This is the lounge. You can discuss anything you want, but you will do it kindly. Baby penguins are fuzzy.
Status: Heavily Moderated; Previous thread
Pharyngula
Evolution, development, and random biological ejaculations from a godless liberal
This is the lounge. You can discuss anything you want, but you will do it kindly. Baby penguins are fuzzy.
Status: Heavily Moderated; Previous thread
Joe,
I think Daisy was talking about not calling people who get off on docking sad and that they like what they like because they have problems. You know, not judging what turns people on and all that.
Daisy,
Noted, and retracted. I should have said “losers and weirdos”? No no, I kid. Somewhere out there, someone has fetishized missionary sex with the lights off. Just because something isn’t your thing doesn’t mean it isn’t a valid thing.
Sorry for shortening your n<m to Daisy, Ms. Daisy Cutter. And I was too slow posting.
*sigh*
Not my day.
carlie,
That’s fine, I’m not judging the person I’m judging the value of preserving the Lounge atmosphere. I’m not going to fight anyone here, or be drawn into a fight here.
BTW, everyone who voted in my Great Guitar Selection Thingy gets their names thrown in a hat, and the week I buy the Horde-Hammer, SpokesGuitar the winner gets a custom Surlyramic designed by me.
squeeeeeeeee. Thank goodness we didn’t need an ID to vote…
OMFG, John Boehner has decided to back up Mitt Romney’s lies about Obama’s welfare policies, and he is doing so in the most blatant possible way.
Thanks, Ms. Daisy Cutter, for expanding my vocabulary and for reminding me that Wikipedia has an article on darn near everything.
“What do I win?” was a joke.
Lynna,
Republicans are lying about things that a 30-second Google search can refute? Must be a day ending in the letter ‘Y’.
Joe, I get the joke. But the way you said it was extremely dismissive. RTL had a legitimate beef. That’s all I’ma say unless anyone wants to
Another OMFG moment from the Republican convention: the Young Guns have set up a Woman Up! pavilion at the RNC.
There are no displays or discussion about contraception or abortion. They are basically denying and/or ignoring all the anti-woman legislation Republicans have passed. They are going with Romney’s line that the Obama economy is a war on women. They also don’t like “socialized” medical care, but are unclear as to their reasons for this stance. “Hey America! Don’t Take This Road: The Europeanization of the United States,”
http://www.salon.com/2012/08/27/what_womens_issues/
I still can’t comment on Greta’s.
Here is what I want to say:
“Now I know what I have to stand up against.”
Much leftover from ChristianOrOtherReligion dogma that “wimmings be emotional and imagining things, that’s why we can’t have wimminz priests and they be governed by their emotions because god and evolution.”
Beatrice,
“There will be prizes” wasn’t a joke.
Josh,
I retracted the joke. Not much more I can do, short of DEEEEEEP RIFTS!
MOAR RIFTS!!!@@@@!!@@!!@@!!@!@!
Momo #499 what you are describing is
subscribe to every rss feed you have the slightest interest in
filter on catchphrase, send link to inbox
most mua’s have that capability built in
oops mua “mail user agent” in case you were not familiar
Good evening
Dear people who sell fabric on the internet: what’s so hard about putting the weight in your item description.
“beautiful red fabric” really doesn’t tell me what I need to know.
Rift? Imma put my pee-pee in it!
… I’m desperate to have a catch phrase, and “there’s good eating on a fetus” still hasn’t taken off.
@broboxley OT
I am ashamed to say I have been on the net since 28.8 and I don’t really get this rss feed thing.
19 Giliell would “thick booty beautiful red fabric” really help that much?
Gileill,
That’s so basic. How irritating!
Also: News sites? Blogs? Date your goddamned posts, especially if they’re about technology Nothing like reading a whole article about apps that’s been completely superseded and made irrelevant.
Oooh… fabric on a guitar! Thanks Giliell!
I think we need a few more Republicans to step up and say stupid things about women’s body, don’t you?
Next up at the plate is Pennsylvania Senate candidate Tom Smith. In answering a question about Todd Akin, Smith said this:
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2012/08/gop_senate_candidate_likens_ra.html
…if he realllly thought it was a person in that uterus, wouldn’t it be fortunate for the FETUS?! Am I the only one who thinks that simple phrase reveals his property-view of his daughter? Not to mention that if she had chosen termination, his judgmental ass probably would know nothing about it.
Sing it.
Also, Dear people who sell shoes and clothing on eBay: often a similar minimum amount of information is necessary. “Brown women’s shoes”? Not sufficient. “Blue sweater”? Also not sufficient. No, your one blurry photo of your shoe’s insole or the cuff of your sweater is not helping.
Joe:
*sidles away from Joe, clutching tummy protectively*
DarkFetus might be big enough to serve two, but that doesn’t mean I’m gonna let you serve her up as tapas!
(She’s hiccuping at the moment. It feels… weird.)
SonFetus hiccuped from 9am to 1pm one day.
This strange image almost makes me want to be able to feel something like that at some point.
Kristin:
Argh! DF hasn’t gone for more than a few minutes at a time, thank goodness.
Audley,
That’s part of my pro-abortion thingy. Since you want your fetus to become a person, I’m going to put away the BBQ sauce. See how it didn’t take off?
Joe, Eww….
Joe,
But first trimester fetuses are so damned small. Are you sure you’ve thought this catch phrase through?
Tony
Yes, that stuff. We used to buy them in outdoor shops.
++++
Everything’s better with fabric, hehehe
Well, I was checking out embroidery patterns and fabrics with my BFF for her daughter’s baby-quilt. I’m planning on making it a unisex fantasy quilt big enough for a normal-sized bed so the babby can use it for a very long time.
Audley
May you can let him have the placenta?
+++
So, today grandma seemed much better, but we’re still holding our breath. Tomorrow’s her birthday and it’s totally possible that she’ll just shut down afterwards. I love her so much. She was my “fairytale grandma”, you know, the pie-making, dress-making, boardgame-playing variety. And I have to let her go because this life won’t get any better for her anymore.
There is no god to whom I could pray “please let it end before the suffering really begins”.
Hmmm…for once, in a drawing or lottery, my chances might actually be pretty decent!
:P
–
Oh Giliell, I wish I could express how sorry I am. I had one of those wonderful grandmas and I know how hard it is to let go. I send you as many hugs as you need.
Audley,
I’m more concerned with the potentially briny flavor…
It is decidedly black humor, to be sure. Maybe too black for the Lounge? :)
Giliell,
Gross, dude.
