Yesterday I went to PT with Courtney. She checked out Stumpy and taught me how to desensitize him by rubbing him with fabrics with different textures. She increased the distance from my door I can walk using a walker without my chair from 15 ft. to 30 ft. After I returned home I had to make a bank run. I’m waiting fir Lu to show up for my shower. She’s due in about twenty minutes. It’s also going to be our annual Spring cleaning day, so I shall be quite swamped. Later: Lu called. She’s running late.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 2:45 (average 4:17). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From The New Yorker: In a historic ceremony at the state capitol, on Friday, North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory swore in a thousand officers charged with enforcing the state’s new public-bathroom regulations.
Speaking to the newly graduated bathroom-enforcement cadets, McCrory impressed upon them the gravity of their responsibility. “You are the thin blue line charged with protecting the gender sanctity of North Carolina’s bathrooms,” he said. “Be careful out there.”
McCrory told reporters that the thousand officers are only “the first wave” of a bathroom-patrol force that will eventually swell to over fifty thousand. “This is job creation at its finest,” he said.
Andy is doing straight news about the Republican Fascist Theocracy of McCrorystan. For those who misunderstood before, this is their state flag.
From Daily Kos: A 32-year-old man lost his leg after a piece of shrapnel took it off in a gun accident yesterday. The Walton Country Georgia Sheriff’s office posted a notice to their Facebook page.
Yes, it is legal and no, we can’t make people stop doing it. But why, folks, just why?
The dangers of tannerite were more than words Saturday afternoon for a 32 year old resident of eastern Walton county. He was dangerously close to the object containing the tannerite when the final gun shot round caused it to explode sending a piece of shrapnel through his leg severing it below the knee. Yes, completely taking his leg.
If you search “tannerite” on YouTube, you will get a plethora of videos of (mostly) men blowing things up with the stuff—using their guns to make things go “boom.”
I think Tannerite should be the official substance of the Republican Party. 
From Stand Against Bigotry (PFAW): In recent months, we’ve witnessed a dangerous uptick in ugly bigotry aimed at Muslim Americans, as well as Muslim refugees fleeing violence in Syria and other regions. No person should be singled out for discrimination or harassment because of their faith—or their lack thereof. This rhetoric isn’t just deeply un-American—it’s dangerous. We’ve seen that hateful rhetoric can lead to physical violence and intimidation.
We won’t tolerate those who inflame anti-Muslim bigotry and we won’t stay silent. You shouldn’t either. Whether it’s in a presidential campaign or a personal conversation, we’re asking all Americans to stand up and call out hateful and offensive anti-Muslim rhetoric. Make it clear that you believe all people, regardless of faith, have a place in our nation and that you’re willing to speak up for that principle.
Please click through to take the pledge. I did. I think we should expand this to all forms of Republican hate and discrimination. Whether against Muslims, Blacks, Latinos, LGBT, or Women, the Republican Party have made haters socially acceptable. We should shame them into hiding under their sheets and hoods again by chastising them whenever they spew their foul bigotry in public.
Cartoon:
18 Responses to “Open Thread–3/26/2016”
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4:37 (4:17) Very pretty. But the tree doesn't seem to realize it's spring.
New Yorker – Very funny, but I suspect McCrory won't be paying except through lawsuits ("bounties"). Bad enough. I grieve for North Carolina.
DKos – It does seem scary how many men get jollies from blowing things up. Yes, some women do too, and yes, not all men do, but it does make one wonder.
PFAW – Signed pledge from email. I hope we aren't too late.
Cartoon – Now THAT is straight news!
the cartoon is so correct!
NYer: Funny, in Andy's post, but sad realistically. I am sure that Texas will want to get on the bandwagon about this too. After all, hate and discrimination is the Repugs middle name.
DK: Read about this yesterday. Boy, that stuff is powerful. I think Tannerite is already the preferred substance for Repugs, lol.
PFAW: Absolutely Signed. Reminds me of the show 'What would you do?' with John Quinones. (The show sets up real-life situations involving actors (usually in danger or in need of help) to see if people will stop to help the actors or if they will mind their own business while passing right by the actors in the scene. ) It was an eye opener for me to see how people reacted.
Cartoon: So true, so true!!
Hope you get your kitty shower soon. Company coming over this evening, for the start of Easter festivities. As I have a big back yard, Easter Bunny will be hiding eggs for the little ones to gather tomorrow. Then on to another house tomorrow for dinner. I made 2 cherry & 2 peach pies. Take good care, and Thanks, Tom.
Happy Easter, if you celebrate, enjoy your day Everyone!
I wanta pie!!
McCrory already bilked the taxpayer $40,000 by having the legislature called to a special session to pass this bill…
Things that go boom definitionally are not safe IMO.
