After watching the Walking Dead second season I can't help but wonder where the zombies are when I see a cityscape.

The maker of this video is in Dubai, UAE, according to the Vimeo info.

I note that the Arabic version of Sesame Street will be produced in neighboring Abu Dhabi, UAE:

[Link: www.thenational.ae...]

Big Bird!!

Okay because this is an overnight thread and not really a political discussion thread. I'd like to use this moment to say how happy I am the Orioles beat the Rangers tonight.

I'm not you're average person. I'm always ready for people.

Just got through watching The Last Starfighter for the 9,000th time; while a bit dated in places, it's just as good now as was when I was a lad in the 80s. A lot of people don't know it, but TLS was the first feature film to really use what we now know as CGI extensively (for the space/flight sequences); they literally had to make it up as they went along.

Craig Safan's score is really underrated; it's one of the best scifi scores ever because it just meshes up right with what's on-screen. IMO, it's right up there with Williams' Star Wars scores and many of the Star Trek theatrical scores.

re: #5 Gert Fröbe

"I should have it all worked out by the time we reach the Frontier."
BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP
"What's that?"
"....The Frontier."

Love TLS

re: #6 Ghost of Tom Joad

"I should have it all worked out by the time we reach the Frontier."
BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP
"What's that?"
"....The Frontier."

Love TLS

Trivia: Dan O'Herlihy, who played Grig, also played The Old Man (president of OCP) in Robocop. For an Irish guy, he could certainly do an "American" accent very well.

/and in Robocop 2, but that movie doesn't (or shouldn't) exist...

The Spinners ~

Good Night all.

re: #5 Gert Fröbe

Interesting thoughts. You remind me of another older underrated movie that I'd like to watch again - "Dragonslayer". A very interesting non-traditional take on some of the Usual Suspect fantasy tropes.

re: #5 Gert Fröbe

Just got through watching The Last Starfighter for the 9,000th time;

Never saw that movie or even heard of it but it did make me wonder which movie have I seen more than any other.. hmm. This is my best guess..

Napoleon Dynamite, 50 times.. Forrest Gump 30 times.. Wizard of Oz, 20 times. Not much of a movie buff I guess.. And having teenage kids in the van on a lot of long road trips is the reason for first place. I swear I know every word of dialogue in that whole stupid but funny movie.

Easily one of the best bands going right now. God I love this song. It actually brought me to tears the first time I heard it, and that rarely happens:

Their new CD is amazing. I can't stop listening to it straight through. It's that good.

hmm.. Could Mitt's statements about when he left Bain possibly expose him to some legal trouble, or is this some made up Left Wing controversy. New Legal Analysis Finds Strong Possibility of Romney Criminal Liability for Misrepresentation He Made in Federal Financial Disclosure Filings in 2011 Its hard to imagine there is any legal standard at all for anything a Presidential candidate says on the campaign trail, but writing things down on forms might be a horse of a different color.

re: #13 Mich-again

Don't know. Time will tell.

re: #14 freetoken

Don't know. Time will tell.

Yeah, I don't want to promote any left wing nuttery but it is possible there is something to that. The guy did retire retroactively whatever the hell that is supposed to mean.

re: #13 Mich-again

I'm going to guess that his highly-paid accountants and lawyers arranged things such that it can be plausibly argued he skated right up to the edge of the law without quite going over it. That's how they earn their modest remuneration, n'est-ce pas?

BTW, tonight we're working through some more Telemann, "Trio aus der Tafelmusik". Next part:

Telemann - very, very cerebral music. Feels like I should be working through some ancient Greek manuscript or something.

Final part:

tcm maliciously showing movies from the early 80s after i clearly forbid them to show anything made after 1952

Morning, all

re: #19 freetoken

re: #21 freetoken

re: #20 freetoken

Telemann - very, very cerebral music. Feels like I should be working through some ancient Greek manuscript or something.

I'm just glad I don't have tights, slippers, a velvet tunic and poofy hat in my closet to choose from today.
//

Something not quite as old - Gershwin's "Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in F major", a very 20th century America sounding piece of music.