So sorry about your grandma. ♥ and *hugs*
cicely, you’re one of a handful… so your chances are actually sort of awesome.
Well, I was hungry… .
Audley, you are way cool :-D
.
.
Thinking of you, Giliell. From what you’ve said earlier about your family, I can well imagine that this is someone extra-important to you. Hope she is and continues to be comfortable.
Thanx, opposablethumbs! :)
Hi, all. Spent my first day back at work dealing with insurance issues. Including one involving a 19 year old with an illness that was diagnosed at 17 and ignored for 2 years because he couldn’t afford the medication to treat it or the insurance to help him pay for it. He should have qualified for CHIP, but apparently had bureaucratic barriers put in front of him continually. He may not be the perfect victim-maybe he didn’t follow up well or something-but he clearly got screwed by the system. He now has a complication that may well kill him and will certainly cost the state much more money than treating the original problem would have.
Not pleased with US right now. Will stop short of saying that the anti-health care Republicans should be washed out to sea on Isaac’s storm surge because I’m not sure whether such a statement would warrant a visit from the secret service and anyway wishing death on someone when you could simply wish for their conversion into decent human beings is immoral. (Or is that statement just too passive aggressive for words?)
Personally, I wish that RonPaulians are able to cause as much non-violent chaos and embarrassment as possible at the RNC. The idea makes me smile.
Hi, all.
I just had a very relaxing afternoon sitting in a comfy chair in the back yard, in the shade of a Redbud, smoking a Hoya de Monteray Reposada en cedre, along with a glass of Johnny Walker Black, all while listening to Gregorian Chants.
Mmmmmmm.
via the new AtheismPlus forum (go and sign up!) Surly Amy tweeted pictures of newly minted A+ ramics in progress.
Tweet: https://twitter.com/SurlyAmy/status/239047488017952768
Picture: http://lockerz.com/s/237924438
Jen’s announcement of the new site:
https://proxy.freethought.online/blaghag/2012/08/go-check-out-the-atheism-website-forum
And the forum itself:
http://atheismplus.com/forums/index.php
Giliell
hugs
Ogvorbis
hugs
Everybody
hugs
—–
Job is over, heading home tomorrow.
yay!
Sweet! I really like the surlyramic design in the top row. I’ve been spending the afternoon drooling over Amy’s artwork since Joe mentioned it earlier. Can’t wait to order one of these.
Well…
My wife has no job, we’ve spent $1000 on fucking nothing, and we’re going to get evicted in October instead of September. We have no hope, our lives are over.
Oh, no way, Joe. What happened?!
The girls are all home and doing well. Busy eating up a storm right now. Angua, Artemis, Mallory, Pearl and Zoe all go in on Sept. 10th. Oh we do loves our vet and our clinic – instead of the expected $575.00, we were billed $475.00.
Can I complain about my boss briefly?
In a private meeting, he says something.
In staff meeting, I say roughly the same thing.
His response? >:( NO NO NO THAT’S TOTALLY WRONG HOW CAN YOU SAY SHIT LIKE THAT?!
portia,
My wife is a nurse trying to get a job in Nevada. After a month, the licencing board tells her she needs to appear in person to petition for a licence. She was supposed to start working next Tuesday, but without a licence she can’t afford to go to Nevada on the off chance they give her a licence. They could have told her a month ago, and she could have accepted a different job. They didn’t, she didn’t, and now we’re well and truly fucked.
Wow. That’s just awful. I’m so sorry. That’s a pretty crappy licensure procedure, too. She doesn’t even have to take an exam or anything? It’s just that they want her to come and ask nicely in person?
–
You and Esteleth are both welcome at the smashing party if you’d like. I think the champagne’s gone, but Patricia brought a *lot* of smelly cheese.
Holy shit Joe. Is it too late to make that (stupid, pointless) trip to Nevada? Is it something we could help patch up?
Joe:
Yes, is it? I feel so guilty standing by.
It’s too late. They need so much paperwork along with the appearance that there’s no way it can be cobbled together in a week. They fucked her over big time, never ever intended on giving her a licence, and strung her along out of spite.
Good god. Why would someone do that?
Joe, this… I can’t find adequate words.
— — — — — — — — —
Let’s go after Michele Bachmann!
https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/final_reps?refcode=homepage-hotlist
— — — — — — —
41 new transiting planets in Kepler field of view http://phys.org/news/2012-08-transiting-planets-kepler-field-view.html
— — — — — —
If placentas are good enough for cows (who eat them after giving birth) why not for humans?
— — — — —
Regarding Republican screw-ups I can recomend “Dispatches from the culture wars” on FTB
Willke: Romney Promised Anti-Choice Actions in Office https://proxy.freethought.online/dispatches/2012/08/27/willke-romney-promised-anti-choice-actions-in-office/
Wilke is the one who started the rumor that raped women do not get pregnant. And he and Romney “agreed on almost everything”.
teh awesome! http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/tampa-republican-conventions-code-pink-vagina-protesters-365541
Joe, I’m so sorry! Where is your wife currently licensed? I know a few places looking for nurses, might be able to make some sort of useful connection.
Dianne, my wife is licenced in Florida and Virginia, and VA is a “compact state” so her licence is good in several other states.
The frustrating thing is that we spent so much money, including funds donated by the Horde, towards a licence that Nevada had no intention of ever issuing. We could have worked towards a different job instead of investing so much in the one that she could never get…
Joe:
D: D: D:
Is there anything we can do? Besides *hugs*
Birger:
Cows chew their their own cud and strangely I almost never feel like snarfing down some vomit.
Shorter me: animals are fucking nasty.
Audley,
You guys have done so much… I might need moving help from anyone in the central VA area, once I get evicted?
Joe, unfortunately all my current connections are in NY, NJ, and PA, so I’m less useful than I was hoping.
If someone is willing to set up another horde donation, I’d be up for contributing, but realistically not for organizing.
I’m astonished that the state of Nevada would be that insane. There’s a shortage of nurses in the US. Probably because of just this sort of crap.
Joe, I don’t know what to say. Is there a higher administrator in the state licensing board she can appeal to?
dianne,
There’s like 2 people in charge of licencing for people with previous “issues” and both of them have shut my wife down. So not much more appeal to be made, and all of it too late for her to start working next week.
I guess we can move in with my parents? That’s a real winner, except there’s still no job in sight and there’s no way they can accommodate our stuff and our pets.
Improbable Joe:
I’m in NY, but there’s some of us in VA that are active here and on PET. Say the word and I’ll put out the Horde signal.
