This week 3 Chics features the Sisters and Brothers of Star Trek. Today’s STAR is Nichelle Nichols AKA “UHURA.”
Nichelle Nichols (nee Grace Dell Nichols on December 28, 1932) is an American actress, singer and voice artist. She sang with Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton before turning to acting. Nichols’ most famous role is that of communications officer Lieutenant Uhura aboard the USS Enterprise in the popular Star Trek television series (1966-1969), as well as the succeeding motion pictures, where her character was eventually promoted in Starfleet to the rank of commander. Her Star Trek character was groundbreaking in U.S society at the time, and civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. personally praised her work on the show and asked her to remain when she was considering leaving the series.[1][2]
On Star Trek, Nichols gained popular recognition by being one of the first black women featured in a major television series not portraying a servant; her prominent supporting role as a bridge officer was unprecedented. During the first year of the series, Nichols was tempted to leave the show, as she wanted to pursue a Broadway career; however, a conversation with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., changed her mind. She has said that King personally encouraged her to stay on the show, telling her that he was a big fan of the series. He said she “could not give up” because she was playing a vital role model for black children and young women across the country, as well as for other children who would see blacks appearing as equals. [9][1][2][10] It is also often reported that Dr. King added that “Once that door is opened by someone, no one else can close it again.”[citation needed]
Former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison has cited Nichols’ role of Lieutenant Uhura as her inspiration for wanting to become an astronaut and Whoopi Goldberg has also spoken of Nichols’ influence.[11] Goldberg asked for a role on Star Trek: The Next Generation,[12] and the character of Guinan was specially created, while Jemison appeared in an episode of the series.
In her role as Lieutenant Uhura, Nichols famously kissed white actor William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk in the November 22, 1968, Star Trek episode “Plato’s Stepchildren“. The episode is popularly cited as the first example of an inter-racial kiss on United States television.[13][14][15]
Nyota Uhura /niːˈoʊtə əˈhʊərə/ is a character in Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The Animated Series, the first six Star Trek films, the 2009 film Star Trek, and its 2013 sequel Star Trek Into Darkness. The character was portrayed by Nichelle Nichols in all but the last two Star Trek films, in which a younger Uhura was portrayed by actress Zoë Saldana.
Uhura was an important part of the original series’ multicultural crew[1] and one of the first characters of African descent to be featured in a non-menial role on an American television series.
Kirk uhura kiss
Uhura sings about Spock- Sista had the IT factor on the Starship Enterprise.
saw the first show for Queen Latifah – she’s lost some weight and got a good stylist
Sleepy Hollow – oh yeah, I’m hooked!
LOL So am I and hubby! Icabad’s a “Hottie” I were glued to the tele.
Here’s Miss America’s talent section
http://youtu.be/1x6KN8nAMxw
Rikyrah,
Spandan used your line: “Economic Terrorists.”
http://www.thepeoplesview.net/
That exactly who the HOUSE GOP/TEA PARTY folks are:
ECONOMIC TERRORISTS
Pamplinlaw @LesaPamplin
Black man with an AR-15 near the Capitol. Gun regulation is around the corner.
Yep; can’t have that negro this close to all those white folks at the Capitol. This is such a tragedy. Prayers to the families of the murdered victims.
DC is on lockdown. And we knew that negro wasn’t going to make it out alive.Another nut’s been arrested for throwing firecrackjers over the WH fence.
Senseless killings. We must get gun safety laws and ENFORCE them.
Republicans Can’t Get Over Not Being Able to Thump Syria
By: Hrafnkell Haraldsson
Sep. 16th, 2013
Republicans don’t believe in peace without war. You could say Republicans don’t believe in peace, period. But especially if you haven’t bludgeoned somebody to death, you cannot have a meaningful peace. Thus the U.S.-Russian pact on Syria is, to former UN Ambassador John Bolton on Saturday, is “death by a thousand cuts.”
Zbigniew Brzezinski, who was Jimmy Carter’s national security advisor told “Fareed Zakaria GPS” Sunday that President Obama’s actions concerning Syria were “misconceived” and “badly calculated,” and that “The president has said Assad must go without having a strategy to make him go.” Brzezinski said. “And we have now seen the consequences of that.”
For Brzezinski, Vladimir Putin’s intervention “gets us off the hook.” Bolton agreed, saying, “The president is very grateful to President Putin. He got him out of an impossible dilemma.”
……………………………..
As Jason Easley wrote here yesterday, it is a myth that Putin saved Obama on Syria and Sarah Jones correctly pointed out that Obama got exactly what he wanted: a UN that is paying attention to what is happening in Syria. Obama’s bombing tease got the Republicans all hot and bothered, taking them to the brink of orgasm before yanking the rug out from under them.
Hell hath no fury like a Republican prevented from bombing somebody. Look at John McCain, who said he’d have had us involved in Syria two years ago and who thinks we ought already to be bombing the hell out of Syria.
