Top 10 People Who Give Video Games A Bad Name

Recently, Roger Ebert has said that it’s impossible for a video game to be art, Uwe Boll has been signed for another movie deal, and a man killed a kitten over unplugging a video game console. This is a list that says that we (gamers) are not all like this, it explains why these people are wrong and exactly why everyone on this list is a danger and an enemy to video games. Here are the 10 people (or kind of people) who give video games a bad name.

Ha! Can anyone guess what Quayle was actually trying to say?

I was known as the chief graverobber of my state.

— Dan Quayle

At about the 0:40 mark.

Overnight open.
Time to go sleepy time.
Good night Lizards.

I was known as the chief graverobber of my state.

— Dan Quayle

Hmmm… I wonder what VP Quayle would say about the current oil spill disaster? Here’s something (from 1999 speech at CEI):

The CAFE standards for fuel efficiency [are intended] as a means of reducing gas emissions. Nice objective. But tighter CAFE standards also mean that more people die on the highways because cars get smaller and lighter. [I support] freezing the standards, [and I oppose] raising CAFE standards on sport utility vehicles. The last thing we should do is create more regulation that ends up costing lives.

re: #3 Slumbering Behemoth

At about the 0:40 mark.

Funny how one of the related videos on your link is that Miss America education ramble. About as coherent !

re: #2 BryanS

Ha! Can anyone guess what Quayle was actually trying to say?

He excelled at getting out the “ex-living” vote?

re: #7 Slumbering Behemoth

He excelled at getting out the “ex-living” vote?

He wasn’t from Chicago, was he :?) //

re: #1 Slumbering Behemoth

Top 10 People Who Give Video Games A Bad Name

Very nice. Couldn’t agree more about Uwe Boll getting the number 1 position.

Vice Presidents. Making Presidents look good since…

Whatever.

You like Jon Stewart, daily show ?
I LOVE HIM.
My wife doesn’t get how can I disagree with someone so much and still laugh and watch his show all the time.
Well, he is a moron. Seriously. He has stupid political ideas as far as I can understand them… But he delivers soooo well!

Lately he moved away from obama rear side into frontal confrontation and I’m loving it so much… Not because he is right but because he is wrong even in dissing Obama…
He was making fun of him just now for being bush like and how come he doesn’t keep him election year promises. He bitches and moans and makes fun of him, I’m have a ball.

Go explain to him that no one can really criticize a nation at war from the outside, promising peace and change and timeframe to retract soldiers and win wars. (ahem)
Mr. President (whom I respect a great deal!), you are going to go in infamy for making all those stupid election promises like a regular virgin talking about his sexual conquests. Yes we can.

Anyway, I enjoy Jon Stewart’s pain…
Just saying…

GO LAKERS !

re: #9 Nimed

IMO, asshat Jack Thompson deserves a Life Time Achievement award.

Good evening lizards….. feeling good after a Lakers win and a Dodgers 12-0 win over NL Central leader Reds.

re: #11 american_peanuts

John Stewart is good…. He does more for honest discussion than any of the major news folks…. Sad in a way that it is a comedy show…..

Bill Mahr (sp?) is good too….. But not enough folks that need to hear truth will ever listen.

re: #5 freetoken

Quayle did have point there. Raising CAFE cause car companies to make smaller cars that are more vulnerable in an accident. That’s a proven fact.

re: #14 boxhead

John Stewart is good… He does more for honest discussion than any of the major news folks… Sad in a way that it is a comedy show…

Bill Mahr (sp?) is good too… But not enough folks that need to hear truth will ever listen.

Would that be this Bill Maher?

re: #15 Dark_Falcon

Quayle did have point there. Raising CAFE cause car companies to make smaller cars that are more vulnerable in an accident. That’s a proven fact.

True, but that was in how the regulations were drafted, not in their concept. The problem was that large vehicles like SUVs were allowed to gas guzzle. This put in an incentive for manufacturers in the US market to go big.

re: #16 Gus 802

Would that be this Bill Maher?

Thanks… :) Long day… LOL

re: #14 boxhead

Maher is deficient.

Just had a great exchange with an online friend from Texas about a liturgy she wrote for her church. I became aware of her because of an amazing piece she wrote years ago against the American Civil Religion we’ve seen so prominently in recent years. We’ve since since become good FB friends. Grace shows itself in strange moments. All I can say is that I appreciate this particularly strange moment in my own struggle with darkness.

re: #16 Gus 802

Would that be this Bill Maher?

He’s one of those? Didn’t know that before now. Disappointing.

re: #21 BryanS

He’s one of those? Didn’t know that before now. Disappointing.

Yep. Couple more here:

littlegreenfootballs.com

re: #17 BryanS

True, but that was in how the regulations were drafted, not in their concept. The problem was that large vehicles like SUVs were allowed to gas guzzle. This put in an incentive for manufacturers in the US market to go big.

Agreed. The problem was how to fix it without causing the ‘light and deadly’ trap, though Quayle was more interested in scoring a political point than actually proposing a solution.

re: #14 boxhead

Stewart won’t refer to himself as newsman.
I wish all news people could keep their snappy attitude and still tell the news without bias, right or left. I guess when you join a major network you must loose your integrity, or wit, or both.

re: #16 Gus 802

Would that be this Bill Maher?

oh wow… did not watch video at first… He is an anti vax dude…. wow

now I can see some level of concern being told to give your kids drugs you know nothing about, but vaccines have done much, and not all corp are evil douches.

Bill just lost some points…. But I do like his show that has some great discussions.

I’m going to bed. Goodnight, all.

re: #26 Dark_Falcon

late

re: #26 Dark_Falcon

I’m going to bed. Goodnight, all.

night

re: #24 american_peanuts

Stewart won’t refer to himself as newsman.
I wish all news people could keep their snappy attitude and still tell the news without bias, right or left. I guess when you join a major network you must loose your integrity, or wit, or both.

It all ended when news had to become a profit generator instead of a public servant… sad

re: #25 boxhead

oh wow… did not watch video at first… He is an anti vax dude… wow

now I can see some level of concern being told to give your kids drugs you know nothing about, but vaccines have done much, and not all corp are evil douches.

Bill just lost some points… But I do like his show that has some great discussions.

Yeah, Maher got quite the hammering for those comments of his. They happened on more than one occasion.

Much more here with links:

Bill Maher and “anti-science”
Posted on: July 27, 2009 8:30 AM, by Orac

Last week, I expressed my surprise and dismay that the Atheist Alliance International chose Bill Maher for the Richard Dawkins Award. I was dismayed because Maher has championed pseudoscience, including dangerous antivaccine nonsense, germ theory denialism complete with repeating myths about Louis Pasteur supposedly recanting on his deathbed, a hostility towards “Western medicine” and an affinity for “alternative medicine,” a history of sympathy to HIV/AIDS denialists, and the activities of PETA through his position on its board of directors, all facts that led me to liken his receiving the Richard Dawkins Award to giving an award for public health to Jenny McCarthy. I was not alone, either. Larry Moran, Matt D., and Skepacabra agreed with me….

re: #20 Irenicum

Just remember…

Darkness is not the opposite of light, it is the absence of light.

re: #30 Gus 802

sheesh… and he always hammers the Religious folks for being anti science… I wonder if he was just really stoned… :)

re: #32 boxhead

sheesh… and he always hammers the Religious folks for being anti science… I wonder if he was just really stoned… :)

He must get stoned a lot then but I tend to doubt it. You know how it is. Just because someone is an atheist doesn’t mean they won’t believe in ghosts and UFOs. Or people that accept evolutionary science and are against intelligent design but believe in homeopathy.

re: #23 Dark_Falcon

Agreed. The problem was how to fix it without causing the ‘light and deadly’ trap, though Quayle was more interested in scoring a political point than actually proposing a solution.

He was exempting SUVs soon after the nation speed limit was raised from 55 to 65 mph. Vehicular mass disparity and traveling speed were both on the rise.

re: #20 Irenicum

Namaste.

I was know as… well never-mind.

re: #32 boxhead

sheesh… and he always hammers the Religious folks for being anti science… I wonder if he was just really stoned… :)

Thinking about it, one of the big differences between Stewart and Maher is that John tends to be humble in the way he slams others. Bill just tells those of the the religious ilk that they are deluded and that is that. He is very certain of the make up of our universe. That, to me seems arrogant. The more you learn about physics and cosmology, the more you realize there is a lot we do not know, nor that we can prove……. yet

Meet the Super Cow

re: #31 Slumbering Behemoth

Thank you. The light’s been pretty absent lately. I wish it were otherwise. I’d appreciate some lovin’ from some fellow Lizards, whether of the prayerful variety or of the karmic variety. I’ll gladly take whatever y’all got. Cause I ain’t got shit right now.

re: #20 Irenicum

I became aware of her because of an amazing piece she wrote years ago against the American Civil Religion we’ve seen so prominently in recent years.

