Hard to believe that April slipped by with hardly a mention of the anniversary of the UNANIMOUS decision in Varnum v. Brien that made Iowa the 3rd (after Massachusetts and no one ever remembers who was 2nd) to allow same sex couples to be legally married. It almost stopped in Iowa. Only 32 more states have joined the band wagon since. I was reminded of this as the oral arguments were made before the SCOTUS Tuesday in the case that may make (or break) gay marriage in this country.

Perhaps my biggest disappointment since the Iowa decision is the lack of divorces that the right wing promised would happen in the wake of the decision. I would certainly have expected at the very least that those preaching the imminent death of marriage in this state would have been among the first to line up at a lawyer’s office to file for divorce because of the gay.  So i call on Bob Vander Plaats and Chuck Hurley and all the other loud and proud gay haters to show you believe in what you say and file for divorce before your next public humiliation of Republican candidates in July in Ames.
iowadailydemocrat.com/news/2015/04/vander-plaats-and-the-family-leader-to-host-summer-summit-as-iowa-gop-works-to-elevate-far-right-candidates/

Lots happened last week.

1) In a SCOTUS case with a decision that seemed to counter Citizens United, the SCOTUS decided unlimited money in judicial elections was not a good idea. Who wrote the majority (5-4) decision?

2) In China, the government is cracking down on the custom of using strippers at the end of what events?

3) The Pope shocked many by calling what a major scandal?

4) Nepal was hit hard by an earthquake measuring what on the Richter scale?

5) 200 girls and 93 women were rescued from where Tuesday after over a year of captivity?

6) The US celebrates Labor Day in September, but the rest of the world celebrates what similar holiday on May 1?

7) What ally of Chris Christie and appointee to the Port Authority agreed to plead guilty to charges concerning the closure of the George Washington Bridge Thursday?

8) The fastest two minutes in sports took place yesterday. What are the fastest two minutes in sports?

9) Who is the Attorney General of Maryland that brought charges against six policemen in the death of Freddy Gray?

10) Since no education funding has passed the Iowa legislature, how many fewer educators can we expect in Iowa classrooms next fall?

11) Rep. Bill Flores has insights others don’t. To what does Mr. Flores attribute the protests in Baltimore this week?

12) 45 years ago tomorrow, the country was shocked when it heard that what had happened at Kent State University?

13) May 4, 1886. Police attack labor activists in Chicago in what has come to be called what?

14) Iowa Governor Terry Branstad has declared a state of emergency in Iowa. Why?

15) The presidential field gets more crowded. What senator announced his candidacy Thursday?

16) Regents president Bruce Rastetter is pushing hard for a university funding plan that would give the state schools money based on what?

17) An anti-gay Republican legislator in North Dakota was outed sending explicit pictures to a gay dating website. What is his very apropos name?

18) Workers’ Memorial Day was celebrated around the nation on April 28th. Why was this date chosen?

19) Police in Iowa City were called to a residence where they found what dangerous souvenir had been uncovered in a storage area?

20) So ugly it could stop a watch! What ancient body adornment was revealed this week to have the power to stop the new high tech Apple watches?

Police were called to a Seattle playground to help extract a man who was stuck in a basketball hoop. I wonder just how big the guy was who stuffed him in there.

Answers:

1) CJ John Roberts

2) funerals. The strippers are used to draw large crowds for the deceased.

3) unequal pay for women

4) 7.8

5) boko haram camps in Nigeria

6) International workers’ day or Labor day

7) David Wildstein – he is expected to give evidence that Christie was in on the bridge closure

8) The Kentucky Derby

9) Marilyn Mosby

10) up to 1,150

11) gay marriage. Make up you own connection.

12) 4 students were shot dead by National Guard troops during an anti-Vietnam war protest

13) the Haymarket Riot

14) The spreading bird flu in northwest Iowa

15) Bernie Sanders

16) number of Iowa kids enrolled at the school.

17) Randy Boehning (pronounce it as you wish)

18) on April 28th, 1971 the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) went into effect

19) a live World War I grenade

20) a tattoo that comes in contact with the watch – e.g. a tattoo on the wrist

See you next week for Mother’s Day