Message Forum - GENERAL

I don't see it as a we/they thing, Glen. It was ME that didn't look/ask for evidence, consider other ideas, question authority in 1966. Off I went to support authoritarian governments in Latin America, then off to a brutal unjustified war in Vietnam--supported by citizen tax payers just as gullible as I.That's why I ask for verifiable evidence today--from peddlers, priests, politicians, and just plain folks. And offer evidence to support my own opinions.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

12/11/19 06:44 PM

#10097

Quite a moon out tonight:

And a great New Yorker cartoon!

12/12/19 08:17 AM

#10098

Good luck with that quest for truth, Jack. Meanwhile, we'll meetcha at the bar.
How 'bout that clash of hockey heavyweights last night, Glen??!! BP holding steady?

12/12/19 08:53 AM

#10099

Posted to FB 3 years ago today. Remarkably prescient, if I do say so myself. And by next week, that asterisk denoting his place as one of only four US Presidents to have been impeached goes up next to his name. We know how much he likes to think of himself as special. Hope he enjoys it.

Donald Trump won the electoral vote, although not in the "landslide" that he claims. Presuming the electoral college confirms him, he will legitimately become President January 20th.

However, questions about the integrity of our electoral process, particularly its susceptability to foreign interference, have been raised. The CIA, FBI, and Congressionals of both parties say Russia carried out this interference, but disagreement seems to exist over details. DT dismisses the possibility that a threat to our democratic process exists--"ridiculous." A bipartisan group of senators and representatives call for an in-depth investigation of what occurred.

Questions that the American people might deserve an answer to include:

1. Who/what was hacked? The RNC? The DNC? Individual American politicians? Government offices?

2. What kind of information was gathered? Does any of this information put groups or individuals, especially goverment officials, in the position of being coerced or otherwise influenced by Russia?

3. What was Russia's goal? Discrediting the American electoral process? Undermining Hillary Clinton, should she be elected? Furthering Trump's chances of election--if so, why would they prefer him to HRC?

4. How was the hacking carried out? Were groups or individuals in the US involved in encouraging or facilitating it? What steps can be taken to insure that this kind of interference won't take place in future elections?

An investigation like this will take time and resources, and will raise some very uncomfortable issues. If you don't believe such an inquiry should occur, contact your Congressonals and tell them. If you think this is an enormously important issue, and that we should have answers to these questions, contact your Congressionals and tell them that.

We never did get a good answer as to why Putin wanted Trump elected, did we?

12/12/19 09:39 AM

#10100

12/12/19 10:21 AM

#10101

Glen Hirose

Nori, Jay

Did you see that 1st goal Oshie put in the Net?

Image result for oshie's shot against the bruins

Magic with a hockey stick

12/12/19 01:39 PM

#10102

Sounds like you think Trump has done nothing wrong in the years he has been Presiedent as you liken the attacks on him to being criticized for not rewinding a video, something of course very trivial..Its not trivial that Trump has a White Supremacist running Immigration. Its not trivial that he had hush money sent to women so they wouldn't talk about him. Its not trivial that he has surrounded himself with a lot of convicted felons, or violated the emolluments clause, or asked foreign governments for help against a political rival and in doing so halted their security money that benefits them and us. Well, we have been over all this before...Just thought I'd remind you that these are not trivial things. Love, Joanie

12/12/19 02:11 PM

#10103

Joanie, that was a joke.
Glen, Halak never knew what hit him. Oshie's fiery drive down the ice was poetry in motion.

12/12/19 02:12 PM

#10104

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2019/11/18/donald-trump-gun-laws-all-talk-no-action-editorials-debates/4224132002/

As Nora's plug for the gun lobby reminds us, they have every reason to back him. He's their guy in the White House, even as the killings continue. If we would just go back and re-rear every child born since WWII, teach us, our kids, their kids family values, the killings would stop, wouldn't they? Wouldn't they? But god forbid we should try and limit our rights to carry more firepower than a trooper coming ashore on D Day. Molon Labe indeed!

12/12/19 02:30 PM

#10105

Yes, ALL politicians, including presidents, care about politics. Thus the term, 'politicians'.

12/12/19 02:43 PM

#10106

https://www.usnews.com/cartoons/donald-trump

I like this joke. Love, Joanie

12/12/19 03:04 PM

#10107

Regarding the previous cartoon, I clicked on it again and the one I featured of Trump flushing the constitution down the toilet was no longer the top one...but I see there is an arrow that you can click on to see a bunch of jokes and one has that one in the group too of Trump and the toilet....Love, Joanie

12/12/19 03:20 PM

#10108

Those are great, Joanie! Can't choose a favorite, but . . .

"Then I have an Article 2, where I have the right to do whatever I want as President."