Think of all the yummy donations from defense contractors thankful to be able to build more munitions. If they can’t defraud Americans using the Keystone XL pipeline and can’t defraud Americans by way of a manufactured war, what will they do?
http://www.politicususa.com/2013/09/16/republicans-thump-syria.html
Republicans Hit a New Low By Making Obama’s Syria Success About Race
By: Rmuse
Sep. 16th, 2013
There are occasions when it is prudent to use subtle differences in meaning and expression to conceal one’s true beliefs about an individual, but when every expression is negative and critical it becomes evident that nuance is cover for hate. Specifically, the state of paranoia driving people on the right and left to stop thinking and acting rationally because they oppose President Obama for his policies, approach to governing, or even existing is “Obama derangement syndrome,” but it is time to dispense with bovine excrement and call it what it is; racial hatred.
The idea that an African-American man can do anything, let alone govern America, of his own accord and without following explicit directions and examples of failed white men are at the core of criticism and opposition to everything this President does. It would unrealistic to expect Republicans to embrace and support every policy and approach to governing a Democratic President proposed, but the level of opposition, obstruction, and deliberate sabotage Republicans relentlessly engaged in to the extent they damage America and harm the people throughout the President’s tenure is unprecedented. The extent of Republican’s racial hatred became evident early in the President’s first term when they vehemently opposed long-standing Republican policies just because President Obama supported them, and any human being with an IQ over 45 got the message; they hate this President because he is not white.
The latest Republican outrage is the President’s success at using the threat of military force coupled with diplomacy to “encourage” Syria to give up their substantial chemical weapons arsenal. Warmongers are livid with the President for not engaging in all-out war with Syria and subsequently Iran, and their conservative cohort are furious the international community, especially Russia, had a hand in brokering a deal where Syria would avoid an American military assault if they gave up their chemical weapons. Likely what they are really angry about is the Black man in the Oval Office achieved a long-standing American, Middle East, and international goal without wasting one life or dollar of taxpayer money; an achievement no white President has ever achieved. That the international community is involved and praising the African American President’s “rational thinking” contributes to the conservatives’ indignation and anger. However despicable the right’s hatred of this twice-elected President is, it pales in comparison to the sheer hatred emanating from the far left.
Emoprogs, or “emotarians” (so named for emoprogs newfound allegiance with libertarian racists) led by their de facto leader Glenn Greenwald jumped on the Obama-hate bandwagon early in the President’s first term because the Constitution denied him power to order Congress to impose a public option for health insurance. As Ezra Klein elucidated, one conservative Democrat opposed to a public option would have prevented any healthcare reform from getting out of committee and 30-million Americans would still be dreaming of the day they would have access to affordable healthcare insurance. The professional left could not comport a President bound to follow the Constitution and began a crusade against President Obama including blaming him for imprisoning and torturing Bradley Manning who confessed and was convicted of multiple crimes including violations of the Espionage Act and disseminating classified documents.
http://www.politicususa.com/2013/09/16/republicans-hit-making-obamas-syria-success-race.html
if you’re interested
TV Alert
Tonight is the premiere of Sleepy Hollow on Fox.
9pm EST
The female lead is Nicole Beharie, who played Rachel Robinson in 42.
Plot:
Tom Mison stars as Ichabod Crane in this modern-day retelling
of Washington Irving’s classic short story, from Fringe’s Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. Frozen in time for 250 years, Crane awakes to partner up with Sleepy Hollow’s sheriff Abbie Mills (Nicole Beharie) to solve the mysteries of a town ravaged by evil forces, including Death, aka the Headless Horseman, who’s also found his way to the present.
I don’t like horror usually, but I’ve always liked the story of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Looks pretty scary. Here is the preview:
It’s extremely dangerous for black men in this country…
Unarmed Jonathan Ferrell shot 10 times by police.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/16/jonathan-ferrell-shot_n_3937175.html …
Lord have Mercy. 10 times!
Journalists, reporters, pundits & lawmakers- Stop your FAKE sadness & outrage. Zip. It. Up. You helped kill gun safety legislation. Fake Asses!
Say it louder, SG2!
This poem address racial profiling and stereotyping:
feature=player_detailpage&v=u9Wf8y_5Yn4
Michelle Obama’s Tory Burch Dress Sells Out; Target Announces Latest Collaboration with Peter Pilotto
by The Fashion Beast Team Sep 16, 2013 12:26 PM EDT
Michelle Obama’s Tory Burch Sells Out: Running records would lead one to believe that whatever Michelle Obama wears turns to gold — a golden sell-out for the designer, that is. FLOTUS wore an aqua blue tie-dye Tory Burch dress to an event in Watertown, Wisconsin last week, where she encouraged students to drink more water. Like her inauguration day J.Crew accessories, the dress is now sold out on both Tory Burch’s site and on Shopbop. [The Huffington Post]
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/09/16/michelle-obama-s-tory-burch-dress-sells-out-target-announces-latest-collaboration-with-peter-pilotto.html
Fox News host: new Miss America, Nina Davuluri, doesn’t ‘represent American values’
By Scott Kaufman
Monday, September 16, 2013 7:34 EDT
The crowning of Miss New York, Nina Davuluri, as Miss America should have been, to paraphrase her platform, a celebration of diversity through cultural competency. But in the hours after her victory, Twitter became a frank demonstration of American incompetence in matters relating to both ethnicity and geography.