The wikipedia writers note:

The work was premiered by the New York Symphony Orchestra with Damrosch conducting (three years later the orchestra would merge with the Philharmonic Symphony Society into the New York Philharmonic Orchestra) at Carnegie Hall in New York on December 3, 1925, and featured the composer as the soloist. The concert was sold out and the concerto was very well received by the general public. However, the reviews were mixed, with many critics unable to classify it as jazz or classical. Indeed, there was a great variety of opinion among Gershwin's contemporaries; Igor Stravinsky thought the work was one of genius, whereas Sergei Prokofiev disliked it intensely.

Performed by Andre Previn:

re: #25 freetoken

Outstanding.

Favorited

IKEA Furniture Culture

[youtube=

[youtube=

New Obama Ad. I really wish they'd do a whole series of these and end them with Gingrich calling Romney a liar.

Interesting.

A North Korean soldier on guard duty at the border dividing the two Koreas defected, telling authorities who received him in the South that he killed his superiors before fleeing across the Military Demarcation Line.

South Korean soldiers at their guard posts reported hearing gunfire before he crossed into the South shortly after noon local time, according to a news release from South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Soldiers in the South took the defector in on their side of the border and brought him to a safe place for questioning then tightened security in the area.

The North Korean said that "while he was on guard duty, he killed his platoon and squad leaders and defected thereafter," the JCS said.

I'm guessing that a NK soldier has to get pretty goddamned desperate to just up and say, "you know what, fuck the obvious repercussions for my family, I'm gonna grease all my squad mates and haul ass over the line."

re: #29 goddamnedfrank

His family might have been dicks. Or he might be a dick.

re: #30 Sheeplord

Or he may have no family left. I don't know alot about NK,other than the people starve while the dictator lives in luxury. I doubt that lends itself to a healthy population. It's possible the guy has no one and decided he had nothing to lose.

I'm such a bleeding heart liberal. LOL

Good Morning. :)

re: #31 A Mom Anon

Find yourself a camera yet?

re: #33 Shropshire_Slasher

I think so,it's a little Canon Powershot A3400 I found on Amazon for 120 bucks. I'm ordering it as soon as the next paycheck goes into the bank.

re: #34 A Mom Anon

I got my camera on Amazon too. A nice little Nikon L-20.

re: #34 A Mom Anon

That's great! My wife jumped head feet into photography with the kids and all, now she is doing High school senior "photo shoots" at Yaddo [Link: www.yaddo.org...] She switched to an Apple do her redeye, cropping etc.

re: #34 A Mom Anon

I need something fairly small and lightweight,this seemed like a decent choice. The husband and I are planning a trip to Yosemite next year for our 20th anniversary and I need something that will fit into a pocket that's easy to use. Or that won't be a big loss if I drop it over a cliff or into a creek,lol. Plus I need it for day to day use. The kid is 18 now,I realized I hadn't really taken many pics of him in the last 3 or 4 yrs.

re: #37 A Mom Anon

Try to get a box for your camera. Look at Pelican or Otterbox for your camera.

BBL,I have floors to mop,stuff to get to the post office by noon and grocery shopping. Ack.

re: #30 Sheeplord

His family might have been dicks. Or he might be a dick.

Totalitarian states seem to have larger than normal numbers of sociopaths. This guy might have been one of them.

re: #25 freetoken

Something not quite as old - Gershwin's "Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in F major", a very 20th century America sounding piece of music.

The wikipedia writers note:

Performed by Andre Previn:

[Embedded content]

You've been posting some exquisite music lately, thank you. The Telemann is a nice piece but I am one of those who love Gershwin's Concerto.

A fun game is to make people list their favorite composers, especially if you throw in limitations. For example the top five American or top ten over all...

5) Gershwin
4) Barber
3) Bernstein
2) Copland
1) Ellington

With an honorable mention to Amy Beach.

I didn't get a chance to comment on the Broun anti-science string last night.

