Well today turned out to be one of those days! Everything was going well . . . physio was good and teaching went well. Then all hell broke loose. Loliyo, Lucia's 9 year old daughter had a bedroom door slammed on her thumb. There was great howling understandably and a fair amount of blood. We took her to the hospital where they gave her tylenol and x-rayed the thumb. Fortunately, her thumb was not broken and the doctor didn't think stitches were required. She has a big blood blister but she is not likely to lose her thumb nail. After a couple of hours in emergency and making sure Loliyo was OK, I was beat. A cat nap cut short my online time so there was no Open Thread yesterday. I am still working on the Monthly Report.
Short Takes
Huffington Post — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was honoured by a southern Alberta First Nation in a ceremony full of colour and history Friday, but aboriginal leaders also challenged him to deliver on his promises to Indigenous Peoples.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau poses after receiving a ceremonial headdress while visiting the Tsuut'ina First Nation near Calgary, Alta., Friday, March 4, 2016. (Photo: Jeff McIntosh/CP)
Trudeau shared the stage on the Tsuu T'ina reserve with chiefs in full feather headdresses, elders in vests or beaded jackets and the First Nation's rodeo stars.
High-pitched chanting and the rhythmic pounding of drums were all part of an elaborate ceremony in which the prime minister was presented with his own headdress and blessed with the aboriginal name "Gumistiyi," which means "The One Who Keeps Trying."
The headdress presented to Trudeau symbolizes accomplishment, respect, bravery and peace-building. The Tsuu T'ina Nation on the outskirts of Calgary said it has not seen fit to bestow one on a prime minister since John Diefenbaker [13th Prime Minister 1957 – 1963].
Here is a 2 minute video of the ceremony and Trudeau's remarks. The enquiry into the fates of murdered and missing Aboriginal women and girls is in its infancy and encountering some differences of opinion on how it should proceed. It will get done. Harper refused to deal with the issue. It should also be noted that the Tsuu T'ina Nation is close to Harper's riding.
Alternet — In the oral arguments for Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt — the case before the Supreme Court concerning Texas' anti-choice law, HB 2 — Texas Solicitor General Scott Keller relied on a common right-wing media myth to justify medically unnecessary restrictions on abortion. In his argument, Keller made the long-debunked claim — pushed for years by right-wing media — that HB 2 was passed to prevent another "Kermit Gosnell scandal," in which illegal operations led to multiple deaths at a Philadelphia clinic.
Supreme Court Heard Challenge To Texas Law Restricting Abortion Access
"Landmark" Abortion Case "Could Shape Abortion Rules For Years To Come." The Supreme Court heard oral arguments for Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt on March 2. The case involves a Texas abortion law that "requires abortion doctors to be affiliated with nearby hospitals and also limits abortion to ambulatory surgical centers," according to The New York Times. Pro-choice advocates and "major medical groups say [the law] will not enhance patient safety and will only reduce women's access to abortion."
Click through to see how the arguments went. It is always a good day when the "notorious" RBG, Sotomayor, Kagan and Breyer pin back the ears of someone like Keller.
Raw Story — Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson officially ended his bid for the White House on Friday after failing to win any of the early states in the race for the November election.
And then there were four! It is now official . . . Carson is out!
Truthout — TransCanada's claim that the southern route of the Keystone XL Pipeline is the safest pipeline ever built in the United States is challenged by the release of new documentation confirming multiple code violations. …
After mandatory safety tests revealed potential problems with the integrity of the southern pipeline, TransCanada dug up 130 sites and made repairs before the pipeline was permitted to start up. …
A repaired pipeline segment on the Keystone Gulf Coast pipeline. (Source: PHMSA FOIA 2016-0041_000077)
They requested PHMSA require TransCanada do a new pressure test on the pipeline to test the integrity of the repairs. But PHMSA turned them down at a private meeting held shortly before TransCanada started up the pipeline.
PHSMA explained that it had faith the repairs were done correctly …
So, when there is a catastrophic incident, who pays for cleanup, lost wages, medical bills etc? Will the BP Gulf spill be a measuring stick for reparations?
My Universe —
The reason I don't have flowers or plants in my house!
8 Responses to “Squatch’s Open Thread 05/03/2016”
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HP: I hope that Trudeau comes through on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's proposals, that would be wonderful if he does!! Wonderful and beautiful gift too!