……………….
It should go without saying that Davuluri, a Syracuse native of Indian descent, is neither Muslim nor an Arab. But according to Fox News Radio host Todd Starnes, the American-born Davuluri doesn’t “represent American values,” unlike the blonde-haired, blue-eyed contestant from Kansas, Theresa Vail.
This is not to say that Vail isn’t an unprecedented contestant in her own right: she’s spent five years in the Kansas Army National Guard and is double-majoring in chemistry and Chinese at Kansas State University. But, according to Starnes on Facebook, she lost because “the liberal Miss America judges were not interested in a gun-toting, deer-hunting, military veteran.”
But at least, from Starnes’s perspective, she was a lady, “although I’m sure the gender-neutral crowd is plotting.”
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/09/16/fox-news-host-new-miss-america-nina-davuluri-doesnt-represent-american-values/
Democratic Congressman Goes On Fox News and Destroys Their Anti-Obama Syria Lies
By: Jason Easley
Sep. 15th, 2013
Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) put on a clinic on Fox News Sunday as he called out Fox News’ anti-Obama Syria lies as absurd, and knocked down the claim that Putin outfoxed Obama.
http://www.politicususa.com/2013/09/15/democratic-congressman.html
’12 Years A Slave’ wins best picture in Toronto
By Agence France-Presse
Monday, September 16, 2013 1:35 EDT
British filmmaker Steve McQueen’s “12 Years A Slave” won the audience prize for best picture at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday.
The film, already generating Oscars buzz, is based on a firsthand account of Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1841, recalling the horrors of grueling labor, daily humiliation and families torn apart.
Its premiere in Toronto last week received a standing ovation, as well as sobs, while some in the audience left early over the film’s graphic portrayal of unspeakable torture of slaves during this period in history.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/09/16/12-years-a-slave-wins-best-picture-in-toronto/
Far right eyes ‘regular season’ on Obamacare
By Steve Benen
Mon Sep 16, 2013 1:55 PM EDT
During the August recess, Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) sounded a little embarrassed. Asked about the several dozen times he and his House GOP colleagues have voted on repealing the Affordable Care Act, the conservative lawmaker conceded there was no real point.
“Some people are beginning to ridicule us for that,” Fortenberry said. “To be honest, some of it is theatrics. You keep doing this over and over and over again and it doesn’t get anywhere.”
But the “theatrics” never seem to end. Last week, House Republicans put off actual work so they could vote for the 41st time to undermine “Obamacare.” Right-wing lawmakers are already looking forward to the 42nd, vowing this next time will be different.
…………..
But as Huelskamp noted, far-right lawmakers aren’t going to ask “Can we gut Obamacare?” this time. Instead, they’ll ask, “Will you meet our demands to gut Obamacare or do we have to start hurting the country on purpose?”
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/09/16/20525885-far-right-eyes-regular-season-on-obamacare?lite
GOP Appointed Officials Black Out Detroit During Heatwave To “Send Them A Strong Message” (VIDEO)
Author: Randa Morris September 14, 2013 6:24 pm
If you ever had any doubt that Michigan has been taken over by a group of dangerous, radical extremists, what happened in Detroit on September 11th, 2013 should be enough to wake you up. There were several things significant about September 11th, 2013. Not only was it the anniversary of the 9-11 attacks on the World Trade Center, but the state of Michigan was also experiencing an unseasonal heat wave. In the city of Detroit, power outages left people stranded in elevators, trapped four hours in the blistering heat. Hundreds were evacuated from buildings in the downtown area, traffic lights did not function, public transportation was disabled and 1,400 sites across the city were without power. Wayne State University and other key buildings still remained closed, the following day. All of this after the city’s power supply supposedly failed.
The Frank Murphy Hall of Justice, a twelve story building that conducts the city’s criminal proceedings was shut down and the building was evacuated. Earlier in the week, a prisoner had stabbed a Wayne County Deputy, before fleeing from the building. A manhunt followed, with authorities searching for the escaped prisoner for several long hours, before finally apprehending him as he was trying to flee the city. In light of this, the power outage on September 11th created a tense and dangerous situation for officers, justice workers and visitors to the building. Witness the building evacuation for yourself here:
The problem is that the city’s power supply never failed.
