This is the lounge. You can discuss anything you want, but you will do it kindly.
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.
Status: Heavily Moderated; Previous thread
Beatrice, Dallilama, hugs to you both.
.
F. O.
In Sweden the debate seems to have been won by the asshats and Oil Collaborators. Saudi has sent back their ambassador, everybody pretends it is not a murderous dictatorship and now the swedish prime minister is off to the Chinese dictator who is apparently not a dictator at all.
I want to puke.
Welcome to the Lounge, Gen.
—
*HUGS* for Beatrice and Dalillama.
—
I’m suffering some major caregiver burnout right now. My best friend is seriously ill and has been in and out of the hospital, with no diagnosis and nothing to show for it except for more bills (no insurance) and prescriptions for her pain and nausea. Actually figuring out the underlying cause of her illness and doing anything for it? Ehhh… Her other friends and family have been largely unsupportive and useless.
Then there’s my step-father, whom I hate more than just about any human alive with good reason and wish I could live the rest of my life without ever thinking of him again. But he broke his ankle (his surgeon excitedly gushed to me about how nasty the break is and what a thrilling challenge it was putting it back together again) and I was the one who had to call an ambulance for him because for some bizarre reason he refused to do it and instead called me, have had to take him to and from appointments and surgery, and have had to wait on him endlessly because he can’t put any weight on his foot and can barely move on his crutches. So…he’s here. In my home. Watching twelve hours of Breaking Bad a day and asking me to cook him popcorn and bring him hot cocoa.
And then there’s my mother, whose mobility is limited due to her knee and her back and she’s in a lot of pain. She’s also severely depressed. She needs somebody to vent to and is incapable of offering any emotional support of her own right now, so it all falls on my shoulders. One day when I started to cry about how lonely I was, she interrupted me to yell about how lonely she is for half an hour.
And, finally, my partner. Who seriously fucked up as a partner, then declared his fuck ups were the result of his depression, and so now he needs me because he can’t do anything because he’s too depressed and maybe if I’m really, really supportive eventually he’ll recover enough to stop being a terrible partner. And any reminder of my own unhappiness just makes him that much more depressed and sad and pitiful and in need of my comfort and reassurance.
I feel like a towering pillar of rage, just barely keeping it together. There’s nobody here to be my support person. Just about the only person I’m not angry at on some level is my best friend, because even with as bad as things are for her she’s still kind and treats me like a person with my own feelings.
TMM,
Damn, sorry to hear you’re going through that. You don’t deserve to be taken for granted like that :(
I respect you for being so helpful to people even when they’re not being considerate of you.
Gen:
Welcome in.
I hope this community works better for you than the FB one.
* * * *
Woman filmed launching racist tirade against men on the tube for speaking in own lingo.
Here is todays horseshit article: http://moviepilot.com/posts/2015/03/29/are-movies-causing-sexism-2820257?lt_source=external,manual
I cant seem to copy paste from my phone but the writer thinks sexism in movies is worse for men than women. She also calls herself an ‘equalist’.
Tony, #4
I would have vomited on the bus. And then said “excuse me” in Urdu.
The Mellow Monkey,
I’m sorry people are treating you like you don’t matter. You do, your feelings and well being are important too.
*higs*
Charles Krauthammer’s unintentionally shows how bigoted the Republican field is.
Sizing Up the GOP Candidates
The two people he includes in the “Longer Shots” category? A woman and a black man.
TMM, I am truly sorry. It’s utterly shitty that you are not getting the support you too need. I hope you can get rid of your stepfather soon … I don’t suppose there’s any chance you could actually go and stay at your friend’s for the occasional night? I mean, obviously I have no idea if that would work for either of you, but like you say she’s the only one behaving decently right now. And I remember from things you’ve mentioned in the past that your mum and stepfather have always given you some serious grief; it must be awful having them so on top of you at the moment and not being able to take a break.
Damn. For what it’s worth, please feel free to rage here; at least we can listen and hear you!
If anyone needs to clear their tear ducts a bit:
8 Things Vietnam War Movies Leave Out (By an Enemy Soldier)
Agriculture and climate change: A new documentary film tracks the history and mission of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault – sometimes called the Doomsday Vault – and its founder Cary Fowler.
http://earthsky.org/earth/seeds-of-time-to-hit-theaters-in-may
The trailer for the documentary movie is good.
Oh, nice! “Snow carrots.”
http://space.io9.com/when-a-meteorite-hits-snow-it-forms-a-snow-carrot-ins-1692259034
TMM Thanks for the welcome (and Tony! too). I’m so sorry that it’s so sucky rifght now. I hate my stepfather too and the thought of having to care for him like you’re doing… Wow. You’re so much a better person than me.
I hope you know you’re welcome to vent here to your heart’s content.
I hate it when people blame their shitty behaviour on their mental illness. You still have a choice in how you treat people, even when you’re ill and taking a cop-out and expecting all this emotional work from you is just, I dont know. It must be so hard on you.
Politicians in Arizona have cut K-12 education funding so often that the state now spends 70% or less per pupil when compared to other states. Performance categories for K-12 students place Arizona in 40th place, or lower.
Of course, the Republican-dominated legislature is also full of dunderheads who frequently sponsor giveaways to charter schools, with privatized education being the goal.
The picture is equally bleak for higher education. Funding cuts have forced Arizona State to rely on more corporate funding. The curriculum has been negatively affected.
Oh, yeah, legislators also increased prison funding, sending wads of cash to privately funded prisons, while stripping millions and millions of dollars from the public educational system.
The Arizona legislature has ticked off enough educators and responsible citizens that a lot of people are fighting back.
The Governor and legislators of Arizona decided to tell the protestors to shut the fuck up. They used some Koch brothers money and money from other dark sources to fund robocalls that smeared protest organizers.
The protestors did not immediately shut the fuck up, or at least some of them did not shut the fuck up, so the legislature passed a bill to make it illegal for education officials to speak for or against bills, plans or referenda that affect their funding. Freeze Peach in the land of rightwing extremists means free speech for rightwing asshats only.
Arizona Capitol Times link
CBS 5 Arizona link
ABC 15 News link
@Beatrice 476
It does not seem to be you at all.
I hate that crap.
People get to complain. Claims of torture and the intensity are there to make you do something, not communicate constructively about an interpersonal problem. I may overuse this a bit but, it sounds like a dominance display. Especially since you instinctively responded with one of your own which was totally fair since they did one first.
If they wanted to be constructive they might have asked that you reduce the intensity so you could both be more constructive, but that’s not what they did.
I think walking on eggshells is the point.
@cicely 494
I am dissapoint at missing that.
@Dalillama
I hope things are better.
@The Mellow Monkey
I hope you are able to get your emotions out in a way that helps here. I don’t suppose there is any convincing them that if they don’t give you what you need they might not be able to depend on you for reasons out of your control? They should still be responsible for the emotional damage that they do. I hope things work out.
Hi
New commenter, long time lurker. So, I just spent a couple hours packing up the books from the library of my local group. I resigned my position as a member of the executive over the final straw of my group voting to join the SPI coalition. Feeling bruised and hurt that a nebulous connection with an organization filled with people who have shown time after time that they don’t share my values was more important than the contributions of someone like myself, who poured her time and energy into creating a community.
On the plus side, in giving up my duties as group librarian, I no longer have a reason to keep books in my house authored by rapists and misogynists.
TMM, hugs, if I may.
Try to make time for yourself. Get out of the house for a while and do something you enjoy. Don’t guilt yourself, you need and deserve caring for, too.
dianagoods, welcome! Somebody will be along with the questionnaire eventually. The pillow fort is over here in the corner and Hobbes is always up for snuggles when you need them.
Thanks Anne
I already have been here for awhile and now that I have lost the community that has been such a big part of my life, I’ll need to reach out more to cyber-communities. I’ve spent a fair bit of time here already, reading the comments of the many kind and smart folks here, but not chiming in because someone else usually articulates what I’m thinking, usually better than I could myself.