Which reared its head in the President’s speech last night. I tried to watch it, but after a minute got bored so decided to skim the prepared speech instead. In that text, the last three paragraphs or so are simply a general religion-feel-good moment, void of any real insight or even accurate rendition of (from my understanding) what the major theistic religions of this nation would really say about this event.

In this manner BHO is very much like so many other Presidents before him.

re: #34 goddamnedfrank

He was exempting SUVs soon after the nation speed limit was raised from 55 to 65 mph. Vehicular mass disparity and traveling speed were both on the rise.

I know my mass to travelling speed disparity has been increasing in the recent years. Not enough exercise I suppose, or maybe its the pie?

re: #33 Gus 802

He must get stoned a lot then but I tend to doubt it. You know how it is. Just because someone is an atheist doesn’t mean they won’t believe in ghosts and UFOs. Or people that accept evolutionary science and are against intelligent design but believe in homeopathy.

His dislike of religion borders on some Christian ilks dislike of the Gay…. I wonder if he is a closet Preacher…. LOL

re: #38 Gus 802

Meet the Super Cow

[Video]

Man, that a load of bull.

re: #42 boxhead

His dislike of religion borders on some Christian ilks dislike of the Gay… I wonder if he is a closet Preacher… LOL

It’s become part of his schtick. I don’t mind it once in a while but I don’t think it’s healthy to make it a daily endeavor. I don’t watch Maher. I’ve been watching Jon Stewart recently.

So, since this is overnight thread, can I ask a beginner question?
What is the actual meaning of adding or subtracting at the top of a reply?
I know I try to be positive with an interesting reply, but is accumulated, counted somewhere, do we get a refund ?…

No, seriously. Can you exilian?

re: #43 Bagua

Man, that a load of bull.

Huge isn’t it?

re: #39 Irenicum

I’d appreciate some lovin’ from some fellow Lizards, whether of the prayerful variety or of the karmic variety.

I am of neither variety, but I got lovin’ and hugs big time. {Irenicum}

I’m in a spot myself, probably not as bad as yours, but I get the “absence of light” thing. Whatever it is, take that giant pile and chop it down to smaller, more manageable lumps and focus on those, one at a time. Lump by lump, that giant pile will disappear.

re: #44 Gus 802

It’s become part of his schtick. I don’t mind it once in a while but I don’t think it’s healthy to make it a daily endeavor. I don’t watch Maher. I’ve been watching Jon Stewart recently.

Both shows are not everyday. Bill’s much less frequent. I really wish John could get the funding to go everyday in a more serious, but still sarcastic style. We need it, I need the outlet. All the BS on news is a curse on our Country. I guess that is why I spend way too much time reading all y’all…. heheh

A story that hasn’t gotten much play here:

UN says violence in Kyrgyzstan was orchestrated

The U.N. has found evidence of bloody intent behind the chaos in Kyrgyzstan that killed hundreds, left the nation’s second-biggest city a smoldering ruin and sent more than 100,000 ethnic Uzbeks fleeing.

The declaration by the U.N. that the fighting was “orchestrated, targeted and well-planned” — set off by organized groups of gunmen in ski masks — bolsters government claims that hired attackers marauded through Osh, shooting at both Kyrgyz and Uzbeks to inflame old tensions.

Violent and chaotic times in Central Asia.

re: #40 freetoken

Which reared its head in the President’s speech last night. I tried to watch it, but after a minute got bored so decided to skim the prepared speech instead. In that text, the last three paragraphs or so are simply a general religion-feel-good moment, void of any real insight or even accurate rendition of (from my understanding) what the major theistic religions of this nation would really say about this event.

In this manner BHO is very much like so many other Presidents before him.

You know it just hit me about an hour ago. That was his first Oval Office speech. Did you know that Steven Chu has Nobel Prize in physics? /

Seriously though. In retrospect, I give it a C.

re: #45 american_peanuts

So, since this is overnight thread, can I ask a beginner question?
What is the actual meaning of adding or subtracting at the top of a reply?
I know I try to be positive with an interesting reply, but is accumulated, counted somewhere, do we get a refund ?…

No, seriously. Can you exilian?

Heh, you can ask a question anytime mate.

That is a rating system. If someone clicks a plus on your comment you get +1 if they click - you get minus one. The 0 shows a running count for that comment and clicking an avatar shows the cumulative total. I’m up to 100,000 plus I think.

re: #45 american_peanuts

Ah, the karma question. Basically you get to vote on how you feel about a particular post. And others get to vote too. The karma is ever shifting! It’s fun. Try it!

re: #39 Irenicum

If you could give a slight hint as to the nature of your trouble, I’m sure I could try and offer my assistance.
In any case I hereby extend a karmic hug, I got some good coming my way so you can have it.

re: #48 boxhead

Both shows are not everyday. Bill’s much less frequent. I really wish John could get the funding to go everyday in a more serious, but still sarcastic style. We need it, I need the outlet. All the BS on news is a curse on our Country. I guess that is why I spend way too much time reading all y’all… heheh

I typically watch the 1st and 2nd part of The Daily Show. Usually skip the interviews unless they garner my interest.

re: #49 freetoken

A story that hasn’t gotten much play here:

UN says violence in Kyrgyzstan was orchestrated

Violent and chaotic times in Central Asia.

Heard about the gathering of troops on borders—Central Asia sure is a powder keg. Now that Afghanistan is the “Saudi Arabia” of minerals, I have a feeling we’ve got the same volatile mix of resources and fanaticism as we now have in the Middle East.

re: #51 Bagua

re: #52 Irenicum

Just did, thanks!
I’m a Jew, and a programmer, must find value in things…

re: #54 Gus 802

I typically watch the 1st and 2nd part of The Daily Show. Usually skip the interviews unless they garner my interest.

I find his interviews about 50/50, stuff I don’t care and some better folks. Maybe 3 in ten are awesome where he either slams a kook or has fun with a cat with similar views…

re: #50 Gus 802

I think it would have been more effective delivered on site.

There is a real problem we have in this country that is often taboo in the speeches of politicians - the inability to accept that sometimes bad things are just bad and have to be gone through as they can no longer be avoided. There is nothing pretty about the oil spill, it is in every regard a fuck-up. We’re just going to have to trudge through it and lick our chops. The only way to avoid deep water drilling disasters is to not do deep water drilling, but we can’t go down that path because Americans love their cars too damn much.

No elected official can say that, of course, but if you sat at a coffee table with the Nobel prize winner he would tell you of course its true.

OK… I am trowing out a newb question…. I thought I knew what the heart icon meant when you clicked on it…. but what exactly is it? Beer for first responder.. :)

re: #47 Slumbering Behemoth

Thank you SB. I’m quitting seminary for the time being. Several issues have decided to impede this journey. Depression being paramount. And yet, I still sense that God has me here for a reason. A struggle that I still wonder what’s going on. I feel like I’m lancing a boil.

re: #55 BryanS

It just seems like a mess, and the the violence and warfare isn’t played out, I think.

As China builds pipelines from Khazakstan to China they will have to deal with all these nations. If we are going to continue fighting in Afghanistan we will run into times when we will have to deal with these issues.

re: #53 american_peanuts

Thank you. I appreciate that.

re: #59 boxhead

OK… I am trowing out a newb question… I thought I knew what the heart icon meant when you clicked on it… but what exactly is it? Beer for first responder.. :)

That put a comment in your favorites.

re: #63 Gus 802

It can put anything in your favorites. Comment, link, article.

re: #61 freetoken

It just seems like a mess, and the the violence and warfare isn’t played out, I think.

As China builds pipelines from Khazakstan to China they will have to deal with all these nations. If we are going to continue fighting in Afghanistan we will run into times when we will have to deal with these issues.

Crap like this makes me think we’d be better off with a head stuck in the sands approach—let them all kill each other and get out of the way. Couple of world wars, though, has proven that you are still damned if you don’t get involved.

re: #64 Gus 802

It can put anything in your favorites. Comment, link, article.

cool…. I see… I thought is was a way to alert me of another’s posts.. Like Slashdot has….

re: #62 Irenicum

My friend, far be it for me to give you an advice, all I can do is draw from my own experience in life.
If stuff puts you down, if you feel you have depression in your heart, I found out there are other issues at play, surfing and clouding your mind.
This sadness, misplacement, is an indication for something else.