On September 12th, 2013, Bill Nowling casually stated that the city’s power outages were intentional. Officials and citizens working in the city were given no warning before the electricity was cut off. Law enforcement officials working in the Hall of Justice had no time to prepare. Senior citizens and disabled citizens using elevators in the city’s downtown district had no way to know what was coming. The entire criminal justice system was shut down without notice. Wayne State University Campus was just one of many sites evacuated under emergency conditions. Traffic lights across the city stopped working. 1,400 public and private locations were left without power. And the entire thing was intentional, to “send a message” to the people of Detroit. Bill Nowling works in the office of Kevin Orr, Detroit’s Emergency Manager.
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/09/14/detroit-blackout/
The perpetrators belong in jail. This is criminal.
‘The Butler’ crosses $100 million mark at box office
by Sandy Cohen, Associated Press | September 16, 2013 at 11:40 AM
The Weinstein Co.’s “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” continued its strong performance with a fourth-place finish that saw North American ticket sales cross the $100 million mark.
The Jennifer Aniston-Jason Sudeikis Warner Bros. road-trip comedy “We’re the Millers” rounded out the top five.
Both “The Butler” and “We’re the Millers” have been in theaters for more than a month, contributing to a hearty box-office that’s been up the past four consecutive weeks after a record-breaking summer season.
“These movies have legs week after week, and that’s bolstering the entire marketplace,” Dergarabedian said. “If you just have the brand-new movies doing well and the holdovers are dropping like rocks, then you have a problem.”
http://thegrio.com/2013/09/16/the-butler-crosses-100-million-mark-at-box-office/
Family members of Navy Yard employees looking for updates on loved ones available at:
202-433-6151 or 202-433-9713
Nerdy Wonka @NerdyWonka
POTUS: “We need more good paying jobs, we need more ladders of opportunity for people who are poor but want to get into the middle-class.”
11:41 AM – 16 Sep 2013
Nerdy Wonka @NerdyWonka
Pres. Obama on jobs: “And as Congress begins a new budget debate, that’s what Congress should be focused on.”
11:42 AM – 16 Sep 2013
Nerdy Wonka @NerdyWonka
Pres. Obama: “The top 1% took 20% of the nation’s income last year, meanwhile, workers haven’t seen a raise.”
11:43 AM – 16 Sep 2013
Nerdy Wonka @NerdyWonka
PBO: “At the moment [GOP] in congress don’t seem focused [on jobs]. I say at the moment because I’m still hoping a light bulb goes off here”
11:47 AM – 16 Sep 2013
Nerdy Wonka @NerdyWonka
Pres. Obama: “Our deficits are going down at the fastest rate since before I was born.” Crowd laughs and applauds.
11:51 AM – 16 Sep 2013
Nerdy Wonka @NerdyWonka
POTUS to GOP: “The Affordable Care Act is the law…the candidate who called for repeal, lost.” Crowd laughs and applauds.
11:51 AM – 16 Sep 2013
Nerdy Wonka @NerdyWonka
POTUS on GOP threatening to defund #ObamaCare and deny more than 30M people, healthcare: “That’s not an agenda for economic growth”
11:53 AM – 16 Sep 2013
Nerdy Wonka @NerdyWonka
POTUS on GOP: “Originally this was repeal and replace. Now the replace thing has gone by the wayside. Now, it’s just repeal.”
11:53 AM – 16 Sep 2013
Nerdy Wonka @NerdyWonka
PBO: “I will not negotiate over the full faith and credit of the United States. The American people have worked too hard to see this happen”
11:56 AM – 16 Sep 2013
Nerdy Wonka @NerdyWonka
Pres. Obama: “I cannot remember a time when one faction of one party promises economic chaos if it can’t get what it wants.”
11:56 AM – 16 Sep 2013
Nerdy Wonka @NerdyWonka
PBO: “You have some members of the [GOP] party threatening to shutdown the govt at the end of the month, if they can’t shutdown [ObamaCare]
11:58 AM – 16 Sep 2013
Nerdy Wonka @NerdyWonka
POTUS: “I’ve run my last election. My only interest at this point is making sure the economy moves forward as it needs to.”
11:58 AM – 16 Sep 2013
Who are the make-Obamacare-fail dead-enders, anyway?
By Greg Sargent, Published: September 16
I noted earlier today that the new Pew poll finds that fewer than one in four Americans want GOP lawmakers to keep working to ensure that Obamacare fails. This is confirmation, again, that dissatisfaction with the law does not necessarily translate into public support for efforts to sabotage it.
But who are these make-Obamacare-fail dead-enders, anyway?
I asked Pew for a fuller breakdown of the numbers, and the firm sent me new data that illustrates just how extreme a position this really is. However, the data also illustrates in a new way why GOP officials feel under such pressure to continue trying to undermine the law — it all has to do with who votes in GOP primaries.
There are several ways to look at the data, according to Michael Dimock, who is Pew’s director of U.S. polling.