I’m feeling a real mix of emotion right now, sad, angry, hurt and most of all completely stunned that in the end, my group chose a rapist and his buddies over me. I just don’t know how to process that.
dianagoods
You must be subjected to the Equestionnaire! Please share your thoughts and controversial opinions on the following items:
1) cheese
2) peas
3) horses
4) Miracle Whip.
Welcome in! Grab a seat and chime in whenever you feel comfortable, and don’t worry if you feel like what you’re saying is redundant – sometimes it’s important to hear as many voices as possible, whether agreeing or not.
The Mellow Monkey
I have a stack of *hugs* and *higs* for you. You don’t deserve to be made to feel like shit for being an awesome person, and I hope at least some of the caregiver worries are alleviated as soon as possible.
And for the record, Partner’s faults are not your fault, and it sucks that you feel so used by someone who should be your emotional support, too.
Alien horrors: So that is why…. http://amultiverse.com/comic/2015/03/11/all-the-notes/
Is miracle whip related to cool whip? And will Stewie Griffin murder me if I pronounce it the wrong way?
@Beatrice:
I’ve spent a long time in the anti-abuse line of work. I’m trying to figure out how to write concisely to you without compromising what I know or intend.
Abusers very often express the idea that they are in fact the victim in the dynamic. Individual abusers rarely if ever spend time seriously analyzing whether or not they might in fact be abusive, especially in a context where others are privy to those thoughts. The fact that you’re taking this action places you in a group of people who are less likely to be abusive… to the point that the reasonable conclusion is simply that you aren’t one.
But not all bad behavior is abuse. One can engage in a pattern of unintentional behaviors that are, nonetheless, hurtful, harmful, or bad. But the ethical implications of this are very different, and you seem to be struggling with the ethical implications and whether you are being “good”.
Go for self-improvement, but the odds are very unlikely that any of the moral implications that fall on abusers fall on you.
Only you can say if you’re the rare sociopath with enough knowledge of the dynamics of abuse to deliberately mislead us.
Absent that? You’re not being abusive. You’re being gaslighted. But even a jerk-face gaslighted can occasionally be correct that one of our behaviors isn’t great. Do the introspection. Get a neutral opinion from someone who knows you well enough to have seen you when you get loud and have an idea how often it happens. But fuck that shit about you being abusive.
@dianagoods:
So glad to see someone else write in. It helps to have lurked a while, eh? Didn’t we all?
As for the local community and the library: yeah, happy for you that you don’t have to store those books, unhappy for you that your community didn’t value your work. We’ll just have to do our best to fill you with our Happiest, Go-Luckiest Pharyngula Grog™.
Trigger warning:
If you are nauseated by rape in fiction, you should probably avoid the first volume of The Black Company. The main character is “clean”, but the others are anything but.
And if you don’t care for Grog™, our Swill™ looks remarkably like most other alcoholic beverages of choice, but served in a dirty looking glasses. Various snacks like bacon sammiches, popcornz, and a veggie plate are available.
Wow. Between the Colorado coffee shop I mentioned on the first page and now Starbucks, I may have to force my body to like coffee. You may be asking what I mean by ‘…and now Starbucks’. I’m referring to this fucking *awesome* comment from the CEO of Starbucks:
I feel a very strong urge to send an email to Schultz.
If you want to own a throne made of dildos inspired by Game of Thrones, here is what you have to do.
This is probably the weirdest thing I’ve read all day.
Or perhaps you’d rather a throne made entirely of carrots?
http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/dozens-scientific-papers-withdrawn-probably-more-come
@rq
Interesting questionaire. I’m not sure if I have strong feelings about any of the items on the list, but I am certain that with the addition of some lime jello I could whip up a dish with items 1,2 and 4 that would be the envy of all my friends at the next Tupperware party I attend.
dianagoods @30:
Good thing #1 isn’t horses… :)
#454 Gen, Uppity Ingrate and Ilk
Just start commenting, yeah. Often newly de-lurkers will start with an introduction but it’s not required. And you’re hardly a stranger.
Welcome to the Louge!
————————-
Beatrice, an amateur cynic looking for a happy thought
Oh god, I know this, I live this too. I’m so sorry you’re going through it. *hugs*
I know I have a problem with anger. With my issues, I hold it all in and can’t confront people until I reach a breaking point. I hate confrontation and end up making it worse since I wait so long. And if it’s with an asshole like my “step-father”, I end up screaming. I haven’t been able to control that besides walking away.
There’s hope at least. I talked to Roomie about him not doing a chore (one single little damn thing) and it only took a day and half to get the courage and control. It went well like how it was supposed to. I did good and I will get better. It just takes practice undoing all the damage. All the things I learned wrong or didn’t learn at all.
You are not a monster. You may have things to work on but you’re in a shitty situation and he’s beyond your control. You can’t change him. And you can’t force your mom to leave if she won’t.
But you’re doing the best you can and in the face of assholes, that’s all you can do. With him still in the picture, it’s distorted. You’re trying to be a better person (you’re doing a damn fine as it is, but you’re a good person so you strive for more) but it’s hard to see with a funhouse mirror.
Survive, fly, fix what you can, accept what you can’t, thrive.
I hope that helps. It’s what I keep trying to tell myself. If not or if I’ve overstepped, I’m sorry. You should probably just listen to Crip Dyke and everyone else.
—————————–
Dalillama, Schmott Guy
*hugs back*
————————
TMM @ #2
Holy fuck. o.0 *hugs*
I second Beatrice (#7).
That’s a lot and I’m sorry no one is there for you.
I know I couldn’t take care of my “step-father” (Techincally, but fuck if I claim him as fam). Of course, I’m spineless and would end up doing it if I didn’t have roadblockers in place. Roomie would move out before that fucker would come in and no matter what I won’t put Little One anywhere near him.
Of course, it’s damn okay not to do it just for you. Fuck being the sacrificial woman.
Damn, that’s really messed up of your partner. I understand the depression all too well but to be so self-centered is…ugh. Both Roomie and I are depressed and I get the feedback loop problem but we try. I sometimes self-censor because I don’t want to set him off but I’d never ask someone else to do that. And he doesn’t ask me either.
And then your mom…
I’m sympathetic for the mental and physical illness but not for being an asshole. And they are being inconsiderate assholes.
I hope it gets better and they shape up.
—————–
#16 dianagoods
Damn, that sucks. Well, fuck them and good for you, taking such a stand. Welcome.
—————
There’s oh so much more but I’m far too behind. *leaves pile of hugs*
Threadrupt.
I, and a handful of other regulars, have been on unofficial Troll-Watch over at Hemant’s, which is normally pretty mellow, but the last week, week and half there’s been a weird influx of trolls.
I’m feeling really burned out.
In other news, my little brother decided that I was the perfect person to come out to. (World’s most Transparent Closet.)
I finally got a bra that fits comfortably. It doesn’t quite offer the level of compression I want, but it’s keeping my boobs out of my way, and providing support so they’re not flopping around when I’m running the trails.
And speaking of trails, it shouldn’t be too much longer until I get the new set of wheels, and then I’ll be back out. I’m going stir-crazy from being house-bound for the last month and a half.
Hi dianagood, good to see you here. Thanks for the welcome JAL. WMD I’ve given up on Hemant’s place a while ago, not because of the trolls but because of the host. I’m sorry you feel burnt out – it’s not your responsibility to keep his blog trolls under control, so if it gets too much, don’t feel bad about stepping out.
Here’s something interesting: See the Living God in action through these baked goodies! Yes indeed, the real meaning of Easter can be revealed through this recipe for you and your family!
http://www.godvine.com/read/resurrection-rolls-recipe-for-easter-fb-gv-880.html
From the ” I CAN NOT BELIEVE she said that” Department:
One of my oldest friends made a Facebook post the other day that I am still facepalm-ing over.
