Open Thread – Town Square Park
A little mid-winter magic from Town Square Park.
December 3, 2024
Thursday, August 3, 2023
The Quitter Returns! -Monday, March 21, 2022
Putting the goober in gubernatorial -Friday, January 28, 2022
A little mid-winter magic from Town Square Park.
TCW-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-lhvXMbr9Y&feature=related
“if your heart still wants to sing…”
I don’t know how many mudpeeps are aware of the situation in the Maldives, where there’s basically been a military coup (pals of the former, corrupt president forced the democratically elected president to resign at gunpoint). More info, including video (and a chance to show support):
http://www.350.org/en/about/blogs/solidarity-friend-trouble?akid=1589.87198.9WdUxO&rd=1&t=6
For all of you who want to donate to a breast cancer organization that ISN’T Komen for the Con, I mean Cure, here’s a list:
http://greatnonprofits.org/organizations/browse/rating:4,5/search:breast%20cancer
Health and peace.
ALEC in action:
“Bill would require ultrasound before abortion
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Women would be required to undergo an ultrasound before receiving an abortion under legislation proposed in the Alaska Senate.
The measure, SB191, was introduced Wednesday.
The primary sponsor is Republican Sen. John Coghill. At least two other Republicans and two Democrats have also signed on to the measure.
The bill would require an ultrasound before an abortion is performed.
Women would be informed of their right to view the image and hear an explanation of the image during the exam. They can decline to see the image or hear an explanation.
Republican Sens. Charlie Huggins, Cathy Giessel and Fred Dyson along with Democratic Sen. Donny Olson are listed as co-sponsors.”
Other than heavy-handed intimidation of the woman, the medical reason for the ultrasound procedure/study would be….? Beuller; Beuller; anyone?
Is there a companion bill being introduced requiring all males undergoing a vasectomy to view their sperm through a microscope to see its motility (or not) before the snipping commences? Surely sperm is a potential person, why isn’t it equally ‘protected’ from the whim of a dither-headed male? (NOTE: All females immediately become dither-headed upon impregnation — from the moment the egg and sperm meet within her body, NO female is capable of making any decisions, of thinking, or of remaining rational; that is why laws such as this must be put on the books…to protect her from her dither-headedness. There is no disputing this fact – a fact central to (rwnj) Uteri Patrol justification.)
How can anyone justify a female being mandated to undergo a totally unnecessary (and costly) procedure when she seeks medical care from her physician, yet a male is not mandated to do the same when he seeks medical care from his physician? Inquiring minds want to know. beth.
Every sperm is sacred.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUspLVStPbk
We could forward all the relevent leggers this:
http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/01/30/fairfax-senator-seeks-a-little-gender-equality-with-abortion-bill/
“Sen. Janet Howell, a Democrat from Fairfax, says if pregnant women should have to get an ultrasound before having an abortion, men should have to undergo additional medical procedures before getting a prescription for erectile dysfunction.
On Monday Howell expressed her disdain for legislation requiring the ultrasound by proposing an amendment she described as a simple matter of fairness. Her amendment said that before being treated for erectile dysfunction, a man would have to undergo a digital rectal exam and a cardiac stress test.
“We should just have a little gender equity here,” Howell said.
She said if women are going to be subjected to an unnecessary medical procedure, men should be as well.”
Good for her!
From Daily Kos:
“Rep. Louie Gohmert, patron saint of amorous wildlife? The Texas Republican, who’s not exactly known as a champion of animal rights, said his primary concern in the development of a massive Alaskan oil pipeline is the love life of the caribous surrounding the project. […]
Here’s his theory: The caribou very much enjoy the warmth the pipeline radiates. “So when they want to go on a date, they invite each other to head over to the pipeline,” he informed his colleagues. It’s apparently the equivalent of being wined and dined. And that has resulted in a tenfold caribou population boom, he concluded.
“So my real concern now …if oil stops running through the pipeline…do we need a study to see how adversely the caribou would be affected if that warm oil ever quit flowing?” he asked.”
rilly, Republicans?
Enjoy this image: http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2012/02/the-best-cpac-ever-.html
Holy Cow…here is the dumbest article you are likely to read (ever) on how Palin’s approval rating is sky high at 84% as long as she keeps her mouth shut. What?! As soon as she says anything then her numbers go down big time. Now that’s not a surprise.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/02/09/what-if-palin-were-running.html
I don’t know where they get the big approval number since whether she speaks or not, I can’t stand her.
I was not aware that her mouth could shut.
Here’s a great article from Organic Consumers Association, along with a chance to take action by petitioning Whole Foods to label their GMO-containing and CAFO-fed meat:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_24844.cfm
And lets put on our calendar the annual April 1st Speak Out at Town Square (kind of like they do in London) in memory of Ruth Moulton, the person most responsible for saving the park for us. I hope the Occupy movement will attend and speak.
Here’s a feel-good story:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-india-prosthesis-20120209,0,6192739.story
about the Jaipur foot, a prosthetic device that improves lives of amputees, gratis.
Ohio mudpups: A woman’s right to choose is under threat in your state. Please go to:
http://ohiodems.org/action/w1201phe/
to prevent “personhood” legislation in your state, which would give ridiculous rights to fertilized eggs. No, a**holes, zygotes are not people. Potential people, but not actual humans.
