Lovely picture. And, good heavens, but it *is* mid June. It snuck up on me.
Listener, if I can work out how to do so, may I post a photo of Nickie Kitty? No particular reason other than that I managed to take it (she is quite camera shy) and it's pretty good. and, of course, she's a cute kitty! *grin*
ARRGH!! I went to sign up for Bernie's Thursday evening address, only to discover that they will send the link by text message to your *phone*. Which you then have to manually type into your browser. What's worse, they say they will keep on sending text messages to your phone. This is UNACCEPTABLE. I'll have to depend on someone else to tell me what goes on.
Bill, I'm sorry. That's lousy! That's the world run by young people who just assume everybody is as able and as tech-savvy as they are. Not that it will do any good, but you should send an e-mail detailing all this to the campaign. They need to be made aware that disabled and older people are involved (or want to be) as well as fit, up-to-date youngsters.
Furthermore, allow me to point out that geezers can give them whippersnappers a few lessons on being UPPITY! You think we practice embarrassing our kids without having any long-term plan for the skills we are developing? HA!
And I don't do text messages. I vote, I contribute money and some time--but I sure as Hades don't do text messages. They're a damned nuisance with no obvious purpose--like Facebook and Twitter, I might add. I think I will give HQ a piece of my mind on this.
Alan - "You think we practice embarrassing our kids without having any long-term plan for the skills we are developing? HA!"
LOL So that's what you parental types are doing, developing a skill set. And all this time I thought it was just exercise of the kid-embarrassment muscles that suddenly appeared on the birth of the first child.
Bill ~ As soon as the event ends, you can type STOP to stop receiving text messages. That's what I plan to do. I suspect that it's not so much the campaign that set it this way as the conference call agency. Call HQ at (802) 862-0697 to ask for another means. If they have another way to graft you in, I'm sure they'd be happy to.
Alan, I intended the phone number above for you too. I'm pretty sure that the primary reason they have set it up this way is that it's the fastest and least expensive means of having a conference call. Bernie is even more frugal than Howard was!
I won't have the ability to participate in a conference call Thursday evening--traveling. It seems kind of odd to me anyway, fossil that I am. I expect there will be summaries that are more my kind of thing. But thank you.
From politicalwire.com --Alan (who would just post a link except that he trashed the code to do it. Will recover it later.)
A new study from the Shorenstein Center at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government found that Sen. Bernie Sanders received the most “overwhelmingly positive” media coverage of any presidential candidate.
“The Democratic race in 2015 received less than half the coverage of the Republican race. Bernie Sanders’ campaign was largely ignored in the early months but, as it began to get coverage, it was overwhelmingly positive in tone. Sanders’ coverage in 2015 was the most favorable of any of the top candidates, Republican or Democratic. For her part, Hillary Clinton had by far the most negative coverage of any candidate. In 11 of the 12 months, her ‘bad news’ outpaced her ‘good news,’ usually by a wide margin, contributing to the increase in her unfavorable poll ratings in 2015.”
The study also confirmed “the media’s excessive and often uncritical coverage of Donald Trump in the run-up to the primaries played a major role in his explosive political rise.”
Two-Thirds of Dem voters want Bernie as VP. 44% of Dem votes want Bernie to run as an Independent. And that's not including Independents and left-leaning Republicans.
If Bernie were the VP, he would be hogtied. As Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee he would be very powerful, and he would have great freedom of action. That in addition to being one of the leaders of a large popular political faction with staying power. Attending the funerals of foreign dignitaries simply does not compare. Ignoring the improbability of a successful independent campaign, the deadlines for registering as an independent candidate are passing.
I went through a brief period of thinking Bernie as HRC's running mate was a grand idear, that it would unify the party. On sober reflection, though, I agree with Alan. Veep would be a waste of Bernie's time and energy. He is seventy-four, after all. He doesn't have unlimited amounts of time, and if the movement he has started is to prosper he needs to be in a position of some power and authority.
Medical Mystery Yesterday I noticed a bruise about a third of the way up my left forearm, but have no recollection of bumping, banging or jabbing myself. Today there is another, of the same size and shape, on a line about an inch up from the first. It's a bit troubling, being unable to account for two largish bruises. They also smart!