My friend (since 5th grade) is S. Her son is K. Her son is in prison [drug charges]. S has always been very religious but over the years we have come to an understanding. She used to ‘preach to me’ but now we talk religion occasionally in a general (non-evangelizing vs. non-‘religion makes no sense’) kinda way. [Guess which is my part of that equation.]
Now the FB post: She actually said she ‘thanked god’ for her son’s time in prison because… wait for it… he’s become a better Christian…. !!!!!!!!!!!
Uh, Mom… what about his getting beat up (more than once) by other inmates? What about his getting transferred to other units (at a moments notice, for no discernable reason) meaning YOU have to travel hours and hours (across the 2nd largest state) just to visit him? What about his being denied a case review for an earlier release date? (It seems-even to me- that he’s been in there ‘forever’ for a non violent crime.)
How can a parent, a reasonable human being (in most things) call this ‘a blessing’ and ‘thank god’ for such a thing?! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU ‘S’ ???!!! Looking for a silver lining in the situation is one thing but CRAP ! ‘Prison is a good thing if he comes out ‘a better Christian?’ REALLY ???
I can not wrap my head around such thinking!
WHEW !
Got that out of my system (maybe) ! Now for the important stuff:
Good morning Lounge Lizards !
“Hi, ya’ll” and *Hugs* on offer…
bluentx
Whew, that’s pretty intense, from your friend S… wow. I can’t imagine. A better christian through suffering? I mean, I understand the christian logic, but that seems so… callous and insensitive to the fact that her son is a person, who deserves better even if in prison.
Also, *hugsback*, I’ve been a terrible correspondent, as usual. But all is well here, we thought it was spring but it’s been snowing all day today so far. At least it’s not cold.
And I’m on the annual hunt for red cabbage, because Easter is next weekend and we need to paint some of them pagan eggs bright blue. Red cabbage will do it but it seems to be a rarity in stores around this time of year.
Dear Horde.
I’m not sure about saying this, but I don’t really have anyone in meatspace to whom I could talk about this particular thing. And I’m thinking about it all the time.
The person I like best and most enjoy spending time with apart from the Spawn, though I only see them occasionally as they live a long way away and have a great many friends besides, and who is one of the best people I have ever come across (xe is a wonderful person – fun and smart and generous and aware and engaged and so full of life you wouldn’t believe) just confirmed that xir prognosis is not good. As in, metastases and from about one to a handful of years not good. Having already gone one long round of surgery, radio, chemo – the lot – xe is deciding whether or not to go another round, weighing quality against quantity both of which are only known as probabilities.
Apart from wanting to cry a lot, I want to try and be fun, send fun or interesting or beautiful clips and links and pics and stuff. I’m of course worried about not knowing what to say and fucking up.
Thank you for hearing.
Resurrection rolls @ #34:
*Snarky emphasis mine.
Bookmarking for future chuckles (and groans).
—
rq:
You’re the bad correspondent !? Heh!
Good luck on The Great Cabbage Quest !
opposablethumbs
*HUGS*
Whatever comes next won’t be easy, and I hope you manage to be there for your friend. It certainly won’t be easy, especially if you have a hard time accepting xir decision (which – let’s face it, even though it’s not about you, will feel like it is about you in some way), but I wish you all the strength and courage.
Also, I don’t know what kind of a person xe is, but it will probably be okay for you to show xir every now and then how sad you are. It might even help to talk to xir about it, see what xir thoughts are, if you have that kind of a relationship. (I don’t know if that counts as putting additional stress onto xir, again, this depends on xir.) Good luck in finding happy and exciting things to post for xir or to show xir, at least there’s the internet for that!
*hugs*
PS *hanky*
You know how resurrection rolls should work? Like a reenactment of the empty tomb: make a bunch of delicious, delicious rolls, and make sure the kids know about them. Then, eat them all overnight, and when the kids come down to eat some rolls, they’ll find them GONE. And you can tell them that’s exactly what happened on that first easter morning a couple thousand years ago!
(Of course it’s a bad analogy because they found Jesus more or less alive in the end, and I’m not sure how to recover the rolls, but still. :) )
(Also, a marshmallow = the pure body of Jesus? THEN WHY CAN’T THEY SERVE MARSHMALLOWS IN CHURCH?)
I’m actually curious about the recipe itself, though. Too bad I don’t have any
pure body of Jesus bitsmarshmallows.Thank you rq. The only thing about all this that will be/is easy is accepting xir decision; whatever xe chooses is right. It’s everything else that is hard :-s
I’m sort of venting here so that I will find it easier (I hope) not to have my feelings cluttering up too much in the wrong direction (you know, that circles thing – venting should go out, support in towards the middle. If I who am only a pal feel bereft and gutted, I can’t even presume to imagine how xe, and xir family and really close friends must feel)
Thank you so much for the hugs and hanky, I really really appreciate those right now.
Sooooooo exhausted. I haven’t had a weekend in like 3 weeks. There are 2 more days of rather intensive training and then I get to move to my new apartment. And then, hopefully, I’ll have some time to take it easy. But if I ask, it’ll seem like I have a bad attitude.
Most of the other trainees have either moved within Japan or are just commuting to the training without moving at all, the lucky fuckers.
The best thing ever with marshmallows was school science project “make a model of the molecule of your choice” (obviously nobody attempted a protein). So, a bit of food colouring and hey presto, a model of the glucose model made out of marshmallows of different colours – and lo, it was a sugar molecule … made out of sugar, and thus a sugar sugar molecule :-)
opposablethumbs
*Hugs* to you and your friend ! What a stressful time (to say the least) for you both and a monumentally important decision for your friend! [I know it’s hard even being a second party to this kind of thing… my Dad had inoperable Pancreatic cancer.]
The Lounge is a good place to come… no ‘apologies’ necessary about venting here! Perhaps The Horde can help with finding “… fun or interesting or beautiful clips and links and pics and stuff..,”. I know some here *cough… rq, for instance …cough* have wonderous internet speed, agility and taste. [Is that enough AK-ing to get me out of trouble ,rq?]
Needs a few more AKs. Plus I’ve been lax with the fun posts for a while, but something always turns up. :)
opposablethumbs,
I’m really sorry to hear about your friend. I agree with rq: sadness is a valid emotion especially in a time like this. It’s perfectly fine to feel sad for xer with xer. I haven’t experienced a situation like this myself (at least not yet), but it’s something I’m scared of and think about often so you certainly have my sympathy. Since you two are close, I’m sure xe will only appreciate the time you give xer, whether it be happy thoughts and conversation or sharing in xer feeling sad or down.
You can talk about it here whenever and however much you want. We’ll be here to listen. :)
And I want to address something to the Lounge in general:
The lounge (and Pharyngula in general) is the *only* place I know of (meatspace or otherwise) where no form of bigotry is tolerated and people do not put up with negativity being expressed against one of our own, especially those who are already being punched down on by society. With every other place I find myself in, it’s only a matter of time before some form of bigotry or insensitivity ends up creating an atmosphere of ill will towards some group of downtrodden people. But not here. And I hugely appreciate and cherish that.
I know a lot of us openly discuss our personal lives and issues here, which is a great way of getting to know what other people are like. I’ve usually avoided talking about too much personal stuff of mine, mostly because I’ve always been very private like that, but I know if I ever wanted to, I could do it here.
I don’t know the origin of this term, but many higs to all. :)
Thank you bluentx. I mean, obviously I know that I and my feelings are the least of things in this situation, in the actual context of my friend’s cancer – and that’s exactly why I’m very grateful to be able to spill here, where to the best of my knowledge and belief xe is very unlikely to be exposed to my self-indulgence. The last thing I want to do is waste one second of xir attention and energy. So thank you, I really appreciate it!
BTW, ‘Thanks’ (so to speak) rq, for all the work you’ve been doing over at the ‘Morning in America’ thread. Horrifying, maddening (with the occasional bright spot) and informative all at the same time !