This is the number one reason I left the Republican Party and the right in general. I could conceivably compromise with the Romney camp on issues like health care or tax policy. I wouldn't like it but it is at least possible. There can be no compromise, though, with superstition spouting charlatans and pathological liars who assert that I personally am a tool of Satan for pursuing a career in science. There is no common ground, they are evil and destructive, the enemy by their own choice.
Corporate America will bitterly regret the cynical decision to form a de facto alliance with these throwbacks.

Morning Honcos.

re: #40 Dark_Falcon

Totalitarian states seem to have larger than normal numbers of sociopaths. This guy might have been one of them.

I had this book on my shelf for about 5 years before I read it. A quick read.

re: #40 Dark_Falcon

Totalitarian states seem to have larger than normal numbers of sociopaths. This guy might have been one of them.

That's really not borne out by the evidence. The US has the highest incidence of sociopaths that's known. And sociopathic tendencies are actually a benefit in the corporate/capitalist world.

re: #45 Sheeplord

That's really not borne out by the evidence. The US has the highest incidence of sociopaths that's known. And sociopathic tendencies are actually a benefit in the corporate/capitalist world.

That would seem more attributable to diagnostics than actual occurrence.

Police: Man pretending to be a cop demands free meal at McDonald's
[Link: www.tampabay.com...]

He was taking a break from splitting atoms, I guess.

One killed in French anti-extremist operation

About 10 others were arrested as part of the operation directed at a suspected Salafist network. The anti-terror sweep was continuing on Saturday in several cities around France.

According to initial reports, when police entered the suspect's home in Strasbourg he shot at them. They returned fire and fatally wounded him, a source close to the inquiry said, without giving further details.

Another man arrested in the Paris suburbs was said to be armed and "dangerous".
....
The police operation was part of the investigation into an incident on September 19 when "a minimally powerful explosive" was hurled into a kosher grocery store in Sarcelles, in the Paris suburbs, a judicial source said.
...
A source close to the inquiry, asked about the readiness of extremists to carry out other attacks against places frequented by the Jewish community, called for caution.

But he said that the suspects had "a list of objectives" and the inquiry had to determine whether plans were well advanced or had simply been discussed among the suspects.

re: #46 Dark_Falcon

That would seem more attributable to diagnostics than actual occurrence.

What do you base that on, given that most sociopaths in the US are undiagnosed?

Mornin' gang...for those of you in the San Francisco Bay Area these are the current events:
1. Fleet week (Blue Angels will be screaming around for hours...get used to it)
2. America's Cup - sailing under the Angels will be millions of dollars worth of carbon-fiber hulls and mylar sails. Beautiful stuff.
3. Hardly Strictly Bluegrass - yes, the annual free music festival is on. (Today, Chieftans, Patty Griffin, Cowboy Junkies, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Les Claypool - you can see why it's called 'hardly strictly'...expect about 200K people in the park)
4. Castro Street fair - let your freak flag fly
5. Italian Parade on North Beach - honor the FSM!
6. Game 1 of the NLDS between the SF Giants and the flyover Reds.

Not a bad line-up. I think I'll watch movies on SyFy.

re: #50 darthstar

Man, I miss Hardly Strictly. I saw Iris Dement there years ago; probably my second-favorite concert ever, right after Tom Waits in Boston a decade or more ago.

re: #40 Dark_Falcon

Totalitarian states seem to have larger than normal numbers of sociopaths. This guy might have been one of them.

Maybe he was sick of everything: the police state; the cult of personality government; watching his fellow citizens starve to death. A combination of desperation, anger, and despair.

For all we know, this guy is sitting in a small windowless room, torn by the fact that his family, if he has one, is now bearing the full repercussions of his actions.

re: #51 Sheeplord

Man, I miss Hardly Strictly. I saw Iris Dement there years ago; probably my second-favorite concert ever, right after Tom Waits in Boston a decade or more ago.

Tom Waits is a hard one to catch in concert. He doesn't really tour, he just kind of shows up places on short notice. Usually smallish venues and theaters, it's hard to get tickets.

re: #50 darthstar

I LOVE the Cowboy Junkies!! Margo Timmins sang the Canadian national anthem at the '94 (iirc) MLB All Star game. Meatloaf sang the American anthem. Seen the Junkies 3 times or so, met Margo each time.

re: #29 goddamnedfrank

Interesting.