Oh, and anyone hoping for a Great Guitar Selection Thingy prize should cool their jets, because it looks like I will lose my Les Paul and sold my Strat for fucking nothing.
Strange.
PZ closes Lounge #360 on 25 August 2012 at 3:58 pm, #361 starts at 2:57 pm on the 27th.
I think this one should be #362 and #361 has gone walkabout.
… and I had this dream that I was going to save my Les Paul, and get another fancy guitar, and maybe for the love of fuck buy a desk instead of having a goddamned breakfast nook table as a computer desk. And no, I now have no dreams except maybe not losing my fucking cats and my dog. Maybe.
Joe, can your wife call the prospective employer tomorrow? Hiring people is a pain in the ass – they might be willing to wait a week or so, or help deal with the licensing agency, to avoid having to redo a search.
carlie,
My wife would have to fly to Nevada from Virginia on her dime, fly back home, and wait a week for a result that will be most likely negative, since no other state has required this level of scrutiny.
Pteryxx:
[from Greta’s]
You know, you’re totally awesome on so many level, but this is just not right.
Would you stop making making good points that force me to rethink my position??!!
It’s just not right I tell ya.
I wanted to roll around in the elitism just a bit longer.
1) You seemed happy enough to be in a fight here with JM.
2) You don’t get a free pass to say anything in the Lounge and expect no one to call you out for saying something stupid.
3) The “it was only a joke” excuse doesn’t work for that sort of “joke”.
4) 1:43 am here so I’m off to bed. So Carlie was wrong. I am a fly-by-nighter. Good night.
Joe:
I am so incredibly sorry.
Caine:
That’s awesome that you didn’t have to spend as much as you thought. When you have time, can you give Pearl a kiss for me?
Tony,
I feel bad because I was expecting to be able to help you out, and now I can’t even help me out.
Audley:
I ♥ you too!
[But…But…Is it Biblical thread]
Improbable Joe, Florida should be in a constant state of hire, although it may be busy for the next week
broboxley OT,
Florida is an option. We would still have to get there.
I feel bad not only because I can’t help anybody out, but that I’m going into the whole fray in a few years. Can’t things get better?
They WERE better. They CAN and might even BE better again someday. But there are speed bumps, and my only regret in all of this is that I didn’t sacrifice a little so that I could have a buffer to get me through these bumps in the road.
Joe:
True, very true.
I guess I can be comforted by the fact that a)I still have a guitar and an amp that goes to 13 and b)neither of them is worth enough to bother trying to sell.
… I’m so fucking sorry. I thought I would be able to do all sorts of amazing things. I thought I could give a prize for the guitar nonsense on my blog. I thought that I could be the hero of the Horde signal and give hundreds of dollars a month to whatever anyone asked for. I even thought I could go to Skepticon and buy everyone a round and help a couple of people get there and share a room and it would be cool and I could pretend that I’m an awesome guy who people like.
It was a dream, and none of it is true. I can’t give anyone anything, I can’t help anyone, and I’m mostly alone and I don’t have any friends, and I’ll never get to go anywhere or do anything.
Joe – I wish there was more I could do. Please know that you don’t need to worry about the prizey things for any of our sakes. : |
Joe – no, no no no no. I recognize that spiral. I’ve been in that spiral. Don’t go there. It’s so easy to fall down there, but let us grab your hand and keep you from slipping. Take tonight to cry if you need to, but don’t go worst-case. That’s a bad place. Scream and cry with the wife, drink a lot if you both need to, but don’t let go of the fact that you’re both decent good people who have a lot to offer the world who are just being shat on by circumstances right now, and it’s not personal: lots of people get shat on all the time. You are good people.
RTL
Lounge #361 started on August 25, 2012 at 3:57 pm.
We are currently on page 2.
Page 1 can be found by clicking “<<Older Comments" just above "Leave a Reply".
What carlie said. Joe, you’re valued here for your wit, insight, etc, not for the presents you can give.
Improbable Joe – That’s horrible. I hope things work out ok for you and your wife. If there is anything we can do, please say. Hugs, chocolate, booze and/or any comfort food/drinks you’d like.
Giliell – I hope your grandma gets better. Hugs and chocolate for you too.
Caine – I’m glad the girls are ok. Belly rubs, scratches, kisses and tea for Chester.
Cuteness overload :) Facebook page dedicated to getting more followers than our local anti gay marriage lobby group. It succeeded in less than 3 days.
https://www.facebook.com/seaottersholdinghands
I haz warm fuzzies :)
As others have said, Joe, it’s not your fault. You’ve been shat on pretty hard by the system, and depression is a natural consequence, but even if you haven’t any friends locally, you’ve got some here.
Joe, I do believe you’ve picked up a spammer over at your place.
Something to do with dynamical eyelashes.
–
But dianne, you just don’t get it.
It will cost so much less to not only not have paid to treat the problem, but to simply obfuscate in hope that he dies before the red tape supply runs out. In which case, they don’t have to pay to treat the complication, either. It’s Win/Win, all the way to the bank!
</bitter cynicism>
–
WTF-F, Joe????
:( :( :( :( :( :(
I wish I knew of anything that could help.
–
Props for your vets, Caine.
–
Joe, watch out for that Sucking Pit of Despair.
There are people here who value you. Don’t think that you are unwanted and friendless. It’s just not true.
*montrouslybighug*
–
Sorry folks…
I just needed to vent. I’m OK. We’re OK, more or less. No one is giving up today, or tomorrow. Thanks for being nice to me, it is rare and much appreciated.
I still wish I could do more. Don’t we all?
Hey, don’t worry about venting. Even if all I can do is listen, I’m happy to do it. And be as nice to you as you deserve. Which is very nice.
Joe:
I second carlie @91.
If you need to vent here, by all means do so.
Tony:
Of course I will. She’s feeling much better now that the big sisters are home. Artemis, Angua, Mallory, Pearl & Zoe were curled in a corner, shaking, when we got home. They were absolutely terrified about having big sisters taken away from them this morning.
Lexie:
Done, done, done and done. Belly raspberries, too. :D
Yes. Yes, yes. They are good peoples.
Part of it is…
… I get to see my wife collapse into tears. I get to watch my wife implode. I get to see her heart be broken. And as much as the situation makes me want to cry, makes me feel like imploding, makes my heart broken too, I don’t get to express that. I get to be strong and silent and keep my shit together, so I can be my wife’s rock, my wife’s #1 cheerleader, the one who doesn’t break. I can’t talk about any of my own panic, and especially I can’t talk about that I’ve sold off things that I care about because I thought there was a future where it wouldn’t matter. And all of my feelings mean that I’m petty and small and superficial, because it is harder for my wife, so I get to swallow my feelings and my guilt too.
