Today is my Alive Day, the 17th anniversary of the day I probably should’ve died in a dusty field in Iraq after our Blackhawk was shot out of the sky—but didn’t. pic.twitter.com/AAvhfX9Lf9
— Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) November 12, 2021
My buddies thought I was dead—I was quite literally in pieces.
They risked their own lives to bring my body back to my family.
From the moment I woke up in Walter Reed 11 days later, I vowed to find a way to repay them as well as all those who sacrifice so much for our nation.
— Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) November 12, 2021
Because to me, true patriotism will always be how we honor the sacrifices those in uniform have made for the rest of us. Not just on Veterans Day, but every other day of the year, too.
— Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) November 12, 2021
trollhattan
I’m certain her senate colleagues to a one, honor Senator Duckworth for what she’s given our nation.
Oh, who am I kidding? We love you anyway senator, keep fighting! Can you please push Ted Cruz down some stairs?
Lord Fartdaddy (Formerly, Mumphrey, Smedley Darlington Mingobat, et al.)
It’s hard to believe 2004 was 17 years ago. I remember so much from that year like it was yesterday.
zhena gogolia
I love her.
zhena gogolia
@Lord Fartdaddy (Formerly, Mumphrey, Smedley Darlington Mingobat, et al.): In particular, I remember the pall that came over the election-night dinner party as GWB’s smiling face kept popping up on state after state.
lollipopguild
Most GOP types cannot understand this woman or what she is saying here, if they try to understand her their heads will hurt too much. God bless her.
Baud
@zhena gogolia:
We have the best people.
Fair Economist
Thank you Senator Duckworth for your past and continuing service to the nation.
ThresherK
Is it too much to say that Tammy Duckworth has beaten so many Republicans in ass-kicking contests?
Ceci n est pas mon nym
@trollhattan: I just watched last night’s Rachel Maddow. There were two enraging veteran-related stories.
1. Reliving the disgusting and unfortunately successful campaign Saxby Chambliss ran against Max Cleland.
2. TFG blocking Purple Hearts for soldiers injured in an Iranian rocket attack because for some reason he wanted to pretend there were no injuries.
So yeah, I know you were joking (bitterly) but these people are really, really awful to the troops they like to use as props.
SiubhanDuinne
@zhena gogolia:
She’s great, isn’t she? I’m very happy with my Senators (Warnock and Ossoff), but a piece of me wishes I still lived in Illinois so I could claim Tammy Duckworth as my Senator.
retiredeng
Amen sister Tammy!
OzarkHillbilly
@Baud: ONLY the best people. Ooopps, I’m sorry, you’re talking about DEMs. I thought you were sarcastically quoting trump.
Wait a minute… It works that way too.
OzarkHillbilly
For a woman with no legs, that is quite the accomplishment.
Another Scott
:-)
(via dsquareddigest)
Cheers,
Scott.
Martin
This thing on? Moving from my work to my retirement computer.
mrmoshpotato
As if I needed another reason to vote for her again next year!
Old Man Shadow
Honor veterans by fulfilling our duty to them: health care, mental health care, job training, housing, education.
And honor the dead by taking care of their families and refusing the easy temptation of war for trivial reasons.
Another Scott
@Martin: They finally let you leave?? Or did you have to bring in the bolt cutters??
Congratulations! Enjoy!!
Cheers,
Scott.
Old School
@Martin: How wonderful! Congratulations! Here’s to only doing what you want from now on.
Baud
@Martin:
Sweet. No more CRT.
ThresherK
@OzarkHillbilly: I won’t claim to have started it, but it is a natural subversion from the old joke, especially for a veteran up against a lot of GOP chickenhawks.
Mike in NC
Senator Duckworth once quipped about some Trumpie lowlife (Sean Spicer, maybe?): “I’m a better dancer and I have no legs”.
ThresherK
@Mike in NC: Okay, now I’m not embarrassed by my “ass kicking contest” reference to the good Senator.
Spanky
@Martin: A momentous occasion that’s happening in a very low key way.
