Thursday Stuff

(Hat tip to John Fugelsang for the pic, which speaks volumes as far as I'm concerned)....

Former Clinton Labor Secretary Robert Reich reminds us to keep our eye on the proverbial ball when it comes to the social safety net, to say nothing of income inequality overall (and for EVERY generational demographic, it should be noted)…

One year in and fresh off passing massive tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy, Trump and Republicans in Congress want to use the deficit they’ve created to justify huge cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. We can't let them get away with it. pic.twitter.com/MrGypVnrZe

— Robert Reich (@RBReich) January 29, 2018

…and in response to this story about PA Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati deciding not to obey the ruling of the PA Supreme Court in our commonwealth’s gerrymandering case, I have only this to say in response…



Update 2/5/18: YES!

…and I have a hard time trying to imagine just how horrible you have to be to be capable of the act depicted in this video; cruel, stupid, inhumane…this man lived and worked in this country for 30 years and raised a family – not good enough for ICE and the Trumpsters, though…

ICE deported Amer Adi, a father and small business owner, without even letting him hug his children goodbye pic.twitter.com/Ir9N5Yox8f

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) February 1, 2018

…and just remember that, every time Generalissimo Trump spews his bile about supposedly making our country safer, his wretched policies are doing the exact opposite, as noted in this clip (and "good moral character" from a foul, contemptible gutter snipe capable of this?)…

Here’s why President Trump’s State of the Union was a giant middle finger to immigrants across the United States pic.twitter.com/dJ4by4KknM

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) February 1, 2018

Update: Sick bastard...

…and Cenk of TYT tells us here that Repug U.S. House Rep Rodney Frelinghuysen is yet another member of his party who won’t seek re-election this fall (along with this life form, who no doubt will be able to spend more time trying to find the “real” Benghazi culprits)…



…and here is my penultimate “green” tune for our Iggles – rooting them on for Super Bowl Sunday.

Wednesday Stuff

Apparently last night’s SOTU sh*tshow was every bit as bad as you could imagine – heckuva job once more, all of you numbskulls who played a role in making sure this treasonous, lying orange fraud ascended to power (and this is a typical move)…

President Trump’s signature #SOTU line was borrowed from — wait for it — Hillary Clinton pic.twitter.com/g1Fte9d73V

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 31, 2018

…and John, Cenk, Ana and Ben of TYT offer the needed perspective also as far as I’m concerned (I don’t want to imagine the utter depths of deceit and intellectual depravity that would have to exist for someone to utter the phrase “beautiful clean coal” and appear to actually believe it)…



…and Jimmy Kimmel offered what I thought were some spot-on observations also…



…and kudos to this Canadian doctor who’s fed up with Repug Party lies about our health care vs. that of his country…

Canadians are sick and tired of Republicans lying about their health care. pic.twitter.com/6zvXB0kwjG

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 31, 2018

…and when it comes to spending obscene amounts of money for health care and not getting the same outcomes in our country vs. that of other countries, I can’t think of a more appropriate follow-up story (to say nothing of more depressing) than this one from Kyle K. (NSFW)…



...and I've got a few more "green" tunes left for our Iggles, and here's one.

Tuesday Stuff

I know I usually don’t lead off with a tune, but I thought I would on this occasion, particularly since the lyrics seem to fit as far as I’m concerned…



…and gosh, don’t look now, but our corporate media actually performed some analysis behind the lies of the Gropenfuhrer…



…and Lawrence O’Donnell speaks with David Leonhardt about probably the most detailed case in print media yet for holding Generalissimo Trump’s feet to the proverbial fire (and yes, lying to the American people matters…”the old gray lady” aggravates the crap out of me sometimes, but they’re also “on the beam” at other times like now, I have to admit)…



…and Bernie never lets us forget who truly emerged as the winners in that horrible GOP tax scam bill, along with Frank Clemente of Americans for Tax Fairness (as if we needed proof, I should note that the popup ads on YouTube praising that supposedly “independent” voice for PA-08, none other than “Bri-Fi,” a bigger toady than his equally wretched brother, have already started showing up)…

There is no greater example of how politics works in America than this: pic.twitter.com/Qo6QSODkic

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 26, 2018

…and speaking of wretched Republicans, Will Ferrell recently reminded us of one whose ruinous reign still contaminates our memory (funny stuff, though)…



…and I have a few “green” tunes left, and here’s another one (like wow maan...and yeah, they messed up the lip-sync too).

