Open Thread August 19, 2022

 Posted by at 7:10 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Aug 192022
 

Yesterday, I pretty much stayed inside. I did take some time getting more stuff together. I can’t take most of it out too soon, since if I do, the plastic bags will deteriorate. But I did make a little room out of the traffic lanes so I can fill more. I also got caught up on responding to my cousin’s emails. I had let her know I wasn’t ignoring her and why – she was sweet enough to say “Your predicaments make mine seem like tiny glitches. Just one of your current situations would drive me up a wall.” That, of course, is nonsense – her whole career was as a public school teacher, so I’m sure she could cope with anything.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Axios – Biden’s three-headed cybersecurity team
Quote – The big picture: The Biden administration has earned praise from experts for stabilizing and strengthening an executive-branch cybersecurity operation that had grown wobbly in the Trump era…. Biden has three top officials, including two in the White House, and signed a wide-reaching executive order last year to toughen federal agencies’ cybersecurity.
Click through for background, and why it mstters. “Three heads” reminds me of Cerberus – except that Cerberus could be bribed, and I trust these three cannot.

Vice News – Woman May Be Forced to Give Birth to a Headless Baby Because of an Abortion Ban
Quote – Earlier this month, the Louisiana Department of Health released a list of medical conditions that would make a pregnancy “medically futile” and clear the way for a pregnant person to get an abortion. At the time, medical professionals criticized the list as incomplete. “I can already see things are missing on this,” Dr. Rebekah Gee, an OB-GYN and the former Louisiana secretary of health, told Nola.com. “I can name one, and I’ve just looked at this list for 30 seconds.”
Click through for just how bad this is, including how many other conditions are left out besides acrania.

Food For Thought

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Video Thread 8/7/22

 Posted by at 11:58 am  Open Thread, Politics
Aug 072022
 

Glenn Kirschner – Trump’s advisors tell him to “cut all contact” with Mark Meadows. Has Meadows flipped on Trump?

Meidas Touch – Beto O’Rourke convinces TRUMP SUPPORTER to flip and vote for him in EPIC video

The Lincoln Project – Kansas

Thom Hartmann – Will Churches Finally Be Taxed? (Boy, is he right about the IRS being “emasculated”!)

Armageddon Update – The Troops

Beau – Let’s talk about Jones, phones, and the committee….

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Open Thread August 5, 2022

 Posted by at 6:53 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Aug 052022
 

Yesterday, I got the estimate of what is wrong with my car, including a bunch of smaller things which weren’t the problem but needed doing. Those estimates always include noticifations on things that may not be urgent but could coe up on the future, one of which I authorized to take care of now. the bil will eat a third of my cushion – but that still gives me 2/3 of it left. And it’s probable that my minimum required distribution for my 401(k) will replenish it, or most of it. So I’m cool/. But it will likely not be ready until next week. In honesty, that’s OK too. On a “Now for something completely different” note, I got en email from the Metropolitan Opera that they are releasing a DVD of “Fire Shut Up in My Bones,” the first opera by a black compoer ever to be presented at the Met. I don’t expect to be gettig it – but I’m well aware that the fact they are releasing it means the response to it muct have been overwhelming – overwhelmingly positive. And that makes ne smile.

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Short Takes –

Crooks & Liars – Cowboys And Women: Tex Never Had A Chance
Quote – A menstrual pain relief manufacturer set up a booth outside of the Calgary Stampede, where the cowboys are real macho and tough. But each and everyone of the guys crumpled under the pain produced by a menstrual cramp simulator. What really brings it home is the woman they showed hooked up to the simulator who never even blinked an eye in the face of the pain.
Click through for story. Remember the only men wo will subject themselves to this are those who think women are all lying or at best exaggerating. Men who know better, know better. Those who don’t – really need to learn.

CPR – Donations for Tina Peters’ recount poured in after she appeared on Steve Bannon’s podcast
Quote – Nearly 70 people donated more than a thousand dollars to the Peters campaign during the period in which Peters was raising money for the recount. An individual can donate a maximum of $1,250 during the election cycle in the Secretary of State’s race. Candidates can accept contributions throughout the entire election cycle even if they have lost. So that means Peters is legally allowed to accept donations until Dec. 8, 2022. Peters has made election fraud the centerpiece of her campaign for Secretary of State and on election night told her supporters, “we didn’t lose. We just found out more fraud.”
Click through for details. She has broken bail conditions twice, been arrested for ti twice, yet for some reason they won’t keep her locked up. At least the fact that the money is from out of state means those who gave it will not be voting.

Food For Thought

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Video Thread 8/4/22

 Posted by at 12:12 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Aug 042022
 

Glenn Kirschner – Trump’s lawyers preparing for him to be indicted; looking to blame Trump’s crimes on “fall guys”

Meidas Touch – Tucker Carlson LOSES IT after President Biden Takes out 9/11 Plotter

The Lincoln Project – Weekend

Robert Reich – The Current Plot to Rig U.S. Elections

If Social Media Were Honest | Honest Ads (Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok)

Beau – Let’s talk about the Supreme Court altering football….

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Video Thread 8/1/22

 Posted by at 11:58 am  Open Thread, Politics
Aug 012022
 

Glenn Kirschner – How to disqualify insurrectionists from Congress: interview w/John Bonifaz of Free Speech 4 People

Meidas Touch – SHOCK: Justice Alito disgustingly MOCKS critics of repeal of Roe v. Wade

The Lincoln Project – Trapped

MSNBC – Former Marine Dismantles Right-Wing Arguments On The Second Amendment

Randy Rainbow Re-Run – Clang, Clang, Clang Went Josh Hawley! – A Randy Rainbow Song Parody

Beau – Let’s talk about Republicans bizarre request of DOD….