Odd coincidence, certainly. Every once in a while I notice a particularly decorative bruise and a astonished that I have no recollection of whatever caused it. I suppose that when it happened I was just thinking profound thoughts...
I remember what I was going to report. In our chitchat, Sis said, as if it were something to be proud of, "The Bushes are going to vote for Hillary." I smiled politely and said that was interesting. Kept to myself the thought that, if anything such news, if reliable, is definitely a reason not to vote for her.
Sis is bewildered by people who say they will not vote for HRC. I have tried to explain gently that some people do not think she is a strong candidate. I even went so far this evening as to state that she cannot win against Trump. This upset Sis, who insisted that of course she can, provided the party unites behind her. Sis also repeated the talking point that a vote for anyone other than HRC is essentially a vote for Trump or at the least a wasted vote. I explained that no vote is ever wasted, that one must vote one's conscience. Not sure she understood. She also seems unable to understand why anyone would be turned off by HRC and would not want to vote for her. It's not so much that she's drunk the koolade as that she's just hopelessly naive. You'd think someone over forty would be a trifle more sophisticated. But then I've been a news hound and political junky my entire life. You don't lose that by taking some time away from it as I did. Still not back to full bore, but one hears things and puts things together.
Then again, I was never a big fan of Bill Clinton. Explained to Sis that, while I agree that it is unfair to blame HRC for Bill's policies and mistakes (She should stand or fall on her own merits), at the same time those who disagreed with his policies are dismayed at the thought that, if she is elected, he would play a major role in her administration. She didn't have much to say about that, just sheered off onto the point that it would be cool to have a first gentleman. I agreed somewhat dryly that it would.
At one point we also discussed running mates - She did not mention Bernie, and I thought it prudent not to rock the boat. She does not think highly of Bernie supporters, often referring to them as cult-like or brainwashed (about which more later, if I remember). We agreed that Elizabeth Warren needs to stay in the Senate;but Sis lamented that an all female ticket, while it would scare away male voters, would certainly be cool. I pointed out that both the presidential and vice presidential candidates on the Green ticket are women. I did not add that Alan (of whom she has occasionally heard me speak) is very enthusiastic about said all female ticket. I think, as I've observed before, our menfolk here at HEP are rather more evolved than the average male. She may well be right that an all female ticket would put off a lot of male Dem. voters. In any case, I personally don't think HRC would stand for the competition from a female running mate. She isn't going to like picking a running mate at all IMO, since unless it's Bernie it will be someone younger than she is and one hopes someone a whole lot more popular than she is.
That's something else Sis cannot grasp, that HRC is massively unpopular. She apparently thinks HRC is something wonderful. Can't think why, but there it is.
Ah, yes, Sis on Bernie supporters. She has often said, as she did tonight, that apart from me they strike her as cultish. Tonight she also used the word brainwashed. I of course am different. Ahem. Mind you, when I retort that to many Bernie-crats, HRC supporters seem like cult members she becomes indignant. I guess it's OK for them to say our mothers wear combat boots, but God forbid we say their mothers do. *shakes head*
In any case, she does make some points that are worth paying attention to. She says that her friends who are against HRC never give any substantive reason, just that they are. For that matter, she says they also do not give substantive reasons for being against Trump. She says, and I agree, that you should be able to articulate, at least vaguely why you support one candidate and oppose others. Mind you, she doesn't do so herself, but it doesn't invalidate her point.
She says, and again I agree with her, that all too often people bitch about HRC's clothes or hair. Didn't mention it to Sis, but I recently saw a thread of women bitching about her voice. Now, her voice gets to me too, but not because there's anything wrong with the voice itself. She has a perfectly normal,well educated, Middle Class voice. It gets on my nerves because *she* gets on my nerves. But these women were going on and on with some crap about there being something wrong with her voice and the way she talks. I mean, come the hell on! There are so many real, substantive, important things to object to with regard to HRC! Her voice and speech patterns are totally unimportant! It also reminded me of the passage in Fahrenheit 451 where a couple of women are talking about the presidential candidates. One is tall and good looking while the other is short and unattractive. Also, one has a snappy name while the other has a long, difficult-to-pronounce name. The women agree that there can be no contest. That's what I always think of when I come across stupid, meaningless discussions of HRC's clothes and hair and voice. Why do people focus on the inessential like that? It makes them seem so stupid.
