Open Thread for February 16 2022

Yesterday, I actually finished putting together the Video Thread before I finished this one. A couple of the “usual suspects” came through, and popped in an animal one which can only be viewed on You Tube – but was too good not to share About a cat who is a practicing Buddhist. And it’s easy to click through to it (and excellent CC)

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

AP News – Judge tosses Zimmerman’s lawsuit against Trayvon’s parents
Quote – Judge John Cooper in Tallahassee dismissed all counts against all defendants in the lawsuit filed by Zimmerman against Martin’s parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin; attorney Ben Crump, who had represented the family; and others. In his order, the judge wrote that Zimmerman had failed to show “any fraudulent representation” and said any further arguments in the case would be futile.
Click through for a few details about the case. In the nineties, I worked in an art gallery, ans my boss has her own way of describing what many of us call “chutzpah.” She’d say, “He has balls the size of church bells.” I think that fits here.

Second Nexus – GOP Senator Slammed for Single-Handedly Holding Up Designation of Internment Camp as Historic Site
Quote – With the 80th anniversary of Executive Order 9066 only a day away, Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah is refusing to budge on the commemoration of a former internment camp in rural Colorado as a historical site. Even in today’s bitterly divided Senate, Colorado Democratic Senator Michael Bennet secured support for the Amache National Historic Site Act from 99 out of 100 Senators, but the bill failed to pass by unanimous consent thanks to Lee’s sole “No” vote.
Click through – George Takei has many websites, and by the time they get written andhis newsletters go out, they are often a bit late. That doesn’t always change the facts. This time it did. Lee came around thanks to My Senator, and I’m only too happy to brag about it.

Comic Sands – NFL Star Takes Young Fan To Daddy-Daughter Dance After Her Father Died—And We’re Ugly-Crying
Quote – When Audrey’s school announced a daddy-daughter dance, Audrey’s mom, Holly, knew this was going to be a pain point for her little girl. Having just lost the men in her life, Audrey was a Daughter with no Daddy or Grandpa to take her. So Holly threw a proverbial Hail Mary for her daughter. Using social media, she reached out to one of the other long-standing influential men in Audrey’s life—Philadelphia Eagles Player Anthony Harris. The family had been fans of Harris’ for years….
Click through for story – and pictures. Yes, this is another George Takei site. He can be hard on malefactors, but he has an appropriately soft heart for the innocent – and those who help them.

Food For Thought:

And a bonus: