I’m writing for tomorrow, day 156. It’s another busy day, because I’m packing for tomorrow’s trip to Salem for prison volunteer work. I’ll be leaving shortly before noon and returning early Friday afternoon. I expect to post at least a brief Personal Update each day, while I’m gone.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:03 (average 4:44). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Fantasy Football Report:
Here’s the latest from our own fantasy football league, Lefty Blog Friends.
Scores:
Standings:
I’m in trouble. I play the other undefeated team on Peyton’s bye week. 🙁
Short Takes:
From Upworthy: A homeless man named Sandy and some vloggers on YouTube decided they wanted to explore the idea of transforming a "homeless man" into a suit-sporting "businessman." Same man, different duds, and a completely different way of how people treated him. It’s a true lesson in "clothes do make the man."
It tells us a lot about our cultural attitude, doesn’t it?
From Daily Kos: Connie Wilson, who just moved from California to the Houston area with her wife Aimee and their three children, received a hell of a welcome from the Department of Public Safety (DPS). The couple has been together nine years, and they finally tied the knot last year in California, after which Connie took Aimee’s last name. Connie was able to get all of her records updated with her new name, from her California driver license to her Social Security card to all of her financial and medical records. And then, upon moving to the Houston area, she visited the DPS office in Katy to obtain a Texas driver license. No big deal–when I moved to Texas, aside from waiting in a horrendous line at DPS, getting my driver license was painless. But I also didn’t have my name changed to that of my same-sex spouse. Wilson’s experience with DPS in Texas, where gays are barred from marriage by both statute and constitutional amendment (just to be safe, you know), has been quite different:
With her California driver’s license nearing expiration, Wilson took her documents to a DPS office in Katy last week to obtain a Texas driver’s license. When a DPS employee noticed that Wilson’s name didn’t match her birth certificate, she produced the couple’s California marriage license identifying her spouse as Aimee Wilson.
“Her only words to me were, ‘Is this same-[sex]?’” Connie Wilson recalled. “I remember hesitating for probably 10 seconds. I didn’t know how to answer. I didn’t want to lie, but I knew I was in trouble because I wasn’t going to be able to get a license.”
[…]
“She immediately told me, ‘You can’t use this to get your license. This doesn’t validate your last name. Do you have anything else?’” Wilson said. “She told me I would never get a license with my current name, that the name doesn’t belong to me.”
This is why we need a Federal law that requires states to recognize marriages from other states without prejudice. And, if this treads too heavily on Bubba Bagger’s states’ rahts, let states do as they please, but make it a requirement for them to get federal highway funds.
From AlterNet: While most would argue that this is place where the people get screwed many different ways [Faux Noise delinked], in Washington, D.C., engaging in any sexual position other than missionary is illegal.
Dang! No wonder Congressional Republicans always want to get out of town. DC hookers must be more boring that the ones from home. This is just one of the ten craziest sex laws in the US. Click through for the other nine.
Cartoon:
16 Responses to “Open Thread–9/24/2014”
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Hey, Lynn – your Open Thread comment was too late for me to catch yesterday, so I'm responding here.
Hope all goes well for Primo. How old is he? It does seem that cats – particularly male cats – are prone to major kidney problems.
Also hope you get better, too.
Lynn, I didn't see it until this morning either. I am so sorry. I had to look up avulsion fracture, and I don't like it that you have multiples. Have they any plan for helping you sdtrengthen your bones? And then on top of that Primo, and with fractures harder to care for him at home. I have asked all my furbabies at the Rainbow Bridge to do whatever they can, and of course you have my prayers.
For now, no. But I take calcium, magnesium, vitamin D3, and Pat has also suggested vitamin K2. As below, Primo has stunned his doctor by getting better so for now is business as usual but keep an eye on him with follow-up in a month or earlier if needed.
Hi Nameless. Primo is 6.5 years old next month so he is young for kidney problems. Bladder problems are another issue , , , male cats are prone to crystals which can cause the bladder to rupture . . . I've been there with a cat who adopted me years ago. Not nice at all.
4:08 and lo and behold the average is DOWN to 4:38. All that spouting off people including present company do on the internet – maybe it helped?
Upworthy – Well, sure, the guy in the business suit is not just going to sink any donation into alcohol or drugs. The guy in the real clothes is, and God forbid you should ENABLE him. It's not just Republicans who fall into that trap. Sometimes it's even true. But the only way to find out is to get to know the individual, and who has time for that (besides, obviously, Joe)?
Daily Kos – What characters does one use to represent the sound of spitting nails? I see Equality Texas is already on it, along with her state rep. It sounds like an ACLU case to me, though I know with all the insanity out there they are already pushed almost to the breaking point. In Texas, of course this disenfranchises her. How many r's in Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr? (Probabky not enough)
AlterNet – Generally speaking, people who care about animal welfare consider bestiality to be animal abuse and believe it should be illegal under any circumstances. That said, I am not sure why Florida's law is being held up for ridicule in AlterNet of all places. By and large, the laws do certainly support the points that (a) people are insane when it comes to sex, and (b) therefore they should keep their laws off of it. Thiis does not mean rape isn't or cannot be illegal.
