Yesterday was strange – not that nothing happened around the nation and the world, but that so many of the things that did happen were so odd. We can blame climate change for some of it, but not for all, certainly. I think I remember that Colleen’s delayed surgery was for carpal tunnel or somethiing of the sort – if so, she may be recovering just fine but not feel up to commenting yet. I hope that’s the case, but also hope to hear soon.
Cartoon 
Short Takes – News of the Weird today!
WFAA – ‘Once you see one, you’ll see another’: Have you seen one of these worms in your yard? They’re toxic. Here’s how you deal with them.
Quote – “The way this flatworm harms our ecosystem is it eats earthworms, which are necessary for our forests, our crops…our gardens to survive,” Morgan-Olvera said, “In order for it to digest earthworms, it secretes a chemical, or a neurotoxin, and that can cause an allergic reaction on your skin if you’re handling it.”
Click through for full story, including what – and what not – to do.
NBC News – Vehicles stuck on Detroit freeways after torrential downpour
Quote – [I]t was predicted that the city would get close to two inches of rain Friday night, but nearly seven inches fell. “The intensity of these storms exceeded the design standards for pump stations and combined sewer overflow facilities serving the Detroit region,” Brown said at a press conference on Saturday. There was so much rain that there was nowhere for the water to go, he explained, other than flooding streets and basements.
Click through for more. (But there’s no such thing as climate change. Right.)
NextShark – Australian Woman Who Woke Up From Surgery With Irish Accent May Be Stuck With It for Life
Quote – This week, Yen underwent a brain scan which confirmed “nothing wrong.” But she was diagnosed with Foreign Accent Syndrome (FAS), a rare medical condition that may be triggered by neurological or psychological damage, according to speech pathologist Kirrie Ballard. “Foreign Accent Syndrome is a legitimate disorder. It’s described as a person’s speech changing, so that it sounds as though they’re speaking in a different accent to their habitual accent,” Ballard told 60 Minutes.
Click through for the story. Bizarre, but true. And it says a lot about how we humans treat each other – none of it good.
Food for Thought
14 Responses to “Open Thread for June 27, 2021”
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“‘Toon: We ave come along way since 1969, but have along way to still go. State laws aimed at denying Trans people their rights, are being looked at, at DOJ, I believe.
WFAA: I’m sorry to see thatch does not know that the word is “because,” or, t least “’cause.” they are now in northwestern Florida.
NBC: Marone!
NS: Holy cowabunga!
FFT: That’s them!
Hello.
Just wanted to let you know that I’m still recovering from the operation. They ended up giving me a nerve block, which I never had before. It totally numbed the right side from the neck to the fingers. It remained numb till 2:30 A.M. this morning. Then I woke up to major pain. I took a pain pill and it took some of the pain away. I still don’t have full use of my arm/hand or fingers. I’m hoping it does get better soon. Thanks for the prayers and well wishes. 
Nice to hear from you, Colleen. Hope you have a swift and full recovery. Take care. MEEOOWW, also,LOL!
Wishes for further recovery.
Thanks Colleen! That all makes sense. When the anestheticfrom the surgery wears of is when the pain is the worst, in my experience. I don’t know whether the doctor told you to move the arm or to rest it as much as possible, follow instructions, because that generally works the best for healing. Take all the time you need!
How wonderful to see you back among us, Colleen. I’m sorry the pain is so nasty and I hope it will subside soon and you’ll have full control of your arm, hand and fingers back. I wish you good healing.
Sending you healing vibes!
Toon: Wish I’d gone there, but back in the 60’s idnk about it. My BIL went there, (NYC) , and he said he had a blast! Folks are friendly there too and Jersey too. NYC rocks! and so does Jersey!
WFAA: ick. I hope I don’t see any of these, but if I do, a jar of gas should take care of it. I don’t think my critters would even notice them, in the back yard,…but I’ll be looking for them. That goes for scorpions in the house, too.
NBC: It does bring a danger to folks when roads are flooded like that, stay safe. Turn around, don’t drown !!
NS: Holy Moly! Odd…..but fascinating to me…but not to Angie Yen though.
FFT: Yea. That sounds about right for the R’s.
