A Sunday Planet - January 6, 2013

AMERICAN ANGST

Wisconsin State Senator Glenn Grothman finished off 2012 with a press release declaring that Kwanzaa is a made up holiday that liberals are shoving down America's throat to divide the country. Apparently we brought in a shiny brand new year with the same old tarnished white guys.

Speaker of the House John Boehner was reelected; barely. Tea party insanity will continue, there were even votes for Allen West, who isn't even serving in the coming term. The first vote came from my crazed representative Justin Amash, who picked Raul Labrador, the representative from Idaho. Have no clue who he is, but if my guy voted for him, he must be one tasteless fruitcake.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton received the usual respect from the right. After a hospital stay to take care of a blod clot, which doctors state was possibly life threatening, our friendly compassionate conservatives decided the medical condition was fabricated. Dancing on the woes of the ill is nothing new from the right, many Americans have seen that dance in their own lives. I haven't heard an apology from that side, the party has not changed no matter how many pundits insist they must.

In fact, millions of Americans in need are being shafted by the right. No relief funds for the east coast victims of Sandy. Instead once again, a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act was voted on. Thirty three times they've wasted our time and money voting on nonsense while Americans suffer. 

The only good news I could find concerning our conservative friends was about former House Majority Leader Tom Delay getting three years in prison for money laundering. I think most conservatives should be locked up for crimes against humanity, but Americans are cowards and will not stand up to authority.

Though all Americans are being ignored by the compassionate conservatives, women are still taking the the brunt of the most atrocious inaction by the legislators still in office.

WICKED WOMEN

The Violence Against Women Act was not reauthorized by the House. Apparently the bill included protections for immigrants, the LGBT community and native Americans and our compassionate conservatives, (yes, I am enjoying these two words today), decided that some of us are not deserving of protection.

Women, you're getting dumped on early in 2013.

A site is allowing anonymous tips on women who may be prostitutes. If you're the lucky woman that some neanderthal wishes to mess with, he can post your name on this site, and for you to remove it you will have to ante up. Extortion at its best as crudeness reigns supreme.

Texas has successfully defunded Planned Parenthood. What is mind boggling is that woman haven't left the state in droves yet. Find a new doctor ladies, one that Texan men approve of; if you're allowed to leave the house that is.

Steubenville Ohio is geting a lot of attention after images and a video of a young man laughing about the rape were circulated. The young lady was carried to three different parties while passed out. Apparently it is amusing to some to rape, sodomize and urinate on a young lady. What an awesome culture we have in the U.S. Anonymous's KnightSec is gathering all the data on one site. At times we are disgusting animals. Quit pointing your fingers overseas at humans doing horrible things to other humans and look in your own backyard.

Are you feeling the hate yet ladies?

In Virginia, legislation is going into effect that will close many of the state's abortion clinics. I hear the demand for coat hangers is on the rise. Excuse that last line, but what are you waiting for?

This is how bad it is. In Texas, two ladies were pulled over for allegedly tossing a cigarette butt out the window. The officer tells the ladies he smells marijuana and wants to search the car. They let him search, no marijuana found. He then gives a sobriety test to the driver, she passes. He still decides they are druggies, so he tells them he has to search their bodies. He calls in a female trooper who dons some latex gloves and goes to work. One finger probes the rear, two the front; state troopers are your new gynecologists. 

Ladies, not only are you figuratively being stomped on, you're literally being pissed on.

EARTH ENEMIES

The gentleman who helped get lead out of our gasoline, Howard Mielke, is now looking at America's cities. Apparently lead content in the soil is high enough to be dangerous. Hey Timmy, why don't you go out and play for a while.

Another year for climate change record-breaking that will more than likely go unnoticed in the States. Drill for it, refine it, burn it; keep it going until the planet dies. On a recent drive through central Illinois I noticed the wind farms spread around the Bloomington area. Apparently it's brought in almost six billion to the local economy and is providing safe renewable energy. Oil lobbyists will continue to pay off conservatives to stop us from progressing into fossil fuel independence. So compassionate.

The desire to ignore the destruction of our planet continues. The NOAA has decided to not investigate the wildly underestimated BP oil spill. Keep those blinders on America.

A twisted Farm Bill was extended by congress. The usual planet destroying moves by our compassionate conservatives is so commonplace as to be expected. Five billion in subsidies to industrial farms for corn, soy and wheat while organics, beginning farmers, locally grown food and conservation efforts were decimated. Though I understand the need for production, I'm not sure that should trump any attempts to create sustainable farming methods. 

Mountain top removal in the Appalachians is being linked to American illness. The easy access to coal continues even though 21 peer-reviewed scientific studies have confirmed what we already suspected; besides over 500 permanently destroyed mountains, if you live in the area you can expect a shorter lifespan than the rest of the country. 50% more odds of dying of cancer and 42% more likely birth defects than those who live in other parts of the Appalachians. The refrain is getting boring, but fossil fuels kill.

GUN GROUPIES

In New Hampshire, House of Representatives conservatives were outraged that they can not carry a concealed gun into the chamber. What the heck is wrong with these people? This is not the wild west. Basically the argument these fine gentlemen made was that credit cards and pens were just as dangerous as that Glock under your coat.

