Pleasant little piece. Good choice for relaxing in the evening.

Just played the XCOM demo.

Hahaha:

The latest from unskewedpolls.com: "Fox News poll ...skewed ... to produce results favorable for the president" exm.nr/OsIcer

— Nate Silver (@fivethirtyeight) September 28, 2012

Yep, just like all those other liberal-biased polls, Fox News is skewing their polls by talking to too many Democrats, in order to make things look better for Obama.

I had a little discussion over at Think Progress today about how the oval office really has only very indirect influence over manufacturing jobs here. How macro economics outshine the POTUS. Heh. Somebody went flame on at first sight. I guess anti partisan is just trolling over there. Lesson learned...

re: #4 Daniel Ballard

I had a little discussion over at Think Progress today about how the oval office really has only very indirect influence over manufacturing jobs here. How macro economics outshine the POTUS. Heh. Somebody went flame on at first sight. I guess anti partisan is just trolling over there. Lesson learned...

Thin, Progress is not a crazy site, but it is a left-liberal site. As with most sites that have an avowed ideological point-of-view, those who comment from the perspective of a different ideology can often expect a rough go.

re: #4 Daniel Ballard

Finding a place that is actually interested in non-partisan, or even intelligent partisan, discussion is like finding a non-mail-order source of 120 film. Hen's teeth rare.

Your recent Grand Canyon works gave me a good kick. I've done some trading and have a new to me Rolleicord III TLR to hand. I like my little mu-43 Oly digital, but there's still a magic to pulling the wet negatives off the reel to hold up to a window, checking the images

re: #3 JamesWI

Hahaha:

[Embedded content]

Yep, just like all those other liberal-biased polls, Fox News is skewing their polls by talking to too many Democrats, in order to make things look better for Obama.

Why?! Why?!
-- Republican

re: #7 Gus

Why?! Why?!
-- Republican

re: #8 Kragar

[Embedded content]

Obama's got balls.

re: #6 William Barnett-Lewis

Thanks! I get my 120 at Camera Craft North Hollywood. I'm very pleased you felt inspired. That's pretty cool, I can't do the real chemistry at home. I don't get that control. But I still love the big negative. I'd love to run a field camera someday. Bigger than 4x6.

Tech Note: or why I've spent the day being pissed off and doing different stuff to take my mind into neutral. ( why I haven't posted today cause I would say something stupid or angry and you know..That's not my style.except for sports..I can trash talk the best. )
So..
The other day my 73" Samsung TV picture just fizzled out.. I tried everything to fix it..reboots..blah blah.
I figure to fix it will be equal to buying a new TV...
Last night we had a big thunderstorm here.. Winston was freaking out..Everything was shaking.. The power kept going out.. They have awesome storms in Oklahoma...It's a big show.
I went into the front room later and the TV was on working fucking perfect..
I was in shock and this morning I was happy...Till I changed the channel.
TV went out again..
Pissed off

Good Lord, I just heard Jim Webb's speech where he talked about Vietnam Vets and really let Romney have it about his 47% comments.

Webb, a retired Marine, is a no nonsense type of guy, and you could tell he was mighty PO'd.

That was a really nice song.
OK 2 questions.. Was that filmed in in Gomez Addam's library? and were those his fingernails or some kind of glued on picks.

re: #10 Daniel Ballard

You might enjoy this toy someday:
[Link: theonlinephotographer.typepad.com...]

When a camera comes with a REDUCING back for 8x10, then it's big enough... A friend of mine blogs here: [Link: scottperryphoto.wordpress.com...] His stuff is even bigger... !

As for film, living in the north woods, I'd be lost without [Link: freestylephoto.biz...] Their house brand b&w 120 film (rebadged Fomapan from the Czech Republic) is only $2.50 a roll and is good quality.

Got the parts to get my scanner working right again in the mail today. Now all I need is a Bay 1 Yellow filter & a Bay 1 hood to make me happy :)

re: #3 JamesWI

Hahaha:

[Embedded content]

Yep, just like all those other liberal-biased polls, Fox News is skewing their polls by talking to too many Democrats, in order to make things look better for Obama.

Silver now has Romney's odds of winning down to 16%. Its starting to look like a landslide, with Obama having a good shot a winning every state he took in 2008 except Indiana.

re: #15 aagcobb

Silver now has Romney's odds of winning down to 16%. Its starting to look like a landslide, with Obama having a good shot a winning every state he took in 2008 except Indiana.

If Obama gets an electoral landslide, he also needs to have long long coattails so the Republicans are not only defeated but humiliated as well.

re: #16 Mr. Crankypants

If Obama gets an electoral landslide, he also needs to have long long coattails so the Republicans are not only defeated but humiliated as well.

Don't bet on it. Things are too polarized for that to happen. There simply is not a large middle this time around.

re: #17 Dark_Falcon

Don't bet on it. Things are too polarized for that to happen. There simply is not a large middle this time around.

It's starting to look like some of the down ticket races are catching fire. If enough Republicans are demoralized because it looks like Obama is going to win in a landslide, they may very well stay home since their whole reason for voting was to get Obama out of office.

re: #17 Dark_Falcon

Don't bet on it. Things are too polarized for that to happen. There simply is not a large middle this time around.

If they want to get re-elected they better find a middle ground. The People are tired of this crap. The T-party must go.

re: #16 Mr. Crankypants

If Obama gets an electoral landslide, he also needs to have long long coattails so the Republicans are not only defeated but humiliated as well.

I keep praying for the most unlikely of possibilities - Obama as president with the Democrats holding 61 in the senate & 230+ in the house. That would be pleasant ... ;)

re: #20 William Barnett-Lewis

I keep praying for the most unlikely of possibilities - Obama as president with the Democrats holding 61 in the senate & 230+ in the house. That would be pleasant ... ;)

I think if they Dems keep the Senate there may very well be some rule changes to blunt the ability of the GOP to use the filibuster to avoid bringing anything to a vote. I could see them saying "If you want to filibuster, then you best be in the chamber flapping your gums, cause we're not going to let you off the hook anymore."

LOL

The latest from unskewedpolls.com: "Fox News poll ...skewed ... to produce results favorable for the president" exm.nr/OsIcer

— Nate Silver (@fivethirtyeight) September 28, 2012

Early voting started in Iowa yesterday, so the wife and I are going to go the court house tomorrow and cast our ballots.

re: #22 blueraven

LOL

[Embedded content]

Varek Raith; Jedi Knight

re: #21 Mr. Crankypants

I think if they Dems keep the Senate there may very well be some rule changes to blunt the ability of the GOP to use the filibuster to avoid bringing anything to a vote. I could see them saying "If you want to filibuster, then you best be in the chamber flapping your gums, cause we're not going to let you off the hook anymore."

For the sake of the nation, at least that needs to happen.

I'd really like to see an amendment like this:
"Unless otherwise specified in the constitution, no vote in either house of congress shall require greater than a simple majority."

re: #22 blueraven

LOL

[Embedded content]

I reject your reality and substitute my own, even if mine bears no resemblance to reality whatsoever.

re: #22 blueraven

Freep threw Fox over the side a long time ago for being too liberal. Seriously.

re: #24 Varek Raith

Varek Raith; Jedi Knight

Blueraven: famously rich model/actress/singer

Here's a pretty picture...Mitt Romney has lower favorability than George W. Motherfucking Bush.

Graph too complicated for Republicans to understand

re: #17 Dark_Falcon

Don't bet on it. Things are too polarized for that to happen. There simply is not a large middle this time around.

One month ago, it was pretty much guaranteed the Republicans would take the Senate. Now that the Gaffe-Bot has become fully operational, it's completely reversed.

And it looks like it gets even worse for the Republicans every time he opens his mouth. If he doesn't stop the bleeding, it could get embarrassing.

I wouldn't be surprised to see 15-20 seats go to the Democrats this time around. This isn't exactly 1996, especially if Democratic turnout approaches 2008 levels.

Oh, I see the Conservatives in Canada tried to push an anti-abortion wedge through the federal parliament. I'm starting to think a good portion of them are whackier than the Republicans down here.

re: #29 darthstar

Which polling place is that?

re: #25 William Barnett-Lewis

For the sake of the nation, at least that needs to happen.

