Welcome to The Moose Pond! The Welcomings posts give the Moose, old and new, a place to visit and share words about the weather, life, the world at large and the small parts of Moosylvania that we each inhabit.
Welcomings will be posted at the start of each week (every Sunday morning). To find the posts, just bookmark this link and Voila! (which is Moose for “I found everyone!!”).
The format is simple: each day, the first moose to arrive on-line will post a comment welcoming the new day and complaining (or bragging!) about their weather. Or mentioning an interesting or thought provoking news item. Or simply checking in.
So … what’s going on in your part of Moosylvania?
…
NOTE: The comments page will now split off after 20 or so left margin comments with the most recent comments on the current page. To see the older comments, scroll to the bottom of the page and use the link.
…
Good “morning”, Motley Meese! The week begins …
Morning low of 46 in Madison WI with an expected daytime high of 61. Sunny skies are in the forecast.
Have a great day, all y’alls!!
Crazy goings on! The modern Republican Party, built on the racial animus unleashed from the Civil Rights Act of 1964, appears to be on the brink of collapse. Who could have predicted that a party built on hatred would choose as their standard bearer a racist, misogynistic nativist – an ignoramous, really. This is what happens when you build a party by cobbling together coalitions whose only shared principle is getting and keeping power. Wealthy sociopaths, the religious right, the NRA, deficit hawks, the remnants of the Confederate South, racists, nativists, xenophobes, misogynists, white supremacists, anti-government militias. Where they will end up going is anyone’s guess. They have proven that 33% of them are Trump/Cotton Republicans, 33% are Pence/Cruz Republicans, and 33% of them are Ryan/Rubio Republicans willing to go along with whoever has an R by their name and who promises to keep their taxes low.
This election cycle has shown that there is no longer any way to merge these groups. I just hope we can avoid the debris from the explosion long enough to win the presidential election and regain the Senate. That the split may result in us regaining the House would be a bonus and if Paul Ryan loses his House seat because angry Trumpers withhold their votes or vote for the Democrat, that would be icing on the cake. There should be a price to pay for selling your soul in order to push grannies off the cliff, deny health care to children, and literally starving people who are in poverty.
I won’t watch the debate live but will monitor it via Twitter. I expect it to be ugly and I hope that the Clinton campaign has some good warding away magic words for Hillary to protect her from the pain.
“Wealthy sociopaths”—brilliant, Jan!
Cokes and melons.
Good Sunday morning
Am up, drinking coffee, getting ready to discuss “Misogyny in Politics” at Orange – which was written before the latest Trumpublican debacle.
I will watch debate tonight on C-span – however will also monitor pundits for misogyny – sigh – having to listen to them is punishment.
I’m going to try to take a nap this afternoon.
Saw a piece in the Washington Post on Paul Ryan and other Repubs getting booed in WI by Trump supporters
Wonder if that will have any effect on their votes?
Paul Ryan stuck his hand into the hornet’s nest. By the way, Elkhorn used to be in Jim Sensenbrenner’s district until the Wisconsin legislature noticed that there were too many blah people in Ryan’s CD and decided they better add a more solidly red piece to it. That is why Sensenbrenner was there. He was booed too!!
A poll of Republican voters says that 74% do NOT want the RNC to dump Trump. So the 26% of the muckamucks who are disgusted by Trump are the only ones who care that their standardbearer is a pig. They will be punished by the voters.
Found on the Internets: Misogyny in politics
Thanks, Dee!
Thanks for linking it Jan!
I hope that the Clinton campaign has a “Pence” backup plan. It should start with this:
No rain here, but it has cooled off to the mid 80s for highs. Yesterday after my workout, I watched the Ironman championship at Kona. I know it’s too long to show on TV, but I wish they would. Anyway, it was really exciting. Today I’m baking oatmeal. Will watch the debate by reading my twitter page.
That seems the safest way to “watch” the debate. I really can’t handle watching Trump without a fast forward button and, as I mentioned yesterday, I regretted watching the VP debate live. With Twitter, I can cut my timeline down to my safe tweeters and I don’t have to worry about seeing a discouraging word. There will be plenty of time tomorrow to read the “reviews” and see clips.
