I had intended to join Lisa and family at Higgs Beach for the fireworks last night. At the last minute, I decided to stay home and watch the PBS Washington Symphony U.S. birthday extravaganza on TV. Great music, singing and fireworks!
The Washington show was outstanding! As always.
I can hear and see Key West’s fireworks from my home. The PBS show concluded at 9:30. Still no Key West fireworks. Shortly after 10, I began hearing the boom booms. I went outside on my deck. The Key West fireworks had begun. I sat down outside with a drink in hand and watched. A good show!
I did lose out however in not going to Higgs Beach. I enjoy watching Robert and Ally’s reactions to the fireworks. An exciting event for them.
The President and Mrs. Obama were not present for the Washington show. They usually are seated in the front row. A safety concern?
Lisa and family came over in the afternoon. To swim. Turns out my pool is sick. Pea green. Only the second time in 16 years. They went swimming in the canal instead.
Two days ago I mentioned George M. Cohan, the super dooper entertainer. I mentioned one of the songs he wrote. Yankee Doodle Dandy. Late yesterday afternoon, Turner Classic Movies showed the movie Yankee Doodle Dandy starring James Cagney. The life of George M. Cohan. I watched the movie for the 21st time.
Thursday was David’s birthday. I did not know. I feel even worse since I spent some time with him at Don’s Place thursday night. I called him yesterday to wish him a Happy Birthday.
Beware. Contraception is back on the table. More government intrusion. Not from Congress this time. From the Supreme Court.
The case involves Wheaton College. Wheaton College has a lawsuit pending before the Supreme Court. Wheaton does not want to provide insurance for contraception coverage. As with the Little Sisters of the Poor case, they do not want even to sign/self-certify that they are opting out in providing the coverage. They feel doing so makes them complicit in contraceptive activity.
Wheaton will not be heard for some time. Wheaton therefore asked the Court for an injunction allowing them to get off the hook, so to speak. Sign nothing till the Supreme court decides, not be required in any sense in even recognizing contraception. In a 6-3 decision thursday, the six males of the Supreme Court granted the injunction. The three female members dissented.
The gauntlet has been thrown big time!
On monday last, the Supreme Court decided in the Hobby Lobby case that abortive contraceptives were a no no for certain corporations. Twenty contraceptives were involved. The Court’s ruling seemed muddied. Abortion was the issue. Yet the Court intertwined abortion and contraceptives. In the end, the decision seemed to state the four abortion contraceptives did not have to be provided and the sixteen non-abortive contraceptives were permissible.
Louis, the media and some who read this blog were confused it appeared. I was not, though I did not state it. I recognized only abortive contraceptives were involved. As some of you did, also.
This past thursday, three days following the Hobby Lobby decision, the Supreme Court got involved with both feet in the contraception issue.
I did not know contraception per se was still an issue. The other side never gives up. Especially where a woman’s body and private rights are concerned. A bad situation overall.
As Justice Sotomayor said in the dissent, the Wheaton College ruling undermines confidence in the Court. It came out of the blue. It does.
Enjoy your day!