Keep on killing Americans, it's what you do best.

MEDIA MADNESS

Our less evolved friends at FOX have climbed another rung in their goal to reach heretofore unknown heights of ridiculousness. The bastion of hate and irrelevance continues to annoy. I don't think people realize how odd they really are. Their latest war is on yoga and those crazed yoga nazis. The wussification of American is continuing, in their eyes, by allowing children to do yoga. 

Yeah, sit the little monkeys on a couch with a bag of Cheetos in one hand and a game controller in the other. War games for all, kill kill kill.

FINAL FIX

I was updating my blog yesterday, (have been ignoring it for a few months), and noticed I actually had a reply to one! 

Come on now, give me some of that loving:

Explain to me what happens after we croak AND our body rots in the grave, turning into Riga Mortizzze? Can't, can you? Very good. I'll do the explain'n. Our soul's indelible (never dying, eternal, living-after-death), thus, they rise to be Divinely Judged. Git the picture?? Whetha you wanna believe me or not is fine, yet, that's the axiomatic fact. Here's what I'd do. Go to your local Catholic choich and enroll in the RCIA; should be over within 9 months, long enough to have a spiritual 'baby' on your hands --- If God doesn’t exist, why do you hate Him so much? If God does exist, why don’t you follow us Home to Heaven Above if you‘re gonna croak as I am? How long do we have to enjoy this finite existence? 77ish, measly years? Compared to the length and breadth of eternity, 77ish years is like the micron of a nanometer in the whole, bloody, universe; thus, our soul’s eternal whether you wanna believe in us or not. So, why don’t we have a BIG-ol, roxx-our-holy-soxx, party-hardy celebrating our resurrection for many eons? Heaven TOTALLY kicks-ass for eternity. Thank you proFUSEly, for the wick is running out on U.S. _thewarningsecondcoming.com_

Thank you so much. When the theists find you you've finally arrived.

Planet Politics

Mitt's past is right in step with the republican party.
 Bullying is what it's all about; a new target every week. I think everyone should keep in mind that when Mitt was asked about the incident, he actually chuckled as he talked about his prankster days.

Strike one; you don't laugh about bullying. Secondly, though the incident left horrifying memories for the witnesses, Mitt doesn't even remember. Either he committed so many of these, "pranks," that he can't remember all the faces, or he never felt that bullying and attacking another person is anything bad. Strike two; takes a cold man to ignore another's pain. Then there's the so-called apology. “If anybody was hurt by that or offended; obviously I apologize.” Strike three; apparently he doesn't have any remorse

Just who we need to lead the country.
Governor Walker of Wisconsin is leading Barrett by six points in the
latest poll, and two thirds of his war chest is from
out of state big donors. Thank the Supreme Court's ruling on Citizen's United. Money rules.

Vice-President Biden has started to
campaign. His, "these guys don't get us," is a message that may resonate with blue collar workers. Biden is a weapon that needs to be used more often.

In Arizona, where they can now claim to be the, "most lame state in the union," the birther issue is again at the forefront of conservative politics. The state's second in command, Secretary of State Ken Bennet, is now not sure that the President is a U.S. citizen and
wants to keep him off the ballot. He says he had to take the stance because of 1,200 emails he received after crazed Sheriff Joe Arpaio's nonsensical investigation. Senator McCain says Obama will remain on the ballot and I would think he is right.

The House passed a
defense budget that contradicts last years agreement with the President on the deficit. No surprise there, why would anyone believe a conservative would honor his word?

Greece may be heading in a totally different direction than the rest of Western Europe.
Alexis Tsipras is looking to get the most votes on the June 17 election. "It's a war between people and capitalism," is his mantra.

Michigan is watching the Wisconsin governor's recall election closely. With a similar attempt being made to oust their own tea party governor. Governor Rick Snyder has actively worked against having a democracy in Michigan by using Emergency Financial Managers to take over local governments. His eminence decided to take a walk in Benton Harbor's Blossomtime Parade.
 


Wicked Women


Arizona:

The Friday before last the state
rolled back access to contraceptives for women. This one is a Separation of Church and State issue; it allows religious employers to restrict access.

Friday before that they
defunded Planned Parenthood. In spite of the fact that public funds for abortion are already restricted.

The month before they decide when you may have an abortion, (if you could find anyone that would give you one). Pregnancy starts before a
child has been conceived.
Utah:

Here you need to
wait three days before you can have an abortion. There are many comments on this one, mostly mocking the legislation. The reasoning behind the law is that women can contemplate the ramifications of their decision. You know, because they didn't think about it at all before wanting the procedure.
Alabama:

The House has given final passage to a bill that would
ban insurance coverage for an abortion. They are also moving on a bill to restrict abortions by mandating physicians have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals and more.
Oklahoma:

Doctors can lie to women about their babies health and not be sued. If your baby has birth defects,
they can omit that information so you will not have an abortion, and you can't even take them to court for doing so. At the same time, doctors
can be sued for performing an abortion. If he didn't do an ultrasound, didn't give pamphlets concerning abortions to patients and more.
Kansas:
A 69 page anti-abortion bill passes the legislature and Governor Sam Brownback says he will sign, even though he hasn't read it. A sales tax on abortion, establishing when personhood begins, and even mandates that doctors spread the lie that abortions cause breast cancer.
Georgia:

Passes abortion bill that criminalizes the act after 20 weeks, no exemptions for rape or incest. Called the "Women as Livestock," bill, it is a disaster.
Washington, D.C.:

The face of evil pictured is Arizona's Congressman Trent Franks. He is trying to impose anti-abortion laws on the
District of Columbia. Why is someone from Arizona trying to impose their beliefs on the District of Columbia is the question.


