I’m writing for tomorrow, day 96, and this is the only article. Last night was election night for the group of prisoners I help. I was pleased with their choices. I could not help thinking that I wish Republican candidates had 10% of the integrity of those convicts. After that I worked one on one with a few new guys. I was happy that one in particular responded to questions by realizing how he could have intervened with better choices that would have prevented the entire situation, in which he felt he had no choice except to act. One of the most valuable lessons learned is that today’s seemingly unimportant decisions constrain tomorrow’s available choices. Today, I’m quite pooped.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 2:49 (average 5:15). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Upworthy: If — like me — you’re a sucker for the very small human stories behind huge historical events, you’ll want to hear this from Lt. Dan Choi, who chained himself to the White House fence in 2010 and helped bring down "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" less than a year later. Make sure you check out 2:18 for his amazing love story, 6:30 for what happened when he came out to his parents, and 10:40 for the heartwarming, totally unexpected email he received from an Iraqi doctor. But really, you’ll want to watch the whole thing.
One need not be gay to be inspired by the honor, courage and commitment displayed by Dan Choi.
From The New Yorker: In his boldest move yet to address the immigration crisis, on Thursday Texas Governor Rick Perry dispatched the Dallas Cowboys to the United States’ border with Mexico.
In a photo opportunity with the Cowboys and several of the team’s cheerleaders, Perry explained the rationale behind his latest decision. “Those who would cross our borders illegally will have to contend with the power and fury of America’s Team,” he said.
As Andy goes on to explain, the Cowboys’ defense doesn’t stop anything, but there may be another way. If he has the cheerleaders invade Mexico, the men will want to stay there.
From Daily Kos: It is good to know that some in government are indeed still worried about privacy… too bad its not ours. And as people think it is a wise idea to send armed troops to ‘protect’ the Texas border we should probably be concerned that something like this happens on the U.S. Canada Border:
A central Iowa Boy Scout troop just returned from a three-week trip they will likely never forget.
Boy Scout Troop 111 Leader Jim Fox spelled out what happened to him and the Mid-Iowa Boy Scout Troop 111 as four van-loads of Scouts and adult volunteers tried to drive from Canada into Alaska.
Fox said one of the Scouts took a picture of a border official, which spurred agents to detain everyone in that van and search them and their belongings.
“The agent immediately confiscated his camera, informed him he would be arrested, fined possibly $10,000 and 10 years in prison,” Fox said.
Dang!! I thought Bloody Barbie had resigned! Click through to see how these Republicans threatened children with guns.
Cartoon:
Joanne asked for this.
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New Yorker: re.: Andy Borowitz:
Perry fails to impress Texas border sheriffs
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/perry-fails-impress-texas-border-sheriffs?cid=eml_mra_20140723
By Steve Benen
Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) caused a bit of a stir this week, announcing plans to dispatch as many as 1,000 National Guard troops to the U.S./Mexico border, apparently to address the recent humanitarian crisis. The Republican governor (and likely presidential candidate) has struggled to explain exactly what these troops would do, but Perry seems quite excited about “Operation Strong Safety.”
The governor, however, has not necessarily impressed those whom Perry assumed would be allies.
Leaders along the Texas border with Mexico slammed Gov. Rick Perry’s move Monday to send 1,000 National Guard troops to South Texas, saying overwhelmed counties need law enforcement and charitable aid, not militarization. […]
Sheriffs and others along the border said they had not been consulted. They questioned the wisdom of sending military personnel who are not authorized to stop anyone.
The quotes from local law enforcement to the Dallas Morning News were quite striking. Cameron County Sheriff Omar Lucio said, “At this time, a lot of people do things for political reasons. I don’t know that it helps.” Specifically in reference to National Guard troops, Lucio added, “I don’t know what good they can do.”
Ouch.
Hidalgo County Sheriff Eddie Guerra also told the McAllen Monitor that the Guard troops can’t make arrests and he didn’t know what their objective would be.
“The National Guard – they’re trained in warfare; they’re not trained in law enforcement,” he said. “I need to find out what their actual role is going to be, but I think the money would be better spent giving local law enforcement more funds.”
Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, a Democratic state senator from McAllen, a border community, added that if crime were a reason to call out the National Guard, then based on statistics, the troops would be better sent to Dallas and Houston.
Taken together, Perry hasn’t impressed law enforcement, hasn’t impressed local officials with his plan, and hasn’t even impressed everyone at Fox News. But since the idea is probably focused on impressing caucusgoers in Iowa, it’s possible the Texas governor doesn’t much care about the chilly reception to his plan.
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The only person Perry seems to have impressed was Joe Arpaio. lol.
Joe is impressed by anyone from the Reich.
Ditto what Edie said!
5:40 How ironic is it that the scientific name for "lovebird" from "agape" love "ornis" bird includes the string "porn"? Do we need to complain about slut shaming in scientific terminology?
Upworthy – How does one comment when he tells his own story so well?
The New Yorker – More irony here. I'll just say no Mexican Dan Choi is going to be inspired by the cheerleaders.
