Busy signals at both my senators' offices.

Light diversion: I have a Facebook friend who teaches at the University of Houston. She's originally from Wisconsin. She got an email this morning from a student who said she was not coming to class today because it was too cold to walk across campus. Today's low in Houston is 51; high 76.

Even in Houston, she'd be laughed at.

A Facebook friend posted this.

From the actual situations I've had personal knowledge of, abortion really seems to be about a pregnant woman's support network pressuring her into getting an abortion that she would have never chosen on her own, so that they won't have to be inconvenienced by her needs.

Now, I'm not a woman, but I suspect women do make their own choices. Seems awfully insulting, but I don't want to get into it with him.

My company is, of course, very fucking concerned about the Muslim ban.

Take care of yourself.

Thanks, -t. I'm feeling better today, but considering how tired I was this morning after a solid night's sleep, I'm glad I'm WFH today.

I may have to get a sunshine lamp just to get me through to spring...

Dana recommended her Philips wake up light, and I got one for Christmas. It's been helping me a lot since I have to get up before dawn in winter.

From the actual situations I've had personal knowledge of, abortion really seems to be about a pregnant woman's support network pressuring her into getting an abortion that she would have never chosen on her own, so that they won't have to be inconvenienced by her needs.

What gets me about a lot of these people on the right is they seem to have such a dismal view of humanity. Not just writ large but of the actual people around them. I suppose it's quite true that in some cases a bio-dad or a young girl's parents might look to argue, but boiling that down to inconvenience is bizarre. And this reads like he pretty much expects that anyone who might be asked to babysit is looking to drag some poor woman to the clinic.

See also the grab-em-by-the-pussy "all your male friends talk like that!" That's how you really see your BF, dad, male friends?

Cruz's voice mail is full, and still a busy signal for Cornyn.

What gets me about a lot of these people on the right is they seem to have such a dismal view of humanity.

Much of Christian doctrine is based on the idea that man is inherently flawed and tends towards evil (the fallen nature of man) and can only be saved and made whole through the intervention of God. With this as a core belief, then yes, I can see how a dismal view of humanity at large takes hold.

Despite the fact that I'm a cranky curmudgeon most of the time, I tend to actually believe that humanity leans towards good. As an atheist I trust humanity.

Gud,I would suggest that your friend knows horrible people.

The actual cases I know of people getting abortions were made by the women, sometimes all alone, because their support system at the time were highly judgmental religious extreme assholes.

It is a little disconcerting, because it is simultaneously a horrible view of humanity and thinking all people are super nice. Maybe it is not the same people, but I definitely know people who are pro-life and care about the babies and do things to help them, but somehow think that everyone will do that, so we don't need government help or abortion.

Of course, even though I am a bleeding heart, I also sort of think that even if I believed it was baby killing, I would still be all right with it being an individual choice.