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Open Thread 7/31/2022

 Posted by at 7:14 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jul 312022
 

Yesterday, the radio opera was “Samson et Dalila” by Saint-Saëns. Since this is another story I think everyone knows (if I’m wrong I hope someone will correct me), I’ll take a couple of sentences to share that the summer season for radi operas has its own web page at WFMT with multiple sub-pages, one of which allows one to download photos from every production, which makes the opera much more intresting, particularly when it’s one I’ve heard but never seen – and that doesn’t have to be a new opera necssarily. I have seen Samson et Dalila in the Met’s streaming library once, but it’s challenging to stage. This production from England doesn’t make any attempt to show authentic period or culture (not that it’s necessary, but the Met’s kind of did – but used colors which literally had not been invented at the time it was supposed to have taken place.) The big famous aria is “Mon cœur s’ouvre à ta voix” in which Dalila seduuces Samson by telling him how much his voice turns her on – all the time turning him on with her voice. Yes, sneaky (and diaingenuous. Well, that’s Delilah for you.)

I’ll take yesterday’s poll as 2 yes and 2 abstain, and will put Randy’s Hawley video in tomorrow’s video thread.

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Short Takes –

Wonkette – Anti-Abortion States Worst Places To Get Pregnant And Have Kids. Who Would Have Thought?
Quote – [The states that have either banned or are about to ban abortion] have higher maternal mortality rates, higher infant mortality rates, higher child poverty rates, and more uninsured women and children, and are much less likely to have minimum wages over $7.25, the Medicaid expansion, or paid family leave. In fact, literally none of them have paid family leave. If you have a kid in these states and you do not have a job that gives you paid family leave, you may have to get your ass up out of the delivery room (if you can even afford a delivery room) and get right to your next shift.
Click through for details. Wonkette knows perfectly well that anyone with a brain would have thought. That’s just Wonkette’s trademaek snark.

Mother Jones – Of Course Samuel Alito Is Bragging About It
Quote – High off the fumes of the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the constitutional right to an abortion, a beaming Samuel Alito has emerged to try his hand at comedy. It did not go well. More critically, it further exposed an overtly political Supreme Court justice teeming with condescension for his critics.
Click through for story. Its author is understandably – um – irritated (mad as hell actually) – as we all should be.

Food For Thought –

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Video Thread 7/26/22

 Posted by at 12:13 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Jul 262022
 

Glenn Kirschner – With J6 committee revelations, it’s time for DOJ to indict Donald Trump & his co-conspirators

Meidas Touch – BREAKING: Democrats SLAM GOP for voting AGAINST contraception bIll

The Lincoln Project – Josh Hawley Is A B*tch

“Nyet Vladimir” – Ukrainian War Song (The Ukrainian version of the Finnish song “Nyet Molotov.” The Finns wrote the song during the 1939-1940 Winter War they were fighting against the Russians. Sadly, the Ukrainians had to adopt the tune with different lyrics in 2022.)

John Fugelsang – America’s Next President, Ron DeSantis

Beau – Let’s talk about privacy and your cell phone….

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Open Thread July 21, 2022

 Posted by at 7:18 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jul 212022
 

Yesterday, I overslept, but it was pretty quiet so I could afford that lost time, and even manage to write a “thank you” note to an old friend from the military for a book that there is no way my eyes and shoulders will allow me to read – and I like and respect her too much to lie to her. So that was tough.. But the news – I do try to limit the outrage in the short takes and feature good news when there is some. Today there is mostly outrage. Take a deep breath and try not to get depressed.

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Short Takes –

The 19th – How exposure to toxic chemicals in everyday products can impact reproductive health
Quote – PFAS is a developmental carcinogen. We have done a systematic review, which is the best practice for how to evaluate evidence, showing that PFOA [part of the larger group of man-made chemicals known as PFAS] can, through prenatal exposure, increase the risk of low birth weight [in] babies. It also looks like it could be related to maternal health effects; there is some evidence on preeclampsia and on gestational diabetes. It could influence fertility. BPA is an endocrine disruptor that can influence estrogen levels. So in the state of California they have labeled it a reproductive toxin based on its effects on the female ovary. But, you know, there’s also been studies on metabolic disease like obesity and diabetes and on neurodevelopmental effects. There’s been studies looking at effects on fertility. There’s a number of different animal and human studies showing that it affects reproductive function, and it’s shown in animal studies to affect the quality of the eggs in the ovary.
Click through for details. So what the article is saying is, the same white, wealthy, overwhelmingly male minority repomsible for imposing unpopular abortion bans is also responsible for saturating women (and men and children) with chemicals that make abortions more likely to be the only alternative to death. Got it.

NM Political Report – ‘Is your land for sale?’ Alarming offers to buy property in the burn zone
Quote – April Hoogerhuies got the phone call in the middle of packing up her home in Las Vegas, frantically trying to get things ready in case the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon inferno forced her to evacuate. “Is your land for sale?” the caller inquired…. “This isn’t the time or place for this,” she replied. The caller rattled off a company name too quickly to note, but it was clear she wanted to buy a plot of undeveloped property that Hoogerhuies and her husband Daniel own in Manuelitas, just east of Hermits Peak. The couple maintains a greenhouse on the land, where they plant crops like pumpkins, radishes and tomatoes. Hoogerhuies was in a frenzy, packing up papers and medications while also trying to find a place for her elderly parents, in case they, too, needed to evacuate.
Click through for story. The race to the bottom continues.You know – yu just know – that if the vultures make enough calls, they will find someone who is willing to sell – and that that seller will be the person who can least afford to be swinf=dled. (And that there won’t be just one.)

Food For Thought

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