I'd really like to see an amendment like this:
"Unless otherwise specified in the constitution, no vote in either house of congress shall require greater than a simple majority."

I think there is a place for the filibuster to make sure that things that are really hideous get a full debate, but I think there needs to be some limiting factor so that at some point there is a vote.

re: #28 blueraven

Blueraven: famously rich model/actress/singer

Darthstar...well hung Irishman. Wait...what?

re: #34 darthstar

Darthstar...well hung Irishman. Wait...what?

His theme song?

re: #32 Obdicut

Which polling place is that?

Bloomberg

re: #34 darthstar

Darthstar...well hung Irishman. Wait...what?

Or was it this?

Google will probably spend its birthday today the same way as most 14 year-olds, searching for porn.

— pourmecoffee (@pourmecoffee) September 27, 2012

re: #36 darthstar

Bloomberg

Wow. 50% unfavorable. Really hard to win with that.

Stolen from Facebook: "Romney's campaign is so dead, the Mormons just baptized it."

re: #18 Mr. Crankypants

It's starting to look like some of the down ticket races are catching fire. If enough Republicans are demoralized because it looks like Obama is going to win in a landslide, they may very well stay home since their whole reason for voting was to get Obama out of office.

Excuse me, but I thought you favored higher voter turnout? If I said what you just said, even about a race where the Republican was leading, I'd get tackled for wanting lower turnout.

When Mitt Romney was sole shareholder of Global Tech corp. in China the workers were paid 24 cents/hr, $2/day. Let that sink in for a moment

— Path2Enlightenment (@Path2Enlighten) September 28, 2012

re: #39 Obdicut

Wow. 50% unfavorable. Really hard to win with that.

You can't even win a fuckin' Fox poll with that. And they're skewed.

MMMM, night waffles

Night Lizards. May the Deity of your choice smile down upon you.

Now, 24 cents an hour might not sound like a lot to some of you (fucking selfish elitists), but to someone who needs to work 12 hours a day to make close to three bucks its, well...okay...not very much. Good luck getting past the guard towers...

Abe Lincoln wasn't the only bad-ass President.

[Link: www.imdb.com...]

re: #41 Dark_Falcon

Excuse me, but I thought you favored higher voter turnout? If I said what you just said, even about a race where the Republican was leading, I'd get tackled for wanting lower turnout.

I don't think he was advocating voter suppression, but merely talking about a drop in enthusiasm. Seriously, aside from a few blindly loyal evangelical loyalists like yourself, what has Mitt Romney got going for him to encourage Republicans to even bother going to the polls?

re: #41 Dark_Falcon

Hoping people won't vote vs. creating obstacles to voting are not the same thing.

re: #42 darthstar

[When Mitt Romney was sole shareholder of Global Tech corp. in China the workers were paid 24 cents/hr, $2/day. Let that sink in for a moment

Remember, there is no "us" in "Mitt Romney."

However, there is "I," "me" and "mine."

re: #47 Amory Blaine

Abe Lincoln wasn't the only bad-ass President.

[Link: www.imdb.com...]

The real bad-ass in FDR's administration was his wife.

re: #50 BongCrodny

Remember, there is no "us" in "Mitt Romney."

However, there is "I," "me" and "mine."

You forgot "money."

Some good advice for Romney from National Review's editors:

What Romney has not done is address the major problem he has in making the case: the shadow of the George W. Bush years. Americans are more likely to blame Bush for the financial crisis that started on his watch than to blame Obama for the slow recovery from it. And even before the financial crisis, the last period of Republican governance was not especially good for America’s middle class. Wages were flat for people in the middle of the income spectrum even when the economy was growing.

The Romney campaign acknowledges that the crisis began before Obama took office, but it has next to nothing to say about what Bush-era Republicans got wrong. The result is that Romney appears to be saying that everything was going swimmingly until Obama came along. That impression lends credence to Obama’s attempt to portray Romney as running for Bush’s third term. Romney’s silence about the errors of the Bush years is, on the other hand, understandable, since many Republicans continue to hold Bush in high esteem as a good man who tried to do a lot of good things. Since most Americans consider Bush a failure, Romney cannot embrace him either. So Bush has been an awkward non-presence in the campaign: the man who was not there.

Instead of an explicit repudiation or an embrace, Romney needs to move beyond the controversies of the Bush era. To do that, he has to alter his critique of Obama. What Romney should say is that our country has problems that have been building since long before Obama took office, and that what’s wrong with Obama is that he has either left them unaddressed or made them worse. The country’s looming debt crisis, its dysfunctional health-care system, and its irrational tax code are three of them. Romney will take on those challenges head-on. Those are the ideas he has been running on, after all.

re: #49 dragonath

Hoping people won't vote vs. creating obstacles to voting are not the same thing.

No, they aren't. But when I've even hoped for a drop in Democratic enthusiasm I've gotten yelled at. So PT's remarks touched on an area I'm sore about.

re: #54 Dark_Falcon

No, they aren't. But when I've even hoped for a drop in Democratic enthusiasm I've gotten yelled at. So PT's remarks touched on an area I'm sore about.

Try a little cold cream on that.

re: #53 Dark_Falcon

Some good advice for Romney from National Review's editors:

Hasn't Romney listened to enough racists already?

re: #52 darthstar

You forgot "money."

Aw, "Money" was easy.

Mitt's also got "torment," "rotten" and "inert."

Paul Ryan sure is running alot of ads in Wisconsin running for his House seat.

re: #53 Dark_Falcon

Some good advice for Romney from National Review's editors:

It's a little late to try to differentiate himself from GWB...he's already adopted Bush's economic policy, his foreign policy (and most of his foreign policy advisors) and has done all he can to avoid even mentioning Bush's name. If he'd wanted to differentiate himself from Bush, he would have said, "I'm not George Bush" back in the primaries...but too many primary voters in the GOP still like Bush for him to do that.

re: #58 Amory Blaine

Paul Ryan sure is running alot of ads in Wisconsin running for his House seat.

Ryan WI-01, but also Romney/Ryan2012, but also Ryan WI-01!

Priorities are a bitch.

re: #57 BongCrodny

Aw, "Money" was easy.

Mitt's also got "torment," "rotten" and "inert."

Inert. That's just accurate.

re: #53 Dark_Falcon

National Review

DRINK!

re: #54 Dark_Falcon

No, they aren't. But when I've even hoped for a drop in Democratic enthusiasm I've gotten yelled at. So PT's remarks touched on an area I'm sore about.

I'll grant you that one so far as it goes, DF. But the enthusiasm thing has really swung hard towards Obama since the conventions. I doubt the debates, given what we have seen so far, will do anything but increase that swing.

Plus there remains one important consideration for someone like you. You value truth & honesty & honor but Mittens has been slapping all of those values in the face at least daily. Heck, some days it's been almost on the hour. But in the end, America does have a secret ballot. You - and other honest voters like you - can vote for someone who hasn't pissed in their Wheaties daily for six months straight and no one else needs to know. I know the Freepers are praying for a "Come to Jesus" moment. But if it happens for real it won't be something good for the bigger liar of this race. Instead it will be for a good and decent man who may not be everything you'd want but is a hell of a lot better than the alternative. Hell, under similar circumstances _I_ held my nose and voted for Reagan's re-election, DF. You could do likewise.

re: #58 Amory Blaine

Paul Ryan sure is running alot of ads in Wisconsin running for his House seat.

It worked for Lloyd Benson.

re: #53 Dark_Falcon

What, is that a call for a new 3rd Party to compete with the Democratic and Bush party?

These regular refs suck...I saw an offensive lineman rip some defensive fucker's helmet off his head and the poor bastard got a flag for it. Replacement refs never would have called that...it wasn't even 10 feet from the ball! All the fun has gone out of the NFL and we're only entering week 4.

re: #64 Dark_Falcon

It worked for Lloyd Benson.

Well, Paul Ryan is no Lloyd Benson. ;)

re: #66 darthstar

These regular refs suck...I saw an offensive lineman rip some defensive fucker's helmet off his head and the poor bastard got a flag for it. Replacement refs never would have called that...it wasn't even 10 feet from the ball! All the fun has gone out of the NFL and we're only entering week 4.