Thank you Saad! I’m just one of xir many friends, and I’m glad to say that xe has a great many really lovely friends – and a wonderful family including possibly the best sister ever in the known universe. But xe has made such a difference in my life in the few short years I’ve known xir – well, xe means a lot to me.
I’m disappearing for a few hours now – just wanted to say how very good it is to be able to come here sometimes.
See you all later.
opposablethumbs, hugs, and the pillow fort is always here if you just need to be quiet for a while.
I’m on my phone (liedown time after meds), so forgive me for not naming you all, but warm welcomes to our new Loungers, and hugs, higs, & bosons to the pile for all as needs some. More when I’m at my keyboard.
Saad
re: the origin of ‘higs’
I believe it is the most recent addition to a list of acceptable and functional (and inadvertent?) tpyos, on a list with ‘tpyos’ and ‘sniny’ and ‘Grauniad’ and the like. Whatever it is, it works. :) I think of it as a non-intrusive gesture of general support, plus it takes a lot less time to type out than ‘non-intrusive gesture of (general) support’. At least that’s how I’ve adopted it. :)
Thank you Anne. A pillow fort is a good thing.
rq, #54
I see. I figured our Lrod would have something to do with it.
Just saw that DJ Grothe is doing some work for a Symposium for the Institute for Science and Human Values (the group started by Paul Kurtz after he was ousted from CFI by Ron Lindsay) . Yay, ANOTHER atheist/skeptic group on my Permanently Avoid list.
Sometimes, I see that my aversion to group activities is a good thing – if I’d actually gone out and joined an atheist organization, I’d be even more mad at the world now.
I’d rather be here in the Lounge anyway. The company is much more pleasant and nonjudgmental.
Another Bangladeshi blogger has just been murdered with knives on the street. Just a month after Roy.
Holy fuck, Taslima tweeted a photo of the aftermath… I don’t know what to say; this is so tragic. it must be hell for openly atheist people in Bangladesh right now. I’m so shaken up, fuck.
I believe we can thank Ogvorbis’ sacrifice to Tpyos for the *higs*.
Crip Dyke and JAL, thank you very much.
Your comments cleared up a lot for me.
As we know, the dietary supplement industry in the USA is a mess. Too little regulation, way too much woo factor. Investigations have revealed that the situation was worse than we thought … well, worse than I thought.
That’s from 2001, and things have gotten worse, in part due to the Dr. Oz factor. John Oliver skewers OZ in June 2014.
The situation has also gotten worse thanks to the mormon factor. I’ll include this news in the Moments of Mormon Madness list. Senator Hatch receives massive campaign donations from the supplement industry. Many of the companies are based in Utah, where Hatch and others have been instrumental in passing state laws that are even more lax than national laws regulating dietary supplements. In Utah, the supplement industry also thrives under laws that allow a lot multi-level-marketing (pyramid) schemes to skirt the law.
New York state’s Attorney General recently attacked the problem on a state level since the feds were hampered by law, by inertia, and by public opinion.
Rand Paul has decided that his campaign for the presidency needs a boost from the religious rightwing. He has written not one, but two books that amount to pandering is a very slimy way.
He wrote “Taking a Stand: Moving Beyond Partisan Politics to Unite America,” and “Our Presidents & Their Prayers: Proclamations of Faith by America’s Leaders.”
“Rand Paul reveals the practices of each President of the United States and sheds light on how religion played a part in their governing and personal lives,” according to the publisher’s description.
Just last week, Senator Paul spoke to a meeting of pastors and said, “The First Amendment says keep government out of religion. It doesn’t say keep religion out of government.”
Senator Paul has also been claiming that he passionately believes in opposing marriage equality, reproductive rights for women, and on an on. Paul doesn’t put it that way, of course, but those are the policies he is against. “Things evangelicals hate” are the things Rand Paul hates. He proposed a “Great Awakening with tent revivals.” Maybe we’ll end up with another Joseph Smith?
Testing because I modified my name a bit.
More welcome backlash to the “religious freedom” law that was passed in Indiana:
In 2013, the AFSCME conference was attended by about 800 people. It was predicted that more would attend this year. Indiana will lose the associated revenue.
Lynna
I read today that the governor of Indiana is shocked – shocked!!! – at all the negativity sent his way since he signed the bill. May his fainting couch fall and break from under him.
More on the lies told by Governor Pence of Indiana, plus a good explanation of past laws as compared to this new travesty:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/03/29/1374244/-Gov-Mike-Pence-is-a-liar
Scroll down at the link to watch a video of Mike Pence tap dancing like crazy, and flailing all over the place.
Anne, Cranky Cat Lady: “Testing because I modified my name a bit.”
Ok, the cat is spinning furiously. It’s really cranking. You must have used a large piece of toast with extra butter. Cinnamon butter, perhaps?
The mildly deranged penguin has packed her portable trebuchet and will heading out to provide it with some flying lessons as soon as she can find the furiously spinning cat on the Spinning-Kittyscope (which is also quite good at locating Belgian waffles, but has never really worked at its designed purpose as a replacement for the paperclip). This may take awhile, she is currently searching Andromeda…
rq @65, Yeah, Pence is not grounded in reality. He is in need of a fainting couch that travels with him everywhere he goes — including to TV studios where his inability to account for discrimination against gays has made him an object of ridicule.
Some people have pointed out the law Governor Pence just signed is a windfall for devil worshippers, the Church of Cannabis, and other religious groups. Expect more fainting. He should wear pearls so that he has something to clutch.
Rahm Emanuel can spot a financial opportunity with his eyes closed:
More Freeze Peach, rightwing style:
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/foster-friess-daily-caller-tucker-carlson
Gay people are way too powerful to have equal rights. So say various rightwingers in Ohio:
The Grauniad is reporting Indiana Republicans to amend ‘religious freedom’ law in face of backlash:
Snicker. It’s not a laughing matter, but some lies are funny just because they are amazingly incompetent.
These thugs are really bad at this lying thing.
Since we are dealing with lying thugs here, I won’t believe it until there is signed, unambiguous, and in-force law — better, a total repeal of the new law — and assume this move is just an attempt to stop the boycotts, et al, with vague, hand-waving “promises” of “clarifications”. From lying thugs?
MDP had better watch out around the Resident Felines, as I am exceedingly cranky today and might just load her into her own trebuchet and fire it. MDP wants to go to Andromeda? That could be arranged.
Grumph.
Shell cynically blocking action on climate change, says ex-diplomat:
blf @71
Okay, so that covers gays and lesbians – what about bisexuals, trans* people, those who are generfluid, asexual, etc.? Will they be included in the new language, too?
(Also, why are Indianianianians called ‘Hoosiers’?)
Most of the Ye Pffft! of All Knowledge article is on that very point. TL;DR, short summary “The origin of the term remains a matter of debate…”.
I have a very famous bridge to sell you. My colleague in Nigera will be contacting you shortly.
She’s been laughing and giggling so hard she now has a case of hiccups. Her remedy for hiccups is to quaff a large bottle of cider (the proper stuff).
However, she neglected to stop hiccuping before doing so, so it was a case of glug glub HIglubCBLEWLY BOOOOOOOM! as the cider reversed course and sprayed across the lair, and then was ignited by something. This resulted in her taking off backwards (EXCATAH — EXploding Cider Assisted Takeoff And Hiccup) and bouncing about the lair at some speed.
After the thrust finally died down, and some hiccups later, she decided that as fun (and LOUD!, which is always a good thing), and wants you to tell another joke.
We haz rent money, yay!
Thank you everyone so much, and Esteleth for handling it all and donating too.
And I got a hold of coupons for free cat food and litter from Petsmart. So it’s only internet that’s left for this month, which is due on the 12th.
Several Pharyngulites commented on Arizona legislator, Sylvia Allen, and her proposal to pass legislation mandating church attendance. (Not her first venture into a LaLa Land with a mormon flavor).
Steve Benson, ex-mormon and Pulitzer-Prize-winning cartoonist, drew a cartoon depicting Sister Allen’s latest rant:
Gannett news link, Phoenix.
