Week-long Welcomings from Moosylvania: Jan. 17th through Jan. 23rd

January 17, 2016 JanF Community 134

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?

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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.

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56 Comments

  1. Good morning, Motley Meese! The week begins …

    It is -5 degrees in Madison WI, on its way “up” to 0. The wind chill is 17 below. Partly cloudy skies are in the forecast.

    Have a great day, all y’alls!!

  2. Good Sunday morning Meese

    Glad to see President Obama has declared a federal emergency in Flint.

    LANSING President Barack Obama on Saturday declared a federal emergency in Flint, freeing up to $5 million in federal aid to immediately assist with the public health crisis, but he denied Gov. Rick Snyder’s request for a disaster declaration.

    A disaster declaration would have made larger amounts of federal funding available more quickly to help Flint residents whose drinking water is contaminated with lead. But under federal law, only natural disasters such as hurricanes and floods are eligible for disaster declarations, federal and state officials said. The lead contamination of Flint’s drinking water is a manmade catastrophe.

    The president’s actions authorize the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate responses and cover 75% of the costs for much-needed water, filters, filter cartridges and other items for residents, capped initially at $5 million. The president also offered assistance in finding other available federal assistance, a news release Saturday from the White House said.

    Last week Hillary sent top aides to Flint, and Bernie just called for Snyder’s resignation.

    Community activists are asking President Obama to come to Flint.

    Republicans? None of the candidates have said anything – that I could find.
    Well – they have done something …voted against clean water

    What have Republicans done?

    Following Flint Fiasco, Republican Congress Votes To Block Clean Water Efforts
    By: John Lundin
    Thursday, January, 14th, 2016, 3:59 pm

    “If you would care for the Earth, first you must care for the water.”
    This is one of the most basic wisdom teachings of America’s native elders.
    Republican elders in the US congress have some teachings of their own. Roughly translated they amount to, “We don’t care.”

    On Wednesday, just days after it was revealed the Republican governor of Michigan had knowingly poisoned the children of Flint, Michigan, with polluted river water, the GOP-led congress passed a bill that would block EPA efforts to care for the water quality of America’s pristine waterways.

    • This whole thing really angers me. Teaparty governors have slashed services to hand out tax cuts to the wealthy and now federal taxpayers are paying to protect that state’s citizens from the unsurprising outcome. Michigan has the money to pay for this but they are hoarding it to give another tax cut!

      This, to me, is telling:

      Last week Hillary sent top aides to Flint, and Bernie just called for Snyder’s resignation.

      Doing versus podium banging. One candidate looking into solutions, one angrily demanding resignations and arrests. What good does it do RIGHT NOW for those people in Flint to have the governor resign? What they need is what the president is sending – FEMA, with supplies and aid.

        • Podium banging will do that. I am starting to lose patience with the “Everything is Income Inequality” bunch and their solutions.

          Take a look at what John Kerry helped negotiate in Iran. That was possible because we have a Democratic Party with smart people who can be tapped for the important jobs in an administration. It also takes calm and patience and a willingness to compromise. There is no room for puristas in foreign policy negotiations. Call me stupid but I like the strong institutions that make our government function: parties and think tanks and scholars. I don’t want to burn it down and start over.

    • Instead of arresting Gov. Snyder, someone should arrest Grover Freaking Norquist, the man who forced every Republican politician to sign the No Taxes pledge, he of the “shrink government small enough to drown it in a bathtub”. Maybe he should go to Flint and look at what happens when you eliminate basic services … bathtubs full of unusable water – killing people and creating a generation of sick and disabled children. When you drown government, you destroy the basic compact of civilization. Fie on him and his ilk.

      • Killing people is what Republicans do best. Death panels are a specialty of theirs.

  3. Good morning, Moosekind! It’s 36 F. on a grey morning here in NoVa—talk about “all the clouds that lour’d upon our house”—going up to 39 F., with snow flurries expected this morning.

    Completely agree with you, Jan, re strong governmental institutions. This business of “gummint” being an evil entity started in the 1980s with our second stupidest prez-dent. I’m glad help will be forthcoming for Flint, although it should have happened long ago.