Pledge previously signed. In CA the ignorance that goes with bigotry often targets Sikhs as if they were Islamic.
Your cartoon reminds me of the earliest local Faux news male weatherperson who got arrested for peeping Tom behavior in department store dressing rooms and was found guilty in court…
Kudos on doubling your distance!
New Yorker: Yup, job creation, a wet dream, for the pedophiles and sex abusers to monitor, inspect and be on the bathroom-patrol force is what Gov. McCory has done.
Daily Kos: Guess this guy, who lost his leg, belongs to the Stupidity Hall of Fame as do others who use and play with Tannerite.
PFAW: Pledge signed.
Never before have I seen such an uptick of discrimination, bigotry and hate as seen these days in and with current events around the country. My feeling was that we were progressing forward as a nation against those many forms of discriminations. Guess not. We are going backwards as a people and as a nation.
It (discrimination), more or less, started when the GOP lost the election in 2008 to Obama, a black man. GOP became a full-on racist party and do-nothing group of people against Obama. GOP lost, again, with Mitt Romney, a white man. Needless to say, if there should be any discrimination levied, it should be levied at the GOP and its hooded thugs.
Regardless of one's religious belief, people should be allowed to have their own beliefs and faith in a peaceful manner. A belief is a personal one and should be treated as such as long as no one else is harmed. As I am often wont to say that "all religions are flawed as are men."
Cartoon: So apt! lol..
North Carolina: No petitions today, lol.
But I do have this on North Carolina on "Voters Rights?":
9 Ways Voting In North Carolina Is About To Get Harder
On Thursday night, North Carolina passed sweeping restrictive voting laws in the wake of the Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Act decision.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/ellievhall/9-ways-voting-is-about-to-be-more-difficult-in-north-carolin#.joOae7BlX3
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 3/25/16
NC suffers backlash over law allowing anti-LGBT discrimination
Mayor Jennifer Roberts, of Charlotte, North Carolina, talks with Rachel Maddow about North Carolina's new anti-gay law blocking measures to protect the LGBT community from discrimination, and the backlash from citizens and businesses whose sense of decency or inclusiveness policies are offended by the law. Duration: 7:12
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/nc-hammered-with-backlash-over-anti-gay-law-652601411883?cid=eml_mra_20160326
Madison Kimrey, young North Carolina activist, speaking at the We Are Woman rally for equality on 9.13.14. http://www.wearewoman.us FB/NC Youth Rock
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJhfr5lLx4s
Madison Kimrey has many videos in YouTube. Have a look at this remarkable young woman. One commentator wrote: "I have a renewed sense of hope for the future of this nation now. This young lady is on fire! Madison Kimrey 2042! ". I would love to be around in 2042 but that would make me very ancient. lol!
For those of you into Easter Sunday, do enjoy the Day with Family & Friends. Hugzzz…
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Jim, I pushed your comment through. It was pending because there are too many links.
Thanks for pushing my comment. I thought three hot links was the maximum. What happened was, from my end, that I did not have an email address as well as my name signed in. I was using a different computer and was in the process of being broken in. The site disappeared with some words and back tracked it in. Did not lose my comment but made sure I signed in. lol.
I just saw that I had four hot links. Looks like one of them escaped my attention while posting the comment. Thanks for hot linking the one link I missed, wearewoman. Now, go and rest your legs and nevermind your kits. Thanks Lynn.
I'm sorry, but is this what chronologicaly grown men need to do with their time, presumed brains, and energy, shoot guns to make things blow up? And it doesn't get tired? Look at this guy, sitting on the stretcher, if he's for real, all decked out in macho threads, and some armor. Sitting there, presumably, after loosing how much blood, when his femoral artery was severed?! But he is not dressed like the guy in the video, so I do not know what gives. On the other hand, blowing up a car, or house, as in the video, leaves all sorts of debris around, apparently to no ones's concern. But wait…where do I get to buy stock in the company that makes tannerite. People buy the stuff so that they can then go buy still more after they have blown up what they last bought! Damn, is that a marketing plan from heaven, or what?
Faux News, owned by that immigrant, alien from down under (OOPS, there's an investigation we need these guys to go after, right?) who owns the New York Post (sorry Mr. Hamilton, my condolences), even going so far as to point out, on today's cover, the idiocy going on between Rumpy and Trussy!
PFAW is one of my favorite organizations; pledge signed.
It appears that Andy will have his career go on indefinitely, with these imbeciles sooooo happy to provide material for him!
P/T: Wonderful! But when will you start training for a half-marathon?
Glad to see thar someone else noted the same inconsistencies that I did. Sure does give new meaning to the word STUPID!