I told you guys that.. The regular refs suck worse than the replacements. ha

re: #64 Dark_Falcon

It worked for Lloyd Benson.

Are you sure that's a comparison you really want to make? But hey, I can live with him staying in CD1 rather than Blair House...

re: #68 Mich-again

I told you guys that.. The regular refs suck worse than the replacements. ha

At least with the replacement refs you could ignore the point spread.

re: #67 Amory Blaine

Well, Paul Ryan is no Lloyd Benson. ;)

Derived from the classic Benson quote aimed at Dan Quayle during the 1988 VP debate. Well played!

re: #69 William Barnett-Lewis

Are you sure that's a comparison you really want to make? But hey, I can live with him staying in CD1 rather than Blair House...

I'd like to see him lose both...but he's got a rolodex and would land a job as a lobbyist in a heartbeat...probably for some fetus disposal unit owned by Romney.

re: #65 Mich-again

What, is that a call for a new 3rd Party to compete with the Democratic and Bush party?

No, its a call for Mitt Romney to campaign smarter.

re: #73 Dark_Falcon

No, its a call for Mitt Romney to campaign smarter.

He'll get it right by 2016...or 2020.

re: #72 darthstar

That isn't funny, Darth.

re: #64 Dark_Falcon

It worked for Lloyd Benson.

re: #67 Amory Blaine

Well, Paul Ryan is no Lloyd Benson. ;)

Lloyd Benson is no Lloyd Bentsen, also.

re: #75 Dark_Falcon

That isn't funny, Darth.

What...it's true...Mitt Romney invested in a company that disposed of aborted fetuses...money's money...you understand that.

re: #76 BongCrodny

re: #67 Amory Blaine

Lloyd Benson is no Lloyd Bentsen, also.

I would have voted for Hedges.

re: #77 darthstar

What...it's true...Mitt Romney invested in a company that disposed of aborted fetuses...money's money...you understand that.

Stericycle deals with far more than that, I can tell you. They dispose of all kinds of medical waste, a job we don't like to think about, but one that is essential to our medical systems functioning.

What Romney should say is that our country has problems that have been building since long before Obama took office, and that what’s wrong with Obama is that he has either left them unaddressed or made them worse. The country’s looming debt crisis, its dysfunctional health-care system, and its irrational tax code are three of them. Romney will take on those challenges head-on.

and ignore all the unemployed people

re: #76 BongCrodny

re: #67 Amory Blaine

Lloyd Benson is no Lloyd Bentsen, also.

More like an ex-Lloyd Bentsen.

/I'm so burning in Hell for that one...

re: #75 Dark_Falcon

That isn't funny, Darth.

No, it's not funny to me either but there's still too much truth to it to nay-say it DF. That is how Mittens operates. He always has; he always will. To paraphrase the bible, he who lives by the dollar will die by the dollar...

re: #80 engineer cat

What Romney should say is that our country has problems that have been building since long before Obama took office, and that what’s wrong with Obama is that he has either left them unaddressed or made them worse. The country’s looming debt crisis, its dysfunctional health-care system, and its irrational tax code are three of them. Romney will take on those challenges head-on.

and ignore all the unemployed people

Fix the critical problems and unemployment will abate. Fail to fix them, and it will go down far slower if indeed at all.

re: #78 darthstar

I would have voted for Hedges.

I never had a strong opinion on Lloyd Bentsen one way or the other, but it always struck me as a "vice-presidential selection by committee" maneuver.

re: #82 William Barnett-Lewis

No, it's not funny to me either but there's still too much truth to it to nay-say it DF. That is how Mittens operates. He always has; he always will. To paraphrase the bible, he who lives by the dollar will die by the dollar...

There is no paraphrasing the bible at Bushwood, besides, I never slice.

re: #53 Dark_Falcon

Some good advice for Romney from National Review's editors:

That might have been good advice a year ago, but not now.
Republicans have been acting like Obama created this bad economy for too long to turn back now. They haven't helped him deal with it either. In fact they have obstructed as much as possible.

It didn't work and it is blowing up in their face

re: #85 Mich-again

There is no paraphrasing the bible at Bushwood, besides, I never slice.

Thanks, your honor.

When Mitt talks about how he cares for the poor, I get out my tiny little Stradivarius violin and play a very sad song in accompaniment ...

Okay...'raisin' hell and havin' fun'...I've been listening to Hank III this whole time but the album's coming to an end...time to bid you all a good night.

Play nice.

re: #84 BongCrodny

I never had a strong opinion on Lloyd Bentsen one way or the other, but it always struck me as a "vice-presidential selection by committee" maneuver.

Did you know that Bentsen is credited with coining "astroturfing"?

re: #90 Gert Fröbe

Did you know that Bentsen is credited with coining "astroturfing"?

Man I love coming to LGF.

Does the air smell a little bit cleaner, a little less stench?

Yeah, for now anyway:

Michael Savage leaves radio show after legal win

Michael Savage's talk show left the airwaves Thursday after the conservative host won a legal battle with his longtime employer, although his attorney said discussions with new networks are already under way.

Savage posted a message on his website Thursday evening under the headline "Free at Last!" that said he was free to work with any station or network from now on. He said he "will not be heard on the radio for some time."

His attorney Daniel Horowitz said Savage left Talk Radio Network after obtaining a favorable ruling in arbitration Thursday afternoon.

[...]

re: #86 blueraven

That might have been good advice a year ago, but not now.
Republicans have been acting like Obama created this bad economy for too long to turn back now. They haven't helped him deal with it either. In fact they have obstructed as much as possible.

It didn't work and it is blowing up in their face

If your plan is not working, change it or lose. Even if it still does work, it could make a difference down-ticket.

re: #83 Dark_Falcon

Fix the critical problems and unemployment will abate. Fail to fix them, and it will go down far slower if indeed at all.

that's exactly the answer i expected you to make

i'm afraid i think it is exactly the wrong answer - for one thing, it gets the economics exactly backwards:

The country’s looming debt crisis
its irrational tax code

these two are related - the tax code got more irrational under bush, and exacerbated the debt. by the way, we don't have a "looming debt crisis" - we just have too much debt. we can afford the debt service for the time being - the percentage of the federal budget going to debt service is actually lower than the 10% it was for a couple of years after reagan/bush were done with things - and nobody is gonna come around and break the united states' knuckles for not paying up the principal

get people employed, put the tax structure back to what it was under clinton, or bush I, or reagan for that matter, and the debt "crisis" will ease substantially

its dysfunctional health-care system

in which we pay twice the money for health care which is about the same as western europe or canada, and which the republican party is doing the opposite of helping to fix. how much longer can american companies compete against companies on other parts of the world which never have to even think about providing health insurance to their employees?

And ultimately, what's the point of running for office unless you're willing to do it smart and put your heart into it? Go Hard, or Go Home!

re: #66 darthstar

BREAKING NEWS: Former replacement refs overturn Roe v Wade in protest of losing their jobs.

re: #95 Dark_Falcon

And ultimately, what's the point of running for office unless you're willing to do it smart and put your heart into it? Go Hard, or Go Home!

By that metric, Mitt should have packed it in months ago, because his campaign's been half-assing it for a long time.

Not changing the subject, but I just realized I hatched a year ago today !

BTW, all these top talk show outlets are related, and they have ties to each other (and in an Bacon-esque fashion, to the one and only Art Bell.)

For example, the network from which Savage has now "freed" himself, TRN, is run by Mark Masters... who is the son of wily, and weird, and frankly con-artist, Roy Masters.

These voices of "conservatism" (and Roy Masters is supposed to be "conservative") are a dollop or two of pure inanity at times, but most of the time just a way for the gold dealers to hawk their wares.

I consider this while right-wing "conservative" talk-show phenomenon in our county a sign of collective sickness.

re: #15 aagcobb

Silver now has Romney's odds of winning down to 16%. Its starting to look like a landslide, with Obama having a good shot a winning every state he took in 2008 except Indiana.

Which makes this map from the examiner site even more bizarre. These people have created an alternate reality. This piece is from almost two weeks ago, but things haven't changed that much since then, and this projection has Romney at over 300 electoral votes.