    Also glad that some, if not all, of the Americans being held in Iran are on their way home. One man no one has seen or heard of for years is still there—that is, if he’s still alive.

    Does everyone plan to watch the debate tonight? I’ll probably fall asleep during it, but I’ll start off watching it. Wishing a good day to all!

    • Haven’t decided if I am going to watch or not.

      I am beginning to wonder if the entire “debate” business makes any sense – I’d rather see forums – where people ask questions of the candidates and they have a chance to discuss their plans in depth.

    • I am with Dee here: I don’t think the debates have much value. Perhaps once as an introduction to the candidates but not the same three people saying the same things. Why bother?

      I enjoyed the forum that Rachel Maddow ran a few months ago, where a smart person (Rachel!) asked questions and the candidates got a chance to answer them without interruption. Debates seem to me to be the loudest wins and that has never seemed like a good way to choose a leader. I read something the other day suggesting that the debates, even on the Republican side where there is a lot of theatre, are dropping in ratings. They are like reruns, now, and the shiny objects are not as bright anymore or, perhaps, the car wreck has stopped being shocking and the rubberneckers are just driving by.

      I will follow it on Twitter as long as it is interesting and then read about it tomorrow.

  4. Allergies are killing me. This time of year, when we have sunny, windy days, we get so much cedar pollen…. Ugh. Today: church, next week’s lunch, maybe a walk.

    • Sorry to hear that, another. It must be awful. My allergies are bad too, but I don’t think we have cedar. I wonder why they’re bothering me at all—isn’t winter the time of year we’re supposed to get a respite from them?

      Hope you’ll feel better soon!

  5. Good morning, 49 and cloudy in Bellingham. It’s wet outdoors, but not freezing cold. Stay warm Jan!

    West coast time works for me today……we can watch the debate while cooking dinner and it won’t interfere with our Downton Abbey time. The story seems slow this year, but after watching all the episodes we’ll see it through to the end. Add the Seahawks vs Carolina football game and it will be a full tv day for us.

  6. Morning all – still barely morning here! Grey and cool – we’ll have chilly weather for the week, I think.

    I commented on a diary at GOS yesterday about the “gorilla in the room” of the Republican debates that is the crushing debt ALL of these moran’s tax and budget plans would create, which, in turn, would create more pressure to cut Social Security and Medicare, which of course is all part of the plan. Not that they tell their elderly white supporters that, of course. But that’s the only diary I visited, I literally can’t stand the sight of the page now with one anti-Hillary diary after another. Looks like a Republican site. I will go read Dee’s FP diary though, can’t miss that.

    I won’t watch the debate tonight, I’m just tired of all of it and ready for the primaries to settle this thing over the next, what, 60 days? I will say, though, that I’m now of the view that Sanders would have an unsuccessful Presidency even if he wins the nom and the general, not just because he doesn’t have the right kind of experience for it, but because he won’t even have the Dems in Congress fully behind him. Because he’s not a Democrat, and has spent his whole political career basically on the outside of the party system, he has no network of support among Democratic elected officials. It’s a truism on the Hill that the worst enemies of any newly elected President are the Senators of his own party, because they all think they should be in his shoes. In Sanders’ case, that attitude will be amplified by his outsider status – I know that’s what makes him attractive to his supporters, but I think it would be disastrous in an actual governing context. If he won the nomination, of course I would vote for him but only because of the Supreme Court – in every other respect, I think he could be a disaster.

    Ok, enough cheeriness, off to read Dee’s Sunday goodness at GOS! Have a great day everyone!

    • Excellent observation about Congress: how do you get them to work with you when you have essentially run against them and their party? I think Ted Cruz or Donald Trump would have the same problem (may such a theory never be tested!). Governing requires knowing how government works and how to get things done and to keep the boring business of government running. On Twitter last night, before I shut it down as too jumpy, the consensus from the debate is that Hillary Clinton is ready to step into the presidency and keep the government running and our various international interests intact. Our allies will not have to worry about where we stand or what we will do.