Excerpts from news coverage:
As cartoon fodder, it is hard to beat a mormon politician.
Conga rats, JAL.
— — — — — — —
Untranslatable Words From Around The World http://www.babbel.com/magazine/untranslatable-01?slc=engmag-a18-vid-in3-untranslatable1-ca&utm_source=contentad&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=CD_ENGALL_gEN_cXX_IN3_untranslatable&utm_content=134822
Moments of Mormon Madness, transgender category.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/2318274-155/transgender-mormons-struggle-to-feel-at
This is a followup to comment 81, in which the mormon reaction to transgender persons is discussed.
Here are some comments from readers of the Salt Lake Tribune article:
Home time!!!
Ugh.
Well, without going into too many details, I found profiles of a couple of people I met at an event and had been interested in getting to know based on common interests and apparent compatibility, on a specialized social networking site, and between the attitudes in their profiles and their comments on some community issues, it turns out they’re actually pretty gross people. :(
@Azkyroth:
Just noticed the new post-nym epithet. Nicely done. And kids today think there’s no reason to study maths.
In your “racism is super-pervasive” news of the day…
I knew (well, assumed…apparently there’s a cultural component?) dark-skinned people “blushed” in the sense of having the rush-of-blood-to-the-face reaction…but, for writing’s sake, I had to Google how that actually played out visually. Because what I’ve read so far gives me nothing to work with x.x
Oh, and :3 above.
Once you get past the title, this wasn’t actually too bad: Stand Up, Straight Christians, It’s Time For You To Come Out Of The Closet. Some of the comments are… interesting, too.
…or, you know, bend over, if you prefer. It’s all good. :)
NEW WHEELCHAIR TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!
*happy dance*
…damnit, misplaced the first comma in parsing the link title. x.x
Azkyroth
It actually made a weird kind of sense. :D
WMDKitty
Yay!! :) Will it have lasers?
Congrats to WMDKitty on the new wheelchair. I hope it is everything that you want.
Welcome to Gen & dianagoods . My approach to posting in the lounge is primarily to keep up with the friends I have gained here and comment when the subject is something to which I feel I am in a position to make a contribution. There are lots of well-informed intelligent people in here; I like to take advantage of that!
The concert went well. The West Side Story is officially the longest single piece we have played for a long time, possibly ever. I may post some bits at some point if anyone is interested.
For those in the UK Louis Theroux has a programme on BBC2 on Sunday at 9.00pm about Transgender kids. I will watch it, but I’m sure others may be interested.
bassmike
Always interested.
I’ll post pictures when I get it.
No lasers, unfortunately. :(
For PZ (and his beard). I’d certainly love to see him try #16.
Brain dead and threadrupt. Daughter is in bright pink cast (she is fine now). Buried under piles of grading. Sigh. And it will probably snow again today.
Pile of hugs and virtual chocolate.
Getting depressed. Tired of grey skies, tired of constantly having to fight just to be able to do my job and just plain tired.
Cool thing last month – was interviewed for an NPR show ! Mentioned it at department meeting and one jerk in dept (our only full P) went all “well, I put gas in my car today” and was massive sour grapes all over the damn place. Still pissed off about it.
pHred It’s great that you were interviewed for NPR. I’m impressed! You have my sympathies regarding the sour grapes. Some people can never just be happy for others.
I hope the depression goes soon and that the weather improves.
It’s been very windy here for the last day. At home we have an extractor fan in the kitchen just below my daughter’s room. In the wind the fan’s flaps bang rather noisily. It disturbed my daughter in the night..which means that we were all disturbed. Weather’s never what you want it to be.
rq I’ll see what stuff from the concert I can get to post. It may take some time!
bassmike Thanks!
As far as weather goes, is it really to much to ask that it at least stop snowing this spring ?
Hi all!
Special thoughts and hugs (higs?) for Beatrice, Dalillama, The Mellow Monkey, and opposablethumbs.
Whatever happens in meatspace, know that you’ve got support here in the lounge.
pHred
Sounds like a wonderful human being. :P
awakeinmo
No kidding – they are a nightmare. And two people have chosen to retire at the end of the year, so there goes a chunk of the buffer. The jerk ratio of the department will go through the roof. I desperately want a new job, but moving around is tough in my line of work – especially after this department got its claws into me.
pHred, I’ve been practising my Japanese writing diligently, and can now say I really like your epithet. :)
Hugs & higs (out of bosons just now) for the pile.
Oh, and I might be looking for early playtesters for a game based on The Legend of Korra, a board game. If you’d be interested – it’s a 1v1 competitive, about half an hour to play once – get hold of me at cave + babe + 21 à g to the mail in a com style (take out +). Thanks.
pHred
Congratulations on the interview (impressive indeed!), and seriously, that guy can go and shove his sour grapes in a very uncomfortable location of his choice. Good luck with the rest of the stuff, *hugs* and *get well soon* for the daughter (glad all is well right now). Not sure how to help you with the grading, but here’s some *moral support* for that!
Cait
I’d be interested, even knowing nothing but carlie’s rave reviews about Legend of Korra, just not sure how it would work…
bassmike
It’s been windy here, too – last night, driving home, I almost got blown off the road – on the usually leeward overpass. But at least nothing took out the power this time, just some intense howling and banging of various loose ends around the house. And possibly bits of the roof flying off, which I hope are the old already-broken bits that were sitting on the patio and not new ones. :/
+++
BUT the rain stopped around midday, which means the Annual Massacre of the Roses could continue (I started last week when it was sunny, but had to stop because of the rain – can’t prune roses in the rain, they’ll mould, or so I’ve heard!). And now begins the annual wait-to-see-if-I-have-killed-them, stubby little things that they are now (one plant didn’t survive, I know that for sure, and there’s another one on the edge, but the rest seem to have handled Winter quite alright).
Geckos found able to expel all manner of fluids and their skin can kill bacteria http://phys.org/news/2015-03-geckos-expel-manner-fluids-skin.html
Geckos: The honey badgers of Reptilia
— — — —
Doctors are treating cancer with polio — and it’s working: 60 Minutes
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/03/doctors-are-treating-cancer-with-polio-and-its-working-60-minutes/ Gromeir explained that human cancers develop protective measures to make them invisible to the immune system, but he said the polio treatment removes that shield and allows the immune system to attack. Researchers believe that the re-engineered polio virus starts killing the tumor, but then the body’s own immune system does the real killing.
— — —
Obama Files State Secrets Privilege in Private Lawsuit https://proxy.freethought.online/dispatches/2015/03/30/obama-files-state-secrets-privilege-in-private-lawsuit/#more-34189
This is pretty extreme.
— — — —
Why Democrats can’t be counted on to fight against income inequality.
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2015/03/republicans_and_democrats_won_t_do_anything_to_fix_inequality_don_t_expect.html
“BBC confident it can find a new prick”
THE BBC has confirmed that Top Gear will continue without Jeremy Clarkson as Britain is awash with boorish oafs. http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/arts-entertainment/bbc-confident-it-can-find-a-new-prick-2015032696705
— — — —
Looking Back On My Life, I Guess My Biggest Regret Is Trying To Fight That Alligator 5 Minutes Ago http://www.theonion.com/articles/looking-back-on-my-life-i-guess-my-biggest-regret,38287/
— — — —
A robot-specific horror genre: http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?id=3689
— — —
Sport: Plucky Lithuania set out to injure as many players as possible http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/sport/sport-headlines/plucky-lithuania-set-out-to-injure-as-many-players-as-possible-2015032796818
Quantum computers could greatly accelerate machine learning http://phys.org/news/2015-03-quantum-greatly-machine.html
Researchers target two brain sites responsible for anxiety http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-03-brain-sites-responsible-anxiety.html
Congratulations, pHred! And commiserations to Daughter (coloured casts are cool. I remember when Spawn had a purple forearm-to-wrist :-) )
Thank you, awakeinmo. It’s good to be able to come here.
