The Headline Says it Best

Cottony Cushion Scales 'Could Eliminate The Need For Males'.  Yep, that's what was on The Huffington Post today.  Now, a Cottony Cushion Scale is an insect.  And they have some genetic make-up that allows them to conceive all by themselves.


"The insect, which occupies a female body, is left with a parasite by its father which produces sperm." The Parasitic Sperm (Parasitic Sperm!  How poetic) infects offspring after conception.  So the cycle of self-reproducing females continues on.


Now according to Wired.co.uk, the future disappearance of the male insect has only been predicted with a mathematical model, since the trend has only been observed in the past 3 years.  But, hey there are some of us out here who have already eliminated the need for males.

It's All in the Polls

According to Fox News President Obama "Could Lose In a Landslide" based on his current approval rating in the polls.  He's only getting between 42% (Gallup) and 47% (ABC News/WAPO).  Now that is better than House Speaker John Boehner and both Republicans and Democrats in Congress, all of whom are only getting 33%. (PublicPolicyPolling.com)

Public Policy Polling asked the questions, and the people answered.  42% feel the Republicans are doing a worse job now that they are "in power" than the 39% who feel they are doing a better job.  Rupert Murdoch of News Corp and the hacking scandal is only get a 12%-49% approval/disapproval rating (Fox News didn't report on that one, now did they?)


But, the most shocking part of the poll might just be the part that says that God is only getting 52% approval.  That's right.  The Almighty is not quite at 100%. (CNN.com) God got a 71%-5% on universe creating, 56%-11% on handling the animal kingdom and a 50%-13% on the handling of natural disasters.


So, we know what the middle class thinks of the government obviously.  And as far as creating universes, the numbers might be just right.  The little girl who got bit by the shark might just disagree with that 56% though.  She did forgive the shark.  (DailyMail.co.uk)

The Christian Terrorist

We all have heard of the tragic events that happened over the weekend in Norway.  Anders Behring Breivik, the perpetrator of these ghastly murders, identifies as a conservative Christian.  And having "terrorized" the people in Oslo and the children at the camp, he obviously identifies as a terrorist.  That would make him a Christian Terrorist.  He has said that he killed all these people because of their allowing Muslims in the country and for the "cultural annihilation" that has happened.


He may not be the only Christian Terrorist in the world today.  Brian Fischer, from the American Family Association, agrees with Mr. Breivik.  "Much of his analysis of cultural trends in Europe and the danger created by Islamic immigration and infiltration is accurate," he says, but perhaps using public policy rather than mass murder to resolve the issues is better (?) (RightwingWatch.org)


Mr. Fischer has already identified danger areas.  He honestly believes and has said "Number one perpetrators of hate crimes in America: homosexual activists, gay activists, the homosexual lobby."  But as far as a terror group?  Well, the Southern Poverty Law Center classifies the American Family Association as a “hate group” right up there with the Ku Klux Klan.  (LGBTQNation.com)

Fischer terrorizes people. He has proposed criminalizing homosexual behavior and has advocated forcing gays into “reparative” therapy.  He thinks that gays are Nazis.  He also says 'Homosexual activist groups are pushing a lifestyle that kills'.


So, the definition of a Christian Terrorist.  Will have to see if Mr. Fischer sets a bomb or starts shooting.

Do it for the Children

Most of the time, the right-wing/evangelical folks use the children to change things: stopping Happy Meals, censoring television shows.  But today, it seemed that the kids just weren't on their side.  Today there was a congressional hearing about overturning the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).  And there were a bunch of the right-wing/evangelical folks to tell the world how DOMA is just so bad.


There is Thomas Minnery, Senior Vice President for Public Policy, Focus on the Family.  He had written testimony that cited an HHS study that said "same-sex" families were bad for children or "opposite-sex" families were better for them.  Sen. Al Franken actually had the HHS study in his hand and it actually said that children did better in "two-parent" households and that the parents' gender had nothing to do with it. (ThinkProgress.org)

Franken then said that since Minnery had lied he didn't "know how we can really trust the rest of your testimony."


But Mr. Minnery gave more anyway.  Sen. Leahy brought up the issue of not having the "same financial benefits that an opposite sex family would have" without marriage rights.  Minnery went back to "certainly children are better off with parents in the home."   (PamsHouseblend.com)

But, Leahy wouldn't let it go:

• "if you have parents legally married under the laws of the state - one set of parents are entitled to certain financial benefits for their children, the other set of parents are denied those same financial benefits for their children..."

And Minnery had to say yep.  That would be yes.


But, really it is just that some of these whackos simply hate gay people.  And they throw that hate around and blame all kinds of things on gays and their marriages.  Rabbi Yehuda Levin now says that gay marriage is what caused the murder of an 8 year-old Hassidic boy in New York.  "This came in the very aftermath of the marriage bill, my dear friends," he says.  And really, had nothing to do with a heterosexual, divorced observant Jew? (JoeMyGod)

Do it for the children, Rabbi.

