At 8:00 AM the temperature outside is 64° and the forecast high is 75°. Unfortunately the hallways here are still in the 90°s. It will take a couple days for the building to cool. Today, tomorrow and Saturday are minor holy days in the Church of the Ellipsoid Orb, as it’s the second week of preseason. My Broncos’ service against Big Oil is Saturday evening, but it won’t be televised here. I can see the service on Sunday morning. May the blessed light of the holy Orb shine upon your team, unless you like Houston. 
I have my credit card, so I have bills to pay. In summary, I’m pooped,
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 4:39 (average 5:05). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos: In May, Missouri House Speaker John Diehl resigned after revelations he had a "sexually charged relationship" with a college freshman who was interning in a Missouri Capitol internship program. He was, of course, one of those "family values" conservatives.
A mere two months later, Missouri Senator Paul Levota abruptly resigned after revelations he sexually harassed two female interns.
Now the Missouri Republicans are scrambling to come up with a new internship policy. Rather than focusing on getting their own members to behave professionally with young staffers, as they would in any business setting, the Missouri GOP seems hellbent on reeling in those interns who cause so much trouble. Among their recommendations? Stricter dress codes for interns:
When Republicans commit crimes, the Party has a standard solution: blame the victims. This shows just how hypocritical so-called "Republican Family Values" are.
From The New Yorker: Eager to shore up their pro-life credentials, several Republican Presidential candidates used campaign appearances on Wednesday to assert that the babies of undocumented workers have the right to be born and then immediately deported.
Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee sounded that theme in a campaign appearance in Des Moines, telling his audience, “We must vigilantly safeguard the life of the unborn, and, as soon it is no longer unborn, make sure that it leaves and takes its illegal parents with it.”
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker concurred, telling a crowd in Iowa City, “Every life is precious, and we must protect that life before marching it to the border twenty-four hours later, at the very most.”
Perhaps the most evangelical invocation of the right to life came from Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), campaigning in Cedar Rapids. “Every baby is a creation of God Almighty, and as Jesus is my savior, every baby has the right to live,” he said. “Just not here.”
Dang Andy! Considering the things thsy do say, it’s damn hard to believe that they did not actually say these things. I get they sue you for idea © violation.
From TPM: A Boston man allegedly told police that he beat and urinated on a homeless man early Wednesday because the man was Hispanic, citing real estate mogul Donald Trump’s comments on undocumented immigrants as justification for the attack.
In response, the Republican presidential candidate said that "it would be a shame" if his anti-immigrant campaign rhetoric inspired the beating. He immediately pivoted from the mild condemnation to praising his "passionate" supporters’ commitment to restoring America to greatness.
Now Hairball has an indirect victim, but he probably won’t be satisfied, until he has a famous victim, like his heroine, Bloody Bullseye Barbie, has Gabby Giffords.
Cartoon:
26 Responses to “Open Thread–8/20/2015”
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4:56 (5:05) Still have that catnip dressing ready?
So glad your card came. I know what that is like.
DKos – Just to clarify, stricter dress codes for interns, male and female (?!), were suggested by more than one Republican, but did not make it into the draft. Someone must have realized what a laughingstock it would make them (not that it doesn't already).
New Yorker – Dammit, if they want me to recognize the Second Amendment as carved in stone, they can damned well recognize the 14th Amendment as being carved in stone!
TPM – Now that one I hadn't heard. How despicable. "Illegals." Evidently he thonks all brown people are illegal? No one ever told him that a hell of a lot of the homeless are veterans? Or that many, many people of Hispanic backgrounds served in the armed forces with great honor? Or is it just that he's a slow learner, having been convicted of a similar assault on a Moroccan man in 2001 after 9/11?
Cartoon – Some people are starting to suggest that chastity belts for men, especially for male politicians, would be a better solution.
Tom, I have to nominate Chris Christie for dumblest Republican of the week – Says Women's Viagra pill will only increase lesbianism
http://www.newslo.com/chris-christie-womens-viagra-pill-will-only-increase-lesbianism/
I agree that has to be a contender Kathryn
By corollary, does that mean that viagra causes gayness in men? Christie is such a dumbass!!!!!
As we say in the south, when someone is a complete idiot, "bless his heart"
Edie, how do you bless something that Christie, or any Republicanus/Teabaggerum, does not have?
We say, " rhey are just not like us"
Welcome Kathryn!
He's full if it! If he's encountered a woman who took it and because lesbian, it's not because of the drug, It's because he wanted to mate with her. That would turn any woman lesbian.