Daily Kos – Do click through to see how the border officials defended their actions as just trying to teach civics. "A valuable lesson." Good Gad.
Cartoon – LOL! This makes better sense that most of the "Conservative" "reasoning" we hear.
So glad you had a good day at the prison. I have no trouble believing that Republican candidates would be vastly improved by adopting some of the integrity of prisoners. "Today's seemingly unimportant decisions constrain tomorrow's available choices." Hobby Lobby should make a cross stitch kit with that quote (but won't.) Maybe I will. Is it original? There are way too many people walking around who do not grasp it.
Joanne, that is a TC original quote, and I would be honored if you steal it.
I thought it sounded original. I am on it. Thanks!
YVW!
"I could not help thinking that I wish Republican candidates had 10% of the integrity of those convicts."
If republican candidates did, they would not be republicans.
It's just a shame that are not convicts.
3:22 These birds love eachother so much that they flock together and leave me alone!
3:33 Those birds did not show me any love.
3:38 I think they hate me!
The love in those birds was gastrointestinal! {{{BURP!!}}}
Puzzle — 3:22 These birds love each other so much that they flock together and leave me alone!
Upworthy — I could not hear this video (I really have to find out what is wrong with my computer since I can hear some but not others) but I have listened to Lt Choi before and he is courageous and right on. Being part of the LGBT community does not make anyone less patriotic or less courageous.
The New Yorker — When I read this a day or two ago, I started to laugh. Perry is probably hoping that the Cowboys would punt the refugee kids home thereby giving the team some kicking practice and getting rid of this "disease ridden invasion" as Goh-merde would call them, and it wouldn't cost him any money. Now I did not know that they had the worst defense in the NFL. I guess the cheerleaders are the backup line.
Daily Kos — This is absolutely ridiculous! Having tried to cross the US border north of Browning, Montana in 1985 while I was on holidays, I can relate to these scouts. I was met with a loaded pistol pointed at my head and damn near peed my pants. I was eventually allowed to cross but it has left a distinct mark on my psyche. Me thinks that these border patrol agents are just too paranoid and should not be allowed out in public. Admittedly, we the public are not privy to all the BOLOs etc, but a little common sense could go a long way.
Cartoon — Just shows how far out of time and reality the Republicanus/Teabaggers really are since Tomás de Torquemada was alive 1420 – 1498.
It may be that you inadvertantly turned off sound on YouTube and Youtube stored the setting in a cookie. Try dumping all your cookies and temporary Internet files. There is an excellent free utility called CCleaner you can use to clean up computer crap.
We need more like you who care about those who are imprisoned. Perhaps if someone cared and showed it more would come out of prison and never go back.
Upworthy: I hope he gets all he deserves, he has served his country honorably, and whomever he loves is his right and no one should expect him to deny it.
The New Yorker" I expect the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders would stop a lot of men.
Daily Kos: I read this earlier on the site. The whole world has gone nuts, not just the USA.
Cartoon: That will probably be the next accusation from the right, and then they will claim that Obama confinced Judas to lie.
That is the goal of our orgasnization, Edie, and our recidivism rate is under 10%
I agree with Edie, TC – every country needs a whole lot of people like you in the prisons – I didn't know however that your recidivism rate was under 10% – that is astonishing and utterly admirable!
You can do that in a pubklic prison. not that it'a easy and I suspect that secretly you and your fellow volunteers walk on water, but it is acceptable. John Oliver did a segment on prisons which is all worth watching, but I bring it up to point out the the investor prospectus for at least one private prison conglomerate touts high recidivism as a reaon the investment will continue to be profitable.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Pz3syET3DY
I've seen that vid and love it. That's why private prisons should be outlawed. They have a vested interest in keeping recicivism high, which puts our communities at risk in the process.
Tonight is the first night of the Celebration of Light, a fireworks competition. Although the presentation is about 25 kilometres away on English Bay, downtown Vancouver, I can see the fireworks from my den window rising above the trees and I can certainly hear their stoccato bursts. Although there is music with each presentation, that is the one part I cannot hear.
Right now it is 10:30 pm and the climactic end of the presentation with lots of red, white and some blue. Ah quiet now in the air! But downtown will be a mess for people trying to get home.
Tonight was the US presentation. Next Wednesday is France, and next Saturday is Japan.
Just don't tell us you can see Japan from your front porch. 😉
I won't. I don't have a front porch!
Actually though, when I lived in Tofino on the west coast of Vancouver Island, we used to say "Next stop westward, Japan." We would go to the beach on a regular basis and pick up Japanese green glass ball fishing floats . . . the ones used to float nets.
I bet they would ber a good art supply.
HI TC.
May I lighten the conversation a little?
Michelle Bachman is considering running fo pres. again!.
just when I thought that I would never smile again,(considering the world news,which now consists of body counts)
Run Michelle RUN. We all need a good laugh.
I am sure she will pick Sarah Palin as her running mate. LOL
In tomorrow's Cartoon, I've made both your wishes come true.