Take 5. Step aside. Look inside and advice yourself as your most biggest critic.
Don’t judge yourself with this critic hat - give yourself advice.
Unbiased advice as a loved elder would give it to you.

Always helped me.

re: #60 Irenicum

I have no experience with what you are going through now, and I have no idea of all the details. If I may take a shot in the dark, I would suggest you are being too hard on yourself right now.

Education is a beautiful thing. You can pick it up or put it down as life demands, and return to it whenever ready. Anyone who tells you different is selling something.

re: #63 Gus 802

That put a comment in your favorites.

oh and… beer for you if you every find yourself in San Pedro, CA area.. :)

we need a Buy a Beer web site that bars can join so I can buy a beer for another across the Country(Patent Pending)

lol

re: #69 boxhead

oh and… beer for you if you every find yourself in San Pedro, CA area.. :)

we need a Buy a Beer web site that bars can join so I can buy a beer for another across the Country(Patent Pending)

lol

Lizard Beer Points

re: #67 american_peanuts

re: #68 Slumbering Behemoth

Thank you and thank you both. I appreciate your kind words. I know that light will someday dawn on the darkness that fills my world right now. Thank you.

re: #58 freetoken

I think it would have been more effective delivered on site.

There is a real problem we have in this country that is often taboo in the speeches of politicians - the inability to accept that sometimes bad things are just bad and have to be gone through as they can no longer be avoided. There is nothing pretty about the oil spill, it is in every regard a fuck-up. We’re just going to have to trudge through it and lick our chops. The only way to avoid deep water drilling disasters is to not do deep water drilling, but we can’t go down that path because Americans love their cars too damn much.

No elected official can say that, of course, but if you sat at a coffee table with the Nobel prize winner he would tell you of course its true.

On site would have been very effective. My idea was to do as one done in the past which would be to have the White House “move” to a US Navy missile cruiser or larger and spend a week in the Gulf. I think his presence on-station would send a good message. But, that didn’t happen and won’t happen. That would be my inclination if I were in office.

re: #71 Irenicum

Sorry for being cheesy but its true what they say.
It is darkest just before sunrise.
Just don’t do anything rash.

re: #72 Gus 802

On site would have been very effective. My idea was to do as one done in the past which would be to have the White House “move” to a US Navy missile cruiser or larger and spend a week in the Gulf. I think his presence on-station would send a good message. But, that didn’t happen and won’t happen. That would be my inclination if I were in office.

The devastation this spill can do to USA and beyond is scary. The oil is already nearing the Gulf Stream which will send it up the East Coast and eventually Europe. Any major storm in the gulf will pick up oil and the dispersant and drop it on the interior. Not good………

re: #60 Irenicum

Thank you SB. I’m quitting seminary for the time being. Several issues have decided to impede this journey. Depression being paramount. And yet, I still sense that God has me here for a reason. A struggle that I still wonder what’s going on. I feel like I’m lancing a boil.

If you can afford one don’t hesitate to try a therapist — most still have a sliding scale. Get one by referral though.

re: #73 american_peanuts

Sorry for being cheesy but its true what they say.
It is darkest just before sunrise.
Just don’t do anything rash.

Damn iPad…
Rush of course.
Unless the problem is skin condition ;-)

re: #72 Gus 802

Yeah, on site would communicate more. Not sure about the ship thing, though if the speech was delivered from an oil platform that might have been interesting.

President Obama knows he is in a losing situation here - note how in his previous speech his (probably fabricated) story of his daughter asking him “Father… why haven’t you fixed it yet” (paraphrased) really was trying to tell the truth in an opaque manner - yet I think many people didn’t get the real message.

It has often been commented upon that Americans want a father-figure in the Whitehouse. Again, note in last night’s speech the “God”-talk at the end (at least in the prepared version) - it’s the same appeal, just slightly repackaged (Father = God.)

re: #76 american_peanuts

Damn iPad…
Rush of course.
Unless the problem is skin condition ;-)

Rash is correct.

re: #71 Irenicum

I know that light will someday dawn on the darkness that fills my world right now. Thank you.

Or not. I’m of the opinion that it is basically hell on earth most of the time. That and we get to pay taxes. Who says it is necessary to feel happy? The important thing is to gather benefit for yourself. Look after your needs. Ensure your comfort and survival. The rest is unnecessary.

Happiness is way overrated in my book.

re: #73 american_peanuts

Don’t worry. As depressive as I am, for some reason I don’t have the trigger finger of self immolation that guides sorrier souls. Again, a grace I don’t don’t quite understand, but definitely enjoy. Believe me. I’m extremely grateful for that.

re: #75 Gus 802

I have one right now. So far he hasn’t helped. But it’s not his fault.

re: #80 Irenicum

Good.

Have a good night everyone.
West coast out.

GO LAKERS!

re: #77 freetoken

Yeah, on site would communicate more. Not sure about the ship thing, though if the speech was delivered from an oil platform that might have been interesting.

President Obama knows he is in a losing situation here - note how in his previous speech his (probably fabricated) story of his daughter asking him “Father… why haven’t you fixed it yet” (paraphrased) really was trying to tell the truth in an opaque manner - yet I think many people didn’t get the real message.

It has often been commented upon that Americans want a father-figure in the Whitehouse. Again, note in last night’s speech the “God”-talk at the end (at least in the prepared version) - it’s the same appeal, just slightly repackaged (Father = God.)

I’ve seen one form of this or another happen with previous presidents. Honest opinion? He needs to re-shuffle or fire some of his current staff and replace them with some old school Democrats that have more experience. Part of the problem seems to be that someone seems intent on reinventing the wheel over there and it’s not working very well both with public perception and in the ability to mitigate policy. He also needs to cut down on the photo ops.

G’nite kids. Believe me, I appreciate your company. It’s a strange thing to feel free to say who I am to those who I may never meet. Ultimately we’re all naked before ourselves and God.

re: #81 Irenicum

I have one right now. So far he hasn’t helped. But it’s not his fault.

Well, that is a bummer. Hopefully you can find someone who can at least help point you in the right direction, if not be of help directly.

re: #71 Irenicum

a_p may not have a way with the english language, but he/she does have a way with words.

If you find yourself being stretched and drawn by too many “advisers”, look within. You are your own best guiding light. Do what you think is in your best interests.

And remember, no one but you must take your final breath. No one but you will stand before Death when it is your time. And no matter how hard some may try to convince you otherwise, no one on this earth has the authority to tell you how to strike your own path.

It is darkest just before sunrise

did you know that the etymology of ‘cynic’ is ‘dog’?

‘it’s always darkest just before it gets even darker’

‘the early bird gets eaten by the worm’

(hence the engineer’s corollary:)

‘all real engineering takes place after 5pm’

if you are a programmer and jewish, please let me give you a pat on the back, landsman. sei gesunt!

Bah! What is it with this innate desire to cheer people up? Misery is the normal human condition. It’s best to accept that and make the best of it, than to pretend it is normal to be all bubbly and cheerful. Those are usually airheads.

There is something dreadfully wrong with happy people. They are an anomaly and should looked at sceptically.

rod rammit!

‘the early worm gets eaten by the bird’

re: #83 Gus 802

I’ve seen one form of this or another happen with previous presidents. Honest opinion? He needs to re-shuffle or fire some of his current staff and replace them with some old school Democrats that have more experience. Part of the problem seems to be that someone seems intent on reinventing the wheel over there and it’s not working very well both with public perception and in the ability to mitigate policy. He also needs to cut down on the photo ops.

Part of the problem is the mine field one has to cross in order to talk to the public. Any thing that is said is so dissected that the true intent can be lost either to error or bad intent. How can a President just talk to the Country without all the baggage?

re: #89 engineer dog

rod rammit!

‘the early worm gets eaten by the bird’

But sooner or later the worms eat the bird…totally karmic, eh?

re: #91 ralphieboy

But sooner or later the worms eat the bird…totally karmic, eh?

this is true

re: #88 Bagua

STFU, suck a smoke, and down a beer like the rest of us. And if I ever see you reading “Harry Friggin’ Potter” books on the bus to work, rather than staring at the floor wondering WTF happened to your worthless life, I will shove half a city library up your ass!

re: #83 Gus 802

Well, I think this would be a no-win situation for any President. There are so many damned-if-you-do-and-damned-if-you-don’t decisions around this issue that pretty much the whole enterprise (government and private) will look bad.

