@tobie1@mastodon.social avatar

tobie1

@tobie1@mastodon.social

My interests vary wildly from politics to poetry and philosophy. I'm a born contrarian but my bark is worse than my bite, and I appreciate detailed posts, sharp commentary, verbal repartee and quirky habits. Some of my quirks are #FountainPens, #birding, and all manners of idealist thought. Committed to fairness, democracy, and environmental stewardship. Proud lifelong #Dem

I was on another server but it was closing down, so I switched to this instance. I'll say in advance, "Happy to meet you."

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. Browse more on the original instance.

chrisschmitz, to Israel
@chrisschmitz@nafo.army avatar

Massive rocket launches right now from the Gaza Strip towards Israel. The Iron Dome is working.

video/mp4

tobie1,
@tobie1@mastodon.social avatar

@chrisschmitz I thought Gaza was out of fuel.

RollingStone, to random

Robert Card, an Army reservist with a history of mental health issues, is suspected of killing at least 18 people at multiple locations in Maine on Wednesday.

Hours before the rampage, the Senate voted 53-45 to adopt an amendment making it easier for veterans with mental disabilities to get guns. https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/senate-adopts-amendment-veterans-mental-issues-guns-1234863402/

tobie1,
@tobie1@mastodon.social avatar

@RollingStone Where can I find the roll call for this? It looks like 7 Senators who caucus with the Dems voted for this amendment which makes it easier for people in mental distress to buy firearms. Tester & Angus King are mentioned. Who are the others?

GottaLaff, to maine
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

. UPDATE. At least 16 killed, 50 to 60 people are injured in the incidents, though it’s unclear how many are injured due to gunfire, the sources told CNN.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/25/us/lewiston-maine-shooting?cid=ios_app

tobie1,
@tobie1@mastodon.social avatar

@GottaLaff Oh my gosh. This is an unending nightmare in the US.
We need an now!

GottaLaff, to random
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

Via Rupar: Johnson announces he plans to create a bipartisan "debt commission"

tobie1,
@tobie1@mastodon.social avatar

@GottaLaff Any Democratic member will helpfully point out that the biggest driver of debt in the US are the Bush and Trump tax cuts. Trickle down economics doesn't generate revenue because it doesn't expand the GDP.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-bush-tax-cuts-fuel-growing-deficits

GottaLaff, to Israel
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

Agrees to Delay Gaza Invasion So U.S. Can Rush Missile Defenses to Region

Biden talks with Saudi crown prince about conflict, while U.N. chief presses for protection of civilians

https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/israel-hamas-war-palestinians-news?mod=breakingnews

tobie1,
@tobie1@mastodon.social avatar

@GottaLaff I feel like Biden is the unsung hero of the hour. He has used his office and his deep understanding of diplomacy to prevent a regional, if not global, conflagration. God bless.

futurebird, to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

One of the reasons I like arthropods more than vertebrates, is there is just so much more diversity. You can read about a new weird bug or sponge every day for the rest of your life. With vertebrates it's just like everything is either a cute fuzzy, scary fuzzy, ugly skin creature or lizard/snake/toad/fish(kinda cute)

Mammals especially are boring.

And I'm confidently thinking such thoughts and then I run into this.

Is it even real?
I take it all back.

tobie1,
@tobie1@mastodon.social avatar

@futurebird Opossum???

GottaLaff, (edited ) to legal
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

🔥Whoa!!⚡️ 1/...

Ex-Chief of Staff Mark granted immunity, tells special counsel he warned about 2020 claims: Sources - ABC News https://abcnews.go.com/US/chief-staff-mark-meadows-granted-immunity-tells-special/story?id=104231281

tobie1,
@tobie1@mastodon.social avatar

@GottaLaff well that is one big shoe to drop. 🤞

mostaurelius, to worldnews
@mostaurelius@mas.to avatar

Israeli Strikes Kill 700 Palestinians Across Gaza as Hospitals Face Critical Fuel Shortage

Health officials in Gaza say Israel’s unrelenting bombardment of the besieged Palestinian territory has killed another 700 people over the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll over the past 18 days to about 5,800. More than 2,000 children are among the dead.
https://www.democracynow.org/2023/10/24/headlines/israeli_strikes_kill_700_palestinians_across_gaza_as_hospitals_face_critical_fuel_shortage

tobie1,
@tobie1@mastodon.social avatar

@mostaurelius This is what's posted on Ha'aretz.

noelreports, to random Dutch
@noelreports@mstdn.social avatar

Several media report on explosions at the Al-Omar oil field in Syria, where US troops are stationed.

