Security personnel gather during a march on aBiden yesterday about the gay brouhaha:--John Aravosis at Americablog
“I am not unaware of the controversies swirling around this dinner,” Biden said, “swirling around the speed -- or lack thereof -- that we’re moving on issues that are of great importance to you and, quite frankly, to me and to the President and to millions of Americans.”
No, it's not the lack of speed. It's the fact that you compared us to pedophiles and incest. The fact that you're still kicking out two gay service members a day, and that you have the power to implement a stop-loss order immediately.
The sad part is, it's actually possible that no one even told him what the problem actually is.
In our last televised conversation he talked about the "guiding ideas" of his work: to find "the commonality of themes in world myths, pointing to a constant requirement in the human psyche for a centering in terms of deep principles."Which, in turn, makes me think of the Buddhist counsel to experience the reality of the moment instead of getting lost in the traps of interpreting it.
"You're talking about a search for the meaning of life," I said.
"No, no, no," he answered. "I'm talking about the experience of being alive!" He explained: "People say that what we're all seeking is a meaning for life. I don't think that's what we're really seeking. I think that what we're seeking is the experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonances within our own innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive." (p. 196)
“Three of my grandchildren are your subjects. Can you ask a better assurance?”At this point in the story you can'y trust anybody. Alliances have shifted in the past few days and will undoubtedly shift again as people weigh their estimations of who will triumph. Who doesn't want to be on the winning side?
Those were the words of Baron T., intended to reassure and mislead M. at the same time.
R. looked at her seriously and asked, “How are things, my sister?”[Note: Vrotni, the Fierce Mother, is the goddess of war. Her crown consists of skulls with flaming eyes. Warmaidens and warriors are called servants of Vrotni and this is no casual oath when spoken by the greatest warmaiden of the eastern forest. In another aspect, Vrotni is depicted as a lioness with her cubs and is the goddess of new mothers and of midwives, blessing them with ferocity in protecting newborns. As I wrote this just now I thought of grandniece Katie constantly there for Clara and Olivia. Fictional mythology having power in our daily life.]
Č. could not think of words to capture what was happening or her own feelings. Anguish contorted her face and R. remembered that this kind and brave daughter of Gizli was but four years into her womanhood and facing the destruction of her world. The disciplined warmaiden summoned her own strength, fixed Č. with a stern but loving look and said, “We shall set the world right, by Vrotni’s Crown.” R. gave the princess a tightlipped smile. Č. returned it and nodded, a single tear escaping at the outer edge of her eye. They turned to face the others.
Just before the [northern party's] mangonels were within striking distance of the walls, the mangonels of Š. released their burdens.Volume one spoke of torture. This volume (# 3) brings up biochemical warfare. Will volume 5 cover weapons of mass destruction or just an excess of evil?
G. had learned from the death of the late prince. With infinite care innovative missiles had been crafted and now arced across the field to strike the earth near the closest [northerners]. On impact they split open in a puff of gray dust.
Warriors began to fall.
The missiles were ... carefully filled with ... powdered toxin.... That the stars would even allow mortals access to such a plant raised questions that had vexed philosophers for centuries. Anywhere these engines of death landed became ground over which it was no longer safe to venture. Š. poisoned its own fields to halt the enemy.
Dozens of the ... globes were hurled until there were few yards left where an approach was safe. ... The day T---- intended for glory was fast turning into a day of slaughter, with nary a blow exchanged. A few gusts of wind blew the powder back toward the city and handfuls of [midlanders] took [the Shepherd’s] hand without warning.
It was effective yet horrendous to watch. G. stood at the ramparts.... He shook his said and said, “What have we become?”
O. waited a while before responding.
“A people who would survive, [Lord].”
“At what cost, O.? At what cost?”
Click image to embiggen
This is Jay, my eldest nephew - the one with the recent diagnosis of diabetes and the broken leg and tremors. He is holding Clara. The blog tells us he said "I love you" when he first held her.
I paused on the way home, just about three miles from my house, and took some pictures. Here is the first one. Click on it to embiggen.
Š. was not as ill-prepared as the towns upriver. The cities of central F. had labored together to resist an invasion from the north. The chief approaches were porcupined with sharpened stakes planted too closely for a horse to pass, though warriors on foot could still weave their way through. Trenches and traps created an obstacle course for those who got past the stakes. Even before the ring of stakes, caltrops were scattered liberally to wound hooves and feet alike, many of them hidden among the summer grasses. Every approach from the north was sown with their nasty points.Sorry, my animal-loving friends, but this is not a movie and the SPCA is not on hand to attest that no horses were hurt. They are victims of war, taken to their doom by humans. Just remember, it's fiction. No ACTUAL horses were harmed in the writing of this epic. 'K?