1) Republicans are far, far more likely to want lawmakers to fight to ensure Obamacare fails than independents are. To begin with, even Republicans are split on this topic. But still, 43 percent of Republicans are in the “make it fail” camp.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2013/09/16/who-are-the-make-obamacare-fail-dead-enders-anyway/
Update:
D.C. police now say 12 dead in NavyYardShooting. via @CBSEveningNews
The Morning Plum: Fewer than one in four Americans support sabotage of Obamacare
By Greg Sargent, Published: September 16 at 9:12 amE-mail the writer
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It continues to go overlooked in the Beltway argument over Obamacare, but one of the most fundamental factors shaping the politics of all of this is that disapproval of the Affordable Care Act does not necessarily translate into support for Republican efforts to undermine or sabotage the law.
Republicans and conservatives constantly justify either their repeated votes to repeal the law, or their threats of destructive confrontations to defund or delay it, by citing public dissatisfaction with it as proof the public supports their efforts. Yet there’s little to no polling evidence to suggest one translates into support for the other. Indeed, there’s evidence the opposite is true.
Today’s new Pew Research poll again drives this home with striking clarity. It finds 53 percent of Americans disapprove of the Affordable Care Act, versus only 42 percent who approve. This mirrors a new NBC/WSJ poll finding pluralities think the law is a bad idea and will be more damaging than not. No question: Obamacare polls terribly.
But the Pew poll finds something else that’s just as important: There’s virtually no public support for efforts to undermine the law:
The 53% of the public who disapprove of the law are divided over what they would like elected officials who oppose the law to do now that the law has begun to take effect. About half of disapprovers (27% of the public overall) say these lawmakers “should do what they can to make the law work as well as possible,” but nearly as many (23% of the public) say these officials “should do what they can to make the law fail.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2013/09/16/the-morning-plum-fewer-than-one-in-four-americans-support-sabotage-of-obamacare/
Please help to report this bottom of the barrel slug.
Whenever I try to just lurk, you three Chicas pull me back into commenting! I am an avid Trekkie since the series started on TV. Saw all the episodes, spin offs & movies. Read nearly all the books connected with Trek, even attended a Trek convention once.
Love, Love, Love Lt. Uhura! Her character & Spock were my two favs from the very beginning. The pic with her & PBO giving the Vulcan salute is a total keeper. I have it printed for my collection.
Hi Aquagranny! Glad you’re enjoying.
Happy Monday, Everyone! Whew what a Monday.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=VyVZTrB5eAw
The Goalpost for Success Was the Disarmament of Syria’s WMD, So the U.S. Won an Historic Victory
By Bob Cesca · September 16,2013
Saturday marked an historic event future generations will read about in books. Over the weekend, Russia and the United States reached an accord over the question of the Syrian government’s stockpiles of chemical weapons, most recently used against civilians late last month.
Whether the United States “won” depends entirely upon your definition of victory. Personally, I define victory in terms of the stated goal of the administration’s actions of the past three weeks: to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons to prevent another attack on Syrian civilians.
On the other hand, Jeffrey Goldberg, in a Bloomberg column on Sunday, detailed his personal criteria for why he believes the crisis in Syria was a victory for Bashar al-Assad. And for Russian president Vladimir Putin. And, begrudgingly, for President Obama and the United States.
Everyone gets a trophy. How millennial.
One of the reasons for Assad’s victory, Goldberg wrote, is that the disarmament agreement would somehow forbid future Western military action against the regime. This isn’t entirely true. U.S. officials have been perfectly clear that military intervention is still possible, especially if, as Goldberg conceded, Assad were to snap and use chemical weapons again. Nevertheless, Goldberg wrote that Assad will continue to kill people the old-fashioned way and now we’re powerless to stop him.
But intervening in the civil war and thwarting Assad’s military capabilities was never a goalpost beyond providing arms to moderate opposition forces.
http://thedailybanter.com/2013/09/if-the-goalpost-for-success-was-the-disarmament-of-syrias-wmd-the-u-s-won-a-huge-victory/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=i6P12M4vadA
My daughter called and said the citytraffic has been crazy. Their building was on lockdown.
Right continues to draw hearts on Putin pictures
By Steve Benen
Mon Sep 16, 2013 10:06 AM EDT
As we discussed earlier, last week was pretty productive for U.S. foreign policy. Over the course of six days, the Obama administration pushed Syria into the chemical weapons convention, helped create a diplomatic framework that will hopefully rid Syria of its stockpiles, successfully pushed Russia into a commitment to help disarm its own ally, quickly won support from the United Nations and our allies — all without firing a shot.
Over the last 24 hours, the right has responded to these developments with one simple question: Isn’t Vladimir Putin dreamy?
Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, yesterday:
Rep. Mike McCaul (R-Texas), chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, yesterday:
………………..
Obama got what he wanted last week, and then got more of what he wanted.
Indeed, it was hard to miss the president gloating just a little on ABC yesterday, saying of Putin, “I welcome him being involved. I welcome him saying, ‘I will take responsibility for pushing my client, the Assad regime, to deal with these chemical weapons.'”