Even funnier is the article itself, which quotes Rasmussen only, or no one at all in backing up its predictions that all close states will go to Romney.

If Obama does actually win, as polls now suggest, how will the people who live in this RW bubble react? Probably with disbelief, conspiracy theories and charges that the president stole the election. That will be just great for our country's sense of unity and ability to govern itself.

re: #99 freetoken

BTW, all these top talk show outlets are related, and they have ties to each other (and in an Bacon-esque fashion, to the one and only Art Bell.)

For example, the network from which Savage has now "freed" himself, TRN, is run by Mark Masters... who is the son of wily, and weird, and frankly con-artist, Roy Masters.

These voices of "conservatism" (and Roy Masters is supposed to be "conservative") are a dollop or two of pure inanity at times, but most of the time just a way for the gold dealers to hawk their wares.

I consider this while right-wing "conservative" talk-show phenomenon in our county a sign of collective sickness.

It's most certainly sick.

Barring a burst of productivity in the lame-duck session in November and December, the 112th Congress is set to enter the Congressional record books as the least productive body in the post-World War II era. It had passed a mere 173 public laws as of last month. That was well below the 906 enacted from January 1947 through December 1948 by the body President Harry S. Truman referred to as the “do-nothing” Congress, and far fewer than many prior Congresses have passed in a single session.

End of the Referendum by Rich Lowry

If you had to pinpoint the exact moment when Mitt Romney’s strategy to make the election largely a referendum on President Barack Obama collapsed, about 10:56 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 5, would be as good a guess as any.

That’s when, roughly 20 minutes into his sprawling oration at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., former president Bill Clinton said that no president — not even the 42nd — could have done a better job fixing the economy than Obama, given the problems the incumbent inherited.

The riff was typically self-regarding. Yet it memorably — and for some voters, persuasively — stated the case for cutting the president slack for his economic stewardship in trying circumstances.

The Big Dog was pushing on something of an open door. Obama has failed, but for a majority of voters, he hasn’t failed enough to make it self-evident that he should go. The Romney campaign spent its convention answering the question: Is it OK to fire Obama if he’s such a fine fellow? When the real question is: Can Romney do any better?

Indeed, the two conventions — so far, the pivot of the election — were encapsulated in their two signature performances. On one hand, there was Clint Eastwood’s rambling, improvised ten-minute routine saying that it’s OK to cashier Obama. On the other, there was Clinton’s (at times rambling and improvised) 50-minute speech detailing why Romney’s program is wrong for the country. Eastwood could have given his speech at amateur night at a comedy club; Clinton could have given his at a policy luncheon at the Brookings Institution.

(Bolding mine.)

Spending on net interest as a percentage of federal spending has fluctuated over time, peaking in the late 1940s and in the mid 1990s. In the past, interest payments contributed to deficits and helped fuel a rising debt burden. Rising debt, in turn, raised interest costs in the budget, and the federal government increased debt held by the public to finance these interest payments. This has been called the "vicious cycle."

Today’s relatively lower interest rates have lessened the pressure debt service places on the budget, despite the recent increase in the debt held by the public. However, interest rates are expected to increase as the economy recovers, resulting in increasing pressure on the budget.

[Link: www.gao.gov...]

there's a nice chart there showing how the percentage of the federal budget going to debt service peaked in the 1990s at over 14% and is now more like 7%

by the way, one fact often overlooked in the scare talk about the "looming debt crisis" is that nobody is coming around asking us to pay off the capital portion of the debt. for decades we've just been accumulating it and paying the interest, like a mortgage holder with a bank that is happy to collect interest forever since we always owe more and more

and, finally, remember that in an inflationary universe the interest on any loan becomes effectively cheaper over time

re: #92 freetoken

Does the air smell a little bit cleaner, a little less stench?

Yeah, for now anyway:

Michael Savage leaves radio show after legal win

As much as I dislike Savage and his ilk, it does sound like he was locked into a really horrible contract that he couldn't get out of until now. I can't say that I look forward to hearing that he's gotten a new deal (my guess will be with Premiere, if he does come back to radio), but in America, everyone should have a fair, level playing field, equitable under the law.

Even assholes.

re: #103 Dark_Falcon

Is NR trying to distance themselves from "the stench"?

re: #95 Dark_Falcon

And ultimately, what's the point of running for office unless you're willing to do it smart and put your heart into it? Go Hard, or Go Home!

Maybe Romney is just not that smart. He has not ran a very good campaign. These long grueling campaigns are a test and he aint making the grade.

re: #106 freetoken

Is NR trying to distance themselves from "the stench"?

More like warn mitt that the 'referendum' strategy is no longer viable. At one time, Rich Lowry and most of NR thought it could work. But that was then and this is now; It is no longer a path to a presidential victory. So Mitt Romney needs to decide what he wants to do.

So could it be that so far, the failure of Mitt's campaign is that it's based on far too many assumptions about how people view Obama?
In other words, instead of making people look at him, Mitt has everyone looking at Obama, and in so doing, has made the scorched earth tactics of the R's blazingly obvious to people who would not have otherwise payed attention.

re: #107 blueraven

Maybe Romney is just not that smart. He has not ran a very good campaign. These long grueling campaigns are a test and he aint making the grade.

That is the best reason to keep our current system. Otherwise I'd say we should make it illegal to run for office more than 90 days before the election. The ability to call an election and the short timelines are the only things good that I have ever seen in the parliamentary systems. Otherwise, for all it's flaws, I do prefer our system.

Probably should have done a musical tribute Tuesday night... but I've been a bit slow:

I have a feeling that, whatever the outcome, the family gathering for thanksgiving at the old deer hunting cabin will be "interesting" this year. I think I'll just go with my old .30-30 &, irregardless of the outcome, keep my mouth shut and look for a white-tail and hopefully enjoy Sunday afternoon sitting in a north woods bar watching the Packers vs. Detroit.

You guys ever see this young lady play?

if loses like it looks like, so many people will be coming up with the wrong answer as to why

some people will say it's because he's such a doofy campaigner, some people will say it's because he's the embodiment of the monopoly millionaire, and some people will say it's because he wasn't "conservative" enough

whatever that means anymore

but i think it's because nobody believes in reagan era economic theory anymore, as stated above - that dog don't hunt no more and has gone to lay down and die under the porch, bubba.

if people still believed in it, it wouldn't matter how big a dorkus mitt is

re: #113 Amory Blaine

You guys ever see this young lady play?

[Embedded content]

she's great, but that flat-footed drum machine has got to go

re: #109 Reverend Mother Ramallo

So could it be that so far, the failure of Mitt's campaign is that it's based on far too many assumptions about how people view Obama?
In other words, instead of making people look at him, Mitt has everyone looking at Obama, and in so doing, has made the scorched earth tactics of the R's blazingly obvious to people who would not have otherwise payed attention.

Agree. Mitt doesn't really want people looking at him anyway, his negatives are what they are for a reason. He has trouble connecting with people in any meaningful way or coming across as anything but a stuffed up, egotistical prick. He didn't win the nomination because people genuinely liked him, or because he was a consistent conservative, or came off in the least bit as trust worthy. Instead he's the nominee because he had the good fortune to run against a slate of candidates that were all (with the exception of Huntsman) even less likable than he was, who had piss poor ground games and were prone to tear each other down. Even then it took him an embarrassingly long time to lock in the nomination.

He's running this narrow strategy now because he's got nothing to fall back on. He's got to go extremely negative in the debates against Obama, who is a master at cooly turning an opponents aggression against them. Romney has no specifics and is terrified of showing any because his policies can't stand real world scrutiny, after a while even the most obtuse observer realizes they're being lied to.

According to Wikipedia, this was his only #1 hit (on the Billboard chart):

though he is better known for this recording which reached only #7:

re: #113 Amory Blaine

You guys ever see this young lady play?

[Embedded content]

Parker Fly! I used to have one of those.

Introducing Hank III early into my weekend....re: #118 recusancy

Parker Fly! I used to have one of those.

She plays this Gibson with some kind of lighted panel behind the bridge that makes different effects.

