Wednesday Open Thread
Welcome to the Wednesday edition of your open thread. I’ve been watching the Chilean mine rescue. It’s exciting to see the rescue of the miners who’ve been trapped for 2 months but also to see the interesting technology involved in the rescue. It was American technology that made the difference, the drillers that reached the miners were from an American company and the rescue capsule was designed by NASA.
The Washington Post continues its long slide into irrelevancy by publishing an op-ed by hateful homophobe Tony Perkins (Family Research Council) on National Coming Out Day.
Amid a spate of suicides and bullying — and a mere week and a half after one of the uglier anti-gay hate crimes in New York history — Perkins points the finger:
…homosexual activist groups like GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) are exploiting these tragedies to push their agenda of demanding not only tolerance of homosexual individuals, but active affirmation of homosexual conduct and their efforts to redefine the family.
Also, says Perkins, gay activists and the media are the guilty parties:
Some homosexuals may recognize intuitively that their same-sex attractions are abnormal–yet they have been told by the homosexual movement, and their allies in the media and the educational establishment, that they are “born gay” and can never change. This–and not society’s disapproval–may create a sense of despair that can lead to suicide.
Thank you, Washington Post Company, for bankrolling Tony Perkins’ plea against tolerance.
I’m surprised they didn’t win the asshat of the day award. But there’s so many asshats, so little time.
Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Illinois, Mark Kirk, was caught on tape being a little too specific about his voter suppression fraud efforts:
In a private phone conversation that was secretly recorded, Mark Kirk, the Republican U.S. Senate candidate in Illinois, told state Republican leaders last week about his plan to send “voter integrity” squads to four predominately African American neighborhoods of Chicago “where the other side might be tempted to jigger the numbers somewhat.”
Kirk’s campaign confirmed the candidate was secretly taped last week as he was talking about his anti-voter fraud effort.
“These are lawyers and other people that will be deployed in key, vulnerable precincts, for example, South and West sides of Chicago, Rockford, Metro East, where the other side might be tempted to jigger the numbers somewhat,” he said in the audio posted on YouTube.
Yeah, funny coincidence how those precincts were predominantly African-American precincts. I’m sure it’s all just a mistake, right?
Tags: Open Thread
While jigger may mean “alter, re-arrange, or manipulate,” when was the last time any of you heard it used that way?
That’s what I thought the word meant.
Really interesting link tweeted by BellefonteRoss:
Another interesting read from slacktivist about Christine O’Donnell’s “dabbling.” I recommend you read the whole thing it’s too interesting to clip fairly.
h/t Honest Hypocrite
I am loving watching those miners be rescued! What a testimony to teamwork, faith, perseverance and strength!
A former Congressman (and current House candidate) suggests that President Obama will be impeached over his birth certificate. None of that soft birther stuff from Michigan’s Tim Walberg. (MI-07)
Faith? Okay I guess. Whatever gets you through the night.
What a testimony to teamwork, faith, perseverance and strength!
Why not science and technology? It’s irritating as a scientists to give credit to God but not to the people who did the work.
Get Ready for Economic Collapse 2.0: “The enormous mortgage-bond scandal”
It isn’t as bad as if first looks: It is worse.
http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2010/10/13/the-enormous-mortgage-bond-scandal/
Bon jour, Jason,
Maybe this is the long game REVEALed:
“There will be no [health] insurance industry left in three years,” Coburn told the Republican Women’s Club of Tulsa County.
“That is by design. You’re going to make insurance unaffordable for everyone — which is what they want. Because if there’s no private insurance left, what’s left? Government-centered, government-run, single-payer health care.”
http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2010/10/13/coburn-end-insurance/
Science and technology did not help them survive together those first 17 days with no contact from the outside world and only two days worth of rations! I don’t find a need to minimize the things I mentioned in order to appreciate science and technology.
I’m just asking, why no mention of the huge technical accomplishment of the mine rescue? It wouldn’t have mattered how strong and faithful they were without the technology to find the miners and the equipment to get them out.
A1,
You’re citing Tom Coburn as a source?
I should have bracketed it with sarcasms. 🙂
AQC, if the big man rides his hairy up and out of that mine I will be born again. Until then…way to go NASA!
Some of you have become miserable fucks! Maybe you should get God in your lives. You’re still allowed to believe in science!
Too bad their faith didn’t keep the mine from collapsing to begin with. I guess God is also a “miserable fuck.”
“It’s irritating as a scientists to give credit to God but not to the people who did the work.”
What if you put your faith in the ingenuity of scientists and engineers?
I’m sorry you feel attacked, AQC, that was not my intention. But yes, I did feel irritated that the engineers, drilling experts and other technical experts didn’t at least get a mention.
Just got a LOVELY push poll call from the Judy Travis campaign.
Why would God create me as a miserable fuck?
Miner with a mistress just doesn;t look to be the confrontational kind.
We need 1000 laser systems put in the sky and we need it right now
John Raese believes in God AND science. Science for defense and God to forgiving him being a complete tool.
Got a question. Who made the decision for President Obama to come to Wilmington? Who made the decision to charge for the event, Phila. was free? Seems an real opportunity missed! Could have all the news networks here and thousands of cheering Delawareans.
Who can afford to pay the amount they request? They could have passed a donation basket around. Really a missed national opportunity for Delaware to be spotlighted with some sanity.
They could have passed a donation basket around.
Ha! I hope you aren’t in charge of fundraising for any candidate. Passing around the hat is illegal.
And really, $100 isn’t that expensive of an expense for something like this. I’m not paying it, but many will.
Random-I only have a cell as to save a few bucks from having a landline–and am glad I miss the robocalls and such, but actually would be interested in a polling call. How does it work for households that are only using cells now? Just curious!
pls, it’s a fundraiser. hence the funds…
Also, I’m going (like, inside and everything) if DL needs an operative in there…
So there are already COD nuts carrying anti-marxist signs at the debate..what is wrong with these people, honestly? It just baffles my mind that they think that is legitimately going to influence people to vote for her. I hope plenty of witch hats and broomsticks also show up then.
UI, I was referring to the 33 men in the mine. I cannot imagine how they stuck together in such conditions. I think that is a testament to them. The technology and science is wonderful, but humans persevered long enough to successfully use it and those men hung in long enough to reap the benefits!
Who oh who did the Chileans have faith in before the conquistadors came and sliced and diced the populace? The wrong, god, obviously!
Good interview with Mike Castle on All Things Considered:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2010/10/13/130542240/rep-mike-castle-won-t-endorse-in-delaware-senate-race
Belinsky,
I caught that interview. Castle said some interesting things, like he should have focused on getting Independents and Castle Democrats registered as Republicans for the primary.
If you need a laugh, read this – http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/13/elderly-men-now-just-beat_n_761405.html
Geek: Then why was Phila free….what the party doesnt need the funds in Pa?
It wasn’t a fundraiser in PA. Politicians do some events for fundraising and some for rallying the troops. Sometimes they do both in the same day at the same place. This isn’t new.