PolitiZoom – WATCH: COVID ‘Shedding’ Theory Is More Deranged Than You Can Possibly Imagine
Quote – It is astonishing to me that as a species we have done remarkable things like send mankind into outer space. We’ve built technological marvels. We’ve extended life expectancy and the quality of life with surgical procedures and medicinal interventions of one kind or another. We’ve invented communication devices and transportation that were beyond imagining a century ago. Yet despite all that, there are people who listen to this level of ignorant witchcraft fear mongering and believe it to be true. “Don’t go near the vaccinated. They’ll contaminate you. They’ll shed on you.” Shed how? Hair, skin, cooties? Frankly, I’d rather listen to tales of witchcraft and sorcery than this non-intellectual make believe hooey.
Click through for story. I could go on quite a rant here, but I’ll restrain myself.

Washington Examiner – Rachel Maddow reports sign of life in Georgia criminal investigation of Trump 2020 election efforts
Quote – Prosecutors began the investigation in February, following Trump’s call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, in which he asked the official to “find” the 11,780 votes sufficient to reverse his loss. Maddow told her audience on Friday that she had an “exclusive” with new information regarding a top official at the Justice Department that will help the process move forward.
Click through for story, and then through again to Maddow Blog if you like.

Food for Thought –

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Video Thread for 8/14/21

 Posted by at 11:46 am  Open Thread, Politics
Aug 142021
 

I’ll spare you the Pillow Guy clips and the one about exploding green birds.

Glenn Kirschner – MSNBC Daily Piece – DOJ Officials Thwarted Trump’s Coup. Next Step: A Criminal Investigation

Meidas Touch – WTF: LAX Police Chief CONFIRMS Existence of POLICE GANGS! (And this is why we need more Larry Keasners.)

No Dem Left Behind and Richard Ojeda – Winning Over Rural Americ

This is a presentation of Egberto Willies – I edited out the spoiler at the beginning but not the discussion at the end after the punch line. Egberto’s no fool, but sometimes I tthink he over-explains.

PBS – Dr. Fauci explains booster shots and the delta variant’s threat to children – I’m thinking this would be me (no, not the “children” part) but it’s borderline.

Cracked – If Megachurches Were Honest (“Cracked” is a competitor of “MAD” magazine – or maybe a supplement to it)

Let’s talk about personal responsibility in today’s world…. (LOL of course we know this and mck “the party of personal responsibility.” But Beau has his own ways of communicating.)

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