Waaaaay off topic: Just watched the debut episode of Brickleberry on Comedy Central.

Good God, what a piece of shit.

Well, all, SHMBO just got home after a week away at her work. Have a good evening & I'll chat again tomorrow.

re: #120 Mattand

Waaaaay off topic: Just watched the debut episode of Brickleberry on Comedy Central.

Good God, what a piece of shit.

Daniel Tosh...how good could it be?
He sucks.

re: #122 Reverend Mother Ramallo

Daniel Tosh...how good could it be?
He sucks.

I'm amazed that anyone finds him funny.

Goodnight, all.

re: #123 Mocking Jay

I'm amazed that anyone finds him funny.

I couldn't think of Dane Cook's name, so I googled 'douch bag comedian', and whaddayaknow!
Anyway, only Dane Cook is less funny than Danial Tosh.

Williams' other significant hit (#2 on the chart), and IMO when he was at his best:

On that album (Days of Wine and Roses and Other TV Requests) were some others that I think was Andy at his best:

and of course the delectably smarmy...

re: #122 Reverend Mother Ramallo

re: #123 Mocking Jay

Outside of being the voice of the bear cub, and maybe a producer, I'm not sure how much Tosh has to do with it.

My complaint was the writing. Portraying cliched over-the-top stereotypes isn't anti-PC and edgy; it's hackneyed and fucking lazy.

re: #125 Reverend Mother Ramallo

I couldn't think of Dane Cook's name, so I googled 'douch bag comedian', and whaddayaknow!
Anyway, only Dane Cook is less funny than Danial Tosh.

I think Dane Cook has talent, but his material sucks. His timing and delivery are spot on, but the jokes themselves fall flat for me. What a shame.

re: #127 Mattand

re: #123 Mocking Jay

Outside of being the voice of the bear cub, and maybe a producer, I'm not sure how much Tosh has to do with it.

My complaint was the writing. Portraying cliched over-the-top stereotypes isn't anti-PC and edgy; it's hackneyed and fucking lazy.

Comedy Central doesn't do witty.

re: #127 Mattand

re: #123 Mocking Jay

Outside of being the voice of the bear cub, and maybe a producer, I'm not sure how much Tosh has to do with it.

My complaint was the writing. Portraying cliched over-the-top stereotypes isn't anti-PC and edgy; it's hackneyed and fucking lazy.

On Tosh.O, his other awful show that my husband seems to enjoy, he kept promoting it, so i assumed he wrote it.
He still sucks though.

re: #129 Kragar

Comedy Central doesn't do witty.

Nah, gotta disagree on that one: Futurama, Daily Show, Colbert, and South Park (most of the time, anyways.)

re: #130 Reverend Mother Ramallo

On Tosh.O, his other awful show that my husband seems to enjoy, he kept promoting it, so i assumed he wrote it.
He still sucks though.

I would watch Tosh.0 off-and-on and laugh. In light of his recent "rape is a barrel of laughs" incident, I've definitely cooled off on him.

re: #129 Kragar

Comedy Central doesn't do witty.

re: #131 Mattand

Nah, gotta disagree on that one: Futurama, Daily Show, Colbert, and South Park (most of the time, anyways.)

Man, I miss Dave Chappelle and Chappelle's Show...

re: #131 Mattand

Nah, gotta disagree on that one: Futurama, Daily Show, Colbert, and South Park (most of the time, anyways.)

They've got more misses than hits.

re: #132 Mattand

I would watch Tosh.0 off-and-on and laugh. In light of his recent "rape is a barrel of laughs" incident, I've definitely cooled off on him.

Yeah. That's what did it for me.

re: #134 Kragar

They've got more misses than hits.

Yeah, I can see that. Still, they helped give us Mystery Science Theater 3000. That absolves them of many crimes against comedy, IMO.

I'm not sure y'all are grokking the significance of Andy Williams. To many of you young'uns he's probably just a boring old fart, but if I might try to correlate the big picture:

Kanye : Obama supporters :: Andy Williams : Tea Party

Despite his association with those Democratic candidates, Williams later said he was a lifelong Republican.[16] In 2009 he was quoted by the Daily Telegraph as accusing President Barack Obama of "following Marxist theory" and "wanting the country to fail".[17][18] He gave Rush Limbaugh permission to use his recording of the song "Born Free" for the theme to the "Animal Rights Update" on Limbaugh's radio show — in which a portion of the song is then followed by gunfire — saying "Hey, it's fine with me. I love what you're doing with it."

So, Andy Williams finally passed... as soon too many of the Tea Partiers will.

re: #134 Kragar

They've got more misses than hits.

But when they're on, they're really on. MST3K, South Park, Chappelle's Show, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report...they've had some pretty damn good shows.

re: #116 goddamnedfrank

after a while even the most obtuse observer realizes they're being lied to.

You have more faith than I.

re: #137 freetoken

My dad loves Moon River.
So did my grampa.
:D

re: #132 Mattand

I would watch Tosh.0 off-and-on and laugh. In light of his recent "rape is a barrel of laughs" incident, I've definitely cooled off on him.

re: #135 Reverend Mother Ramallo

Yeah. That's what did it for me.

George Carlin is the one comedian that I know of that's been able to pull off a "rape is funny" bit; everyone else tends to fuck up and piss people off.

As Carlin said, it's all in the construction of the joke; do it right and anything can be funny.

re: #138 Gert Fröbe

But when they're on, they're really on. MST3K, South Park, Chappelle's Show, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report...they've had some pretty damn good shows.

On the flip side, Ned "Carlos" Mencia sucked and still sucks.

George Carlin is like the guy who can properly cut fugu; not everybody can do what he did.
Carlos Mencia can go to hell.

re: #143 Reverend Mother Ramallo

George Carlin is like the guy who can properly cut fugu; not everybody can do what he did.
Carlos Mencia can go to hell.

Carlin was an absolute fucking master comedian; hacks like Mencia and Tosh aren't fit to have kissed Carlin's ass or call themselves comedians.

Carlin, Pryor, Cosby; if there was a Mount Olympus for comedians, they'd be there.

re: #139 ozbloke

You have more faith than I.

What I didn't mention is that some people like being lied to.

re: #145 goddamnedfrank

What I didn't mention is that some people like being lied to.

Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies...

Well, night all.
Since it's already tomorrow, I'll be back later.

Too funny! XKCD Romney quiz!
[Link: xkcd.com...]

Vivaldi supposedly wrote around 20 "sinfonias" (little symphonies, used as interludes), and last night I posted one.

Here is another one, his second one in "B minor", that sounds less Vivaldi-ish and more similar in some ways to a later composer, and carries the additional title "Al Santo Sepolcro" which Google tells me means "The Holy Sepulchre", which probably explains the more solemn feeling:

And a little 90s metal

Corrosion Of Conformity - Dance Of The Dead

Been watching "Once upon a time" on Netflix. I thought it was kind of meh, but then Robert Carlyle showed up and tearing thru the scenery.

re: #149 freetoken

very nice!

i mean to listen to more vivaldi - i've spent so much time on bach i've neglected him. but in some ways he's an even more interesting composer than j.s - he makes more modern, impressionistic textures like winds and birdsongs, whereas j.s. who i love so much always seems to me to be about the universe of beautiful sounds without reference to the world outside

re: #82 William Barnett-Lewis

To paraphrase the bible, he who lives by the dollar will die by the dollar...

To directly quote the Bible:

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Morning, all

re: #100 palomino

Which makes this map from the examiner site even more bizarre. These people have created an alternate reality. This piece is from almost two weeks ago, but things haven't changed that much since then, and this projection has Romney at over 300 electoral votes.

The people that made that map just totally gave up on all pretense that it was not a work of arrant hackery. Not a single state is in the "toss up", "leans Romney" or "likely Romney" categories. Everything is solid Romney. How can anyone look at that and not have their first response be laughter?

re: #149 freetoken

Yup- very dignified.

I tges to show the range and genius of these guys. They can't be easily categorized.

Good find.

re: #137 freetoken

My mom was a big AW fan.

While he wasn't really on my radar, looking back his music made my mom happy- which is OK in my book.

bach's french suites, very appropriate for quiet times late at night

re: #126 freetoken

and of course the delectably smarmy...