North Carolina is losing a lot by enacting this! And the discrimination against the people that this law effects is Unfrigginbelievable !!! I am appalled!!! It's friggen 2016!! Get a f#&$ing CLUE!
Andy has been totally SPOT ON!!!
Sounds like Courtney is working you really hard, but she is doing it for your best interests. Hope Lu showed up.
The New Yorker: I just signed a petition to Amazon to move their facilities out of NC. If enough companies will stand up and be counted, their bigoted governor will have to change his stance. The prejudices that keep showing all over our country are depressing.
Daily Kos: What kind of idiot would be doing this? Playing with fire used to be a joke, no more it seems people are getting dumber and dumber. Do they have to make everything illegal to keep people from being stupid? This makes me understand why my hair dryer has a warning for it not to be used in the shower.
Stand Against Bigotry: I took the pledge and shared it on Facebook. I am really tired of hearing about the "War on Christians" while they stir up hatred towards any other faith.
Cartoon: Made me laugh@
Sorry I was absent last night, nephew got married 4 hours away and we stayed at a hotel that had next to zero wifi connection.
Congratulations to your nephew and his bride!
Thanks, Joanne. It is a second marriage for both of them. She has a 14 year old daughter and he has an eleven year old daughter. They had the girls stand up with them instead of the traditional maid of honor and best man. I thought that was a great idea.
Puzzle — 2:38 Looks like a nice place to be and Puddy Tat can't catch any fish while I'm here!
The New Yorker — Saw this yesterday and had a bit of a laugh. McCrory doing his bit for job creation? McCrory needs to go, but until then, Moral Mondays are needed more than ever before.
Daily Kos — Like Mitch, I noticed some inconsistencies in the vid. The only thing that is consistent is an ammosexual Republican getting his jollies by hurting someone — in this case, himself. Sure does give new meaning to the word STUPID!
Stand Against Bigotry (PFAW) — Took the pledge. Some people can be truly ignorant. I called out someone quietly for making anti Muslim remarks a few weeks ago (yes we do have a few idiots here too) and was verbally "abused" with a litany of foul language.
Cartoon — Almost looks like former Republican Congresscritter from Illinois, Joe Walsh. He was wrong too!
I hope both your apartment and your exterior got cleaned for Easter, TomCat, and you're in a better mood than I am after they stole an hour of my sleep last night. They should leave all this Spring jumping ahead to the bunnies.
TNY: So glad Andy picked up on another ridiculous side of this discriminatory law. He makes it very clear what the "bathroom section" of this law is all about: window dressing, harassment of transsexuals and appeasement of the rabid Republican base who were so upset by the anti discrimination ordinance passed in Charlotte. But mainly symbol politics: for the law to work it needs surveillance of all public toilets in the state and everyone to carry their birth certificate with them and have it checked when they visit it. Too ridiculous for words, but the "bathroom" part of this law takes all the attention away from the real issues of this law: the elimination of anti-discrimination protections for all LGBT people and the prohibition of municipalities from creating their own anti discrimination policies. Forget about bathrooms, these issues have far more impact in all LGBT in NC and should be rejected and withdrawn a.s.a.p.
DK: Apparently for a lot of ammosexuals it isn't enough to walk around with assault rifles in supermarkets and scaring the s%%t out of people, their war games now also need to include blowing up stuff, including themselves because they ar so stupid. And it's all perfectly legal. You know, I'm past caring. As long as Americans keep these idiocies within their borders, I'm fine with it as it decimates the population of white angry males with strong Republican tendencies so much faster.
SAB: I'm sorry. I'm a little grumpy and I'm probably going to regret saying this tomorrow, but after more than two years of following America very closely indeed, people who say that hatred and bigotry are not the American way are missing the point. Most news Europeans (and Australians) get from America the last few ears is all about bigotry and hatred and since the Clown Car left the garage we certainly get the impression that's all there is to the US. Of course I realize that news is just as biased as American news is on "Europe besieged by Muslim immigrants/terrorists" and for a lot of people bigotry and hatred aren't the American way, but for the Republicans in general, and Drumpf, Cruz and Kasich in particular, it is what makes America strong and great again. And their voices, amplified without filter by all American media, have become the voices of "the American way" adding more division in an already divided country. Having said that, I do applaud the initiative and what it is trying to do and hope many will sign it and speak out against hatred and bigotry.
You are justified in saying this. Here we are taught that being politiclly correct means we have to allow others their point of view. I agree with it only in so far as that point of view is not so extreme as to deny others their rights. I have said to pseido-Christrians, "Your freedom to practice your beliefs ends at the tip of my nose."
I think haters have the right to have their views, but when they express them, I have the right to express my view that their view is anti-social. So of course I support an ortganization that clams it and tries to make it so.
Adding more division to an already divided country is the Republican way.