Monday Stuff

I thought these were some apropos (and very NSFW) words from former Mexican president Vicente Fox about the Gropenfuhrer and his stupid wall, something to keep in mind during the SOTU tonight tomorrow (which I have absolutely zero intention of actually watching, by the way)…

Former Mexican President Vicente Fox to Trump: 'We are not paying for that f*cking wall' pic.twitter.com/Pf70z70DM2

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 28, 2018

…and as long as I’m including “blue” language, here is more from Repug strategist Rick Wilson from “Real Time” a couple of nights ago (NSFW again...unbelievable even for those sheep)…

Why do religious fundamentalists give @realDonaldTrump a pass on behavior that they might otherwise condemn? @TheRickWilson has the answer on #RTOvertime and it's 🏔️💩🔥 pic.twitter.com/UO3IyCG4u6

— Real Time (@RealTimers) January 27, 2018

…and what follows is the official NRCC statement on donating all of the $$ raised by Steve Wynn, now accused of sexually-related misconduct (here)...oh, and apparently, Mr.-Puppy-Dog-Eyes-With-The-Shiv is going to return his Wynn $$, as noted here - hilarious since he’s probably getting all of that and more from Chucky and Davey Koch…return ALL RNC money from Wynn or you’re even bigger hypocrites and frauds than you are already (here and here)…



…and in a related story, as it were, I have to point out, once more, that if men got pregnant, you wouldn’t be able to turn around without seeing an ad for a morning-after pill or an “extraction” clinic somewhere, brought to you by ESPN and Maxim Magazine of course (and I realize that it’s damn near impossible for a politician in PA to get elected without support of the Catholic Church, but I still think this stinks to high heaven, you might say, from Bob Casey)……

Republicans want the media to ignore their draconian abortion bill. So far, the media is playing along. https://t.co/5ALqplxzwX pic.twitter.com/vKgIZECrIx

— Media Matters (@mmfa) January 26, 2018

Update 1/30/18: Victory for now, but you KNOW they'll try again (here)...

…and I’m sure our Treasonous Tiny Handed Orange Dictator wanted the metaphorical scalp, you might say, of Andrew McCabe before he gave his stinking speech tonight (here, here and here) – can you imagine that, rightly or wrongly, there was actually a time when the FBI was held to such an exemplary standard that they even had their own TV show? Yes Virginia, there was a time when not every damn thing in the world had to be political (well, maybe to a lesser degree anyway), and that included that organization also (and by the way, how is this NOT obstruction of justice?)...



Update 1/30/18: My point exactly...

…and from the same era as the TV show clip, I give you today’s “green” tune for our Iggles.

Sunday Stuff

I have some videos where I’m a little “behind the curve” I’ll admit, but I wanted to take this opportunity to get them out there anyway.

Mike Papantonio has a story here about banks stealing from consumers with overdraft fees in particular (most infamously, Skank of America – sometimes the Putin Network actually does some good work, as much as I hate to admit it, as long as it makes us look bad of course, but It’s not the Russian dictator’s fault if we’re shooting ourselves in the foot without anyone else’s help)…



…and I think some of what is pointed out in the prior video is also noted here by Mike Lux…



…and I typically don’t comment on international stuff a lot unless it affects this country, and killing the rabbi was wrong even if the home was built illegally which may have been the case, but after watching this video, I have one question: when have you ever heard of an olive tree actually killing anybody?...

Israeli settlers destroyed more than 100 olive trees owned by Palestinian villagers. pic.twitter.com/wkLughbUXh

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) January 15, 2018

…and I’m taking a break from my “green” selections for this oldie, truly one of the great “cowbell” tunes of all time – RIP Hugh Masekela.

Friday Stuff

Rachel Maddow speaks with presidential historian Michael Beschloss about the latest Nixonian twists concerning our Tiny Handed, Treasonous Orange Dictator…



…and leading into Lawrence O’Donnell – gosh, color me shocked: Mr.-Puppy-Dog-Eyes-With-The-Shiv, that supposedly Christian man, is a thoroughly unrepentant liar…



…oh, and by the way, I think it bears repeating that Generalissimo Trump is killing tourism…

President Trump has cost the U.S. tourism industry $4.6 billion and 40,000 jobs pic.twitter.com/EKRghYyE3q

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 26, 2018

…and I know I haven’t had anything to say on the horrors surrounding USA Gymnastics physician Larry Nassar (here, here and here), but only because I didn’t have anything particularly brilliant to add except to point out what people with an ounce of decency and common sense already know; namely, that he’s a thoroughly amoral monster who deserves whatever happens to him – obviously, these brave women who stood up to him deserve all of the gratitude and support we can provide…



Update: More Trumpian monster garbage (here)...

Update 1/27/18: Good!

…and here’s an overseas-related item also, namely, the Gropenfuhrer abroad, in Davos to be exact (and gosh, I wonder what supposedly innovative idea Susan Collins will come up with next after the talking stick? Maybe a magic 8 ball?)...



