Saturday Open Thread - 10/5/24: Odds and Ends
Hey, friends! I hope this OT finds you in fine fettle, although I am feeling a bit anxious about world events.
Friday night is a news dump night. By the time I put this together, and have it published Saturday morning, I never know what crazy shit might hit the fan.
My concern is Israel and Iran at the moment. What news will I be reading with my morning coffee? What type of escalation happened while I slept?
So, Saturday is shopping day. In anticipation of increased gas prices, higher costs of hauling in goods to stock the store shelves, possible shortages of basic necessities, I will do my typical "thing", and make sure I stock up accordingly. I admit that the goal of buying the healthiest food I can find transitions to buying the best food I can find. The port workers' strike was magically called off until after the high retail holiday season and, of course, the election. Odd. Biden is provably not interested in labor's demands.
I had a little more difficulty on Friday returning from a vacation, getting into the swing of things.
I tried to think about how to help a parent protect their kids, I tried to think about getting an elderly client into a mental health facility before she kills herself, and I made preliminary efforts, to be continued on Monday. My mind was on the sea.
I sat on the balcony, camera at the ready, for dolphin swim-by. Nothing.
Dear One walks out, turns on his phone video app, gets this immediately:
2:00
So, now you understand why I was sorry to come back to what work issues I described above, when I just wanted to see happy dolphins.
What's happening in your neck of the woods, friends?
Everyone wants to know!
This is an open thread. All topics are welcome.
Friends, let 'er rip!
Comments
Good morning, good people!
I hope you have plans to do something fun this weekend.
I figure we will all be looking at headlines, practicing duck and cover drills, with fun being squeezed in where it fits.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Hey, welcome back to reality
.
sounds like you had a fun getaway.
We still have nutty yahoo and brain dead Brandon
set on blowing up the middle east
and
FEMA is broke cause they spent their wad on
immigrants in some vote harvesting scheme
and
the Ukies are losing ground every day
otherwise everything is peachy keen
a beautiful fall day here, dipped into the
high 40's overnight -- yum
good luck with the shopping and many thanks
for the OT!
Hey!
Don't brag about your cool temps!
We had a great getaway, and we managed to follow the 127 rules controlling everything we did while at the condo, and my $500 damage deposit was released. Seriously, the rules and instructions came in one email after another before, and during the trip. Yes, you could move furniture, but if you didn't put it back exactly where you found it, it added $50 to the cleaning fee per piece of furniture. $50 if the cleaning crew had to wash a single dish or utensil left behind.
Trump is telling Bibi to bomb Iran's nuke facilities. Bibi is telling Iran they will be nuked if they fight back too hard.
I get aggravated that we fund this genocide/now wider war, and Bibi seems to be thumbing his nose at Biden, as if we are his puppet on a string. This is according to the MSM, which lies every line or word. Maybe I am not thinking things through. Maybe we are using Israel to fight a proxy war so we can get a whole lot of oil fields. Maybe we are in total control, and Bibi is the one duping his people.
More coffee is required for the moment.
QMS, glad you stopped by, and have a wonderful weekend, dear friend!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Bad weather in Florida?
Before Helene passed through FL I began staging sand bags at convenient points around the perimeter of the house. Before I finished, it was apparent Helene would pass us by leaving this area unscathed. Yesterday, I noticed the change in the current WX forecasts suggesting a possibility of TS for Invest 92, and the worrisome part is the rain forecast for 8-12 inches here Monday thru Thursday. I thought to resume my gut busting sandbag movements. While doing a walk around last night I noticed my new neighbor just took his down! Guess I will be the only nut in the neighborhood moving sandbags around again.
Another frustrating aspect of this is local city government bragging about their fiscal surplus for more community projects since taxes were raised a couple of years ago. They used some of the money to clear trash, debris, undergrowth, from the drainage system that helped cause terrible flooding here during Ian 2 years ago. These drainage channels hadn't been cleaned in years. There were two other contributing factors to that disaster, the public works director was away on vacation, and multiple pumping stations along the sewage drainage system were in disrepair and failed to operate during the storm. Gates to control water levels in the system were simply left open. So in the mayor's bragging newsletter we were informed that superficial improvements had been made to local parks (which are completely inadequate compared to the population density here) while four pumping stations in flood experience areas HAVE NOT YET BEEN REPLACED. The city had also organized some parade last month. The complete incompetence of political leadership extends to the very lowest level in this country. Don't worry Moe, Larry and Curly have everything under control.