There is a bit of deja-vu to this… sort of like what Bush was going through wrt Iraq before Petraeus got on the job. Things can just seem “stuck” for too long.

The President needs, really needs, to come out and tell the public that our lifestyles in this nation demand oil, and that the GoM is the #1 province for oil in this country, and so we are going to continue drilling there, or else we need to change our lifestyles.

re: #90 boxhead

Part of the problem is the mine field one has to cross in order to talk to the public. Any thing that is said is so dissected that the true intent can be lost either to error or bad intent. How can a President just talk to the Country without all the baggage?

Right but that’s already happening and maybe I’m just projecting. I found myself doing the same thing with Bush and Clinton. Thinking, “come on you can do better than this.” Followed by a hope that they would reshuffle their White House staff. But, over analyzing things can be a problem too.

re: #95 Gus 802

Didn’t Clinton come to that epiphany himself? I seem to remember him asking (early on in his Presidency) “where are my peers?” in a fit of exasperation? Clinton too came into office after a long GOP run (12 years) and he had too many inexperienced (at DC business) youngsters.

re: #88 Bagua

Bah! What is it with this innate desire to cheer people up?

Pack animals, the lot of us. Even the most reclusive of hermits realize this.

re: #94 freetoken

Well, I think this would be a no-win situation for any President. There are so many damned-if-you-do-and-damned-if-you-don’t decisions around this issue that pretty much the whole enterprise (government and private) will look bad.

There is a bit of deja-vu to this… sort of like what Bush was going through wrt Iraq before Petraeus got on the job. Things can just seem “stuck” for too long.

The President needs, really needs, to come out and tell the public that our lifestyles in this nation demand oil, and that the GoM is the #1 province for oil in this country, and so we are going to continue drilling there, or else we need to change our lifestyles.

I like that idea. There’s a dynamic to it that engages the American people and forces them to think.

re: #94 freetoken

Well, I think this would be a no-win situation for any President. There are so many damned-if-you-do-and-damned-if-you-don’t decisions around this issue that pretty much the whole enterprise (government and private) will look bad.

There is a bit of deja-vu to this… sort of like what Bush was going through wrt Iraq before Petraeus got on the job. Things can just seem “stuck” for too long.

The President needs, really needs, to come out and tell the public that our lifestyles in this nation demand oil, and that the GoM is the #1 province for oil in this country, and so we are going to continue drilling there, or else we need to change our lifestyles.

Some solutions require the Gov to act very restrictive. USA has lots of natural gas. Regulations can be made to require use of it, as well as use of domestically manufactured solar panels. If we leave our energy use up to the Hoi polloi, then we will never solve this.

We need to be serious and we are not.

re: #96 freetoken

Didn’t Clinton come to that epiphany himself? I seem to remember him asking (early on in his Presidency) “where are my peers?” in a fit of exasperation? Clinton too came into office after a long GOP run (12 years) and he had too many inexperienced (at DC business) youngsters.

He did. I forgot what year. It might have been the second year.

re: #95 Gus 802

Right but that’s already happening and maybe I’m just projecting. I found myself doing the same thing with Bush and Clinton. Thinking, “come on you can do better than this.” Followed by a hope that they would reshuffle their White House staff. But, over analyzing things can be a problem too.

yep… I find myself the armchair quarterback far too often…. But dang…. I really do think I can do a better job…. if I were King!!!!

re: #93 Slumbering Behemoth

STFU, suck a smoke, and down a beer like the rest of us. And if I ever see you reading “Harry Friggin’ Potter” books on the bus to work, rather than staring at the floor wondering WTF happened to your worthless life, I will shove half a city library up your ass!

Ya man, you got it. Too much search for meaning is a distraction. Go with yourself as you are because there’s nothing else to find.

Nothing Man

presidents have caught shit whatever they did for forever. george washington was lambasted for giving levees, that is, parties, with silver wine coolers and fancy silverware like he was some fancy european aristocrat or something - obviously this meant he was going to make himself king

re: #88 Bagua

Bah! What is it with this innate desire to cheer people up? Misery is the normal human condition. It’s best to accept that and make the best of it, than to pretend it is normal to be all bubbly and cheerful. Those are usually airheads.

There is something dreadfully wrong with happy people. They are an anomaly and should looked at sceptically.

Being a miserable person or something like a misanthrope is not the same as having depression. This can be a result of personal loss, PTSD, psychological changes or even physiological reasons. There are varying level of depression some of which can be very debilitating. You can’t “cheer” someone out of real depression.

re: #96 freetoken

Didn’t Clinton come to that epiphany himself?…

Is that what you kids are calling it these days?

re: #84 Irenicum

Sometimes I find it helpful to think about those less fortunate than me. Sounds deranged, I suppose, but it helps me keep things in perspective.

Life could be so much worse. Sometimes it helps to look on the bright side of life.

re: #106 Slumbering Behemoth

LOL… nicely done!!!!

Betty Boop - Betty for President 1932!

re: #108 Gus 802

Betty Boop - Betty for President 1932!

[Video]

I remember watching that as a kid in the 60’s….. lol

Fun talking with yall…. nite!

re: #109 boxhead

I remember watching that as a kid in the 60’s… lol

1932 in the 60s would be like watching something from the 70s today. Woot!

re: #107 boxhead

Seriously though, I hit my lows where I feel pretty lousy. It helps me to think of others who have it far more worse than I. It helps to put my problems in perspective.

re: #106 Slumbering Behemoth

Sometimes I find it helpful to think about those less fortunate than me. Sounds deranged, I suppose, but it helps me keep things in perspective.

Life could be so much worse. Sometimes it helps to look on the bright side of life.

Saying life could be so much worse never really helps. I’ve heard that countless times. Doesn’t change a thing. Sometimes it’s impossible to look on the bright side of life. It’s really not that simple when one has clinical depression. It can’t be willed away.

re: #81 Irenicum

I have one right now. So far he hasn’t helped. But it’s not his fault.

I found that my feelings about my life improved greatly when I decided that the bad events and such were not all my fault. Some of it was my fault, more was the fault of others (but that some of that was not conscious effort), and a lot of it was simply things that happened.

I’m still alive, still going, still trying to better myself, and still trying to improve both the lives of others and the quality of the people with whom I deal.

One of the best things I did in recent years was deciding that many of the people I know are quite simply assholes who can’t or won’t change. Rather than deal with them, I figured out a way around the assholes wherever possible.

Less stress, less anger. There are a few things I can’t do that I used to enjoy because there’s no way around the assholes, but I have enough going on that it doesn’t matter like it used to.

Jerry Brown used to say, “Less is more”. He was partially right. Less can be more. Simplify. Try it.

re: #60 Irenicum

Thank you SB. I’m quitting seminary for the time being. Several issues have decided to impede this journey. Depression being paramount. And yet, I still sense that God has me here for a reason. A struggle that I still wonder what’s going on. I feel like I’m lancing a boil.

Any advice I might give feels a bit pretentious, but I can’t help feeling suggesting that you should consider watching Robert Bresson’s “The Diary of a Country Priest” a few times, especially if you understand French. If not, the U.S. copies are sub-titled. It was one of a series of pivotal experiences for me, and is quite the masterpiece.

Joke:
An escalator question. It can also be a chairlift question. The point being, you’re going up, they’re going down. You have but mere minute moments to ask a question while you’re traveling up and they’re traveling down, which gives the downward travelers no time to think about the question and no time to answer the questioner. OK, here goes …
Do you think we should start everyone in North Korea on Fire?
I ask lift operators this all the time. The incredulity in their faces is priceless. Lizards, mind you, this is just a joke, an escalator/chairlift question, as it were. teleskiguy in no way shape or form condones the setting of any human being on fire.

re: #79 Bagua

I know that light will someday dawn on the darkness that fills my world right now. Thank you.

Or not. I’m of the opinion that it is basically hell on earth most of the time. That and we get to pay taxes. Who says it is necessary to feel happy? The important thing is to gather benefit for yourself. Look after your needs. Ensure your comfort and survival. The rest is unnecessary.

Happiness is way overrated in my book.

