I’m writing for tomorrow, day 151. I’ve only had a couple hours of sleep since yesterday morning. I just can’t get to sleep. I have no idea why. I have to be up early tomorrow for physical therapy, and that will wipe out my research time, so expect a Personal Update only on Saturday morning.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 4:07 (average 4:52). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From The New Yorker: Two days after voting against the Paycheck Fairness Act, a law that would help women to obtain equal pay, the four female Republicans in the United States Senate co-sponsored a bill that would slash their salaries to seventy-one per cent of what their male colleagues earn.
The senators—Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)—said that the best way to take a stand against big government’s intrusive attempts to mandate equal pay for women was to take a twenty-nine-per-cent pay cut themselves.
“The days of the federal government forcing us to earn as much as male senators are over,” Ayotte said. “We will not stop fighting until we make twenty-nine per cent less.”
Fischer said that after voting down paycheck equity for women across America, the female Republican senators realized that they themselves were “burdened by the tyranny of equal pay” in the U.S. Senate.
LOL Andy! Fat chance! With Republicans, deprivation is for the rest of us only, never for them!
From Daily Kos: Noxious fundamentalist gasbag Bryan Fischer has come up with a bizarre new definition of a ‘Christian’ nation: it’s one where you can buy bacon. According to Fischer:
Barf Bag Alert!
What an idiot! According to him, India is a Christian nation. Bacon is on the menu there, but it’s Hindu. Lets also not forget places where Buddhism is the dominant religion.
From NY Times: An unusual but overwhelming coalition in the House voted Wednesday to authorize the training and arming of Syrian rebels to confront the militant Islamic State, backing President Obama after he personally pleaded for support.
The 273-to-156 vote was over a narrow military measure with no money attached, but it took on outsize importance and was infused with drama, reflecting the tension and ambiguity of members wary of the ultimate path to which any war vote could lead.
There was rare unity between House Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio and Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the minority leader, who strongly backed the training legislation and sought to portray it as a modest measure. And the opposition included the equally unlikely pairings of antiwar Democrats and hawkish Republicans.
Of course most Republicans support a measure that uses taxpayer dollars to buy weapons from military contractors to arm the rebels. I see a problem, because there is no money attached. How much do you want to bet that Republican’s will want cuts in spending for poor and middle class necessities to balance the cost of funding it?
Cartoon:
12 Responses to “Open Thread–9/19/2014”
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3:22 I didn't know Foos-Ball players rode bikes too.
3:14 I had to move fast to get out of the way of the zebras.
3:48 The guy needs to relax a little. He looks stiff in the saddle.
New Yorker ~ Those traitors to women should get their pay cut.
Daily Kos ~ Maybe we're an atheist nation? This man's ignorance is astounding.
NY Times ~ We have to pay for it somehow. Why not by taking more from the poor and the weak? They can't fight back. We know that's what they will ask for.
Cartoon ~ A TeapublicanT Ambulance. They spare the expense of a siren.
5:02 (average up to 5:15)
New Yorker – With so many Republicans claiming women don't WANT equal pay, they might believe this. They don't see it as deprivation if it's what they WANT. Like they WANT to keep their old junk health plans. And they WANT to turn down Medicaid assistance in their states.
Daily Kos – It has about as much to do with Christianity as everything else he preaches.
NY Times – I am not betting against a sure thing.
Cartoon – Isn't that a little fancy for the poor? Maybe strip off some of the chrome. Definitely no curtains. And isn't that a Cadillac or maybe Buick logo? Couldn't we get something made in Korea? The passenger ain't gonna care about a nice ride.
Puzzle — 3:48 The guy needs to relax a little. He looks stiff in the saddle.
The New Yorker — I said this very thing the other day . . . Republican women should take a pay cut to be in solidarity with other women. I think I also said that that would happen only if pigs could fly!
Daily Kos — Fischer makes a rat's ass look intelligent! Every time I see him, I want to hurl something fierce.
NY Times — "An unusual but overwhelming coalition in the House…"? Saints preserve us, I didn't know such a thing existed. It would be interesting to know who the 156 wre.
Cartoon — I'm surprised it looks so nice. I would have thought that the Republicanus/Teabaggers would have opted for a horsedrawn open wooden freight wagon so that the bodies could be stacked like cord wood. Putzes!
Two bits of news . . .
Ecojustice has filed a court action in BC Supreme court to stop the expansion of the Delta coal dock. The expansion is geared to accept US coal which was to arrive by train. If I recall, forces in Washington state were looking to expand or build a coal facility but it was nixed.
TransCanada has announced that the delay in the approval of the Keystone XL, a project they say they proposed 6-8 years ago, has meant that the project will now cost $10 billion, double original estimates. They were very open about the costs saying that the increased cost will be passed to refineries and ultimately consumers. Anyone else think TransCanada is trying to use scare tactics?
Lynn – I agree that TransCanada are trying scare tactics. To those of us who are older, maybe we realise more than most that whenever anyone is trying to sell a project the costs are always very low – it is later that they mount – so this is no surprise. Nor is their trying to blame environmentalists!
I hope you get some sleep tonight.
The NewYorker: Love this, if only it would truly happen. I never understand women who won't support other women!
Daily Kos: Laughing so hard at this idiot it is hard to make a comment!
NY Times: Bernie Sanders voted against this measure. It is hard for me to support it if he is against it, as he usually is right. You are right though, TC, the Repubs will find some way to cut funds for social programs to support this.
Cartoon: Yes, they would rather let you die than provide health benefits.
Edie – oh dear, if Bernie is against it, (as you say he is usually right) – what mis-step has happened now?…
I am wondering that myself. I also suscribe to POGO and they seem to be against it, too.
Hope all goes well with the Physio, , TC.
New Yorker – oh, how I wish this were true – but every last one of these blighters is a hypocrite and they'd never do so!
Daily Kos – Jesus (as an observant Jew during his lifetime) would be staggered (in so very many ways) by this man!
Lynn – I agree that TransCanada are trying scare tactics. To those of us who are older, maybe we realise more than most that whenever anyone is trying to sell a project the costs are always very low – it is later that they mount – so this is no surprise. Nor is their trying to blame environmentalists!
Edie – oh dear, if Bernie is against it, (as you say he is usually right) – what mis-step has happened now?…