Because it is a relatively slow day for news, and because I have been pushing myself a little harder than I ought for the last couple days, I’m making this today’s only article.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 4:02 (average 5:47). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos: Yesterday Memories Pizza was all over the news for saying this:
"If a gay couple came in and wanted us to provide pizzas for their wedding, we would have to say no," O’Connor told local affiliate ABC 57. "We are a Christian establishment."
Not sure what self-respecting human being would want wedding pizzas in the first place, but okay. We get it. You’re hateful. And guess what happens when you take to the media to trumpet your right to discriminate?
Memories Pizza, a takeout restaurant in Walkerton, Indiana, has closed its doors following outrage over remarks the shop owner made regarding same-sex marriage. […]
Co-owner Kevin O’Connor, whose relation to Crystal is unclear, said Memories is "temporarily" dark until "threatening" calls and online posts die down, according to TMZ.
Funny how when you trumpet to the world that you’re going to discriminate against people, you get an overwhelming negative response—even if you try to claim it’s not discrimination.
May all such Republican businesses close this way.
From NY Times: The uproar set off by legislation in Indiana and Arkansas that sponsors billed as religious freedom measures not only signaled a revival of the culture wars, but also threw into stark relief the expectations and tensions in the coalitions that now make up the two major political parties.
The contrasting reactions to the proposals — Democrats united in opposition, Republicans torn by dissent — illustrates how the parties have effectively traded places.
This phenomena is how Republicans were able to shift the entire political spectrum further and further to the right, over the last 30 – 40 years. Rather that trading places, a more realistic description is that the Republican Reich has moved so far right, that Democrats now enjoy majority support on such issues. The difference now is that instead of giving ground like Democrats did, Republicans seem content to destroy the nation.
From TPM: When it comes to health care at the Supreme Court this year, all eyes are focused on the Obamacare tax credits case, King v. Burwell. But a case decided this week, Armstrong v. Exceptional Child Center, Inc., has raised significant concerns for the availability of quality health care for those who need it most.
In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court turned against decades of legal precedent and ruled that Medicaid providers cannot use the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution to stop state provider payment policies that are inconsistent with the federal Medicaid Act’s requirement for adequate reimbursement rates. That may sound like a bunch of legalese, but the outcome has a real impact on the 68 million-plus people relying on Medicaid. If a state’s Medicaid payment rates are too low (and many providers complain these rates are below their cost of providing services), then provider participation in Medicaid—and the ability of enrollees to obtain care—is at risk.
This is just how RepubliCare works.
Cartoon:
His opposition to Vietnam was a threat to war profits.
21 Responses to “Open Thread–4/4/2015”
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Perhaps pure capitalism will put a stop to bigotry in the marketplace?
SCOTUS scares me–CA hasn't had adequate rates for many specialists, especially pediatric specialties like neurology, sufficient to have any in most areas for decades…sounds like the penalty of poverty is to choose between debtor prisons and death with this conservative reign of terror.
Failing to heed Eisenhower's warnings did at least contribute to MLK's assassination.
Perhaps…
5:14 average then 5:46. Well, that was interesting.
Daily Kos – Nameless, do please weigh in on pizzas and weddings for us. Merci beaucoup.
After reading an earlier article on this, I wish I could remember where, that included something like "You could tell that the reporter had called a whole lot of bakeries and was getting desperate for an interview, and that the baker was being led," I could almost find it in my heart to feel a twinge of sympathy. Just a twinge. OK, I'm over it.
NY Times – Now if we could only get election results to reflect that DEmocrats are the mainstream.
TPM – Hoo boy, you know what is going to be hitting the fan. Anyone know a pitchfork factory (or even a distributor) I could buy stock in?
Cartoon – Yes, it was. Moral scruples are always a threat to the greedy. That was a tragic day indeed.
That requires defeating apathy. Republicans have learnes that hate is a petter motivator than mere agreement.