Please don’t get blown off the road, rq!
Assorted hugs.
Go WMDKitty!
New wheels are ALWAYS a reason to celebrate.
Conga rats are dancing for pHred. (How is it that in the presence of my caustic comments you don’t turn pHblue, I’ve always wondered?)
Sighing over the Indiana law. The main Indiana paper is being lauded for demanding a ‘fix’ by adding gays as a protected class….. It’s an expansion of Hobby Lobby. It will apply the right of denying basic health care to the individual.
It’s been a masterful bait and switch.
I’m having a down day, so I’ll just snag one of these hugs here, add some of my own to the stash, and retire to the pillow fort.
waldenpond @109,
According to NPR, a lot of people aren’t buying the “fix”, and are demanding total repeal of the law.
@Anne, 111 & waldenpond, 109:
Good that people aren’t buying it. That law is terrible.
Indiana’s Governor, Mike Pence, answered questions today from the press. In a very long press conference Pence repeated over and over again that the new law is about “religious liberty” and that the law “does not give anyone the right to discriminate.” He also repeated like a mantra that the law President Clinton signed 22 years ago (RFRA, Religious Freedom Restoration Act) is same as the law Indiana legislators wrote for their state.
The Governor’s explanation for all the backlash is that everyone is mischaracterizing the bill. “This law has been smeared.” He is offended by this, and his Hoosier feelings are hurt. He invoked the Hobby Lobby ruling to justify his new law.
Pence repeated this shite so many times that I imagine that he convinced many to believe him. Many people will now jump all over the media for “reckless and irresponsible reporting.”
The legal community disagrees with you, Governor Pence. Bobby Jindal, Ben Carson and other far rightwing dunderheads agree with Governor Pence.
The Atlantic published an article delineating the differences between existing federal rules and the new Indiana law. Spoiler alert, the federal and the state law are not the same.
It’s difficult to summarize the Atlantic article, but below are some excerpts so you can get the general idea, (go to the article for more details).
Giving two bills the same name does not make them the same.
Even the thing they pretend the RFRA is for is wrong (in that it discriminates against the non-religious).
Just get rid of it altogether or make it all inclusive.
Sorry to hear that, Anne – hope it improves.
Saad @114. Good point.
rq@96, Regarding the list “10 signs your beard is too big”…
Eh? What’s wrong with me wringing out my beard for an extra drink at the end of an evening, or with it entering the room first? And you don’t kiss babies, you eat them (the beard is great for collecting the juicy crumbs and spilled gravy)!
Oh, and another reason to not bother shaving, as pointed out by the BLF some years ago: “the waste of natural resources involved in producing shaving foam and brushes.”
Ed had a interesting post, RFRA, RFRA+ and Anti-Discrimination Laws explaining how Indiana’s new “RFRA” law noticeably differs from the existing RFRA laws (which should not be reading as implying the existing RFRA laws are sensible).
Tequila shot donut holes.
What is this, reverse Pavlovian training?: Don’t croak or else I’ll massacre you!
(Sounds like a bad film, Croak Roses Massacre, or an even worse band.)
Soooo just read a local article that says that friends of the Germanwings pilot believe that the company is making him a scapegoat in the accident. And here I thought they were being all decent to him, refusing to call him a mass murderer and all that! *sigh*
drive-by *hugs*
More on Governor Mike Pence, and the Indiana right-to-discriminate law.
Link
This reminds me of the argument made once by Rand Paul, which was, basically, that “if anyone discriminates, the Free Market will take care of it.” No. The free market did not take care of it when African Americans wanted to sit at the lunch counter with whites. The free market will not pressure all bigots to run their businesses as if all people deserve equal service and treatment.
Dunderheaded Mike Pence offered up additional excuses for his state’s stupid law, including that rightwing favorite, blame Obamacare.
To summarize: Businesses in Indiana should be able to discriminate against gays because the Affordable Care Act’s contraception policy was fucked up by the Supreme Court.
Further proof that Governor Mike Pence and the Republican-dominated Indiana legislature knew what they were doing when the passed the “religious freedom” law — or proof that they cannot read. One or the other.
That’s an excerpt from a letter sent to Representatives, and signed by 30 law professors expert in religious freedom and civil rights issues.
Other Republican doofuses who support Indiana’s okay-to-discriminate-in-the-name-of-religion law:
Jeb Bush
Marco Rubio
Ted Cruz
Bobby Jindal
Rick Perry
Rick Santorum
Ben Carson
Scott Walker
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/03/31/1374534/-Keith-Olbermann-Slams-Indiana-s-RFRA-Urges-Sports-Boycott-Of-Indiana
Like the link says, Olbermann is on fire here. Threaten the doofuses with loss of sports revenue. Good plan. Good video.
slips a tray of tea and cookies into the pillow fort for Anne.
Add NASCAR to the list of organizations that have criticized Gov Pence: http://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/davidbadash/nascar_becomes_latest_to_denounce_indiana_anti_gay_religious_freedom_law
Lynna, #126
Is there a single link that lists those people’s approval of it?
Asking because I’d like to share it with someone.
Lynna, #124
Classic Libertarian non-aggression copout bullshit: Say it’s not the progressive idea you’re against, but the enforcement of said idea. Voila. You’ve avoided looking like a full Republican while opposing a good idea at the same time.
Backsubstitute the missing free variables to see how stooopid this is:
If anyone votes thug, the Free Market will take care of it.
If anyone does not vote thug, the Free Market will take care of it.
If anyone eats peas, the Free Market will take care of it.
If anyone bidulcakes the fakorfufu, the Free Market will take care of it.
If anyone understands this, the Free Market will take care of it.
Unable (until later) to catch up on today’s comment so pardon if this has been mentioned.
“Gov. Pence if the law you signed has been ‘misinterpreted’ why does it NOW need ‘fixing’ ?”
FYI:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/03/26/1373550/-A-few-products-to-boycott-from-Indiana
http://irregulartimes.com/2015/03/28/a-list-of-indiana-businesses-to-boycott/
Break over. Must get back to the yard work before dark.
*Pant, pant*
Not even April and it’s already freaking HOT !
Ex-Scientologist Leah Remini thanks ‘Going Clear’ filmmakers: I just want people to know the truth http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/03/ex-scientologist-leah-remini-thanks-going-clear-filmmakers-i-just-want-people-to-know-the-truth/
#131:
Yeah, Rand that argument REALLY worked pre-Civil Rights Act. Jeeze!
Not to mention that NOT ALL communities have alternatives (in coffee shops, mechanics shops, florists, etc.) I live in a town with a population of less than 3,000. How many market choices so you think we/I have ?
Libertarians REALLY don’t think things through (ever) do they?
Well, enough so it ends up with what they want, de facto discrimination….
Saad @130, I read several sources to come up with that link, but I’ll recommend two sources that are fairly complete.
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2015/03/why_it_matters_that_jeb_bush_defended_mike_pence_by_jbouie.html
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2016-gop-candidates-support-indiana-discrimination-law-article-1.2168648
Also, this is really good:
http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2015/03/31/3640801/conservatives-indiana-discrimination/
It talks about the people who helped write the Indiana bill, and lo and behold, all of them think it was a bill to allow Christians to discriminate against gays. Some of those asshats stood behind Governor Pence when he signed the bill.
And here are all the athletes, CEOs and celebrities going the backlash against the law:
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/03/indiana-backlash-pence-religious-freedom-lgbt
Lynna,
Awesome, thanks!
Spongebob Basspants
Lynna@: #138
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/03/indiana-backlash-pence-religious-freedom-lgbt
Thank you, Lynna ! I couldn’t find that link/list right away to include @ # 133.
Yea, Hivemind !
–Now it’s Arkansas’ turn for backlash—
–AND… I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again….. “GET ME OUTTA HERE !!!” *
I understand Texas has at least TEN legislative ‘religious freedom’ bills being considered.
