EXCLUSIVE: Pardoned Joe Arpaio tells @stevennelson10 he may challenge Jeff Flake for Senate. https://t.co/BwuWQ7gaaa
— Philip Klein (@philipaklein) August 28, 2017
Open thread
by David Anderson| 109 Comments
This post is in: Don't Agonize - Organize, Election 2018, Grifters Gonna Grift, Open Threads, Good News For Conservatives
EXCLUSIVE: Pardoned Joe Arpaio tells @stevennelson10 he may challenge Jeff Flake for Senate. https://t.co/BwuWQ7gaaa
— Philip Klein (@philipaklein) August 28, 2017
Open thread
This post is in: Dog Blogging, Open Threads, Pet Rescue, Readership Capture
This is Otis! He has been reunited with his family after found wandering the streets in Sinton, Texas carrying a bag of dog food! #doglovers pic.twitter.com/NomB0Cw4Pp
— Dex Dadog (@DadogDex) August 26, 2017
Ya gotta admire a guy who brings his own go-bag. Yeah, I’m glad it wasn’t my dog, too — but Otis wasn’t “scared,” he just didn’t intend to let the weather interfere with his life. From the Washington Post:
Just before Hurricane Harvey hit the Texas coast, Salvador Segovia left his grandson’s dog, Otis, in his screened-in back porch, along with food and water.
But the storm must have scared Otis, so he busted open the screen door and ran away on Friday night in Sinton, not far from Corpus Christi.
“I stuck my head out yelling and yelling, and no Otis,” Segovia said. “The following morning, I got out and kept yelling, circled the block and everything, and nothing. We didn’t know where Otis was.”
Meanwhile on Saturday morning, Tiele Dockens was on her way to check on the houses of some friends and families who had evacuated when something caught her attention. A dog was walking down a street, carrying a big bag of dog food…
Dockens said the dog looked familiar. In a town of about 5,000 people, she said it’s likely she has seen him before. As she followed the dog to make sure he wasn’t lost, she ended up outside Segovia’s house.
“This lady comes by and tells me, ‘Is that your dog coming down the road?’ ” Segovia said. “And I turn around, there comes Otis, and he’s carrying food!”
The brown German shepherd mix with a dark snout and slightly droopy ears walked up to the front porch, set down the bag of food, and lay on the floor, Segovia said.
Otis was a local celebrity in Sinton long before he became a viral sensation. Everywhere Otis went — at the county courthouse, local antique shops, the grocery store — everybody seems to know him. And people always feed him…
Otis is probably about 6 years old, Segovia said. He found the dog when he was just a puppy. A man who was driving around stopped by one day, and said he was planning to just leave the dog somewhere, unless Segovia wanted it.
“I said, ‘No, no, no, leave him here, we’ll keep him,’ ” Segovia said. “He left the dog here, and it became my grandson’s dog.”
Also from the WaPo, in case you were wondering: A running list of Harvey’s viral hoaxes. Dogs, yes; sharks, no!
***********
Apart from cheering the resourcefulness of survivors, what’s on the agenda for the evening?
Monday Evening Open Thread: The Doggy ‘Hero’ We Need Right NowPost + Comments (113)
by Betty Cracker| 259 Comments
This post is in: Election 2016, Open Threads, Politics, Assholes, General Stupidity
Can’t remember who said it, but someone noted on Twitter this weekend that one of the worst things about the Electoral College is that it gives folks the impression that states are more politically homogeneous than they actually are. Let’s take Texas, for example, since some people are saying, “Screw Texans! They voted for Trump!” in the context of aid for a flood of unprecedented proportions.
Making judgments about Texans based on the image below isn’t much different than putting credence in those stupid US election results maps Trump likes to hand out to mitigate the sting of his popular vote loss:
Yeah, Trump won Texas, but here are the results:
Turnout: 59%
Popular vote: Trump: 4,685,047 / Clinton: 3,877,868
Percentage: Trump: 52.23% / Clinton: 43.24%
And even if the vote tally had been more lopsidedly in favor of the odious orange fart cloud, you either believe in the power of government and collective action to weather national hardships, or you don’t. I do. I want my government to aid Texas, just as I want it to help California after earthquakes or New York after a storm like Sandy.
Now, if Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi want to read the names of the Texas senators and reps who voted against aid for Sandy victims into the record before casting “yea” votes on the massive aid package that will be required to address the ongoing catastrophe in Texas, I am all for that. Rub those bastards’ faces in it.
But assist the people who need help, and don’t check their voter registration first.
