Posts Made By: Rod Kaufman

February 5, 2021 10:29 AM Forum: Politics

GOP senator warns his party must decide between 'conservatism and madness'

Posted By Rod Kaufman

"Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), who's said he may vote this month to convict former President Trump on an article of impeachment, is pushing back against possible retaliation from the Nebraska Republican State Central Committee by warning that his party must choose between “conservatism and madness.”
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/537476-gop-senator-warns-his-party-must-decide-between-conservatism-and-madness
Marjorie Taylor Greene (Q Georgia) was kicked off her committee assignments by house vote after the house minority leader, Kevin McCarthy (Q Ca.) refused to do so.
"Greene has supported disproven far-right conspiracy theories such as Pizzagate,[4] QAnon,[5] false flag shootings,[6][7] and 9/11 conspiracy theories.[6] Additionally, she has supported the execution of prominent Democratic politicians before running for Congress.[8] She has also supported the efforts of former president Donald Trump to overturn his defeat against Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marjorie_Taylor_Greene
Given the comments of the CONS on this forum, it's clear where they stand...

February 6, 2021 04:51 AM Forum: Politics

Biden To Send In The Troops For Vaccinations/Stands Firm On 1.9 Trillion Stimulus Relief!

Posted By Rod Kaufman

Atta boy, Joe! Get the troops involved: "Some of the troops will arrive in California within the next 10 days and begin operations by Feb. 15, with additional states to follow, Andy Slavitt, a senior advisor to Biden's Covid-19 response team, told reporters."
https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/business/money-report/biden-administration-to-send-military-troops-to-california-to-help-staff-covid-vaccine-sites/2519988

"Biden said he would not budge on cutting the size of his proposed $1,400 direct stimulus checks, as some lawmakers have advocated for, and criticized the Republican argument that the country could not risk adding to the debt. He said telling the American people that the U.S. doesn't have the money is not true.


“We do have the resources,” Biden said. “We just have to chose to use them.”
https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/national-international/biden-meets-with-house-democrats-in-push-for-1-9t-plan/2520008/

February 15, 2021 01:39 AM Forum: Politics

Biden To Send In The Troops For Vaccinations/Stands Firm On 1.9 Trillion Stimulus Relief!

Posted By Rod Kaufman

"Federal Reserve counters arguments that Biden's COVID-19 plan is too big"
"“You have like all of that met with this massive counterattack from the Federal Reserve – of Trump’s pick to run the central bank – with this massive statement [saying] that actually the risks of going too small are much greater than the risks of going too big,...” 
https://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/538485-washington-post-economics-reporter-federal-reserve-counters-arguments-that

February 8, 2021 05:16 AM Forum: Off Topic Discussions

Rover Images On Mars

Posted By Rod Kaufman

Scroll thru the images on the bottom of the article for really cool views of Mars, up close and personal:
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/06/asia/china-mars-tianwen-1-intl-scli-scn/index.html

February 10, 2021 01:25 AM Forum: Politics

Is Perkin Elmer Being Naughty Again?