*clicks Ruby Red garden boots*
“There’s no place like The Commune….There’s no place like The Commune…”
New paper suggests speech developed in a now-familiar form http://phys.org/news/2015-03-paper-speech-now-familiar.html
I don’t buy the supposed late arrival of speech claimed in the article.
— — —
Scientists discover elusive secret of how continents formed http://phys.org/news/2015-03-scientists-elusive-secret-continents.html
What I want to know is, is the same mechanism likely to function as easily on other terrestrial planets with oceans?
My gut feeling, is that the Earth’s large moon, and the center of gravity of the pair below the Earth’s crust, has a lot to do with keeping plate tectonics going.
Jeebus! ANOTHER reason I say “GET ME OUTTA HERE”:
Massive ‘likes’, ‘shares’ and positive (PRAISE JESUS) posts on FB for THIS :
https://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A0LEV7gNPhtVyyQAI08nnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTBsa3ZzMnBvBHNlYwNzYwRjb2xvA2Jm
????!!!
Me: — PRAISE MEDICAL TRAINING !!!—-
Well, they had to take the chair back to the shop for some adjustments, but I should have it tomorrow. *sigh*
Oookay, the link didn’t work…
Just picture doctors, nurses, etc. in scrubs preparing for surgery…. holding hands…. in a ‘prayer circle’ !!!!
*facepalm*
WMDkitty:
NOW, they’re going to install the lasers?
*thinks about the practical applications for this in The Commune….*
No, still no lasers. Just seat and footplate adjustments. I’m one of those people who’s at an awkward in-between size where adult sized chairs are too big, and peds/adolescent chairs are too small. So, adjustments must be made to fit the chair to my body.
Well, as long as they get it right for your comfort.
Surely, someone in The Horde can design the necessary extra accessories (Bwahahahah!).
We’re on schedule for (re-)delivery tomorrow, if all goes well.
Well. There’s one less relationship for me to stress over.
Is it unhealthy for an adult to spend the rest of the night sobbing into their cat’s fur?
TMM, hugs, and I think you should do whatever you need. As long as the cat doesn’t mind, of course.
We rely on the brainiacs in the Pullet Patrol™, who make it happen. Sometimes it doesn’t happen the way you would like though.
@TMM
If it is, let me never be miserable and healthy at the same time.
Depends on whether you’re allergic.
TMM
*hugs*
Not at all. :(
Here’s the first photo of the new chair (kinda hiding behind the old one). I’ll have more/better photos tomorrow/when I get the chair (if it isn’t tomorrow).
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u103/wmdkitty/photo.jpg
freaky fungus
and *hugs*
with other vowels
as needed
WMDKitty
Looks good!
bluentx
Good luck with the yardwork, hope your triffids haven’t wandered too much this year. I’m just getting started, too (The Annual Massacre of the Roses is just the beginning! Next – Dandelion Doom!!!), but it looks like the zombies are still nicely dormant behind the shed. No sprouting or budding yet.
Also, how is ‘yardwork’ not a word? Misandry!
+++
This morning’s favourite tweet: Do not support Big Gay!! Do your shopping at small, local gays instead!! #DownWithBigGay #SupportLocalGays; quoted tweet from Bryan Fischer reads: “The pressure Big Gay has put on Indiana is proof they are not about “marriage equality” but “homosexual supremacy”.”
I suppose the homosexual supremacy is the first phase of the apocalypse or something, neh? Bring on the Commune.
*cooks the fungus* O.o
TMM
*hugs*
Depends on how tolerant the cat is.
I have no muscle relaxants.
I may be here all night…
The best explanation of anxiety I’ve ever seen.
It’s dead on, really.
TMM, many hugs. I’m sorry – hope you’re OK.
Musical interlude: Oyaars and the Unpeople – Perishable Something, with subtitles for the few lyrics that appear. A mostly instrumental, rather ambient kind of music.
(The main guy Ojārs is now in a band called Arsonists of Jerusalem (which is who I was searching for on yutub but not finding), doing similar-sounding pretty cool stuff. Here’s another by Ojārs, Oyaars and the Unpeople – Will-o’-the-Wisp.)
Interesting music rq . Not entirely to my tastes, but he/they are doing something different.
After crying myself to sleep, I had nightmares about going swimming and my former partner “accidentally” holding my head underwater and going on a train trip with him and discovering there was no room for me in our sleeper car. Subtle, eh?
This is just so huge and awful and confusing. We were nearly at our five year anniversary. We were talking wedding plans and dream houses. And from that to this in one night. I know he’s been crappy lately, but there wasn’t even time to process, no trial “let’s take a break”, nothing. He just wanted it clean and that was that. More than just losing a relationship, I feel like I lost the next few decades of my life.
Everyone – Thank you for the congratulations. It helped me feel better. I really is cool stuff too, but I can’t say what because I would totally dox myself and I want to keep this a safe space.
CaitieCat @103 – Thanks! I am working on learning Japanese too and have to confess, I stole it from Yotsuba. I have picked up some manga and graded readers and have been working on translating them. I seem to be making strides in written Japanese, but speaking – that is a problem. I know that I am pronouncing everything terribly!
I managed to pull myself together with loud Thomas Dolby music, hot tea and get a bunch of grading done. I have to do the same thing today as well.
Hugs, chocolate and some all purpose muscle relaxant for the pillow fort. The sun is at least shining today which makes it easier to cope.
Today is a screaming day. No sun.
On the plus side, I put together the survey I need to make my presentation, and I talked to (emailed with) my boss about it, and ask her to email it out to the appropriate persons. I call this a Win (because I’ve been avoiding it like crazy).
Also, I know more forensic entomology than the local guy they called out to a case last year, and all I needed was the information from the newspaper article to figure out that his conclusions are crap.
Latvia needs a forensic entomologist.
Oh, and *hugs* The Mellow Monkey.
Holy shit, TMM. That is one hell of a pile-driver. Fuck, I am so sorry. Extra {{{hugs}}}.
TMM – I have as many hugs as you want. It might help to go to Captain Awkward and read the golden retriever of love and then everything else she has ever written about love, and all of the comments where other people talk about how they have been through it too. And do so while snuggled in your favorite blanket, eating your favorite snack, while taking a sick day from work (if possible).
Thanks for the supportive comments. *HUGS where welcome* That golden retriever of love article was especially helpful, carlie. I may find myself mentally reciting some Dune mumbo jumbo now.
Science, I love it: Prepare for a re-dawn of the Age of Dragons, a scientific study from Nature.
TMM, more hugs, apply as needed.
I went back to bed after Husband left for work, and fell asleep. I haven’t done that in a while. I think I’ll just mostly write today off – there are things I need to do, yes, but the rest can wait. The rest of the week will be all go anyway.
@157, WMDKitty’s chair looks awesome. Small turning radius. Kind of elegant. Does need a popup sun/rain shade … and lasers.
As for crying into cat fur, ah ha! Cats have a purpose as all-purpose sops/filters for misery. I approve.
I loved the “Golden Retriever of Love” thing, which I have capitalized in my mind.
Seconded with the caveat that I strongly endorse avoiding the comment space there.
The mildly deranged penguin prefers to make cats soggy by trebuchet-launching them into the sea. Usually at a low angle, so they skip… The only health risk (other than getting a beak or something caught in the trebuchet) is the cat “accidentally” hitting a fisherperson or kraken, or landing on a nudist beach.
Now rq can have a much more portable choir, Squeaky serenade: male mice woo females with song, scientists discover:
blf
They’re probably easier to take on tour, too.
Whilst there is an argument for a government made up of loonies (esp. of the Monster Raving variety), this isn’t it, Arizona orders doctors to misleadingly tell women abortions may be reversible. Next up, Arizona orders zombies to misleadingly tell grieving people the death is reversible, to be followed by Arizona orders male mice to misleadingly squeak “you stink and I’m not interested”, with the last step being Arizona orders a hyperspacial bypass from the Vogons.
