This Video Made My Day

It's been a very busy, hectic week - what with the new PT job training and all - so this is all I've got tonight. It made me laugh outloud. I love this kind of street theatre drive-by thing and if you look at all the happy faces, well, I believe we need more of this kind of thing. I'll post about all the news in my life this weekend, but for now I have to get through one more day of training tomorrow, hoping that my back and legs are up to the challenge...Whoa! That didn't come out right.

In any event, until then, enjoy this video. It was shot in the train station at Antrepen, Belgium.

That's all folks!

And so it goes.
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Iowa Won't Go Backwards on Marriage Rights.

Without the support of Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, efforts to amend the Iowa Constitution can not move forward in the Senate.

Below is the text of Senator Gronstal's response to Senate Minority Leader Paul McKinley of Chariton on April 6, 2009, the first day the Senate met after the unanimous decision by the Iowa Supreme Court to allow same sex couples to marry.

Here's the transcript.

One of my daughters was in the workplace one day, and her particular workplace at that moment in time, there were a whole bunch of conservative, older men. And those guys were talking about gay marriage. They were talking about discussions going on across the country.

Any my daughter Kate, after listening for about 20 minutes, said to them: You guys don't understand. You've already lost. My generation doesnt care.

I think I learned something from my daughter that day, when she said that. And Ive talked with other people about it and that's what I see, Senator McKinley. I see a bunch of people that merely want to profess their love for each other, and want state law to recognize that.

Is that so wrong? I dont think thats so wrong. As a matter of fact, last Friday night, I hugged my wife. You know Ive been married for 37 years. I hugged my wife. I felt like our love was just a little more meaningful last Friday night because thousands of other Iowa citizens could hug each other and have the state recognize their love for each other.

No, Senator McKinley, I will not co-sponsor a leadership bill with you.

We need more brave legislators like this one. Thank you and good night.

That's all I've got. Tired beyond belief.

And so it goes.
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Scenes from a Real (Scary) America

I suppose we can thank the wingnut radio, TV, and print knuckle draggers who are convinced that their guns will be confiscated at any minute for this weekend weapon fest. This following slaughters in PA, NY, GA, and KY.

Machine Guns!!! This is scary:

I spent Saturday at the bi-annual Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot, right outside of Louisville, Ky. Gun enthusiasts of all stripes were there — from the National Rifle Association and sportsmen to militia members to white supremacists and Obama birthers. Here’s a collection of choice photos from the show (after the jump):

Whenever I wonder where this paranoia comes from I think of the past eight years of Bush/Cheney and their fear mongering.

I need to take a shower after all this. Ewww!

Please G*d, keep President Obama and his family safe.

And so it goes.
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Extreme Sheepherding

OK, take a bazillion strings of LEDs, some very talented dogs, a huge flock of sheep (wearing those LEDs) a bunch of very bored kiwi shepherds with video camera and tripod and other high tech gizmos and turn them loose and let their imaginations go wild.

This is so cool. Just remember that all the lights you see are worn by the sheep; all the glory for the tableau goes to those fantastic dogs. Enjoy.

Wasn't that fun?

And so it goes.
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Palm Sunday

Mad Priest's thought for the day.

Just as you cannot understand what happened on Good Friday unless you understand what happened on Easter Sunday, you also cannot understand Good Friday unless you understand what happened on Palm Sunday.

The tragedy of the Messiah is not that he died but that he was given up to die.

Jesus was ultimately betrayed by the world and he needed God to rescue him. This is also the life experience of us all.

This is one way in which we know that Christ is one with us and we are one with Christ.

Just thought I'd share.

More later.
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Palins - The Laughs Just Keep Coming

Sarah's sister-in-law arrested:

Todd Palin’s half-sister was arrested Thursday after police say she broke into a Wasilla home for the second time this week to steal money.

Palin is the husband of Gov. Sarah Palin. He declined comment.

Diana Palin, 35, entered a home near Wasilla’s Multi-Use Sports Complex and attempted to steal cash from the owner’s bedroom, police said.

She also broke into the same house on Tuesday and stole $400, they said.

She was arrested Thursday morning on felony charges of first-degree burglary and misdemeanor charges of criminal trespass and theft, police said. Friday morning, she remained jailed at Mat-Su Pretrial Facility in Palmer in lieu of $10,000 bail and court-approved third party custodian.

Diana and her husband, Scott McLean, live in a different neighborhood from the location of the home she is accused of burglarizing.