Posted By Rod Kaufman

You may recall Perkin Elmer's major faux pas on the Hubble space telescope mirror. Specifically: "Perkin-Elmer's Danbury Optical System unit[22] was commissioned to build the optical components of the Hubble Space Telescope. The construction of the main mirror began in 1979 and completed in 1981. The polishing process ran over budget and behind schedule, producing significant friction with NASA. Due to a miscalibrated null corrector, the primary mirror was also found to have a significant spherical aberration after reaching orbit on STS-31. Perkin-Elmer's own calculations and measurements revealed the primary mirror's surface discrepancies, but the company chose to withhold that data from NASA. A NASA investigation heavily criticized Perkin-Elmer for management failings, disregarding written quality guidelines, and ignoring test data that revealed the miscalibration.[23] Corrective optics were installed on the telescope during the first Hubble service and repair mission STS-61. The correction, Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement, was applied entirely to the secondary mirror and replaced existing instrumentation; the aberration of the primary mirror remained uncorrected.
The company agreed to pay US $15 million, essentially forgoing its fees in polishing the mirror, to avoid a threatened liability lawsuit under the False Claims Act by the Federal government. Hughes Aircraft which acquired the Danbury Optical System unit one month after the launch of the telescope, paid $10 million. The Justice Department asserted that the companies should have known about the flawed testing. Trade group Aerospace Industries Association protested when concerns were raised in the aerospace industry that aerospace companies might be held liable for failed equipment.[22]"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PerkinElmer#Hubble_optics_project
From the above, it seems that Hughes Aircraft got stuck with the bill.
Fast forward to today, and it appears their newly opened covid testing lab in my neck of the woods has significant reported problems: "Whistleblowers have reported lab technicians sleeping, COVID test swabs found in restrooms, a lack of documented competency and a high number of inconclusive tests, which state officials told CBS13 was due to the type of test used at the lab. The tests can detect lower levels of viral load and those are reported as inconclusive, according to the company’s response."
"State Sen. Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, said he was concerned should the allegations turn out to be true.
“This is in my district and I am very troubled by it,” he said Monday. “This was allegedly a first-rate company that (Newsom) not only recruited for California, but they’re supposed to be doing testing in Oregon and Washington, as well. If they’re only doing 20,000 tests but we are paying them for 100,000 — that’s wrong.”
https://signalscv.com/2021/02/state-to-examine-valencia-covid-lab-after-allegations/
 

February 11, 2021 04:07 AM Forum: Politics

Bruce Castor’s meanderings at the start of the impeachment trial

Posted By Rod Kaufman

That maskless character in the cartoon could very well pass for Rand Paul, arrogantly sitting maskless at his desk while doodling at yesterday's impeachment proceedings. Trump's lawyers and Rand Paul and his fellow GOPers. They would have championed Marjorie Taylor Greene, too...

February 11, 2021 05:27 AM Forum: Politics

Bruce Castor’s meanderings at the start of the impeachment trial

Posted By Rod Kaufman

Originally Posted by Jim Moscheck

It’s not like any alt/righters are paying attention to this trial. They could put Mickey Mouse up as a Trump lawyer and it’ll make no difference. BTW, just checked a Fox isn’t even showing the proceedings, just some talking heads. 
I've been checking Fox from time to time to see what the comments from the average Trumptoid might be specific to the impeachment trial. The main theme, supported by multiple "likes", is that the trial is unconstitutional because, in their view, congress doesn't have the "authority" to determine what is constitutional! 

February 11, 2021 08:54 AM Forum: Politics

Bruce Castor’s meanderings at the start of the impeachment trial

Posted By Rod Kaufman

Originally Posted by Mel Maki
Do you think they will get enough votes?
No, not when you have co-conspirators like Josh Hawley kicking back with his feet up on his desk reading a magazine while he's supposed to be an impartial juror...
PS: It wouldn't surprise me if he was reading a comic book...

February 11, 2021 09:51 AM Forum: Politics

Bruce Castor’s meanderings at the start of the impeachment trial

Posted By Rod Kaufman

Originally Posted by Mel Maki

"...perplexing...anyone want Trump in charge..."
The Dems need opposition. They certainly need to prove Trump should be convicted.
Since we have two or more parties in place along with libertarians and independents, there's potential opposition from multiple sources.
If what you saw today isn't proof enough, then you're right in there with Hawley and the rest...

February 12, 2021 12:32 AM Forum: Politics

Bruce Castor’s meanderings at the start of the impeachment trial

Posted By Rod Kaufman

Originally Posted by James Lacey


The House Impeachment managers covered whether or not the impeachment was constitutional. And, you may have missed it, but a majority of the Senate agreed with them and voted 56-44 to continue with the trial. The trial is political theater only because it is already determined thanks to political cowardice and expediency. The evidence against Trump is damning, overwhelming, and obvious to anyone but the most hard-core partisan.
"obvious to anyone but the most hard-core partisan" Obviously Greg and Mel in this quarter...