[Video]

Once you get that far, you can start thinking about the comfort and survival of others, which is generally of a spiritual and/or psychological nature in our part of the well-fed world. This reflex will become as automatic and necessary as prayer. It is a form of living prayer. Happiness will accompany it.

re: #113 Gus 802

Saying life could be so much worse never really helps. I’ve heard that countless times. Doesn’t change a thing. Sometimes it’s impossible to look on the bright side of life. It’s really not that simple when one has clinical depression. It can’t be willed away.

It can’t be willed away, but it can be dwelt on less. When I start thinking too much about things that aren’t going well, I DO something. Clean, do laundry, take a walk, go to the park, read an old favorite book, put on some good music, sit on the porch and watch the birds and/or the neighborhood kids—something, anything.

There a store two-plus miles up the road from me that sells New Age books, charms, crystals, yoga mats, books on Eastern religions, self-help guides, nutritional information, you name it. It’s called “Whatever Works Bookstore”, and it’s been around for over a dozen years. I like the attitude.

re: #113 Gus 802

Saying life could be so much worse never really helps. I’ve heard that countless times. Doesn’t change a thing.

Shit dude.

Sometimes it’s impossible to look on the bright side of life. It’s really not that simple when one has clinical depression. It can’t be willed away.

On a more serious note, I get that. You get that I was speaking only for myself in the comment you quoted, right?

re: #88 Bagua

Bah! What is it with this innate desire to cheer people up? Misery is the normal human condition. It’s best to accept that and make the best of it, than to pretend it is normal to be all bubbly and cheerful. Those are usually airheads.

There is something dreadfully wrong with happy people. They are an anomaly and should looked at sceptically.

C’mon dude. You’re starting to sound like Cato, Walter or allbusteve. Not your real nature - I can feel that from here.

My Zionist Hair-Antennae tell me this.

re: #119 Slumbering Behemoth

On a more serious note, I get that. You get that I was speaking only for myself in the comment you quoted, right?

Sure. Unless of course you’re not seeing that I too am speaking for myself. No?

What Causes Depression?

You may feel you know exactly why you’re depressed. Other times, however, the reasons for depression are not as clear. The causes of depression are quite complex. Very often it is a combination of genetic, psychological, and environmental factors. Regardless of the cause, depression is almost always treatable. You do not need to determine the cause of your depression to get help.

Biological factors: You may have heard about chemical imbalances in the brain that occur in depression, suggesting that depression is a medical illness. Depression does seem to have a biological component. Research suggests that depression may be linked to changes in the functioning of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. Current research focuses on the serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine systems. The usefulness of antidepressant medications suggests that brain chemistry is involved in depression. However, it is also possible that biological changes happen as a result of being depressed.

Some kinds of depression seem to run in families, suggesting a biological vulnerability. This seems to be the case with bipolar depression and, to a lesser extent, severe major depression. However, having a biological vulnerability does not mean you are destined to become depressed. Not everyone in a family develops depression, suggesting that other factors are involved. In addition, depression can occur in individuals who have no family history of depression.

re: #102 Bagua

Ya man, you got it. Too much search for meaning is a distraction. Go with yourself as you are because there’s nothing else to find.

Yeah, and now could you play Misty for me?

re: #121 Gus 802

Sure. Unless of course you’re not seeing that I too am speaking for myself. No?

If that is the case…

re: #113 Gus 802

Saying life could be so much worse never really helps. I’ve heard that countless times. Doesn’t change a thing. Sometimes it’s impossible to look on the bright side of life. It’s really not that simple when one has clinical depression. It can’t be willed away.

Hugs for you too. {Gus}

re: #120 ryannon

C’mon dude. You’re starting to sound like Cato, Walter or allbusteve. Not your real nature - I can feel that from here.

My Zionist Hair-Antennae tell me this.

Good lord, that serious? Ok, selecta…

Back it Up

re: #124 Slumbering Behemoth

Hugs for you too. {Gus}

Thanks. I’m rather private about those things.

re: #125 Bagua

Good lord, that serious? Ok, selecta…

Back it Up

[Video]
-Beenie Man

Booty call!

/

Seems like late-night humor for this crowd:

re: #126 Gus 802

Myself as well. It’s a hell of life, brother.

And now for something completely different. Laters.

Everybody do the dance Chaka Chaka!

re: #125 Bagua

Good lord, that serious? Ok, selecta…

Back it Up

[Video]
-Beenie Man

Ya mon! Some more uh…black humor:

I know more about nothing than most of you guys will ever know about anything:

And the nothing, it’s sweet!

Ring ding ding ding

glack.

(figures it must be a blast if you’re high)

Gus 802:

Thank you for showing me “Why do people laugh a creationists?” I’m showing all my friends and family!

So everyone’s slit their wrists?

Not going to bring me down.

Life’s a bitch.

I’ll just keep on posting.

PSA “New Yorkers”

What’s happenin

re: #135 teleskiguy

Gus 802:

Thank you for showing me “Why do people laugh a creationists?” I’m showing all my friends and family!

Hard to believe some of those ID people are taken seriously.

re: #139 Gus 802

Hard to believe some of those ID people are taken seriously.

You mean the Arizona thing?

re: #140 Bagua

You mean the Arizona thing?

D’oh!

Nuh Linga

re: #138 Bagua

What’s happenin

[Video]
- Method Man Busta Rymes

The heart of the fucking darkness. Heavy stuff, homie.

Chat to Mi Back

re: #139 Gus 802

Hard to believe some of those ID people are taken seriously.

Reposted from downstairs:

Looking through LGF the last day or so has driven me to drink! I’m glad there’s a beacon of hope with sane conservatives and moderates on the web, in the form of Charles’ classy site. But puh-leeze! I’m starting to agree more and more with Mike Judge’s cinematic thesis Idiocracy. With that thought, I leave a Devil’s Dictionary definition:

FAITH, n. Belief without evidence in what is told by one who speaks without knowledge, of things without parallel.

Dude

(I hope y’all is keeping notes.)

re: #145 teleskiguy

Reposted from downstairs:

Looking through LGF the last day or so has driven me to drink! I’m glad there’s a beacon of hope with sane conservatives and moderates on the web, in the form of Charles’ classy site. But puh-leeze! I’m starting to agree more and more with Mike Judge’s cinematic thesis Idiocracy. With that thought, I leave a Devil’s Dictionary definition:

FAITH, n. Belief without evidence in what is told by one who speaks without knowledge, of things without parallel.

It’s hard to grasp so much of the recent political craziness of late. Although more than of late it really began in after 911 and the first sightings of the craziness was with the truthers. I like the idea of moderation and suppose I always have. Perhaps it comes from reading some of Aristotle’s ideas on moderation.

Faith can also apply to politics or even day to day interactions between people. This can be either a negative faith or a positive faith which is based on pre-conceived expectations. I suppose that can play into our optimism or pessimism in how we expect certain policy decisions to play out. So “belief without evidence” can be a part of conspiracies or what is sometimes called nontroversies at LGF.

re: #146 Bagua

Dude

[Video]
- Beenie Man

(I hope y’all is keeping notes.)

Method Man & Busta seems like home to me. The other stuff, not so much.

But I’m just a relic from an earlier age:

re: #140 Bagua

You mean the Arizona thing?

An Arizona state senator tried to pass legislation that would make it illegal to force students to learn subjects that were in violation of their religious beliefs: a veled attempt at banning teaching the theory of evolution.

A local satirist did a sketch which went like this:

Teacher: Billy? What is two plus two?

Billy: Five!

Teacher: No, Billy, it’s four!

Billy: But my daddy believes it’s five and the law says you cannot make me learn otherwise!

Teacher: Two plus two is not a matter of belief, it’s a matter of objective reality!

Billy: But my daddy doesn’t believe in objective reality!!!

re: #147 Gus 802

It’s hard to grasp so much of the recent political craziness of late. Although more than of late it really began in after 911 and the first sightings of the craziness was with the truthers. I like the idea of moderation and suppose I always have. Perhaps it comes from reading some of Aristotle’s ideas on moderation.

Faith can also apply to politics or even day to day interactions between people. This can be either a negative faith or a positive faith which is based on pre-conceived expectations. I suppose that can play into our optimism or pessimism in how we expect certain policy decisions to play out. So “belief without evidence” can be a part of conspiracies or what is sometimes called nontroversies at LGF.

These “beliefs without evidence” and “nontroversies” need to be exposed. I justwatched thunderf00t’s “Why do people laugh at creationists” video that exclusively focused on Sarah Palin. I think it’s frightening that millions of people ascribe to these beliefs, that everything that happened while G.W. was president was because God wanted it that way. More people need to revere the classics of Aristotle and Copernicus and Galileo. If I learned anything from world history, there is an ebb and flow of such thought, and we might be headed to an Idiocracy here soon.