      I do wish that “elderly white supporters” of Republican candidates would wake up to the fact that the teaparty is steadily undermining our country’s finances to create a crisis that will end Social Security and Medicare and toss them to the wolves. Unless they have other sources of income, they will find it difficult to make ends meet if substantial benefit reductions are “forced” on us. Maybe as the Fox News generation dies off and baby boomers replace them as the over 65 crowd, we will find politicians courageous enough to do what even Ronald Reagan realized we needed to do: change the FICA formula to get more money into the system. Raise the cap on wages, like they did with Medicare, and fully fund Social Security for the next 75 years.

  7. Afternoon Folks – overcast and just below freezing in Fay., AR – not helpful as this is my laundry Sunday, but oh well. Clothes are on racks in front of the fire and should be try by my bedtime. :) Baked cookies this morning but waiting until tomorrow to do the muffins that will be breakfast and coffee breaks during the work week. (Thinking almond-cherry muffins, using almond butter instead of butter and chopped nuts and homemade cherry jam instead of brown sugar. Should work.) Regarding GOS, Hillary, Bernie, and Flint, MI – what you folks said! And no way am I watching the “debate” – I’ll check the high spots which will probably be on Lysis HNV diary and if not will definitely be on the Hillary speeches website either tomorrow or Tuesday, depending on whether or not I’m online at all tomorrow. Stay warm. {{{HUGS}}}

      • Preheat oven to 350F and prepare muffin tin

        sift together:
        1-1/2 c GF flour + 1 tsp baking soda (sift before measuring, then sift again with leavening), set aside

        cream together:
        3 oz almond butter (that’s about 5 level or 2-1/2 rounded TBSP)
        2 TBSP cherry jam

        beat in:
        1 egg
        6 oz yogurt
        1/2 c, seltzer water

        Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix just until all the flour is damp. Fill muffin tins about 2/3s full. Bake 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Enjoy. :)

  8. Good morning, meese! Monday …

    It is -8 in Madison on its way up to 6. Sunny skies are in the forecast. The wind chill advisory is in effect until noon … right now it is 21 below zero. My dog is very efficient in this weather. :)

    The president made his statement on the Iran deal yesterday (taking time away from the First Lady’s birthday party!). I will post it as an update to the Diplomacy post.

    The Democrats “debated”. I scanned a few liveblogs and the consensus is: all the pundits wish there were more debates because … it provides them with online content!! Well, they will have to fill that content with the complaints about not having debates, there are certainly plenty of them. And I disagree heartily that more debates help any of the candidates. There is nothing being said that is new to the candidates or their campaigns, we know the demeanor of each of them and most of us have made up our minds. Let’s start voting!!

    Federal holiday today: kids are off school, no mail, and no banking. I am going to try to use my less hectic morning to clear and sort my Inbox which got out of control while I was doing end of year / beginning of year work.

    See all y’all later!

    • Brrrrrrrrr Jan – that is really cold. It is 22 here – we had a little light snow overnight.

      Watched the debate rerun. Yawn. Still think forums would be better.

      The only thing I appreciated was the Flint situation being brought up at the end.

      • They talked about Flint? That shocks me. I will go find the transcript.

        Flint is not just a city in crisis: it is a real life example of the outcome of teaparty politics, starving the beast and shrinking government so small it can no longer provide basis services. Take Flint and overlay that on an entire state and then a country. THAT is what Republicans want – no regulation, every person for themselves. Instead of “no bread? let them eat cake”, we have “no water? buy bottled” … may the teapartiers suffer the same fate as the last monarchs of France, removed from power in a permanent way. (Although not “off with their heads” as I want them to watch in horror as we take our governments back and they are left hugging their guns and confederate flags).

          • I just now found it and watched it! Isn’t it telling that the moderator wanted to cut her off for “going long” in her closing because of that?

            Here is the ThinkProgress story:

            Sunday night’s Democratic debate drew to a close with no questions about the ongoing lead poisoning crisis that has impacted tens of thousands of people in the struggling city of Flint, Michigan.

