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Mira

Mira's Journal
Mira's Journal
January 4, 2012

How Andy Borowitz muses about Iowas results / Mitt: The Eight People Have Spoken

Romney Jubilant After Finishing in Dead Heat with Walking Joke in Sweater Vest
Mitt: ‘The Eight People Have Spoken’

DES MOINES (The Borowitz Report) – Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney was overjoyed today after finishing the Iowa caucuses in a virtual tie with a walking joke who wears sweater vests.

“The eight people have spoken!” exclaimed Mr. Romney, who was joined by supporters celebrating his .0006% margin of victory.

The former Massachusetts governor put the best face on his razor-thin lead, telling supporters, “Say what you will, but eight votes is still six more than Rick Perry can count.”

Historians noted that the last time so few people decided a Presidential race they were all on the Supreme Court.

As for the other candidates, runner-up Rick Santorum said that he had received a phone call from President Obama: “He stopped laughing just long enough to say congratulations.”

And former House Speaker Newt Gingrich addressed speculation about whether he would leave the race: “Not unless it gets cancer.”

January 4, 2012

FWIW: McCain will endorse Romney tomorrow - supposedly

Arizona Senator John McCain, his party's 2008 nominee, will endorse Mitt Romney in New Hampshire tomorrow, a well-placed former McCain aide told BuzzFeed Tuesday.
McCain and Romney were bitter foes in 2008, but Romney repaired the relationship after his defeat with a season of determined campaigning for his former rival.
The endorsement will offer the Romney campaign a pivot point after the virtual tie with Senator Rick Santorum in Iowa, and a growing impression that the former governor is uniting the party behind him.
McCain is unlikely, however, to appeal to the conservative Republicans who are skeptical of both men, and may even intensify the alienation of a vocal group of grassroots conservatives.
Two Romney aides and McCain's spokesman did not respond to inquiries about the planned endorsement.
A source said a key intermediary was Ambassador Rich Williamson, a former senior Bush Administration foreign policy official who was a top advisor to McCain and now holds a senior position in Romney's foreign policy team.
Romney heads to New Hampshire tomorrow for two town hall-style meetings, a format that was McCain's signature in a state that nearly boosted McCain to the nomination in 2000.

source:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeedpolitics/mccain-to-endrose-romney-tomorrow

January 3, 2012

Reporting on the inaction about polling ability - still holding off on December contest

It's a New Year, and a month into the New DU3, and in spite of asking a number of times I have no answer about when we can do polling.
I'm miffed that other than Skinner saying something so obscure that I could not follow it, and if you care, find it in this thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/12406747#post8
there has been no answer to my question about a time table or real recognition of the question.

I have had kind offers from folks with ideas on how I could do a work around, and I dug in my heels saying no to that, because I think it would be additional work, has a high potential for error, and subjects me to criticism from observers, none of which interest me.
for instance: http://www.democraticunderground.com/12407226

In return I asked the folks with the suggestions to just DO it, and lo and behold, Ruby the Liberal stepped up and offered. Since he/she is not a regular photography group member I asked him/her to address you folks about it and read up on how the usual contests go down.
I very much appreciated the offer.

Since I am the one on whose watch the change over happened I'm deciding to keep on holding and waiting. Whoever is not OK with that can take the entries and do a make shift contest.

If I could, I would do a poll in GD:
I beat the drums to see photo contests again
I'm glad they seem to be gone
I don't care either way
Robb is still a ding bat

January 2, 2012

Kim Jong-un is the missing candidate in the Republican lineup says Andy Borowitz / must read :)

PYONGYANG (The Borowitz Report) – The following is a letter from Kim Jong-un, Supreme Leader of North Korea, to the people of Iowa.

Dear Voters of Iowa:

In December I became Supreme Leader of North Korea. Pretty amazing development for a twentysomething who at the time was still living at home and spending all day playing Angry Birds. But there I was, receiving the cheers of millions of North Koreans, who usually don’t get that excited unless they’ve caught sight of a pork sandwich. (LOL)

Here is why I am writing to you today: on Tuesday, you will go to your caucuses and choose from among a field of Republican presidential candidates. And let me tell you, the idea of any of these people getting nuclear weapons scares the shit out of me.