…and here’s another “green” tune for our Iggles (and from a band with a guy named Green, for that time anyway).

Thursday Stuff

Chris Hayes talks with Dem U.S. House Rep Adam Schiff about this supposedly explosive memo from U.S. House Intelligence Chair Devin Nunes on the FBI’s allegedly conspiratorial investigation of the Gropenfuhrer, which of course is total nonsense, as Rep. Schiff explains…



…and I always like it when someone goes after our corporate media with initials for names and all, and good for Bernie Sanders for that here; as I watched this, I thought of what a damn idiot Fran Leibowitz was for trashing him last year on “Real Time” with Salman Rushdie…

Here's what cable news was covering as we were discussing the most important issue facing our country. pic.twitter.com/dX4RrBwi2b

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 25, 2018

…and I realize that some of the Franklin Graham stuff is repetitive, but I think it’s worth it to revisit the issue of the hypocrisy of these so-called preachers who are totally “in the tank” for Generalissimo Trump (so the Big Orange Cheetoh gets a "mulligan"? WHAAAA??)...



…and a lot of times I know, I ridicule the typical Trump voter because I think they deserve what they got, but I’m genuinely sympathetic to this lady; yes, she made a truly awful decision, but I believe she was in earnest, and a pox on the HRC campaign and our previously-mentioned corporate media for utterly failing her…

‘I voted from Trump … I believed him … I now feel betrayed. I feel angry and I feel forgotten.’ pic.twitter.com/FkrJmzcufR

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 23, 2018

…and here is another well-meaning American trying to do the right thing without getting utterly screwed over by the “party of Lincoln”…

Hector's DACA expired yesterday. Now he can't tutor because he can't drive to the community service center. Congress must act to #ProtectDreamers & stand w/ the 86% of Americans who support Dreamers. Go to https://t.co/x1LgRnM6Hm to learn more about those impacted & get involved. pic.twitter.com/0n35qr1Guw

— FWD.us (@FWD_us) January 22, 2018

…and here’s another “green” tune for our Super Bowl-bound Iggles.

Wednesday Stuff

It's hard to imagine why Franklin Graham is this big of an idiot – well, on second thought, maybe it isn’t that hard after all, as noted here (and of course, as far as Graham is concerned, only Democratic presidents have affairs – oh, really? And I would agree with this too)..



…oh, and by the way, fuck you and your “prayers,” Sen. Mr. Elaine Chao (here)…

2 teens are dead, 17 injured after shooting at Marshall County High School in Kentucky pic.twitter.com/qDzLPDki6w

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 23, 2018

Update 1/25/18: Nail. Hammer. Head.

...and just how much of a monster would you have to be to take away water from someone trying to live in a desert? Maybe it's just as well that I don't know (here)...



Update: Jesus wept (the REAL one, I mean)...

…and I need a bit of a laugh, and I think Jimmy Kimmel provides one here against the backdrop of our latest idiocy from Generalissimo Trump…



…and RIP Ursula K. LeGuin; scarily prescient words from a great, legendary writer in the clip (I always thought "The Lathe of Heaven" was particularly trippy)…



…and here’s a bit of a mellow number for our Birds as they fly north, as it were, for Super Bowl LII.

Tuesday Stuff

No, I didn’t like the “cave” (you may argue) by the U.S. Senate Dems on the budget deal, but they got about a 3-week reprieve at least. And no, I don’t trust Sen. Mr. Elaine Chao to NOT “move the football” again when those three weeks are up.

And when it comes to Bob Casey in PA, yes, it was disappointing (here). However, he will likely run against former Hazelton mayor (and notorious immigration demagogue) Lou Barletta to defend his seat, and Casey made what was a somewhat unfortunate but necessary (IMHO) political calculation.

However, if there’s no action on February 8th (with March 5th the date that the likely deportations of the DREAMers will begin, as noted here), then shut down everything for real. For as long as it takes.

Besides, why the hell should we try to negotiate in good faith with life forms capable of this garbage?...

This disturbing Trump ad says Democrats' views on immigration make them 'complicit' in murder pic.twitter.com/T3o5XuyvHH

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 23, 2018

…and yeah, it looks like Repug U.S. House Rep Patrick Meehan is just another “do as I say, not as I do,” “Family values” Republican (here)…



Update 1/26/18: As it should be (actually, if you follow the Al Franken standard, he should be gone right now)...