Joe: Holy shit! I’m so sorry that fucking sucks. =(
Caine: I’m glad the ratlets are doing so well and rock on with the awesome vets.
—-
Okay so today was picture day and was too broke to afford them. Then Little One came home today with two Scholastic book sale catalogs. Seriously? I’m glad we are surviving but godfuckingdamnit I’d like to have a little extra money to buy my child’s school pictures, and a book and be able to use a washing machine to wash clothes. Blah.
JAL,
Would $30 help? The Horde just sent me $30, and I wouldn’t care to squander it, but I’m so far in the hole that I think the cash would do you more good than me. I’m pretty sure I can live with disappointment, and Little One shouldn’t have to.
Holy Shit, do I know this feeling well. I even had the same kind of dream, just being a girl instead of a dude obviously. I was the person before last the Horde helped and I was kept from being homeless. I have the benefit of an extremely low amount of money needed to survive for 4 months. I’m still unemployed and feel like shit about it. It’s been so long now. Arizona is not the place to be. If you are lucky enough to get a job, be prepared to be treated like shit and have your rights trampled, especially if you are a woman.
It all completely sucks and is not your fault. I’m so sorry you are going through this. =(
Joe, that has to be one of the sweetest kindest things ever. I appreciate the offer but I don’t feel right taking it. Even if the Horde doesn’t get the full amount you need, it could be helpful for moving and getting things together at your parents. At the least, you could have a relaxing night in or night out with your wife, since you guys could use a brake. It’s okay, really. But thanks again for the offer, I got all teary eyed and regained some faith in humanity.
Good first day of classes, despite the fact that I barely slept last night. Brain is too overloaded with worry about my niece to sleep tonight — the docs are concerned the baby is not developing. She’s having another ultrasound tomorrow to determine what’s going on and what the next steps are.
—
portia:
I think you’ll enjoy watching it. If by “enjoy” one meant “ready to tear your hair out at the backwards and dangerous attitudes of the US.”
—
Lynna:
Oh goody. PA Republicans have actually found someone worse than Santorum to represent the state. *headdesk* Who even knew that was possible?
At this rate, I’ll have to start telling people I’m from Jersey…
—
Giliell:
*hugs* I hope that, whatever time your grandmother has, she is comfortable and at peace.
—
Improbable Joe:
I am so sorry! This is just…I don’t even have words for how crappy it is.
What carlie and dianne and others have said. You are valued here.
*many hugs* Your feelings aren’t petty, superficial, or anything else. You’re grieving, and you’re going to feel how you feel. There’s no right or wrong to it.
—
JAL:
Wish I could do more than offer sympathy and cyber-hugs.
Improbable Joe,
I’m so sorry. *hugs*
No! You are not petty or small or superficial. Your wife has it hard and you have it hard, it’s not a competition where you aren’t allowed to have these feelings unless you have it the worst.
I understand that you want to be strong for her, so if it’s easier keep venting here. Just please don’t beat yourself up for feeling like this. And don’t give up!
———
Caine,
Careful cuddles for ratlets who came back from the vet. Sneak in a little extra for Beatrice, will you?
Good morning
Joe
Oh no fuck, I’m sorry.
And as others have said, it’s totally OK to feel sorry for the nice things you can’t have now. I know that spiral and it’s a bad one. You feel bad because something like that, then you feel bad because you shouldn’t feel bad because it’s such a small thing, then you feel bad because you should now be possitively cheerful for somebody else and so on.
I don’t know your wife, but from a wife who has to lean heavily on her husband’s strength at the moment: crying together can be so good. To me it tells me that this is our crisis, and not just something that’s my trivial little problem.
*hugs* if you want them
Caine
I’m glad the ratlets are all well and happy together again. Kisses for Gytha.
Hehe, do you keep a list at the side of your computer like:
Beatrice: extra treat
Gytha: Kisses
Chas II: belly scratch
…
+++++
Thank you everybody for the hugs and the support.
It is a strange place to be in. I never had this kind of “choice” before. So far all people I knew who died either did it quickly and unexpectedly (and I’m glad they did, especially grandpa. Dying from COPD is one of nature’s tortures) or they suffered so terribly it was a relief.
Now, grandma. We wouldn’t have believed you if you’d told us last year that she’d celebrate her 86th birthday today. It was hard work to build up her health and muscles again to the state of the last months, which were pretty OK and we did everything to make it as pleasurable as possible. And at this point I’m not sure if that would be possible again and whether she wants to put in the effort again or would rather die. Sometimes she says “oh I wished it was over”, sometimes she says “Oh, it’s getting better again”
The one thing sister and I agreed on is that there will be no pain.
Americans Say Rich Are Greedy, Dishonest, Don’t Pay Enough In Taxes: Pew Report http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/27/americans-taxes-rich_n_1833537.html
Checking in – heading back home late tomorrow.
Joe I’m so sorry. That just stinks. There are too many lousy human beings in this world. Just…I’ll do what little I can.
Caine Give my girl Agnes some love, and tell her there’s someone far away, who’ll never meet her, that cares for her. And that yes, that someone is a bit of a twit.
Improbable Joe,
Just adding one more voice to the chorus; I hope something turns up for you and your wife soonest.
Amazing
I have four recipe books that deal exclusively with chocolate. None of them has a recipe for chocolate brownies. Oh, there are many brownie-recipes, but they’re all like super-special-novelty brownies, adding these nuts, those fruits, that liquor, like, well, everybody knows already hoe to make basic chocolate brownies…
Adapted one of the fruity-brownie recipes, let’s see how that works
A giggle from Bad Science:
There could be something to this! The recent heatwave hereabouts is obviously caused by the many people in the area smoking.
Never mind that there’s also a smoking ban…
Improbable Joe,
I’ll also add a voice to the chorus of sympathy, and outraged shock at the evils of bureaucracy of course.
It’s probably a silly question but is there anything, literally anything, you have available near you? Anything that will bring in a buck? Or are you both in that awful situation where work has to bring in a minimum to cover pet care/child care or something similar, and so are stuck either unemployed or employed at beyond a minimum/low wage level?
I just hope something good lands in your lap as soon as possible.
