Monday Open Thread

10 thoughts on “Monday Open Thread”

1. tune of Beatles “When I’m 64.”

   – 0-

   I’ll still be kissing Putin’s keister

   Many years from now.

   And promising a Trump virus cure

   Before the election that’s for sure.

   I’ll claim the voting is all fake news 

   and call out the Army when I choose

   to stop the post office delivering your ballot

   Sixty four days from now!

    

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2. So Military Times did a poll. I’m surprised the numbers are this favorable given Cadet Bone Spurs was a perennial draft dodger and he can’t bring himself to take on Putin regarding the bounty on our soldiers (still, not breaking 50% on the favorables)
    

   

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3. From the Jerusalem Post:

   Hamas has reached new understandings with Israel to de-escalate the situation in the Gaza Strip, it announced Monday night.The announcement, published by the office of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, said the understandings were reached “after a round of discussions and contacts, including with Qatari envoy Mohammed al-Emadi.”

   Emadi has been shuttling between Israel and the Gaza Strip for several days in an effort to prevent an all-out military confrontation.The Hamas announcement made no mention of Egypt’s mediation efforts with Israel. An Egyptian intelligence delegation that visited the Gaza Strip 10 days ago did not return to the area since then.The announcement came after two weeks of tensions between Israel and Hamas, during which hundreds of explosives-laden and incendiary balloons were launched toward Israel.

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4. This one is big.  I know this because the ag media pundits are trying to talk it away today as a 'fluke'.  

   Former Ag secretary breaks with GOP, endorses Biden

   Veneman served during Bush’s first term from 2001 to 2005 and then became executive director of UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund. She had previously held several senior positions at USDA during the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations, rising to deputy secretary in 1991. She served as California’s Food and Agriculture secretary from 1995 to 1999.

   The statement raises concerns about President Donald Trump’s character and policies, accuses him of mismanaging the COVID-19 crisis and says the nation has “lost our moral compass,” citing the policy of separating children from asylum-seeking parents. 

   “We need Joe Biden to restore character, integrity and decency to the White House,” the statement says. “These principles are the cornerstone needed to rebuild a dignified, secure, resilient country. In order to emerge strong and ready to tackle the challenges before us, we must act.” 

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   1. This may be the finest piece of work produced by @donwinslow yet. Please share this far and wide – especially to any Republican friends, family and acquaintances. #OpenLetterToRepublicans
      pic.twitter.com/PaGT8GBFpX

      — MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch) August 30, 2020

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      1. Agree, it's excellent.

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5. About that notion of the US as 'the moral compass of the world'…

   Big Oil Is in Trouble. Its Plan: Flood Africa With Plastic.

   Confronting a climate crisis that threatens the fossil fuel industry, oil companies are racing to make more plastic. But they face two problems: Many markets are already awash with plastic, and few countries are willing to be dumping grounds for the world’s plastic waste.

   The industry thinks it has found a solution to both problems in Africa.

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   1. Tanzania banned plastic grocery bags back in 2011. Seems they didn't want those bags blowing across the Serengeti.

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   2. This seems like it could be made into a win-win for petroleum industry and developing African countries, with just a few policy changes, and minimal infrastructure investment.

      There are so many cool recycled plastic products that can fetch a premium price because people are willing to pay more for earth-friendly products. Rothys and other recycled materials-based shoes all cost about $100/pair. Plastic recycling is more costly and harder to find because of Covid rules, and lack of demand(??)

      Butif we had a carbon tax- in which companies would have to pay for carbon they take out of the ground- then the price doesn’t even have to be premium. Demand would soar, as folks would want well made, comparatively inexpensive, recycled stuff.
       

      That’s where the policy would come in. Forget the invisible hand of the market- make that sucker transparent, not invisible. It’s just fricking stupid to ship tons of our plastic waste all over the world when a few tweaks to the laws would create tons of industries here and overseas.

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6. Here is a meme I hope is worth sharing:

   Trump golfs while America burns

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