Luckily, like-minded people congregate, and righteousness prevails somehow.

re: #148 ryannon

But I’m just a relic from an earlier age:

I’m a relic of the same age.

We are seeing the results of a decline in basic education in America. students are not learning how to think critically and develop coherent arguments based on fact.

Which means that any demagogue who can string a few facts and ideas together, present them in a rhetorically convincing manner with a bit of an emotional appeal thrown in for good measure can enjoy a broad following.

*sniff!*

I want my country back!!!

re: #152 ralphieboy

…

I want my country back!!!

You will be able to buy it at a discount soon.

re: #152 ralphieboy

We are seeing the results of a decline in basic education in America. students are not learning how to think critically and develop coherent arguments based on fact.

Which means that any demagogue who can string a few facts and ideas together, present them in a rhetorically convincing manner with a bit of an emotional appeal thrown in for good measure can enjoy a broad following.

*sniff!*

I want my country back!!!

Acting is part and parcel for attorney court training. Especially during closing arguments. The majority of legislators (i.e. politicians) are lawyers, ergo, actors. Why is it that we constantly elect attorneys into office?

Have Faith in Rastafari

re: #153 Bagua

You will be able to buy it at a discount soon.

I don’t know what to think sometimes. Seems like we’re trying to do everything at once and everything is worded as if though we don’t do those things we’re all going to die next week. That comes with a price tag. Champagne taste and beer bottle wallets.

I’m out.

re: #154 Gus 802

Acting is part and parcel for attorney court training. Especially during closing arguments. The majority of legislators (i.e. politicians) are lawyers, ergo, actors. Why is it that we constantly elect attorneys into office?

Yes, because lawyers are also trained to use selective pacts to present a particular and partisan point of view, not to objectively assess evidence to establish the truth.

Comcast is a predatory pustule

Dan Quayle you son of a bitch

you moved the cemetery

BUT YOU LEFT THE BODIES

re: #136 ryannon

So everyone’s slit their wrists?

Not going to bring me down.

Life’s a bitch.

I’ll just keep on posting.

Everyone’s dead but the internet doesn’t die

the internet lives

re: #1 Slumbering Behemoth

I would say Liebermann is more about fucking up free speech as it applies to video games, and Tipper is more for fucking up free speech as it applies to music.

re: #15 Dark_Falcon

Quayle did have point there. Raising CAFE cause car companies to make smaller cars that are more vulnerable in an accident. That’s a proven fact.

This is so uninformed and simplistic I don’t even know where to begin :(

re: #113 Gus 802

Saying life could be so much worse never really helps. I’ve heard that countless times. Doesn’t change a thing. Sometimes it’s impossible to look on the bright side of life. It’s really not that simple when one has clinical depression. It can’t be willed away.

Are you calling Tom Cruise a liar? I’m joking, partially. When depression is caused by an actual chemical issue then I think you’re correct but too often I find that people are just weak, mentally and physically, which may or may not be correctable.

re: #152 ralphieboy

We are seeing the results of a decline in basic education in America. students are not learning how to think critically and develop coherent arguments based on fact.

Which means that any demagogue who can string a few facts and ideas together, present them in a rhetorically convincing manner with a bit of an emotional appeal thrown in for good measure can enjoy a broad following.

*sniff!*

I want my country back!!!

Sorry to pee in your wheaties but that country has never existed. Sometimes I think people believe history started when the individual started paying attention. People have always been dumb, paranoid, argumentative, violent, and short sighted. Politics/religion has been ugly much longer than our nation has been around.

re: #165 RogueOne

Sorry to pee in your wheaties but that country has never existed. Sometimes I think people believe history started when the individual started paying attention. People have always been dumb, paranoid, argumentative, violent, and short sighted. Politics/religion has been ugly much longer than our nation has been around.

I believe that the quality of basic education has diminished, and that people are not being taught how to think anymore, just how to respond correctly to stimuli.

The future will be better tomorrow!

re: #166 ralphieboy

I believe that the quality of basic education has diminished, and that people are not being taught how to think anymore, just how to respond correctly to stimuli.

Yes, things were better in the mythical past.

If you can name me any period in history when more than one percent of people could think their way out of a stream of piss, I’ll give you a silver dime.

re: #167 Liberal Classic

The future will be better tomorrow!

I heard that yesterday.
/

Dems plan on handing FL senate seat to Rubio:

Dems flirt with backing Charlie Crist
politico.com

The emergence of a politically unknown billionaire self-funder in the Florida Senate race is prompting top Democrats in the state to say publicly what some have been whispering for weeks: If Jeff Greene, who got rich betting on the collapse of the housing market, becomes their nominee, many in the party will have the cover they need to get behind Republican-turned-independent Gov. Charlie Crist.

The dem party has more than just lost its way, they’ve lost their minds.

re: #170 RogueOne

Rubio will win. Meek can’t and Crist is all over the map.

Good Morning!
Hey! Somebody peed in my Wheaties!

re: #171 Cannadian Club Akbar

Rubio will win. Meek can’t and Crist is all over the map.

tampabay.com

re: #159 EdDantes

Comcast is a predatory pustule

Yep. Got a love/hate relationship with them myself.

Fuck! I must have spilled some beer on my keyboard last night.

re: #172 Taqyia2Me

Good Morning!
Hey! Somebody peed in my Wheaties!

Just add strawberries.

re: #174 Boogberg

Yep. Got a love/hate relationship with them myself.

Fuck! I must have spilled some beer on my keyboard last night.

Comcast puts food on my table. The haters should shut up and pay their cable bill!//

politico.com

THIS COULD GET UGLY - WSJ’s Janet Adamy and Greg Hitt report on angry docs about to get a whole lot angrier: “Repeated short-term fixes of the problem in recent years have left doctors frustrated and some are refusing to take new Medicare patients… a survey by the American Medical Association last month found that 17% of doctors say they are restricting the number of Medicare patients in their practice. Among primary care physicians, the figure is 31%. Many cited the constant threat of payment cuts.”

re: #168 Cato the Elder

Yes, things were better in the mythical past.

If you can name me any period in history when more than one percent of people could think their way out of a stream of piss, I’ll give you a silver dime.

I am not talking about a mythincal golden age where white kids shared their coke with Mean Joe Green, I am just referring to a noticable and documented decline in basic reading comprehension and academic skills.

All of which leads to an even greater acceptance of whatever buloshit is presented in a convincing package.

Taking off for work folks, everybody enjoy your day.

BP is to blame for the oil spill in the Gulf. Political fact? This will be the President’s albatross. Sorry. The fact that nothing was done for securing the well will sink him. This is FAIL. I don’t really he thought of Southern States as much as he should have. Yes, it is BP’s bad, but doing nothing will bring him down. I don’t expect him to cap the well, but doing nothing and letting the thing go on, not helping Louisiana build barrier Islands, (not approving funds). What the fuck.. Enjoy your Albatross, Mr. President. (I could write more, but I’m getting pissed)

Good luck with that. Pass the fucking buck. You’ll be gone.

Meanwhile in Southeast France: villages hit by flash floods, more than a dozen dead or missing. No one ever saw anything like it.

Latest News: Not Bush’s fault.

re: #181 Cannadian Club Akbar

It is a good time for us to remind ourselves that corporations don’t so much pay expenses, taxes, fines, etc; their customers pay them.

Brazen Islamofascist Honour Killing Alert:

Aqsa Parvez’s Father, Brother Plead Guilty in Death
nationalpost.com

BTW, guess what word is not mentioned once in the article?
That’s right - nothing to do with slm!

re: #183 Taqyia2Me

It is a good time for us to remind ourselves that corporations don’t so much pay expenses, taxes, fines, etc; their customers pay them.

And another reason to remember they have Lawyers.

re: #178 ralphieboy

I am not talking about a mythincal golden age where white kids shared their coke with Mean Joe Green, I am just referring to a noticable and documented decline in basic reading comprehension and academic skills.

All of which leads to an even greater acceptance of whatever buloshit is presented in a convincing package.

See, for example, the proliferation of Twooferism among the young, where it’s presented in a format that is easy for the borderline-ADD, half-literate stereotypical teenager to understand.

Oh, and good morning, Lizardim. For the first time in a full week, it looks to be a beautiful day. Which means I can finally get out and mow my lawn. Yay.