I'm guessing that a NK soldier has to get pretty goddamned desperate to just up and say, "you know what, fuck the obvious repercussions for my family, I'm gonna grease all my squad mates and haul ass over the line."

Assuming he had family.

re: #54 Cannadian Club Akbar

For a long time, this song reminded me of my brother Mike. Then he snapped out of his brooding Romantic phase.

re: #51 Sheeplord

Man, I miss Hardly Strictly. I saw Iris Dement there years ago; probably my second-favorite concert ever, right after Tom Waits in Boston a decade or more ago.

Full Schedule:
[Link: www.hardlystrictlybluegrass.com...]

I'll have to miss Robert Earl Keen though as I'll be at the ballgame.

Not bad for a couple of bake sales and a car wash.

Obama and Democrats Raise $181 Million in September nyti.ms/Q3FFEw

— The Caucus (@thecaucus) October 6, 2012

re: #49 Sheeplord

What do you base that on, given that most sociopaths in the US are undiagnosed?

SWAG (Scientific Wild-Ass Guess)

RT @thereidreport: Just overheard at the deli: two random guys talking, one says "yeah, I guess he said f-- Big Bird." True story.

— Dana Houle (@DanaHoule) October 6, 2012

Funny. A lot of people not offended by the 47% (because hey, I'm no shiftless loser) will draw the line at trying to fire Big Bird.

re: #50 darthstar

Nah, you should hop in your car and drive around SF for a few hours. Enjoy the gridlock and waste some gas...

re: #60 darthstar

[Embedded content]

Funny. A lot of people not offended by the 47% (because hey, I'm no shiftless loser) will draw the line at trying to fire Big Bird.

Yep.
On the one hand, you're referring to people I don't know.
On the other hand, your f-ing with my childhood.

Romney is now trying to walk back the 47% but the damage is done. And I intend to keep this moniker at least until the election is over.

re: #59 Dark_Falcon

SWAG (Scientific Wild-Ass Guess)

Heh. Well, given our lack of mental health services in this country, I'd say that's a bad guess. But using swag-- are you aware that's the hip new phrase that all the cool kids are saying, you hepcat, you?

There is an outstanding question as to whether the US has more sociopaths, or just more violent sociopaths. It's probably just more sociopaths, though.

re: #63 AK-47%

Romney is now trying to walk back the 47% but the damage is done. And I intend to keep this moniker at least until the election is over.

And that'll piss off his base massively, too. They've already gotten really into defending him on that.

I really don't get it. He defended what he said, and now he's recanting it. That's the stupidest possible way to go about it. You lose the most that way.

re: #52 Mattand

Maybe he was sick of everything: the police state; the cult of personality government; watching his fellow citizens starve to death. A combination of desperation, anger, and despair.

For all we know, this guy is sitting in a small windowless room, torn by the fact that his family, if he has one, is now bearing the full repercussions of his actions.

Nope. Sociopath. Only possible explanation. Totalitarian states are chock full of 'em. Sociopath 1A is an undergrad requirement at university. More North Korean babies are named Sociopath than Kim. You know why nobody ever gets lost in North Korea? They can always follow the Sociopath home. In fact, it's a goddamn Sociopath to enlightenment.

re: #65 Sheeplord

And that'll piss off his base massively, too. They've already gotten really into defending him on that.

I really don't get it. He defended what he said, and now he's recanting it. That's the stupidest possible way to go about it. You lose the most that way.

His base doesn't really give a shit what he says, so long as he doesn't drag down other nutter candidates. They never trusted him in the first place, and are only voting for him because he's not Obama.

Morning all!
I'm sitting on my front porch, enjoying a crisp, autumn morning picking away at my key board.
Thus far, an elderly woman has given me the evil eye after peeping out my Obama/Biden sign, and I've been listening to the crazy mail carrier cuss out nobody in particular.
In his defense, he looked as if he'd partied like it was 1999 the night before.