Congratulations. You won’t miss the work computer.
Nelle
My husband, ten years in the Navy, three in submarines and three in combat in Vietnam, could use some respect in the form of hearing aids, which the VA has judged not a severe enough disability (they admit it was a service induced disability) to warrant hearing aids. And to get to that enlightened decision, there was a lot of hoop jumping. Thank you for your service. At least the nightmares have stopped.
So much of our conversation is “What? What? What?” Plus decades of tinitus, and I wonder if that contributes to some of the irritability.
Meanwhile, there are all these platitudes and pious crap. Seriously, when did the day become such a froth of performative patriotism, by glitzy news anchor, all somber and serious? A quotation by E F Goldman is appropriate here.
Chris Sherbak
Thank you for highlighting her and her work. Very proud to have her representing me.
Martin
@Another Scott: Bolt cutters. End of month. Put my foot down.
dexwood
@Martin: Congrats! Mrs. dexwood joins me in retirement on 1/1/22. I can’t wait.
Emma from FL
@Martin: Wonderful! Have fun!
jackmmac
Very proud to have her as my Senator.
jackmac
Very proud to have her as my Senator!
frosty
@Martin: Congrats! When I saw some of my former coworkers a couple of weeks ago one asked “How’s retirement!”
I said “I recommend it.”
Spanky
@dexwood: Ditto for Mrs. Spanky.
It’s an epidemic, I tells ya!
Kelly
@Martin: Congratulations! For me the best part of retirement is having fun outdoors on days the weather suits me instead of days my job let me take off.
ThresherK
@Martin: Congratulations! Well-deserved, I’m sure.
Villago Delenda Est
Compare and contrast with draft-dodging Rethuglican scum. Like George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and TFG.
geg6
Okay folks. All the bitching about Garland being a wuss and not indicting anyone can stop now, I hope. I can’t believe there isn’t a post with the title in all caps trumpeting Bannon’s indictment.
Yutsano
I’m totally happy with Patty and Maria, but I certainly would be chuffed to have Tammy Duckworth as one of my Senators. My only other desire would be a Senator Jayapal. But I’m not too greedy.
geg6
@Martin:
Congratulations! ?
I’m so jealous.
dexwood
@Spanky: A good one!
Bex
@ThresherK: Sen. Duckworth would probably read your comment and laugh. Proud to have her as my senator.
Dorothy A. Winsor
@Martin: Congrats! It’s a great move
HumboldtBlue
I once wrote a story about a local elected official who every year celebrates her “second birthday” in memory of the day she was pulled from a pool and resuscitated by a firefighter in SoCal when she was a little girl.
She developed a lifelong relationship with both the firefighter and the department, it was a fun and moving story to write.
stinger
@Martin: Welcome to the dark side!
Raoul Paste
@Martin: as my British friend said, “Six Saturdays and a Sunday“
Kristine
@SiubhanDuinne: She’s one of mine. So happy to have her. May she have that job for as long as she wants it.
MagdaInBlack
@Bex: I’m proud of her too. We repaired one of her vehicles at our Schaumburg, IL shop, and I am pleased to say she was a very pleasant customer. And I was a fangirl ?
dexwood
@Raoul Paste: My new motto! Thanks.
Kristine
@Martin: Congratulations ????!!
HumboldtBlue
@Martin:
Fantastic, enjoy!
Steeplejack
@Martin:
? Congratulations!
What was the endgame? Last I remember reading was back in the summer when you were about to have the meeting with your bosses to let them know you were leaving.
Roger Moore
@HumboldtBlue:
I don’t know if she celebrates it as a second birthday, but my stem cell recipient and I send each other presents every year on our anniversary. It’s a week before Christmas, so it gives me an extra incentive to get my shopping done early.
Another Scott
germy mentioned this in passing, but Liz Dye at Wonkette has the particulars on the DC happenings:
The folks working on this stuff are doing it right, and that takes time.
See the original for embedded links.
Cheers,
Scott.
Suzanne
@Martin: AHHHHH congratulations!