Better slow down and don't try to do so much, we need you healthy.
Daily Kos: Couldn't have happened to a meaner guy. Serves him right. I am still trying to decide what part of Christianity do they know that I don't. We were told to love our neighbor as our self, right?
NY Times: REpublicans are content to destroy the nation, unbelievable, but true.
TPM: Until we get a new Supreme Court we can expect more of these rulings
Cartoon: A sad day for our country, that whole year was bad.
I'm trying, Edie!
2:42 Ain't no fence high enough . . .
3:36 I'm all tied up in knots.
3:49 Not as much as I am, Patty.
Not edible!
Hey TC I need to ask you something and I hope you can help me. If I remember correctly you have COPD. Am I right?
The reason I ask is because the doctor just told me that I have emphysema {COPD} and I would like too know what symtoms you had\have to compare to mine. I think that he's right, however I also believe that there is another issue as well that's causing me pain.in the middle of my chest.
I do have some cardio issues, but I don't believe that is the cause of the pain. Any helpful information you may be able to provide to me would be greatly appreciated.
Thankks, AP
AP, COPD symptoms vary, because it's a combination in varying degrees of chronic bronchitis and emphysema. On occasion mine causes chest pain, but only when it triggers coughing so severe that it strains the chest muscles used for breathing.
In addition to a pulmonologist, you should also be seeing a cardiologist. A stress test and ultrasound might be in order.
Nameless, do you have anything to add?
Puzzle — 2:42 Ain't no fence high enough . . .
Daily Kos — Christian pizza or non-Christian pizza, it's all in the ingredients. It would seem that Memories Christian (pseudo of course!) Pizza is not using good ingredients worthy of their clientele. Fabulous idea . . . close down before you are shut down.
NY Times — Beware! Just watch how they walk! If they walk differently than they talk, the seeming change is all a charade to defraud.
"Already, some in the party [Republicanus/Teabaggerum] are seizing on what they see as an opportunity to fuse social conservatism with at least rhetorical populism."
Everybody's rights end at the end of their nose. We are all free to worship how we choose and beleive what we want. That is guaranteed in the 1st amendment, but it ends at the end of our noses.
TPM — Just goes to show that you can't trust what a Republicanus/Teabaggerum says, especially a lowlife like Scalia.
There's more than way to screw the people and the 5 Injustices of Scrotus are especially proficient at it!
Cartoon — A very sad day! Like Gandhi, assassinated for bringing hope and justice to people. This is the picture I always see in my minds eye when I think of MLK Jr's assassination.
No matter what the dish, hatred ruins the recipe.
Sorry, but I hope all Rethuglican businesses do NOT close this way.
Evilangelists have raised ~ $850,000 for them, courtesy of Glenn Beck and Dana Loesch.
Now GoFundMe will take a 5% cut, and I think another 3% goes to someone – and it's all taxable – but that's still a lot of "dough". (Who would pass up THAT one?)
OK… cloce without the extra hate money bonus.
Daily Kos – what a wonderful article – but then I was so sorry to read Nameless' revelation about what is going on in the background about that benighted pseudo christian pizza place – but then after 40 years of Right Wing doctrine, they have more money to give to people as they have managed to get most of all of our nations' wealth into their sticky paws. (Mind you, they would never give to a real charity – just another bigoted member of their klan).
Happy Easter everyone!
Excellent observation!
Daily Kos ~ As of today, they have raised $842,387. Sickening! http://www.aol.com/article/2015/04/04/indiana-pizzeria-s-donations-reach-842-387-in-wake-of-anti-gay/21161373/
NY Times TeapublicanTs are afraid to take a stand because they don't want to offend their base. So they hedge.
TPM ~ In keeping with the Easter Season, the Fascist Five take health care away from the neediest.
Cartoon ~ A dark day in our country's history.
Happy Easter!
Thats $900 too much!
NY Times: It is another attack on the poor getting MEDICAL care!