I’m working on a £100 million plus lottery win so I can set up a Home For Pharyngulites Who Can Work Good But Who Have Fallen On Hard Times And Want To Work Betterer. I may have to work on the name. And sadly I think that relying on a lottery win is not the greatest business model, at least that’s what they told me on Dragon’s Den when I asked for a £200 million investment…
I will now give you the same advice and help my parents give me when they wonder why I am not Uber Rich: You’re clever and stuff, why don’t you invent something and make millions?
See, now isn’t that all helpful?
But seriously, sadly, I’m not in any position to do more than offer sympathy right now. When this move is over and I know how much I’ll be spending on repairs etc, I might be of more use to the Pharyngula Phund, but that’s a few weeks away.
Louis
Sorry I haven’t been around much, bit busy right now. But I enjoyed reading the comments under Loftus’ post, and seeing him frantically backpedal at light speed. What a hypocrite.
JAL,
The same applies to you, obviously! I can’t but admire your bravery in the face of adversity, whilst simultaneously being outraged that the richest nation on earth treats people like this (I know, glass houses, stones, we got our own problems in the UK), and being sympathetic to your plight.
Even I’m struggling to be optimistic and I’m like the Weeble of Optimism!
Actually, I’m not struggling. It’s a crap time out there right now for millions in the developed world, and historically we’ve pulled through these things. Without being unnecessarily Panglossian (because we do NOT live in the best of all possible worlds unless you ain’t looking) I do retain a sliver of hope for all of us…yourselves included! Well…except Brownian.
Apologies for not being able to offer more than vague comedy, internet hugs, remote sympathy, and the odd “hang in there”. When that situation changes…
Louis
Improbable Joe,
Would you be comfortable listing your snail-mail address here?
Then I can send you my e-mail address and exchange bank information.
— — — — — —
George W. Bush explained? “Study: Adolescent marijuana use leaves lasting mental deficits” http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-adolescent-pot-mental-deficits.html
Rorschach wrote:
Which post are you talking about?
Addendum
Joe
Seriously, your address, please!
Between me and other ehvil Pharyngulatians we can make a difference.
^ Seconding birgerjohansson, but I strongly suggest not posting personal info here, or suggesting that anyone post it. Please exchange addresses through email or similar instead of making them publicly visible.
Joe – I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make it sound like you shouldn’t complain. Vent all you want. Just not about yourself, because you didn’t do anything wrong.
OK how do we exchange email addresses?
I mean is it inadvisable to post e-mail addresses, as well?
I strongly suggest not posting personal info here, or suggesting that anyone post it.
Indeed. Posting such is asking for even more aggravation. Suggesting that such be posted — even if it was with the best of intentions — is, at best, naïve. Might as well send your details to that nice man from Nigeria who wants to give you several millions…
Birgerjohansson – email addresses can be shut down if you end up with creeps emailing you, it’s a pain in the neck but much easier than moving house if anyone you didn’t want to got hold of your address. If you’re worried about giving your real email address you can set up a gmail account under a pseudonym and then email Joe your real email.
Also JAL – hugs and chocolate if you want them.
The way I’ve tried to maintain some semblance of safety re: giving out email here is that I have one email just for such bloggy things, and although it’s a bit annoying for everyone else to skim past, have both me and the person doing the emailing announce in the same blog that we’ve emailed each other. I figure that eliminates the chance of someone else deciding to email me under X’s name, because the checkpoint is that X has said on the blog they’re emailing me, and if it was a sockpuppet it would either get caught right away by the blogger or then X would say “Wait, that’s not me”. I try to keep in mind that although we’re a pretty nice close group, there are thousands of people lurking and reading (hi lurkers! Talk to us, we’re nice!).
Upcoming: Richard Dawkins on The Life Scientific.
Unlike TV, I think radio programmes are available worldwide, if not, there is always the podcast to download.
Flying visit… hope all is well and everything here is as fluffy as the penguin.
OUR PROBLEMS ARE ALL SOLVED!!!!!1eleventy!!!!
Louis
I mean is it inadvisable to post e-mail addresses, as well?
At the minimum, doing so can result in extra spam and phishing frauds. E-stalkers and the like are also possible. In authoritarian regimes accounts can be closed and (at least hypothetically) much worse.
E-addresses are typically harvested by “scrappers” (automated software) which look for various patterns. So — in addition to — precautions like dedicated / temporary e-addresses, ACK/NAK messaging protocols, and so on, give the e-address in a form a human can decode but a robot probably won’t. So no
[email protected]but, for instance, “shoot foo a dot-spam message through the bar” (a bit obscure) or “foo <circle-a> bar full-stop spam” or similar.If an authoritarian regime or stalker is a concern, then the above is not sufficient.
Improbable Joe –
So sorry to hear it; wish I had something coherant or practical to say, but… damnit. That’s just not fair.
Oh ye gods, I’ve just been sneaking into the A+ forum (meaning just doing some reading) and the MRA discussion is hilarious.
The guy complains about lack of “male reproductive rights” (what, is it illegal now to have a vasectomy?), then claims that contraception is solely the woman’s problem since men can’t get pregnant. Oh, and cuckoo children, the worst thing to happen on planet earth.
Improbable Joe, fuck I am so sorry. I only wish I could actually do something apart from listen and send hugs and say if you’re struggling to stay strong for someone else then you most certainly need time and a place to vent and cry. I hope you get some good stuff coming your way soon.
Herman Cain bellowing:
Mr Cain made his millions from, among other things, pizza. Does that mean that if Obama wis, Cain will go the feck away?
He’s got a point: It’s really hard to find decent pizza in the South of France. Obama hasn’t fixed this problem.
Oh for feck’s sake: …Obame wis, Cain → Obama wins, Cain…
Oh, Cain actually said that? Lawks – I saw the quote but only skimmed it; I thought it was onion-style satire.
Joe and JAL, I hope you don’t mind, but I emailed Josh asking him to contact you to ask your permission to give me your contact info. Kind of indirect, but the only way I could think of that doesn’t involve giving out personal info over the web.
I have money. I’d like to send you some. Actually, I’m kind of annoyed, because I’d like the government to collect the money in the form of taxes and give it out to people who need it, like people with small children and no job or who have just lost a job possibility due to bureaucratic stupidity and/or malice, but that’s not happening, so I’d like to do what I can by hand.
I just realized what bothers me most about this Todd Akin thing.
It’s not him that’s the issue. I mean yes, he said horrible stuff, but it’s not actually much different from what has been circulating the Republican chambers for years now. People are getting all worked up about Akin’s ‘legitimate rape’ thing without calling to attention some of the other virulently anti-women stuff that Repubs have been echoing.
