Good News: Bye Bye Bachmann

Say what you will, she was always interesting. Dumb. Delusional. Asshatted. Moronic. Deceiving. Outright Lying. Misinformed. But interesting.

So, as we celebrate the fact the Michele Bachmann has chosen not to run for Congress again, and will instead devote the next year or so toward the planning of soon-to-be ex-husband, Marcus', same-sex wedding, while trying to dodge a Congressional Ethics probe, let's take a glance back at some of the pearls of wisdom that have spewed from her lips and then dribbled down her chin.

Ladies and Gentle-ladies, I give you Michele Bachmann, in her own words:

Michele Bachmann, announcing her bid for the 2010 presidential race from her birthplace of Waterloo, Iowa, she compared herself to another famous person from the area, John Wayne. In fact, John Wayne was not from Waterloo, but it was John Wayne Gacy, serial killer, who was from Waterloo: 

"What I want them to know is, just like, John Wayne was from Waterloo, Iowa. That's the kind of spirit I have too."

Michele Bachmann, on the HPV vaccine:

"I will tell you that I had a mother last night come up to me here in Tampa, Florida, after the debate. She told me that her little daughter took that vaccine, that injection, and she suffered from mental retardation thereafter." 

Michele Bachmann, speaking on Texas Governor Rick Perry's executive order that girls in Texas receive the HPV vaccination:

"And to have innocent little 12-year-old girls be forced to have a government injection through an executive order is just flat out wrong." 

Michele Bachmann, explaining her refusal to complete the U.S. Census, brought another episode of her fear-mongering show to the public with warnings about what could happen should Americans complete the Census, as stipulated by the U.S. Constitution--only the Constitution doesn't say it's illegal to fill out the Census:

"Take this into consideration, If we look at American history, between 1942 and 1947, the data that was collected by the Census Bureau was handed over to the FBI and other organizations at the request of President Roosevelt, and that's how the Japanese were rounded up and put into the internment camps... I'm not saying that that's what the Administration is planning to do, but I am saying that private personal information that was given to the Census Bureau in the 1940s was used against Americans to round them up, in a violation of their constitutional rights, and put the Japanese in internment camps."

Michele Bachmann, seemingly saying that swine flu is some conspiracy by the Democrats though, in reality, that other outbreak of swine flu came in 1976 when Republican Gerald Ford was president.

"I find it interesting that it was back in the 1970s that the swine flu broke out under another, then under another Democrat president, Jimmy Carter. I'm not blaming this on President Obama, I just think it's an interesting coincidence."

Michele Bachmann, sharing her feelings about global warming with Congress, she explained that carbon dioxide is both natural and absolutely harmless:

"Carbon dioxide, Mr. Speaker, is a natural byproduct of nature. Carbon dioxide is natural. It occurs in Earth... Carbon dioxide is portrayed as harmful, but there isn't even one study that can be produced that shows that carbon dioxide is a harmful gas."

Michele Bachmann, during her speech to the Republican Liberty Caucus of New Hampshire; for the record, the Battles of Lexington and Concord took place in the state of Massachusetts:

"What I love about New Hampshire and what we have in common is our extreme love of liberty...You're the state where the shot heard round the world in Lexington and Concord."

Michele Bachmann, suggesting that President Barack Obama is either anti-American or is being controlled by those with anti-American agendas, and then backtracking on her accusations:

"The news media should do a penetrating expose and take a look. I wish they would, I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out are they are pro-America or anti-America... I think the people that Barack Obama has been associating with are anti-American, by and large... Absolutely, I'm very concerned that (Barack Obama) may have anti-American views... I never questioned Barack Obama’s patriotism."

Michele Bachmann, citing an unreliable article out of India, i.e. making stuff up, on the cost of a presidential trip to India:

"Well I think we know that just within a day or so, the president of the United States will be taking a trip over to India that is expected to cost the taxpayers $200 million a day. He's taking 2,000 people with him. He'll be renting out over 870 rooms in India. And these are 5-star hotel rooms at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel. This is the kind of over-the-top spending."

