My horoscope today said in part: "Today the moon is in your sign lined up with wild, wacky Uranus." Uranus? Uranus! I want nothing to do with Ted Cruz. It was bad enough that I had already seen the Raw Story article below, but then to see my horoscope contained Uranus . . . well that was just too much! The day started off on a low note with a 2.8 blood sugar reading (50 on the US scale) which had me sleeping all morning, even through the heat. Then the heat hit 29 (85 F) and I was getting more miserable. It has cooled down at bit but is scheduled to drop to 13 C (55 F) over night (I have my pom-poms out!). At least I had some laughs when a respected local radio commentator to whom I enjoy listening, in commenting about Brexit and the ultra conservative US politicians (read Drumpf), referred to the UK as our ailing mother and the US as our weird and wacky brother. Tomorrow will be busy with physio and teaching. Inbetween the two, I have to go pick up a new cell phone. Two days ago, it slipped from my fingers into the toilet (another good reason to leave the lid down!). I rescued it very quickly but some damage was already done, although I was able to use it — just not reliably. When I charged it yesterday, it slipped again from my fingers and fell about 25 cm (10 inches) to the carpet. That finally did it in! Do you see what I mean about Uranus???!!!
Short Takes
Alternet — During an explosive CNN segment on Sunday, former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) lashed out at President Barack Obama because she said she was tired of being called a “bigot” for supporting presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. …
“Obama just always comes tearing after Republicans constantly, calling names and calling people bigots and racists,” she complained. “And that’s their big comeback, you know. And it’s absolutely ridiculous. To see a president speak like that is offensive.”
It has been awhile since I have seen or heard of the battle-axe of Arizona, and I have thoroughly enjoyed her silence. But recently, she unleashed her big mouth attached to her fact devoid brain and lashed out at Obama for using facts when talking about Drumpf. It seems that she feels "guilty" about her association with Drumpf, or at least getting caught publicly with her hand on his ass. Even while she was governor, she demonstrated no respect for Obama, so this latest extremism does not surprise me.
Raw Story — Republican U.S. Senator Ted Cruz on Tuesday accused the Obama administration of under-emphasizing the “threat of radical Islam” as he presided over a Senate hearing for the second time since suspending his presidential campaign in early May.
President Barack Obama and top Justice Department officials have come under fire from conservatives for avoiding the term “radical Islam” when denouncing attacks by violent extremists who claim inspiration from Islamic State, such as the Orlando nightclub shooter.
I am tired of hearing the term "radical Islam" from the likes of Ted Cruz. When will we hear of "radical Christianity" and "radical Judaism"? Yes they do exist! In the news over the past several days, I have seen Pastor Steven Anderson of the Independent Fundamental Baptist church (Christian) in Tempe, Arizona preach from atop his lectern condemning the LGBTQ community with the most toxic vitriole ever, calling for the death penalty for gays, and celebrating the deaths at Orlando. Now he is calling for the death penalty for adulterers. I suppose that is one way to get rid of some politicians! — you know those family values Republicans! Of course there is "Pastor" Terry Jones formerly of Gainesville, Florida who threatened to burn Qu'rans. Or let's see, there are extremist Jews, some of them settlers who occupy Palestinian lands. Let's call this what it is with no adjectives — extremism! OK, rant over. I was appalled with the tenor of Cruz's hearing.
Globe and Mail — The Supreme Court issued its strongest defence of abortion rights in a quarter-century Monday, striking down Texas’ widely replicated rules that sharply reduced abortion clinics in the nation’s second-most-populous state.
By a 5-3 vote, the justices rejected the state’s arguments that its 2013 law and follow-up regulations were needed to protect women’s health. The rules required doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals and forced clinics to meet hospital-like standards for outpatient surgery. …
Breyer wrote that “the surgical-centre requirement, like the admitting privileges requirement, provides few, if any, health benefits for women, poses a substantial obstacle to women seeking abortions and constitutes an ‘undue burden’ on their constitutional right to do so.”
A great judgement that should never have been necessary. There are pending actions in Mississippi and Louisiana which will likely fall. Let's hope that all such laws and regulations in all states will be declared unconstitutional now that SCOTUS has ruled.
My Universe —
Thank God for 9 lives!
Arrggghhhh!!!!! Kitty breath!
9 Responses to “Squatch’s Open Thread 28/06/2016”
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Cross posted to Care2 at
http://www.care2.com/news/member/775377582/3995610
AN: She, and the Repugs (in general), want to blame, and lie, stoking the hatred they feel and speak against our President, while adoring the Trump movement, his BS, and lies. Thinking before speaking should be her motto. I think she's been out in the sun too long, imho.