Florida Homeowner Insurance Company Fraud:
60 Minutes failed to cover this aspect of the problem- One way attorney fees further discourage homeowners from litigation.
This law was passed after Ian, I don't know whether it is applied retroactively or not. So this is not intended as legal advice. It's relevant news that CBS missed. Usual disclaimer- I am not a practicing lawyer. If someone has trouble with an insurance company they need to consult a competent licensed attorney.
One way attorney's fees
Thanks for the Odds and Ends OTC!
(edited typo and format)
語必忠信 行必正直
Nothing kills a lawsuit faster than
a block on attorney's fees damages claims. What home owner who lost their home and contents, likely their job or business, has the ready cash to pay a high priced civil litigator to get them to break-even point?
40 years ago, I helped on some worker's comp claims, and by statute, I received 1/3 of the claim. A lot of my friends from law school were doing this, some even specialized in the area of law.
Then, with the stroke of the Governor's pen, attorneys were prohibited from receiving any money from the claims. Overnight, no attorneys fooled with it. Mediation failed, jury trial was required. Attorney's would have to pay for the experts to testify. Who is the least likely person to pay an attorney? One that cannot work due to physical disabilities, or wrongful firing that makes getting hired very hard.
Be the neighborhood dumb ass with sandbags out, friend! Better safe than sorry!
Maybe the next storm will fizzle out before it gets to you.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
So the legislature and DeSantis
...are complicit with this screw the insured program, and CBS doesn't mention it. The government is in cahoots with the insurance lobby that pays for their campaigns. I've known this since I first came to FL. The largest buildings in the city were always insurance companies and banks.
Thanks for your legal observations OTC. I was hoping you'd say something on this topic. I've seen the same patterns here.
We hope the storm fizzles out too. Bryan Norcross the best weatherman in the state imo suggests it could come in weaker that predicted. But he said get ready. He's over in the Tampa area. The coast in point on the gulf coast is unknown at this point.
語必忠信 行必正直
Gov. Abbott may be signing into law
a block to personal injury lawyers from receiving lawyer's fees. That will kill off the very litigation that Gov. Abbott himself received.
He was jogging in the riches neighborhood in Houston, River Oaks. A tree fell on him. He was awarded millions, his attorney received 1.6 million. He is now hell bent on limiting the amount of awards and eliminating attorney's fees. The very thing that made him rich is being denied to we, the little people.
Money in politics is the bane of this country. It is one big bribery scheme.
Which side are you on, boy? as the song says. If you are a politician, it is the side of the 1%, 100% of the time.
Maybe your local weatherman is right. We were thinking of cancelling out trip due to dire forecasts in Gulf Shores, but the rental company said a local weatherman was saying Gulf Shores would be missed by Helene. He was right.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Good morning otc, thanks for the OT. Sounds like you guys had
a good time. That's good.
So your mind was on the sea and went for Bobby D instead of Jimmy Buffett, interesting. Of course, Mr. Darrin seemed to always have had a thing about agua --
be well and have a good one
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 --
Good morning, El!
We got some Jimmy Buffett vibes with our dinner and concert at Lulu's.
There are critics that find Darin's voice was only a minuscule notch below Sinatra's. I actually consider Darin's voice to lend itself to a wider array of music categories. Pop, jazz, rock, country...Sinatra was pop, a tidge of jazz.
It seems every visit to Gulf Shores coincides with a big concert at the huge Amphitheater. Always some big headliner. Always someone I have never heard of. I am out of touch. I freely admit I have never heard a single song by Taylor Swift. Should I be glad or sad?
Have a great weekend, dear friend!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
I’m torn on this
.
300 IDF Kia/Mia 1,400 AWOL. Israel is getting its butt kicked in Lebanon because it’s actually fighting people who can fight back and not defenseless orphans and widows. And just like I cheered when Iran hit Tel Avi, I like seeing Israelis getting payback. But I abhor senseless deaths.
