Open Thread - 12/22/23 - TGIF Odds and Ends

Submitted by on the cusp on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 7:58am

I begin this composition Thursday evening. I will not go back to work until the day after Christmas.

Tonight, I am reflecting on some the more interesting evidence that has come across my radar recently that just did not, could not have happened before Facebook and texting.

Starting with the worst, I received phone photos of a teen who had been beaten and injured by her father. What I would have had to get with subpoena would his video of himself while ritualistic beating his daughter. The happy ending is that I obtained a court order prohibiting that father from being able to come near his two kids until further orders of the court. Both kids are receiving counseling, and one day, they will learn they need not live in perpetual fear. The Judge kept them safe, their return to sanity and self-confidence is for them to achieve.

Wish them well.

Now, on a much lighter note, I received the latest public mug shot of the young mother with mental health issues. She seems to beat the crap out of everyone near her, particularly her parents. A felony charge this time. I obtained a permanent court order requiring her to arrange and pay for a once monthly 2 hour visit at a visitation with her 2 yr old daughter accompanied by armed staff.

Now, I get into the bawdy and hilarious tech evidence to prepare to terminate her parental rights. She loves videoing herself having sex, taking showers, and enjoys publishing pics and vids of her new bf. He is fresh out of prison, likes to take selfies on his way to the shower, waving pistols, and bragging about being a cartel MOB. (Where is the NSA when you need them?)

Well, he took a selfie of himself wrapped in a towel around his hips, camera pointing toward the floor. Now, I looked at it, had Dear One look at it, because shit like that is in the wedding vows on page 43, and we deduced that even though it was a pic from a bad angle, his genitalia was unimpressive.

I requested my secretary, a youngish hipster, view it and assess it. Seems that protrusion sticking out from under the towel was his foot. We had to take back our earlier assessment of his deficiency. I did mention it was a bad angle. He has tiny feet. The current office trend is selfies of our bare feet.

Wish the 2 yr old baby girl all the best.

After much study, well, head scratching and "hmmmm", the barn security light works, lights up about 1/4 acre, increases home and property security by leaps and bounds. Having represented multiple burglars, The No. 1 step you can take to keep them driving on to the next house is light. They gave free advice to their lawyer. Very sweet of them, ya think? They all put out the word to leave my property alone. Everyone around me has had a theft, but not moi. Sweet, I tell ya!

I expected the DNC to keep various candidate's names off the ballot to help Joementia, but Republicans are doing likewise to keep Trump off their ballots. Does anyone besides me think this will stir up more civil unrest than we have seen in our lifetimes?

We have to stay close, regardless of political preference, and present a power in numbers, get government's attention, and fight TPTB, not our neighbors.

We need an anthem for Gazan peace. This is what I could come up with:

Given the proposed new anti-BDS law, exactly who proves I divested my stocks in Raytheon as a protest, or just because I wanted to invest my money elsewhere? I do not have a chip in my brain, courtesy of the government, that I am aware of at this time. Do I? And how could it be proven I had come under foreign influence? Reading Doctor's Without Borders posts?

What ya got? What's on your mind? It is Open Thread, let 'er rip!

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Submitted by on the cusp on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 8:09am

Pretty soon, a crew will be bringing their saws, will cut up a fallen pine tree. Lots of noise, forget sleeping in.
We expect rains tonight, then for the next 3 days. My entire holiday.
Oh, well, I enjoy listening to it fall.
Your turn, friends!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Submitted by QMS on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 8:35am
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Great selection of songs to go with your comments, political and otherwise.
Chainsaws for breakfast?. I like mine poached with hot sauce. Helping with
the local food bank, the demand is up considerably.

Plan to make a shrimp and sausage gumbo for X-Mas eve dinner. Yum!

Enjoy your gentle rains. Barely 20 degrees here today. Have a fire in the
wood stove so we won't freeze (and save on heating oil).

Thanks for the OT!