RS: Got lots of plates of heaping hate going on….Love what Code Pink did, Kudos!!
G&M: This is wonderful news for women's rights here in TX, and the right direction to take. "President Barack Obama praised the decision, saying, “We remain strongly committed to the protection of women’s health, including protecting a woman’s access to safe, affordable health care and her right to determine her own future.” Wonderful !!
My Universe: The first kitty looks like he lands on the sofa? (hopefully)..Newborn babies are most precious, love the picture!
Uranus can be a 'bum'mer…hope that your sugar level evens out, and that you get your new cell with no problems. Unfortunately, I'm not savvy with the new market with cell phones, but customer reps are very helpful in getting the best deal. For me, anyway. Good Luck. Enjoy your day, and Thanks, Lynn.
Uranus can be a "bum"mer – or it can be "p***"-poor – depending on how you pronounce it – it can't catch a break. I think I'd be grouchy too.
AlterNet – No one is calling Jan Brewer a bigot because she supports Trump. They are calling her a bigot because she is a bigot.
Raw Story – I'm with you – if the administration,the Justice Department, the Senate (and the House) would consistently hammer the term"radical Christianity" when that is what it is, like the Planned Parenthood shooter here last year, just to name one, I could forgive them the occasional "radical Islam" remark.
Globe and Mail – I didn't realize this decision was 5-3. That is amazing. Does anyone know the numbers on the related decision to keep guns out of the hands of convicted domestic abusers?
Universe – Kittens just want to have fun!
For future referebce, let a wet cell phome sit overnight in a bag of uncooked rice, before turning it on. Fortunately UIranus wasn't on the toilet. Similar weather here.
The Brewerstan Death Angel murders the poor without regard for color or creed.
The term Republican Supply-side pseudo-Islam would be a better term.
Neat kitties!!
Dear Jan –
Can I call you “Jan”? I like to call all my employees by their first name. (You were employed by the people, right?)
If you HATE Pres. Obama calling republicans “bigots and racists” – and want him to STOP calling republicans “bigots and racists” … well, there’s a very easy way to do that:
STOP BEING “BIGOTS AND RACISTS”!
I just LUVS me some Notorious RBG …
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg:
But take some time to savor a Baker's Dozen of great quotes by the distaff justices of SCOTUS for protecting a woman's right of Choice:
http://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/news/a54674/texas-abortion-case-female-justices-quotes/
Thanks for this link, Nameless. That made for some excellent and uplifing reading indeed. Makes me want to wish that SCOTUS was all women.
Sorry to hear about your Uranus (uranal?) day, Lynn. I never had low blood sugar nor have I ever take my phone to the toilet, so I can't say I can truly feel what it's like, but I can truly feel for you never the less. I've heard of quite a few people who dropped their phones down the toilet and having to rescue it it more or less successfully so perhaps they should bring the old ashtrays back in toilets, but then altered to hold a phone? And you also have some special rubbery covers/holders for phones they say are made for people working in construction and the like, but which apparently also a great hit with people with butter fingers, or arthritis and with the elderly. 😉
Alternet: Your great mind was in the same ditch as Carrie's so I hope you don't mind if I quote myself on this one, Lynn: " Jan Brewer has a point, somewhere in between her ranting. She shouldn't be called a bigot and a racist because she supports Drumpf. She should be called a bigot because she is one in her own right, as she has shown many times as governor of Arizona.
Raw Story: During his campaign it became quite clear that Cruz is a Christian extremist himself and having him preside a senate hearing of a subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee is a flagrant breach of constitution's separation of church and state. In addition, Cruz abuses his position to dally in the GOP's favorite, and sadly only, pastime of attacking Obama and blaming him for everything Republicans have messed up over decades. When are you getting rid of this vile man by kicking him out of office, America?
And I fully agree with your "rant", Lynn
G&M: Thank goodness Kennedy came to his senses this time and voted along with the Constitution and the law. I think even he didn't like to be taken for a fool and made to look away when Texas (and other states of course) concocted some laws to make abortions impossible on behest of the pro-life, anti-women clique and then trying to sell them to the public and now SCOTUS as " needed to protect women’s health". This ruling should never have had to be made, and those abortion clinics should never have had to shut down because of it. I wonder if we'll ever hear how many lives these disgusting "laws" in the meantime have destroyed or altered for ever.
But then there was My Universe again which made my blood pressure come back down. Thanks Lynn.
Wasn't that great . . . RBG, Kagan, Sotomayor, Breyer and above all Kennedy all with the majority decision! Roberts, Teabag Thomas and Alito descenting. Of course after that, Alito went on his own petty rant showing just how "out to lunch" he is.
Thanks all!