The top reason to hate the electoral college, of course, is that it was a key factor in putting an incompetent demagogue in the White House. Trump is making George W. Bush’s cake-eating Katrina fly-by look almost media savvy:
Trump, isolated & alone with a blank notepad, while other gov't officials manage the crisis in the Situation Room sums up his presidency. pic.twitter.com/88WsauL9Fm
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) August 28, 2017
Note also the product placement: Trump is selling the hat he’s wearing for $40 bucks a pop online.
There’s some angst that the Beltway press will seize on Trump’s response to the storm to proclaim the long-awaited presidential pivot — a not unreasonable fear that Doug explores in the post downstairs. Personally, I have no worries on that score. Today on Twitter, Trump quoted convicted felon Dinesh D’Souza to identify Antifa (“AnTEEfa!”) as the REAL source of violence in the US and retweeted some wingnut ass at Townhall to defend the pardon of fellow racist birther Arpaio.
Remember President Obama’s “Chill the fuck out — I got this” meme? We need an opposite meme for Trump.
Even a good president would have trouble managing a disaster on the scale of what’s happening in Texas, and Trump is a terrible president and an even worse person. He will fuck up materially and stumble into tone-deaf gaffe after breathtakingly arrogant, self-congratulatory statement. It’s who he is.
Most of the help for Texas will come from ordinary people on the ground and the collective action of our government. That a clueless asshole is nominally in charge of the effort makes it that much more urgent for we citizens to do what we can and urge our elected officials to provide help in our names.
For our third and final reason to hate the Electoral College (for the purposes of this post — there are a gazillion other reasons!), you’ll need to prepare by applying a tiny molecule of rosin to the .0005 micron string of your most diminutive violin:
A NYC friend of Jared & Ivanka says they miss the city, & that DC “punctures their self-esteem on a daily basis.” https://t.co/7NEqScy0Gb
— Kenneth P. Vogel (@kenvogel) August 28, 2017
It’s a stretch to blame Trump’s nepotism hires on the Electoral College, but no EC, no Trump, no whiny-ass Javanka in the West Wing, so it’s good enough for a rhetorical device, IMO. Anyhoo, an excerpt:
It’s clear that, after an initial period of awe at the sheer power of their positions, Jared and Ivanka have been stung by the vitriol directed at them… Increasingly you hear chatter in Washington that Jared and Ivanka won’t last, not because they are at risk of being pushed out, but because they will save themselves from a damaged White House. One well-connected strategist in New York told me that the two were eyeing a move at the end of the school year in 2018. A person close to the couple said they weren’t planning that far ahead. “When they decide it’s more important to protect their own and their children’s reputations than it is to defend their indefensible father’s, that’s a sign the end is near,” one influential Republican donor told me.
Too late, assholes. By the time Shit-Midas is done, you might be reduced to ordering servants to bring in their offspring for play-dates, and your social circle may well consist exclusively of Murdoch media affiliates and plump, unfashionably dressed carbon industry families who vacation in Branson instead of Aspen.
Open thread!
Three More Reasons to Hate the Electoral CollegePost + Comments (259)
This post is in: C.R.E.A.M., Don't Mourn, Organize, Open Threads, All we want is life beyond the thunderdome
This event is unprecedented & all impacts are unknown & beyond anything experienced. Follow orders from officials to ensure safety. #Harvey pic.twitter.com/IjpWLey1h8
— NWS (@NWS) August 27, 2017
.
Apart from the ongoing Harvey disaster, what’s on the agenda for the start of the new week?
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If you're looking for charities to support helping those affected by #HurricaneHarvey, @CharityNav has a list! https://t.co/EhChIn0G1S pic.twitter.com/8Ga5YilHIJ
— Charity Navigator (@CharityNav) August 27, 2017
GoFundMe has aggregated its funding relief efforts here: https://t.co/o3tNuQb3xL
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) August 27, 2017
Good list of reputable organizations serving Harvey victims here: https://t.co/DjJ6XmvFmk
— Laura Seay (@texasinafrica) August 27, 2017
As we keep everyone affected by Hurricane Harvey in our thoughts, here’s how you can help:https://t.co/RVReG1lRAd
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 27, 2017
Thank you to all the first responders and people helping each other out. That's what we do as Americans. Here's one way you can help now. https://t.co/iGfE8rAoAu
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 27, 2017
Monday Morning Open Thread: So, How Can We Help?Post + Comments (181)
by Alain Chamot (1971-2020)| 24 Comments
This post is in: On The Road, Open Threads, Readership Capture
Good Morning All,
This weekday feature is for Juicers who are are on the road, traveling, or just want to share a little bit of their world via stories and pictures. So many of us rise each morning, eager for something beautiful, inspiring, amazing, subtle, of note, and our community delivers – a view into their world, whether they’re far away or close to home – pictures with a story, with context, with meaning, sometimes just beauty. By concentrating travel updates and tips here, it’s easier for all of us to keep up or find them later.
