caucus99percent

It's time to face facts. There are Russians under your bed, under my bed, under everyone's bed, and they want to steal your vote!
They are under the beds of Germany.

From the Guardian:

The Russian government is suspected of being behind a cyber-attack on parliament that breached dozens of email accounts belonging to MPs and peers.

On Thursday it was announced that AG Jeff Sessions has ordered a review of all recent murders of transgender people in the US.

It appears that Trump "shot from the hip" in his response to the so-called gas attack, overriding the advice of the Pentagon and intelligence agencies. Possibly this is one of the reasons the US military has basically taken over the authority of the President as "Commander in Chief". Trump is much too volatile, pig headed and uninformed to be in charge of the world's largest and most powerful military. The Pentagon mostly likely were the ones who insisted that Russia be forewarned about Trump's temper tantrum.

Dreams...

Last week we focused on schools. Like most institutions our tendency is to look at what is wrong rather than discuss what would be ideal. So today let's dream about schools and our society and think about what could be.

Things have gotten pretty crazy out there.
No, "crazy" isn't the right word. I should say "complacent".

I believe this is a historical phenomenon. It struck me again yesterday as I read "Corbynmania" by gjohnsit, and watched Jimmy Dore compare the differing responses of Jeremy Corbyn and Theresa May to the Grenfell Tower fire. He was contrasting Corbyn's compassionate listening to the stories and responding to the needs of the people to May's orchestrated photo-op.

A couple days ago I showed how Dems that moved to the right have gotten massacred in the elections, while progressive candidates have survived the onslaught.
In that essay there was one study that stood out in my mind.

Background: There is some debate about the precise meaning of Azazel.

Leviticus 16: 8-10: 6 Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering for himself and shall make atonement for himself and for his house. 7 Then he shall take the two goats and set them before the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 8 And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for Azazel. 9 And Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the Lord and use it as a sin offering, 10 but the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement over it, that it may be sent away into the wilderness to Azazel.

Some traditions believe Azazel to be the name of a fallen angel.

Well that didn't take very long.
The headline is about Trump's brinkmanship with NAFTA negotiations.

"20 people are newly displaced every minute of the day"

I don't know why it took this long to figure it out.
Bernie Sanders and progressives in general were responsible for Hillary losing, and now he's responsible for Jon Ossoff losing.
If only Hillary and Ossoff ran further to the right.

When is a 68-year old socialist politician so cool with the kids that he upstages even the most popular bands?
When his name is JE-REM-Y COR-BYN.

Surprisingly in this time of Trump, the EEOC seems to be continuing to do its job.

An Applebee’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill in Hawthorne (NY) has been sued for allegedly discriminating against a transgender hostess.

My attention has recently been drawn back to the handful of diaries I wrote at dPOS, much of which I had subsequently forgotten. In the aftermath of the Georgia debacle, this one seems relevant. It is reproduced verbatim, including the introductory parenthetical.

*******************
Thursday Oct 30, 2008
(This is a repost of my diary from yesterday, which went largely unnoticed. Given the theme, reposting it today has metacharm.)

The Washington Post today published a story, "Obama’s secret struggle to punish Russia for Putin’s election assault," that Obama was warned by the CIA that Putin gave the order to "defeat or at least damage the Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, and help elect her opponent, Donald Trump."

so, now I read this, and imagine hearing those news on TV sitting aside of my sister and she saying "I don't understand anything". Then she thinks I might know something she doesn't. And then I realize, I don't know really either.

Khmer Rouge leader denies mass murder, blames Vietnam

Just saying.

In a concert at the riverside pavilion in Cleveland last week, Paul Simon gave the crowd a tour-de-force -- and a sermonette.

The tour-de-force was made up of a strong choice of songs from Simon's 53-year-long career. Five Simon and Garfunkel songs, five songs from the lush "Graceland" album, a couple from last year's "Stranger to Stranger," and 13 more carried the crowd through a 2 hour and 10 minute musical trip. Throughout, Simon hit the right notes, while his band put out striking strong rhythms and soaring psychedelic sounds.

The sermonette came just before the last song:

I feel a little bit funny about saying these things, but I'm giving, I'm allowing myself the privilege of it due to my advanced age. For years it is my observation: Anger is addictive. And we are becoming a nation of addicts. Ask yourself, "Who are the dealers? Who are the pushers? Where, where is that anger coming from?" And be aware of -- when you hear it, when you see it -- be aware of its source. It's not, it's not that we aren't gonna have reasons to be angry. Of course we do. But decision-making and best choices are made with a cool and a calm mind. And in a well-knit community, practice kindness.

Then he played, in acoustic solo, "The Sound of Silence."

Hey C99 Family...

I don't really have an essay here and I don't want to waste anyone's time, so apologies in advance. I've just settled in not long ago to the AC after a full day out with the infant Boy, and three cans of beer later am catching up with some of the news today.

But I've just had a serious, from-the-belly laugh and need to know: Am I reading this right?

The median voter theorem was developed by Harold Hotelling in 1929, although it wasn't until the 1970's that the Democrats took it seriously. It states that "a majority rule voting system will select the outcome most preferred by the median voter".
His thinking was to compare politics to businesses selling similar consumer products.

Ulster County is between Albany and New York City and contains the cities of Poughkeepsie and Kingston. A committee of the County Legislature unanimously endorsed a resolution to schedule a July 11 public hearing on a proposed law to protect people from being discriminated against on the basis of their gender identity.

Money! The Democratic Party leaders loves, loves, loves that money.
Fundraising ability is why Pelosi and Schumer got re-elected to leadership positions despite years of catastrophically bad election results.
Which is why this news is important.

This is from the Dkos helpdesk discussion "Wholesale Bannings II." I have been monitoring Dkos about this topic. In light of the defeat of the DNC supported candidate, Ossuf, and the continued smears of Sanders' supporters and progressives, in general, for no reason other than to blame us for Dem losses, I thought it worthwhile sharing:

Is it about oil? Is it about gas? Is it about pipelines? Is it about a central bank? Is it about power? Is it about greed? Is it about regime change? Is it about country balkanization? Is it about Iran? Is it about Russia? Is it about Israel?

Yes.

Is it about fighting terrorism?

No.

Heraclitus ~ You can never step into the same river twice

The water in the river in front of you is not the same as 10 seconds before. But sometimes you must dive in. It is time to do that.

Caveat ~ whenever truth is suppressed, conspiracy theories flourish (AE)

Background information: Please consult my prior essays relating to this subject:

So here's the report of a $6 Trillion error, or slight-of-hand, or slovenly behavior, or kerfuffle. Probably just a goof-up.

Dated last summer when all the kerfuffle was going on about stuff.

http://www.dodig.mil/pubs/documents/DODIG-2016-113.pdf

INSPECTOR GENERAL DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
4800 MARK CENTER DRIVE ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA 22350-1500
July 26, 2016

Yesterday's loss in Georgia's special election may have begun a process that should have happened back in November.