It’s like, let’s all draw focus to one guy’s nastiness, and ignore the rest of the nastiness that has been perpetuated.
Phil Plait tweeted about this but it’s good.
Bic Pen “for her”
The comments are mostly priceless.
I didn’t mean to suggest that something Phil tweets about wouldn’t be good.
ok back for more coffee
Katherine:
Because, see, these are “isolated incidents” and he’s just a fringe lunatic and it’s not like all Republicans are like that and we’re just tarring everyone with a wide brush and probably Akin’s just trolling and well, women are just being oversensitive and just taking it all too seriously and…and…MAN FEE-FEES!
*sproing*
Erm, I think I may have broken my brain… 9am isn’t too early to start drinking, right?
Katherine: Exactly. And it’s just the tip of the iceberg with him personally too. It’s not just abortion he wants to gut, it’s student loans and Medicare. He’s a teabagger in the extreme.
@Rev BDC:
Oh my god, I’m laughing so hard at one of the comments, I’m crying. People at work probably think I’m crazy.
9am isn’t too early to start drinking, right?
After a few drinks you’ll have no problem believing you’re in several different time zones at the same time, some of which are in the throes of coffee break, happy hour, or other appropriate times. So no, it isn’t too early.
Katherine, those comment are high quality for sure.
I had to close the office door.
Improbable Joe,
mail me at
Dimetrodon61 “circle-a” yahoo.se
[it is an old email account that I intend to close down anyway so it does not matter if there is some spam]
— — — —
-check with your bank what the bank account number is “when viewed” from abroad, they usually add a prefix for foreign transfers.
— — — — —
Also, your bank will have its own specific IBAN* code that I have to enclose with the account information when I transfer money.
Before I send anything, I will verify through the Lounge thread that you and the person I am emailing are the same.
— — — — —
* In some countries it has another name than IBAN but the bank will know what you are asking about.
“I allowed my wife to write the grocery list with one of my pens. Shortly thereafter she went out and bought a bunch of flannel shirts, cut the sleeves off and grew a mullet. While she was writing her feminist manifesto, I secretly switched out the man pen with a BiC For Her. She’s now back to baking apple pies, vacuuming in heels, and popping bennies in order to keep her girlish figure… like a proper American gal.
Thank you BiC!”
—
*snort*
Thanks for the support folks…
The bitter pill is that my wife could have probably already been working somewhere else if she hadn’t been counting on the job that fell through. If they had been up-front the first day at the licencing office, we could have saved a ton of money on faxing and Fed-Ex and renewing other licences. Nevada cashed the check three weeks ago and they had to know then what the requirements were and they didn’t bother to tell my wife until last night.
Oh, and good morning everybody. It’s a sunny warm day here and the weather has gone back to acting like a Midwestern August.
Improbable Joe:
What asshatery. Makes me wish for a just world.
Portia:
I lol’d. Also, that’s enough tropical moisture.
You have got to be fucking kidding me
HuffPo warning.
Socio-gen:
1) 9 am is never to early to start drinking, although the true Enthusiast should still be drinking from the night before. I’ll let you off as this is a first offence. Next time it’s a penalty shot and a naked lap of the building.
2) Man Fee Fees (IMPORTANT!). Never forget them.
Louis
Is “HuffPo” the noise one makes after the thirteenth toke of wicked strength marijuana?
Huffffff
Poooooooooooo
Dude. My hand. I’ve never really looked at it, you know.
Etc.
Louis
this is true
:D :D :D
Beatrice:
Nothing to be sorry for. :)
ImaginesABeach, I expand a lot of people’s vocabulary. Not always in ways they expect.
Joe:
Oh, shit. D:
I wish employers like that could be sued off the face of the earth. That’s fraud IMHFO.
Caine, glad to hear it.
Esteleth…wtf.
Tony/Pteryxx:
Um, even the people here who used to be misogynists-lite never dedicated their lives obsessively to harassing women on the internet.
For similar reasons I don’t worry about being “better than” the Rethugs, despite all the handwringing from liberals and concern trolling from conservatives. There’s self-introspection, and then there’s self-flagellation. The latter isn’t helpful.
Anti-gay activist confesses to molesting children for 25 years.
Joe – can she get the money back, since they didn’t tell her what all the requirements were?
Oh lord, this is my favorite:
Rev:
Once again, I ♥ Twitter. (*cough*Mattir, it’s not pointless*cough*)
Via Failbook.
(And really? Does Limbaugh actually think that the National Weather Service/NOAA are staffed by Obama appointees or something?)
those Kentucky folks know how to party
http://www.whas11.com/home/Works-crews-discover-underground-sex-club-in-Whiskey-Row-167597465.html
Actually, while I agree that it’s very unlikely, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to someday see a former Nice Guy (or Chill Girl) come forward and admit that they used to participate in harassment campaigns. Especially if it was in a group situation like a hostile fraternity or the slimepit. Even abusers changing their ways, while vanishingly rare, aren’t *completely* nonexistent.
Tony: sorry, and you’re welcome. For what it’s worth I think you’re an awesome person, and you’re more than welcome to roll in that. ;>
Well… things just got interesting. My wife’s old boss in Florida called last night right before the collapse of the Nevada job, just to say hello and catch up. Today she called back to ask if the job thing worked out, my wife explained the situation, and so old bass made a few phone calls. There’s a chance we’re moving back to Florida, and my wife going back to work for her old boss.
It is good news/bad news, because we moved in part to get away from her old boss. On the other hand, we’re pretty much at the end of our rope and they’ll help pay to relocate us.
Completely threadrupt, but I’m working on it. :)
Had to share this here because…well you’ll see.
So I’m filling out a health questionnaire to, hopefully, get some insurance. Then I run across this one:
“I have religious prohibitions to immunizations”! WTF! Then the answer is “NO”. WTFFFFF!!!!
:(
Pteryxx:
That’s not the way to bet, and I’m not going to worry too much about “demonizing” people who do a great job of demonizing themselves.
If I wanted to be in an organization with an attitude of, “We’re all sinners here,” I’d join a church, thanks.
Joe:
Good luck to you and Mrs Improbable.
Joe — I hope you two come out of this rollercoaster ok. Good luck.
Improbable Joe
Better the devil you know?
I’m thinking good thoughts for you and your Wife.