So please, speak up and share some of your adventures and travel news here, and submit your pictures using our speedy, secure form. You can submit up to 7 pictures at a time, with an overall description and one for each picture.
You can, of course, send an email with pictures if the form gives you trouble, or if you are trying to submit something special, like a zipped archive or a movie. If your pictures are already hosted online, then please email the links with your descriptions.
For each picture, it’s best to provide your commenter screenname, description, where it was taken, and date. It’s tough to keep everyone’s email address and screenname straight, so don’t assume that I remember it “from last time”. More and more, the first photo before the fold will be from a commenter, so making it easy to locate the screenname when I’ve found a compelling photo is crucial.
Have a wonderful day, and enjoy the pictures!
Just horrible news in Houston, and likely only getting worse. Hopefully some pictures will help distract and lighten the load a bit. I’m collecting eclipse shots for Thursday’s post, so submit some if you’d like to be part. I’ve seen some great stuff!
Today, pictures from valued commenter ?BillinGlendaleCA.
After the opening of our new light rail line last year to the beach, I decided to revisit my old college stomping grounds in the Hills of Westwood to get some good pictures. I’d taken some photos back in my college days like the tourists that showed up on campus, but they were, how to put it, crap.
In 1881 the state decided to establish a Normal School(a school to produce teachers) in the backwater known as Los Angeles. Most of the state’s population and commerce was centered in the San Francisco bay area and they had already established a Normal School in San Francisco(it had moved to San Jose) and the University of California had been established in Berkeley. The Los Angeles Normal School was built in downtown Los Angels where the LA Central Library is now situated(5th Street and Flower Street). In the early 1900’s they had run out of room and need a larger space so they moved to Vermont Avenue in Hollywood(now Los Angeles City College). In 1919 the University of California decided that they needed a campus in the southern half of the state and took over the Los Angeles Normal School for the Southern Branch of the University of California. After a few years the “Southern Branch” became know as the University of California at Los Angeles(UCLA). Another thing had also become evident, they were going to need more room than they had at the Vermont campus so a search was begun for a new campus. Several locations were under consideration(Palos Verdes, Pasadena, Burbank, and Westwood), when the Regents visited to look at each location some real estate developers(the Janss brothers, who also developed my home town) hired the driver to show the various locations with Westwood being the last location. I guess he must have been a pretty good salesman, eh driver, since the regents decided to locate the university at the Westwood location. The first structure built on campus was a bridge across an arroyo to assist in building the new campus. It’s still there but has been covered over and the only clue that it’s a bridge is a sign warning about the maximum load on the “bridge”. Four buildings were built on the new campus(a library, an auditorium/classroom building and two classroom buildings) and the new campus was ready for students in 1929.
Royce Hall
Taken on 2016-06-30
UCLA, Westwood, Los Angeles, CA
This is Royce Hall(the auditorium/classroom building) named after California philosopher Josiah Royce. It’s pretty much become the symbol of UCLA. It was inspired by an Italian cathedral, but not the front, the back side.
Powell Library
Taken on 2016-06-30
UCLA, Westwood, Los Angeles, CA
This was the original library, and still functions as the undergraduate library, when the campus first opened in 1929. This is framed by the columns in Royce Hall.
Royce Hall Towers
Taken on 2016-06-30
UCLA, Westwood, Los Angeles, CA
This is a shot of Royce Hall from the main reading room in Powell Library.
Royce Hall in infrared.
Taken on 2016-07-08
UCLA, Westwood, Los Angeles, CA
For my second visit, I took along my infrared camera. I’ve added back some color, since to end up with a blue sky you pretty much get rid of all the red in the picture.
Kerckhoff Hall
Taken on 2016-06-30
UCLA, Westwood, Los Angeles, CA
This is the only gothic style building on campus and is the original student union building. It was donated by the widow of William Kerckhoff, who had a lumber yard in Los Angeles. It’s still used for student government and the Daily Bruin has it’s offices there.
Bunche Hall
Taken on 2016-06-30
UCLA, Westwood, Los Angeles, CA
This was the tallest building on campus when I started at UCLA and was the second tallest when I graduated. It’s named after Ralph Bunche, an alumnus who won the Nobel Peace Prize. It’s where the social science departments are located. The northern part of campus has the arts and social sciences and the southern part of campus has the physical and life sciences.
Stained glass window.