Can the Vogon fleet please hurry up? Hitler ads from pro-Israel group begin running on Philadelphia transit buses:
Ignoring these jerks confusion of Israel with Judaism (an extremely common tactic so anyone who objects to an Israeli policy can be labeled “anti-semitic”), why the hell are they picking on a comparatively recent set of legends and myths? There’s a c.2000yo set of legends and myths with a much longer genuine genuflexion to antisemitism.
</rhetorical-question>Here’s how Indiana’s “religious liberty” law actually works:
Link
Yeah, that’s an action based on belief. That’s a discriminatory action in the town of Walker, Indiana
Meanwhile, here’s what Mike Pence, Governor of Indiana says:
Bullshit.
Good news:
Think Progress link.
Discrimination for which Mike Pence has voted in the past:
Discrimination in the workplace, based on sexual orientation: “I don’t condone discrimination against people for any reason whatsoever. I believe in civility and decency in society. But the problem here is that by extending the reach of Federal law to cover sexual orientation, employment discrimination protections, in effect, can wage war on the free exercise of religion in the workplace.”
Pay discrimination based on gender: Pence voted against the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act when he was a congressman.
Discrimination in the military, based on sexual orientation: “And let me say to the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts who just spoke who suggested that those of us who oppose a repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell would commit some libel against Americans with whom we differ on life-style choices, nothing could be further from the truth,” Pence said. “As a conservative, I have a particular world view about moral issues. They do not bear upon this question. This is an issue exclusively that is about recruitment, readiness, unit cohesion, and retention because we are a nation at war.” [uh … bullshit]
Discrimination against same sex couples: “I believe first, though, marriage should be protected, because it wasn’t our idea. Several millennia ago the words were written that a man should leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife and the two shall become one flesh. It was not our idea; it was God’s idea. And I say that unashamedly on the floor where the words ‘In God We Trust’ appear above your chair, Mr. Speaker.”
Think Progress link.
David Letterman did a Top Ten list based on “Guys Indiana Governor Mike Pence Looks Like.”
Talking Points Memo link. Scroll down for video.
“The guy at the bar who sends your girlfriend a drink.” etc.
Meanwhile, asshats like Tucker Carlson are calling critics of Indiana’s “religious liberty” law “jihadis.”
Link
Yikes. How offensive.
Right Wing Watch link
Are we sure it was the B Ark (barking useless population) and not the D Ark (dangerously barking population) that crashed? ‘Kidnap Obama’: Ukip candidate Jeremy Zeid replaced after outburst:
I surprised this nutter is too racist for UKIP (the UK fascist party which, like the FN (French fascist party) just did, might get some wins in the upcoming election or an alarming percentage of the vote). More likely, he forgot to clean the spittle and blood off his
suitsheet.Moments of Mormon Madness: no fishing, no recreational activities, on Sundays category.
Lo and behold, there is a positive side to this no-recreation-on-Sundays for mormons:
http://www.sltrib.com/lifestyle/faith/2298505-155/to-fish-or-not-to-fish
blf @188, That Ukip dunderhead is disgusting.
Meanwhile, our rightwing in the USA is in a dither because President Obama is traveling to Utah to speak at Hill Air Force base. They think this is the beginning of Obama’s plot to use the military to take over the USA and make himself tyrannical president forever. Feckin’ eejits.
Modern child rape enablers in action, Ultra-traditional Catholics rebel against pope in Brazil: ‘He is less Catholic than us’:
Some of these people are known holocaust-denying genuine anti-semitics, the people who perhaps really should be in those bus ads.
Lynna@190, I assume the barking nutter D Ark elite also have tightly-twisted panties over Mr Obama’s upcoming presidential visit to Kenya, Barack Obama to visit Kenya for first time as president. It isn’t until July, so there’s lot of time for the conspiracy kooks and crooks to invent something completely implausible for Faux & Kochroach Bros. to spread and order the thug candidate clown car to, well, do something…
blf @192, Oh, yes, the Kenya visit is an opportunity for a rebirth of birtherism. Ugly stuff.
Meanwhile, Mitch McConnell is using the Tom Cotton playbook to undermine American leadership in the face of a different international crisis:
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/04/01/3641594/mcconnells-inner-tom-cotton/
Indiana’s “religious liberty” law goes further than the Supreme Court “Hobby Lobby” ruling in granting businesses the right to hold religious beliefs, like individuals do.
The Hobby Lobby decision specifically limited the ruling to “closely held for-profit companies” — so, a closely held for-profit company can be considered to be a “person” with religious beliefs.
The Indiana bill, on the other hand, grants religious beliefs to “a partnership, a limited liability company, a corporation, a company, a firm, a society, a joint-stock company, an unincorporated association, or another entity.” So, yeah, every business is included.
Furthermore, the religious doofuses claiming special right-to-discriminate privileges do not have to own a majority control in the company. They only have to have ““substantial ownership,” whatever the fuck that means.
Satire from The New Yorker:
Taking another look at a woman scientist:
Link
Got a local election coming up, and the Redhead and I have our vote by mail ballots to fill out. Apparently nobody noticed that our present incompetent alderman was running unopposed again, so there is at least an effort for a write-in candidate. Get our present alderman out. Then, worry about about getting somebody better. At least they won’t oppose everything logical simply to oppose it.
The school board elections appear interesting. There is “group for choice” pushing a couple of shitheads, wanting to have the local schools pay for private education. So we know who not to vote for….
Oh, I forgot to mention the sane school board candidates have Hispanic sounding names. They want to improve the school system, not wreck it. Bonus, pissing off the RWA xenophobes, for folks in the community they prefer to ignore.
Hello fellow Loungers!
I have hugs aplenty for Mellow Monkey, if desired.
****
bluentx @136:
They like to think they do. Of course they never do seem to reach the point in their thinking where they acknowledge the impact their horrible philosophy would have on others. Either that or they don’t care (IOW, “I’ve got mine. Fuck you.”)
****
Lynna @183:
I’m somewhat curious to know how the owners of that pizza joint define discrimination…
****
Two short Tony Tales:
#1- I had a lovely conversation with two guests at work a few days ago. A man and a woman were seated at a table, and as I passed by, I saw an image on the man’s phone that said something about religion. He was showing the image to the woman, and I only caught a glimpse of it. When I inquired what the image was (looking back I think I might have crossed a line by intruding into their conversation and I feel kinda bad about that), he showed me. I don’t recall exactly what it said, but it was one of those anti-religion memes that many of you have probably seen online. Turns out that both of them were atheists. We chatted for a while about the separation of church and state, as well as the B.S. coming out of Indiana. The conversation was quite pleasant and I think both of them enjoyed it. Especially since the woman noted how difficult it can be to talk about religion, or be an open atheist in the U.S. (especially in the South).
#2- On Sunday evening, a lovely lesbian couple sat at my bar for dinner and drinks. I’ve waited on them before and they are really nice people. We talked for a while about Governor Pence and the situation in Indiana. The cool thing about our chat (for me at least)- a heterosexual couple at a table close to the lesbian couple chimed in upon hearing our discussion. They told us they were Indiana natives and wanted to apologize for the homophobia coming out of the state. They went on to chat with the two women for a good 10-15 minutes (I had to work so I couldn’t stay and participate longer). This was notable for me bc I rarely encounter heterosexual people in meatspace who are openly friendly toward LGBT people. It put a smile on my face knowing that this couple felt the need to express their disapproval of the recent law. In addition, I also appreciated the fact that they chatted with the lesbian couple as if they were people. It’s a small thing, but I don’t encounter such acceptance and tolerance in meatspace very often (don’t get me wrong, I don’t encounter much overt homophobia either), so this struck me as notable.
I know it shouldn’t be something noteworthy, but given that the U.S. is still immersed in homophobia, I couldn’t help but be pleasantly surprised.
I’m surprised PZ isn’t talking about this: Wisconsin Captital Becomes First City in the Nation to Make Discrimination Against Atheists Illegal
NEW THREAD.