This is just one of many differences between your country and mine. In North Korea, we lock up the criminally insane. In America, you let them debate on TV. Right now you have people running for President I would not trust to take care of my plants.

So who do I recommend you vote for on Tuesday? In a word, me.

If you think about it, I am the most Republican candidate of all. In North Korea, we have no taxes. We have achieved that through a conservative policy of no jobs. Also, we have no wasteful “big government” programs providing food, shelter, or safe drinking water. And am I pro-life? Well, try this on for size: I believe that life begins at conception and ends at starvation.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: I’m too young to be President, since I’m under 35. Well, who would you rather have running your country, someone who’s under 35, or someone whose IQ is under 35? (LOL)

I think when you look at all the facts, voters of Iowa, you’ll realize that Kim Jong-un is the Republican who most deserves your vote. And if you’re still not convinced, remember this: at least I’m not Mitt Romney.

Peace out yo,

Your Supreme Leader


www/borowitzreport.com

January 1, 2012

DAMN - I ran into a problem with Jury-ing

I went to read what I was adjudicating in total, and on return I could only cancel out of service and not vote.
It was one of the rare times I unequivocally would have voted to hide/eradicate/trash a comment.
Hope this won't happen again; hope it was an error on my part not to be repeated. I like jury duty. It makes me feel like having a stake...

December 31, 2011

DK - Alan Grayson steps up asking for help for Dennis - and I join that request

from my email inbox tonight

As the war in Iraq finally draws to a close, here is a quick quiz. Who said the following, and when, and and where?

“There is no world support for invading Iraq.”

“There is no proof that Iraq represents an immediate or imminent threat to the United States. . . . The Administration has refused to provide the Congress with credible intelligence that proves that Iraq is a serious threat to the United States, and is continuing to develop chemical and biological and nuclear weapons.”

“The Iraq regime has never attacked nor does it have the capability to attack the United States.”

“There is no credible intelligence that connects Iraq to the events of 9/11 or to participation in those events by assisting Al Qaida. . . . There is no connection between Iraq and the events of 9/11. . . . There is no credible evidence that Iraq harbored those who were responsible for planning, authorizing or committing the attacks of 9/11.”

“There is no credible evidence that Iraq possesses weapons of mass destruction.”

“Congress has not been provided with any credible information, which proves that Iraq has provided international terrorists with weapons of mass destruction.”

“Unilateral action against Iraq will cost the United States the support of the world community.”


So, who said this? Me? No -- I wish it were me. It was Congressman Dennis Kucinich.

And when? On October 2, 2002, six months before the War in Iraq began.

And where? On the Floor of the House, and in a letter to his colleagues in Congress.

Was it clarity? No, it was more than clarity. It was almost clairvoyance.

At a time when almost every public figure in America was hoodwinked and bamboozled by Bush Administration propaganda, Dennis Kucinich was not. Dennis Kucinich saw the truth, and he said the truth. And Dennis followed through, doggedly opposing the war in Iraq from alpha to omega.

Congress is full of replaceable parts. But Dennis Kucinich is not one of them. Dennis is unique.

Now Dennis Kucinich is in the toughest race of his 15-year career in Congress. The Republicans have tried to gerrymander him out of Congress. He needs your help, and he needs it now.

The Koch Brothers are not going to help Dennis Kucinich. Karl Rove is not going to help Dennis Kucinich. Fox News is not going to help Dennis Kucinich.

It’s up to us.


Before midnight on December 31, please make a contribution to Dennis Kucinich’s campaign.
December 30, 2011

In Memoriam of GM's takeover by Factory Workers, December 30/1936 --as remembered by Michael Moore

Friday, December 30th, 2011

Friends,

On this day, December 30th, in 1936 -- 75 years ago today -- hundreds of workers at the General Motors factories in Flint, Michigan, took over the facilities and occupied them for 44 days. My uncle was one of them.