Since When...

does "preventative care" equal abortion?  Well, it seems anytime a women's health issue is discussed the anti-abortion people are right on top of it and complaining that it just gives women the right to kill babies.


Today, the Institute of Medicine recommended that birth control be free of charge under the new federal health care law.  As part of the Institute's task to determine what preventative care is, they deemed birth control as preventative.  Not just for preventing babies, but also care for "controlling hormone imbalances, reducing the severity of menstrual cramps, or dealing with acne." (MotherJones.com)

Now, Jeanne Monahan, director of the Center for Human Dignity at the Family Research Council, says that this means that the morning-after-pill will be free and that is not good since they "act as abortifacients." 

Although the National Institutes of Health and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have said that pregnancy does not begin until a fertilized egg has been implanted.  Morning-after-pills prevent the implantation.


But, since this is a women's health issue, the anti-abortionists will persist.  They would rather not have any abortions or any women avoiding pregnancy using birth control.  They would just want all the women to have to run after all those kids.

The End of the World as We Know It

That's sort of what Michele Bachmann preaches.  Back in 2006/2008 (when she said it/when it was broadcast), she said we were in the "last days" and she was ok with that, ready to give to the "Jehovah God" our "times".  (LezGetReal.com)

Also, in 2010 she warned that if the "United States turns its back on Israel" we will be cursed because in Genesis 12:3, God says to Abraham, "The one who curses you I will curse."  (MotherJones.com)


Bachmann has also asked for God to expand preacher Bradlee Dean’s ministry, which is incredibly anti-gay. Dean is, in fact, beyond just being anti-gay.  (He's the one who broadcast her "last days" rant in 2008) This is a man who believes that it is alright to execute lesbians and gays.  Which goes along with her husband, Marcus Bachmann, who has been "proven to practice a therapy aimed at turning gays straight."  (TheDailyBeast.com)

So, it might not be the end of the world as Michele knows it, biblically in fact.  It definitely is her aim to make it the end of the world as most LGBT people know it.

It's All About the...

Well, the first "E" word that might pop into mind would be "Economy" when we look at the debacle that is the debt ceiling discussions going on in Washington these days.  But, in reality it all comes down to another "E" word:  "Election".  The fight going on between the Dems and the GOP is definitely about who is going to get elected next year.


Most of the GOP thinks that Obama is not doing a good job.  He is going to cause Social Security Payments and Medicare coverage to end.  Which surprisingly doesn't really bother the people who would be receiving those benefits.  Obama did break records with "grass-roots support" and $86 million for his re-election campaign.  (Reuters.com)

But the big names in the GOP aren't really worried about grass-roots America.  They will not budge on tax increases and are just daring Obama to go ahead and cut Social Security and Medicare.  Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell doesn't want a revisit of the '90s when the threat of shutting down government helped Bill Clinton get reelected.  (Huffingtonpost.com)  And he says that he refuses "to help Barack Obama get reelected by marching Republicans into a position where we have co-ownership of a bad economy."


Don't they already have co-ownership??  He also says that his first "choice" was to do something good for the country, but his "obligation" is to his party to prevent them from "being sucked into a horrible position politically."


So all you SS recipients just have to wait and see.  As long as you know that Mr. McConnell has his "obligations" in order.

Equal Rights

Usually in this little box, when the title has the word "rights" in it, the story would be about LGBT rights.  Today, is different.  There is a story on the Huffington Post that points out that the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) that was passed by both houses of Congress in 1972, never became ratified and is not on the books.


As part of the rules, 38 states have to ratify an amendment for it to become part of the Constitution.  Only 35 states ratified it between 1972 and the deadline of June 30, 1982.  (Wikipedia.org)  So, these 24 words don't get in:  "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex."


I guess I was unaware that the amendment had never passed.  Although it might explain some things that are still going on in the country - certain cuts to programs for women's health.  And although it was staunchly supported by Republicans in its infancy, it seems it is the GOP who doesn't want to see it go forward now.


Looking at the comments on the HuffPost story, it seems most men don't see the need for it either.  They also think that women's rights would translate into co-ed professional basketball teams and communal showers and bathrooms.


Amazing.  Living in this male-dominated, white bread world, it is no wonder that not everybody but the male white breads get the rights.

A Vow

Now, vows are different all over the place.  In a civil union it might go something like this:
 

I take you to be my lawfully wedded (husband/wife).Before these witnesses I vow to love you and care for youas long as we both shall live.