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Submitted by on the cusp on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 9:13am

@QMS lined up, bumper to bumper. Never in my life have I seen this.
Fire places are great! Wish I had one! A friend gave me a wood stove, but trying to place it where it is helpful, but will not damage my grand piano is the hold up.
We are going to shop for me an office chair this morning. My elegant leather wing back was destroyed in the office fire. I am catching as catch can with vinyl leather-look. When it deteriorates, it crumbles off rapidly. Good grief.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Submitted by on the cusp on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 3:44pm

@QMS to the first Louisiana town we came after leaving Texas. We got Cajun sausage, all the spice packages to make gumbo. Since I cannot eat shell fish due to my iodine problem, I made a chicken and sausage gumbo. The recipe took about 6 hours from start to finish. I made it a point to get a bowl of it to my Cajun buddy.
Living in a tiny town, it takes a drive to get authentic spices for Asian foods, Creole, and Cajun food.
No gripe, since authentic barbecue and Tex Mex spices and foods are everywhere on the shelves.
I hope your gumbo knocks it out of the park!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Submitted by snoopydawg on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 11:53am
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.

How they do brighten our lives. This should bring a smile to anyone’s face.

Love the way he tells cars off if they even think of crossing the crosswalk lines. Did you see how he looks back to make sure everyone was coming?

He has been honored by the local tourist board and has his own mural and Instagram account.

I put my socks on my jewelry box and my water bottle before it so Sam can’t reach them…well that’s what I thought. Somehow she can still reach them and take them off without bumping the water bottle and tipping it over. She then wags her whole behind and tells me how funny and smart she is. Yeah what’s not to love?

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Scientists are concerned that conspiracy theories may die out if they keep coming true at the current alarming rate.

Submitted by MrWebster on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 1:20pm

@snoopydawg We humans don't deserve dogs.

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Submitted by on the cusp on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 5:07pm

@snoopydawg @snoopydawg keep the dog extremely well fed, in addition to honoring him! Hes a big 'un! I compliment my client. She can keep you in a good mood when the world is going to hell and you hurt in all body parts from stem to stern.
Be sure she gets lots of special treats for Christmas!

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Submitted by QMS on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 5:25pm
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@on the cusp

But then, how many 'housing challenged' folks would bark at an aggressive driver?
Depends on the drugs I guess.

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Submitted by snoopydawg on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 10:45pm
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@QMS

I just read how Biden restarting student loan payments is putting a gimp on Xmas for many people. Shitlibs were of course blaming the republicans, but let’s not forget that it was Biden who made it so student loans couldn’t be discharged through bankruptcy. Not one of them brought that up.

Hey didn’t they say that they would push Biden left? I’ve seen no letter writing campaigns or petitions for him to keep his campaign promises.

How true is this?

Seems like any of the 3 dem presidents could have done this, but amazingly it was Trump the fascist dictator that got it done. No wonder they don’t want him back in power.

Oh yeah and it was Clinton who ended welfare as we knew it. But sure it’s the republicans…

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Scientists are concerned that conspiracy theories may die out if they keep coming true at the current alarming rate.

Submitted by snoopydawg on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 10:34pm
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@on the cusp

She got to play with her new socks and I bought 2 more pairs today. Plus she already got her Xmas bone today with another one for Xmas day. You never have to worry about her every need being taken care of. She has decided that we will have bbq ribs for Xmas dinner. Smart dawg. I found some in the marked down bin. Good deal.

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Scientists are concerned that conspiracy theories may die out if they keep coming true at the current alarming rate.

Submitted by on the cusp on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 11:56pm

@snoopydawg Not from the marked down bin, from a pricey meat market selling grass fed, no hormones etc... Beef. We cam always get pork ribs locally, but beef ribs? Gotta hunt, gotta drive.
I will preach it once more: Sell by dates are dictated by the store. Not federal or state standards. Color of meat is determined by lack of oxygen and blood drain. What you think is poisonous green pork or pink beef that will kill you is neither. It is unattractive.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Submitted by MrWebster on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 1:16pm

Not only are cargo carriers charging more fees for transit to Israel, some have outright said they will not accept cargo to Israel.