…and gee, didn’t we just mention the Repug U.S. House Rep from PA-07 (here)? And leave it to that Repug puke of a spokesman from the wpix link to blame an “activist court” when, of course, the ruling didn’t go the way he wanted (here...and OF COURSE they’ll appeal to the High Court of Hangin’ Judge JR)…

What do you see when you look at this? A bird? A flower? Or democracy disappearing? End #Gerrymandering. Visit https://t.co/xAC7FvkAfS pic.twitter.com/EptFYXSvJn

— Fair Districts PA (@FairDistrictsPA) January 20, 2018

…and kudos to these women artists standing up in opposition to the Gropenfuhrer…

These women are using art to reflect on the first year of Trump's presidency pic.twitter.com/5E6qEbucwo

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 21, 2018

…and I now give you the latest installment of “This Day in Doomsy History” (more or less) from 1/24/11, which is just a reminder that, despite everything going on in our wretched political climate, made poisonous by the Repugs and their acolytes…yes Virginia, there STILL is a war without end going on in Afghanistan (and given this update, I have a question: Do you HONESTLY trust our Treasonous, Tiny Handed Orange Dictator to actually KNOW WHAT HE’S DOING in that area of the world in particular?)…



…and here’s another “green” tune for our Super Bowl-bound Iggles.

Monday Stuff

I would say that, at one of the marches yesterday, Cher was pretty “woke”; we all need to be that way too (mildly NSFW)…

'If you want a job done right, get a woman' — listen to Cher's incredible speech at the #WomensMarch2018 pic.twitter.com/SEwJhKwMoh

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 22, 2018

…and though the Sunday morning gab fests apparently ignored the marches (here), Joy Reid didn’t of course, to her credit (great commentary yet again by Jennifer Rubin, believe it or not, at about 6:30)…



…and wow, I honestly didn’t know the Repug U.S. Senator Tom Cotton was this big of a snow flake…



…and this may be the first time I’ve featured a video from Benjamin Dixon of Ring of Fire, but I think he’s spot-on here when it comes to race issues in this country…



…and here’s another reminder about how much better we all would be under single payer from Sen. Bernie Sanders (just grab a fistful of valium, go lie down in a corner and take a nice, long nap, “Saint Orrin”)…

Did you know that universal health care systems like Canada's are less expensive than the wasteful, bureaucratic system in America? pic.twitter.com/07COIe64DM

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 22, 2018

…and there was a time when I thought it was nothing but a bad joke to talk about the Philadelphia Eagles and the Super Bowl, but lo and behold, they punched their ticket yesterday. Awesome! And congratulations!

As a tribute, I’m planning to feature songs with “green” in the title over the next two weeks; we’ll see how far I get with that (this first selection you can also consider a tribute to Kinks bassist Jim Rodford…RIP).

Saturday Stuff

I’m a little surprised to hear Rachel Maddow apparently unable to explain the shutdown (try this), and when I think of the ruinous reign of the “Gropenfuhrer,” the word “remarkable” definitely doesn’t come to mind - nice report on last year’s women’s marches, though…



Update: Way too damn funny (here)...

…and here is more Maddow, as it were, on trying to figure out just what the hell happened to all of the money from last year’s inauguration…



…and Stephen Colbert reflects on the one-year anniversary of the reign of Generalissimo Trump (he’ll likely remain as long as we have a Republican-led Congress…hint, hint)…



…and I felt like hearing this tune after reading about this nonsense from “the old gray lady” – GMAFB!

Friday Stuff

For more information, click here - and leave it to Philadelphia's conservative newspaper of record to spread a "story" about security concerns, as noted here; in response, I give you this and this.

Yeah, I think Shep Smith is pretty spot-on here about the potential for a government shutdown (see here, here, here and here – how many damn times do we have to go down this road?)…



…and I’m not one bit surprised to hear that the NRA is being investigated for funneling “dark money” into the Trump campaign (and once again, Citizens United remains “the gift that keeps on giving”)…



…and once again, if Generalissimo Trump had a “D” after his name instead of the magic “R,” he’d be wearing an orange jumpsuit by now breaking up slabs on a rock pile (paying hush money to a porn actress, and forming a Delaware LLC to do it apparently as noted here – typical Trumpster move)…



…and yeah, I like the “girther” movement thing – funny (in the scheme of things, not the most important matter I know, but I suppose it’s a bit of comic relief; apparently those doctors serve at the pleasure of the president too – again, not that the physical stuff matters as much, but I don’t believe it either)…



…and David Pakman tells us that U.S. Netherlands Rep Pete Hoekstra was outed for talking more BS about Terra! Terra! Terra! (and yeah, kudos to the Dutch press for following up, unlike our corporate media overall)…



…and I think this is an appropriate tune for the upcoming marches. on Sunday.