The workers couldn't take the abuse from the corporation any longer. Their working conditions, the slave wages, no vacation, no health care, no overtime -- it was do as you're told or get tossed onto the curb.

So on the day before New Year's Eve, emboldened by the recent re-election of Franklin Roosevelt, they sat down on the job and refused to leave.

They began their Occupation in the dead of winter. GM cut off the heat and water to the buildings. The police tried to raid the factories several times, to no avail. Even the National Guard was called in.

But the workers held their ground, and after 44 days, the corporation gave in and recognized the UAW as the representative of the workers. It was a monumental historical moment as no other major company had ever been brought to its knees by their employees. Workers were given a raise to a dollar an hour -- and successful strikes and occupations spread like wildfire across the country. Finally, the working class would be able to do things like own their own homes, send their children to college, have time off and see a doctor without having to worry about paying. In Flint, Michigan, on this day in 1936, the middle class was born.

But 75 years later, the owners and elites have regained all power and control. I can think of no better way for us to honor the original Occupiers than by all of us participating in the Occupy Wall Street movement in whatever form that takes in each of our towns. We need direct action all winter long if we are to prevail. You can start your own Occupy group in your neighborhood or school or with just your friends. Speak out against economic injustice at every chance you get. Stop the bank from evicting the family down the block. Move your checking and credit card to a community bank or credit union. Place a sign in your yard -- and get your neighbors to do it also -- that says, "WE ARE THE 99%." (You can download signs here and here.)

Do something, anything, but don't remain silent. Not now. This is the moment. It won't come again.

75 years ago today, in Flint, Michigan, the people said they'd had enough and occupied the factories until they won. What is stopping us now? The rich have one plan: bleed everyone dry. Can anyone, in good conscience, be a bystander to this?

My uncle wasn't, and because of what he and others did, I got to grow up without having to worry about a roof over my heads or medical bills or a decent life. And all that was provided by my dad who built spark plugs on a GM assembly line.

Let's each of us double our efforts to raise a ruckus, Occupy Everywhere, and get creative as we throw a major nonviolent wrench into this system of Greed. Let's make the politicians running for office in 2012 quake in their boots if they refuse to tax the rich, regulate Wall Street and do whatever we the people tell them to do.

Happy 75th!

Yours,

Michael Moore
[email protected]
@MMFlint
MichaelMoore.com

December 29, 2011

Remembering Summer...

A person who lives near this view asked me for a copy of this shot, and before it goes back in my files, let's remember summer for a minute

Florida Keys, Marathon, Sunset Park

December 29, 2011

My recipe for Pasta Puttanesca - for Jack Spratt

my finally perfected version, I work my recipes til I get the taste the way I like it, and then I rewrite the recipe for my private cookbook

PASTA PUTTANESCA

2T olive oil
8 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 small onion chopped
1 can drained flat anchovy fillets
1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes
small can black olives, no pits, coarsely chopped
1 can artichoke hearts, drained, quartered
3 1/2 T capers
1 32 oz can chunky style crushed tomatoes
1 small can of tomatoes with green chilies.

a few grinds of black pepper
1/4 cup of any parsley, chopped, 4-5 leaves of basil, chopped

1 pound of angel hair pasta
Grated parmesan
Crusty Bread for mopping

Heat oil over med heat add garlic, onion and anchovies. MEDIUM slow heat. Let the anchovies dissolve into the oil, and all of it to become fragrant and limp. Add olives capers tomatoes black pepper red pepper and parsley.
This sauce will have a mild "kick", leave off either the red pepper flakes or the tomatoes with chile (substitute normal chunky tomatoes) if you don't want that little kick. But don't leave off both.
Simmer 8-10 minutes. Stir in Artichoke hearts, heat.

Serve over Angel hair pasta, al dente, that has been tossed with the chopped basil leaves.
Pass bread and cheese at the table.

Serve with a simple salad of Boston lettuce, torn, with a vinaigrette and herbs.

December 29, 2011

Congressman Ron Paul welcomes the Co-chair of Bachman Campaign into the fold of his campaign

Kent Sorenson is switching sides and jumping ship.

(FWIW, of course)

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