Yesterday I moved furniture. The plan was to rearrange my computer corner to have a little more space when I change computers next week. It worked, with 1/4” to spare. The down side, of course, is that moving heavy furniture does not sit well with my COPD, so it took several hours and exhausted me in the process. I’m current with replies. Today I have more chores planned and errands to run.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today it took me 4:00 (average 5:39). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Washington Post: Sen. Patrick Leahy says the Senate Judiciary Committee he heads will vote next month on legislation to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
The Vermont Democrat says that overturning the 1996 law was “part of the nation’s continuing fight for civil rights for all Americans.” He says it’s time to ensure equality for gay and lesbian Americans who are lawfully married.
Good for him. Log Cabin Republicans should take note of which party represents their interests.
From Common Dreams: One day after a nation-wide poll found strong popular support for the United Nations, Republicans on a key Congressional foreign policy committee Thursday voted to cut U.S. funding for the world body if it did not implement major changes.
A general view of the UN Headquarters in New York City. A key US House of Representatives panel on Thursday approved legislation that would slash US dues to the United Nations by half unless the world body agrees to be funded with voluntary donations. The Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives voted 23-15 for the United Nations Transparency, Accountability and Reform Act.
It would require Washington, among other provisions, to cut 50 percent of funding for the U.N. unless it converted to a voluntary contribution system permitting Washington to fund only those agencies and programmes "that advance U.S. interests and values".
In short, Republicans do not want US dues to support human rights, birth control, or Palestinians. Republicans have hated the UN almost as long as they have hated Social Security.
From Right Wing Watch: Yesterday Bryan Fischer was asserting that Muslims were responsible for slavery in America, so it only stands to reason that it must have been Christians who were responsible for ultimately ending it.
Specifically, he credits the Tea Party for ending slavery. Here’s the video:
What a pants-load!! To accuse Muslims of starting slavery in the US has no historical basis. Furthermore, the abolitionists were mostly mainline Christians. The extreme right wing pseudo-Christians, like Fischer, used Philemon in the Bible to justify slavery.
Cartoon:
10 Responses to “Open Thread–10/15/2011”
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As you may recall, the original dedication of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial on the National Mall had to be postponed last August because of hurricane Irene – it’s now set for tomorrow, Sunday, with Pres. Obama as the keynote speaker.
I was touched by the photo of Stevie Wonder (who will perform at the dedication along with Aretha Franklin, James Taylor, Dave Matthews, Sheryl Crow and others) visiting the Memorial because he wanted to “see” the statue of Dr. King first-hand (no pun intended).
Through the Wonder Foundation, he will commit $10,000 a year to allow as many people that are blind to go up in the cherry picker to “see” the statue just as he did. (And he joked that if that’s not enough, “I’ll just have to sell some more records.”)
We need more Stevie Wonders in the world…
Very cool indeed!
4:26
Is anybody else as sick of the lies as I am?
….I’m so sick of it, I don’t know what to think…
Not bad!
Yes!
4:11 Not quite quick enough…again. I am 91 out of 288 (316).
Good job anyway. Today you have a window.
DOMA — It might get through the Senate, but it will go no further with a House so firmly packed with Republican riff-raff! When you think of it, there are gays in the military giving their lives at the behest of their country, and how does their country repay them — denying them equal rights. There are gays in all walks of life doing many different types of work and they should all have the same rights as anyone else. I have had many gay friends over the years. And a few young fellows were rather cavalier and wreckless. But why? Is it because society thought them ‘abnormal’ so they acted cavalier and wreckless? What would happen if homosexuality (including bi and trans) were treated by everyone as normal, just like being heterosexual is treated? Would their overall attitudes change? I like to think so. There will always be wild ones, regardless of sexual orientation. Is the affair that a heterosexual male has with his ‘secretary’ and different than an affair that a homosexual has? That is just people and has nothing to do with sexual preference. DOMA needs to be repealed for the dignity of all Americans, regardless of sexual orientation.
United Nations — What a bunch of horsepuckey! The last I heard, which some time ago, the US had not paid up its membership obligation (somebody please correct me if this has changed). I can’t even understand why the US has a permanent seat on the security council and a veto since their dues aren’t paid. To me, this is just the height of arrogance. This unilateral move would mean that all nations could cancel their dues. This leaves the UN even more impotent than it already is.These Republican morons need to deal with things that are important like JOBS!
Slavery — Bryan Fischer is a demented fool! (please, somebody put this fool out of our misery!) and certainly no Christian except in his own eyes! Too bad he is so blind! Arabs certainly participated in slavery but most of it was restricted to the east coast of Africa and brought slaves to the Arab peninsula primarily, with some sold to Chinese traders. White Europeans were responsible for bringing slaves from Africa into the Carribean and southern US. Slavery was one of the issues that spawned the Civil War and was finally abolished by the Emancipation Proclamation. But slavery in essence continued until well into the second half of the last century. I don’t recall there being a Tea Party at that time. Further, MLK Jr would be rolling in his grave to hear such absurd claims. If the Tea Party and Republicans had their way, slavery would be back on the books but this time, it wouldn’t be so much race related as economic. “You are a peasant so I own you and you are my slave.” The only thing that theTea Party has done is to perpetuate slavery.
Cartoon — good cartoon. Since the elephant is the symbol of the Republican Party, the true Republicans are the 1%. The rest who actually vote for these jackals are not real Republicans at all but slaves. They just don’t know it.
It won’t get through the Senate. Filibastards.
I believe that changed when Obama took office. Republicans were furious.
I’m not so sure it wouldn’t be race based.
Thanks!