Thursday Stuff

Seth Meyers goes over some recent news stuff, including the potential for another government shut down under a Republican congress (and yeah, I know the Nielsen/”shithole” stuff is a bit old by now, but I didn’t know about Patrick Leahy and the placard guy - love the “pong” clip)…



…and yeah, good one by Repug U.S. Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa to defend our Tiny Handed Orange Dictator, earning some thoroughly deserved derision…



…and oh yes (as Sam Seder alluded to), we do so love our kids, don’t we…

Billionaires got their tax breaks last month, but for 113 days health insurance for 9 million children has been hanging in the balance. pic.twitter.com/JOaVF3O4N4

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 17, 2018

…and here’s another good argument for moving to a clean energy economy…

It’s official: Fracking is among the least sustainable forms of energy production pic.twitter.com/QGI7ql14Ab

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 17, 2018

…and David Cay Johnston talks about what’s going on with the Gropenfuhrer’s regime “behind the scenes” with government agencies, using the word “termites” – that’s just great, isn’t it (and in a related story, as they say, I thought this was a great column)...



…and I guess you can consider this a “I know we’re still in the middle of winter, but God, I wish it were over and the nice weather was here right now” song.

Wednesday Stuff

Apparently Dem U.S. Senator Cory Booker lit up DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen over DACA yesterday, and rightly so, over all of the “shithole” stuff from Generalissimo Trump; this is a small sample…

You would think that Trump’s Secretary of Homeland Security might have met with a single Dreamer before planning to throw 800,000 of them out of the country. pic.twitter.com/oK5pphjQUF

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 16, 2018

…and here is more on how you’re supposed to treat a “Trumpster”…

This is what resisting Trump looks like pic.twitter.com/E30v10SUBZ

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 16, 2018

…and apparently, Dark Lord Bannon will continue to testify despite his ridiculous attempt to claim secrecy based on executive privilege, or something (and by the way, props to Michael Schmidt of the NYT for rebounding, if you will, in his reporting after that stoo-pid fluff interview with our Treasonous, Tiny Handed Orange Dictator...and speaking of "the old gray lady," OMFG! - I thought this was a good response)…



…and pride definitely goeth before a fall, certainly in the case of Repug MO governor Eric Greitens (NSFW – more here...more here)…



Update 2/22/18: Justice...

…and when it comes to Democrats as a whole, this is the stuff that I worry about, truth be told; give the damn keys to the metaphorical car to Bernie and let him call the shots, because the national party as a whole is clueless…as much as the Repugs screw up, it seems like ”team D” on the national level NEVER knows what to do in response (NSFW…oh, and as Atrios sez, love and kisses once more for the bankruptcy bill, Joe)…



…and I was remiss in not noting the passing of music producer Rick Hall a couple of weeks ago, who worked with Aretha Franklin and many other acts, including this guy, and this tune in particular.

Tuesday Stuff

Seth Meyers talks about Generalissimo Trump and racism (and yeah, Rand Paul really is that stoo-pid…I also think the Fix Noise segment with the Barbie doll “news” person feeding that line to Repug senator Bill Cassidy was unintentionally hilarious)…



…and gee, isn’t it just so nice how Big Pharma is giving us the metaphorical middle finger raised on high in light of those grotesque tax cuts? Yep, they really are trying to kill us (makes me recall the story of this brave lady from another era; Google thalidomide kids to find out how the UK and other countries suffered – yep, there are some things that it’s up to government to do and some things that it’s up to the private sector to do…back then, though, more people actually knew the difference)…



…oh, and by the way, what country am I living in again?...

Upsetting footage shows the emotional moment a man was ripped away from his family by ICE after spending 30 years in the U.S. pic.twitter.com/g8osfX45KK

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 16, 2018

…and I give you another installment of “This Day In Doomsy History” from 1/16/08 (yep, Irving’s Boy was wrong ten years ago, to say nothing of now also, but as noted here, he continues to be treated with undue deference, including by that “liberal” MSNBC network)…



…and RIP Dolores O’Riordan of The Cranberries…



…and since today marked the swearing-in of new New Jersey Gov (and Dem) Phil Murphy (here), that means that today also marks the end of the abusive tenure of Governor Bully; I thought we could sing this one to him as he fades (hopefully) into the obscurity he completely deserves.

Monday Stuff

Rev. Al talks to Dem Congressman John Lewis about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and how we must fight on to build on Dr. King’s momentous work on behalf of social and racial justice…



…and to give us an idea of just how much work still needs to be done, Kyle K. tells us about the Repug Kansas lawmaker who said that black people can’t handle marijuana because of their genetics – just say “oops” and get out (NSFW)…



…and here is Dr. King’s speech at the Barratt Junior High School in South Philadelphia from October 26, 1967, with the theme of “what is your life’s blueprint?”…



…and I may play this song once or twice a year, but I think it’s definitely appropriate for today.

Friday Stuff

Yeah, I think this sure sez it...