From facebook, list of rules for a gunfight:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151127082039371&set=a.10150190866609371.329707.166833599370&type=1&theater
I have to say, one of the ones that bothers me the most is the 23 minutes response time for a 911 call. That stat, if anywhere near accurate, is only so because of underserved urban populations. Read: urban planners don’t care about black people. So of course it takes an ambulance forever to respond. Jeez. And, to top it off, the friend who posted this literally has an ambulance blocks from his house and police even closer. This has been your white privilege of the day. (Not to mention that white people are seen as “defending themselves” if they carry guns, while people of color get no such benefit). /rant.
There’s nothing in there about bringing a knife. I’ve been misled.
Portia #168 I live in a %90+ white suburban county. last time we had a violent confrontation (I was at work) during the day with two unknown males pounding on the front door wanting people to open up and a large rock heaved thru the window of my van. My terrified wife called 911 and it took 43 minutes to get a deputy over there.
The male unsubs were very lucky I was not home as the cops could then take all dazy to come out and take statements
Improbable Joe,
You were specifically trying to get away from the old boss? I hope problems with him are something you can both deal with without making yourselves miserable.
Or in other words: I hope your wife wasn’t being somehow mistreated/harassed/abused at her old job.
Wow I’m so sorry that happened, broboxley. I didn’t mean to be so universal with my statement. As with most things, I should have qualified it as a generality, not an absolute.
Re guns: The bottom line is that you’re more likely to be killed violently, by murder, accident, or suicide, if you have a gun in the house than if you don’t. That’s what the data says and all the rhetoric in the world that contradicts it is just stupid rhetoric.
It is good news/bad news, because we moved in part to get away from her old boss.
This sentence tripped all my fear of vulnerability to abuse sensors. If you move back and your wife takes a job with her old boss, can she keep the same problems from occurring again?
Joe, correct me if I’m remembering wrong, but I think you mentioned that Mrs. Improbable quit her old job because of a workplace assault. I really hope that she can stay safe.
Has there ever been a well-designed study that corrects for the fact that many people own guns because they live in an environment that already has an elevated crime rate? I have not seen one yet that tried to tackle that, instead of leaving it as an aside in the study.
My gut agrees with you, but I don’t go around preaching it due to that hole.
@dianne:
But guns can be used for so much else besides violent murder. Like target practice! Where you practice shooting a vaguely human-shaped target! Or skeet shooting, where you practice shooting a moving target!
Seriously though, the only time I’ve ever seen a handgun used it was when my ex-boyfriend took a loaded pistol next door when he wanted to shut some revelers up at 1 AM. It scared the living shit out of me!
Has there ever been a well-designed study that corrects for the fact that many people own guns because they live in an environment that already has an elevated crime rate?
There was a review in the NEJM a few years ago that included references to some of the classic studies. And they do indeed control for poverty, location, stressors, etc. Article.
177 Katherine Lorraine they are also very useful for violent killing, not just murder
Personally I have knives, atlatl’s, warclubs, throwing axes, bows and arrows all over the house, we call it art if anyone asks :-)
Since we’re talking guns, what’s a good response to someone who pulls out that hackneyed phrase “guns don’t kill people, people kill people”?
@broboxley:
I have a reverse-blade katana and a Batarang. I would love a nice one-handed sword or a bastard sword. And heck, I want to get one of the Cowboy rifles (Winchester 1881, lever-action hunting rifle. Beautiful gun if I do say so.)
I’m just not about to pretend like those weapons are dangerous and possibly could hurt or kill someone. If I had a child, they would be bolted to the wall, peace-tied, and in a way that they wouldn’t be usable as a weapon. Too many people are way too easy-going about dangerous and deadly things like that.
A fairly good study of homicide and gun ownership. Can’t establish causation, of course. But it’s notable that the correlation between firearm homicide and gun ownership increased when poverty, violence, etc were taken into account.
Tony: “Well, if that were totally true, it would work when I point my finger at somebody at shout ‘BANG’!”
“Wrong, people use guns to kill people.” You could also add “easier and at a longer distance than with knife/club/bare hands”.
Something must be borked with my computer. I’ve got strange things being linked to in various peoples’ comments, which they’re not linking to. I have random words that are showing up highlighted in my posts. My subscription to Pharyngula is f**k*d up too.
For instance, when I just tried to manage my subscription here, the email I received was about the X Blog, Reasonable Doubts, and Assassin Actual, but no Pharyngula.
Also, I have a ‘Purple Link’ thingee that pops up at random over the strangest words.
WITH GUNS. And then refer to the numbers on deaths by handgun vs. other weapons:
•There are five times as many deaths from gun assaults as from knife assaults, where the rates of assault with knives and with guns are similar (Zimring, p. 199).
•More than 90 percent of suicide attempts with a gun are fatal (Miller, 2004, p. 626). In comparison, only 3 percent of attempts with drugs or cutting are fatal (Miller, 2004, p. 626).
(from the Brady Campaign that has links to studies they pull their numbers from.)
@Tony:
Clap loudly and sharply, tell them “No! Bad human! No treat for you!” and point to the backyard. Hopefully they’ll get the message and go outside. They’ll probably give you the puppy-dog look for a few minutes, but you’ve got to ignore it (it’ll be really hard I know.) When you let them back in, pat them on the head and tell them you love them.
sisu:
That was fast.
Much appreciated!
Katherine: just brilliant.
Alert about US banks: They do NOT have IBAN codes. Stupidly, the US does not participate in the IBAN protocol. Expect difficulty and uncomprehending bank employees. I still haven’t figured out how to accept a wire transfer. PayPal is much, much easier.
Beatrice,
Old boss was a woman, and they had some codependency issues with each other. My wife wanted a clean break, which is why we relocated to Virginia.
*eyeroll*
IBAN is practical and makes sense. Of course US doesn’t participate.
Soooooo, Katherine, where would you like this bright, shiny Internet delivered to?
That was *priceless*!
Dan Savage debates the president of the National Organization for Marriage. If I thought there was such a thing, I would call Dan Savage a saint. (Though he has a verrrry sketchy history with intersectionality, to say the least.)
http://tyleroakley.tumblr.com/post/29980859316/dan-savage-vs-brian-brown-the-dinner-table
portia, that was the most recent job where my wife was assaulted. I’m talking about a past job in another state.
As far as guns are concerned, we’ve gone round in circles on this. If “guns don’t kill people, people kill people” then why does anyone who supports gun ownership even bother with guns?
I suppose everyone has already heard about the anti-Obama movie 2016: Obama’s America which is supposed to be a documentary. In this movie, Dinesh D’Souza travels to countries that play a part in Obama’s history. The concept is okay, but D’Souza topples into the nutbag category as he looks for sources of Obama’s anti-American, anti-capitalist and socialist radicalism.