            When NBC moderators asked the candidates for closing statements, Hillary Clinton used her remaining time to explain why she’s “outraged” by the lack of attention on the public safety disaster, which President Obama just declared a federal emergency.

            “I think every single American should be outraged,” Clinton said. “We had a city in the United States of America where the population, which is poor in many ways, and majority-African American, has been drinking and bathing in lead-contaminated water. And the governor of that state acted as though he didn’t really care. He had requests for help that he basically stonewalled. I’ll tell you what: if the kids in a rich suburb of Detroit had been drinking contaminated water and being bathed in it, there would have been action.”

            Ya think? Good for her for bringing it up. THAT is what matters, not votes to authorize military force from 12 years ago … what you will do now, in 2016, to make turning a blind eye to outrages like Flint a third rail.

          • I’m going to write about Republicans killing us with their programs and positions – literally. Flint tops my list but there is no dearth of examples

          • Here is the link to a bunch of Tweets someone compiled with photos of the “drinking” water:
            The People of Flint Want You to See These Photos of the Water They Were Told Was Safe to Drink

            I also came across the story on the Scholastic Book about George Washington’s happy slaves on The Root (from my Twitter stream). It included an update. Apparently, Scholastic realized the mistake they had made:

            Update 1/17/16 8:30pm
            Amidst growing criticism of a children’s book depicting happy slaves baking a cake for George Washington, publisher Scholastic has announced it is pulling the book from retailers. In a statement to the Associated Press, Scholastic said this:

            “While we have great respect for the integrity and scholarship of the author, illustrator and editor, we believe that, without more historical background on the evils of slavery than this book for younger children can provide, the book may give a false impression of the reality of the lives of slaves and therefore should be withdrawn.”

            “False impression” of the reality of the lives of slaves???!!?? Hello … look up “slave” in a dictionary.

  9. Good morning, Moosekind! Gorgeous morning here in NoVa, 16 F. now but going up to 25 F. later. It’ll be a good night to have chicken pot pie. If one did but live in Marijuado, it could have real pot in it! Oh, well.

    Was cheered to see that Scholastic pulled A Birthday Cake for George Washington. That was even mentioned on “Good Morning, Sweaty Celebrities and Worthless Movies, America” this morning. Seems a good way to start off the celebrations for Martin Luther King Day.

    My niece, who aspires to veganism, came to dinner last night. Naturally, she didn’t want cheesecake for dinner so I made Vegan Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies to go with the fruit salad. Even the carnivores liked the cookies!

    Watched “Downton” last night instead of the debate. Like the other Meese, I’m sick of debates. They showed a clip or two this morning on the alleged “News.” I must say that the more I see and read about Bernie, the less I like him. Quaking in my too-tight boots that he will win. Of course, my view is skewed by the sight of GOS’ front page. I keep collapsing the Wreck and Most Shared lists but I still can’t avoid seeing the titles.

    I am paying my husband to drive me round Capitol Hill today to look at the houses and landmarks. I feel the urge to write a novella about a woman who lives on Capitol Hill—an un-rich woman. I’d like some photos to inspire me.

    Wishing the everyone in Moosylvania a good day!

    • I was trying to figure out a way to post a GOS link without showing the comments. There used to be a Permalink that had the diary with a special keyword “Hide” that would give you just the story. Apparently that is gone now. :( I am told that loading comments will crash ordinary people’s computers plus COMMENTS!!

      I would vote for Bernie Sanders in the general election because of the Justice Department and the federal courts, including SCOTUS. But I hope he is not the choice. I am uncomfortable with his demeanor.

      • Of course I’ll vote for him if he’s the nominee, for the reasons you mentioned. But I don’t see how he’ll get “Medicare for All” (even though I heartily approve of the idea) through a Rethug Senate and House. In fact, I don’t see how he’ll get ANYTHING through the Congress. And as for “Us, the people” rising up with pitchforks and torches to storm Capitol Hill, I don’t see that happening. I’m sure people would want to, but working three $7-an-hour jobs to survive means you can’t take time off to demonstrate against the system.