Biden interrupted his speech and went to the situation center of the White House because "there is a problem that needs to be dealt with."

video/mp4

tobie1,
@tobie1@mastodon.social avatar

@noelreports Iran's been hitting the US base in Syria over the past few weeks. This is very worrisome. Russia and Iran are feeling very emboldened.

asbestos, to Israel
@asbestos@toot.community avatar

If you have ever complained about micro aggressions or cultural insensitivity. I have a suggestion. Don't call Jewish people "white" or "white colonialists" It's offensive and totally minimizes the long history of antisemitism, pogroms, murder, and displacement of Jews.


tobie1, (edited )
@tobie1@mastodon.social avatar

@asbestos It's really frustrating to see the history of the Jewish diaspora routinely dismissed. The fact that Jews miraculously survived two millennia of discrimination, subjugation, and pogroms and managed to maintain a connection to the place from which they were expelled is held against them. I don't know of any other exiled group whose identity is this frequently questioned.

Alon, to random
@Alon@mastodon.social avatar

A couple Israelis here, like @exmaahal and @yuvalne make an argument against reoccupation of Gaza: Israel did that, and wasn't safer for it - it's been 18 years since the disengagement, same as between the founding of Hamas and the disengagement, and the more recent 18 years, until 6.10, were a lot safer.

tobie1,
@tobie1@mastodon.social avatar

@Alon @exmaahal @yuvalne I have no military experience so my opinions are not worth beans but it seems like the cost of a protracted war in densely populated urban area is just too great with little chance of success. Occupations never achieve political ends. How to shut down the financing that's allowed Hamas to build & stockpile an arsenal, recruit followers, etc. is a bigger issue for me.

Israel can cease firing without declaring a cease fire as it comes up with a strategy

tobie1,
@tobie1@mastodon.social avatar

@matunos @Alon @exmaahal @yuvalne I'm not defending Netanyahu at all but I also will not be party to this deflection. Netanyahu is an awful leader in ways too numerous to count, but Hamas also bears responsibility for what it has done. This reflexive blame shifting is annoying.

tobie1,
@tobie1@mastodon.social avatar

@Alon I'm deleting my last post. I thought Matunos was responding to another toot of mine and that's why I responded the way I did. @matunos: I now see you were discussing what Israel's strategy should be and my response was inappropriate. Apologies.

TonyStark, to random
@TonyStark@progressivecafe.social avatar

The only source for the incorrect initial report was Hamas.

People have spent days shouting the wrong information on TV and social media. Some did more than shout. Some rioted outside Israeli embassies. Someone tried to burn down a synagogue in Berlin. Someone did burn down a synagogue in Tunisia.

The truth is important. It’s not a situational thing.

AP visual analysis: Rocket from Gaza appeared to go astray, likely caused deadly hospital explosion-
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/21/gaza-hospital-explosion-00122889

tobie1,
@tobie1@mastodon.social avatar

@TonyStark So many media outlets ran with the initial report. I learned of the hospital bombing while listening to Andrea Mitchel who described it as an "Israeli air strike" that killed "500." BBC and the NYT did the same. Sadly Doctors Without Borders immediately tweeted that it was an Israeli airstrike and still has not deleted the tweet. I will no longer donate to them.

raymondpert, to london
@raymondpert@mstdn.social avatar

deleted_by_author

    •
    tobie1,
    @tobie1@mastodon.social avatar

    My understanding is that there were several ISIS flags on display, images of the Jewish Star in a trash bin, and loud and repeated chants about P being free from the river to the sea. In short the demo had nothing to do with a cease fire. It was on the contrary a call to arms.

    KimPerales, to random
    @KimPerales@toad.social avatar

    Encouraging: Arab leaders demand end to decades-long cycle of violence & urge renewed effort to reach Israel-Palestinian peace at a Cairo summit. They condemned Israeli bombardment of Gaza as Europeans said civilians should be shielded, but the absence of Israel & senior US officials at the meeting undermined any prospect for halting an escalating war (the US sent representatives). 🕊️ https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/cairo-peace-summit-grapples-with-gaza-war-risks-region-rise-2023-10-21/

    tobie1,
    @tobie1@mastodon.social avatar

    @KimPerales The hostages aren't mentioned once in this article, so I assume they didn't come up at the conference. Nor did the article mention Hamas' use of civilian structures like schools and hospitals for tunnels & weapons depots. Never did I have less hope for the possibility of a negotiated settlement This proposal is a non-starter. It's a demand for Israel's unconditional surrender and agreement to allow Hamas to build its capacity to exterminate it.

