See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/aogxd
Friday, February 4, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
"Redfining Rape" - HR5939
If you click on the title of this post, it will take you to bipartisan bill HR5939, introduced by Congressmen Chris Smith (R-NJ-04) and Dan Lipinski (D-IL), which moveon.org and others are stating "redefines rape" and which feminists across the 'net are screaming about. Wow. My first thought when I read the bill for myself was, "Did these people even READ the bill???"
First of all, the word rape is mentioned ONCE in this bill, and only once - in Section 309 - as part of the phrase "forcible rape." This is apparently the "redefinition", according to the hysterical accounts. So, logic dictated I look up the current and historical definition of rape, make a comparison between what is now law, and what the change will be. Here is what I learned:
"The carnal knowledge of a woman by a man (or vice versa) forcibly and unlawfully against her will." from http://www.lectlaw.com.
"A criminal offense defined in most states as forcible sexual relations with a person against that person's will." from http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com
"The crime of rape (or "first-degree sexual assault" in some states) generally refers to non-consensual sexual intercourse that is committed by physical force, threat of injury, or other duress." from http://criminal.findlaw.com.
Are you seeing a pattern here? Rape involves force. I tried to find a legal definition where it didn't, and couldn't. So how is the definition going to change as a result of this bill?
The only thing I can think of is that moveon.org - and others - haven't read the bill, and/or aren't familiar with current legal definitions, and/or simply want to raise a stink about something on the assumption that their "shocking" headline will be repeated everywhere by those who won't bother to read the bill, in an attempt to make these Congressmen look bad.
But such is politics today. There are some excellent protections in this bill also..but I'll let you read the bill in its entirety for yourself, and come to your own conclusions.
First of all, the word rape is mentioned ONCE in this bill, and only once - in Section 309 - as part of the phrase "forcible rape." This is apparently the "redefinition", according to the hysterical accounts. So, logic dictated I look up the current and historical definition of rape, make a comparison between what is now law, and what the change will be. Here is what I learned:
"The carnal knowledge of a woman by a man (or vice versa) forcibly and unlawfully against her will." from http://www.lectlaw.com.
"A criminal offense defined in most states as forcible sexual relations with a person against that person's will." from http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com
"The crime of rape (or "first-degree sexual assault" in some states) generally refers to non-consensual sexual intercourse that is committed by physical force, threat of injury, or other duress." from http://criminal.findlaw.com.
Are you seeing a pattern here? Rape involves force. I tried to find a legal definition where it didn't, and couldn't. So how is the definition going to change as a result of this bill?
The only thing I can think of is that moveon.org - and others - haven't read the bill, and/or aren't familiar with current legal definitions, and/or simply want to raise a stink about something on the assumption that their "shocking" headline will be repeated everywhere by those who won't bother to read the bill, in an attempt to make these Congressmen look bad.
But such is politics today. There are some excellent protections in this bill also..but I'll let you read the bill in its entirety for yourself, and come to your own conclusions.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Naptus Interruptus
Needed a nap today. Badly. It's been a while since I've taken the luxury of a nap. So Pete and I snuggled up together in bed and prepared to sleep...
After about 20 minutes of warm cozy bliss I was awakened by a loud cracking noise, like a gunshot. I got up to investigate and discovered the gate had fallen.
As I've mentioned, we recently got a cat from the shelter. And we have 2 dogs: Pharaoh is an oversized minpin, and Bing is an elderly but spry - if a little demented - yorkie/pom. And they both love, er, "tootsie rolls" from the cat box. So to keep them out, I had devised a little maze. The cat box sits on the floor of the utility room cupboard. In front of it I put a small window screen for the cat to jump over, and in front of that is a baby gate at an angle across the opening. So the lithe little cat can maneuver around the dryer to the opening, then proceed into the cupboard, then jump over the screen, then walk into his box.