        • The problem is that working three $7-an-hour jobs to survive means you can’t even take time off to VOTE! That is why we need a national holiday for voting or move it to the weekend. OR mail-in voting.

    • I found a nice article with a roundup of the days events. Our candidates will be speaking at something called the “King Day at the Dome” in Charleston. The president and first lady will be taking part in a community service program in Washington DC and former Attorney General Eric Holder will be laying a wreath at the MLK memorial. Republicans will be celebrating Robert E. Lee Day in Texas.

      • Tomorrow is Confederate Veteran’s Day. I make a point of working that day – it’s an “optional” holiday. Today, though – all the elected officials are at the MLK Day celebration.

  11. Good morning all! Guess it’s cold all over, as it’s very chilly but sunny and bright here today for the MLK holiday! Happy Birthday (belatedly) dear Martin!

    I watched the clip of Hillary’s closing about Flint that Dee linked – and she definitely does come across as someone who’s ready to step into the Presidency and lead from Day One. My fear is that our politics have become addicted to the Bright Shiny Object of celebrity, on the Trump side, and Something Completely Different, on the Bernie side, and voting for Hillary will not appeal to enough people given that she’s a responsible adult with relevant experience. Bernie is a great spokesman for outrage and change – but I just can’t see that working in the Presidency. I also worry a lot about the Republicans’ clear preference for running against him as opposed to her – I am not at all sure he could beat Trump, particularly once the Republican moneyed ranks close around Trump if he’s the eventual nominee.

    Oh well – another cup of coffee while I cruise the net a bit, then I’ve got groceries to get and some house cleaning to do. Have a great day everyone!

    • Just a postscript – I checked out the DKos Hillary Writer’s Circle, and there’s a post there on who Elizabeth Warren is going to endorse for the nomination (I wouldn’t be surprised if she sits it out myself, but the betting seems to be on Hillary, which would make multiple heads at DKos explode all over the site). Sen McGaskill, a strong Hillary supporter, is quoted making a very good point (one that supports what I said yesterday about Democratic Senators not supporting Bernie if he were in the White House) – NO Democratic Senators, many of whom have worked with Sanders for years, have endorsed him. None. That is really telling – and I think it’s not just that they think he can’t win or that they have long ties to the Clintons. Sanders. Is. Not. A. Democrat. And it matters.

      • I am sure that the Bernistas will say that it is because Claire McCaskill is a DINO. She is definitely to the right of me but she has a D after her name and that is crucial for us to be able to get judicial nominees confirmed … or blocked.

        I think that Elizabeth Warren will not endorse in the primary until the nomination is locked up. There is no reason for her to … if she endorses Hillary, the left of the left will pillory her … if she endoreses Bernie, she risks alienating the next Democratic president, not something that she probably wants to do. So holding her own counsel is wise.

        I read a disturbing story over the weekend about how Bernie threw a feminist Democrat under the purity bus back in 1986. Follow this Twitter stream (@sadydoyle) which included this block quote. Her story starts at about 5pm last night (she obviously was following the debate later).

        I don’t have a lot of patience with men who think they know what women need … too close to “don’t worry your pretty little head, dear, the men will take care of this”.

  12. Good morning, 47 and cloudy in Bellingham. The grand girls are here today so as soon as we all wake up it will be a busy fun day. They arrive early, still in their pj’s, and go back to sleep in the study so the house is quiet now.

    Our bookstore has a reading program in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day…..

    School may not be in session, but Martin Luther King Jr. Day was never intended to be a day of rest. Instead, it’s a day of service, education and community connection. The Read-In will embody these values, with student volunteers from Western Washington University reading books about diversity and community to children who attend.

