Politics Plus

Well it has been a busy day  . . . mostly spent slaving over a hot keyboard with this and two other articles,  I haven't even done TC's Open Thread yet.  I did manage to get out to pick up my new cell phone so I'll have to spend some time getting accustomed to it.  Tomorrow is Canada Day and I am staying low.  It may rain anyway, but I have a few urgent matters requiring my attention.  Lucia will be out with her kids so no teaching tomorrow.  A nice rest.

Short Takes

Think Progress — In a blunt letter to Congress, 31 leading scientific societies reaffirmed the reality that humans are causing climate change and only we can stop it. “To reduce the risk of the most severe impacts of climate change, greenhouse gas emissions must be substantially reduced,” they write.  …

But as long as the media still gives presidential candidates (and pretty much every other major politician) a free pass on this most preventable of existential threats to America, scientists will have to keep “reminding” policymakers of the broad scientific understanding about human-caused climate change.

“Observations throughout the world make it clear that climate change is occurring, and rigorous scientific research concludes that the greenhouse gases emitted by human activities are the primary driver,” explain the 31 scientific groups. “This conclusion is based on multiple independent lines of evidence and the vast body of peer-reviewed science.'”

I guess the old adage "give until it hurts" applies here.  Certainly the Republican dominated (for now!) Congress is not going to back down from their denial state.  That would mean ignoring their ever fattening wallets.  Of course, if they and theirs don't have a world in which to make more money and spend it, who cares, right?  They are such a bunch of myopic lame-brains!

CBC — The Federal Court of Appeal has overturned approval of Enbridge's controversial Northern Gateway project after finding Ottawa failed to properly consult the First Nations affected by the pipeline.

"We find that Canada offered only a brief, hurried and inadequate opportunity … to exchange and discuss information and to dialogue," the ruling says. …

Constitutional requirement to consult

The majority ruling was signed by two of the three judges on the Appeal Court panel. Judge Michael Ryer wrote a dissenting opinion.

Pipeline opponents have called the decision "landmark."

"At every turn you're going, you are seeing nails in the coffin of the Enbridge project," said Peter Lantin, president of the council of the Haida Nation, one of the parties that appealed.

"I don't think there's enough room for another nail in the coffin."

It was former Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his harlots that rushed that decision through in 2014 ignoring the consultative process.  Not surprising really!  He ignored a lot of First Nations issues and emergencies such as Attawapiskat.  PM Trudeau commented that he does not want to see a pipeline through the Great Bear Rainforest of the BC central and northern coast, nor oil tankers, massive tankers, plying the coastal waters of the Pacific.  I hope this will be the end but the pro-pipeline group is likely to try to take this to the Supreme Court of Canada.  May they fail miserably!

Daily Beast — The battle to become Britain’s next prime minister has descended into a blood-spattered Shakespearean epic within 24 hours of the nominations being opened. Betrayal, intrigue, and backstabbing gripped the Conservative Party at the end of the most dramatic week in the history of British politics.

Run Forest! Run!

Some kids can sleep in any position!  Life is tiring when you're so cute!

I'm sitting here trying to finish this post and I have been hearing the music from that infernal ice cream truck for the past half hour.  It is making yet another run through the complex.  Is there a penalty for knocking that musical ditty into next week?  Luckily, my kids could not care less.  I suppose that is one small blessing.  Today has been hot again — 31 C (88 F) — but by Friday, Canada Day, temperatures should come down a bit.  On Friday, Canada will be 149 years old, while on Monday, the US will be 237 years old, so this weekend will  be full of picnics, outings, and fireworks.  I am staying close to home with the furbabes.  But for those who like to celebrate in a big way, be safe and

PARTY HARDY!!! 

Short Takes

Alternet — Samantha Bee is back, and in fine form!

Sam nails it like usual!  When I saw the markets tumbling earlier this week as a result of the Brexit vote, I kept saying to myself, "don't panic" and "don't rush to a hasty judgement", advice I would give my clients when I was working in investments.  I hear the markets have now fully recovered, or at least the TSX (Canada) and the DOW (US).

YouTube — Published on Mar 11, 2016

Bill is always funny and of course irreverent.  The token Drumpf supporter is shut down.

Think Progress — Colorado Republicans nominated El Paso County Commissioner Darryl Glenn, a former Colorado Springs councilman and self-described “unapologetic Christian constitutional conservative pro-life second amendment-loving American,” for U.S. Senate on Tuesday. Despite his paltry campaign fundraising and his vow to oppose keeping Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) as his party leader, Glenn easily beat the establishment favorite. He received endorsements from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), who he has said he would like to see appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court, and former Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK).

In an April state Republican convention speech, Glenn told the party faithful, “The one dorsed by Ted CruzI’m absolutely tired of hearing is Republicans reaching across the aisle. We need to step up and lead, ladies and gentlemen, I’m tired ofbeen en reaching across the aisle.” Here are some of the positions he would take with him to Washington if pseudo Christian nut job, defeats Sen. Michael Bennet (D) in November.

He does not believe the U.S. armed forces need follow war crimes laws.