As for the larger phenomenon of the right celebrating Putin as the new Republican hero, which we explored in detail last week, I think Rachel summarized the issue quite nicely on Friday’s show:
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/09/16/20523178-right-continues-to-draw-hearts-on-putin-pictures?lite
When winning an argument doesn’t seem to matter
By Steve Benen
Mon Sep 16, 2013 11:04 AM EDT
It was five years ago yesterday that Lehman Brothers collapsed, marking the largest bankruptcy in American history and the informal start of the economic collapse often called the Great Recession. The White House sees the anniversary as a fine time to take stock of what’s happened since.
President Obama is scheduled to deliver a Rose Garden speech today, though the shooting at the Washington Navy Yard may well change those plans. If the remarks proceed, however, the president reportedly hopes to highlight the Lehman anniversary “by trying to lay claim to an economic turnaround and warning Republicans against moves that he contends would risk a backslide.”
Though polls show widespread public discontent over the fragile economic recovery, Obama has some trends he’ll no doubt be eager to tout: economic growth, millions of new jobs, an improving housing market, rising stock market indexes, etc. There were many who were convinced the president’s 2009 agenda would make the economy worse, and they’ve been proven wrong. The stimulus should have been bigger, and the focus on deficit reduction has been counter-productive, but the administration’s efforts have largely had a very positive effect.
Indeed, Jon Chait had a terrific item the other day arguing that the grand argument over the Great Recession is over. The right lost.
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/09/16/20523908-when-winning-an-argument-doesnt-seem-to-matter?lite
Good Morning 3Chics,
First off Happy Birthday weekend Ametia! Hope you partied like it’s (your favorite year!) and sipped (your favorite beverage) like it’s your birthday. Sorry I’m late, too busy watching my office picks go down in flames.
Star Trek. Lifetime fav. This should be good.
DC Shooter, why he gotta be a brother? Why?
Morning, Tyren!
I’m so sorry about your office picks. Try again this week.
DC Shooter? Why O Why? *weeps*
Tyren,
I pray that the day will come when we whites clean up our mess so that you won’t have to ask a question like that.
It is not fair that white privilege keeps us from ever having it said that a specific person (a criminal in this case) represents our race and then being judged and stereotyped by that
that individual’s action.
May the day come when there is NO stereotyping, NO profiling and NO racism.
Hi Tyren. Thanks so much for the birthday wishes! I’m a tetotler, but the virgin drinks SG2 posted were delicious *
Yesterday’s games sucked for me too. Sorry for your office picks.
Don’t know all the details of the shooting. It’s a damn crime and a shame. He cracked, I supposed, but that won’t matter. No Mental illlness allowed for blacks!
ALL.OF.THIS.
Feliz Cumpleanos To Ametia & many more!
SG2, that tweet says it all.
No! race, color is not the issue, the gun violence is out of control! It is out of control! It is the guns & the estupido “wild west culture” in this country we must change! This race issue is just a way for the gun nuts & NRA to take the focus off our completely lax gun laws.
Red Zinger, Earl Grey or Chamomile – Run that!
The right struggles to hide its disappointment with diplomatic progress
By Steve Benen
Mon Sep 16, 2013 8:42 AM EDT
A couple of years ago, after the United States and its allies used military force to help remove the Gadhafi’s government from Libya, Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) issued one of my favorite Republican press releases ever. The two senators, who had eagerly spent months touting U.S. military action in Libya, issued a joint statement commending the “British, French, and other allies, as well as our Arab partners, especially Qatar and the UAE.”
McCain and Graham eventually said Americans can be “proud of the role our country” played, but they nevertheless condemned the Obama administration’s “failure” to act in Libya the way the GOP senators preferred.
It was striking at the time for its bitterness — the United States had achieved its strategic goals, but instead of celebrating or applauding Obama’s success, Republicans pouted and whined.
It’s funny how history sometimes repeats itself. Over the course of six days, the Obama administration pushed Syria into the chemical weapons convention, helped create a diplomatic framework that will hopefully rid Syria of its stockpiles, successfully pushed Russia into a commitment to help disarm its own ally, quickly won support from the United Nations and our allies, and did all of this without firing a shot.
Republicans are outraged.
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/09/16/20522033-the-right-struggles-to-hide-its-disappointment-with-diplomatic-progress?lite
Spandan’s on Ezra’s azz this morning.
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Ezra Klein’s Concern Trolling on Obama and the Federal Reserve
Sunday, September 15, 2013 | Posted by Spandan C at 6:16 PM
As soon as news hit the wires that Larry Summers has withdrawn his name from consideration for chair of the Federal Reserve, the media went on a full-spin mode, likely embarrassed that just Friday, they were pimping a Japanese newspaper report trumpeting Summers as the chosen one. Ezra Klein, who’d been part of the media build-up toward that ‘inevitability,’ if along with his opposition to it.
This is where a little Obama Derangement Syndrome seeped in. Ezra, along with his peers in the beltway media – dude, get out a little from you Post office and the MSNBC studios; it’ll do you some good – wasn’t just convinced that Summers would be a bad choice, but that Obama would pick him just to take pleasure in some hippie-punching, i.e. just to piss off establishment media liberals like Klein.