More and more like the Taliban. I heard that a man killed his wife, because she gave birth to a girl, and not a boy. whew!!!!!! Scary stuff!
As soon as all eligibility criteria is met for the issuance to the individual of a Social Security card, I’m all for acknowledging and declaring its ‘personhood.’
Until then… beth.
I wrote a personal view on the contraception controversy:
http://www.themindisaterriblething.com/2012/02/choices-of-man.html
Mitt Romney (R-Money) who has campaigned as the right man to create jobs, probably doesn’t want this to get around. Here’s Mitt “Mr Job Creator” Romney’s record on job creation as Gov of MA.
Without Romney in command, the state’s economy has rebounded much faster from the next recession it faced, creating jobs at nearly twice the national rate and ranking in the top 10 nationally. Romney is banking his presidential campaign on his experience creating jobs and leading an economy out of a downturn. If these numbers are any indication, that’s an experience the American people may not want.”
[Link]
Especially when his idea of solving the problem is to let the company fail and then let investors come in and start over (and make a ton of money in the process). If you read between the lines when Romney talks, that seems to be his only way of dealing with financial difficulties (let the car manufacturers fail). If people think about it for half a second – even the most rabid right wingers – they’ll know that isn’t something that can work for our country.
I agree, Pat – it’s the Bain Capital approach to every problem. And we can see who benefited from that.
The things we’ll be missing by not attending CPAC such as a breakout session titled “Conservative Dating”:
“Conservative Dating – Learn everything from how to avoid scaring away your own personal Dagny Taggart in the first five minutes of the conversation, to whether Tea Partiers and Occupiers can share something more than a dislike for bailouts. Speaker Name: Professional Dating Coach Wayne Elise
Open to Conservative Singles”
Wow…being conservative is no longer a political choice, it’s a lifestyle choice. Reminds me more and more of a lot of bad movies and indoctrination videos. Scary stuff indeed.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/stephenricher/2012/02/08/a-few-things-to-watch-at-cpac-aka-the-young-republican-festival/
And speaking of Dagny Taggart — Do Young Republicans get their very own, personal copy of _Atlas Shrugged_ when they register as (R), or is it something they have before they register? I know the triumvirate for them is: The US Constitution, the Bible, and Atlas Shrugged (only two of which they can rewrite to meet their own, individual needs and specifications [hint: it ain’t the third one listed]), but I’m not too clear on when they come into possession of Ayn Rand’s immutable and inviolate ‘instruction’ book. Do any mudpeeps know? beth.
More brainwashing and drinking the Kool Aid!
What a beautiful photo! Alas, our snow is almost gone – what little there was of it to begin with. The forecast for about three inches over the next 48 hours has now been revised to a few snow showers with no accumulation. I haven’t worn my winter coat in over a week and I’ve only needed boots a few times this winter. An odd winter for northern Michigan.
So how is it Northern Michigan has a more favorable growing climate for fruits than Ioway which is geographically farther South than the U.P.? I think seed catalogs hate me with a passion,but,I can’t be sure. Help me out. I am so insecure I may attack myself with a walk behind garden tiller or two.
It’s because the water from Lake Michigan and the other Great Lakes creates a mild mini-climate that is very agreeable for fruits (especially cherries) and for wine grapes (we’re just about on the 45th Parallel where we live – same as the Burgundy region in France). A few years ago the cherry crop never happened because there was a deep freeze following several weeks of unusually mild weather (February into March) and the trees started to set blossoms only to have them destroyed by extremely cold temperatures. Leelanau County, Grand Traverse County, Benzie and Antrim Counties in northwest Lower Michigan produce lots of fruit and wine grapes (esp. in Leelanau and Grand Traverse Counties).
We’re also the country’s third largest asparagus producer or so we learned a few years ago at the Annual Asparagus Festival in Empire, Michigan. The parade there included several people dressed as asparagus spears and the Leelanau County giant snowplow. You certainly get to eat lots of asparagus in all of the restaurants in early summer.
Beautiful picture! Like a reenactment of Christmas.
This was a wonderful speech, downright powerful!!!
Luis Gutierrez Rebuffs Newt Gingrich’s ‘Food Stamp President’ Claim About President Obama (VIDEO) 4:43min
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/08/luis-gutierrez-food-stamps-gingrich_n_1263164.html
Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez (D-IL) took to the floor of the House of Representatives this morning to address former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich’s recent custom of calling President Obama the “Food Stamp President.”
Gingrich’s insistence on repeating the racially-tinged charge has garnered significant outcry from minority and food assistance advocates, as well as support from fellow conservatives, who tout the increase of food stamp recipients under Obama as proof of Gingrich’s claim. …..
The difficulty with a lot of these types of statements is that once uttered, the rebuttals are ignored or lost in the media blitz, They bring up emotional issues from the past, especially for older voters, for whom these were relevent issues back in the day. Few pay attention to retractions for mistakes printed in a newspaper, even less for less to political lies; once uttered, the impressionhas been made, and is nigh impossible to correct….
ooops should be “even less for corrections to political lies”
If I am not mistaken—-It was Bob Dole ( another Rep) that started the the food stamp program.—