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1841901541592043793.html
- Morale has hit rock bottom with combat troops questioning and doubting command decisions and the viability of their mission. Around 1,400 soldiers unaccounted for (presumed to have fled the area).
- Wounded evacuation is extremely challenging due to Hezb controlling the entire area. Command structure is devastated due to numerous officer fatalities, desertion, soldiers' unwillingness to follow orders and disillusionment among the soldiers re mission viability.
There were problems with running a campaign of Joy while committing a genocide? Who could have guessed?
Harris is unburdened of speaking going forward.
I am as anti-war as it gets.
have lived all my life among veterans of WWI, WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and have seen the head stones, the wounds, subsequent mental and physical health problems, and war sucks. Well, not for the oligarchs and MICs, but literally everyone else.
On the other hand, there comes a time when a country or territory has to defend itself from being destroyed. For example, Russia did not commit atrocities and war crimes, but saved the Russian heritage and people from apartheid, possible genocide, in Ukraine. My opinion is shared by only a few non-Russians.
The Gazans were headed for total destruction. They fought back to survive, or at least attempt to do so. I do not believe self-defense is a war crime. Again, not sure I am in the majority with my opinion.
The IDF getting their asses kicked by Hezb is a different experience than filming themselves killing babies and dancing, isn't it?
I have not read any articles or watched any videos featuring experts on war and the Middle East that said Israel would not get hammered in Lebanon, and they were correct, it seems. The IDF isn't accustomed to fighting actual armed soldiers, are they?
I say, buck up, bucko! You caused this.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Good evvening from Germany you good peopole
i hope you are all heealthy and survivimg whatever is left to suirvive.
hmm. these days I am often pissed. I have no hot water, no heat and no patience with this shit. It is 10 degree cnntigrade inside my houws, wwindy and arscch kalt and i am not allowed to see my sister. (they locked me out of her part or the haouse)
I need to count how many people I don't want to kill. Fuck them all.
I have never beeen confronted with so much evil by people who are suppoosed to take care of old and sicikly peopeple
i hpope Gpd gives them what they deserve-. We in the EU should all get what we desearve
and I have the feeling God knows what we deserve.
I wish you all the best. With love from Germany.
https://www.euronews.com/live
Mimi,
Germany's super duper judicial system is putting you in harm's way to take super duper care of you sister. So, some elderly and sick folks are protected, others are not.
One day soon, I hope your situation improves, and you can live your life in the comfort you and all people deserve.
It is heart breaking that their actions make you out to be a harm to your own sister!
I hope you can enjoy a stroll in your garden today.
Take very good care, chica.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Good gawd….
.
Who’s in charge?
https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/04/politics/state-department-israel-no-assur...
Again…doesn’t Biden’s puppet handlers know that Russia has given Iran equipment to repel attacks and possibly electronic devices that can kill any planes flying? And Russia and Iran are close to signing a military support agreement so I don’t think Russia is going to allow Israel/America to destroy Iran.
If they do attack then Iran is going to take the gloves off and attack Israel much worse than last time and probably with no warning given.
This is why I’m torn on the news from Lebanon. I want Israel to get such a big bloody nose that it stops everything it’s doing. Israel could have had peace the last 80 years if it hadn’t been so fcking blood thirsty. It created its own enemies.
From Pepe:
Well that should give Israel pause…but will it?
American ships each fired 12 missiles at the Iranian ones and American defense companies only make 12 of them a year according to Johnson.
Also too….America’s IV bags are made in areas just hit by the hurricane and IM Doc is warning that it’s going to affect treatment at hospitals bigly. If you’re dehydrated and need fluids you will have to drink Gatorade instead. Welcome to our 3rd World medical system. I think the lack of bags will also affect blood transfusions and collection because they are the same type of bags. So y’all be careful.
There were problems with running a campaign of Joy while committing a genocide? Who could have guessed?
Harris is unburdened of speaking going forward.
I am glad
to read the articles, thanks for sharing.
I have more to say about them after I get back from shopping.
Back atcha shortly, chica!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
I am also wondering who is in charge.