And then, it didn’t happen. Larry Summers withdrew. So one part of the narrative that Klein had taken so much care to be an integral part of fell apart. But the other part – the imaginary Obama determined to piss off liberals? Well, you can’t let that go as easily! It must – must – be shown that just because Summers is gone doesn’t mean Obama still won’t punch the hippies! So Ezra Klein penned a Sunday evening column, attacking a strawman Barack Obama and warning how horrible it would be if Obama were to deny Janet Yellen, the liberal favorite to head the Fed, the nomination just to settle political scores with the ideologue Left, who Ezra Klein clearly wishes to credit for the withdrawal of Larry Summers.
………….
Just as the Left tied itself in a knot over President Obama’s “betrayal” that he nominated someone as qualified as Richard Cordray to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (because by arrangement, Elizabeth Warren chose to set up the agency rather than head it), it is now doing the same thing over first an imaginary nomination to the Fed that didn’t happen and now another imaginary nomination that they see a strawman Obama as denying them out of pure spite. Take that attitude, phrase it as a question (oh, will he?), write it in the Post, and let the ethers go crazy.
There you have your textbook concern trolling. It doesn’t suit you, Ezra.
I get it. The media and its luminaries have a problem accepting the fact that President Blackenstein is smarter than them. They have trouble understanding that things may not always work the way they think they are, and they lack, for the love of all things holy, the humility to comprehend why their narratives, time after time, fall flat with this president. They always come out looking like fools who don’t know what they’re talking about – which they kind of are – and to cover up for that embarrassment, they start to concern troll.
http://www.thepeoplesview.net/2013/09/ezra-kleins-concern-trolling-on-obama.html
Breaking news
10 people shot. 4 killed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=cwZsrpfoZqE
Posted by Ted Ellis (You can search for more of his videos using the words “Ted Ellis youtube”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UUDJxwqW3sxq2KwNd3OZugcw&feature=player_detailpage&v=KBLaQ5YHjog
http://www.nj.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2013/09/nj_designer_fashion_week_debut.html
Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2013/09/15/2982368/pace-of-restoring-historic-bethel.html#storylink=cpy
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/books/2013/09/15/who-asked-you-terry-mcmillan-review/2770851/
http://savannahnow.com/accent/2013-09-14/local-authors-strive-document-savannahs-black-history#.UjcOBb-fd1M
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/giving/liberias-female-president-keeps-pushing-for-change/article14308672/
http://lareviewofbooks.org/essay/in-memory-of-albert-murray-may-12-1916-august-18-2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24109998
Read more here: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2013/09/15/3710790/1st-black-union-soldiers-remembered.html#storylink=cpy
I did not know the following was occurring:
http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/16/world/international-adoption-us-children-adopted-abroad/
Nina Davuluri, Miss New York, Wins Miss America 2014 Title (PHOTOS)
AP/The Huffington Post | Posted: 09/15/2013 10:58 pm EDT | Updated: 09/16/2013 8:04 am EDT
Nina Davuluri became the second consecutive contestant from New York to win the Miss America pageant.
Davuluri won the title as the nationally televised pageant returned home to Atlantic City.
She succeeds another Miss New York, Mallory Hagan, whose tenure was cut short when the pageant moved back to Atlantic City after a six-year stint in Las Vegas, where winners were chosen in January.
Davuluri performed a classical Bollywood fusion dance for her talent competition. She is the first winner of Indian descent.
After the traditional frolic in the Atlantic City surf Monday morning, she will head to the scene of a devastating boardwalk fire in Seaside park and Seaside Heights Monday afternoon.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/15/miss-america-2014-nina-davuluri-new-york_n_3932221.html
September 15, 2013 07:00 PM
Obama Slams Critics For Focus On Style Over Substance
By karoli
One of the more astonishing themes to emerge from the past few weeks’ focus on Syria and foreign policy has been the shallow, empty commentary about the President’s foreign policy and style of negotiation. It appears that a requirement for punditry these days is a complete refusal to actually consider what this man has said in the past about how he conducts himself with regard to foreign policy. Here is a clue from his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech in 2009:
For make no mistake: Evil does exist in the world. A non-violent movement could not have halted Hitler’s armies. Negotiations cannot convince al Qaeda’s leaders to lay down their arms. To say that force may sometimes be necessary is not a call to cynicism – it is a recognition of history; the imperfections of man and the limits of reason.
That speech was a road map to the way he conducted his response to Syria’s use of chemical weapons. The threat of force combined with an invitation to negotiate. It also gave him an opportunity to actually follow the Constitution by sending the issue to Congress for a debate and authorization. And as always, that made for a loud, messy debate that our high-profile media did nothing to enhance and actually harmed.
