‘No!’

The next two weeks, November 1 and 8, 2021, will address electoral matters. 

The first week will be timed with the 2021 gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia. They rank as the nation’s Nos. 11 and 12 most-populous states. The two states are often perceived as harbingers for what will come the following year.

The second week will be timed one year out from the scheduled 2022 midterm elections. That topic will, in fact, be published here on Progressives Chat on November 8. 

I will weight in electorally with both topics during those weeks.

This week, as we are closing out October 2021 (and a Happy Halloween!, come next Sunday, to anyone who wants the greeting), the timing is right for me to state my position.

“No!”

I will not vote for the Democratic Party.

My answer is “No!” to the Democratic Party.

There are so many reasons—easily understood by Progressives Chat readers and commenters—that there is no need for me to expend any energy. But, I will give this one reason (which is actually reason enough): I will not vote for a political party which rigs its primaries.

There is one more thing to say. 

It feels good.

What does not feel good is to say good-bye to another formerly listed Recommendation. 

Paul Jay’s theAnalysis.news is no longer included in “Videos.” It was mentioned, a few months ago, by a forum member here that Jay’s position on “Force the Vote” came across as if he didn’t quite understand what that was about—or, perhaps, he did to some extent but was not especially supportive. I missed that period. What I did not miss was the below video. 

Paul Jay comes across as yet another Voice on the Left who gives us one more talking-to about how the Republicans are so dangerous and it is only the Democrats who can save us. That we need the Democrats. 

“No!”

Replacing theAnalysis.news is economist Richard Wolff. 

‘Why has [“Squid Game”] resonated with a global audience?’

Link:

Why has Squid Game resonated with a global audience?

'Thousands of Police Killings Are Unreported’

 

Link:

Thousands of Police Killings Are Unreported

‘Grayzone’: ‘CIA plot’ against Julian Assange

News from last week of the CIA having plotted against WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange—for possible kidnapping and even assassination—was shocking to some. (It wasn’t to me.)

This is important. And, so, I decided to have this week’s blog topic focus on this recent news. And this is why I have two videos from The Grayzone discussing this at length.

Published to YouTube last Thursday [September 30, 2021], the above videos are described as follows:

 

‘Inside the CIA plot to kidnap, kill Julian Assange’

As the Biden administration continues to seek the extradition of Julian Assange, new details have emerged about the Trump administration's secret war against Assange and his organization, WikiLeaks. Michael Isikoff of Yahoo News discusses his team's explosive reporting on the CIA plot to surveil, kidnap, and even kill Assange—all overseen by Michael Pompeo. 

Isikoff and Aaron Maté also debate Russia's role in the Assange controversy, particularly the allegation that Russia stole Democratic Party emails in 2016 and gave them to WikiLeaks.

‘Behind CIA plot to kill Assange, and debunking “Havana Syndrome” propaganda’

Moderate Rebels live: Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton discuss the CIA's plot to assassinate or kidnap WikiLeaks journalist Julian Assange, which was first reported by The Grayzone in 2020. We also address the absurd media propaganda about “Havana Syndrome,” claiming without any evidence whatsoever that Official Enemies of the US government are attacking American spies with microwave energy, or sonic weapons, or ray guns, or... something.

★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★

From 40 to 46: Revising ‘Recommendations’

I decided to make some changes to what has been known as Recommendations.

Gone is that word.

Now, on the right-side bar, are Videos and Websites. 

(Regulars here at Progressives Chat know they are recommended.)

I moved over twelve sources, which were among formerly listed Recommendations, to what now reads as Websites. They are joined by journalists Matt Taibbi’s and Michael Tracey’s Substack columns.

The previous Recommendations which now reads as Videos have been reshuffled to some extent. Part of the reason is for a convenient segue between the last four listees—Useful Idiots, The Grayzone, Glenn Greenwald, and MintPress News—as they are also the first four listees on Websites. (It’s really about two forms. These four sources are available and recommended in both forms.)

Newly added to Videos is the new version of Useful Idiots with Katie Halper and Matt Taibbi. (The latter recently left Rolling Stone, not long after that publication and Halper and Taibbi ended their, say, partnership of their former Useful Idiots. Reshuffling The Katie Halper Show, to appear just before this newer Useful Idiots, makes some sense.)

I have also added to Videos Glenn Greenwald. (Sometime ago I added his Substack column.)

The two remaining Videos additions are: Garland Nixon, who used to co-host the morning-news/discussion program Fault Lines on Sputnik Radio (with a livestream simulcast); and, as he is described by Wikipedia, “comedian, actor, radio host, writer, and activist” Russell Brand, who has been delivering some truly progressive—and well-informed—videos which have Establishment Media pissed at him. (His YouTube channel launched in July. I should have added him sooner. Last week, The Jimmy Dore Show took notice and titled one of its video clips, “Russell Brand ‘Canceled’ For Telling Truth About RussiaGate & Hillary!”)

As of October 4, 2021, the combined total now recommended in Videos and Websites are 46. It would be nice to get their combined total up to 50. And I welcome any suggestions. (No hurry! I know it is also wise to watch for whether there are current listees, worthy of re-evaluation, who may need to go. That did happen, at different points in the year, with several who were previously recommended.)

