Yard work pays off, somewhat

Just in time, as my weed-clearing of the yard has progressed to the backyard, I received my yard sign this week and planted it in front on Saturday afternoon. Sue seems to think it’s quite visible from the street, so I’ll leave it there for awhile and check it out as I come and go. I already have a matching sticker on my car.

Also including a gratuitous picture of the neighbor’s little cat from earlier in the month; must have forgotten this on my camera a few weeks ago. Some days he really wants to make himself at home. It’s like having grandkids, I suppose. Have some fun and then send them home. In his case, he was snoozing today away in my yard for the most part.

Note to mom if she’s still reading this blog: this is just an example of posting some pictures online, through the blog. My other option at present is my Photobucket album. I’m trying to get into the habit of posting up my camera pics there. Hopefully, will do as much during the vacation if that pans out.

No one ever recognizes this ‘priestly class’ wisecrack

My latest offering on Daily Kos (quick, before it’s gone!) has to do with Rick Santorum’s evident hypocrisy on torture, even as he peddles himself as Captain Catholic to the masses, and the church, in its silence, approves. It is interesting to consider, this theological pretzel; how the church rationalizes which sins are and which sins are not forgivable, and thus which sins they will choose to worry about more.

He might be disappointed to know someone else has already claimed the title, but I guess they can fight over it.

Anyway, could also mention something about turning 40 this week, but from one day to the next, the only difference is in the meaning we create for the event. It’s not as if the earth altered its course around the sun or I felt any difference one could quantify scientifically. Now, if you were to ask me will I see 50…I’d probably say no, but then again, at 20 who can imagine themselves at 40?

Quick edit: Getting my diary picked up by the Street Prophets group always puzzles me…I know they like to post religion-associated stuff, but their deference to religion has made me avoid the group. I wonder if some of them get mad when they republish my work.

Also, it further surprised me as they did put me up on the community spotlight with a diary rescue. That’s only happened to me twice now, I think. Although to be honest, I wish last week’s diary about the AZ private prisons had made it. As much as I enjoy bashing religious extremists and political conservatives, the prisons in this state are just shameful.

Raging against the private prison machine

Home sick today, and it wasn’t due to the private prison industry in Arizona but I wouldn’t blame my stomach if it were. I wrote about this topic today on Daily Kos, and it’s always nice to get a comment from Meteor Blades, probably the most respected member of the community. Mainly I hope the legislation concerning private prisons fares better this year. I expect it will go down to a quiet death in the Republican-controlled Commerce committee. But if it doesn’t, that would be good. And if my diary gets a few more people to call or email the committee chairs and puts pressure on them to take action, that would be good too. These private prisons are a plague. They bring nothing of worth to the table for the state or its people, it’s just money in the bank for the corporate interests; and that is what makes their Republican lackeys in the legislature despicable.

Legislative job security

Found a more…typical topic to write about today, so I do expect this one to pass by with relatively little fanfare. It’s not about religion, after all, just more state legislative hijinks. In the latest episode, Republicans, spooked by the successful recall of Russell Pearce, Republican racist dirtbag, want to make it harder to recall them! What a surprise. And if enough Republicans stand up for…themselves, I suppose they can pass it, since they still retain dominating majorities in the legislature along with our brainless governor.

Arizona, you’re getting the gov’t you deserve – or perhaps the corporate interests who paid for it are.

The question at the end is completely rhetorical, btw. 

This would be stepping in it

…if anyone read my diaries, but I suspect this one might slip by unnoticed as usual. It has been a while, about a week, since I had much to say. Just moving from one small crisis to the next, as usual. Next up: the check engine light that appeared in my car the other day, when I have the means to address it.

For now, a diary about the Republicans in AZ trying to require that guns be permitted on college campuses here. This might be kicking a hornet’s nest only in that the 2nd-amendment crowd at Daily Kos is surprisingly strong and quite hostile to criticism. I may not appreciate their bit-of-a gang mentality, but I will be curious to see if this diary is enough to make them mad.

Just another social experiment from a social misfit.

Beware the lolcatgun