As part of his speech at the Colorado GOP convention in April, Glenn also suggested getting rid of war crimes rules for the military. “We need to make sure our men and women are given the necessary tools and training and equipment to do their jobs, remove those rules of engagement and allow them to win,” he said. While the U.S. military has generally been given a wide berth in war times, such a move would have meant those involved in the My Lai massacre and the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal would not have been subject to any punishment.

From what I can see, this is one scary Republican and Coloradans better beware!  He has been endorsed by Ted Cruz, Republican pseudo Christian nut job, and by Bullseye Barbie, Sarah Palin, or as Jim P calls her, Sarah Palinsane.  Just read the article to get his positions on six other issues.  JD, is Darryl Glenn in your neck of the woods?  Have you any additional information you can share?

My Universe — After seeing this dog "kill" BB-8 by decapitation, and having just seen an ad for it at $170 (Canada), I was worried about this expensive toy.  Turns out the head does come off and you just put it back on — held on by magnets.  It really is quite interesting but I will not be getting one.

My horoscope today said in part: "Today the moon is in your sign lined up with wild, wacky Uranus."  Uranus?  Uranus!  I want nothing to do with Ted Cruz.  It was bad enough that I had already seen the Raw Story article below, but then to see my horoscope contained Uranus . . . well that was just too much!  The day started off on a low note with a 2.8 blood sugar reading (50 on the US scale) which had me sleeping all morning, even through the heat.  Then the heat hit 29  (85 F) and I was getting more miserable.  It has cooled down at bit but is scheduled to drop to 13 C (55 F) over night (I have my pom-poms out!).  At least I had some laughs when a respected local radio commentator to whom I enjoy listening, in commenting about Brexit and the ultra conservative US politicians (read Drumpf), referred to the UK as our ailing mother and the US as our weird and wacky brother.  Tomorrow will be busy with physio and teaching.  Inbetween the two, I have to go pick up a new cell phone.  Two days ago, it slipped from my fingers into the toilet (another good reason to leave the lid down!).  I rescued it very quickly but some damage was already done, although I was able to use it — just not reliably.  When I charged it yesterday, it slipped again from my fingers and fell about 25 cm (10 inches) to the carpet.  That finally did it in!  Do you see what I mean about Uranus???!!!

Short Takes

Alternet — During an explosive CNN segment on Sunday, former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) lashed out at President Barack Obama because she said she was tired of being called a “bigot” for supporting presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.  …

“Obama just always comes tearing after Republicans constantly, calling names and calling people bigots and racists,” she complained. “And that’s their big comeback, you know. And it’s absolutely ridiculous. To see a president speak like that is offensive.”

It has been awhile since I have seen or heard of the battle-axe of Arizona, and I have thoroughly enjoyed her silence.  But recently, she unleashed her big mouth attached to her fact devoid brain and lashed out at Obama for using facts when talking about Drumpf.  It seems that she feels "guilty" about her association with Drumpf, or at least getting caught publicly with her hand on his ass.  Even while she was governor, she demonstrated no respect for Obama, so this latest extremism does not surprise me.

Raw Story — Republican U.S. Senator Ted Cruz on Tuesday accused the Obama administration of under-emphasizing the “threat of radical Islam” as he presided over a Senate hearing for the second time since suspending his presidential campaign in early May.

President Barack Obama and top Justice Department officials have come under fire from conservatives for avoiding the term “radical Islam” when denouncing attacks by violent extremists who claim inspiration from Islamic State, such as the Orlando nightclub shooter.

I am tired of hearing the term "radical Islam" from the likes of Ted Cruz.  When will we hear of "radical Christianity" and "radical Judaism"?  Yes they do exist!  In the news over the past several days, I have seen Pastor Steven Anderson of the Independent Fundamental Baptist church (Christian) in Tempe, Arizona preach from atop his lectern condemning the LGBTQ community with the most toxic vitriole ever, calling for the death penalty for gays, and celebrating the deaths at Orlando.  Now he is calling for the  death penalty for adulterers.  I suppose that is one way to get rid of some politicians! — you know those family values Republicans!  Of course there is "Pastor" Terry Jones formerly of Gainesville, Florida who threatened to burn Qu'rans.  Or let's see, there are extremist Jews, some of them settlers who occupy Palestinian lands.  Let's call this what it is with no adjectives — extremism!  OK, rant over.  I was appalled with the tenor of Cruz's hearing.

Globe and Mail — The Supreme Court issued its strongest defence of abortion rights in a quarter-century Monday, striking down Texas’ widely replicated rules that sharply reduced abortion clinics in the nation’s second-most-populous state.

By a 5-3 vote, the justices rejected the state’s arguments that its 2013 law and follow-up regulations were needed to protect women’s health. The rules required doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals and forced clinics to meet hospital-like standards for outpatient surgery.  …

Breyer wrote that “the surgical-centre requirement, like the admitting privileges requirement, provides few, if any, health benefits for women, poses a substantial obstacle to women seeking abortions and constitutes an ‘undue burden’ on their constitutional right to do so.”

A great judgement that should never have been necessary.  There are pending actions in Mississippi and Louisiana which will likely fall.  Let's hope that all such laws and regulations in all states will be declared unconstitutional now that SCOTUS has ruled.

My Universe —

Thank God for 9 lives!

Arrggghhhh!!!!!  Kitty breath!