I hope I am off today. ‘Cause I ain’t working.

re: #186 thedopefishlives

See, for example, the proliferation of Twooferism among the young, where it’s presented in a format that is easy for the borderline-ADD, half-literate stereotypical teenager to understand.

Which alsom means that any viewpoint that calls for critical or differentiated thinking, which calls for accepting others’ opinons and lifestyles, and/or which calls for a knowldge of history and society beyond recent pop-culture events is not going to have the acceptance of any point of view that can be poled down into sound-byte catchphrase.

re: #188 Cannadian Club Akbar

I hope I am off today. ‘Cause I ain’t working.

{CCA}
re: #180 Cannadian Club Akbar

BP is to blame for the oil spill in the Gulf. Political fact? This will be the President’s albatross. Sorry. The fact that nothing was done for securing the well will sink him. This is FAIL. I don’t really he thought of Southern States as much as he should have. Yes, it is BP’s bad, but doing nothing will bring him down. I don’t expect him to cap the well, but doing nothing and letting the thing go on, not helping Louisiana build barrier Islands, (not approving funds). What the fuck.. Enjoy your Albatross, Mr. President. (I could write more, but I’m getting pissed)

As am I.

BP will drill elsewhere in the world, then raise prices and sell the oil to …us.

BP and its executives will survive just fine and dandy, job and high salaries intact.

While the folks on the Gulf Coast, most of whom never worked for BP, are out of work or lose their businesses.
Way. To. Go.

re: #180 Cannadian Club Akbar

So are you blaming Obama for BP?

Or are you admitting that this is unfairly draped around his neck by his political enemies, just curious

re: #190 reine.de.tout

As am I.

BP will drill elsewhere in the world, then raise prices and sell the oil to …us.

BP and its executives will survive just fine and dandy, job and high salaries intact.

While the folks on the Gulf Coast, most of whom never worked for BP, are out of work or lose their businesses.
Way. To. Go.

Reine, you know I respect the hell out of you, but BP isn’t going to be fine in the end. They aren’t going to exist as an independent company by the end of this. Nor do I think they should be.

re: #192 McSpiff

Reine, you know I respect the hell out of you, but BP isn’t going to be fine in the end. They aren’t going to exist as an independent company by the end of this. Nor do I think they should be.

That’s the hope, anyway. To be perfectly honest, I kinda share reine’s pessimism - I think they’ll get away with it, move on to other oil fields and continue making untold bazillions of dollars, and this will be a footnote in the annals of their corporate history.

re: #192 McSpiff

Reine, you know I respect the hell out of you, but BP isn’t going to be fine in the end. They aren’t going to exist as an independent company by the end of this. Nor do I think they should be.

They will be fine, even if they “exist” as a different company.
And the folks responsible, the BP executives, will be absorbed in some way, into the new company, and they will still have their jobs and their lives (and lifestyles) will be secure.
Watch and see.

re: #194 reine.de.tout

They will be fine, even if they “exist” as a different company.
And the folks responsible, the BP executives, will be absorbed in some way, into the new company, and they will still have their jobs and their lives (and lifestyles) will be secure.
Watch and see.

Well yes, a multibillion dollar company can’t simply disappear. BP still has many good rigs, many good crews. It was the corporate culture that killed them. Replace that and I have no problem with them continuing on.

I wonder how long it would take to retrofit all the existing rigs with all the failsafe systems that the US government waived when the rigs were originally approved? Is this even on the table, or is Obama simply looking for an excuse to shut down new drilling?

I have read that in the Canadian Atlantic offshore Hibernia field there is a second hole drilled beside each well to serve as a relief well in case of failure of the main well. I wonder why this was not required in the Gulf…is this some kind of new technology? Why doesn’t Obama impose this requirement on all new well construction and let them get on with the drilling?

re: #197 Spare O’Lake

I wonder how long it would take to retrofit all the existing rigs with all the failsafe systems that the US government waived when the rigs were originally approved? Is this even on the table, or is Obama simply looking for an excuse to shut down new drilling?

I have read that in the Canadian Atlantic offshore Hibernia field there is a second hole drilled beside each well to serve as a relief well in case of failure of the main well. I wonder why this was not required in the Gulf…is this some kind of new technology? Why doesn’t Obama impose this requirement on all new well construction and let them get on with the drilling?

As I understand, the failsafe valves cost $500,000 each. How many weeks’ salary is that for a BP executive?

re: #195 McSpiff

Well yes, a multibillion dollar company can’t simply disappear. BP still has many good rigs, many good crews. It was the corporate culture that killed them. Replace that and I have no problem with them continuing on.

They had good rigs, and good crews.
The crews employed here are now out of work.
As are the crews for all other companies, people who never worked for BP one day in their lives.

The corporate culture will not be replaced; it will change some, but it will be there, along with all those folks who created that corporate culture at BP leading to them making stupid decisions in a quest to finish that well quickly.

The folks suffering are those here, many of whom, as I said, never worked a day for BP. Ah, well. Somebody’s got to “pay”, I guess. Better the Gulf Coast residents than them. So be it.

re: #197 Spare O’Lake

I wonder how long it would take to retrofit all the existing rigs with all the failsafe systems that the US government waived when the rigs were originally approved? Is this even on the table, or is Obama simply looking for an excuse to shut down new drilling?

I have read that in the Canadian Atlantic offshore Hibernia field there is a second hole drilled beside each well to serve as a relief well in case of failure of the main well. I wonder why this was not required in the Gulf…is this some kind of new technology? Why doesn’t Obama impose this requirement on all new well construction and let them get on with the drilling?

Eight to ten years for retrofitting.

Good morning lizards!

re: #199 reine.de.tout

They had good rigs, and good crews.
The crews employed here are now out of work.
As are the crews for all other companies, people who never worked for BP one day in their lives.

The corporate culture will not be replaced; it will change some, but it will be there, along with all those folks who created that corporate culture at BP leading to them making stupid decisions in a quest to finish that well quickly.

The folks suffering are those here, many of whom, as I said, never worked a day for BP. Ah, well. Somebody’s got to “pay”, I guess. Better the Gulf Coast residents than them. So be it.

Problem as I see it: The people telling me the other companies are safe, are the companies and their employees. That may very well be true. But BP said the same, and were saying it even after the blow out. So when we’re dealing with a situation where you can wipe out an entire ecosystem in an afternoon, you’ll need to excuse my skepticism. So until an impartial third party can tell me those other rigs are safe, I’m not buying it. Sorry.

Technology for Safety!

youtube.com

Relax, this won’t hurt a bit….

re: #204 MandyManners

Is that a serious question?

If its not, it should be.

re: #201 NJDhockeyfan

Good morning lizards!

Same to you!

re: #166 ralphieboy

I believe that the quality of basic education has diminished, and that people are not being taught how to think anymore, just how to respond correctly to stimuli.

And that’s an area where fingers can be pointed at more than just our public education system. Parents being the keystone. But it does take a village to raise a child and all those social interactions could benefit from more interest in helping the situation rather than chasing profit. (And regulation is not the answer since that is simply establishing lowest common denominator as all other laws do.)

re: #182 ryannon

Meanwhile in Southeast France: villages hit by flash floods, more than a dozen dead or missing. No one ever saw anything like it.

Latest News: Not Bush’s fault.

I thought Bush’s Fault was under Haiti…

//

re: #204 MandyManners

Is that a serious question?

More a rhetorical question. As I understand, it was their good friend Dick Cheney who decided that this valve was unneccessary.

re: #207 oaktree

And that’s an area where fingers can be pointed at more than just our public education system. Parents being the keystone. But it does take a village to raise a child and all those social interactions could benefit from more interest in helping the situation rather than chasing profit. (And regulation is not the answer since that is simply establishing lowest common denominator as all other laws do.)

Yes, lots of causes there. Not necessarily just because parents are being neglectful, if both parents are working overtime just to make ends meet for their family, they are not going to have a lot of time and energy to invest in assisting their children to receive a reasonable education.

re: #211 MandyManners

Other than stockholders, why is it anyone’s business what a private company pays its employees?

Because this company destroyed the Gulf and is now under criminal investigation? I want every damn nook and cranny examined.

re: #211 MandyManners

Other than stockholders, why is it anyone’s business what a private company pays its employees?

It is their own business how they recompensate their staff, but if these employees are not doing their job and their neglect causes a major catastrophe, we can certainly ask if whose salaries were justified

re: #211 MandyManners

Other than stockholders, why is it anyone’s business what a private company pays its employees?