Good times!

re: #67 darthstar

His base doesn't really give a shit what he says, so long as he doesn't drag down other nutter candidates. They never trusted him in the first place, and are only voting for him because he's not Obama.

Agreed. The base isn't going to abandon Mitt. After the debate they seem quite energized.

Okay...that is more like a bake sale and car wash...

Calm down, everyone. Jack Welch says Obama only raised $68.35 RT @karoli: Obama raised $181 million in Sept. That's amazing.

— Jamison Foser (@jamisonfoser) October 6, 2012

re: #68 Reverend Mother Ramallo

Mailmen have reasons to cuss...

re: #66 darthstar

Nope. Sociopath. Only possible explanation. Totalitarian states are chock full of 'em. Sociopath 1A is an undergrad requirement at university. More North Korean babies are named Sociopath than Kim. You know why nobody ever gets lost in North Korea? They can always follow the Sociopath home. In fact, it's a goddamn Sociopath to enlightenment.

[claps] Great stuff.

Hot off the presses, enjoy:

Sesame Nation: Big Bird should leave the government nest.

re: #71 Cannadian Club Akbar

Mailmen have reasons to cuss...

[Embedded content]

Newman !!!

Okay...time to run the dogs, knock out a load of laundry, and head to the gym with the missus before going up to the city. Busy day ahead.

Laters.

re: #73 Dark_Falcon

Hot off the presses, enjoy:

Sesame Nation: Big Bird should leave the government nest.

Mark Steyn, ick. National Review, ick. Can't motivate myself to read it.

Also, what Sheeplord said.

re: #73 Dark_Falcon

Hot off the presses, enjoy:

Sesame Nation: Big Bird should leave the government nest.

You do realize most of this about PBS actually being able to stay on the air in certain markets, don't you?

re: #40 Dark_Falcon

Totalitarian states seem to have larger than normal numbers of sociopaths. This guy might have been one of them.

I don't know about that.

If you can accept that a "rampage killer" is by definition a sociopath, I'd call your attention to this Wiki list of rampage killers.

Rampage Killers - the Americas

I haven't compared the western hemisphere list to the rest of the world, but in the western hemisphere the U.S. holds holds 73 of the top 100 spots.

That's a rather dubious record.

re: #73 Dark_Falcon

Hot off the presses, enjoy:

Sesame Nation: Big Bird should leave the government nest.

As I said on your page (sort of), the NRO is the last place I would link to in regards to social or political commentary.

re: #76 wrenchwench

Mark Steyn, ick. National Review, ick. Can't motivate myself to read it.

Also, what Sheeplord said.

Hey, you can't spell "Dark Falcon" without N, R and O.

re: #80 BongCrodny

Hey, you can't spell "Dark Falcon" without N, R and O.

And you can't spell "crap" without "rap".
:)

re: #81 Cannadian Club Akbar

And you can't spell "crap" without "rap".
:)

Did you ever see "A Mighty Wind"?

One of the deleted scenes had Eugene Levy as Mitch Cohen talking about a Canadian rap station, C-R-A-P, where all the rappers' songs were about brushing your teeth, being respectful to your parents, etc.

re: #82 BongCrodny

Never saw it but it is the type of movie I like.

re: #82 BongCrodny

Did you ever see "A Mighty Wind"?

One of the deleted scenes had Eugene Levy as Mitch Cohen talking about a Canadian rap station, C-R-A-P, where all the rappers' songs were about brushing your teeth, being respectful to your parents, etc.

you mean like these guys?

re: #84 AK-47%

you mean like these guys?

I am gonna have to kill you for posting that, sorry.
/

re: #85 Cannadian Club Akbar

I am gonna have to kill you for posting that, sorry.
/

Well, if you represent authority, I guess I will have to assent...

re: #83 Cannadian Club Akbar

Never saw it but it is the type of movie I like.

Jane Lynch is hysterical in it -- if you get a chance to see it, look for the scenes where she talks about her career in San Francisco porno movies. All kinds of awesome.

re: #87 BongCrodny

Jane Lynch is hysterical in it -- if you get a chance to see it, look for the scenes where she talks about her career in San Francisco porno movies. All kinds of awesome.