Michele Bachmann, speculating as to what may happen should a ban on same-sex marriage fail to pass:

"Our K-12 public school system, of which ninety per cent of all youth are in the public school system, they will be required to learn that homosexuality is normal, equal and perhaps you should try it. And that will occur immediately, that all schools will begin teaching homosexuality.

Michele Bachmann, on same-sex marriage in 2004:

"(Same-sex marriage) is probably the biggest issue that will impact our state and our nation in the last, at least, thirty years. I am not understating that."

Michele Bachmann, on same-sex marriage in 2011:

"In 5,000 years of recorded human history... neither in the east or in the west... has any society ever defined marriage as anything other than between men and women. Not one in 5000 years of recorded human history. That's an astounding fact and it isn't until the last 12 years or so that we have seen for the first time in recorded human history marriage defined as anything other than between men and between women."

Michele Bachmann, while criticizing President Barack Obama for the rising unemployment rate, offers a solution to curing unemployment once and for all:

"If we took away the minimum wage — if conceivably it was gone — we could potentially virtually wipe out unemployment completely because we would be able to offer jobs at whatever level."

Michele Bachmann, once again having trouble with names, confused Founding Father John Adams with John Quincy Adams, while saying the Founding Fathers "worked tirelessly to end slavery":

"Well if you look at one of our Founding Fathers, John Quincy Adams, that’s absolutely true. He was a very young boy when he was with his father serving essentially as his father’s secretary. He tirelessly worked throughout his life to make sure that we did in fact one day eradicate slavery... Well, John Quincy Adams most certainly was a part of the Revolutionary War era. He was a young boy but he was actively involved."

Michele Bachmann, on The Gays:

"Normalization (of gayness) through desensitization. A very effective way to do this with a bunch of second graders is to take a picture of "The Lion King" for instance, and a teacher might say, "Do you know the music for this movie was written by a gay man?" The message is: I'm better at what I do because I'm gay."

Michele Bachmann, suggesting at a presidential campaign event in Florida that the 2011 East Coast earthquake and hurricane was a message from God:

"I don't know how much God has to do to get the attention of the politicians. We've had an earthquake; we've had a hurricane. He said, 'Are you going to start listening to me here?' Listen to the American people because the American people are roaring right now. They know government is on a morbid obesity diet and we've got to rein in the spending." 

Michele Bachmann, saying she pursued tax law, not by her own choice, but did so at the urging of her husband because she was certain God was speaking through him:

"Why should I go and do something like that? But the Lord says, 'Be submissive wives; you are to be submissive to your husbands."

Michelle Bachmann, calling for a new McCarthyism:

"I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out: Are they pro-America or anti-America?"

Michele Bachmann, while campaigning for president in South Carolina on what was actually the anniversary of Elvis's death:

"Before we get started, let's all say 'Happy Birthday' to Elvis Presley today."

Bye Bye Bachmann.

Read More

Why Marriage Matters: Tom & Keith

Tim Wighton [l] and Keith Gill [r]

Tim and Keith married in July 2009 in Provincetown, after 18 years together. Just three years later, in September 2012, Keith passed away unexpectedly.

What was a heartbreaking time for Tim, to lose his spouse, his partner, his love, turned disgusting by what happened to Tim after Keith's death. His experience is yet another stunning and tragic example of why full marriage equality, at the federal level, matters.

This is their story: 

In 2009 life was in a wonderful cadence. We relocated back to the USA from Europe: Keith had completed his MBA and my work with global medical missions were taking shape and making a difference.

So, that summer we married on the beach in the evening with our two labradors. We often said to each other, “the earth was made round so we can not see what is ahead of us.” Little did we know that life was about to take such a tragic turn.

Keith passed away suddenly in September 2012, in upstate NY while living with his parents recovering in the mountains from a recent stay in a rehabilitation center.

For the 20 + years we were together we spent time and money to assure that should something happen to either of us, we would be taken care of, that our families would not be able to challenge our commitment and our wishes: Wills, Health Care Proxies, Power of Attorneys, etc.

Unfortunately, because we were living in PA our marriage was not recognized and Keith’s family ignored his will, changed beneficiaries and took many of our belongings and possessions.

