Spitting Out Your Pancreas

Just this past weekend, there was a Trump rally. The anti-Trump forces were out in number. One of them decided it would be a good idea to spray pepper spray in the eyes of the Trump supporters. Things backfired when the Trump supporters expressed their displeasure of this act and retaliated. The masked coward got what looked like a few black and blue marks, after which the police apprehended him.

Make no mistake, both sides had a right to be there. Assaulting people with pepper spray, or anything else, is not part of peaceful protest. This new assault tactic seems to fit with the the narrative that free speech is only for people who agree with them. Violence is justified against people who disagree.

• Just in case you missed this, I wanted to bring you a quote I just read: "A terrorist can kill many but blasphemy can hurt feelings of millions." So go out there today and make sure you hurt no feelings.

So you're working out like mad, but don't have the time or energy to keep track of your workouts? Now you can work yourself down to the store and get an Internet of Things Workout Glove! Don't you feel better knowing that your workout information will go up the chain to whoever makes the glove? Or after a while, someone will hack the glove, which will then force you to run down the street, barking like a chicken? 

• Behaving like the tired old caricature of Intrusive Government, the UK's Home Secretary has discovered that, in the recent terrorist attack, the terrorist may have used the encrypted messenger WhatsApp and said it's unacceptable that the government can't read these encrypted communications. Convenient, no? Using any old bad news to demand people give up liberties. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Patriot Act, anybody?  The good news is that it's not likely to happen (in this case). Study this and pay attention.. you'll recognize it next time it happens. The positive here is that experts are hitting back on the charge of 'aiding terrorists'.

The University of Regina brings 'Masculinity Confession Booth' to campus, where men will disclose their 'sins'. What will these women (and men) do when there are no functional penises left in the world?

• The UK's Daily Mail featured a picture of Theresa May and Nicola Sturgeon on the cover in skirts, with the headline 'Never Mind Brexit, who won Legs-It?' The entire United States wishes to thank the UK for at least momentarily winning the Stupid News Award and taking heat off us.

Microsoft president Brad Smith is against handing over customer data to any government unless it is "legally compelled to." Not sure how this differs from any other software.  This from the company that built back doors into its software for itself and the NSA.

• Oxford University will be putting up more pictures of women to redress the balance from the university's walls being lined with pictures of "dead white males". Oxford: since our tuition is ten times normal, we need to be ten times more ridiculous.

Just the other day, ISIS extremists threw a man suspected of being gay off a building, then pelted his corpse with rocks. Because the non-extremists wouldn't have thrown rocks post-mortem.

• Krispy Kreme has decided to change its name in the UK to Krispy Creme because people have trouble pronouncing Krispy Kreme. I don't know about you but I believe our brothers and sisters in the UK are more than kapable of pronouncing "kreme." Krispy Kream/Creme states categorically that this is not an April Fool's joke. Nothing you say or do this weekend will have quite the import of this announcement.

A Spanish rapper, Valtonyc, is appealing a three-year jail sentence for his lyrics. As you know, ThermionicEmissions stands firmly on the side of freedom of speech, which apparently Spain does not. Further, ThermionicEmissions would rather Valtonyc be imprisoned for his taste in 'music'.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((()))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Marshall Update:

after interminable ear infections, surgical appointments, and one failed surgery, Marshall has seen his third doctor. His ear canals are calcified. I didn't even know this was possible and shudder to imagine it. He's in constant pain. The surgeon said leaving this alone will just keep him in pain that the meds will not adequately cover. So the recommendation is that they be removed. This will kill the pain and his hearing (whatever he has left). This is a lot to take in. It will also be a lot to pay. Surgeon says his other senses will take over and he is already starting to adapt to his hearing loss.

So if you have a moment, think some good thoughts for our 13-year-old furry child.  Thanks.

Sometimes you eat the pie and sometimes the pie eats you