I’m really jealous. I’ll live vicariously through you.
patrick II
She is such an admirable person — as are many of the Democrats in congress. Sometimes it seems like the superego party vs the id party.
trollhattan
@Martin: Huzzah!
UCLA content: watched the kid’s team compete in the NCAA West Region cross-country meet today–35 women’s and 29 men’s teams in all (i.e., meetus bigassus). UCLA placed a gentleman’s 15 and 12 respectively. Said another way: “Now there’s a sprinters school.” Beat USC and that’s all that matters.
Yutsano
@trollhattan:
You’re goddamn right about that!
schrodingers_cat
I actually wanted to post this last week for Diwali but got too busy. Weekend art
HumboldtBlue
@Roger Moore:
That’s lovely.
schrodingers_cat
@Roger Moore: That’s wonderful.
@HumboldtBlue: Agreed.
Peale
Watching Shang-Chi and the 10 Rings. I think it’s ok. I think it’s odd that there haven’t been many complaints surfacing that he learned his mystical powers with some brief training…I had heard that that ruined a certain space franchise franchise when a supposedly “Mary Sue” character did the same.
zhena gogolia
@Martin: Congratulations. Very jealous. I never really wanted to retire before, but this year it is hitting me hard. All due to administrators, not students.
zhena gogolia
@schrodingers_cat: You are so talented! These are beautiful.
J R in WV
We contributed to now Senator Duckworth’s first campaign many years ago.
So glad we did that. So many first time candidates we have supported who have won their races, and gone on to succeed over and over.
schrodingers_cat
@zhena gogolia: Thanks!*blushes*
I don’t post the ones that don’t work! So you are actually seeing a skewed sample. But even the mistakes are good, because that’s one way to learn what doesn’t work.
prostratedragon
@SiubhanDuinne: She’s my Senator! (And Mr. Durbin too.)
Sure Lurkalot
@Martin: I hope your retirement is fulfilling! The transition has its challenges but for me, the day finally came when I said, “Holy shit! This is fabulous!”
prostratedragon
And honor the dead by taking care of their families and refusing the easy temptation of war for trivial reasons.
Just wanted to bold that last part.
Kristine
@Peale:
Yeah, I still mutter about that given those are my favorite movies in said franchise.
Except for the last one. AFAIC that one doesn’t exist.
CaseyL
@Martin: Woo hoo! You go! Enjoy, enjoy; hope you have a very long and very content retirement.
Danielx
@Martin:
Feels good, don’t it?
HumboldtBlue
Mexico v U.S. in World Cup qualifier on ESPN2.
Ruckus
@Martin:
Welcome to the world where every day is RETIRED DAY. Where alarm clocks cease to exist, where the time to eat is when you are hungry, and life slows down so that you can catch your breath every damn day of the week. Don’t forget to walk every so often so you don’t forget how.
raven
@Nelle: If he served in country he can get hearing aids from the VA. Ask Water Girl to give you my email address and I’ll explain.
Gin & Tonic
@HumboldtBlue: What are the stakes, exactly? Lose and you’re out, or is it more complicated?
Villago Delenda Est
@trollhattan: Interestingly enough, when I was matriculating at the University of Ducks, the standard for the football season was you need one win…against Oregon State. Nowadays, that isn’t even close to expectations.
raven
@Gin & Tonic: ”
The United States men’s national team can take a giant step toward qualifying for the 2022 World Cup when Mexico visits Friday night for Matchday 7. The U.S. are 3-2-1 in the table and in second place, currently sitting three points clear in a qualifying spot. El Tri, meanwhile, are in first place with a 4-2-0 record and 14 points. If the Americans win by two goals, they’ll move into first place in the table heading into the second match of the window on Tuesday, a trip to Jamaica (which you can catch on Paramount+), and greatly increase their chances of being in Qatar next year.
schrodingers_cat
@Martin: Congratulations!
Gin & Tonic
@raven: Thanks. So this will still take a while (and I don’t think there’s much chance of the US winning by two.)