That deserves a upding all by itself.

Of all the trillions of possible word combinations posted here on LGF, I am quite certain 'delectably smarmy' has never been seen here before.

Well done.

Hittin' the bottom of this giant bottle of lambrusco.

CNN headline is just too good

[Link: politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com...]

re: #158 engineer cat

Played on the piano makes it sound like a different piece than on the harpsichord.

re: #161 SpaceJesus

Washington (CNN) – If it wasn't already clear that Mitt Romney and his allies are trying to lower expectations heading into next Wednesday's debate against President Obama in Denver, the campaign is now making it official.

In a memo about the debates distributed to campaign surrogates and provided to CNN on Thursday, longtime Romney adviser Beth Myers outlines a series of reasons why the president is likely to emerge as the winner of the first debate.

Lordamercy, is that ever inept and ham-handed. You can't just come out and say "we're lowering your expectations" and expect it to work.. Can't this campaign do anything with a modicum of competence?

re: #163 SophistFCD

welcome to the mitt romney campaign.

although maybe this is some kind of debate trick to lull barquak obungler into a sense of marxist elitist complacency?

re: #53 Dark_Falcon

Some good advice for Romney from National Review's editors:

The country’s looming debt crisis, its dysfunctional health-care system, and its irrational tax code are three of them. Romney will take on those challenges head-on. Those are the ideas he has been running on, after all.

Indeed. Romney plans to:

- increase the national debt by cutting wealth taxes
- return the health-care system to the hands of the insurance companies who made if dysfunctional in the first place
- rewrite the tax code to make it more favorable to people like himself

Great advice from the whiter-than-white people at NR! Can't wait to see Romney run with that on Wednesday night.

re: #163 SophistFCD

Lordamercy, is that ever inept and ham-handed. You can't just come out and say "we're lowering your expectations" and expect it to work.. Can't this campaign do anything with a modicum of competence?

"Look, our guy's a shitfarmer. Just don't expect anything all that special on Wednesday, OK? OK?"

"OK, Mitt, now all you need to do is lose by less than three. GO TIGER!"

re: #165 SpaceJesus

although maybe this is some kind of debate trick to lull barquak obungler into a sense of marxist elitist complacency?

Oh for a thousand dings to give. Hail to our chief, "barquak obungler".

Vivaldi night it is - here is his "Magnificat" (no. 611 in the RV catalog):

[Link: www.courthousenews.com...]

SAN DIEGO - SB Diversified Products, the creator of The Squirrelinator, says in federal court that it has been harmed by the lies and conduct of a competitor trying to market The Trap Maker.

We successfully removed the tumor but the patient is dead
[Link: hosted.ap.org...]
Savage won his arbitration and is now off the air, ROFL!
I enjoy listening to Savage when he talks about his childhood in NYC, which is similar to how I imagine my parents upbringing, or when he talks about food.

re: #162 freetoken

My favorite composer these days is Wagner.

re: #172 Sheila Broflovski

My favorite composer these days is Wagner.

As wrenchwench says: "You're complicated".

Millionaire with cocaine habit so bad his nose collapsed is jailed after police find drugs stash in the folding roof of his Bentley

Read more: [Link: www.dailymail.co.uk...]
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Beauty queen has quarter of her skull removed and stored in her STOMACH for six weeks after fishing accident . . . before doctors successfully re-attach it

Read more: [Link: www.dailymail.co.uk...]

(HURL)

re: #174 Shropshire_Slasher

Millionaire with cocaine habit so bad his nose collapsed is jailed after police find drugs stash in the folding roof of his Bentley

Read more: [Link: www.dailymail.co.uk...]
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Man
The only option I got was the CD changer!!
/

Acoustic Fade to Black

VOTER REGISTRATION FRAUD UNCOVERED!!

ACORN !!! RNC !!!

[Link: firstread.nbcnews.com...]

I'm listening to this album now.

IT'S FREE COFFEE DAY!!! IT'S FREE COFFEE DAY!!! IT . . . oh, wait.

TOMORROW IS FREE COFFEE DAY!!!!! TOMORROW IS FREE COFFEE DAY!!!!!

re: #179 Sheila Broflovski

I'm listening to this album now.

Derpperdammerung

Off to walk the dog. BBL

re: #153 SophistFCD

To directly quote the Bible:

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Actually I was thinking of Matthew 26:52, not 6:24 when I wrote that.

Good morning all!

re: #163 SophistFCD

Lordamercy, is that ever inept and ham-handed. You can't just come out and say "we're lowering your expectations" and expect it to work.. Can't this campaign do anything with a modicum of competence?

You're talking about the same campaign that completely bungled the RNC. They had a national spotlight for a week, and an uninterrupted ability to make their case for election, and the only thing anyone remembers from it is Clint Eastwood yelling at an empty chair.

re: #180 ggt

IT'S FREE COFFEE DAY!!! IT'S FREE COFFEE DAY!!! IT . . . oh, wait.

TOMORROW IS FREE COFFEE DAY!!!!! TOMORROW IS FREE COFFEE DAY!!!!!

I forgot to take my thermos of coffee this morning. :(

I had one coffee before leaving the house but when I got to work MY COFFEE THERMOS WAS NOT IN THE CUP HOLDER!

I was talking to Zedushka and got distracted. Normally he's not up when I leave for work.

re: #185 Sheila Broflovski

I forgot to take my thermos of coffee this morning. :(

I had one coffee before leaving the house but when I got to work MY COFFEE THERMOS WAS NOT IN THE CUP HOLDER!

I was talking to Zedushka and got distracted. Normally he's not up when I leave for work.

Mrs Satty does the same to me as I'm leaving. I'll have everything I need in hand as I head for the door, when I hear her calling "before you go, can you come here for a minute,," I put my stuff down and end up forgetting it

OTOH,,, I keep my travel mug in the car. Quick Trip is about 8 minutes from my house on the way to work. A large cup (24-32 oz) to go with your own mug ,,, $1.05 !!!

re: #185 Sheila Broflovski

I forgot to take my thermos of coffee this morning. :(

I had one coffee before leaving the house but when I got to work MY COFFEE THERMOS WAS NOT IN THE CUP HOLDER!

I was talking to Zedushka and got distracted. Normally he's not up when I leave for work.

(((((Baba)))))

re: #186 sattv4u2

Mrs Satty does the same to me as I'm leaving. I'll have everything I need in hand as I head for the door, when I hear her calling "before you go, can you come here for a minute,," I put my stuff down and end up forgetting it

OTOH,,, I keep my travel mug in the car. Quick Trip is about 8 minutes from my house on the way to work. A large cup to go with your own mug ,,, $1.05 !!!

I make my own Gevalia coffee at home, there's no WaWa to stop at on the way.

If I get truly desperate, there is always the coffee in the break room, but the carafe hasn't been cleaned since 2005.

re: #188 Sheila Broflovski

I make my own Gevalia coffee at home, there's no WaWa to stop at on the way.

If I get truly desperate, there is always the coffee in the break room, but the carafe hasn't been cleaned since 2005.

NONONONONO!!!!! I"m too much of a coffee snob.

re: #188 Sheila Broflovski

I make my own Gevalia coffee at home, there's no WaWa to stop at on the way.

If I get truly desperate, there is always the coffee in the break room, but the carafe hasn't been cleaned since 2005.

Same here

2 (normal size cups) as I shower and get dressed

One large from QT for the long quiet drive to work

one "normal" size cup as soon as I get to work

re: #189 ggt

NONONONONO!!!!! I"m too much of a coffee snob.

Not me

I can't even stomach the smell (burnt) from StarBucks

They put a kiosk in the grocery store I USED to go to. I now go to another (same chain) about 15 minutes further from home just because that smell permeates the entire other store

re: #188 Sheila Broflovski

Uncleaned coffee carafe just makes it taste better, just don't ever use the community spoon!

re: #178 Decatur Deb

VOTER REGISTRATION FRAUD UNCOVERED!!

[Link: firstread.nbcnews.com...]

I'm expecting to see this from now on whenever Republicans crank up the voter fraud nonsense again:

"No matter what quality controls you have there are always going to be bad actors in any large scale operation," Sproul said.

