Drugged, raped, and pregnant?

“Drugged, raped, and pregnant? Too bad. Republicans are pushing to limit rape and incest cases eligible for government abortion funding.”(1)
Republicans in the House have announced an all-out war on abortion. They are making good on the promise to the Christian Conservative Right with the “"No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act," which contains provisions to drastically redefine the definition of rape for the purposes of abortion. They want only situations where “forcible rape”, that is rape where a woman is physically forced to submit, to count as rape. Credible threats don’t count; threats of injury to others don’t count; statutory rape doesn’t count; incestuous rape doesn’t count; rape of drugged or intoxicated persons doesn’t count. Only if someone beats the crap out of a woman or puts a gun to her head will the Act possibly permit federal resources to pay for an abortion.
This is basically solving a problem by definition. For example, suppose instead of allowing African-Americans equal rights as in the Brown vs. Board of Education ruling, the legislature passed a constitutional amendment that simply put AMs out of the human race, and then passed the “Equal Education for all Human Being Act”? Problem solved by definition. Does this idea piss you off? Offended by the example? Me too. And I am offended as hell by another thinly veiled attempt by MEN to limit the health choices of WOMEN. What do you wait for? The males in the legislature to pass the “Housewife Mandatory Work Act” or the “Women Only Get Minimum Wage Act”?
Women are getting screwed and getting pregnant by MEN, again, and those same men want to control every aspect of women’s lives. Sounds dangerously like Sharia Law with a Hijab.
1. Source: http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/01/republican-plan-redefine-rape-abortion
Image: blogs.creativeloafing.com

The REAL Wilson has been FOUND!!

We all remember the discovery of Wilson, his invaluable companionship and council and we all remember the heart-breaking moment when he floated away into oblivion in the Pacific Ocean. Be of good cheer. Wilson didn’t deflate and sink into the cold dark depths. He went on a journey of discovery, and what a journey it was!
From the undisclosed location in the Pacific he made it to the Indian Ocean, around the southern tip of Africa, and up the east coast to the equator. There, he traveled through the Caribbean into the Gulf of Mexico, through the Straits of Florida and north in the Gulf Stream. He turned south off the coast of Scotland, sailed on to the Bay of Biscay and finally into the Mediterranean.
After several months of bobbing in a general north eastward direction he came to the mouth of the Arno River. Here one of the greatest feats of navigation of all times occurred. Taking advantage of the small but persistent eddy currents that move upstream, Wilson floated hundreds of miles inland to Florence, where I spotted him playing is a pool just below the dam near the Ponte Vecchio.
The reason for this long and harrowing trip is clear: Wilson is an Italian from Firenze and just wanted to get home. When we shouted “Look!! There’s Wilson!! Welcome Home!!” he spun with joy and bounced off a log with a playful twist.
And now you know the rest of the story.
Image: http://tierneylab.blogs.nytimes.com

“SUNNY”

Some people naturally view the world through the pessimistic viewer and some through the optimistic viewer. I am in the former camp. And I think there are good reasons to be watchful for problems and prepare if possible for outcomes caused by situations “going South”. Plan ahead for hurricanes or hope they don’t hit? Use side mirrors and look for cars on side streets or just hope nobody does anything wrong or stupid? Get medical checkups or just hope you stay healthy?
You get the message. This kind of view, when expanded to a world view can lead to an incessant drumbeat of warning and worry (why worry if you can’t do anything?). And this in turn can drown out the sunny side of life or shove the good times so far back that they remain unremembered. Well partner, don’t do it. No matter how situations may appear, there will be bright spots somewhere. Bobby Hebb reminded me of that yesterday on WQTL, Q-106.1 with his wonderful rendition of “Sunny”. Stevie Wonder said it using sunshine as a metaphor too.
So yesterday as I was driving home and listening to “Sunny” and thinking about “You are the Sunshine of my life” the Sunshine of my life came into sharp focus. Thank you Sunny, for everything.

Lyrics by Bobby Hebb: http://www.kbapps.com/lyrics/top50/18sunny.html
Lyrics by Stevie Wonder: http://www.romantic-lyrics.com/ly3.shtml
Bobby Hebb: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwX_DU02aDg&feature=related
Stevie Wonder: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL_PNNr_NgU&feature=fvw

Passed a nice fat dead deer on US 90 yesterday. Head cut off at the shoulders. We can all guess why. Many years ago I hit a beautiful 8 point buck on Meridian on the way home one night. I left it there after being sure it was off the road and dead. The guy that processes my deer won’t take road kills. Next morning as I passed I noticed: Head cut off at the shoulders.
So, some Redneck (I know its pejorative but what else can you call them?) now has two nice bucks mounted in his double wide and regales the boys with the stories of how he tracked them, kilt them with one great shot and dragged them out of the woods way after dark.” Damn skippy they was heavy. Look at the racks!!”
And these guys actually get licenses to hunt and drive, and some of them vote. No wonder we are in deep, ah, pellets.

Image: www. thedissidentfrogman.com