Chilly enough for a fire this morning even as I had the oven on for my baking but starting to warm up so I’m letting the fire die down. We shall see whether I light one again this evening. Still need to make soup for lunches but taking a quick check-in break (which may extend to coffee and reading Denise’s piece at GOS). Finally cool enough I can actually spread my cooking out over the course of the day and not have to get it all done before 8 a.m. Now if the leaves would just drop so I can get more electricity generation!
Not going to watch the “debate” but will probably follow on one of the GOS live blogs. Can’t stand Trump’s voice much less what he says with it. Hillary will be good, as usual. She will be hit with questions no male candidate would be hit with, as usual. She will try to address concerns then pivot to policy, as usual. Surrounding her in invisible White Light of Love.
OK – yeah, I think I’ll make coffee and head over to GOS but will check back later. Bright the day, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}
Good morning, 49 and partly cloudy in Bellingham. The rain never stopped yesterday so no gardening happened. And now my plans are on hold for a week because Ron’s brothers will arrive tomorrow. They will go to Victoria, BC for several days and my SIL will stay here with me. I’ve got the laundry done, the beds changed, and the house ready so today we’ll do some cooking and I’ll make a bouquet or two using hydrangeas, rose hips and whatever else I can find.
I’ll be relieved when tonight’s debate is over. I know she has the dignity and strength to successfully deal with whatever comes her way tonight, but I’m sorry she has to share a stage with the repulsive yam.
Good Monday Morning Meese.
Am reviewing the debate debacle – made mistake and watched it on MSNBC – will never leave C-Span again.
Lot’s of folks have dubbed this the best tweet of the night:
There really is no safe way to watch these things on cable news shows. In the olden days, liberals could watch MSNBC but now you get more Republican voices than Democratic voices. I am glad that young people don’t watch TV because they would think people with these attitudes are in the majority or in some way normal!
That Tweet was the perfect retort to Trump’s insane call-out of American Muslims.
Definitely the best tweet of the night, Sis!
More:
People on Twitter, post-debate, were livid that the “jailing of my opponents” comment was not the main story. Have they not been paying attention?!?? That Trump would abuse the powers of the presidency is not even a question. And which of his pronouncements are worse? Banning Muslims? Rounding up “scary people” and putting them in camps? Allowing more countries to get nuclear weapons? Inviting Russia to hack our government’s computers? He has a basket of disqualifying statements and the sheer volume has made it impossible to point to any one of them and get people to pay attention.
I saw that post-debate polls showed Hillary winning 57 to 34. Thank goodness that those watching were not bamboozled by the con man.
Good morning, meese! Monday …
It is 43 degrees in Madison with an expected daytime high of 61. Morning showers possible giving way to sunny skies.
Well, I watched the debate on CSPAN muted on my Kindle and “listened” to it on Twitter. Because I watched it on CSPAN, I did not, thank goodness, see anything live about the “presser” Trump called. The reaction on Twitter was amazing. My favorite Tweet:
I have not read any of the commentary yet. I am going to scan the headlines and save off some articles in tabs to read later, after I finish some projects. I also want to find a transcript so that I can read the actual words! (found) In the meantime:
See all y’all later!
Today Hillary will be in Detroit Michigan at 2:45pm Eastern: Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton speaks to supporters at a campaign rally at Wayne State University in Detroit. and then later tonight at Ohio State University in Columbus OH (schedule shows 7:30pm). Chelsea will be in Racine WI and Rochester MN and Tim Kaine will be in Denver. Tomorrow is the big event in Florida with Hillary and former Vice President Al Gore and President Obama will be speaking in North Carolina tomorrow evening.
Time to seal the deal. Sam Wang has a Hillary Clinton victory at 95%, a point he calls the Rubicon:
Not a holiday here. I think it’s just the Post Office & banks. It’s cool enough this morning (50s) that I thought momentarily about wearing shoes. Decided against it, because I’m not outside for all that long. Slept really badly last night. Brought gym bag — hoping my exhaustion will talk me into walking after work.
Didn’t listen to the debate. I can’t deal with hearing his voice. Not that I could before Friday’s tape, but now I really, seriously can’t. Read Twitter & FB; texted with my brother & best friend.
So #Chocolate Week is trending on Twitter — it’s a thing in the UK. We need to adopt that. Because “chocolate”. Brain is playing People Have the Power. Wonder why.
No holiday here, either. Federal offices, banks and post offices closed but, sadly, my clients will be working. I had projects that I should have gotten done over the weekend that I couldn’t muster the energy to do and now I am trying to get them done before people start work today!
