If we just had more kids

There is a lot of discussion right now about Social Issues (as opposed to those silly old jobs that the winning GOP promised during that election last November).  And of course the biggest issue that the Republicans are dealing with is the right of women to choose.  Arizona just passed a law that fights discrimination - of the fetus, basically.  They have outlawed "selective" abortions, making "it a felony to perform or provide financing for an abortion sought because of the race or sex of the fetus." (Fox10tv.com)

Now, in Kansas and Idaho, laws have been passed that would not allow abortions past the point when a fetus can feel pain (although it is not necessarily scientifically sound that there is an actual point in time).  Minnesota had already approved in committee a 20 week limit.  Kansas has opted for 22 weeks and Idaho agrees on 20. (MotherJones)

The most bewildering news regarding this particular social issue, however, is out of the mouth of Rick Santorum.  Santorum has decided that the problem with social security is "the abortion culture in this country".  He thinks that because "a third of all the young people in America are not in America today because of abortion" and therefore they don't pay into social security and support the retirees. (Salon.com)

So, if there was just more kids, the GOP wouldn't have to complain about social security either.

What is it good for...

Well, war is good for nothing.  But social media might be good for something.  Facebook actually helps fight hate and violence.  Just today, Fox News reports that a page that called for a "judgement day" and a killing all of the Jews had been removed from Facebook.


A spokesman for FB said that "people on Facebook should be able to express their opinions" but that pages with "direct calls for violence or expressions of hate" will be taken down.  That is what another page tries to do daily.  Wipeout Homophobia on Facebook presents pages that might want to spread violence and hate.
(Friend them here)


But, another thing that might be coming to Facebook will help other people.  A new service, called "Cloud Girlfriend" will create a girlfriend from a user's definition and then allow the user to connect and interact with her publicly on the social network.  (FoxNews.com)  Nothing like getting "poked" by your artificial intelligent girlfriend.


The website has yet to officially launch, but the service is already in high demand.  Oh yeah, I bet it is... where's my mouse, I need to click...

Hypocrisy

Just a little, that is.  Congressional Republicans want to cut funding to address the federal deficit.  One of the things that they want to cut is Planned Parenthood.  Yet, on the other hand, one Republican wants to provide federal funds to "pregnancy resource centers" (read: religious counseling centers) for the purchase of sonogram machines.  That way they can help counsel women against having an abortion. (MotherJones.com)

Now, to get the money for the sonograms, nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations would have to show every woman seeking services the ultrasound image and describe to them the "general anatomical and physiological description of the characteristics of the fetus." And provide "alternatives to abortion" like birthing the child and adoption.


So, let's cut funding to "family planning programs" like Planned Parenthood and fund anti-abortionist "pregnancy resource centers" to promote an ideal.

Perfect.  Perfect Hypocrites

The Final Frontier

That would be Alaska.  And it seems, from the news we get today, that those who are in that frontier are a little on the loony side.  Take the former Governor who says "I need NOW's defense like a fish needs a bicycle," when NOW said something about Bill Maher calling Palin a dumb twat.  She also says that she is through whining about a liberal press.  Will have to keep an eye on her tweets to see if that is true.  (BusinessInsider.com)


And then there is the current Gov. Sean Parnell's appointee for the panel that nominates state judges.  He would like to see Alaskans prosecuted for having sex outside of marriage. (ADN.com)  Now, he wouldn't let his personal beliefs influence which candidates he'd approve for judgeships.  No, that would just be wrong.  But saying that fornication is a felony.  That makes sense.


Might want to avoid the good ol' 49th.  Crazy as a Willow Ptarmigan - the state bird.

There's an app for that...

And it seems, some Senators didn't think there should be.  This group had called on Apple and other manufacturers to ban an app that alerts drivers to DUI checkpoints.  The Dems described such applications as a menace to road safety.  They think "giving drunk drivers a free tool to evade checkpoints, putting innocent families and children at risk, is a matter of public concern."  (FoxNews.com)


However, the Senators didn't quite get the reaction they'd hoped for.  Joe Scott, CEO of PhantomALERT, said that downloads are up by 5,000 percent and sales are up by 3,000 percent since the four senators voiced concern about the product.  Our government at work to protect the nation.


Now, here is something that worked.  Truth Wins Out had started a petition on Change.org to have the "Gay Cure" app removed from Apple sites.  This download was designed to prove that homosexuality is “curable.”   Most respected medical associations such as the AMA and APA have all rejected “ex-gay” therapy.


Today, as that petition approached 150,000 signatures, Apple pulled the plug.  Exodus International President Alan Chambers, who created the app,  tweeted his frustration:  It’s official, the @ExodusInl App is no longer in the @AppStore. Incredibly disappointing. Watch out, it could happen to you. #freedom (WebProNews.com)


He is upset that his app promoting hate is no longer available. 

Hate.  There is NOT an app for that.

Maybe they should check with the followers

As we all are probably aware, the Catholic Church doesn't like gay people.  Archbishop Silvano Tomasi told the United Nations Human Rights Council that "the Roman Catholic Church deeply believed that human sexuality was a gift reserved for married heterosexual couples."   And they shouldn't be made to tolerate homosexuality. (LezGetReal.com)

But a recent poll has determined that "a large majority of American Catholics — 71% — support civil marriage equality for same-sex couples... and 74% believe that same-sex relationships should be accepted by society."  (TheNewCivilRightsMovement.com)

Somewhere along the line the Head Honchos in the Vatican lost touch with their followers.  Maybe 71% will become Recovering Catholics someday too...

... And winds don't create watches

Yes, the time-pieces.  That is what Republican state Rep. Bill Zedler of Arlington told MotherJones.com. Zedler is the author of a bill in Texas that would make it illegal to discriminate against creationists on the job.  So, if a teacher believes in intelligent design, then they should be able to keep working and teaching.


There are a few flaws in Mr. Zedler's defense of his bill, however.  First there is that thing about the watches.  Not sure exactly what he was trying to prove, but somehow the "by chance" theory of Evolutionists would mean that if a person walked out into a windstorm, they would assume that a watch was created.  And that just ain't right, according to Zedler.  No such thing is by chance. 


He probably believes in Henry M. Morris and John C. Whitcomb Jr.'s The Genesis Flood, that argued that creation was literally 6 days long, that humans lived concurrently with dinosaurs, and that God created each 'kind' of life individually. (Wikipedia.org)


So, equality is good.  Maybe the unscientific Creationists should not be fired for their beliefs.  But Zedler doesn't believe in a universal equality.  He has never authored a bill about discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation, or marital status.  Texas has no such legislation.  When asked, he said he would have to think on a bill like that.


The forecast in Colorado today might be good... I could use a new watch