The May 10 Techniques memo reveals that, when CIA's IG reviewed the program in 2003 and 2004, the maximum allowable time which a detainee could be subject to sleep deprivation was 264 hours--an amazing 11 days straight.
Dear Mr. President:
I am very excited that you are our President, I yearn for your success, and I pray for your well being.
I also earnestly desire that you roll up your sleeves and undo the damage that has been done by the administration around DOMA.
I am among the many LGBT Americans who are hurt, ashamed, and furious at the way that was handled in the brief. I retired my Obama sweatshirt and T-shirt over it and will not contribute a cent to any Democratic entity until this is undone.
Thank you.
“If you realize, D., that I am no fool, then you must know I have seen you will not answer the choice I put to you. I therefore declare the barony of M. forfeit to the Black Lion on the grounds of high treason.”
This is pretty outrageous. In the midst of all the anger from LGBT people over the DOMA brief and the inadequate response -- so far -- by the Obama administration, gay lobbyists, executive directors and assorted others who comprise what is identified as the gay leadership apparently have been invited to a party at the White House thrown just for them.Pam Spaulding:
It's another photo-op in which everyone -- the president and the gays -- can look happy and like they're having fun, but more so, it's a way for the White House to wank off the gay leaders a bit while still not delivering. None of them should fall for it -- and that means they should not attend this event -- least of all the Human Rights Campaign. We don't want cocktails for high-paid gay and lesbians lobbyists and executive directors looking to schmooze and feel important. We want action on our rights, and at this point it means DOMA and DADT....
OK. Who said Congress shouldn't be held accountable? But where does it get its cues from -- the White House. Come on, we're not stupid. We've heard apologists say that Obama's rogue DOJ issued that brief without anyone in the WH knowing. Gee, when Bush was in the White House, we sure nailed the fact that Alberto Gonzales was working hand-in-glove with Dear Leader's constitutional wrecking crew at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. So which is it people? I'm tired of the excuses, and bad ones at that.John Aravosis:
The biggest betrayal of all? Our leaders are going to the White House to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Stonewall. Irony is not lacking in this White House.Until a truly satisfactory retraction of the DOMA insult comes along, I doubt that self-respecting LGBT folk want to even be seen with the White House. They could have fucking done nothing and we could have been patient and understanding, but such an egregious slap in the face is like challenging us to a duel and then expecting us to show up for caviar and champagne and smile for the camera. I don't think so.
But we got cake! (And a gay band in the parade!)
Holy cow. Obama invoked incest and people marrying children.You can read more thanks to John Aravosis at Americablog - if you can keep your meal down while you read it. I don't need to go further than having our relationships compared to incest and pedophilia. It is a vile comparison and flawed legal reasoning. It should be laughed out of court.
The courts have followed this principle, moreover, in relation to the validity of marriages performed in other States. Both the First and Second Restatements of Conflict of Laws recognize that State courts may refuse to give effect to a marriage, or to certain incidents of a marriage, that contravene the forum State's policy. See Restatement (First) of Conflict of Laws § 134; Restatement (Second) of Conflict of Laws § 284.5 And the courts have widely held that certain marriages performed elsewhere need not be given effect, because they conflicted with the public policy of the forum. See, e.g., Catalano v. Catalano, 170 A.2d 726, 728-29 (Conn. 1961) (marriage of uncle to niece, "though valid in Italy under its laws, was not valid in Connecticut because it contravened the public policy of th[at] state"); Wilkins v. Zelichowski, 140 A.2d 65, 67-68 (N.J. 1958) (marriage of 16-year-old female held invalid in New Jersey, regardless of validity in Indiana where performed, in light of N.J. policy reflected in statute permitting adult female to secure annulment of her underage marriage); In re Mortenson's Estate, 316 P.2d 1106 (Ariz. 1957) (marriage of first cousins held invalid in Arizona, though lawfully performed in New Mexico, given Arizona policy reflected in statute declaring such marriages "prohibited and void").
Then in the next paragraph, they argue that the incest and child rape cases therefore make DOMA constitutional:
The fact that States have long had the authority to decline to give effect to marriages performed in other States based on the forum State's public policy strongly supports the constitutionality of Congress's exercise of its authority in DOMA.
Twenty-five year old Joshua Soto, father of a ten month old son, died last week in Tallil, Iraq of wounds suffered in a roadside bomb attack. He was serving his third tour of duty in Iraq, having received a Purple Heart during his first tour and posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star according to GOSanAngelo.com.
The Fresno Bee reports that Sgt. Soto's brother Shane, who is a member of the Air Force, was notified of his brother's death and is accompanying his remains home to the family.