I can’t listen to the yam at all – I can barely look at him but I have gotten a little more desensitized because his face is everywhere.
Good Moonday morning, Meese! So windy here last night that it blew my LuAnn Bennett sign all the way from the flowerbed to the mulch bed between the apple trees. It’s 50 F. on a clear, sunny day now, going up to 64 F. Chicken Marsala tonight with Roast Rainbow Vegetables!
Still reeling from the debate last night. Threatening to jail Hillary if he becomes prez—looming over her, pacing, sniff-sniff-sniffing—the guy’s insane. The prospect of another debate fills me with dread, particularly since the so-called “moderators” only “moderate” Hillary, not Trump. Eff them! Have completely lost any smidgen of respect I once had for Raddatz, and as for Anderson Cooper, Goddess give me strength. Dearly Beloved had Bill Maher on last night—I was in the room for a few minutes—talk about a vulgarity fest! Have always disliked Maher for his misogny, so I don’t watch him. He and the other men on the panel were throwing around the “p-word” as if they were in the second grade and had just learned it.
Okay, no more about that. Yesterday we were watching the Formula I race and all the electricity went off! Duh. Went to the gym since I couldn’t think of anything else to do. Luckily, as today is a holiday, I have more time to myself than usual. As a rule the hours between 3 and 5 on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays are lost as far as getting any work done because I have to pick up Miss Pink Cheeks from school.
So with the electricity loss, working out, shopping, and making Peg’s Molasses Cookies for Elder Son, who came to dinner last night with Mr. Newbaby, my day was very busy! Today will be equally so.
Please, Goddess, let the election be over SOON!
I don’t like Bill Maher, either, and even on the off chance that he would say something I agree with, his body of work is too disgusting.
Hang in there!
And 20 days until our waxing energy ritual … October 30th!!
Thank you, Jan! I’d better start Googling rituals. :)
The waxing energy is perfectly aligned for us – waxing moon, waxing year.
My thought is that the energy can be visualized as a rising chorus of voices, starting in the Eastern Time Zone the morning of November 8th, moving across the country until it reaches California as a full-throated roar of “We’re With Her, We’re With Each Other – Stronger Together!!”
Nice! There may be some magic involving candles, incense, and music. I’ll look it up.
Started the day at 47 heading for upper 70s – got enough sunshine yesterday to generate the best for the month thus far (11.25 KWHs), sadly not enough to make up for the 4 I got Friday. 89 KWHs for the month as of last night. Got all my baking/cooking and cleaning done. Even managed to write a short fundraiser diary for Ice Blue that I just published a few minutes ago.
Followed El Mito’s live blog until the comments section got so big my computer couldn’t handle it. So I really don’t know about the last 7 or 8 minutes. I have no desire whatsoever to see or even read a transcript of anything Trump said or did. The man’s voice grates on my nerves and his face gives me an upset tummy. And that’s before I even try to process the hateful, dangerous word salad he spews. Trump better watch the physically threatening behavior – not only is Bill in better shape than he is, Hillary’s Secret Service guys are in MUCH better shape than he is.
Got a paperwork mess to deal with (professor who does – not – ever pay attention to how the process works no matter how many times it’s explained to her) , so I’d best get to it. Bright the day, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}
Good morning, 44 and partly sunny in Bellingham. I’m at a loss for words this morning but fortunately Nancy LeTourneau is not…..
Trump’s Performance Last Night Was Shocking
Time for me to go to the pool, and then to prepare/brace myself for a week of company. I know the visit will be fun but I’m officially low energy lately…..need more rest. How I hate the yam and his insidious words!
G’day everyone – slept in very late after staying up after the debate to watch commentary and read twitter. It’s gorgeous here today – first really cool night last night, and it’s warm with a coolish breeze today.
I really think that if not for the women and POC in the commentariat – Gloria Borger, Eugene Robinson, Joy Reid, others – who insisted on focusing on the “lock her up” third world dictator stuff, AND on the creepy behavior of Trump in following Hillary around the stage and really trying to intimidate her with body language, the old white guys in the pundit class would have kept calling it a good debate for Trump. I ended up watching most of it, and Trump was appalling throughout. Much of the time he couldn’t even refer to Hillary by name or title – just kept saying “she” or “her” – more attempts at demeaning objectification. I also think he was telling Anderson Cooper, on the whole “you didn’t understand what was said” on the “grabbing” tape, that Cooper as a gay man wouldn’t understand real man locker room talk.
