What a weekend! After confirming that the teen I mentioned yesterday was OK, I settled in to do some research and finished off today's lead article. Then it was off to see my mother. I left home at 4 pm and didn't return until 10 pm. She ate well but then proceeded to doze. When the aids got her ready for bed, she came wide awake and didn't want me to leave. Tomorrow I have physio and teaching followed by a trip to Costco with my friend. I think I shall surely sleep Monday night. Fortunately, there is nothing on tap again until Tuesday evening.
Puzzle — Today’s took me 3:24 (average 5:42). To do it, click here. How did you do? For those that don't know, we always do the 48 piece classic.
Short Takes
Huffington Post — Former Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) has an urgent message for Christians everywhere: convert as many people as possible, especially Jews, because Jesus is "coming soon."
“We recognize the shortness of the hour," she said in an interview with right-wing radio host Tony Perkins last week. "That’s why we as a remnant want to be faithful in these days and do what it is that the Holy Spirit is speaking to each one of us, to be faithful in the Kingdom and to help bring in as many as we can — even among the Jews — share Jesus Christ with everyone that we possibly can because, again, he’s coming soon."
OK, who let the dogs out? The silence from the Bachmann corner of late has been blissful! But now she returns with her barking mad pseudo Christian idea of the imminent rapture! . . . pure insaniTEA!
The World Bank — A new World Bank report shows that climate change is an acute threat to poorer people across the world, with the power to push more than 100 million people back into poverty over the next fifteen years. And the poorest regions of the world – Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia – will be hit the hardest.
But the report – Shock Waves: Managing the Impacts of Climate Change on Poverty – also points to a way out. This requires that poverty reduction and development work continue as a priority while taking into account a changing climate. It also means taking targeted action to help people cope with climate shocks – such as developing early warning systems and flood protection, and introducing heat-resistant crops. At the same time, efforts to reduce emissions should accelerate, and be designed to protect the poor.
" We have the ability to end extreme poverty even in the face of climate change, but to succeed, climate considerations will need to be integrated into development work. And we will need to act fast, because as climate impacts increase, so will the difficulty and cost of eradicating poverty. "
John Roome, Senior Director for Climate Change at the World Bank Group
Click through for an excellent graphic and a copy of the World Bank report. If we in North America and Europe think that this climate change – poverty cycle will only affect sub Saharan Africa or places like the Seychelles and not affect us, guess again. Think of the significant weather disruptions that have resulted in the California drought and the loss of crops etc. What about the rising sea levels and floods in areas like New Orleans, the Fraser River delta (Metro Vancouver) or the polders of the Netherlands, just to mention three. I agree that we need to act NOW and coördinate with the best ideas.
The New Yorker — Presidential candidate Ben Carson has issued a dire warning that President Obama’s cancellation of the Keystone Pipeline has left the United States with “virtually no place to store grain.”
Ben Carson! Ben Carson! Ben Carson! I am so tired of Carson's inanities. But even I have to think that Andy is doing straight reporting again. Click through. Barf Bag Alert! There is yet another picture of the idiot.
My Universe —
18 Responses to “Squatch’s Open Thread 09/11/2015”
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Did that spider give Simon's cat the finger when he left?
(OK – I know spiders don't have fingers, but you know what I mean)
You and Patty may well be right – I though he (she) just sweetly waved "'Bye!"
I thought it was a friendly goodbye salute.
HP: I already booked my hot air balloon ride. Jesus is coming!!
World Bank: This is so important. Great video that I'm passing on.
NYer: I am thinking that Carson also has a bunker in his back yard…just in case.
My Universe: Monday. I need to do laundry btw. Simon is soooo cute!
Sounds like you have a busy day in store. Take care, enjoy your day, and Thanks, Lynn.
Just to be on the record …
DIBS on Michele's car & house when she gets raptured!
Wish I had thought of that first!
Are you sure there isn't a "batshit crazy" curse on them?
3:28 ~ I couldn't climb that one without getting hurt.
4:47 Sorry you got hurt, Patty, but I am still stuck on the thorns. Ouch!
I had my sping loaded sneekers on that allowed me to jump over it in a single bound! 😀
HuffPo ~ Batshit and Tony Perkins make a good pair. Does Marcus know about them? He might get left behind.
World Bank ~ Hopefully something good will come out of the climate talks going on now. Putin has finally decided to join in too. Maybe he can bully some other polluters.
New Yorker ~ We could store some grain in his huge empty head.
Simon's Cat ~ Nameless, I believe you're correct. The spider flipped the cat off.
5:24 (5:42) Madagascar: lots more than Disney.
HuffPo – These crazy people are going to have their heads explode (and all over you – and you don't want that) if you try to tell them anything in the Bible is nonsense. I suggest starting with the passage (if I recall correctly more than one in different Gospels) that says they cannot know it is coming because even Jesus doesn't know when it is coming – only God the Father knows. If they have come up with some rationalization for that (they probab;y will have) try 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18 which describes the Rapture. The last verse of this (KJV) is "Wherefore comfort one another with these words." Remind them that it says "one another," which means other Christians, it does not mean the entire world; and pasriculary that it says "comfort," which does NOT mean "attempt to scare the hell out of." You won't change their minds, but if you are lucky, they may shut up around you.
World Bank – I agree too, but this is one that can really only be handled at the ballot box. There is no way any bought Republicans (or whatever the party name is where you are) are going to do anything that the rich don't want – the same rich who have a vested interest in keeping fossil fuels flowing and burning. And changes in leadership, at least in the US, don't happen overnight, they happen on a specific schedule, if at all. Maybe the crazy pseudo-Christians do have one thing right – the world will end soon, although not because of anything God does, but because we humans have killed it.
New Yorker – Oh, Andy, Andy. Doesn't Ben know the pipeline is already virtually built, because Enbridge was so confident of their ability to screw us that they have been building all this time? Plenty of pipe to store grain! I personally wouldn't advise it, though – there are leaks in that pipe big enough to run a truck through, let alone a few kernels of grain. Which might possibly sprout and widen the leaks. Ouch.
Universe – But he got rid of the spider. Mission accomplished!
I sign a lot of petitions, some on big issues some on small or personal issues. Frankly, this has to be the dumbest one I have ever signed. Not because the petition is dumb, but because there are people out there dumb enough to think they need to make it into an issue. See what you think.
http://act.faithfulamerica.org/sign/starbucks_cups/
I didn't sign it, because I agree, it is DUMB!
MIT research out today is predicting Monsanto will have 50% of births be children with autism…can we blame Bachman (I'm sure RoundUp is used near her), Carson and all the others in the GOP brain dysfunction on Monsanto?
I'm glad the World Bank is elevating this issue. The question is how many will listen who need to?
Great minds fell in the same ditch again.
Wow, Lynn, you really are busy!
Huffington Post: I have the same wish for Bachman as I do for Palin. Go away, or at least, shut up!
The World Bank: This is an excellent report, hopefully, some of our governments will heed it. If they don't we will all be in trouble.
The New Yorker: The only good thing I can see about Ben Carson is that he is giving the comedians plenty of material.
Love Simon's cat. My sister had a cat that was so lazy he let a mouse run under him and hide from the other cats. He didn't move a muscle and the other cats were seriously hunting the mouse.
Thanks everyone!