I've Been Avoiding

what we're calling the "war on women" this week because once I start I won't be able to stop. (I'm currently trying to stop swearing about the legislature in Virginia that thinks freedom is requiring an internal vaginal probe.)  But while I'm trying to get calm enough to construct actual words, you really must see the panel that testified on women's reproductive health today to Mr. Issa's committee.

I did not make this up.

Posterization courtesy of Amy at The Pragmatic Progressive

Bondage? No, no. Linkage

Just think, one of these incredibly white men will be the presidential candidate presented to you by the party of Lincoln.  And before you complain, all that restful sleep you have been getting is overrated.

Because I have been neglecting you, my pretties, here are a few things other things you may have missed while I've been self-absorbed.

Police Seek Culprit Who Seriously Injured Man In Spontaneous “Dwarf Toss” by Jonathan Turley

TeBowie

Ben Stein is still a dick.

Ok, calm down.  Here is a bunny. 

With Apologies To My Jesus-Believing Friends

and I'm Sorry About The Picture But You Need To Understand What I'm Talking About

Today I was driving home from a difficult day at the office, wending my way through an area which is largely devoid of power thanks to an amazing storm on Sunday.  I found myself barely into Maryland in bumper-to-bumper barely moving traffic when I was faced with, standing/sitting in the easement between the sidewalk and street, a seemingly endless review of people wearing "pro-life" shirts and propping up pictures of aborted fetuses.  They were seated/standing maybe every thirty feet for about a mile.  We, those in vehicles, were trapped, waiting for many turnings of a traffic light ahead. You can get the flavor of the posters and their size from the example on the right which is an exact duplicate of the most frequently occurring one.

These people were not subtle. Being the excellent researcher that I am I have found them on the web and even identified this particular gathering. Here is their flyer (PDF) in case you wish to attend a showing. I am told that they have a right to demonstrate in the easement. I am told they do not need a permit to demonstrate in the easement, although I will check that with the County Executive.

They surely did tick me off. But then one got her ass off of the easement and approached my car. Her breath touched my right passenger's window. I slid the windown down -- surely she saw my beet red face and the steam coming out of my ears -- and she began to move a flyer toward me. I'm afraid I hissed that she should get her fucking bullshit Jesus crap away from my car. She didn't have a heart attack but I think she swallowed her tongue as my window closed.

These people claim that showing these images to children isn't their fault. They blackmail us. Their web site (which I won't link further to) tells me "The images themselves don't harm children, particularly when they have parents who take the time to answer their questions. in fact, we have had parents bring their children to participate in showing the images to the public! And the children do so with pride."

This is obscene by any standard I know. So my mission will be to (1) do everything I know how to do to have these materials declared legally obscene and off limits to anybody under 13 and (2) have anybody who uses their children to engage in these protests declared an unfit parent.

Sorry about the rant, but stay out of my face and you won't force me there.