‘These are shocking and shameful comments from the President of the United States. Sorry, but there’s no other word one can use but “racist.”’ — United Nations spokesman condemns Trump’s ‘shithole’ comment pic.twitter.com/K50OvAgVPQ

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 12, 2018

…and I realize that, as much as Number 45’s conduct is foul and disgusting – and it is that – it’s also a bit counterproductive to analyze the garbage from this human stain which is meant more as a distraction from his other utterly abominable behavior (here), but sometimes what he says and does is so terrible that we have no choice but to do so (NSFW)…



…and Lawrence O’Donnell talks to Karine Jean-Pierre of MoveOn.org, Nicholas Kristof and Brian Klaas about this awfulness…



...and speaking of racism...

Decades ago, the FBI targeted Black activists who were fighting for equality — now, this sad chapter of history is repeating itself pic.twitter.com/NmY5Li7YBS

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 10, 2018

…and kudos to the Bernie Sanders state for telling our immunity gnome AG Jeff Sessions what he can do with his marijuana purge (NSFW)…



…and given the particularly repugnant garbage from the Gropenfuhrer and his pals, I think I’m in need of more of a “palate cleanser,” if you will, than usual, and I hope this (going from the ridiculous to the sublime) will suffice; the selection commemorates the 90th anniversary of the first U.S. concert appearance by Vladimir Horowitz (here), quite possibly the greatest concert pianist of all time – hope you enjoy this bit of culture.

Thursday Stuff

So presidential, right?

I don’t understand why there are U. S. Senate Democrats out there who may yet sign off on a spending bill without a DACA fix (here), but apparently that is the case; this tells us more about the DACA fight for those trying to stay in this country (with typical Repug and Trumpian garbage thrown in of course)…



…and TMR and Sam Seder quite rightly IMHO go after Dana Bash over whitewashing Trump and DACA (tired of our corporate media trying to legitimize Repug stupidity; stop talking about the f*cking OPTICS and TRY TO DISCUSS ACTUAL SUBSTANCE IF YOU CAN!)…



...and here is more on corporate tax cuts vs. layoffs (repetitive I know, but it NEEDS to be repeated)…

Remember when CEOs said they'd create thousands of jobs if we gave them massive tax cuts? Well, AT&T, Comcast and Pfizer just laid off hundreds of workers right after the Republicans passed their pathetic tax bill. pic.twitter.com/1916Gyndvz

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 11, 2018

Update 1/12/18: Uh, yep.

Update 1/15/18: And as if we needed more evidence...

…and another plutocrat scumbag from this regime of frauds and unindicted criminals has been named by our Tiny Handed Delusional Profane Orange Dictator as HHS Secretary, and that nominee would be Alex Azar (here)…

President Trump said he'd stand up to Big Pharma — then he nominated an ex-pharma Health Secretary who dramatically raised drug prices 🙃 pic.twitter.com/QV6LNyniva

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 11, 2018

…and it should be noted that Bri-Fi has a declared Dem challenger in PA-08, and that would be Rachel Reddick (an intro video follows, and to her credit, she goes right after the Gropenfuhrer and the brother of Mikey the Beloved…damn, I like this ad!...and I guess she's made waves already, since Bucks County's most infamous fourth estate troll is after her, as noted here...see, as far as Mullane is concerned, only REPUBLICANS are allowed to switch parties)…



...and if there were a theme song for the foul, fetid Trump era, I wonder if this might be it?

Wednesday Stuff

I have to say that I got a kick out of this item from PA’s own Dem U.S. Rep Brendan Boyle here, with more here (could have spent some more time on it as opposed to those idiotic clips of our Tiny-Handed Orange Dictator…oh, and when it comes to Generalissimo Trump and Wharton, I give you this)...



…and Darrell Issa gone too? Gee, looks like it’s time once more for this clip from Ari Melber and Martin Bashir…



…and I thought this was a great analysis by Former Clinton Labor Secretary Robert Reich of what a typical joke it is for Dear Leader to claim any credit whatsoever for supposedly investing in U.S. workers in the Boeing “deal”; this should be shown in a steady rotation on every basic cable channel in this country - a radio ad wouldn't be a bad idea either...

The real way to make our workforce more competitive and boost wages is to invest more in the education and skills of American workers, not massive tax cuts for the rich and corporations. pic.twitter.com/z4a84de9lv

— Robert Reich (@RBReich) January 8, 2018

…and (as if we needed one) here is yet another example of the “do as I say, not as I do” Trumpsters in action (and more Ryan Zinke nonsense is here)…

Trump’s Secretary of the Interior used wildfire prevention funds to go on helicopter joyrides pic.twitter.com/S2gtXvZ06S

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 9, 2018

…and speaking of outdoors stuff, it looks like the EPA under Scott Pruitt is literally trying to kill us…

Trump's EPA is allowing a pesticide used in nerve gas to be sprayed on your food pic.twitter.com/42QowiZcol

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 9, 2018

…and Jim Croce would have been 75 today; with all of the winter stuff getting splattered on our vehicles, I have a feeling that the people employed in the bidness noted in this song are pretty busy these days (with Maury Muehleisen as always, truly an unsung figure).