Israel shipping costs rising as lines pull out and Red Sea attacks worsen

This along with the call up of 300K reservists is going to hurt the Israeli economy. In all probability the US will have to transfer a lot of cash to keep the Israeli economy above water. The Ukraine and China wars will just have to wait unless the printing presses spew out dollars.

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Submitted by QMS on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 1:23pm
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@MrWebster

Houthi has it figured out. Hit the enemy in the wallet and let the chips fly.

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Submitted by on the cusp on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 5:37pm

@MrWebster @MrWebster are not determined to harm Israel shipping, but that they would keep it blocked until Palestine was free. I have also read the economy of Israel is being wiped out.
It is incredible to observe the value of the US as chief ally to Israel can't begin to measure up to Houthis' giving their full-fledged support to the Palestinians.
Now, who is the ally a country wants nowadays?

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Submitted by humphrey on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 1:58pm

An "after" and "before" illustration.

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/un-security-council-passes-resolution-on-inc...

(Bloomberg) -- The United Nations Security Council passed a resolution Friday that called for increasing the flow of aid into the Gaza Strip, but stopped short of demanding a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.

The US and Russia abstained from voting on the resolution, while the remaining 13 members voted in favor.

The vote was delayed several times amid efforts to find language that wouldn’t trigger a veto from the US, which has struck down earlier resolutions for not condemning the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas. US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield called the final version “a strong, humanitarian-focused resolution.”

The US had also opposed language calling for a cease-fire, but stood down from vetoing the draft after the language was watered down to call on all parties to “create the conditions for a sustained cessation of hostilities.”

Those edits drew criticism from Russia. “The wording that is being put to a vote today has been extremely neutered,” Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya said before the vote.

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Submitted by QMS on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 3:17pm
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@humphrey

the language had to be watered down to supposed empire standards
let's see how that flow of aid works? I assume the Zions will kill it.

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Submitted by on the cusp on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 3:24pm

@QMS will strip the trucks of all anesthetics...again.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Submitted by on the cusp on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 5:42pm

@humphrey a true monument to the cruelty, inhumanity, and selfishness of the US.
It makes me want to hide in shame, even if I had nothing to do with it. I live in this shit hole country, have a US passport I doubt I will ever use again.

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Submitted by humphrey on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 2:32pm

Houthis is not going exactly as planned.

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Submitted by on the cusp on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 5:45pm

@humphrey for their courage than we do for our fake Democracy, spread by our third rate weaponry.

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Submitted by enhydra lutris on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 3:36pm
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be well and have a good one

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Submitted by on the cusp on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 5:53pm

@enhydra lutris The crew got the 125 ft. (more or less) fallen pine tree sawed up and all trunk chunks were piled up into a fire, which is still burning.
I found an office chair, Dear One found exactly the western boots he had been looking for the past year. I found a couple of pair of dress boots, western with an English equestrian look, so I bought 2 pairs to replace 2 pairs that are beginning to show wear and tear after 15 years. These will see me out of this world.
My brother called a while ago, questioning me on why I am at home, spending Christmas here for the first time in 20 years.
Shit truly does happen.
Take good care, friend!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Submitted by soryang on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 3:49pm
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Tim says he's being censored on facebook. I don't know the difference between a public post and a private conversation there. Never used Facebook.

To me, the article below isn't an editorial but news. It's also a great explanation of what's wrong with Yoon's attempt to unilaterally assume Japan's obligation to pay damages to victims of slave labor during the colonial period. Nippon Steel is one of the defendants. If claimants were to levy on Japanese corporate property in South Korea to pay these judgements, it potentially could derail the so-called tri-lateral partnership. Who knows maybe more straws will be required to break the camel's back. There are no short cuts around history.

[Editorial] Korea’s Supreme Court once again rules Japanese firms must directly compensate forced labor victims

South Korea’s Supreme Court has issued yet another ruling holding Japanese companies responsible for compensating Koreans conscripted for forced labor during Japan’s colonial occupation of Korea. This ruling followed naturally from the precedent of the Supreme Court’s en banc decision in 2018.

