Yesterday I got the rest I needed to recover from my long volunteer day in prison. I’m current with replies. Tomorrow appears routine.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:24 (average 4:51). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From NY Times: The military prosecutors seeking to have Pfc. Bradley Manning convicted of violating the Espionage Act over his release of secret government files to WikiLeaks will face an additional burden at his court-martial under a ruling on Wednesday by a military judge.
The judge, Col. Denise Lind, ruled at a pretrial hearing that prosecutors must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Private Manning had “reason to believe” that the files could be used to harm the United States or to aid a foreign power. Prosecutors had contended that they should be required to prove only that he willfully disclosed defense-related files to win a conviction under the spying law.
I think the judge made the right decision. Unlike many on the left, I believe that Manning should receive some punishment. In Civil Disobedience (one of my favorite books), Henry David Thoreau made it clear that the moral authority for civil disobedience is that the perpetrator considers the issue so important that he or she willingly accepts the consequence of punishment to emphasize that point. That said, I also believe that after being convicted of a charge less than espionage, he should be sentenced to time served and released. He has been punished more than enough already.
From Huffington Post: Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) turned to the Bible on Wednesday during a congressional hearing, using the Great Flood to support his claim that climate change isn't man-made…
The Great Flood really exists! It is a flood of BS, and the B stands for Barton.
From The New Observer: An N.C. House lawmaker is equating any prayer to the Islamic God with terrorism.
In an email exchange with a constituent, Republican state Rep. Michele Presnell of Burnsville was asked whether she was comfortable with a prayer to Allah before a legislative meeting. Presnell responded: “No, I do not condone terrorism.”
The first-year lawmaker who represents a district in the North Carolina mountains is a co-sponsor of House resolution 494, a measure asserting that North Carolina can establish a state religion. She did not return a call for comment Monday about the string of emails obtained by Dome.
This is what happens when bigoted Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christians ignore the First Amendment.
Cartoon:
Targeted by Republicans for repeal.
18 Responses to “Open Thread–4/11/2013”
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3:05 Can I run with the big dogs today?
3:13 I went to the dogs. How humiliating for a cat!
3rd so far, Headed for last.
NY Times ~ I agree that he should be punished, but, not for espionage. Time served should be the punishment.
HuffPo ~ I know because the Bible tells me so. Is that right?
The New Observer ~ Must be Representative Michele Presnel is unfamiliar with the First Amendment or else the /constitution doesn't apply to North Carolina.
Cartoon ~ And the RepublicanTs are still trying to circumvent it to this day.
Thanks!
Yup.
True od most Republicans.
Amen!
If you are a believer in the Bible, Literally??? Barton stands for Bull-$hit 🙂
BS indeed!
Two points WRT Barton trying to claim that the Great Flood proves climate change "isn't man-made":
[1]
If he's going to rely on the Bible for his source, then I think the Old Testament PROVES that the Great Flood was, in fact, man-made:
[2]
I think it'd be wise for all the Talibangelical christianists to STOP usig the Bible as a source of science … otherwise you're stuck with talking snakes, people as pillars of salt, walking on water, and then turning the water into wine, etc., etc.
After all, it was Galileo who said, "The bible teaches us how to go to heaven – not how the heavens go"
Kudos Nameless!! That was brilliant! I also think that Rep Barton (who deserves a P G Wodehouse epithet 'solid bone from ear to ear') completely forgot in his enthusiasm for recognising something from his Bible Classes when tiny – the flood in the Bible allegedly killed everything except those on the Ark! DUH!!!
As always the GOP/TP refer to the Old Testament – and quite forget that if they are to live by the Old Testament – no more prawn cocktails or any other seafood, or hamburgers or belly pork on the BBQ, they must keep slaves (well, they would seem to like that one) and marry off their sons and daughters without question at puberty (drat – they'd love that too!) – and as for the draconian punishments for infringing the 613 rules they would have to live by – their heads would fall off – oh no, again I have underestimated them – they would make OTHER PEOPLE live by them, not them themselves! Just one more thing – I forgot about circumcision…. is there any enthusiasm left on the Far Right for these laws (if they actually had to keep them)?
I just love your logic Nameless! Fighting fire with fire!
FOMCROTFPIMPLMAO!!!!
OK, pray tell, what is FOMCROTF? I know what the last half is, or can you even spell it out here?
See comment 6 below.
Puzzle — 3:13 I went to the dogs. How humiliating for a cat!
NY Times — There is no doubt that Manning committed a crime — he has already confessed. But what is at issue it seems is whether he knew that his actions would imperil national security. He disagreed with the government`s positions on the wars and, I think, sought to expose government duplicity which is an act of civil disobedience. I too agree that the judge made the right call.
Huffington Post — Why is it that so many Republican/Teabaggers insist on putting everything in a religious context? Years ago (as in more than 40 years ago) I made a comment at a Bible study, I think about the flood, and was soundly corrected by our minister. "Do you believe that this story as written is true?" He continued to tell me that these stories were written to demonstrates points to people in a different time, with different understandings. We too often quote these stories as facts when they are stories to demonstrate a point. The Bible is not science.
New Observer — Ignorance knows no bounds. And this is a state legislator. I think there should be an intelligence test before anyone can become a legislator. Ignorant, stupid and bigoted. What a great combination.
Cartoon — A grand day! Better late than never. Now it time to strengthen it with people power so that the RepublicanéTeabaggers can`t roll back the clock!
Either Mashed or maybe Crunched.
Thanks.
Jesus favorite teaching method was using allegories c alled parables. Yet the insist that Moses method of teaching musat be literal. Absurd.
There's a word for that combination: Republican.
AMEN!
Fell off my chair rolling on the floor.
Thanks Jerry! I thought the 'C' was something to do with Christianity given the topic. I never would have gotten it!
So where is your time for the puzzle on this day? Enquiring minds (mine) need to know if they were Crunched or Mashed!
You are welcome, Lynn, but the real thanks goes to google.
As you now know, I skillfully avoided Crunching you. (Or maybe it is unskillfully.)