She's rather fearless as an actress, isn't she?

re: #84 AK-47%

you mean like these guys?

First comment to that video:

"I lost my virginity to this song."

Win.

re: #88 Dark_Falcon

She's rather fearless as an actress, isn't she?

Loved her in "Mighty Wind" and "Best In Show," and she had a great cameo as an interviewer in "Walk Hard."

But for the life of me, I just cannot get into Glee.

re: #90 BongCrodny

Loved her in "Mighty Wind" and "Best In Show," and she had a great cameo as an interviewer in "Walk Hard."

But for the life of me, I just cannot get into Glee.

I liked her on 2 and a half men.

re: #90 BongCrodny

Loved her in "Mighty Wind" and "Best In Show," and she had a great cameo as an interviewer in "Walk Hard."

But for the life of me, I just cannot get into Glee.

I only watch 'Glee' rarely, but it is good. I also found her turn as Dr. Spencer Reid's mentally-ill mother on Criminal Minds a good one.

BBL

re: #73 Dark_Falcon

Hot off the presses, enjoy:

Sesame Nation: Big Bird should leave the government nest.

Mark Steyn is an admirer of Rush Limbaugh and Geert Wilders...two men I am fairly certain you find abhorrent. How many more cretins does he have to endorse before he begins to lose credibility in your eyes?

Loving the Melissa Harris-Parry show this morning.
A community in Detroit has no library.
Students have to take 3 buses to get to one...

Romney Health Care Debate Claim Gets Corrected By His Own Staff

"...Romney's plan wouldn't guarantee that people who don't have coverage now will be able to buy it. Top Romney adviser Eric Fehrnstrom said as much in the so-called spin room to several reporters right after the debate, and again on Thursday on CNN.
....
This isn't the first time a Romney statement has had to be walked back by his staff when it comes to health care. In recent weeks he's misstated or switched positions on abortion and on Medicaid. But at 67 million viewers, this was by far the largest audience that's heard something different from what the candidate's position actually is."

So a place that I applied to is doing more hiring. I basically had a job if I wanted it but took a different route. But it is next door to my job I have now. Think I'll stop by for a beer after work today.

re: #94 Reverend Mother Ramallo

Loving the Melissa Harris-Parry show this morning.
A community in Detroit has no library.
Students have to take 3 buses to get to one...

The unemployment rate in the community is at 13%.
I imagine it would be difficult to fill out a job application, most of which are online, without access to the internet.
Impossible to get a call back without an Obamaphone.

Holy crap!! It's gonna be 35 tomorrow night!! And all my warm weather clothes are in route from North Carolina.

re: #94 Reverend Mother Ramallo

Loving the Melissa Harris-Parry show this morning.
A community in Detroit has no library.
Students have to take 3 buses to get to one...

Pfft. And why should the government be subsidizing J.K. Rowling, hm? She's a billionaire!!!

Morning all...

Watching cheesy japanese monster flicks on Hulu.

Very 60s and very fun, though having subtotals rather than bad dubs kind of ruins the effect.

The incidental music is this bouncy jazz with strings and sax. it's quite funny in its own way.

This is the movie

Stars a giant space chicken.

re: #98 Cannadian Club Akbar

Holy crap!! It's gonna be 35 tomorrow night!! And all my warm weather clothes are in route from North Carolina.

just turned on our furnace last night. Even the dogs were shivering.

re: #100 Mr. Crankypants

Watching Oscar Hammerstein:Out of my Dreams on WHYY [Link: www.whyy.org...]

Turned off the X from outer space was just too painful. Watching Solaris (the original). I'd heard it's pretty good.

re: #73 Dark_Falcon

Hot off the presses, enjoy:

Sesame Nation: Big Bird should leave the government nest.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting's total government appropriation is .01% (1/10000) of the federal budget. That pays for transmitters and studios and staff at PBS and NPR stations throughout the nation (do you really think a pledge drive in Alabama would generate enough to stay on the air?). Educational programs for children, commercial free. Reporting in the public interest, even if the audience is somewhat smaller than might follow TMZ.

