January 28

"Give 'em head" Harry strikes again.

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Hospitals would need to check the immigration status of uninsured patients under a new bill introduced by an Arizona lawmaker. Rep. Steve Smith's (R) H.B. 2293 would require hospital staff to "reasonably confirm" patients' status during check-in or treatment, and immediately report those who do not have the required papers to immigration officials.

Smith claimed it is a hospital's civic duty to check immigration status:

"I would hope if you witnessed somebody who is not lawfully present in this country taking advantage of, getting, acquiring any benefit or social service or something that they're not entitled to, or something they're abusing or neglected, I would hope somebody would pick up the phone and go, 'Maricopa police, Buckeye police, I think — I'm not sure — but I think this is happening."'

The Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association has already rejected the attempt to turn hospitals into another front for immigration enforcement: "When does this begin or end?" a spokesman said. "What other industry should be screening their customers for citizenship verification?" The National Coalition for Immigrant Women's Rights and National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health also called the measure "unconscionable" and legalized "harassment." With roughly 19 percent of Arizona's population lacking health insurance, the bill could deter many immigrants and their children from seeking care, as well as burden hospitals.

(Arizonans fork out nearly $1.3 billion annually to pay for all of the costs incurred from illegal immigration; around $810 million for education, $400 million for health care related expenses, $80 million in incarceration costs, and the remainder in welfare benefits. All of this is required while Arizona runs a $500 million deficit annually.)

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Gun Industry Aims To Sell Youth On Assault Weapons

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Before Calling 911, Sheriff Tells Residents To Get 'In The Game' With A Gun

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For The Sixth Time In One Week, Man Shot At Gun Show

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Today in gun fail.

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Shocker? Psychotic Billionaires Fund Climate Denial

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Remember NOM's typically lie-filled claims about marriage in their full-page Rhode Island newspaper ad? Politifact took a look at those claims and gave NOM their worst rating: Pants On Fire. That's no surprise to most of us here, but enjoy: 

The National Organization for Marriage-Rhode Island said in a newspaper advertisement that "religious groups like Knights of Columbus have been forced to allow same-sex marriage ceremonies in their facilities, against their beliefs." But the Knights of Columbus incident cited as proof by Plante, NOM's regional coordinator, was from Canada and did not support its claim. Neither did the second example it cited. Nor the third. NOM made a strongly worded claim on the eve of a key vote that was meant to influence voters -- and their legislators. We can't predict what could happen under same-sex marriage laws in the future. But we can rule on claims that are so far from the truth. The judges rule Pants on Fire.

Read the full report. 

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The Rio Times reports: 

At least 245 people have died in a nightclub fire in central Rio Grande do Sul, police have said. A band's pyrotechnics reportedly started the blaze at the Kiss nightclub in Santa Maria at 2:30 AM Saturday night. Police finished removing bodies from the scene late Sunday morning, Folha de São Paulo reported. In addition to the 245 confirmed dead by military police, 48 people are injured and receiving treatment. Many people died after inhaling toxic fumes; and scores of people suffocated or were trampled as they fled the scene. Local media have reported that the club had only a single exit and panic spread as people tried to get out. Firefighters had to cut a hole in the wall of the nightclub to access victims and extinguish the fire. Footage on Globo TV showed people crying outside, while firefighters knocked down walls to gain access using sledgehammers.

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A former Episcopal priest who is pissed off about his sect's acceptance of homosexuality has become New York state's first married Catholic priest.  As part of the deal, he's agreed to stop fucking his wife. 

John Cornelius will be ordained a Roman Catholic priest this weekend — and with the blessing of his wife they're giving up their sex life. Cornelius, a father of three, will become the first married Roman Catholic priest in New York — and Sharyl, his wife of 33-years, has agreed to the whole celibacy thing. "We have decided to do that voluntarily," Cornelius told WGRZ-TV. "I have always had friends that are Roman Catholic priests and I appreciate what they've given up to serve God and the priesthood." Cornelius, 64, is a former Episcopalian priest who converted three years ago to Catholicism. He said his old church had gotten too liberal for him. "There was the ordination of the homosexual priest in New England," he said. "Then it came time for women's ordination. ... It may have been okay for other people, but it was just too much for me. "I needed someplace where there was order," he added.

Mrs. Cornelius is reportedly thrilled with the new arrangement.

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Word salad of the day

Sarah Palin to Breitbart News:

"I encourage others to step out in faith, jump out of the comfort zone, and broaden our reach as believers in American exceptionalism. That means broadening our audience. I'm taking my own advice here as I free up opportunities to share more broadly the message of the beauty of freedom and the imperative of defending our republic and restoring this most exceptional nation."

And…

"I was raised to never retreat and to pick battles wisely, and all in due season. When it comes to defending our republic, we haven't begun to fight! But we delight in those who underestimate us."

And this made me laugh out loud:

"Predicting the future has never been easier because here we are!"

Huh-what? Can anyone tell me what the hell that means?

There's no greater master of awkwardly phrased platitudes than Palin. Chez wrote a great farewell to Palin here.

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