In the same way, use of obscenity doesn't hurt HRC, it just makes the Bernie supporter seem small. I say so every chance I get, which wins me no popularity contests...though on reflection, I do get the occasional 'like' for my efforts. The obscenity and invective is another of Sis' complaints. I don't bother pointing out to her that in the main HRC supporters are far nastier and more vicious. Again, this truth would not have been appreciated.
Guess what I'm saying is, some of her points are valid. Still, as I keep telling her, politics is a blood sport. People feel extremely strongly about it, one way or another, and she has to expect disagreements and hurt feelings. Don't understand why this simple fact is so hard for her to grasp. It's very frustrating!
Cat, I feel you have been generous and patient with your sister. I'm sorry that you have to listen to it coming toward you but aren't free to speak what your view and have it received. Family can be the hardest of all to abide in these matters. It's hard to choose compassion over truth so often. You are doing well in a difficult situation.
How's this for a Firstie?
ReplyDeleteAn open letter to the Democratic Party from the Berniecrats
http://www.filmsforaction.org/articles/an-open-letter-to-the-democratic-party-from-the-berniecrats/
...the democratic wing is taking flight!
DeleteLovely picture. And, good heavens, but it *is* mid June. It snuck up on me.
ReplyDeleteListener, if I can work out how to do so, may I post a photo of Nickie Kitty? No particular reason other than that I managed to take it (she is quite camera shy) and it's pretty good. and, of course, she's a cute kitty! *grin*
Cat. Sure!! Email me the Nickie Kitty photo and I'll post it for Friday! :-)
DeleteOh dear. Don't think I have your e-mail address:(
DeleteOh, but, I have keys to the blog...
Oh, good! Go ahead and post it for the 17th at 1:00am. :-) Go ahead and delete the "bleeding heart" post I had prepared once you've done the deed.
DeleteOkie dokie. Everything's all scheduled for the Seventeenth... I hope!
DeleteDid you guys see this?
ReplyDeleteBring back the House Un-American Activities Committee: Gingrich - Click
First up Newt, W, Cheney and Rumsfeld.
Delete--Alan
Somehow I don't think it would work that way, unfortunately.
DeleteARRGH!! I went to sign up for Bernie's Thursday evening address, only to discover that they will send the link by text message to your *phone*. Which you then have to manually type into your browser. What's worse, they say they will keep on sending text messages to your phone. This is UNACCEPTABLE. I'll have to depend on someone else to tell me what goes on.
ReplyDeleteBill, I'm sorry. That's lousy! That's the world run by young people who just assume everybody is as able and as tech-savvy as they are. Not that it will do any good, but you should send an e-mail detailing all this to the campaign. They need to be made aware that disabled and older people are involved (or want to be) as well as fit, up-to-date youngsters.
DeleteFurthermore, allow me to point out that geezers can give them whippersnappers a few lessons on being UPPITY! You think we practice embarrassing our kids without having any long-term plan for the skills we are developing? HA!
Delete--Alan
And I don't do text messages. I vote, I contribute money and some time--but I sure as Hades don't do text messages. They're a damned nuisance with no obvious purpose--like Facebook and Twitter, I might add. I think I will give HQ a piece of my mind on this.
Delete--Alan
Alan - "You think we practice embarrassing our kids without having any long-term plan for the skills we are developing? HA!"
DeleteLOL So that's what you parental types are doing, developing a skill set. And all this time I thought it was just exercise of the kid-embarrassment muscles that suddenly appeared on the birth of the first child.
Bill ~ As soon as the event ends, you can type STOP to stop receiving text messages. That's what I plan to do. I suspect that it's not so much the campaign that set it this way as the conference call agency. Call HQ at (802) 862-0697 to ask for another means. If they have another way to graft you in, I'm sure they'd be happy to.
DeleteAlan, I intended the phone number above for you too. I'm pretty sure that the primary reason they have set it up this way is that it's the fastest and least expensive means of having a conference call. Bernie is even more frugal than Howard was!
