{"id":20170,"date":"2016-02-24T14:48:48","date_gmt":"2016-02-24T22:48:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=20170"},"modified":"2016-02-24T14:51:29","modified_gmt":"2016-02-24T22:51:29","slug":"hump-day-odds-ends","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2016\/02\/24\/hump-day-odds-ends\/","title":{"rendered":"“Hump Day” Odds & Ends …"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Crying Mother Nature Iceberg<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Yesterday, Judi’s “Terse Tuesday Tidbits”<\/em><\/strong><\/a> inclusion of “Incredible Glacier Art Pays Homage to Our Disappearing Ice”<\/em> reminded me of an incredible photo of a “Crying Mother Nature Iceberg”<\/strong> that you would SWEAR had to be Photoshopped.<\/p>\n

\"Iceberg_Crying-Tears_Mother-Nature\"<\/a><\/p>\n

But it’s NOT!<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\n

The forlorn-looking 'Mother Nature' figure appeared to locals during a thaw, with the melting ice and snow falling towards the sea below.<\/em><\/p>\n

The striking image … would seem certain to be heavily used by environmentalists protesting against climate change.  Rising sea levels caused by melting ice caps are one of the most worrying effects of global warming and experts warn swathes of low-lying countries will be left under water.<\/em><\/p>\n

The picture was captured by marine photographer and environmental lecturer Michael Nolan while on an annual voyage to observe the glacier and its surrounding wildlife.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The photo and story are from the “Daily Mail”<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

SCOTUS Nominee Obstruction – A Few Facts<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

For the record, and in case you want to arm yourself against the mendacious claims of Rethuglicans that they are well within “precedent” for their obstructing the President from carrying out his Constitutional duties of appointing a Supreme Court Justice (with their advice and consent), just share with them these quotes from St. Ronny Reagan<\/strong> and Mitch “McTurtle”<\/em> McConnell:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

REAGAN:<\/strong><\/em><\/a>

\n\t\t

\n\t\t“The Federal judiciary is too important to be made a political football. I would hope, and the American people should expect … for the Senate to get to work and act.”<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

REAGAN:<\/strong><\/em><\/a>

\n\t\t

\n\t\tEvery day that passes with the Supreme Court below full strength impairs the people’s business in that crucially important body.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Mitch McConnell<\/a> <\/strong>wrote in a 1970-71 law journal article that politics should play no role in Senate confirmations of Supreme Court appointments and that the Senate should defer to the president.

\n\t\t

\n\t\t“The president is presumably elected by the people to carry out a program and altering the ideological directions of the court would seem to be a perfectly legitimate part of a presidential platform,”<\/strong> wrote McConnell.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Let’s Boogie!<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

And to end on a lighter note, how about the utter and absolute unbridled joy of 106-year-old Virginia McLaurin<\/strong> fulfilling her lifelong dream of visiting the White House and meeting (not to mention dancing with) President and Michelle Obama<\/strong> in celebration of ‎Black History Month<\/em><\/strong>!<\/p>\n

I’m sure we’ve all seen it, but it’s worth another look-see.<\/p>\n