Tuesday Stuff

Try imagining the spewing, sputtering wingnut outrage if this video had featured Number 44 instead of Generalissimo Trump; it would be in a steady hourly rotation on “The US Pravda Network” (which also featured this recently)…

Does President Trump actually know the words to the national anthem? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/SxAb8ynZjv

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 9, 2018

…and gee, somehow this doesn’t sound very “Comcastic” to me (typical, though...more evidence that stock market gains, by themselves, don't mean jack as an economic indicator)…



...and I thought this was another great “A” block from Rachel Maddow about what former U.S. Senator and one-time presidential candidate Mike Gravel did to help get the word out about the Pentagon Papers and how that could be a precedent for the Fusion GPS stuff (and here is an update – kudos to Di-Fi; maybe it was to help stave off her primary challenger, but props to her for doing good)…



…and I give you the first 2018 installment of “This Day In Doomsy History” from 1/9/12; Sam Seder tells us of Hosni Mubarak Walker’s assault in Wisconsin on employee and family benefits in the name of “reform”…get ready to hear this garbage again this year given the Dickensian tax scam the “party of Lincoln” in Congress passed last year, signed into law by our Treasonous, National-Anthem-Forgetting, Tiny-Handed, Delusional Orange Dictator (mildly NSFW)…



…and I hope the lady who was abused in this video sues everyone in this decrepit backwater for lots of money because of this (here - and yeah, the "stop resisting" thing is another cop trick to try and hurt you or, more precisely, beat your brains out)…



…and the prior clip puts me in the mood to hear this song; this version of it is 40 years old now, believe it or not.

Monday Stuff

(Oh, and here’s another “hot take” that I don’t expect anyone to care about; I don’t know what Oprah Winfrey said at the Golden Globes last night, but dear Lord, can we PLEASE dispense with the notion that she should run for president as a result? Haven’t we already screwed ourselves over by electing someone famous because we see them on TV?)

Update 1/9/18: Nail. Hammer. Head. (even though I like "Dave" :-)

I realize it takes a lot for a Repug to actually do the right thing, and it usually involves money, but though I have a lot of issues with Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado, he definitely stood up to our “immunity gnome” of an Attorney General here…



...and kudos to this Nevada woman standing up to Sessions also - all the best...

This woman with stage 4 cancer who relies on medical marijuana is coming for Jeff Sessions pic.twitter.com/yBsdTkoDhG

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 6, 2018

…and if this isn’t a reason to do something about climate change, I don’t know what is…

Climate change could cause the end of chocolate by 2050 pic.twitter.com/ukkb1de5rv

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 4, 2018

…and gee, I guess I’d better dust off my VHS copy of “The Atomic Café” and watch it again, huh (for the return of "duck and cover" apparently – so much winning!)…

The CDC wants Americans to be ready for nuclear war pic.twitter.com/x03cy4Nfkw

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 6, 2018

…and Farron Cousins provides us details on the “puke funnel,” as Atrios might call it, from The Daily Tucker and Fix Noise right to the Gropenfuhrer himself (think HRC and Emails, blah blah blah - more idiocy is here…)…



…and David Bowie would have been 71 today; I think this is an apropos tune for Generalissimo Trump.

Saturday Stuff

Kudos to Jimmy Kimmel for holding Generalissimo Trump up for the ridicule he deserves here; as people smarter than I have already said, if the Trumpsters were looking for ways to avoid publicity for the book, this wasn’t the way to do it (and “Fifty Shades of Orange” - hilarious)…



…and I thought this was a great “A” block from Rachel Maddow about how the Repugs on Capitol Hill have done all they can to blow up any possibility of investigating #StableGenius and his pals for the likely crime of collusion with a hostile foreign power in our election two years ago - leave it Huckleberry Graham and Grassley to go after the only person who did the right thing in this mess…



…and as Kyle K. tells us, the typical political suspects want doctors to force-drug-test you…figures (NSFW)…



…and here is the latest in another country pursuing common sense clean energy initiatives, as opposed to us of course…

This city runs entirely on electric buses pic.twitter.com/kMQmrprlaC

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 3, 2018

…and here are more patriotic millionaires (“beacon of greed” for sure)…

Mr. Trump, listen to these Patriotic Millionaires who want their taxes raised, not cut. pic.twitter.com/heoPX7VWkV

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 4, 2018

…and I’m sorry it took a while to get around to this great tune from Little Steven (has kind of a “Southside Johnny” feel to it, which is cool).

