I’m writing for tomorrow and running quite a bit late, because collecting the data for tomorrow’s Monthly Report takes several hours.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 2:53 (average 4:45). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Upworthy: Bill Nye takes a whack at dispelling the myths surrounding child mortality and foreign aid.
Kudos to Bill Nye. What he does not cover is that the majority of the foreign aid we do give is military aid.
From Daily Kos: The iron curtain of the Supreme Court was breached on Wednesday. Activists from the the group 99Rise entered the Supreme Court chamber. After videoing the session where the justice can be clearly seen, one of the activists stood up. He said the following before he was accosted by the Supreme Court security detail.
Kudos to the protestors. What they said is true.
From Alternet: The Death Penalty: The Sanctity of Life Manifested
America: Land I Love In Christian Perspective laments that the death penalty, and thus the sanctity of life, have become less hip. Back in the good old days, “because people believed in the sanctity of human life, most states practiced capital punishment.”
A Beka Book knows what God was thinking when he killed people for crimes like prostitution, bearing false witness, and not crying out while being raped (if you are betrothed): “Most people believed God instituted capital punishment to discourage murder and to teach mankind the value of human life.”
This is just one of seven absurd things Republicans are gutting public education to teach to children. Click through for the other six.
Cartoon: 
15 Responses to “Open Thread–3/2/2014”
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Re Bill Nye – how on earth do people believe that 25% of GDP goes to foreign aid? I suspected that America (like the UK) gives less than 1% and that THAT aid has strings attached (contracts for dams built by aid-giving countries etc).
Daily Kos – God bless the peaceful protestors!
Alternet – because they believe in the sanctity of human life – they killed people! Logical (NOT!). Sometimes I despair of humanity!
3:33 I battled the surf and lost.
3:30 I got crushed by a couple of waves also. One of them had TomCat surfing by me.
3:36 I purposely floundered in hopes that one of those good looking Aussie lifeguards would rescue me.
Those guys must really get around. I didn't realize they patrolled the Ireland beaches as well.
They get to anywhere I call them! (said with my best Mae West voice)
Upworthy ~ Does Foreign Aid include what we spend on our military presence in foreign countries? It should.
Daily Kos ~ SCROTUS does not like the truth. And, as is often said, Justice is blind.
Alternet ~ The best thing I learned from reading this article is that the IRS revoked A Beka Book's tax-exempt status in 1995 and in 1998 they paid an estimated $44.5 million in back taxes to fulfill their tax obligation to the government.
Cartoon ~ They will keep trying to gut voters' rights.
Time: 3:12
What Bill Nye did not say: use some critical thinking skills, seek factual information not just information that reinforces what you think you know. Education is the key, whether in our foreign aid programs or in the US. People need to learn how to discern facts from fluff. Good foreign aid to me is building schools and hospitals, not weapons that will create more war. Yes, people die from disease and famine, but war is something that we can stop, by simply making the choice to not support wars. We can make the choice to have foreign aid be aid for the people and not money and guns for the leaders.
Beka books affect more than I have the time or inclination to write about here. We are not teaching with this publisher we are indoctrinating generations of dummies. Children that never have the opportunity to make a good choice because they are not offered good solid fact. (Teach your children well….)
Protest is the key to a good healthy democratic republic. We may not agree with each issue at protest but, each protest should make us stop, listen and think.
Thanks TC – you seem to be feeling better, soon I hope to do the same.
I so agree Kit.
"We may not agree with each issue at protest but, each protest should make us stop, listen and think."
Unfortunately, too many people are intellectually lazy. Some see it as being easier to be an ostrich, that is stick their heads in the sand, than think, listen and challenge if necessary.
4:25 I never realized "Ireland must be heaven" meant you would likely drown in the surf or be battered by the rocks and waves.
Upworthy – I wanted to know more also, and noticed the end of the video credited this: http://annualletter.gatesfoundation.org/#section=myth-one. Well, I certainly got more. The Nye video is under Myth Two if anyone wants to look. A lot of stuff there and certainly some good partners shown at the end.
Daily Kos – I wouldn't mind the right wing claiming that money is speech if they would only realize that, in that case, the tons of money being poured into politics are shouting "Fire!" in a crowded theatre. In other words, it's not whether it's speech, it's whether it's protected speech, and it isn't.
Alternet – The verbal equivalent of one of those Escher pictures like Concave and Convex http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&docid=kx_iy-DUUSXBJM&tbnid=GwAHJQfnci1o7M:&ved=0CAUQjBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bocamuseum.org%2Fclientuploads%2FEXHIBITION_IMAGES%2FEscherConvex_and_ConcaveLR.jpg&ei=-4kTU4vGDIPAyAHd2IBo&psig=AFQjCNFBVpatHD7WCW2cyD724J-yZDESIA&ust=1393875835279735 or, maybe better, the lesser known Another World http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&docid=xQYILsQiHLsUsM&tbnid=2gUHGA0vMQjgOM:&ved=0CAUQjBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcbio.mskcc.org%2F~bader%2Fartists%2Fescher%2Fspace_birds.gif&ei=9YgTU_jcGOmQyAGmvoDoCQ&psig=AFQjCNHQy9CY2v3rOrXb_Y2NNILtwMkXBA&ust=1393875573463284. You stare and stare and can't figure out how it's done.
Cartoon – Yeah, they must hate Cleveland. He was so strongly associated with getting rid of political corruption that he drew Republican votes from those who also opposed corruption (there were some then).
Puzzle — 3:36 I purposely floundered in hopes that one of those good looking Aussie lifeguards would rescue me.
Upworthy — Love Bill Nye's tie! Sometimes I think that foreign aid should really be called "foreign profits". Too often there are strings attached so that the aid only comes at a price. What happened to genuine charity?
Daily Kos — I cannot conceive of why a SCOTUS proceeding should not be recorded. After all, the cases are listed publicly and they have been before a lower court. Are the justices worried that every "giggle and fart" would show up? Or are they worried that they will be held accountable? Kudos to the recording maker and to the fellow that rose on behalf of the people.
Alternet — Wack-a-doodle! . . . or what!
Cartoon — A Democrat who 2 days before the end of his 2nd term outlawed literacy tests for immigrants.
Facts via Bill Nye… 😆
Over turn Citizens United…
5:05 – Puzzle
Upworthy: Sadly, this is the perception of most Americans. If we quit spending so much on wars, more could be spent to save children.
Daily Kos: Yes what the protestor said is true, but I doubt Scrotus heard him.
Alternet: I am glad they didn't have the Beka books when I was in school,,because I had some teachers who would have used them. Holy cow, are these people for real? I know they are out there, but it is hard to comprehend their vast ignorance.
Cartoon: Someone needs to tell the Republicans about this.
Dang!! I actually beat Kitty, Kitty!!
Cleveland did so by vetoing the bill Republicans had passed.