This is the reality of not having national recognition of marriage for all. Had we been a heterosexual married couple, this would never have happened and the courts would have intervened. Instead, I am forced to spend thousands of dollars in legal fees to get back what was mine and Keith’s wishes.

Keith’s family has ignored me after 20 years, therein ignoring our relationship, marriage and my existence.

How anyone can think that anyone can call themselves a family and then do this to their own son, to his partner, his spouse, his love, of over twenty years, is incomprehensible to me. And how anyone can read this story, and the countless others like it, and not realize that marriage equality needs to happen at the federal level, for all gay and lesbian Americans, also makes no sense.

Why marriage matters?

So we won't hear any more stoires like Tim and Keith's story.

via Gay Marriage USA

Read More

UPDATE: Kaitlyn Hunt Won't Take A Plea

Last week I posted about Kaitlyn Hunt, the Florida high school senior who was arrested and then expelled from school for being in a lesbian relationship with a high school freshman. Kaitlyn Hunt was charged with two felony counts of lewd and lascivious battery on a child and could face up to fifteen years in jail and be labeled a sexual predator for life. [see post HERE]

Now, I got a couple of comments that this wasn’t about Kaitlyn being gay, even though the other girl’s parents were completely against the relationship. And, of course, they waited until about a minute after Kaitlyn turned eighteen to file charges against her. I cannot help but think that if Kaitlyn Hunt had been an eighteen-year-old boy, and star basketball player, those parents would have reacted differently.

But I digress. This isn’t about the parents of the other girl, or straight relationships versus gay relationships, it's about ruining a young girl’s life because she fell in love with one of her teammates on the basketball team.

Kaitlyn Hunt was offered a plea deal in the case, in which she would face two years of house arrest and a year of probation, and her ‘crime’ would stay on her permanent adult record. Kaitlyn Hunt said, ‘No.’

Julia Graves, the attorney for the Hunt family:

"Our client is a courageous teenager who is choosing not to accept the current plea offer by the state of Florida. It’s a situation of two teenagers who happen to be of the same sex involved in a relationship. If this case involved a boy and a girl, we don't believe there'd be the media attention to this case. Our client's a model citizen. She's been placed in an environment of school with her classmates where they go to school together, they have lunch together, and play on the same team (and are) allowed to have communication and contact without barriers. Then when something develops between the two of them as a result of this environment which is created by the state, it leads to criminal prosecution."

Charles Sullivan, who's representing the as-yet-unnamed family of the other teen, says his clients won’t comment yet, and he said he believed the plea deal was a reasonable one and was surprised Hunt didn't take it.

Reasonable for a high school, student who fell in love with another student to accept being labeled a predator for life?

As I said, had this been a straight relationship, I doubt it would be national news. I doubt the other girl’s parents would have filed charges. I doubt the boy would face being labeled a pedophile.

You can say this case has nothing to do with the other girl’s parents’ homophobia, but it reeks of discrimination and bigotry and hate, to me. Now, to be clear, if Kaitlyn Hunt wasn’t a high school student when she began her relationship with the girl, then, yes, she should be punished. But the fact is that, like any number of us, gay and straight, these two girls became friends, fell in love, and started a relationship while they were both high school students and one should not be punished for that.

I hope Kaitlyn sticks to her guns and fights this all the way to the end. She was a high school girl who fell in love with another student and anyone who thinks that makes her a predator or a pedophile just isn’t thinking clearly. 

Head on over to Free Kate, read her story, and add your name to Kate's 296,450 supporters.

source

Read More

This'n'That

Was that the longest weekend or what?

I feel like it's been ages since I've been at work--not that I'm complaining--and am relishing the idea of a shortened work week ahead. Hoo--followedquickyby--Ray!

I had a lovely talk with my sister this weekend. She underwent her first round of chemo last week, without that nausea, though with a bit of fatigue. But, I will say this, she has an undeniable spirit, though she knows what lies ahead, and an extreme amount of positive energy coming at her from all directions. So, whatever the future holds for her, at this minute, it all seems very bright and very positive and that’s all any of us can do, is to live now and not later and not before.