I underestimated the determination of the dogs who have been managing SOMEHOW to get their faces into the box ever since the first few days. And today it was Pharaoh who clumsily knocked the baby gate SMACK! onto the floor and woke me up. He was standing at the opening to the cupboard when I reached the utility room, and I yelled at him. He dropped his "tootsie roll" out of his mouth and ran into our bed where Pete was still laying (albeit now awake), and Pete chased him out of the bed, then rolled over...yeah...part of Pharaoh's snack was now smeared onto our sheets and Pete's shoulder. So Pete went to wash up and get clean sheets, saw the rest of the "snack" on the floor, reached for some TP to pick it up, but wasn't fast enough - it was gone and Bing was licking her lips.
This is nauseating to me. Severely nauseating. Dog breath is bad enough but cat crap breath is so much worse. I don't even allow the dogs on my lap anymore and don't want them anywhere near me...
So Pete put the dogs up in the front of the house and closed the door that separates the living area from the bedrooms/bathroom/utility room. We changed the bed, and tried again. But Bing had other plans. If she couldn't be with us she was going to yap and yap and yap and scratch at the door until we either let her in with us or killed her. You know which one I would have chosen...
When we had Bruce, Pharaoh proved to us that a cat box cover isn't enough to stop him, so that's not the answer...but I don't know what is.
We HAVE to find a solution to this. We HAVE to make the cat box accessible to the big fat 14# cat but not to a 10# yorkie/pom. How we're going to do THAT, I can't imagine. But we have to. Because this IS NOT working out. And I am literally getting sick to my stomach (and remember, I can't throw up anymore) when it happens. Every day. Several times. And I've had ENOUGH.
Any and all suggestions welcome.
After about 20 minutes of warm cozy bliss I was awakened by a loud cracking noise, like a gunshot. I got up to investigate and discovered the gate had fallen.
As I've mentioned, we recently got a cat from the shelter. And we have 2 dogs: Pharaoh is an oversized minpin, and Bing is an elderly but spry - if a little demented - yorkie/pom. And they both love, er, "tootsie rolls" from the cat box. So to keep them out, I had devised a little maze. The cat box sits on the floor of the utility room cupboard. In front of it I put a small window screen for the cat to jump over, and in front of that is a baby gate at an angle across the opening. So the lithe little cat can maneuver around the dryer to the opening, then proceed into the cupboard, then jump over the screen, then walk into his box.
I underestimated the determination of the dogs who have been managing SOMEHOW to get their faces into the box ever since the first few days. And today it was Pharaoh who clumsily knocked the baby gate SMACK! onto the floor and woke me up. He was standing at the opening to the cupboard when I reached the utility room, and I yelled at him. He dropped his "tootsie roll" out of his mouth and ran into our bed where Pete was still laying (albeit now awake), and Pete chased him out of the bed, then rolled over...yeah...part of Pharaoh's snack was now smeared onto our sheets and Pete's shoulder. So Pete went to wash up and get clean sheets, saw the rest of the "snack" on the floor, reached for some TP to pick it up, but wasn't fast enough - it was gone and Bing was licking her lips.
This is nauseating to me. Severely nauseating. Dog breath is bad enough but cat crap breath is so much worse. I don't even allow the dogs on my lap anymore and don't want them anywhere near me...
So Pete put the dogs up in the front of the house and closed the door that separates the living area from the bedrooms/bathroom/utility room. We changed the bed, and tried again. But Bing had other plans. If she couldn't be with us she was going to yap and yap and yap and scratch at the door until we either let her in with us or killed her. You know which one I would have chosen...
When we had Bruce, Pharaoh proved to us that a cat box cover isn't enough to stop him, so that's not the answer...but I don't know what is.
We HAVE to find a solution to this. We HAVE to make the cat box accessible to the big fat 14# cat but not to a 10# yorkie/pom. How we're going to do THAT, I can't imagine. But we have to. Because this IS NOT working out. And I am literally getting sick to my stomach (and remember, I can't throw up anymore) when it happens. Every day. Several times. And I've had ENOUGH.
Any and all suggestions welcome.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