Taken on 2016-06-30
UCLA, Westwood, Los Angeles, CA
This stained glass windows is in one of the campus restaurants, in fact the one I worked in while in college. I always liked it and also spent a lot of time in that room since it was the dining room that allowed smoking.
Thank you so much ?BillinGlendaleCA, do send us more when you can.
Travel safely everybody, and do share some stories in the comments, even if you’re joining the conversation late. Many folks confide that they go back and read old threads, one reason these are available on the Quick Links menu.
One again, to submit pictures: Use the Form or Send an Email
This post is in: Open Threads, Popular Culture, Republicans in Disarray!, Are these Nazis Walter?, Clown Shoes, Riveted By The Sociological Significance Of It All
The last scene? Did Gorka's VCR break? pic.twitter.com/ASl6IrKPPu
— Alex Burns (@alexburnsNYT) August 27, 2017
this tweet is a real triumph of the will of selective bookending. https://t.co/v0yWT4Qa0v
— Todd Schulte (@TheToddSchulte) August 27, 2017
this is really more like when leia strangles jabba the hut
— MOLLA RAM SUDA RAM (@RWMcQWERTY) August 27, 2017
"It's like that book, The Rise of the Third Reich."
"You mean The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich?"
"… crap."https://t.co/DgnVdzTgEU
— Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) August 27, 2017
— Jon Hecht (@JonEHecht) August 26, 2017
Why were so many people obsessed with Sebastian Gorka?
— Blake Hounshell (@blakehounshell) August 26, 2017
Because he was openly a member of a Neofascist organization. And Trump didn't care.
— XO 1st ISB BDE (@surrealmwshort) August 26, 2017
Academics are obsessed because he is the antithesis of what we stand for and he poses as one of us with his bogus PhD. Plus the nazi thing. https://t.co/sfaV0jpaIu
— Andrew Bennett (@IRgetsreal) August 26, 2017
Well, in my case, because he wanted me fired. But also because he was proof that saying nutty stuff on Fox was the way to the WH.
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) August 26, 2017
He's the guy James Bond goes after to find out where the main villain is hiding.
— Nick C-137 (@nickandhislens) August 26, 2017
A vastly unqualified racist Nazi bag of crazy with a made up degree in the WH sounds like something worth being concerned about
— Dead Pool (@MrPoolToYou) August 26, 2017
Yeah but now he's a man down in his Hitler Downfall cosplay
— Dead Pool (@MrPoolToYou) August 26, 2017
ETA:
Any thoughts on Seb Gorka's tweet? I'm not quite sure he gets it… pic.twitter.com/Ig5Qnf67Xq
— Carl Deaker (@cdeaker) August 27, 2017
A) Last scene in #SW we got GOOD medals-not Nazi-Collaborator Vitezi Rend medal Gorka wears
B) Vader Repented
C) Honored Gorka BLOCKED me! https://t.co/hnEofaCnwi— Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) August 28, 2017
This post is in: Dolt 45, Open Threads, Republican Stupidity, I'm Too Big To Cry/Hurts Too Much To Laugh
We could very well be watching the most disastrous flood event in US history unfold. Some spots may see 60" rain by Wed. in SE TX. #txwx
— Texas Storm Chasers (@TxStormChasers) August 27, 2017
Meanwhile, thanks to the cupidity and stupidity of the Republican Party…
HISTORIC rainfall in Houston, and all over Texas. Floods are unprecedented, and more rain coming. Spirit of the people is incredible.Thanks!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2017
Many people are now saying that this is the worst storm/hurricane they have ever seen. Good news is that we have great talent on the ground.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2017
If Obama were tweeting this way during a natural disaster, there'd be pundit apoplexy now and Congressional hearings on Monday morning. https://t.co/YrXyMHM1PL
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) August 27, 2017
While Houston is under water, Trump tweets about the wall—which he'd proposed paying for by making massive cuts to FEMA. pic.twitter.com/7MEn1KLfcK
— Hanna Brooks Olsen (@mshannabrooks) August 27, 2017
trump's acct all day today has been: wowweee wheee look at this, while the journalists he hates and ordinary citizens say "help"
— Oliver Willis (@owillis) August 27, 2017
The hurricane is highlighting how limited his verbal repertoire is and how ingrained his weird tics are. https://t.co/NSx9fDHVNJ
— Jacob T. Levy (@jtlevy) August 27, 2017
The crazy thing is it seems that FEMA's response is professional, so Trump had to go out of his way to make himself look bad this morning.
— Schooley (@Rschooley) August 27, 2017
Late Night Horrorshow Open Thread: Adding Insults to InjuriesPost + Comments (35)