In Muslim ceremonies it sounds like this:

Bride:  “I pledge, in honesty and with sincerity, to be for you an
obedient and faithful wife.”
Groom: “I pledge, in honesty and sincerity, to be for you
a faithful and helpful husband.”

And for the Christians it says some of the same things except there is this pledge from the Groom to "perform my headship over you even as Christ does over me" and the Bride promises to "submit myself to your headship as to the Lord."  Interesting... Headship... (MyWeddingVows.com)

Now, over in Iowa there is another type of vow being offered.  The Family Leader, an influential social-conservative Iowa group, has the “The Marriage Vow – A Declaration of Dependence upon Marriage and Family.”  And Michele Bachmann has already signed it.  So, good Ol' Michele has vowed her submission to somebody's headship.  She has signed on to insure that "the institution of marriage is only between one man and one woman."  (PamsHouseblend.com)

Some of the high points in this vow: 

• Vigorous opposition to any redefinition of the Institution of Marriage and recognition of intimate unions which are bigamous, polygamous, polyandrous, same-sex.
• Official fidelity to the U.S. Constitution, supporting the elevation of none but faithful constitutionalists as judges or justices.
• Recognition of the overwhelming statistical evidence that married people enjoy better health (and better sex).
• Recognition that robust childbearing and reproduction is beneficial to U.S. demographic, economic, strategic and actuarial health and security.
• Humane protection of women and the innocent fruit of conjugal intimacy (the kids) from (among other things) all forms of pornography.

Wonder how that pornography thing is going to sit with some of the constituents? 

There is a vow in there that rejects Sharia Islam, but that's got nothing to do with marriage.

I think I vow not to vote for her...

You Have the Right to Remain Silent

That is an option you get if you are a criminal.  And according to Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, women who want to get an abortion should be treated the same way.  He signed into law HB 636 that “requires women to be informed of their specific legal rights and options before they undergo an abortion procedure.”   This will require abortion providers in Louisiana to post signs letting these criminals know that coercing an abortion is illegal. (ThinkProgress.org)

Jindal doesn't understand why anyone would oppose the bill.  “Now if we’re giving criminals their basic rights and they have to be informed of those rights, it seems to me only common sense we would have to do the same thing for women before they make the choice about whether to get an abortion.”  Which would work, since Louisiana has some of the harshest anti-choice laws in the country.


So, ladies, not sure if you need to consult an attorney, or whether or not Bobby would provide on for you if you cannot afford one.  Just be careful in Louisiana, practice safe sex.

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

That is the basis for the U.S. Criminal Judicial system.  When you are on trial, the prosecution has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you in fact committed the crime.  The Legal-Dictionary defines it as:  "that no other logical explanation can be derived from the facts except that the defendant committed the crime."


Now, everybody is just "disgusted" that Casey Anthony was found not guilty of killing her daughter.  Many tweeted their disappointment: CNN host Piers Morgan wrote "Astonishing verdict. No other way to describe it."   The Big Bang Theory star Kaley Cuoco wrote  "Nice justice system. I can't breathe. I can't think. I'm sick. God help us."  And in reference to someone else who was found innocent, Jason Biggs wrote: "I guess the glove didn't fit."


But maybe the jury was right.  That reasonable doubt thing.  The prosecutors were never able to show how Caylee died. (Time.com)  The prosecution could not answer the questions and they had so little physical evidence, they built their case on Anthony's (nearly imperceptible) moral character. And the defense added in other implausible stories - something about drowning in a pool - that raised the doubt for the jurors.


Anthony will probably go on to be a Hollywood starlet, reaping the benefits of her long time spent in the public eye.  Book deals, movie deals, talk shows.  Millions of dollars because of a little girl named Caylee.


The Office co-star Rainn Wilson wrote: "Dear Florida, THANK YOU for freeing Case! She's now available for partying and babysitting!"

Let the games begin.

Now who we gonna make fun of??

Well, June 30th was Glenn Beck's last Faux News show.  And for the past two and a half "tumultuous, controversial years" he did some things, wrote on some chalkboards and pretty much made him easy to laugh at.  He called President Obama a racist with a "deep-seated hatred of white people" and said he (Obama) just wanted to set the American People on fire.


And he didn't reserve his bad comments for just the president:  Beck On Morbidly Obese Americans: "I Say Let Them Die." Beck: "Politicians" Will "Sell You And Your Children Into Slavery." Beck: The "American Left" Is "Funding Terrorists Or Working With Terrorists." (MediaMatters.org)

Now, Beck wants everybody to believe he is leaving Faux News because there is "more that he wanted to do."  When really it could be attributed to the 400 advertisers who dropped their support of his show.  That caused a little bit of tension between Fox News and Beck, so they parted ways. (HuffingtonPost.com)

So now we just have to find somebody else to make fun of.  Maybe Beck will post something on his website and his GBTV that will give everybody something to laugh at.