When I read the dress code article I noted that one of the offenders was Dem TC…Joanne also added an essential
AB explains the horrors of their position so well
I hope someone holds Trump accountable for inciting such violations of the rights of others.
Cartoon: would it fit the GOP men so they keep it to themselves more?oops Joanne==sorry I guess we're great minds thinking alike?
A petition addressing a horrid campaign loophole:
http://stopcorporatecriminals.com/?SQF_ORGANIZATION=ellison&SQF_SOURCE=email11
The mail I got for it:
" Ever since the Citizens United decision, corporate money has been flooding our election system from congressional races all the way down to local school boards.
And if that wasn’t bad enough, some of these funds are coming directly from corporations that have been charged or convicted of felonies.
Let me ask you something, J.L. — do you think corporations with a history of defrauding American taxpayers should be allowed to sway our elections? Probably not, right?
That’s why I introduced the Protect Democracy from Corporate Criminals Act.
Take BP for example. Despite paying millions in criminal fines for the Deepwater Horizon disaster, they are still allowed to spend unlimited cash to try to tilt elections in their favor.
If you agree that corporate criminals buying elections is outrageous, add your name as a citizen co-sponsor today.
Until we finally overturn Citizens United and put power back in the hands of the people, we can at least keep corporate criminals out of our election system.
Thanks,
-Keith Ellison"
P.S. Did you notice that you skipped a couple dates in your titile?
"Take BP for example. Despite paying millions in criminal fines for the Deepwater Horizon disaster, they are still allowed to spend unlimited cash to try to tilt elections in their favor."
Seems like a double standard! A criminal who robbed a convenience store cannot vote, but a criminal corporation can vote with their cheque book.
Petition signed
BTST!! Thanks!
Petition Signed. It would be very lovely if these corporations posing as people were sent to prison.
Things seem to be going better, TomCat: temperatures dropping, a new credit card and your Broncos’ service televised on Sunday morning. May the good life continue to smile upon you.
Daily Kos: If Red state Republicans don't change their attitude and behavior – and why would they – we'll soon see the burka introduced for their interns. And then these same men will go out and rally against Muslims because Islam oppresses women.
The New Yorker: I'm sure Andy's been eavesdropping again and then has quoted these Republican hopefuls verbatim. Very uncomfortably close to the truth and just not funny.
TPM: That is both absolutely shocking and no surprise at all. In the end neither Donald Trump nor Scott Leader takes responsibility for his actions, but I wouldn't expect anything else from a Republican and his rabid base.
Cartoon: Did you know these "girdles"were made just as a deterrent, never to be used in real life?
So chastity belts (aka, "girdles") were just used as a "deterrent" and not put into actual practice?
All things considered, that's probably at least a small bit comforting. Not getting into the overt misogyny, just strictly mechanically, it looks like an out-and-out torture device!
Legend has it King Arthur's knights got them for their wives for while they were away fighting…and were similarly popular for the Crusades
The ones that were put into practice were the ones for young men. They were Doctor's prescriptions.
Lona, it's just not the same to watch the game the next day, when you already know the final score.
for Wiki on it:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chastity_belt
I hope the building cools off quickly.
Daily Kos: I guess all those g strings and pasties the teenage interns were wearing were distracting to the sober members of the GOP. Yikes, more slut shaming of women for men's foolishness.
The New Yorker: Andy has read their minds! The only time life is precious to them is when it is in the womb, after it is born they don't care what happens to it.
TPM: And this is the type of person who will vote for Trump, sadly I believe there are more of them than us.
Cartoon: Yep, but nothing for men.
3:45 I love lavender and have a good crop in my little garden.
3:26 Beautiful!
I was half asleep.
Puzzle — 3:45 I love lavender and have a good crop in my little garden.
Daily Kos — The solution is not a separate dress code for interns, more a chastity belt for the offending legislators! Personally, had these men not resigned, they should have been fired. Since sexual harassment is illegal, the men should also be charged criminally.
The New Yorker — Andy is reporting news again! This from Iowa conservative radio host, Jan Mickelson:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/jan-mickelson-slavery_55d54b53e4b0ab468d9fd978?kvcommref=mostpopular
Isn't he just so precious . . . NOT!!!!!
TPM — Words do hurt and influence, especially when spoken by an idiot like Trump! He demands others take responsibility when they slam him. He needs a dose of his own medicine . . . perhaps by losing the Republicanus/Teabaggerum nomination.
Cartoon — Works for me as birth control, but not for women! As I said above, chastity belts for men! . . . and women hold the keys!
Thanks all. About belts for men, see my reply to Nameless.