Education Enemies

The enemy is capitalism. It allows public schools to be shut down as private enterprise takes over.
In Philadelphia forty public schools are set to close this year and sixty-four in all by 2017. This is an informative article on public school closings in major cities and elsewhere that, for the most part, are targeting poor and ethnic students.
For-profit schools are scamming the military now. Swindles and hoodwinks rampant. When the President has to step in, you know there's something wrong.

Tennessee's
anti-science law is old news, but shows how religious ideology is making inroads into public education. The good news is that the legislation is failing in other states.
In Oklahoma two
anti-science bills failed. Apparently the Oklahomans for Excellence in Science Education won this round.

In New Hampshire, the,"
Evolution is a a Theory," bill was shot down. This one included a provision that included informing the students on the theorist's political and ideological viewpoints and their thoughts on atheism.

A recent
attack on education in Alabama has recently failed as well. Representative Blaine Galliher sponsored a measure that would allow public schools to establish creationism courses that students could take off campus and earn credits for those courses.

There is another way that the education system in this country is being sabotaged, and that is by attacking teachers. I think this is where my attention will be for awhile. If you get rid of well payed educators, you get rid of well educated students. As I've stated, the privatization of the public education system is about profits only. The way to increase profits is to destroy unions and benefits that protect the pool of educators. Less pay and benefits equals less qualified teachers.

No matter what you hear, you get what you pay for.

If you have inaccessible higher education because of cost, you have a developing nation of ignorance.


Ecosystem Earth

Fracking is still being investigated.
A
recent study hows how fracking could impact our water supply. Hint; it has to do with abandoned wells and the well itself.

Another new study shows that the more fracking we do, the better a job we do at it and the less of an impact the process will have on the environment. This study is from the University at
Buffalo's Shale Resources and Society Institute. Go ahead and read the nonsense if you want, but I suggest scanning the article and clicking on the bios of those who did the study. If you do, you will find that everyone of these fools is working for an Energy company or the CATO Institute. No truth to be found here.

I bring this up because it's starting to feel like climate science. Bring in the industry and lobbying, "experts," to defend profits from science. Why is it that we allow those who have a conflict of interest publish anything?

France banned fracking last year, Vermont is the first state to
ban fracking in the U.S., though that procedure hadn't been used in the state as of yet. A complete source of perceived problems with the procedure can be found at
nofracking.com.

Something new for doone's, "The Beer Facts," discussion. Brooklynites against fracking. The
Brooklyn Brewery brewmeister warns against the toxins that could be in a beer near you soon.


Occupy Oasis


In education,
Quebec students still upset. How do you deal with the protests? End classes early and hope that the protests stop. 122 students have been arrested so far. The emergency laws and masks ban have been ineffectual in stopping the protests. Yesterday, 69 protestors were arrested.

In the United States, college tuition has increased 500 percent since Reagan; did your income keep up?

My favorite
Occupy story this week has to do with Occupy the Farm at University of California's Gill Tract. As an educational tool and as an example for other communities, it seems to be well intentioned. What if there was no land for you to farm? What if all land that could be used for agriculture is owned by corporations? Though most of us are at ease with our food sources and have no intention of farming, what if you didn't have that choice? An interesting story on many fronts.

In New York,
Occupy legal battles seem to be helping the protestors. Apparently arrests are being made that are being overturned by videos of the arrest.


Final Fixations

The Martin/Zimmerman case is still grabbing headlines. They found trace amounts of THC in Martin's blood.
Some spin that information by simply saying Tayvon Martin had marijuana in his system the night he was shot. If it was trace elements it would mean he hadn't smoke an a while, or seldom smokes. If he was high that night he wouldn't be aggressive. Useless data. What makes it even more nonsensical is that Zimmerman was
not tested for drugs the night of the shooting.

The National Review's Andrew McCarthy seems to think this fully
exonerates Zimmerman. Adam Serwer has an interesting take on the thought, comparing rape with the incident. Martin deserved to be shot because he was high, much like the
woman rape victim, "had it coming," debates of the past. Interesting analogy.

Some people are excited about the news that more, "minority," babies were
born than white in the U.S. for the first time. Am I the only one that realizes that some non-white babies are being born to white mothers or fathers? So many mixed relationships out there effect this statistic. Some may look at this as a threat, (like those supporting keep them women pregnant contraceptive laws), while others realize it's a normal progression. We will not be a white or black country in the future, but we will be a mixed heritage populace of browns.

Maybe some day the little ones will grow up to rule the world.

Could happen.