RS: If there's good news about Carson, this is! Wish the others would follow suit. lol.
My Universe: Oddly, mine doesn't bother with flowers, she's more concerned about her food.
Video: They are very intelligent, and will defend their territory too! Great video.
Ouch!! Glad to read that Loliyo is all right, and that her thumb is not broken. It will be sore for a few days though. Tylenol should help the pain, hopefully. Sounds like you had a full day and evening. Catnap, and take it easy today. Thanks, Lynn.
I've sent you, and TomCat, a triple strength cat-nap batch; it sounds that with all the consternation you're in need of them.
HuPo: Bestowing Trudeau in a ceremony with a headdress and with the very apt name "The One Who Keeps Trying," the First Nations made their point in a beautiful and respectful way. I'm sure Trudeau will try to make good on his promises and as part of that get the inquiries into the death and disappearance of First Nation women and girls up to steam. He also knows that if he doesn't succeed at first he'll be reminded to try again.
Alternet: Even the Republican justices must get annoyed when a Solicitor General tries to take them for a ride with a long-debunked Myth. If they take any pride in their profession, being talked down to like that by someone who takes them all for judicial old fools, must sting despite their personal beliefs. It's rather a stupid and condescending tactic and really show that K2 has no basis other than trying to close the last abortion clinics in the state.
RS: Do you think Carson himself has realized yet that he's out? That man seemed to live in another reality and it may not have dawned om him yet.
Truthout: After testing a 130 sites needed repair even before the safest pipeline ever built in the United States was started up, but PHSMA saw no reason to test the repairs again? When the line springs a leak in the (distant) future I'm sure TransCanada's lawyers will remind PHSMA of their decision and puts the bill on their plate.
My Universe: Golden rule: cat's don't adapt to your house, you adapt your house to your house.
I hope your young charge feels better .
If I can help give you perspective for your pastoral; studies class, let me know.
Millions of us are badass!
Ah, parenting! Even vicariouslly, it's an energy-zapper. Take two cartoons and call me in the morning (if you only have time for one, make it the first one.)
HuffPo – Very nice. I love the name they gace him. Encouraging each other generally leads to better results than fighting; the problem is that both sides have to be willing to encourage (so it won't work in, say, the US Congress).
AlterNet – I had a late email yesterday saying "we won" but that I think was in Louisiana. We do need a new justice pronto – like it n=mught happen. Sigh!
Raw Story – It's a darn good thing he never opened his eyes or he might have seen a path – or thought he did.
Truthout – Even a couple of years ago there were protesters waling around who walked into the pieces of pipe lying around – and got light from the cracks where they were improperly selded! And, lest you think those might have been mended, not a chance. They were in the ground later the same day. Safe my unmentionable body parts.
Universe – More parenting LOL.
Hope Loliyo recovers quickly!
Other than eye trauma, there was almost nothing that ever made me the least bit queasy while practicing … EXCEPT for draining subungual hematomas (blood under the nail).
The whole idea of heating a paperclip to red hot and then pushing it through the nail just did NOT sit well with me.
The office finally got a cauterizing drill which at least made it look like we weren’t stocking leeches in the back storeroom. (And yes, I know leeches are used today for some wound debridements – but that would give me the heebie-jeebies, too.)
Carson, bye, bye. Keller, bye bye? I can't get the Alternet click-through.
Trudeau..kudo. Harper, go fade into obscurity under some goddamn rock, somewhere.
Transcanada will lie about anything.
You had too much excitement for one day, no wonder you needed a nap!
Huffpo: I hope Trudeau lives up to his expectations, and does as well as his father. I lived in Michigan and got CBC when he was Prime MInister. Canada, as well as the USA needs to do more for the native populations.
Alternet: I couldn't get the link to work, but I read to day that RBG really put them in their place.
Truthout: The people living in the vicinity of the pipeline are the ones who will pay of there is a leak or explosion. PHMSA may need to be investigated to see why they are not doing their job.
My Universe: believe me, I do have plants and for some reason, they are left alone. This might be due to the catastrophe that happened when they were kittens and knocked over a plant on a stand and got covered with dirt. Two of my cats are tall enough to reach the door handles and try to open the doors. Good thing we did not install those for arthritic hands as we had intended to do.
;
I usually don't have any major excitement on ANY day – and I STILL always take a nap!
(Still in mode from medical training days where you learn to grab sleep whenever you can)