    The girls are getting a bit old for the book selections but we’ve been going for years, so we’ll keep the tradition and then enjoy lunch and talk about what they learn this time. The WWU students are good role models for them.

    http://www.villagebooks.com/event/mlk-jr-read-in-1/18/16

  13. It was 14 at dawn, 24 now and that’s about it for the day. We got some snow last night but the bright sunshine sublimed it off my solar panels by 10:30 and we’re in full production mode. Didn’t watch the debate last night. Will check HillaryHQ or Hillaryspeeches – goddess knows GOS isn’t going to be safe today although I will dodge over there for a bit (pootie diary). And goddess only knows why Bernie’s “he should resign” is supposed to be so much better than Hillary’s “get those kids clean water, medical aid, and educational aid going forward” (as she said on Rachel’s show the other night) or Hillary’s “…if this were a rich white suburb…” Snyder should be gotten out of office all right – preferably into a federal pen – but that doesn’t do a bloody thing to actually help the poisoned kids, now does it? (Yes, I’m with Hillary – I’m outraged.) Anyway, hope everyone is having a love MLK Day – pulling that “happy slave” book today is very fitting. (G.W. actually thought of himself as a “caring father” to all the folks working at Mt. Vernon, slave and free, black and white. I’ve read some of his letters home while he was generaling and presidenting. Scary.) {{{HUGS}}}

  14. Good morning Meese
    20 here in the Catskills – going up to 24

    Heading out later to go to the doctor for my 6 month check-up and get blood work done – ugh

    I will be boycotting watching the Oscars this year along with other supporters of black actors, directors and filmmakers.

    Gov. Synder of Michigan is whining that Hillary Clinton is “politicizing” the poisoning of Flint citizens – as if Republican politics has not been the cause.

    • Isn’t this the second year in a row that black actors have been dissed by The Academy? Or did last year yield some nominees but no winners? I don’t follow movies but I have noticed the anger on Black Twitter.

      “Politicizing”??? Good lord, he created the situation by politicizing the delivery of basic government services, by following teaparty edicts to cut taxes on the wealthy, everyone and everything else be damned. He is the poster child for trickle down economics but in his case, the trickle is a deluge of poisonous water. The right-wing press is depicting him as being bullied by President Obama and the Democrats. No, President Obama is pulling his chestnuts out of the fire. Why oh why do our people not vote in mid-term elections??? It is one thing to vote Snyder (and Walker and Kasich and Scott and LePage) in once but to re-elect them is voter malpractice.

      • I wish I could answer that – our own lack of turnout in elections has done so much harm :(

  15. Good morning, meese! Tuesday …

    It is -5 in Madison, on its way up to 14. The winds have died down so there is no wind chill, but -5 is still pretty darned chilly! Partly cloudy skies are in the forecast.

    I can’t stay, as there are early morning projects that I need to attend to. It looks like a light news day with most politicians Tweeting their respect for Martin Luther King Jr. while voting their disrespect for his cause:

    Scores of Congressional Republicans took to Twitter on Monday to highlight their appreciation for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his fight for civil rights for all. But since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2013 ruling gutted much of the Voting Rights Act that King helped pass, their caucus has refused to move even bipartisan legislation to restore the law’s key provisions.

    Just 14 Republicans in the U.S. House have signed onto H.R.885, officially the Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2015, even though its lead sponsor is Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI).

    p.s. No, Rev. King would still not be a Republican.

    See all y’all later!

    • Yr Wonkette: Republican Arkansas Governor To Spend MLK Day Stomping On Confederate Hearts

      It’s that special holiday again, the one where Republicans get on Twitter and Facespace and say things like, “You know, if Martin Luther King, Jr. was alive today, he wouldn’t be such a fan of The Blacks!” […]

      So, in an effort to say GOOD JOB KIND OF! to Republicans when they actually do a Good Job Kind Of, we pause to note that Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson actually thinks it’s sort of inappropriate for his state to celebrate King’s birthday ON THE SAME DAY as Confederate general and all-around traitor Robert E. Lee:

      U.S. civil rights hero Martin Luther King Jr. and Civil War Confederate commander General Robert E. Lee will share a common holiday on Monday in three southern states, but perhaps for the final time in one of them, Arkansas.