Colleen: You take all the time you need to get back to good health. Hope that your pain diminishes, and that you have a chance to rest and relax. Take care, prayers and virtual Hugs to you!!
Hope all have a relaxing day. Take care, y’all.
This just in: “Today (6/25/21, marks 8 years since SCOTUS handed down Shelby v. Holder: one of the most disastrous and dangerous decisions for our democracy in recent memory. @HouseDemocrats crafted and then twice passed HR 1, the #ForThePeople Act, to remedy the assault on the vote and on our democracy.”
~ Nancy Pelosi ~
2. “We’ve struck a deal. A group of senators – five Democrats and five Republicans – has come together and forged an infrastructure agreement that will create millions of American jobs.” ~ President Biden ~
3. “The senior ranking officer of the Armed Forces of the United States of America was called a PIG by @Tucker Carlson on @FoxNews the other night. Fox News and the Murdoch’s are a cancer in this country.”
~ Steve Schmidt ~
**(Senior Ranking Officer is Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff) – Army General Mark A. Milley – pb -**
4. “It’s ridiculous Mitch McConnell can steal two Supreme Court seats for Trump with 51 votes but protecting fundamental right to vote requires 60 votes.” ~ Ari Berman ~
5. “With Generals like this, it’s no wonder we’ve fought considerably more wars than we’ve won.”~ Matt Gaetz ~ *reply – “Thank you for your service…. As an armchair General in the faux outrage army.” ~ Adam Kinsinger ~
TJI#1: Sometimes SCOTUS is a SCOURGE!
TJI#2: Should be good in many ways.
TJI#3: Gen. Milley told Gaetz where to get off, and Carlson just has to protest such outrageous treatment of yet another snot-nosed little spoiled brat, so like himself.
TJI#4: It is ridiculous,indeed, but that does not phase McTurtle.
TJI#5: Just another “Smarter than all the Generals” assswipe!
TJi #1 – I said at the time that preclearance should apply to every state, and I still say so. Demographics change, and a state which has good laws now may see attempts to make them bad. Oregon was founded as a white racist utopia.
TJI #2 – And not a single Republican will vote for it ans we’ll have to use reconciliation. But it will get Republican antics on record.
TJO #3 and 5 – And Matt and Tucker still think they are right. Whic, sadly, means so do far too many Americans (one would br too many.)
TJI #4 – Yes, that is truly shameful.
A weird world indeed.
How about US cities set up ‘cooling centres’ as historic heatwave bakes Pacific north-west
People sleep at a cooling shelter set up in Portland, Oregon.(Reuters: Maranie Staab)
This news article struck me by the terribly high temperatures that were expected tomorrow (44 degrees Celsius, 111 degrees Fahrenheit) for Portland, something that I have managed to avoid here in hotter subtropical Oz, and the sigh of relief that TomCat, who couldn’t tolerate heat very well, doesn’t have to go through that.
Cartoon: If the GQP destroys America’s democracy, the LGBTQ community will soon be back to this.
WFAA: I had to look it up but, yup, we’ve got them too. Invaded from Asia. I won’t have to fend them off, as they can’t stand dry conditions and that is all we have on offer in this region. But it also means we don’t have many earthworms either.
NBC: Weird? We’re getting used to downpours like that. Flash-flooding is Australia’s middle name.
NS: This was on TV here two weeks ago and they found another woman with the same syndrome who spoke with an Irish accent too. Not everyone speaks with the same accent, apparently. They found it comforting to meet, know they’re not alone in this and above all to be believed they’re not faking it.
FFT: The weird reasoning of Republicans that doesn’t make sense to anyone, not even the GQP.
Yes, you’re right about TC’s inability to tolerate heat, and thoughtful to remember it and have it be your first thought. My Mom too is no doubt fortunate to be spared even the knowledge of such heat in the city where she grew up (and also fortunate to be spares the ailments of being 115 – those of 93 were bad enough.)
My heart goes out to people who are suffering from that horrid heat wave. And to think this is only the beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere! Anybody who says that global warming/climate change is a hoax has horse [feces] for brains.
The FFT cartoon says it all! Rethuglicans are brainlessly focused on fetuses, but those who are already born – unless they’re white, male, straight, fundamentalist Christian [sic] and wealthy – can suck it.