DeleteI won't have the ability to participate in a conference call Thursday evening--traveling. It seems kind of odd to me anyway, fossil that I am. I expect there will be summaries that are more my kind of thing. But thank you.
Delete--Alan
From politicalwire.com
ReplyDelete--Alan (who would just post a link except that he trashed the code to do it. Will recover it later.)
A new study from the Shorenstein Center at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government found that Sen. Bernie Sanders received the most “overwhelmingly positive” media coverage of any presidential candidate.
“The Democratic race in 2015 received less than half the coverage of the Republican race. Bernie Sanders’ campaign was largely ignored in the early months but, as it began to get coverage, it was overwhelmingly positive in tone. Sanders’ coverage in 2015 was the most favorable of any of the top candidates, Republican or Democratic. For her part, Hillary Clinton had by far the most negative coverage of any candidate. In 11 of the 12 months, her ‘bad news’ outpaced her ‘good news,’ usually by a wide margin, contributing to the increase in her unfavorable poll ratings in 2015.”
The study also confirmed “the media’s excessive and often uncritical coverage of Donald Trump in the run-up to the primaries played a major role in his explosive political rise.”
Two-Thirds of Dem voters want Bernie as VP. 44% of Dem votes want Bernie to run as an Independent. And that's not including Independents and left-leaning Republicans.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/jun/13/two-thirds-of-democratic-voters-want-hillary-clint/
If Bernie were the VP, he would be hogtied. As Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee he would be very powerful, and he would have great freedom of action. That in addition to being one of the leaders of a large popular political faction with staying power. Attending the funerals of foreign dignitaries simply does not compare. Ignoring the improbability of a successful independent campaign, the deadlines for registering as an independent candidate are passing.
Delete--Alan
I went through a brief period of thinking Bernie as HRC's running mate was a grand idear, that it would unify the party. On sober reflection, though, I agree with Alan. Veep would be a waste of Bernie's time and energy. He is seventy-four, after all. He doesn't have unlimited amounts of time, and if the movement he has started is to prosper he needs to be in a position of some power and authority.
DeleteReal change is underway…
ReplyDeletehttps://www.ksl.com/?sid=40209267
Medical Mystery
ReplyDeleteYesterday I noticed a bruise about a third of the way up my left forearm, but have no recollection of bumping, banging or jabbing myself. Today there is another, of the same size and shape, on a line about an inch up from the first. It's a bit troubling, being unable to account for two largish bruises. They also smart!
Odd coincidence, certainly. Every once in a while I notice a particularly decorative bruise and a astonished that I have no recollection of whatever caused it. I suppose that when it happened I was just thinking profound thoughts...
DeleteAlan
Ah, that's the answer, profound thoughts. Thanks for clearing that up, Alan. :)
DeleteWhat a profound thought!
DeleteI remember what I was going to report. In our chitchat, Sis said, as if it were something to be proud of, "The Bushes are going to vote for Hillary." I smiled politely and said that was interesting. Kept to myself the thought that, if anything such news, if reliable, is definitely a reason not to vote for her.
ReplyDeleteSis is bewildered by people who say they will not vote for HRC. I have tried to explain gently that some people do not think she is a strong candidate. I even went so far this evening as to state that she cannot win against Trump. This upset Sis, who insisted that of course she can, provided the party unites behind her. Sis also repeated the talking point that a vote for anyone other than HRC is essentially a vote for Trump or at the least a wasted vote. I explained that no vote is ever wasted, that one must vote one's conscience. Not sure she understood. She also seems unable to understand why anyone would be turned off by HRC and would not want to vote for her. It's not so much that she's drunk the koolade as that she's just hopelessly naive. You'd think someone over forty would be a trifle more sophisticated. But then I've been a news hound and political junky my entire life. You don't lose that by taking some time away from it as I did. Still not back to full bore, but one hears things and puts things together.
Then again, I was never a big fan of Bill Clinton. Explained to Sis that, while I agree that it is unfair to blame HRC for Bill's policies and mistakes (She should stand or fall on her own merits), at the same time those who disagreed with his policies are dismayed at the thought that, if she is elected, he would play a major role in her administration. She didn't have much to say about that, just sheered off onto the point that it would be cool to have a first gentleman. I agreed somewhat dryly that it would.