The traits Dinesh D’Souza looks for can be found, just not in Obama. The case of guilty-by-association is even hard to make. This doesn’t stop right-wing propagandistic film makers.
What’s interesting is that this agitprop was the eighth highest-grossing film this past weekend, even though it was only playing in about one thousand theaters. Advance ticket sales, and marketing through so-called “grassroots” conservative organizations added up to a big payday. Focus on the Family and Fox News, among others, are pushing the film.
Salon published a good article explaining the outsized success of these right-wing propaganda films.
http://www.salon.com/2012/08/28/right_wing_blockbusters_rule/
Excerpt:
Right wing audiences will take to heart every bit of the anti-Obama film — lies, distortions and all. It is a kind of anti-education. And an anti-democracy move. If anything is anti-American ….
Oh, FFS. I give up. How can I be subscribed to this post, but not receive any updates? I’m just not the most tech savvy guy. Guess I’ll just have to pop into The Lounge to see what’s new.
::grumble, grumble, razzin, frazzin::
Joe, that’s good to hear. Thanks for clarifying.
I will keep that in mind but that 10% failure rate makes me nervous
@Tony
that’s spyware doing that. You should run crap cleaner. http://download.cnet.com/CCleaner/3000-2144_4-10547048.html
or your virus scanner might catch it.
Tony: random links being imposed externally on stuff you read? is generally a sign of malware infection. I suggest running an online scan ASAP, such as ESET’s free online scanner (there are others such as Kaspersky):
http://www.eset.com/us/online-scanner/
seconding CCleaner also, but CCleaner’s not specifically a malware tool. There are lots of good free virus scanners out there such as Avast, Malwarebytes or SuperAntiSpyware.
Lynna OM,
that movie is doing well because it has a built in audience. Much like Michael Moore’s movie before the 2004 election Fahrenheit 9/11 had a large built in audience for his propaganda hit. I remember acquaintances imploring me to watch it. Im not fond of propaganda and would be damned if I was going to pay to watch it. Same thing here, every nutbag, wannabe nutbag and tinfoil hatter is glowing about the piece. The producers are laughing all the way to the bank
Joe,
Ok then. That is certainly better than there being any harassment.
Hmmm. There are some problems with IBAN codes and US banks, but you can find a US bank that will comply. I regularly receive payment from Geneva and other international locations. They go to my US Bank account, using the IBAN US 44 IMT.
There is a fee for each transfer. Sometimes you can get the payer to pay the bank fees.
As far as I can see bankers on both ends of the transactions are making big bucks off a system that requires very little work on their part, and no risk on their part.
True. Unfortunately, most people (and a bigger “most” on the right wing side) cannot differentiate between propaganda and documentary. Having a point of view or theme is fine, but lying and stupidity should not be encouraged.
I have Malwarebytes, Avast and AVG.
I guess that makes me paranoid.
OTG you guys: at 47:45 in the above video:
Moderator: Are you in favor of making divorce illegal?
NOM President: No, just because you believe something is wrong, doesn’t mean you make it illegal.
*head asplode*
Beatrice:
Done. She wasn’t too impressed. Beatrice, Magrat and Agnes all had a strong reaction to the anaesthetic, they’re still a bit out of it. You’d never know Amelia & Gytha had major surgery.
Giliell:
They’ll be delivered as soon as I figure out where Gytha happens to be.
Sort of…I keep a list in notepad. :D
Amblebury:
I won’t tell her you’re a twit, but I’ll give her your love. :)
@Ye Olde Blacksmith #165
I suppose that the reason for that is that if you say no, they assume that you want the kids vaccinated now, but if you’re a goddist you don’t.
Portia, Audley:
Seriously, has Limbaugh never noticed the 5-day forecasts for Ike 2008? That’s why the NHC reminds people to disregard the exact track and look at the surrounding cone. FFS, they even took out the lines to make it easier!
It’s called the weather, not a conspiracy.
On an unrelated note, I have a feeling the NHC forecasters were rather anxious to have a hurricane Issac. The last few advisories sounded like “It’s sooo close to being a hurricane…”
This also explains why they leapt on the chance to issue an update.
This sentence especially. Stewart’s frustration with the broken forecast is palpable.
Though admittedly, it is good for those in the path.
Abandoning the pretense of caring about facts
Excerpt:
Romney’s most effective ad campaign (5 ads) is the one in which they claim Obama gutted the work requirement for welfare. It’s a blatant lie, and it is racially charged. But it is working.
BuzzFeed’s take on the issue: http://www.buzzfeed.com/bensmith/romney-camp-bets-welfare-attack
“Fact checkers come to this with their own sets of thoughts and beliefs, and we’re not going to let our campaign be dictated by fact checkers,”…
Caine,
Aw, poor girls.
I hope they’re all up and running soon.
Nerd:
Brings to mind a favorite Molly Ivins quote:
PayPal is easier, but I’ve found that some companies refuse to use PayPal. They have an accounting system, often automatic, that doesn’t play well with PayPal.
If you find your bank to be uncomprehending when it comes to IBAN codes, ask to speak to someone in the wire transfer department.
I see someone already posted the Code Pink info up-thread. Here’s more.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/08/28/medea-benjamin-and-code-pink-protest-the-rnc-in-tampa.html
Testing something. I’d make a real post, but while I’m not really threadrupt (I’ve been keeping up, mostly), I’m kind of fried otherwise.
Hugs/sympathies/lollipops to those who want them.
This is normal, Joe. You’re a man, not a robot! You’re allowed to have feelings.
–
JAL: *hugs* for you and Little One both. Sometimes the world is just full to overflowing with Suck.
–
It means, “In many parts of the world, the children in a marriage are no longer considered the property of the man, to be disposed of at his pleasure! And if I’m an asshole, my ex can conceivably deny me custody/visitation! And get child-support even if we weren’t married! And conceive a child by me without my permission! And she can abort my babby without my permission!” Eleventy!!!, and all that.
–
*snortle! choke!*
–
“People kill people…sometimes on impulse…from a safe distance and at small risk to themselves…with guns.”
–
Lollipops, yay!
Republican Governors are twisting and spinning as they try to distance themselves from the debate over work requirements for welfare.
Part of the problem here is language. The so-called “waiver” does not wave the requirement that getting welfare recipients back into the work force is a priority. Governors were asking for flexibility in meeting work requirements. Obama basically said, “Okay, but prove that you will not only meet, but will exceed the work requirements.”
Link.
NEW THREAD.