Friday Stuff

John and Cenk of TYT provide analysis of the new book “Fire and Fury” by Michael Wolff, about the back-story stuff with Generalissimo Trump; the segment mainly has to do with the stuff about Steve Bannon (NSFW – great analysis by Cenk in particular…and in a related story, I was amused by this)…



…and there’s a little repetition between this segment with Stephen Colbert and the prior clip, though I think the explanation of how Number 45 really didn’t want to be preznit is a choice item in particular…



…and it looks like Trump’s “immunity gnome” had a bit of a show down with these DOJ interns – typical stupid dig at Berkeley and other snarkiness from this utter mistake of an AG; if Tricky Dick were alive, he would be snarling in approval...and concerning that typical Sessions lie about how the Trumpsters supposedly aren’t cozy with the private prison industry (and why the hell is that still a “thing” anyway?), I give you this……

Watch these DOJ interns school Jeff Sessions on his marijuana, guns and transgender policies — right to his face pic.twitter.com/fzGHpVVLv2

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 4, 2018

…and kudos to Iceland for getting serious about equal pay for equal work here…

Iceland just became the first country in the world to make it illegal to pay men more than women. In the United States in 2016, black women made 62.5 cents on the dollar compared to white men and hispanic women made 54.4 cents. That is a disgrace. pic.twitter.com/y2sxSWYVrm

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 3, 2018

…and as noted here, last Wednesday was the 80th anniversary of the founding of the March of Dimes (and don’t even goddamn think about it NOW OR EVER, wingnuts!...clip is from last June)…



…and last New Year’s Day was the 60th birthday of none other than Grandmaster Flash – belated best wishes; hope it was a bangin’ time, so to speak.

Thursday Stuff

So it looks like “Saint Orrin” Hatch is going to cash out retire after having played a pivotal role in passing the Repugs’ utterly ruinous tax bill gleefully signed into law by Generalissimo Trump (clearing the way for "Mittens," who I believe will be just as big of a total fraud); yes, tell me again what a Godly man Hatch supposedly is for doing his best to steal health care and increase the tax burden for millions in this country - makes me recall this revealing moment where he's held to account by Dem Senator Claire McCaskill…

This senator ripped Republicans for trying to rush their health care bill without a hearing pic.twitter.com/i7yKtNNOMt

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) June 9, 2017

…my personal Hatch favorite moment (one of them, anyway) was this one when he sponsored an amendment to what became known as “Obamacare” for a state with the letter “U” in the name (umm, want to me MORE obvious that you’re a total fraud? More here.)…



…and the prior clip showed some legislative shenanigans by Repug Sen. Chuck Grassley on health care reform years ago, and this shows that he’s up to the same nonsense, this time on the question of making the so-called “Steele Dossier” public…



…and I thought this was a great clip brought to us from Sen. Bernie Sanders about just how much the stock market is rigged in favor of the “one percent”…

Don't be fooled by Trump when he talks about boosts to the stock market from his tax plan. That money is going to the wealthy and large corporations. pic.twitter.com/ps6VBeaPlj

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 3, 2018

…and I definitely wanted to include this before January 21st…

The #resistance continues in 2018 — here are all the marches you can attend in the upcoming year pic.twitter.com/O5GM9oOUGa

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 1, 2018

…and given yesterday’s Carlos Maza clip about the comedians, I’m probably about a day late with this video, but here it is anyway.

Wednesday Stuff

I know we’re a few days into 2018, but I don’t think it’s too late to revisit a couple of clips featuring folks who were prominent last year, including those whose job it is to find humor somehow amidst all of this madness (NSFW)…

This year, late-night comedians often did a better job covering the Trump administration than serious news networks did. pic.twitter.com/YhTnxyBG2F

— Vox (@voxdotcom) December 30, 2017

…including Jimmy Kimmel, featured in both this clip and the one that precedes it (and when it comes to news trends in 2017 that I personally would like to see disappear, I think Hunter at Daily Kos nails it here)…

These are some of 2017's biggest heroes pic.twitter.com/hOCBHsHAv0

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 1, 2018

…and Michael Brooks of The Majority Report talks about a recent interview with former DEA agent David Schiller, who talks about what he alleges was drug maker McKesson's role in the opioid crisis...



…and I thought this was a nice segment of former VP Joe Biden discussing what this country, despite all of the garbage from the “party of Lincoln,” is SUPPOSED to be all about…

It took only one word for Joe Biden to summarize what truly makes America great pic.twitter.com/znPYYNCoxg

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 3, 2018

...and with the weather particularly cold in these parts, you may hear something like this from the usual suspects, as it were...



…and I thought I’d update my musical selections to start the year with something more current, and I settled on this neat tune.