********

But out back, as the river rises and falls, freezes, thaws, and freezes again . . .

12/13/19 10:48 AM

#10109

http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2019/12/who-invented-the-emoticon-and-emoji-and-how-theyre-forever-changing-written-language/

Friends. People you've known so well for almost 60 years that they still understand you. Jennifer Harting just sent me this because she knew I'd find it interesting. Relevant to any kind of written communication where tone of voice, facial expression aren't available.

But, as I said to her, YOU try and explain it to Miss Casey!

"What texting is, despite the fact that it involves the brute mechanics of something that we call writing, is fingered speech. That’s what texting is--Now we can write the way we talk--[It’s] easy to think that… it represents some sort of decline. We see this general bagginess of the structure, the lack of concern with rules and the way that we’re used to learning on the blackboard, and so we think that something has gone wrong… But the fact of the matter is that what is going on is a kind of emergent complexity…in this new kind of language, there is new structure coming up…"

12/13/19 01:59 PM

#10110

12/13/19 06:33 PM

#10111

Joan Ruggles (Young)

So let me get this straight. Mitch McConnel who is essentially the foreman of the jury, will be in close contact and will co-ordinate with the defendant, DT.

12/13/19 07:31 PM

#10112

Robert Hall

McDonnell's statement may be saying to the WH that he won't allow the trial to be drawn out with grandstanding and the calling of multiple witnesses. The Republicans want this out of the way and relegated to "old news" by November. We're living in interesting times. If only more registeted voters had gotten out and voted in 2016.

12/13/19 09:29 PM

#10113

Yes, Robert, and it sounds like Moscow Mitch wants to run a sham court. Of course, no surprise. To think he doesn't want any witnesses...yes, too bad more didn't vote in 2018. Love, Joanie

12/14/19 06:02 AM

#10114

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/13/us/politics/giuliani-trump-financial-disclosure.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

No need to go all the way to Ukraine to look for corruption!

“The purpose (of the financial disclosure law) is to ensure the public has an opportunity to see whether there is any kind of corrupting influence . . .”

"Mr. Giuliani has said that at the height of the Mueller inquiry, representing Mr. Trump amounted to a full-time job. Partners at major law firms can bill their clients as much as $1,500 an hour."

Plus, all the time spent in Ukraine . . .

Let's see . . . $1500 times 40 for how many weeks, months . . . Clearly hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of dollars worth of hidden contributions. Certainly sounds like it could exceed the legal threshold requiring disclosure of gifts exceeding $390 a year.

"Mr. Trump did not mention Mr. Giuliani or his unpaid labor on the annual financial disclosure he filed in May, which requires that the value and source of gifts — including free legal work — be publicly listed."

12/14/19 10:20 AM

#10115

12/14/19 10:55 AM

#10116

Just saw a former VA Sec. David Shulkin ("It Shouldn't Be This Hard To Serve") and Iraq War veteran, Tom Voss ("Where War Ends") interview on Neil Cavuto. Am sure Jack must be familiar with those books. But the interview was beyond inspiring & I intend to read them both.

12/14/19 03:13 PM

#10117

Don't know the Voss book, Nora, but it looks interesting. For the last five years or so, the VA has been adopting a number of "alternative" health modes like yoga, tai chi, meditation, acupuncture, etc. to meet physical and mental health needs. Especially apropos with the over-prescription of pain meds.

I am familiar with the Shulkin story. But my VA Primary Care doc would probably caution me not to read it. My blood pressure and moral injury issues would not be well served by reading a detailed account of Trump's Mar al Lago buds pushing the VA towards privatization.

I understand there's big bucks to be made if the private sector takes over the health care for all us killing machines, but I'd rather my health care were driven by concern for my health rather than the profit motive.

12/14/19 05:52 PM

#10118

Voss was particular impressive with his kind & even handed outlook on privatization & other lightly touched-on issues. He maintains (what you undoubtedly know) that the VA has come a long way over the last few years & though he recognizes value in privatization for some, for others it is the aligning with other vets (who understood his own PTSD story) which has been most helpful. Privatization is lacking that all important element of the journey back to mental stability. (Seems to me putting veteran groups together privately should not be all that difficult). Another drawback to privatization is the danger of adding drugs prescribed by private doctors to the drug & alcohol problems vets often come in with, exacerbating their problems. From an interview it is easy to simplify & I am eager to expand on what both men were sharing, by reading their perspectives.
I expect, since I've been good, Santa will bring those publications down the chimney this year. :)

12/14/19 09:42 PM

#10119

After grounding the Lightening tonight, that's 10 out of the last 11 road wins, Glen! SHWEET!

12/14/19 10:09 PM

#10120