It’s just impossible to wade through all the ways Trump is a pig – but for me the thing that really shows his cruelty and thuggishness is the pre-debate stunt, and the worse stunt, thank god stopped by Frank Farenkopf (an old school Republican whose skin must have crawled when he realized what was going on), of trying to set up a confrontation at the start of the debate between those women and President Clinton, before putting them in the family box. It’s very similar, I think, to what he did with President Obama and the birth certificate – put POC and women in their place, in this instance try to induce pain and embarrassment to the first woman likely to be President by shaming her with her husband’s past indiscretions. It’s indecent, it’s sadistic, and this man needs to be humiliated next month the only way we can – with an overwhelming, historic defeat. I see just now that Ryan is not disavowing Trump but won’t campaign for him or defend him, he says – weasel.
I’m going to try to see if there’s something I can do to help Patrick Murphy beat Rubio for the Senate here – phone bank, whatever. I gave money, but I’ll give more to get ads on TV tying Trump like an anvil around Rubio’s neck. We MUST take the Senate and at least narrow the majority in the House.
Everyone have a great day!
I hope Murphy has a shot – Rubio is awful. So far it looks like Rubio is up 4
That doesn’t sound like a commanding lead. I hope that Murphy’s campaign hangs Trumps words around Rubio’s neck. Every Republican candidate needs to own them, regardless of whether they are still endorsing or if they unendorse. There was no excuse for supporting Trump before the tape was revealed and we need to point that out.
In Arizona, Ann Kirkpatrick hammered away at John McCain pretty much saying that his previous willingness to hand over the nuclear codes to an unfit president are not wiped out by his unendorsement. So McCain is saddled with his previous endorsement and the anger of the Trumpers over his unendorsement. It might be enough to sink an unpopular candidate whose support depends mainly on his being a Republican in a red state.
Rooting for Kirkpatrick!
I think the problem in FL is that though Latinos are dumping Trump – even Cubans – they (R-Cubans and other R-Latinos) aren’t dumping Rubio.
I hope Murphy people have identified counter-demographics to target
Wonder why Rubio is so keen to keep a job he hasn’t even showed up for?
Partisan identity overrides any dissatisfaction the reflexive R voters may have with him. The Republicans still see Rubio as their Great Hope for the Future – the guy who could have won if not for Trump “hijacking” their party. They will conveniently forget that he hates his job and, more importantly, didn’t bother showing up.
Good morning, meeses! Tuesday …
It is 59 degrees in Madison with an expected daytime high of 70. Mostly sunny skies in the forecast. Yesterday was spectacular – cool morning, sun in the afternoon. I turned into a lizard person and sat on the deck, soaking in the sun.
I hope this campaign has opened a few eyes. From “groping is not sexual assault” to “everyone talks salaciously” the mask of misogyny has been ripped off the Republican Party for everyone to see. It is obvious that the election cycle with the first woman running for president has given men permission to unleash their inner pig, just like the election of the first black president let the racists crawl out from under their rocks. I had hope that the tape and subsequent despicable behaviour would lead to some soul searching but instead the RNC has doubled down on its support and the coward Paul Ryan issued a statement that essentially said “don’t ask me any questions about Trump”. Not “I am not endorsing him” or “I am not voting for him” simply “Don’t ask me about him”. Profile in Cravenness.
Time to pivot to GOTV. The polls are not our friends this year because while they make us feel good, the polls are not votes. If people think that Hillary is winning by 14 points, they will stay home. We need to encourage them to believe that every vote is a big NO to the future that the Republican Party wants for America.
Today, Hillary Clinton and Al Gore travel to Florida for a rally at 3pm Eastern at Miami Dade College. President Obama is scheduled to speak in Greensboro North Carolina at 6pm. Hillary will go to Pueblo Colorado and Las Vegas Nevada tomorrow and Tim Kaine will be in Charlotte NC. Michelle and Joe hit the road again on Thursday and the president will stump again in Cleveland on Friday. They don’t think this is in the bag … we shouldn’t either.
See all y’all later!
