Have I told you how much I hate these people? - Mike Malloy. It is every thinking person’s responsibility not to side with his or her executioners. - Albert Camus. Popular democracy anywhere threatens fascism everywhere. - The Scallion. A fascist junta of neocons using George W. Bush as its shill has taken over America by bloodless coup. What will it take for us to stage a revolution and take our country back? - Dot Calm. Drive a hybrid. Leave a lighter footprint on the planet. - Dot Calm.
Like Granny D, I have watched my own beloved country change, and I am angry beyond words about what I see. I grew up seeing America as the equivalent of the movie good guy, the hero in the white hat who came to the rescue of those in need around the world. I have watched in silent horror as the corporations, the captains and the kings of industry, used a comparatively small outlay of cash to buy the Republicans to use as their shills. George W. Bush is the puppet cowboy-king of shills, the proverbial emperor with no clothes. Every day, I watch these evil men legalize, legitimize, and institutionalize robbing the poor to pay the rich. They are carving up America like a giant carcass and doling out choice chunks of its meat to themselves and their cronies. Since the Democrats have been sipping at the same corporate teat where the Republicans have been gorging for the past generation, the fascists are free to do their worst; there is no longer any opposition. There is no one left to stand up for the rights of the American people, the Constitution, or the democracy, which I fear will be replaced by a fascist dictatorship in my lifetime. Wake up, America: we need a REVOLUTION NOW!
Greetings, fellow Dot Calm Readers, Freedom Fighters, and Truth Crusaders!
Not too many things kicking around inside my head today...but I'll give you the benefit of what is.
1. Have you heard the latest brouhaha about flossing not having evidence to support its efficacy? I have two things to say to that. First, when I floss after I brush, I get a lot of junk out from between my teeth. I'm no dentist, but I'm pretty sure that leaving all that stuff in there is really not a good idea. Secondly, my hygienist can always tell who flosses daily and who doesn't by the condition and cleanliness of their gums. I realize that this is a sample set of one patient and one hygienist's sample set of patients, but that's enough evidence for me to keep flossing.
2. Trump asked an adviser (more than one on more than one occasion, I think) why we have nukes if we can't use them. If that doesn't scare the shit outta ya, check out the Vox article below--if Trump does get into the White House, it's easier than you think for him to nuke an enemy--real or imaginary--if he wanted to. And no one would have veto authority over him if he did. Remember what I mentioned some posts ago regarding my confidence that at least we could trust Hillary not to nuke the economy or the planet? I didn't realize how close I was to the truth about Trump--I didn't realize how literal my statement was. Holy phuque.
3. You may have heard about the ex-CIA chief calling Trump an unwitting agent of the Russian Federation. According to Vox (article linked below), the official's explanation of Putin winning Trump just with a few compliments is overly simplistic. I agree that a few compliments alone probably don't constitute the entire reason behind Trump's enthusiasm for Putin and his policies. However, based on what Trump says and, indeed, has said for several years, I cannot dismiss the fact that Trump does indeed function as an unwitting agent for Putin. Trump is emotionally ass-over-heels in love with authoritarians; he admires Putin personally and supports his policies; and, let's face it, Trump's ego is so weak (which is predictable when you overinflate something so...thin) that there's no way Trump would be proof to a little sugar from his idol. No wonder Trump's star-struck. So I think that Putin's well-placed praise is just one factor--along with Trump's pre-existing admiration, support, and probably envy of what Putin gets away with that Trump could only dream of trying here--that seals the deal. Any way you slice it, a Trump presidency would be a tremendous plum for Putin, and it would give him free rein to expand in ways he's too constrained to try with just about anyone else in the White House.
4. Was Melania Trump an illegal immigrant? If so, she could be stripped of her clothes (no, she does that already on her own) her dangerously thin veneer of respectability (arguable whether she even has one--KIDDING!!!!!) her citizenship. And, of course, the schadenfreude we'd all enjoy from the hypocrisy of her husband's frothily rabid demands to deport all the illegals would be mildly amusing.