We are idiotic to use up a years' supply of missiles to try to keep a strait open for Israeli commerce. So, whoever is in charge is bat shit crazy. They beat their chests, bragging about our superior weapons (pure bs) and the magic Iron Dome (more pure bs).
Well, my guess is the readiest supply for IV bags is China. Oopsies.
What goes around, comes around.
So far, our armchair Generals here are just that. We could be pulled into a catastrophic war if we keep this shit going. Russia, as always, is either well=planned ahead, or quick to act if surprised. Israel needs to take a deep breath of fresh air, not nuclear fallout.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
someone please explain to me why FEMA is broke
.
if the fed can print money out of thin air
what can not relief be provided to NC
something smells fishy
blocking helicopter support, drones and
relief efforts is not helping the folks on the ground
but according to
HillaryKamalaif you 'qualify' you get $750? After the bureaucratic
paper madness is slow-walked thru 'channels'
it is one thing to kill other country's population
quite another to let your own die without relief
QMS,
I read that the one NC town where all the lithium is located has been taken by imminent domain, is now owned by the government, and no efforts to rebuild or repair are being done.
Shit like this is why you have noise about this hurricane being geoengineered, and the furious denials by the MSM saying that is pure ct.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Per BBC
(That's 4.5% of one billion)
an upgraded f-16 costs 60 - 70 million
One HIMARS costs about 20 million just for the launcher
each patriot interceptor missile costs 4 million
one Abrahms tank costs 10 million
be well and have a good one
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 --
in the separation of flowers act
.
circa 1782 (just made that date up) one branch is separate from
the other. So if the department of war is stealing from the department
of homeless security, which is stealing for the benefit of immigrants
without concern for citizens' needs, isn't there some crime being
committed? Shifty budgets aside, does congress even care?
Plenty of money for foreign wars, not so much for domestic needs.
Crooks and Liars.
Silly boy
Because the government can only print money if it helps make its donors richer and it can’t do anything to help we the people. It can’t even look for coins in the couch for us.
Remember Pelosi’s pay go? It’s only for things that help us.
There were problems with running a campaign of Joy while committing a genocide? Who could have guessed?
Harris is unburdened of speaking going forward.
I know! I know!
We don't give a shit about the 99%.
This might be a great time for Black Rock to come to town.
People in NC are in their homes, looking out their windows, seeing bodies float by. They cannot bring in supplies, sore owners cannot go to their properties and retrieve anything that is left, families cannot give their friends and relatives anything like a respectful retrieval of bodies, much less a burial.
These acts of kindness are currently arrestable offenses.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
on the lighter side
.
had a moving car show today
coming from Newport thru town
guess Jay Leno was in the bunch
duesenberg-allard-packard-imperial
some real beauties still running
https://turnto10.com/news/local/gallery/a-celebration-of-the-automobile-...
Good for you!
I love antique cars.
How lucky for them to do a drive by just for you!
My luck of the day was finding a $5 bill on the floor at the drug store.
My luck ran out at the grocery store. Some typical items we buy were gone. A few empty shelves here and there.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Fear and loathing seems like a more apt headline
.
Fear and Loathing
I don’t know how much of this is true, but I have heard lots of horror stories coming out of NC and elsewhere and that the government isn’t doing much to help people.
And since I don’t watch corporate media I don’t know how much they are covering the disaster, but not many sites I browse are covering it.
Remember how the media crucified Bush for his Katrina response? Think they will crucify Biden and Kamala? I just saw Kamala talking about it and she seemed bored to death having to say anything.
And think about it…why would FEMA admit that it doesn’t have any money left? Is that to excuse the Biden administration for not doing everything in its power to get help to people?
Plus there’s another hurricane heading towards Florida that could be another Katrina. DK link-fish out of water.
Also too…
There were problems with running a campaign of Joy while committing a genocide? Who could have guessed?
Harris is unburdened of speaking going forward.
Hard to tell where these storms are going just yet
.
.
although the one in the GOM looks to be headed in the FL direction
~
~
Captain Kirk goes north and Leslie is too far out to predict, so we'll see
~
the BS about FEMA being broke is some kind of internal power ploy (AFAICT)
between government agencies. Why play games when people are in need?
I follow Accuweather.