No end to the hypocrisy.

re: #192 Shropshire_Slasher

Uncleaned coffee carafe just makes it taste better, just don't ever use the community spoon!

Zactically

Gives the coffee character! Much like a Wok. The more you cook in it without a deep cleaning the better

Good news. Free large coffee this morning from 7-11, just pick a cup.
The bad news? There is no 3rd party cup to chose from. It's either Mittens or the incumbent. Think I'll just drink my own coffee.
And good morning honcos.

re: #194 sattv4u2

Zactically

Gives the coffee character! Much like a Wok. The more you cook in it without a deep cleaning the better

I have a Wok, along with instructions to char onions in it before cooking anything else, as that apparently gives the metal a natural non-stick coating.

Unfortunately we have an electric stove top so the Wok (a gift) is waiting patiently in a cupboard for its onions.

re: #196 iossarian

I have a Wok, along with instructions to char onions in it before cooking anything else, as that apparently gives the metal a natural non-stick coating.

Unfortunately we have an electric stove top so the Wok (a gift) is waiting patiently in a cupboard for its onions.

ugh ,, I hate cooking on those

re: #196 iossarian

I have a Wok, along with instructions to char onions in it before cooking anything else, as that apparently gives the metal a natural non-stick coating.

Unfortunately we have an electric stove top so the Wok (a gift) is waiting patiently in a cupboard for its onions.

Put oil in the wok. Heat it on medium high. Swirl the oil around. Turn off. Let cool. Repeat 3X. Cool oil and return oil to bottle. No reason to throw out perfectly good oil.

re: #198 Cannadian Club Akbar

Put oil in the wok. Heat it on medium high. Swirl the oil around. Turn off. Let cool. Repeat 3X. Cool oil and return oil to bottle. No reason to throw out perfectly good oil.

Except for the " return oil to bottle." thats what we did with our "new" Wok (bought 14 years ago)

re: #191 sattv4u2

Not me

I can't even stomach the smell (burnt) from StarBucks

They put a kiosk in the grocery store I USED to go to. I now go to another (same chain) about 15 minutes further from home just because that smell permeates the entire other store

Zedushka and I drove from Detroit to NYC last year and sampled the coffee at rest areas all along the I-80.

Best coffee: WaWa in eastern PA. (E. Stroudsburg)
Second best coffee: Tim Horton's.
Third best coffee: Dunkin Donuts.
Worst coffee: Quality Inn in Clarion PA (like making love in a canoe)
Second worst coffee: Starbucks. It's boint! Boint!

re: #200 Sheila Broflovski

Quality Inn in Clarion PA

OMG I've stayed there!!!!

(and I whole heartedly agree with your list)

re: #200 Sheila Broflovski

Zedushka and I drove from Detroit to NYC last year and sampled the coffee at rest areas all along the I-80.

Best coffee: WaWa in eastern PA. (E. Stroudsburg)
Second best coffee: Tim Horton's.
Third best coffee: Dunkin Donuts.
Worst coffee: Quality Inn in Clarion PA (like making love in a canoe)
Second worst coffee: Starbucks. It's boint! Boint!

The rest stop on the south side of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Cup drops. Coffee, sugar creamer goes in. Lift little door. Enjoy. (Tim's is the bestest, though)

re: #202 Cannadian Club Akbar

The rest stop on the south side of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Cup drops. Coffee, sugar creamer goes in. Lift little door. Enjoy. (Tim's is the bestest, though)

Man. I haven't seen one of those in decades

re: #203 sattv4u2

Man. I haven't seen one of those in decades

When I was playing softball with Chili's, that rest stop was a meeting point when we had to go to Tampa/St. Pete/Clearwater.

re: #202 Cannadian Club Akbar

The rest stop on the south side of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Cup drops. Coffee, sugar creamer goes in. Lift little door. Enjoy. (Tim's is the bestest, though)

Where is Sunshine Skyway? I remember those old coffee dispensers.

My son #5 & his family flew in from Miami last night, and I'm expecting son #6 & his family from Huntsville this afternoon.

re: #198 Cannadian Club Akbar

Put oil in the wok. Heat it on medium high. Swirl the oil around. Turn off. Let cool. Repeat 3X. Cool oil and return oil to bottle. No reason to throw out perfectly good oil.

Yeah, but cooking in a wok is pretty pointless if you have electric, IMO. You just can't get the heat transfer.

I like my stove for various other reasons, but it does rule out the wok.

re: #205 Sheila Broflovski

Where is Sunshine Skyway? I remember those old coffee dispensers.

The Skyway connects Manatee county with Pinellas county. It is considered I-275. You can hit I-75 to the East.

re: #138 Gert Fröbe

But when they're on, they're really on. MST3K, South Park, Chappelle's Show, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report...they've had some pretty damn good shows.

But those are less about the savvy of Comedy Central and more about the skills and abilities of Jon Stewart, Trey Parker, etc.

re: #200 Sheila Broflovski

Zedushka and I drove from Detroit to NYC last year and sampled the coffee at rest areas all along the I-80.

Best coffee: WaWa in eastern PA. (E. Stroudsburg)
Second best coffee: Tim Horton's.
Third best coffee: Dunkin Donuts.
Worst coffee: Quality Inn in Clarion PA (like making love in a canoe)
Second worst coffee: Starbucks. It's boint! Boint!

Can only handle one large cup per day, so I try to max out the quality. Best so far is Chock Full O'Nuts in a french press with rigid time/temperature attention. There is no function until that hits the bloodstream.

Did post this last night, because I was waiting for Ozbloke to be online. Minor story, but Crikey!

re: #207 iossarian

Yeah, but cooking in a wok is pretty pointless if you have electric, IMO. You just can't get the heat transfer.

I like my stove for various other reasons, but it does rule out the wok.

Well, they do make electric wok. But you're right, a regular wok is meant to use on high heat on a gas stove. I also use my wok for deep frying.

re: #210 Decatur Deb

Can only handle one large cup per day, so I try to max out the quality. Best so far is Chock Full O'Nuts in a french press with rigid time/temperature attention. There is no function until that hits the bloodstream.

I keep telling myself I have to buy a French press. Who makes the best one?

re: #203 sattv4u2

Man. I haven't seen one of those in decades

I had a job building those machines one summer when I was in high school.

Site question - Is anyone else experiencing 'stickiness' with page scrolling here? There seems to be a lag between when I try to scroll and the page actually reacts. It started yesterday afternoon.

re: #213 Sheila Broflovski

I keep telling myself I have to buy a French press. Who makes the best one?

umm,,, the French!?!?!

//

re: #214 makeitstop

Site question - Is anyone else experiencing 'stickiness' with page scrolling here

Nope

I had a little hinkeyness yesterday afternoon on the home puter, but nothing right now here at work

re: #216 sattv4u2

Site question - Is anyone else experiencing 'stickiness' with page scrolling here

Nope

I had a little hinkeyness yesterday afternoon on the home puter, but nothing right now here at work

Weird. I'd chalk it up to browser behavior, but none of the other 8 tabs in my browser is doing it.

It is interfering with my quality web site experience. I'm getting a lag while posting as well. Maybe it's time to reboot the stupid browser.

re: #213 Sheila Broflovski

I keep telling myself I have to buy a French press. Who makes the best one?

I would have thought there's nothing to choose between them. They're pretty simple devices.

Maybe the really cheap ones don't have the rotating top with the filter to pour through? I haven't ever seen a French press without one, so I don't know.

re: #213 Sheila Broflovski

I keep telling myself I have to buy a French press. Who makes the best one?

We gave up on a couple because they lose heat too fast while brewing. Found a fantastic stainless steel one in a thrift store. It is a dewar flask (vacuum bottle) design made by Thermos/Nissan. I guess any other brand of the vacuum type would be as good. An advantage is that any means of heating the water works--we pack it with dry coffee and fixings for camping, and heat the water on the fire or Coleman stove.

re: #216 sattv4u2

Site question - Is anyone else experiencing 'stickiness' with page scrolling here

Nope

I had a little hinkeyness yesterday afternoon on the home puter, but nothing right now here at work

Had a weird effect yesterday when a quadrangle of text would start to scroll up a millisecond before the whole page. Seems to have gone away.

re: #213 Sheila Broflovski

I keep telling myself I have to buy a French press. Who makes the best one?