      The state’s Republican governor is pushing to separate the joint celebration after critics said it is an insult for the man who fought to end racial segregation to share a day with a man who fought to preserve slavery. […]

      “It’s important that that day be distinguished and separate and focused on the civil rights struggle and what he personally did in that effort,” Hutchinson said.

      Of course, an even BETTER idea would be to say, “Why don’t we never celebrate Robert E. Lee again?” But tiny baby steps, people, tiny baby steps, and kudos to Asa Hutchinson The White Republican Governor for actually saying that King’s legacy SHOULD be celebrated, untarnished by yucky gross “Heritage Not Hate” bullshit.

      • The only thing Asa Hutchinson is good at is deflecting criticism. He doesn’t actually do good stuff, he just makes sure nobody’s screaming at him for doing bad stuff. That’s why he talked the RWNJ legislature into not getting rid of our already less than stellar partially privatized version of the Medicaid expansion – and he only talked them into not getting rid of it until after the 2016 elections. Asa doesn’t give a rat’s patooty about setting aside a day for MLK – he’s just interested in not getting any flack for REL being celebrated on the same day.

    • Politico is next to useless. Charlie Pierce calls them “Tiger Beat on the Potomac”. There are a handful of reporters who are not hacks but their analysis and conclusions are ridiculous. Click bait … and then usually disappointment.

      Donald Trump will not win black voters who voted for Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012. Clarence Thomas will vote for him … and maybe Condoleeza Rice.

      Have you read this Molly Ball piece in The Atlantic? Some of the people quoted are downright scary but this is just sad:

      “I don’t agree with a lot of Trump’s positions, and being a Hispanic makes it tough for me to deal with the tone of his expressions,” says Jose Fuentes, a former attorney general of Puerto Rico. But, he adds, “If Trump winds up being the nominee, I’m going to help him. If that’s what the party decides, I will be there.”

      JHC, man! It is more than “tone” … he hates your people!!! Don’t hand him the cudgel to beat them with!!!

      • heh – Puerto Ricans love Hillary – she won the primary against BHO decisively. Fuentes is a Republican asshole. He was on the Romney steering committee.

  17. If today wasn’t the optional state holiday known as Confederate Veteran’s Day, I’d have called in sick. My allergies are killing me. Sneezing my head off, and waterfaucet nose. Ugh. But I’ll be damned if I don’t show up at work today to tell the half of my ancestors who were on the wrong side of that war that they were wrong. I may even go out on the Capitol grounds at lunch & stick my tongue out at the Confederate memorial. If I have the energy. Did I mention “death allergies”?

    head is playing Hallelujah Here She Comes by U2 — in my walking playlist this & their cover of Everlasting Love are next to each other & make me really happy:

  18. Good morning, Moosekind! It’s 14 F. in NoVa on another brilliantly sunny morning, going up to 25 F. today. Thank Goddess the schools are still closed (why? There’s no snow on the ground or anything), because Miss Pink Cheeks didn’t feel well yesterday and doesn’t need to be out in the cold. She’ll very likely spend the day with us.

    Did some writing last night on my new Fiction Cafe story—not satisfied with it. It needs magick, and so far there isn’t any. Moreover, it’s too long.

    Was planning a small dinner party for Sunday—butternut squash soup, followed by steak and mushroom pie + three vegetables, then trifle—but we may get the Big One this weekend. If we do, I’ll put the dinner off for a week.

    I usually boycott the Oscars because it’s so damn boring but this year I’ll boycott them because of their failure, for the second consecutive year, to nominate any black actors. I’ll read a book instead.

    Wishing a good day to all!

      • Oh they are – that diary was totally invaded by Hillary-haters with there “But Bernie is the real…Hillary’s just pandering” crap. Sigh.

  20. 28 and overcast in Fay, AR this monday-on-tuesday. The wind is bitter, makes it feel a whole lot colder. Wish I was home by the fire instead of at work. Oh well, better computer and all that. But I’ve got a couple of 100 emails to deal with. Today is the 1st day of classes and the last week of enrollment. Sigh. Will check back when I can. Stay warm. {{{HUGS}}}

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