Also, see minimum wage laws.

re: #217 MandyManners

I’m not talking about just this company. I’m talking about all private companies.

In general, who cares. When under criminal investigation, everything is fair game. If they can nail these guys for being tax cheats, great!

re: #212 ralphieboy

Yes, lots of causes there. Not necessarily just because parents are being neglectful, if both parents are working overtime just to make ends meet for their family, they are not going to have a lot of time and energy to invest in assisting their children to receive a reasonable education.

That’s the village issue again. If companies/employers as a whole realized how heavy a vested interest they have in raising good citizens I expect they could adjust their policies to get parents more time with their children (along with equitable compensation for workers without children.) But, such activity would have to be industry-wide unless the company wanted to make itself less competitive, or the company realized that such policies gained them a more loyal and productive workforce as a result.

Which requires enlightened leadership that has more on its mind than the bottom line and their next bonus check. And we’ve seen that such leaders are few and far between in both politics and business.

re: #202 McSpiff

Problem as I see it: The people telling me the other companies are safe, are the companies and their employees. That may very well be true. But BP said the same, and were saying it even after the blow out. So when we’re dealing with a situation where you can wipe out an entire ecosystem in an afternoon, you’ll need to excuse my skepticism. So until an impartial third party can tell me those other rigs are safe, I’m not buying it. Sorry.

I understand your concern and skepticism.
All I know is what my husband tells me, plus I know that he’s worked deepwater for 25 years, since the mid-80’s, and has drilled over 100 wells, and never had anything close to this happen, nor has anyone in his company. So that’s all I’ve got to go on. I think 25 years is a good historical record on which to make a judgement. Others don’t, and that’s OK.

re: #213 McSpiff

Because this company destroyed the Gulf and is now under criminal investigation? I want every damn nook and cranny examined.

As do I.

Stupid people should not even try to learn to think.

re: #213 McSpiff

Because this company destroyed the Gulf and is now under criminal investigation? I want every damn nook and cranny examined.

Look, everybody’s baying for blood, and for damn good reason. No person or corporate group of people should be allowed to get away with crimes against the environment like this. That being said, we have no power to influence how much these people get paid, unless you REALLY want the government to start setting peoples’ salaries (hint: I don’t!). But we can at least bring up the point.

re: #216 MandyManners

Gotta’ don the chauffeur cap to convey HRH The Kid to camp.

Drilling only started under the Bush Administration?

Besides, that has no bearing on the issue of executive’s pay in a private company. Rhetorical or not, it was a cheap shot at something that has nothing to do with the current problem.

It was just relating to where these sompanies set their priorities and what these choices can lead to.

re: #224 MandyManners

There’s an issue of tax fraud?

Sorry, that wasn’t clear. I want to see these execs in jail. If that takes an Al Capone type charge, great. I have not seen any evidence to suggest this is true. I will try to make my Untouchables references clearer in the future.

Morning, fellow lizards. What’s the good word?

re: #233 Targetpractice, Worst of Both Worlds

Morning, fellow lizards. What’s the good word?

Thunderbird!

re: #235 NJDhockeyfan

Thunderbird!

Little early to drink, isn’t it?

/

re: #235 NJDhockeyfan

Thunderbird!

Mad Dog 20/20!

re: #236 Targetpractice, Worst of Both Worlds

Little early to drink, isn’t it?

/

It’s 5:00 somewhere.
/

re: #237 Mad Al-Jaffee

Mad Dog 20/20!

Night Train!

re: #221 reine.de.tout

I understand your concern and skepticism.
All I know is what my husband tells me, plus I know that he’s worked deepwater for 25 years, since the mid-80’s, and has drilled over 100 wells, and never had anything close to this happen, nor has anyone in his company. So that’s all I’ve got to go on. I think 25 years is a good historical record on which to make a judgement. Others don’t, and that’s OK.

He’s a mud engineer right? We probably know some of the same people. I agree, from what I’ve seen the oil industry now is one of the safest industries going. I’ve seen official spill reports (and subsequent fines levied) because some cooking oil went over the side of a rig. I’ve done the helicopter bail out course. I’d hop on a ‘copter today and head out to a rig if I was given the job.

Which is why Deep Horizon scares the beejesus out of me. This is an industry where “everything going wrong” is suppose to a relic of things like Piper Alpha. Everyone involved with this blow out should have said “Stop!” and no one did.

Maybe this type of thing could only occur at BP. Maybe Exxon et all have the proper internal controls to keep something like this from happening. But, clearly the regulation and enforcement is not there to keep “destroying the gulf” from being nothing more than a corporate motto. That’s really bad. The other thing is, BP clearly didn’t have a damn clue how to deal with a blow out. I believe the plan they submitted said they could deal with about to 60k barrels/day. Clearly that was bullshit. But no one else’s response plans have been tested either. So I really can’t say if Exxon or anyone else is ready to deal with a situation like this.

Its bad safety engineering to say “Well, if we do everything right, we don’t need to deal with situation X”. That’s not a plan, that’s a prayer.

re: #239 Targetpractice, Worst of Both Worlds

Night Train!

zug.com

re: #241 Mad Al-Jaffee

[Link: www.zug.com…]

LMAO

re: #190 reine.de.tout

As am I.

BP will drill elsewhere in the world, then raise prices and sell the oil to …us.

BP and its executives will survive just fine and dandy, job and high salaries intact.

While the folks on the Gulf Coast, most of whom never worked for BP, are out of work or lose their businesses.
Way. To. Go.

I’m really thinking of those people, Reine, as well as you and yours. And wishing you all the best outcome and the minimum of pain under these dire circumstances. We can put a man on the moon (or used to be able to) but the country couldn’t get it together to offer a more incisive response to this disaster other than to watch it happen like a train wreck in slow motion.

(shakes head in wonderment and regret…)

re: #239 Targetpractice, Worst of Both Worlds

Night Train!

While on the topic of fine wines, a video “cover” version of a Monty Python sketch I remember appearing only on one of their albums:

Ruh roh…

Fannie, Freddie To Delist Stock From U.S. Exchanges

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac said they intend to delist their stock from the New York Stock Exchange as the government-backed mortgage companies continue to struggle amid billions in losses.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency, the companies’ conservator, said it directed them to delist their stock because of stock-exchange requirements for maintaining price levels above $1 per share.

Barney Frank was unavailable for comment.

re: #160 WindUpBird

Dan Quayle you son of a bitch

you moved the cemetery

BUT YOU LEFT THE BODIES

Hello Mr. Bird -

I’ve been perusing the link you sent me concerning street fashion in Helsinki and finding it much more interesting than at first glance. The paragraph of information concerning each person is informative - as is the eclecticism in taste and extent to which these people are recycling clothing and even making their own. Thanks again for sending it on!

The AP fact-checks Obama’s speech.

FACT CHECK: Obama left blanks in oil spill speech

I just got the following email, WTF?

HelloAm Mr.Peter Bob And Would like to order(Jams)and what would be theprice for One so that i can Quote you with the Quantity i want toorder..Also what types of credit card do you accept as payment..?Thankyou and reply ASAP..

re: #248 Mad Al-Jaffee

I just got the following email, WTF?

HelloAm Mr.Peter Bob And Would like to order(Jams)and what would be theprice for One so that i can Quote you with the Quantity i want toorder..Also what types of credit card do you accept as payment..?Thankyou and reply ASAP..

…the frak?

re: #248 Mad Al-Jaffee

I just got the following email, WTF?

HelloAm Mr.Peter Bob And Would like to order(Jams)and what would be theprice for One so that i can Quote you with the Quantity i want toorder..Also what types of credit card do you accept as payment..?Thankyou and reply ASAP..

Time to kick out the Jams!

re: #250 ralphieboy

Time to kick out the Jams!

Mothafuckers!

re: #250 ralphieboy

Time to kick out the Jams!

Maybe he thinks I work for Smuckers and have some jam to sell.

re: #251 ryannon

Mothafuckers!

Shit, Goddamn! Get off your ass and jam!

re: #251 ryannon

Mothafuckers!

Mothafuckers!

re: #252 Mad Al-Jaffee

Maybe he thinks I work for Smuckers and have some jam to sell.

Sell him the peach & grape….but NOT the blackberry!

re: #247 NJDhockeyfan

The AP fact-checks Obama’s speech.

FACT CHECK: Obama left blanks in oil spill speech

my final post last might, fact check his ass….he lied through his teeth several times