But that's not the broader point. As you'll see in the Vox article posted in today's headlines, the point is that not even a privileged white European model finds this country's immigration process to be straightforward and unambiguous. This means that it's not exactly clear who is illegal or why--meaning that no one can tell at a glance who's illegal and should be deported versus who isn't. Turns out, it's complicated. Like "nuance," "complicated" isn't something Republicans do.
But mostly, I'm using this story purely as an excuse to be snarky (well, that too) post a gratuitous picture of Nelson and his famous "Ha ha!" Hehe.
Don't forget to read Dot Calm's shadow's favorite independent sources of news and information:
Peas, friends. Hug yourselves and each other for me--please and thank you! Oh, and have a shot of Fireball whiskey and a hunk of dark chocolate for me--it is Friday after all! You can bet I'll be indulging in both once I click "Publish." Assuming I can keep my eyes open and not face-plant onto the keyboard long enough to make blog happen.
Smooches!!
- Dot Calm's shadow
Consider the preemptive Blogger phuqued-up phormatting disclaimer to be in effect. Grrr. -- Dot Calm's shadow
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ATTENTION, REPUBLICANS! Obama is coming
for your guns 'n' Bibles
November 8, 2016.
DO NOT
LEAVE YOUR HOUSE
THAT DAY
FOR ANY REASON!
The rights you save may be your own!
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Headlines
I'm taking a slight liberty with Newsweek's headline here, but the basic story is that Trump sucks bawls as a businessman (Watch it, gentle readers--Newsweak's website starts yakking when you click the link! You have been warned.)
Anti-choice Republicans are spending $1.2 million in taxpayer dollars on their politically motivated anti-choice witch hunt. Will you chip in $15 to fight back?
For
months, anti-choice Republicans have been using taxpayer dollars to
smear scientists and abortion providers at congressional hearings on
so-called "sting videos" and "selling baby parts."
Now it's finally been revealed how much of our money is being spent on these political attacks: $1.2 million.1
This
is an outrageous abuse of taxpayer dollars, and to stop this
anti-choice witch hunt, we're running a nationwide campaign to hold the
supporters of this taxpayer-funded smear campaign accountable with
voters. Will you chip in $15?
No one wants a Purple Heart.
Tammy Duckworth earned her Purple Heart when she lost both of her
legs after her Black Hawk helicopter was hit by a rocket propelled
grenade in Iraq.
Yesterday a supporter of Donald Trump handed over his Purple Heart to the presidential candidate. Trump said he had always wanted a real one, but getting it like this "was much easier."
From his attacks on Gold Star family members to his cheapening of the
sacrifices made by veterans like Tammy Duckworth, Trump is unfit to
serve as our Commander in Chief. We must stand up to him, and the party
who stands with him: Make
a $3 contribution to Tammy Duckworth's campaign as a way of standing up
to Donald Trump's attacks on veterans by helping to elect a new
generation of progressive veterans to the U.S. Senate.
It's not just Donald Trump attacking service members like Tammy
Duckworth. Tammy's opponent, Republican Senator Mark Kirk's super PAC is
on the air with an ad attacking her as well. So your contribution to
her campaign today couldn't be more timely, or important.
All our best,
- The team at VoteVets
No one should be set up to fail, especially when trying to make ends
meet. But greedy so-called “payday” lenders have created a cycle of debt
for people of color in a cash crunch, leaving financial success forever
out of reach.
With a new federal rule under consideration, now’s our chance to keep
these loan sharks in check and hard-working Americans out of vicious
debt traps.
A payday loan is a smaller, supposedly short-term loan that is
typically due when you receive your next paycheck, but most consumers
can’t afford to pay back the full amount on time – forcing them to take out yet another loan at extravagant interest rates of 300 percent or more!
Petition to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, and the Republican leadership in Congress: "Put your money where your mouth is. Follow the 2016 Republican
Party platform and schedule an immediate vote on the 21st Century
Glass-Steagall Act, co-sponsored by Sens. John McCain and Elizabeth
Warren."