McLean said Friday he didn’t recognize the street where his wife was arrested and had no idea why she might do what police say she did. McLean described Diana Palin as a stay-at-home mom who takes good care of their two young children.

McLean said he got a call Thursday around 10:30 a.m. from police, asking him to come pick up their 4-year-old daughter, and has heard nothing since.

The original is HERE. Ah, good old family values.

More later.

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Cooking Caturday

Ultimately found all ingredients required for NOLA (and grandma's) Red Beans and rice recipe and today's the day. Traditionally a dinner for Mondays (wash day) the beans will be just right for that night after work.

No, I will not be using that crock pot.

More later.
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The Iowa Decision - In Brief

From Law Dork, unless you have the time and desire to read the entire transcript:

The Iowa motto, “Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain,” was noted by Iowa Supreme Court Justice Mark Cady in his unanimous opinion for the Court striking down Iowa’s ban on marriage between same-sex couples. Today, for the first time ever in this country, a state’s highest court spoke strongly and with one voice in support of marriage equality.

Moreover, the opinion subtly implies that this is as it should be and goes on the offense against cries of judicial activism:

As other Iowans have done in the past when faced with the enforcement of a law that prohibits them from engaging in an activity or achieving a status enjoyed by other Iowans, the twelve plaintiffs turned to the courts to challenge the statute.

Slip op., at 8. The Court smartly goes on to fully, simply and clearly explain exactly why this decision is nothing extraordinary:

The legislature, in carrying out its constitutional role to make public policy decisions, enacted a law that effectively excludes gay and lesbian people from the institution of civil marriage. The executive branch of government, in carrying out its role to execute the law, enforced this statute through a county official who refused to issue marriage licenses to six same-sex couples. These Iowans, believing that the law is inconsistent with certain constitutional mandates, exercised their constitutional right to petition the courts for redress of their grievance. This court, consistent with its role to interpret the law and resolve disputes, now has the responsibility to determine if the law enacted by the legislative branch and enforced by the executive branch violates the Iowa Constitution.

Read the rest at the link above.

I am still pinching myself over this development. I mean, Iowa! This will take some time to sink in, to be sure.

And so it goes.
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Thank You, Iowa

Three down but so many left. Still, this is a good day.

More later
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To Be a "Gingrich Catholic"

OK class, what's wrong with this statement?

"Newt Gingrich: My third wife wants me to be a good Catholic."

Anybody? Man, I could go to so many places from here.

Here's something else - Newt is on Twitter writing things like this:

"It is sad to see notre dame invite president obama to give the commencement address Since his policies are so anti catholic values."

This idiot has been a convert to the Catholic faith, what, a month? Less? Let's see...Twice Divorced, working on his third marriage and he's talking about anti-catholic values. He left his first wife while she was in hospital suffering with cancer.

Like those Catholics always say... Oy!

Read Cenk's whole piece HERE.

More later.

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Oliphant on the Party of NO!

Enuf Said. Click the image to make biggen.

And so it goes.

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1939 British Poster Revived for Current Crisis

This is so British, stiff upper lip and all that, and I want the Tee shirt.

There is no fuss, no frills, no clever design or wordplay, just the crown of George VI on a red background and a five-word message: Keep Calm And Carry On.

It is a veritable stiff upper-lip of a poster and has been heralded the 'greatest motivational poster ever'. It hangs on walls everywhere from Buckingham Palace to the National Trust HQ, No10 to the officers' mess in Basra.

Its message pops up on mugs, mouse mats, tea towels, T-shirts (David Beckham reportedly has one), rugs and even the cover of a recent magazine for hedge fund managers.

Thanks to Stewart Manley, who co-owns a Northumberland bookshop with his wife Mary, it sells by the thousand every week, 70 years after it was commissioned by the Ministry of Information as a World War II propaganda tool.

So it comes as a bit of a surprise to learn that the scarlet missive never actually made it into circulation during the war.

In fact, despite seeming to be part of our historical furniture, it wasn't until 2000, when Stewart and Mary discovered one of only two perfect originals in a dusty box of second-hand books he'd bought at an auction, that this inspirational message started popping up on walls all over Britain.

'I found a little folded poster right at the bottom of a box of books that had been lying around for months in the back of the shop,' says Stewart, who is 60-something and cheery-looking, with big specs and an impressive grey beard.

'So I opened it out and thought: "Oh gosh! Isn't that wonderful and so British."

More pictures and the rest of the story HERE.

More later.

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