Tampa Bay is the current hit job. Their meteorologists were spot on for Helene.Wednesday is when we know what is real. Hurricane Level 3. Disastrous. Deadly.
I hope people get away in time.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
I am reading that the cops are
cracking down on people offering help or even trying to help themselves! The truth will out, eventually.
Musk will rescue stranded astronauts, but can't set up Starlink for hurricane victims?
WHY?
I will watch the video after dinner, chica.
Thanks in advance for posting it for us.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Musk is sending Starlink to many areas
but they were blocked by some government goon. Musk tweeted about it (X'd about it?) and Mayo Pete unblocked the holdup. But many other rescue groups have been blocked and threatened with arrest.,
There were problems with running a campaign of Joy while committing a genocide? Who could have guessed?
Harris is unburdened of speaking going forward.
A Frenchman who actually gets it!
Macron also said that France was no longer sending weapons
And suggested other countries stop doing it too. Bibi called him an idiot. Making friends…
There were problems with running a campaign of Joy while committing a genocide? Who could have guessed?
Harris is unburdened of speaking going forward.
Umm….
.
Syria, Yemen, Iran and Lebanon would like a word.
I wonder if he actually believes that now that he has been repeating it over and over…and over.
Israel bombed an apartment building in Tripoli, Lebanon killing the leader of the Gaza fighting group including his wife and 2 daughters. Hey, Bibi you psychopathic barbarian do you think Lebanon has the right duty and right to defend itself too? Btw that’s what Iran was doing you effing idiot!
After Iran didn’t kill anyone in Israel little Jake Sullivan was livid and said that America would help Israel retaliate against them. Hey, Jake you fcking idiot, Iran had the right to attack after Israel attacked them. This ain’t rocket science!
There were problems with running a campaign of Joy while committing a genocide? Who could have guessed?
Harris is unburdened of speaking going forward.
Between Blinken and Sullivan who are pulling the foreign
policy puppet strings Bibi has a carte blanche to do whatever his demented mind desires.
An article from Zerohedge
that mentions the areas most deplete of FEMA or even local voluntary assistance just coincidentally is red.
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/does-regime-want-appalachia-suffer?u...
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
QMS,
just want you to know I had to don a little cotton sweater to sit out on the porch tonight.
Our weather cooled down, woo hoo, and neener neener.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Oh My!
I with i could argue a point or two
with Scott, but I can't. He is right.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Duh.
n/t
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
Glenn Deison
the academic from Norway, has had his program banned by Youtube.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
LOL
I wonder how much coverage this got in the MSM? /S
None whatsoever,
as would be expected, friend.
I have a kaffiyeh from Dubai. I wore it on a crazy sand dune desert safari. The gift shop guy put it on my head, fancy twisting and knotting. I used to wear it all the time in winter here. Then, I stopped. I was gonna wear it to some dance hall concerts in The Texas Hill Country last Thanksgiving, figured it might start a bit of trouble.
I am gonna wear it often this winter.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
A blast from the past but it is relevant!
Edited to add this:
I was 5 yrs old.
My family watched that.
No, I didn't understand it, but my parents explained it to me.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
I was 5 yrs old.
My family watched that.
No, I didn't understand it, but my parents explained it to me.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
It’s not hard to understand the truth of the conflict
There were problems with running a campaign of Joy while committing a genocide? Who could have guessed?
Harris is unburdened of speaking going forward.
The host
got hosed by Waters.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Piers occasionally gets good guests but I still think that he is
a buffoon. Perhaps some of his viewers will see the light.
Piers is odd,
in that he is a tool, show after show, then out of nowhere, he is not.
Strange.
I can't believe he invited Waters on to his show.
Strange
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
One last comment for tonight. (maybe)
https://www.hermes.com/us/en/category/women/belts/?s=womens%20belts#|
Add taxes
and "the "best belt evah" costs for delivery ...
Whatta crazy world, friend.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
It is good to be
"a friend" of a governor, and better yet, when that governor appreciates your close up and personal friendship.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
I have to listen to this before
I shut down and go to bed because... I don't know, I just do. Something about training horses with this music to calm them down, being a country girl, something about respect for someone extremely talented who died too soon.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
test
no comment
https://www.euronews.com/live