Good Tuesday morning, Moosekind! It was 36 F. when I took the dog out and picked up the newspaper. The tops of the cars had frost on them and I could see my breath when I exhaled. It’s a beautiful day, with temps. going up to 61 F.
Busy day today, as I’ve got to somehow get the badges on Miss Pink Cheeks’ Brownie waistcoat ahead of the meeting tonight. I’m absolutely awful at this sort of thing. Also need to go over at 1 p.m. and let their new dog out for the obvious reason.
No other plans for this beautiful day aside from going to the gym, shopping for groceries, and perhaps answering letters.
Wishing a good day to all at the Pond and Beyond! (Can’t wait until the election is over.)
It is 36 here in Saugerties – brrrrrrrrrrrr. Expected high 60.
Agree with strong GOTV efforts however I don’t think polling data will depress the vote much – I don’t think that many people pay attention to it like we do. People (Democrats) are so pissed at disgusting Trump – especially women – I think we’ll get the turnout. –
This may be the election where Democrats get the white female vote again.
I’m getting a lot of calls – from the DNC, my union (UUP) and from the NEA -as well as from the Hillary campaign – and I’m in NY. That’s a good sign.
Thanks for the campaign trail agenda Jan.
White women from the suburbs could be the final piece of the Democratic Party coalition, a piece that will help us win elections now, without having to wait for the demographic tsunami or worry about midterm ennui. I was chuckling over the YouGov polls that showed the disconnect between spouses – women secretly planning to vote for Hillary while their Trumpeting husbands are sure they are voting for Trump. Ha! Thank goodness for the secret ballot.
Crowds are not votes, either, but this crowd shot of Hillary’s rally last night at Ohio State gives me hope that the young people see that their skin is in this too:
The so-called experts are certain that people of color have nothing to motivate them this year. I suspect that they don’t talk to many from their ivory towers:
sigh – the concern trolling from the “experts” is trying my last nerve!
Morning! Early posting for me today – but I’m not exactly early rising this morning, just never went to sleep. I will pay for it later today, but I got absorbed reading stuff online and watching videos, and suddenly it was 4:30. So I just never went to bed, been playing WOW, and waiting till sunrise in a few minutes now to get the garbage out and put the dogs thru their morning routine. Then have to clean up for the cleaners.
I too hope people won’t let down the energy just because some polls are giving Hills a big lead – we need a wave election to get a Democratic Congress. I’m so afraid of the attempts to undercut Hillary’s first years in office if she has to deal with a Republican Senate and House – we’ll have the same demoralization in 2018 that we had in 2010, and we can’t afford it, not this close to another redistricting. I don’t know if Murphy can overtake Rubio, but there’s some money coming in for ads I think, the series done by one of the superpacs tying Rubio to various Republican Senators in tight races. From what I read, the internal polls of the Republicans over the weekend must have shown them the House was in danger, as well as the Senate. I can’t imagine why we’d have seen so many defections otherwise. But they’re really stuck, can’t live with the Donald’s core support aka the Teaparty holdovers, but they can’t win without it either.
We’ve finally got our version of fall weather – it’s getting cool at night, into the 60’s and occasionally the 50’s. Still in the 80’s during the day, but it’s not humid, pretty delightful. San Diego weather I call it – best time of year here. Everyone have a great day!
I am having trouble taking my eyes off the shiny objects on the Internet this political season. My favorite narrative, Republicans in Disarray, is everywhere. Someone asked if it was possible to overdose on Schadenfreude; maybe, but I am not there yet! ;)
Agree – we have to work hard to give Hills a Senate – and some more voices in the House – or we’ll have gridlock all over again.
I didn’t know FL had fall :)
Another gorgeous day — 50s to around 90. Didn’t walk yesterday. Brought my gym bag again today — will try again. I can vote in 14 days. Definitely doing it the 1st day of early voting. Don’t know why Salome is playing in my head. It’s a sexy, bass-y song, a b-side to one of their Achtung Baby singles. It’s fun & dance-y so maybe I just need the distraction.
I voted the first day of early voting here. I read somewhere that early voters have already cast about 450,000 votes! I was not the only one who was anxious to get my vote banked.
Seems to me that if your state allows it (mine does not), it’s a good idea to vote early. Who knows but Thing supporters will be at their polls with guns, all ready to intimidate voters? Better to vote early and make sure, as Jan says.