Big Bird doesn't even cover production costs from station fees; the people at his production company who earn big salaries is because of Tickle Me Elmo and Muppets in Space and Kermit pajamas. The more expensive PBS shows (Masterpiece Theater and Boston Pops and the like) are paid for by grants from various non-governmental foundations.

The right wing is nickel and diming for ideological reasons, under the guise of "fiscal concern." It's bullshit.

re: #105 sagehen

Plus,that little bit of federal funding keeps PBS from becoming just another shitty cable channel. If these so called conservatives really cared about the budget,why not start with,oh,congressional salaries? Or maybe redundant and wasteful defense spending? How about contractor fraud and shoddy workmanship and products supplied to the government? Or maybe lift the stupid rules that have Americans paying more for prescription drugs than other people do? How about that stupid law that allows tax credits for companies that move their operations overseas?(and despite Mittens' feigned surprise over that,it is true. It's also true that back in July,Republicans voted against changing that law.It's called the Bring Jobs Home Act.)

The word of the day is: 'public' .
The use of this little word, whether it refers to schools, transportation, or broadcasting, makes the GOP lose it's shit.

On the plus side, I think Mitt's big bird comments are going to hurt him more than they help him (Based on my Facebook feed). I realize that the right wing base hates PBS/NPR but how many moderates really care. I think this is a net loser for Romney. Attacking Big Bird just seems silly.

Attacking PBS doesn't win him more votes from undecideds, it fires up the base to support him with more fervor.

In a campaign you have to understand the difference. They don't.

We saw this week that a couple of fundamentalist TV operations have set up cameras near the Mount of Olives in an effort to catch Jesus's return live. I think He's more likely to appear at some prominent Bible-belt megachurch.
Fundies would no doubt be over-joyed, but only until the Lord takes out a whip and starts driving the pastor and his staff into the street.

re: #110 Shiplord Kirel

We saw this week that a couple of fundamentalist TV operations have set up cameras near the Mount of Olives in an effort to catch Jesus's return live. I think He's more likely to appear at some prominent Bible-belt megachurch.
Fundies would no doubt be over-joyed, but only until the Lord takes out a whip and starts driving the pastor and his staff into the street.

Not before he knocks the collection plate out of the deacon's hands.
(Or whomever it is that takes the money)

Free Beacon... LOL

re: #112 Gus

Free Beacon... LOL

Every time I see that I think 'Free bacon.'

Mitt Romney gets post-debate boost in the polls. Will it last?

A Reuters/Ipsos online tracking poll released Friday has Romney drawing four points closer to Obama than he had been just before the debate – just two points behind now at 44-46.

Asked if they felt better about the candidates after Wednesday night’s debate, 30 percent of those surveyed said “yes” about Romney compared to just 14 percent for Obama.

....

In Colorado, according to figures out Friday by the Gravis Marketing research firm, Obama went from a 4.7 point lead (50.2 to 45.5) last September to a position 3.4 points behind Romney (45.9 to 49.3) after the debate.

For all the morning-after critique of the contenders’ first debate, Democratic strategist James Carville probably said it best: “Romney looked like he wanted to be there. Obama didn’t.”

But it wasn’t just the body language that was judged to Romney’s advantage, but his message.

Romney, who declared himself “severely conservative” during the primaries, has tacked sharply leftward into the moderate middle – at least the moderate middle allowed in today’s GOP as molded and fashioned by social conservatives and the tea party.

Those who, in fact, are consistently and for the most part severely conservative don’t seem to mind Romney’s new-found moderation.

You know, if I were an unethical person, or maybe desperate, I think I could do a RW 'news' site.
I have a very vivid imagination.
//

Willard the weasel is nothing if not an apostle of the expedient. This might work to the advantage of sane people if the worst happens and he actually wins.
What are the chances that he might throw the kooks under the bus and revert to Mass Governor mode if he actually wins the presidency? Is this to his advantage? Why or why not?

re: #93 bratwurst

Mark Steyn is an admirer of Rush Limbaugh and Geert Wilders...two men I am fairly certain you find abhorrent. How many more cretins does he have to endorse before he begins to lose credibility in your eyes?