The latest ruling once again confirms that the “third-party compensation” plan that’s being unilaterally promoted by the Yoon administration flies in the face of the judiciary’s position.
Given the growing likelihood that the plaintiffs will prevail in some 60 pending cases about forced labor, the third-party compensation plan appears to be in serious trouble. The problem is that the fund set up to compensate the victims on behalf of the Japanese companies is wholly inadequate to cover that many victims. The fault lies with Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol’s ill-considered push for the third-party compensation plan in disregard of the court’s judgment.

The second petty bench of the Supreme Court (under Justice Lee Dong-won) upheld a lower court’s ruling in a damages claim against Nippon Steel and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The lower court had ruled in favor of the surviving relatives of victims of forced labor during Japan’s colonization of Korea.

The latest ruling adheres to the spirit of the Supreme Court’s 2018 en banc ruling that held Japanese companies responsible for compensating forced labor based on the illegality of Japan’s colonial rule over Korea and the compulsory mobilization of the conscripted laborers.
.

Thanks for the thread OTC, enjoying the tunes.

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語必忠信 行必正直

Submitted by QMS on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 4:25pm
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@soryang

Unless it is erased and re-written?

thanks soryong

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Submitted by soryang on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 5:16pm
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@QMS @QMS Good point! When the last claimants with memories of what happened die off...

Truth and reconciliation committees made great efforts to recover evidence of other aspects of Korean domestic history, related to crimes against humanity and other human rights crimes, following the "liberation" in Aug. 1945 and the subsequent series of dictatorships.

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Submitted by Cassiodorus on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 5:43pm
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@soryang unless you are just saying "hi" to your friends or communicating in a private group.

Meta censors pro-Palestinian views on a global scale, report claims

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The ruling classes need an extra party to make the rest of us feel as if we participate in democracy. That's what the Democrats are for. They make the US more durable than the Soviet Union was.

Submitted by on the cusp on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 5:58pm

@soryang as Biden (and Reagan/Bush/Clinton/Obama) are to the US.
Facebook looks more and more to be an echo chamber of the CIA. I do not go there.
Thanks for the S.K. news, and for dropping by.
Enjoy your weekend!

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Submitted by lotlizard on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 4:16pm
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https://biblehub.com/matthew/23-24.htm

Woe to all who would strain out a Trump yet swallow a Netanyahu.

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Submitted by QMS on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 4:30pm
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@lotlizard

first you screen the useless rocks (like countries)
and throw them aside

then use a finer mesh to separate
unwanted organics (like people)

then you get dirt to plant
uberculture

Wink

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Submitted by on the cusp on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 6:01pm

@lotlizard our Bible-thumping government who even says on our paer money, "In God We Trust", doesn't seem well acquainted with God and His Bible.
Hope you are well, and will have a wonderful weekend!
Thanks for dropping by!

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Submitted by QMS on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 4:38pm
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US sanctions Russian fish

Washington has also banned the country's seafood processed in other countries

https://www.rt.com/business/589537-us-sanctions-russian-fish/

According to sources, Blinken speaking (off the record), was quoted as saying:

"If that don't work, we'll sanction their underwear."

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Submitted by humphrey on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 5:43pm

@QMS

Sorry for the watermark.

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Submitted by QMS on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 5:58pm
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@humphrey

and we had never committed to defend it.” This according to Elbridge Colby, former
US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy and Force Development.

Oops.

https://www.theinteldrop.org/2023/10/16/ukraine-is-not-a-us-ally-ex-pent...

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Submitted by on the cusp on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 6:22pm

@QMS shopping will go to a Dollar Tree or similar store, or Walmart. Meat products at those stores comes primarily from China. Walmart and Dollar Tree are HUGE influencers on the economy and our donor representative government.
When will the Waltons and that Dollar Tree billionaire guy say, "Enough of this shit!"
It won't work, don't care what the geniuses in DC think.

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Submitted by QMS on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 6:21pm
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Submitted by on the cusp on Fri, 12/22/2023 - 6:28pm

@QMS n/t

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