@raven:
SiubhanDuinne
@Martin:
That’s great news, and I know you’ve been wanting this day to come for a long time. Congratulations! Hope your retirement is everything you hope for, and more.
David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch
Today was unforgettable.
Years from now we’ll all remember where we were when a Judge ended Brittney Spears’s conservatorship.
debbie
@Martin:
Very jealous, but very happy for you!
HumboldtBlue
@Gin & Tonic:
Raven answered some of it.
It’s not do-or-die, but a win helps massively. US are in a good position as it stands.
Mary G
@Martin: Congratulations. Enjoy.
My roofing permit was approved and it will be installed next.week, then on to Aikyum for solar.
frosty
@geg6: So we’re a little behind, but Liz Dye is on it:https://www.wonkette.com/jan-6-select-committee-hits-speed-bumps-while-trump-looks-to-be-headed-for-brick-wall
ETA: I see Another Scott covered this (with excerpts too!) I shoulda figured it.
Jeffro
Klobuchar/Duckworth ‘XX: we’re going. to kick. your ass, Republicans.
JCJ
Great goal by Pulisic
USA 1:0 Mexico 75th minute
HumboldtBlue
GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!
USA 1 MEXICO 0
Gary K
@Lord Fartdaddy (Formerly, Mumphrey, Smedley Darlington Mingobat, et al.): 2004 is a hazy memory, but ask me anything about 1964!
JCJ
@HumboldtBlue: Need one more for Dos a Cero
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@Martin:
Congrats! Enjoy having all the free time in the world : )
HumboldtBlue
GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!
USA 2 MEXICO 0
JCJ
@JCJ: And there it is! Dos a Cero!
Benw
@trollhattan: I hope your kid ran a good time and is happy!
Martin
@Steeplejack: The meeting went fairly okay, but they realized they weren’t really prepared to live without me. I accommodated them with a longer transition, but they accidentally dropped my medical benefits which freaked my wife the fuck out (understandably) so I immediately set a date and indicated that was it, ready or not.
HumboldtBlue
DOS a CERO!
DOS a CERO!
DOS a CERO!
Gary K
Can we make any guess about how long ago Garland empaneled that grand jury? I presume he’s been biting his tongue for many days about the people who were wondering why he wasn’t taking any action.
Gin & Tonic
Well, shows what I know.
jonas
*stares into void, blinking*
Mel
@schrodingers_cat: So beautiful! Thank you sharing that. It’s so vibrant and joyful.
Peale
Am I the only person who still uses Borax? All these articles make it sound so exotic.
Geminid
@Peale: There was a “Boraxo” hand cleaner I used to buy. Great stuff, but I haven’t seen it for a while.
Geminid
lowtechcyclist
@Peale:
I’ve never used it, as far as I can remember, but I remember the ads for “Twenty Mule Team Borax” on Death Valley Days. And related products like Boraxo would also get a plug.
Of course, that was at the beginning of the 1960s that I saw those ads. Reminds me that my childhood was one hell of a long time ago.
Procopius
As a retired veteran (Vietnam, REMF) a greatly admire Ms Duckworth for her determination. I don’t know much about her ideology, but I an certain she’s not a RWNJ. I hope her determination to help those who saved her will include cutting the Pentagon boondoggle. The “defense” budget has risen on average 5% every year since 1954. Please check out Why the Defense Budget is Always Underfunded. Since we have withdrawn from Afghanistan, reasonable people would expect we could divert a lot of the money being spent of active operations and “reconstruction” there to building up the forces that have been allowed to deteriorate for twenty years (i.e., none of them), right? Oh! The Chinese just launched a shiny new HYPERSONIC ballistic missile!!!!1!! No source given for the story, claims our Intelligence Community was completely unaware of the Chinese working on this and the Chinese say it wasn’t a missile but a rocket booster for their space program. A hypersonic BALLISTIC missile is nonsense, a contradiction in terms, but it’s a terrible, threat we must immediately start developing our own HYPERSONIC BALLISTIC MISSILES. Must raise the budget more, more, more.