Cartoon – Yup. Nothing to add.
Have just seen Nameless and Joanne's mention of Lynn in trouble – off to look for the entry TC, as I missed it.
Sorry you had to post this six times – lots of others are having trouble too posting news items and posting. Video shames us all – why would people give willingly to a man in a suit not a teeshirt? Mystified. As it says – 'feed the needy not the greedy.'
3:33 I won't spout off about my losing time.
3:13 The pot was a little too hot for me to grat a hold of as fast as TomCat did.
3:03 Shall we enjoy a cup of hot tea together . . . but not insaniTEA. Wrong brand!
FF ~ A very disappointing week for me.
Upworthy ~ Candid Camera just did something similar with a Latino and a British "illegal" asking for signatures to stay in this coutry. I bet you can guess who got the needed signatures.
Daily Kos ~ ACLU get on this case! I do agree that Federal Highway funds would be a good way to punish the bigotted states.
Alternet ~ I wonder who thinks these laws up.
Cartoon ~ A lot of them probably have pictures like this on their walls.
Lynn: Hope your fracture heals soon and properly. Please take your time in allowing the fracture to heal. Hugzzz…
Alternet:
The Top 10 Craziest Sex Laws in America – LOL… I do wonder what other crazy laws are “out there” in USA. No doubt that the gop/tp want to enact more of them!
Hi everybody!
Thanks for all your prayers for Primo. When I got the call to bring him to the vet's because he had super serious kidney problems (possibly life threatening, definitely life shortening) I was scared and didn't get any sleep. He spent last night in the hospital but was able to come home and no medication. A second set of blood tests on Tuesday showed normal values so they then tried to get a pee sample to see if there were extra white blood cells etc. The urine test was normal. So he is home and back to his normal self. He really has his doctors perplexed and they conferenced to try to find another case like his. So far nothing. He is happy being home and immediately picked a fight with his brother. The vet wants to do a follow-up in a month, or before if he is having problems. He likes it there and the staff love him to pieces.
As to me, it is amazing what 12 uninterupted hours of sleep can do! I feel fine, but my foot is definitely going to take time. Avulsion fractures also go by the name "stress fractures" apparently and in some cases, fortunately not in mine, require surgery to fix. I was hoping to be off the crutches at the end of this week but that is no longer possible. At least 6 more weeks of crutches, or I can wear a short air boot. An acquaintance from physio has one and is bringing it in for me to try. That is the only way I will get away from crutches. On a good note, the swelling is down enough that I was able to wear regular shoes, even with the tensor bandage. Can't tell you how good that felt, especially on my good left foot. I have definitely been sidelined from football, hockey, baseball etc but I am a shoe-in for one legged races!
Thanks all!
I am so glad Primo is doing well. I hope your stress fracture heals well and soon. Hang in there, while you are going through it it seems it will last forever but it doesnt/
Your sense of humor must be of tremendous value in helping you recover. "A shoe-in for one-legged races" indeed. ROTFLACGU.
I hope you have a great trip. Try to relax a little.
Upworthy: Wow, that is humbling, isn't it? The guy in the business suit was perceived to be hardworking and honest and just a little embarrassed by a bad situation and they felt bad for him. The guy in t shirt and jeans was seen as just another bum wanting something for nothing. This says a lot about our attitudes about the poor and homeless. This is a sad commentary on the times we live in and the people we are.
Daily Kos: This is such an injustice! Adding Texas to my list, but I think it is all ready on there. If marriage is legal in the state it was performed, it should be recognized in every other state. Period.
Alternet: Seriously, these are laws? Iwould love to know the origins of them. I agree with any that prohibit sex with animals, they deserve better than to be raped by a person. Since an animal cannot consent, it is rape.
Cartoon: They are working on taking us there.
Puzzle — 3:03 Shall we enjoy a cup of hot tea together . . . but not insaniTEA. Wrong brand!
FF — I'm definitely letting the NFL.com pick my players next year again if they always do so well. So far, I am at least 200 per cent ahead of last year!
Upworthy — This does say so much about society! I am glad I know "my Duncan" who is homeless. I buy some groceries for him which I know he appreciates, and he gives me hugs which I appreciate. I will sit and talk to him about lots of things. And the evangelical right wing pseudo Christians want the US to be a Christian nation. Based on this video, being a Christian nation in word AND deed is a very far off.
Daily Kos — This is complete BS. Perry and his Outlaw gang think that they are Christians?! Not a chance. They are hipocrites. I agree with you TC . . . there should be a federal law which states cannot override acknowledging same sex marriage rights.
Alternet — Say what? . . . speechless!
Cartoon — Republican worker rights . . . just another form of slavery!