Sep 142011
 

Yesterday I ran errands, rested, and worked on my volunteer activities.  I’m current on replies.  Tomorrow I’ll be at Oregon State Penitentiary leading our CoDA group there and working with prisoners.  I shall not get home until the time I normally wake up to write articles, so I’ll be exhausted.  I may take a day off, or my articles may be short and late, so don’t worry.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:40 (average 5:10).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Crooks and Liars: A video from Ohio’s “No on 2” campaign to stop the union busting in SB5.

Go UNION!

From Common Dreams: Former President Jimmy Carter says he supports the Palestinian campaign for statehood recognition at the United Nations because the Obama administration hasn’t offered a plan for peace in the region.

That isn’t correct.  Israel has rejected Obama’s plan, because they refuse to stop expanding into Palestinian land.

From Alternet: On Thursday, Duane Buck is set to become the 235th person to be executed during Rick Perry’s tenure as Governor of Texas. Buck murdered two people and shot a third in 1995, and is, by his own admission, totally guilty. But his death sentence was obtained in party through the testimony of a since discredited psychologist who stated that Buck’s race (he’s black) made him more of a long-term threat. [emphasis added]

Rick “the needle” Perry will probably not take action, because he agrees with the discredited racist psychologist.

Cartoon:

15Cartoon

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  9 Responses to “Open Thread–9/15/2011”

  1. As a retired member, it makes me proud to share the American Academy of Pediatrics statement discrediting Bachmann’s dangerous and disingenuous drivel on the HPV vaccine:

     
    For Immediate Release: September 13, 2011 
     
    AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS STATEMENT ON HPV VACCINE
    By: O Marion Burton, MD, FAAP, president, American Academy of Pediatrics
     
    “The American Academy of Pediatrics would like to correct false statements made in the Republican presidential campaign that HPV vaccine is dangerous and can cause mental retardation. There is absolutely no scientific validity to this statement. Since the vaccine has been introduced, more than 35 million doses have been administered, and it has an excellent safety record. 
     
    “The American Academy of Pediatrics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Academy of Family Physicians all recommend that girls receive HPV vaccine around age 11 or 12. That’s because this is the age at which the vaccine produces the best immune response in the body, and because it’s important to protect girls well before the onset of sexual activity. In the U.S., about 6 million people, including teens, become infected with HPV each year, and 4,000 women die from cervical cancer. This is a life-saving vaccine that can protect girls from cervical cancer.” 

    http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/hpv2011.pdf

    • And just in case you’re ever confronted by a right-winger trying to claim that the HPV vaccine promotes having unprotected sex, the standard medical reply: Getting an HPV vaccine no more promotes having unprotected sex than wearing a seat belt promotes having an accident.

  2. 4:27 Not too bad.

    Very appropriate cartoon!

  3.  ‘No on 2’ — Republican speak — Do as I say, not as I do — We saw this philosophy with Delaney’s anti-gay rhetoric but then he was caught with a gay prostitute.  Now Gov Kasich of Ohio is stripping away union rights and calling for sacrifices while he exempts certain state employees like himself from the legislation.  To make matters worse, he grants wage increases and bonuses to those employees.  He obviously has no shame, nor any ethics!  Just another Republican thug out to create a two class country — the rich and the poor.  No more middle class.  NO MORE REPUBLICANS!

    Palestine — It seems no matter what, Israel is determined to expand, expand, expand!  It is so myopic, that it can’t see past the end of it’s own nose.  I support both the right of Israel to exist and the right of Palestinians to self determination.  These are NOT mutually exclusive.  I know from the news that Mr Obama has been trying to get the 2 sides together, but when both sides continue to make demands that they know the other side won’t accept, all we get is dizzy from going in circles.  There is room in this world for both.  Instead of leaving the discussions to men, why don’t we ask the women and children to find a solution.  It is interesting to note that UN General Assembly Resolution 181 in November 1947 called for the partition of British Mandate Palestine into a Jewish state and an Arab state.  This was accepted by the Jews but rejected by Palestinian Arabs with the support of the Arab League.  As a result, war broke out in 1948.  It seems there was almost peace at one time until others interfered.

    I know that the President takes an oath of office which includes the words ‘uphold the Constitution of . . .’.  What about the governors of individual states?  Surely they take a similar oath?  In the case of Govenors, is it the state constitution that they presumably swear to uphold?  But does the US Constitution trump the states constitutions?  It should, especially where there are more stringent articles.  Accepting that, by not granting a stay of execution and by authorising the execution to go ahead, Perry is guilty of violating the Constitution.  As Gellen said, he needs “…to do everything within their power to ensure that our justice system is not tainted by unconstitutional considerations of race.”  Scary Perry seems so proud of his accomplishment — 234 persons executed during his term as Governor.  If I were him, I wouldn’t be putting that on my résumé in 2012 when he finds himself out of work!

    Other stuff —

    • love the cartoon, and Perry’s hat is so chic!  It fits him to a Tea!
    • the puzzle was great and once I got 2 of my cats out of the way, I did better than previously, but my times still suck!

     

    • Amen!

      Well said, Lynn, but I think the big problem is Israels current government.  US aid keeps the Likud party in power.

      They do take an oath of office.  In theory, federal takes precedence, but only in areas that are federal responsibility under the Constitution.  Otherwise, states take precedence.

      Thanks.

      Soon you’ll do them purrrfectly.

  4. 3:20  The pieces all fit on the first try.  I am 81 out of 258 (314).

    • Dang!  I beat the average by 1:30, and you still beat me by 0:20.  Great solve!

      You’ll have to disprove your one minute rule again today.

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