Carlos and I went to see the new Star Trek Into Darkness this weekend. What a great rollercoaster ride. Sure, there were a lot of special effects, but there was also story, and some real laughs. I grew up with these characters so the reboot I especially like because they aren’t drastically changing everything.

One thing I would change? Bring a muzzle next time to put on Carlos. Seriously, I love the previews almost as much as I love the movie, and while the previews were playing--after about thirty or forty ads asking folks to be quiet and silence their cell phones--Carlos muttered, well, nearly shouted, 'How many commercials before we see the movie?'

I almost sent him into a time-out.

Jody Arias.

End the trial already. Put her in prison for life without parole ad stop wasting taxpayer money with the empanelling of a new jury and more dollars and more time wasted.

She did it. She said she did it. She was found guilty. Lock her up, throw away the key, and then also cancel her Twitter account. I'd prefer never to see or hear, or hear of her, again.

You all know that I loves me some gossip, and I loves to make fun of those so-called celebrities. But, I have had some questions and requests about why I don't talk about Amanda Bynes anymore. Here's the deal:

I think she has mental issues, and that's not funny.

I think she has problems with drugs and that’s not funny.

So, though I have gossiped about her before, when it became clear, after her move to New York and subsequent antics, that she is not all right, I won't be gossiping about her.

But, you say, Bob, you have no problem going on and on, and some say on, about Lohan. Well, here's that deal:

Lindsay is a criminal.

She kidnapped a woman.

She stole a necklace.

She has taken clothes from fashion shoots and TV shows and continues to do so.

She has rehabbed seven times and fallen off the wagon six times.

Plus, unlike Bynes, Lindsay seems to be all there, and takes absolutely no responsibility for anything she does. There is always an excuse and always a side-step. So, I will continue featuring Lohan because Lohan will continue to be a screw-up.

The weekend was lovely in Smallville, with Monday being the hottest day, and it was just 85-degrees. So, of course, there was yard work, with leaves being raked, and raked, and raked again, onto the front lawn and then mulched up by the new riding mower. I filled six 75-gallon bags of mulched leaves, and will probably do another six, or more, this next weekend.

While I was on lawn and leaf patrol, Carlos was on gutter duty. We bought some of those sponge-thingies that you line the gutters with and they really keep the leaves and twigs and pine needles out of the gutters, while still allowing rain water to be captured.

Still, the gutter need to be brushed off every so often, but it's still a lot less dirty and time-consuming than cleaning those %@&$ing things out!

To reward ourselves, we grilled out both Sunday and Monday, with chicken, grilled veggies and black-bean-and-pasts salad both nights, and a gorgeous, g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s bottle of El Gran Pensado Albarinho from Spain. I will be keeping that label because I need to buy that wine by the truckload. It's a perfect crisp, but peachy wine, just fine for a summer day's sipping.

And here's a little something my Dad sent my way:

Psychology 101

If you start with a cage containing 5 monkeys and inside the cage, hang a banana on a string from the top and place a set of stairs under the banana, before long a monkey will go to the stairs and climb toward the banana.

As soon as he touches the stairs, you spray all the other monkeys with cold water.

After a while another monkey makes an attempt with same result ... all the other monkeys are sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon when another monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other monkeys will try to prevent it.

Now, put the cold water away. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new one.

The new monkey sees the banana and attempts to climb the stairs. To his shock, all of the other monkeys beat the crap out of him. After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs he will be assaulted.

Next, remove another of the original five monkeys, replacing it with a new one.

The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer takes part in the punishment...... with enthusiasm, because he is now part of the "team".

Then, replace a third original monkey with a new one, followed by the fourth, then the fifth. Every time the newest monkey takes to the stairs, he is attacked.

Now, the monkeys that are beating him up have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs. Neither do they know why they are participating in the beating of the newest monkey.

Finally, having replaced all of the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys will have ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, not one of the monkeys will try to climb the stairway for the banana.

Why, you ask? Because in their minds...that is the way it has always been! This, my friends, is how Congress operates... and this is why, from time to time:

ALL of the monkeys need to be REPLACED AT THE SAME TIME.

Now, how was your weekend?

Read More

Happy Memorial Day ... Say Thanks

Read More

Sunday Funnies

Read More