I think this “Revising ‘Recommendations’” will give this site a more organized and efficient way to list—and to keep track of—which sources are very good, and [mostly] trustworthy, for Progressives Chat.

Since I have made these changes, I think it would be good to include one video from a new addition. It is simply an introduction video. And it is a nice one.

‘Progressives Chat’ Turns 4

Last Saturday, September 25, 2021, marked the 4-year anniversary of Progressives Chat.

I launched this blog site on Monday, September 25, 2017 shortly after the end of cathyx’s The Far Left Chat. (cathyx was a big help to me. I remain very grateful. Thank you, cathyx!)

Progressives Chat will continue as a blog site which also allows its regulars a space for independence with their comments. And, with time seeming to go by faster as I am getting older (I won’t speak for anyone else), the fifth anniversary won’t take long to arrive.

Jimmy Dore Interviews Robert Malone

Last week [with publishing date of Tuesday, 09.14.2021], Jimmy Dore interviewed Robert Malone in the following video, “EXPLOSIVE Truth About Vaccines & COVID w/Inventor Of mRNA Vaccine Technology.” (Due to its long title, I am using a different heading for this blog topic.)

It was posted in comments by TowerofBabel. (Thank you, TowerofBabel!)

This is very important. It warrants being a blog topic due to its subject matter, certainly, and for the archives of Progressives Chat.

‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ Turns 25

September 13, 1996 marked the debut of one of the best comedy series in television history.

Everybody Loves Raymond, from David Letterman’s World Wide Pants, was a CBS sitcom about a grown man, sportswriter Ray Barone, with his wife, Debra, their daughter and twin sons, and his other family—neighbors—consisting of policeman brother Robert, intrusive mother Marie, and blunt father Frank.

The series ran nine seasons, having ended in 2005, and it won 15 Emmys from 69 nominations. It won Outstanding Comedy Series for its seventh and ninth seasons, in 2003 and 2005; Lead Actor for Ray Romano, in 2002; Lead Actress for Patricia Heaton, in 2000 and 2001; Supporting Actor for Brad Garrett, in 2002, 2003, and 2005; and Supporting Actress for Doris Roberts, in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2005. It also won for Writing for what I think is its best episode, “Baggage,” in 2003. (Costar Peter Boyle never won for the series. He did win the 1995–96 Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for the episode “Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose,” also an Emmy winner for Writing, for Fox’s The X–Files.)

A summary of some standout episodes: 

• “I Love You” (Season 01 Episode 02; 09.20.1996)—Debra asks Ray why he doesn’t tend to speak those three important words. Ray makes the mistake of involving his parents.

• “Robert’s Date” (Season 03 Episode 15; 02.01.1999)—Robert joins his partner for a night out for dancing. Trying hard to fit in, Robert goes overboard.

• “Bad Moon Rising” (Season 04 Episode 22; 05.08.2000)—Debra suffers from PMS. Ray has no clue how to respond. (Patricia Heaton’s performance won her her first Emmy.)

•  “Baggage” (Season 07 Episode 22; 05.03.2003)—After returning from a vacation, one piece of luggage remains, unattended, as Ray and Debra battle each other.

• “The Finale” (Season 09 Episode 16; 05.16.2005)—Ray, with his adenoids needing to come out, goes in for routine surgery. There is a complication.

More recommended episodes (for a balance of three episodes per season; the provided links for each season lead to episode descriptions): 

Season #01 • “Pilot” (S01 E01; 09.13.1996) and “Turkey or Fish” (S01 E10; 11.22.1996) 

Season #02 • “High School” (S02 E10; 11.24.1997), “The Letter” (S02 E11; 12.08.1997), and “The Checkbook” (S02 E16; 02.02.1998) 

Season #03 • “The Toaster” (S03 E12; 12.14.1998) and “Frank’s Tribute” (S03 E16; 02.08.1999)

Season #04 • “The Sister” (S04 E06; 10.25.1999) and “Bully on the Bus” (S04 E13; 01.17.2000)

Season #05 • “Italy” (S05 E01 and S05 E02; 10.02.2000), “Wallpaper” (S05E03; 10.09.2000), and “The Canister” (S05 E19; 04.09.2001)

Season #06 • “Marie’s Sculpture” (S06 E05; 10.22.2001), “Lucky Suit” (S06 E16; 02.04.2002), and “The Breakup Tape” (S06 E18; 03.04.2002)

Season #07 • “Meeting the Parents” (S07 E17; 02.05.2003) and “Robert’s Wedding” (S07 E24; 05.19.2003)

Season #08 • “Fun with Debra” (S08 E01; 09.22.2003), “Thank You Notes” (S08 E02; 09.29.2003), and “Misery Loves Company” (S08 E04; 10.13.2003)

Season #09 • “The Power of No” (S09 E14; 05.02.2005) and “Pat’s Secret” (S09 E15; 05.09.2005)

I will close with video highlights from Everybody Loves Raymond. They are from the “standout episodes” but, fair warning, some content—especially when I tried to find video on YouTube for “The Finale”—was rather limiting.