I’m writing early for Day 25, and the temperature at my desk is a comfortable 78° Sadly that won’t last, because the sun just hit the breezeway and will soon superheat the air.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:05 (average 4:56). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From NY Times: As more schools consider arming their employees, some districts are encountering a daunting economic hurdle: insurance carriers threatening to raise their premiums or revoke coverage entirely.
During legislative sessions this year, seven states enacted laws permitting teachers or administrators to carry guns in schools. Three of the measures — in Kansas, South Dakota and Tennessee — took effect last week.
But already, EMC Insurance Companies, the liability insurance provider for about 90 percent of Kansas school districts, has sent a letter to its agents saying that schools permitting employees to carry concealed handguns would be declined coverage.
“We are making this underwriting decision simply to protect the financial security of our company,” the letter said.
It’s simple. For EMC, profit trumps ideology. Insurance professionals know just how insane the Republican policy of guns as a solution to gun violence is, and how dangerous it would be in our schools. This is a defeat for Wing-nut Wayne LaPierre, the Republican Party, and TEAbuggery!
From Think Progress: If a leading conservative scholar and former judge were now on the Supreme Court instead of Chief Justice Roberts or Justice Alito, it is likely that the Voting Right Act would remain intact.
Judge Michael McConnell was a leading conservative law professor at the time President George W. Bush named him to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit in 2002 (he’s since left the bench to return to the legal academy at Stanford Law School). McConnell was also widely viewed as a possible Supreme Court nominee during the Bush Administration.
In an interview with NPR’s Nina Totenberg, McConnell has harsh words for the five conservative justices’ recent decision neutering much of the Voting Rights Act — labeling the reasoning that drove that decision “made up.”
The pleases me to see that there are conservative scholars who place integrity over ideology. If only there were more. Sadly, that is probably he reason Crawford Caligula never nominated him to the Supreme Court.
From Right Wing Watch: Last year, Mat Staver warned that if the Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality, it could lead to a civil war. And now that the Court has done that by striking down part of the Defense of Marriage Act, Staver is once again issuing that same warning.
Once again we see a billionaire-financed, Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christian commit sedition over gay-hatred by suggesting revolution.
Cartoon:
14 Responses to “Open Thread–7/9/2013”
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3:30 I got stuck in the paddock with wet nail polish.
3:42 I did not even get the nail polish on.
4:03 I need a new mouse. I had great difficulty picking up pieces, moving pieces, and then releaseing them. Very frustrating. And that is with new batteries! I think the mouse has a puddy tat hair ball!
Wooo Hooo!! 😀
WRT Kansas not being able to force guns into schools because either their policies would be dropped or their premiums would go through the rood:
You know the country's in deep trouble when the insurance industry starts making sense.
LMAO, Nameless! 🙂 So very true!
Puzzle — 4:03 I need a new mouse. I had great difficulty picking up pieces, moving pieces, and then releaseing them. Very frustrating. And that is with new batteries! I think the mouse has a puddy tat hair ball!
NY Times — This is one time when I can agree, profits first! I'll bet Wayne LaPierre needs to change his skivies! I wonder if he'll try to set up an NRA insurance company or try to 'sweet talk' (read strong arm) an insurance company to provide coverage. I hope all the insurance stand their ground on this one.
Thinnk Progress — There's conservative, ultra conservative and then there is republicanus. Obviously Judge Michael McConnell has ethics and integrity. The Injustices of the Supreme Court Republicanus of the US obviously don't. I hope he's not related to McTurtle.
Right Wing Watch — I would love to see all these idiots like Staver, Kokesh and Nugent tried, convicted and imprisoned for sedition. I can hope.
Cartoon — Until Republicanus/Teabaggers can manage to get it repealed, they are settling for voter suppression tactics. Arrggghhhh!!!!!
Aha! Sabotage works!! 😈
So do I.
If he is, even a man with the highest integrity wouldn't admit it.
Fat chance! 🙁
Ignoring the Constitution is the seconc choice after repealing it.
Oops! Forgot to say that 10 July is the by-election day in Kelowna-Westbank where the BC premier is running to regain a seat in the Assembly which she must have to be premier. Apparently two previous premiers, WAC Bennett and his son, William Bennett, both held that seat when they had their turns as premier. News said today that Christy Clark is making big promises to the electorate — a second bridge across Okanagan Lake. The current bridge, the William R Bennett Bridge, is only 5 years old and traffic there does not warrant a second bridge. You have to love politicians (NOT).
Although no election is a sure thing, this one is a relatively safe bet. I'll let you know the results tomorrow or the day after.
Well, I sure hope you do not have a case of Republicosis, also known as electile dysfunction, there.
Thanks!
Just my opinion, my first wife was raped in our first year of marriage… Lines of anti-abortion crusaders linded the door at our apartment… To them and to all, If you don't believe in abortion, Don't have One….
I'm so sorry that hurt you both. Rather than belief, it's a terrible choice to make, but sometimes a needed one.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
10:14 – 🙂
Not bad!