I highly recommend: Chef's Choice 695 Electric French Press, Black

What makes this one a bit different is the heating element is built in so you can brew a little longer for stronger coffee or reheat the left over coffee later.

One day a rather inebriated ice fisherman drilled a hole in the ice and peered into the hole and a loud voice said, "There are no fish down there."

He walked several yards away and drilled another hole and peered into the hole and again the voice said, "There's no fish down there."

He then walked about 50 yards away and drilled another hole and again the voice said, "There's no fish down there."

He looked up into the sky and asked, "God, is that you?"

"No, you idiot," the voice said, "it's the rink manager."

re: #222 Shropshire_Slasher

One day a rather inebriated ice fisherman drilled a hole in the ice and peered into the hole and a loud voice said, "There are no fish down there."

He walked several yards away and drilled another hole and peered into the hole and again the voice said, "There's no fish down there."

He then walked about 50 yards away and drilled another hole and again the voice said, "There's no fish down there."

He looked up into the sky and asked, "God, is that you?"

"No, you idiot," the voice said, "it's the rink manager."

Are you making fun of the NHL lockout?
///

re: #163 SophistFCD

Lordamercy, is that ever inept and ham-handed. You can't just come out and say "we're lowering your expectations" and expect it to work.. Can't this campaign do anything with a modicum of competence?

Leading up to the "November for Romney and America" number still. Expected to be a show-stopper.

re: #223 Cannadian Club Akbar

Are you making fun of the NHL lockout?
///

no. If he was, the hole driller would be an NHL owner with his head up his ass.

re: #225 Dark_Falcon

no. If he was, the hole driller would be an NHL owner with his head up his ass.

NFL Hall of Fame nominees:
[Link: www.profootballhof.com...]

re: #193 iossarian

I'm expecting to see this from now on whenever Republicans crank up the voter fraud nonsense again:

No end to the hypocrisy.

When the hypocrisy is pointed out the backup plan is to claim the company is a Democratic false flag operation planted there as an attempt to discredit the GOP.

re: #199 sattv4u2

Except for the " return oil to bottle." thats what we did with our "new" Wok (bought 14 years ago)

Sounds a bit like how I treat my cast iron stuff. Initial cleaning, oil, heat so oil works into the metal pores, and then keep away from soap.

I have to fill out one more form for my financial aid for the local CC. They want a copy of my 2011 tax returns. I didn't file in 2011. My "return" didn't even cover the cost of Turbo Tax. D'oh!!

re: #228 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste

Sounds a bit like how I treat my cast iron stuff. Initial cleaning, oil, heat so oil works into the metal pores, and then keep away from soap.

It's called "seasoning" .

re: #151 Kragar

Been watching "Once upon a time" on Netflix. I thought it was kind of meh, but then Robert Carlyle showed up and tearing thru the scenery.

Have you caught the roughly 7,823,491 "Lost" references?

re: #229 Cannadian Club Akbar

I have to fill out one more form for my financial aid for the local CC. They want a copy of my 2011 tax returns. I didn't file in 2011. My "return" didn't even cover the cost of Turbo Tax. D'oh!!

Tell them all your money is offshore.

re: #232 Decatur Deb

Tell them all your money is offshore.

THATS why he sits at the beach all day!!!

re: #233 sattv4u2

THATS why he sits at the beach all day!!!

That's how all his change got offshore.

re: #230 Cannadian Club Akbar

It's called "seasoning" .

Yep. A well-seasoned pan is a wonderful thing. Often works better than non-stick coatings. I got a cast iron dutch oven last Christmas and use it for various chicken dishes that get both oven and stovetop time in the cooking process.

re: #234 Decatur Deb

That's how all his change got offshore.

It's a SHELL company!!

re: #232 Decatur Deb

re: #233 sattv4u2

You guys are funny!! _not I called and asked if I could send a copy of my ONE W-2 from last year. They said it was OK. $300 on the record? Meh.

re: #236 sattv4u2

It's a SHELL company!!

All my money is tied up in oil. I grab a couple 5-quart jugs every time Walmart puts it on sale.

re: #237 Cannadian Club Akbar

re: #233 sattv4u2

You guys are funny!! _not I called and asked if I could send a copy of my ONE W-2 from last year. They said it was OK. $300 on the record? Meh.

Hope it's not the one signed by Paulie Walnuts.

re: #235 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste

Yep. A well-seasoned pan is a wonderful thing. Often works better than non-stick coatings. I got a cast iron dutch oven last Christmas and use it for various chicken dishes that get both oven and stovetop time in the cooking process.

When I left FLA I left all my pots and pans behind. My first purchase will be a roasting pan. My parents have my dishes, though. Thank God. Those things ain't cheap.

re: #239 Decatur Deb

Hope it's not the one signed by Paulie Walnuts.

There is a line on the form that asks for money given to me from parents, friends, etc. I'll make that up. Also a line for expenses. I might have to attach a page with my story about living without water/electric for 8 months. Not sure if they'll believe me.

re: #240 Cannadian Club Akbar

When I left FLA I left all my pots and pans behind. My first purchase will be a roasting pan. My parents have my dishes, though. Thank God. Those things ain't cheap.

Whats not cheap

The dishes, or the parents!?!?

re: #241 Cannadian Club Akbar

There is a line on the form that asks for money given to me from parents, friends, etc. I'll make that up. Also a line for expenses. I might have to attach a page with my story about living without water/electric for 8 months. Not sure if they'll believe me.

It's going to be very believable. Wife volunteers at a free clinic where the hidden homelessness in our small 'prosperous' town surfaces.

re: #242 sattv4u2

Whats not cheap

The dishes, or the parents!?!?

Yes.

re: #240 Cannadian Club Akbar

When I left FLA I left all my pots and pans behind. My first purchase will be a roasting pan. My parents have my dishes, though. Thank God. Those things ain't cheap.

Since my kids are here and they are men with healthy appetites, the baking dish that I normally use to prepare roast chicken isn't big enough. I didn't have any of those big disposable aluminum roasting pans, but I found a huge blue enamel roasting pan in the utility room, haven't used it in years!

re: #245 Sheila Broflovski

There is nothing better than ma's cooking!

re: #245 Sheila Broflovski

Since my kids are here and they are men with healthy appetites, the baking dish that I normally use to prepare roast chicken isn't big enough. I didn't have any of those big disposable aluminum roasting pans, but I found a huge blue enamel roasting pan in the utility room, haven't used it in years!

The blue enamel one is one that I had. Loved it. Can make a huge batch of chicken and yellow rice in that bad boy.

re: #247 Cannadian Club Akbar

The blue enamel one is one that I had. Loved it. Can make a huge batch of chicken and yellow rice in that bad boy.

Makes 15/20 thighs, 10 quarts of rice and 2 bags of broccoli.

I got a ticket to go to the Obama rally on Sunday in Las Vegas. I haven't found anyone who wants to go with me, so I was considering taking my kid or kids (ages 5 and 7) if I can get two more tickets today.

Has anyone been to one of these things? I'm wondering how long the wait is from the time the doors open to when the president arrives. Do you think it would be too overwhelming, boring, crowded, or tiring for younger kids?

Dinner tonight:

Gefilte fish
Grilled salmon with dill sauce
Tossed spinach salad with raspberry vinaigrette
Chicken soup with matzo balls
Baked chicken with roasted potatoes and sweet potatoes
Fresh fruit for dessert
Wine: Yarden cabernet

Sunday night (Sukkot):
Same selection of fish, maybe Canadian rainbow trout
Standing rib roast
Dark turkey roll (stuffed? What kind of stuffing?)
Cabbage rolls stuffed with ground meat & brown rice, simmered in tomato wine sauce
Dessert: blueberry pie & apple strudel

re: #247 Cannadian Club Akbar

The blue enamel one is one that I had. Loved it. Can make a huge batch of chicken and yellow rice in that bad boy.

Pressed steel with dark blue coating? Those are ancient tech in working-class homes. I've seen newborns bathed in them.