Never let facts get in the way of our favorite vapid Sunday talking head, GSteph, who actually asked this question:
Senator Corker, Foreign Relations Committee, said– you’re not comfortable as Commander-In-Chief, it’s like watching a person who’s caged. The president of the Council on Foreign Relations, Richard Haas, “Words like ad-hoc, improvised, unsteady come to mind. This is probably the most undisciplined stretch of foreign policy in your presidency.” What do you make of that?
Quoting the far-right CFR and a Republican hawk Senator from Tennessee, George? That’s surely a fair representation. But never fear, because President Obama tossed it right back at him and the horrible media hacks who wanted to make a war where none was actually contemplated:
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Well– you know, I– I– I think that– folks here in Washington– like to grade on style. And so had we rolled out something that was very smooth and disciplined and– linear– they would have graded it well, even if it was a disastrous policy. We know that, ’cause that’s exactly how they graded the Iraq– War– until it ended up–
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: So this doesn’t change your view–
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: –blowing in our face.
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: –of President Bush.
http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/obama-slams-critics-focus-style-over-substa
When it Comes to Obama, They Don’t Know Jack Shit
A few weeks ago, many of my readers were offended when I referred to the President as “the most brilliant flimflam man in history”. Flimflam refers to a game involving skillful persuasion and clever manipulation and while I suppose the term can sound pejorative, I use it with the highest admiration and a long hard chuckle. People forget, Barack Obama cut his political teeth in Chicago and Illinois where politicians play rough and take no prisoners. So those who believe this President is indecisive, weak and feckless…they don’t know jack shit.
I’m not for a Syrian strike, but having said as much, I am less for disunity. My personal belief is that when it comes to foreign confrontation, public officials should always stand united in the face of conflict and disagreements should be discussed in what Mitt Romney called “quiet rooms.” Being called the United States should mean something.
Throughout this so-called debate, nothing has been more telling than the constantly polled opinions of the public. Who thought the public would give a shit about children being killed or driven from their homes? We sit silently as millions of American children are homeless and go to bed hungry every night. The killing, perhaps exceeds the senseless gun deaths in our own streets. Maybe.
Death is not the problem. It is the legacy of chemical warfare and the devastating effects on people and the environment that makes them reprehensible. It is the long-term consequences for future generations as chemicals poison the air, food, and water supplies. For generations people are left sick and dying from birth defects, deformities, cancer, and other illnesses that can be directly traced to chemical exposure.
http://thepoliticalpragmatic.blogspot.ie/2013/09/when-it-comes-to-obama-they-dont-know.html#more
September 15, 2013 10:21 AM
Do you know what the minimum wage for tipped workers is? Try $2.13 an hour.
By Kathleen Geier
Today’s New York Times contains an excellent editorial that calls for a raise in the minimum wage for tipped workers. That wage now stands at a shockingly low $2.13 an hour. Want to take a guess about which category of our work force is more likely than any other to live in poverty? The Times says that, according to Census data, it’s servers. Given the miserable wages they’re paid, that should surprise no one.
The Times doesn’t make note of this, but raising the minimum wage for tipped workers is very much a women’s issue and a racial justice issue. Women and people of color are disproportionately represented among tipped workers — two-thirds of tipped workers are women, and forty percent are people of color.
No doubt the racist history of our employment laws, which excluded many disproportionately African-American occupations like domestic service and agricultural labor from the New Deal reforms that protected other workers, is the main reason for the sub-minimum wage for tipped employees. The Times editorial fills in some of the background:
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal-a/2013_09/do_you_know_what_the_minimum_w046892.php
I cannot begin to imagine the stress that a “tipped worker” daily lives under. To think that her living depends upon the whim, mood or economic ability of a customer to come through with a fair tip.
We also know that there are “high end” restaurants where good tips can be assured. I would love to know the racial statistics of the hiring practices at these restaurants.
I am going to love this week’s series. Nichelle Nichols could not have known the impact she would have on the world by taking this one acting role…but, change the world she did.
Good Morning, Everyone :)
Morning, everyone!
Good Morning rikyrah, SG2 and Everybody!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=cgtWMOJiCao
Whew! I am so moved by that powerful video, Ametia!
The archival video of Nichelle Nichols speaking about the deep importance of her role according to Martin Luther King was so movingly beautiful! What an amazing moment of a Higher Power at work guiding her life at a time that she was planning to accept a wonderful Broadway offer. I truly believe that that Higher Power brought Martin Luther King into her life at a pivotal moment for her and the world.
Then to learn that she inspired Mae Jemison to become an astronaut through her Star Trek role!
What an impact she had with her audience by inspiring African American youth to reach for opportunities that they never considered…..and providing the “educational moment” for children of racist parents and for skinhead youth to see beyond their narrow, brainwashed world.
Thank you so much for your great article, Ametia!
p.s.
I so love that last photo of her wearing that stylish hat……she is ABSOLUTELY beautiful and her goodness shines through her eyes!
YVW. Gld you’re enjoying the thread post, Yahtc. More to come…. :-)