    tobie1,
    @tobie1@mastodon.social avatar

    @KimPerales Egypt and Jordan had every opportunity to have a face to face meeting with President Biden and to talk about a path forward. They chose not to. As far as I can tell the only solutions being discussed at this summit are pipe dreams in which Israel makes every concession and Hamas none. That is not encouraging. That was my point.

    tobie1,
    @tobie1@mastodon.social avatar

    @KimPerales The EU doesn't have a great track record. They couldn't agree what to do in Bosnia or Kosovo and only committed to supporting Ukraine at the US's & UK's urging. A negotiated settlement in Gaza will be exceedingly complex and will involve a long-term commitment on the part of third parties.
    Figuring out a way forward in Gaza is one of the most intractable problems.
    May wise heads prevail. The status quo is unbearable.

    tobie1,
    @tobie1@mastodon.social avatar

    @KimPerales Thank you for your thoughtful responses. We may not always agree but I do appreciate the civil dialogue about things that matter an awful lot. I also genuinely appreciate your posts on US domestic and international issues.

    tobie1,
    @tobie1@mastodon.social avatar

    @KimPerales Juliette Kayyem's take strikes me as nuanced and persuasive. One of the things I admire about Biden is that he doesn't broadcast everything he's doing. Discretion may be his most powerful tool in this heated conflict. He's earned credibility w/Israel, which allows him to pressure the govt behind the scenes.
    I noticed too that he spoke of Palestinian self-determination and has put talk of a two-state solution back on the table. That's a bigger deal than it may appear.

    KimPerales, (edited ) to random
    @KimPerales@toad.social avatar

    Labor leader & prominent Dem activist Laphonza Butler announced that she wouldn't run for a full Sen term in 2024. "Knowing you can win a campaign doesn’t always mean you should run a campaign" Sen Butler writes. "Traditionally we don’t see those who have power let it go. It may not be the decision people expected but it's the right one for me."

    Sighs of relief for Reps Schiff, Porter & Lee of California, who're in the running to rep. CA in the Sen.

    https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2023-10-19/laphonza-butler-senate-race-2024-schiff-porter-lee-feinstein-garvey

    tobie1,
    @tobie1@mastodon.social avatar

    @KimPerales This makes me regret Laphonza Butler is not running! She's not in this for herself. That's true public service. We owe her gratitude for filling the seat on a temporary basis.

    Free_Press, to news
    @Free_Press@mstdn.social avatar

    A report in the French news agency AFP: "While Hamas claimed that 471 people were killed in the explosion at the hospital in Gaza, a source in the European Union said that the number of dead was 10-50 people in total"

    tobie1,
    @tobie1@mastodon.social avatar

    @Free_Press I couldn't find the AFP news, but saw the same estimate attributed to an EU official on I24.

    https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel-at-war/1697685618-liveblog-idf-strikes-hezbollah-targets-overnight-following-heavy-exchanges-of-fire#:~:text=Most%20of%20the%20abductees%20are,that%20were%20abducted%20to%20Gaza.&text=A%20report%20in%20the%20French,%2D50%20people%20in%20total.%22

    tdwllms1, (edited ) to random
    @tdwllms1@mstdn.social avatar

    I've been playing on Threads now for a number of weeks... it's not a very friendly place.... not that I'm anybody... but not even ONE like on any of my comments... just seems a very snooty bunch... not likely I'll participate much any more. Seems much like Xitter... people just looking for how many followers can I get..

    I take a pinch of that back.. I have 2 likes... Both Laffy...

    tobie1,
    @tobie1@mastodon.social avatar

    @tdwllms1 Didn't you start the whole 'play with the names of famous movies and songs to match a theme'?

    I've noticed it. I've liked it. But I've been hesitant to try my hand at it. I'll take baby steps in that direction soon.

    tobie1,
    @tobie1@mastodon.social avatar

    @tdwllms1 Okay...I'll forward the next one to you that I see.

    See you around these parts! 😊

    fulelo, to Israel
    @fulelo@journa.host avatar

    A recap of main events today (while i was working on a completely different story so details to come later):
    -emergency government and war cabinet formed in #Israel

    • #Gaza 's only power station stopped working, leaving the territory without main electricity

    17 Brits, including children are dead or missing after #hamas attack in Israel

    tobie1,
    @tobie1@mastodon.social avatar

    @fulelo Is this the same doctor, cited by Médecins sans frontière in a hasty thread that should have been deleted? The doctor may well work in more than one hospital in Gaza given the shortage of doctors but it would be nice if the BBC would check.

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