Add your name:
------------------------------------------------
Comcast and friends are once again trying to get rid of Net
Neutrality — this time by asking the same court that upheld the FCC’s
rules to rehear the case.
Sun
Bears kept in the Bandung Zoo are so hungry they eat their own feces.
One of the zoo’s giraffes suddenly died and was found to have 40 pounds
of plastic trash in its stomach. The Bandung Zoo has been coined Indonesia’s “death zoo” and must be shut down immediately.
Perhaps
the most upsetting was the recent loss of Yani, a 34-year-old Sumatran
elephant, who was visibly weeping when she died shackled on the ground.
She had been sick and neglected for too long. Yani’s species is
critically endangered and she was one of about 2,800 of these majestic
animals left.
Tourists often report that the confined animals look emaciated and weak.
The zoo is overcrowded and doesn't have a veterinarian on hand, so when
animals fall ill they are left to suffer like Yani. These are not the
only horrific events to have occurred within the zoo, and won’t be the
last.
Please
join me in imploring the President of Indonesia and his Minister of
Environment and Forestry to shut down this zoo and relocate these
animals to a conservation or sanctuary where they can be taken care of.
From Daily Kos--protect and expand Social Security
Millions of American senior citizens rely on Social Security benefits to
survive. Seniors who have worked hard for decades should not be facing
hunger, homelessness, and suffering illness without adequate treatment.
For years, Republicans have threatened to slash Social Security to score
cheap political points and votes, showing blatant disregard for elderly
Americans. The retirement age has increased and the reliability of
investments like homeownership and 401K's has decreased.
Sign the petition to Congress: "Making it easier for all eligible Americans to register and
vote could bring millions of people into the democratic process. Pass
the Automatic Voter Registration Act of 2016 now."
Add your name:
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Dear Trump supporters:
There is a difference between
honest and unfiltered...
Trump is unfiltered but not honest;
Bernie is honest but not unfiltered.
If you could learn the difference
and honor the right one,
that would be great!
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Democracy Now!
The interview with Garry Trudeau--one of my long-time faves--is delightful!
Cartoonist
Garry Trudeau has been writing about Trump and a possible run for the
presidency for nearly 30 years, prompting Trump to call him "a
third-rate talent," "a ... Read More →
Dave Zirin, sports editor for The Nation
magazine, says protests highlighting racial and economic injustice are
expected from athletes attending the 2016 Olympics in ... Read More →
More
than 10,000 athletes across the world have convened in Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil, for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Rio is the first South American
city ever to host the Games, ... Read More →
The
Green Party's national convention opens today in Houston, Texas, and
Dr. Jill Stein is expected to win the party's nomination. But will she
win the support of former ... Read More →
Six
years ago, President Obama warned the nation that foreign corporations
could soon pour money into the U.S. election system thanks to the
Supreme Court Citizens ... Read More →
The C.E.O. of a cable company recently admitted they intentionally give
inferior customer service to low-income customers, based on their low
credit scores. Have you paid such a price for being poor? Log in or sign up
for a Daily Kos account, and write a blog post about how corporations
treated you differently for being poor. When publishing your story,
please use the tag #emailprompt.
"The
nuke triad, which Trump doesn't have a clue about, has been the single
greatest contributor to global peace for decades," Noonan tweeted. READ MORE»
"I’ve
known Hillary Clinton for 50 years—50 years—endorsed Bernie Sanders and
worked my heart out for him, as many, many people did," Robert Reich
said. READ MORE»
Five
individuals carrying American passports say they were branded
"terrorist" and mistreated by Israeli security, then got no help from
their own government. READ MORE»
Obama
has commuted more sentences than the last 9 presidents combined, but
there are still nearly 18,000 applications pending, and the clock is
ticking. READ MORE»
Users agreed "Trump has the best words." READ MORE»
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Movies!
Guys 'n' gals, forgive me for not introducing these vids, but truth be told, I'm pooped. I'm also HONGRY--I decided to blawg before getting myself some dinner. Please and thank you!
Here's a topic I've been wanting to get around to...