At one point we also discussed running mates - She did not mention Bernie, and I thought it prudent not to rock the boat. She does not think highly of Bernie supporters, often referring to them as cult-like or brainwashed (about which more later, if I remember). We agreed that Elizabeth Warren needs to stay in the Senate;but Sis lamented that an all female ticket, while it would scare away male voters, would certainly be cool. I pointed out that both the presidential and vice presidential candidates on the Green ticket are women. I did not add that Alan (of whom she has occasionally heard me speak) is very enthusiastic about said all female ticket. I think, as I've observed before, our menfolk here at HEP are rather more evolved than the average male. She may well be right that an all female ticket would put off a lot of male Dem. voters. In any case, I personally don't think HRC would stand for the competition from a female running mate. She isn't going to like picking a running mate at all IMO, since unless it's Bernie it will be someone younger than she is and one hopes someone a whole lot more popular than she is.
That's something else Sis cannot grasp, that HRC is massively unpopular. She apparently thinks HRC is something wonderful. Can't think why, but there it is.
Ah, yes, Sis on Bernie supporters. She has often said, as she did tonight, that apart from me they strike her as cultish. Tonight she also used the word brainwashed. I of course am different. Ahem. Mind you, when I retort that to many Bernie-crats, HRC supporters seem like cult members she becomes indignant. I guess it's OK for them to say our mothers wear combat boots, but God forbid we say their mothers do. *shakes head*
DeleteIn any case, she does make some points that are worth paying attention to. She says that her friends who are against HRC never give any substantive reason, just that they are. For that matter, she says they also do not give substantive reasons for being against Trump. She says, and I agree, that you should be able to articulate, at least vaguely why you support one candidate and oppose others. Mind you, she doesn't do so herself, but it doesn't invalidate her point.
She says, and again I agree with her, that all too often people bitch about HRC's clothes or hair. Didn't mention it to Sis, but I recently saw a thread of women bitching about her voice. Now, her voice gets to me too, but not because there's anything wrong with the voice itself. She has a perfectly normal,well educated, Middle Class voice. It gets on my nerves because *she* gets on my nerves. But these women were going on and on with some crap about there being something wrong with her voice and the way she talks. I mean, come the hell on! There are so many real, substantive, important things to object to with regard to HRC! Her voice and speech patterns are totally unimportant! It also reminded me of the passage in Fahrenheit 451 where a couple of women are talking about the presidential candidates. One is tall and good looking while the other is short and unattractive. Also, one has a snappy name while the other has a long, difficult-to-pronounce name. The women agree that there can be no contest. That's what I always think of when I come across stupid, meaningless discussions of HRC's clothes and hair and voice. Why do people focus on the inessential like that? It makes them seem so stupid.
In the same way, use of obscenity doesn't hurt HRC, it just makes the Bernie supporter seem small. I say so every chance I get, which wins me no popularity contests...though on reflection, I do get the occasional 'like' for my efforts. The obscenity and invective is another of Sis' complaints. I don't bother pointing out to her that in the main HRC supporters are far nastier and more vicious. Again, this truth would not have been appreciated.
Guess what I'm saying is, some of her points are valid. Still, as I keep telling her, politics is a blood sport. People feel extremely strongly about it, one way or another, and she has to expect disagreements and hurt feelings. Don't understand why this simple fact is so hard for her to grasp. It's very frustrating!
Sorry if the foregoing is incoherent. Ignore it if it's unreadable. I just get so bloody frustrated!
DeleteListener becomes cranky; I become incoherent.
Incoherent? I don't think so. At worst maybe a bit long-winded, but even that's arguable.
DeleteHey! I don't become cranky all that often! LOL!
ReplyDeletePerhaps it would help your sister understand why Bernie supporters do not like HRC, if she were to read this letter?
http://www.filmsforaction.org/articles/an-open-letter-to-the-democratic-party-from-the-berniecrats/
Cat, I feel you have been generous and patient with your sister. I'm sorry that you have to listen to it coming toward you but aren't free to speak what your view and have it received. Family can be the hardest of all to abide in these matters. It's hard to choose compassion over truth so often. You are doing well in a difficult situation.
ReplyDelete