One. President Obama.

(Not calling the President a cretin, of course)

An intimidating looking Saturday NYT crossword (204 white squares with only 21 black ones, including triple stacked 15-letter answers at the top and bottom) turned out to be dead simple. 22 minutes.

Howdy, all.

Oh, and Rangers lost to Stirling 3-0 in the Scottish Third Division. How the mighty have fallen. Heh heh heh.

re: #116 Shiplord Kirel

Willard the weasel is nothing if not an apostle of the expedient. This might work to the advantage of sane people if the worst happens and he actually wins.
What are the chances that he might throw the kooks under the bus and revert to Mass Governor mode if he actually wins the presidency? Is this to his advantage? Why or why not?

Mitt's campaign "evolution" is of course nothing new. Primary candidates play to the base then moderate in the general election. I don't buy the crap that he's a sociopath, compulsive liar, power hungry maniac who doesn't understand airplane windows and secretly hates his sons. Once in office I think he'll probably act responsibly. A lot of the pandering stuff like Ryan's mathematically impossible budget will most likely get swept under the rug. I'm a little more worried about congressional Republicans, they're a bit of a wild card. However, I think the responsibility of leadership may tame them down a bit.

re: #116 Shiplord Kirel

Willard the weasel is nothing if not an apostle of the expedient. This might work to the advantage of sane people if the worst happens and he actually wins.
What are the chances that he might throw the kooks under the bus and revert to Mass Governor mode if he actually wins the presidency? Is this to his advantage? Why or why not?

I think he is just another meat puppet in the mold of Bush the lesser. He will bow to what the monied powers want. And remember, a lot of that money comes from untaxed religious orgs and foreign owned corporations under the guise of super(shitty)PAC's

re: #117 efuseakay

One. President Obama.

(Not calling the President a cretin, of course)

Ah, so when pigs fly, hell freezes over, &c.

re: #120 Eventual Carrion

I think he is just another meat puppet in the mold of Bush the lesser. He will bow to what the monied powers want. And remember, a lot of that money comes from untaxed religious orgs and foreign owned corporations under the guise of super(shitty)PAC's

Dude, he *is of* "the monied powers".

I can't believe he will be the first President who will win on a campaign of:

"If elected, I will lower my taxes!"

re: #122 austin_blue

Dude, he *is of* "the monied powers".

I can't believe he will be the first President who will win on a campaign of:

"If elected, I will lower my taxes!"

True, Bush the Lesser didn't actually campaign on that platform, but he made it happen anyway. And sure, Rmoney has a boat load of money. But I think in the stratosphere of the super rich, he is maybe middle class in that group. :-)

Thinking of that, I will have to look up where Rmoney falls in the listing of richest Americans.

re: #121 austin_blue

Ah, so when pigs fly, hell freezes over, &c.

Indeed.

re: #116 Shiplord Kirel

Willard the weasel is nothing if not an apostle of the expedient. This might work to the advantage of sane people if the worst happens and he actually wins.
What are the chances that he might throw the kooks under the bus and revert to Mass Governor mode if he actually wins the presidency? Is this to his advantage? Why or why not?

That's not what I fear from a Romney presidency. What I fear is the removal of a potential check on the social legislation agenda of a wingnut House and Senate. And also the probable locking down of a reactionary Supreme Court that will be in place for at least a decade, if not longer.

Well, just from a cursory search Mittens doesn't even qualify for the Forbes 400. Is actually well below the threshold to make the list (which starts at about 1.1 billion at the low end). Yep, middle class :-)

LOL......Rasmussen went from +2 Obama yesterday, to +2 Romney today.

So.....0.3% drop in unemployment = UNBELIEVABLE!!! HE COOKED THE BOOKS.

4% swing in poll overnight = TOTALLY LEGIT, Y'ALL!

re: #119 Killgore Trout

Once in office I think he'll probably act responsibly.

So you don't think he'll appoint supreme court justices who will break down separation of church and state? Why not?

However, I think the responsibility of leadership may tame them down a bit.

Wow, that's a very naive hope given what they've already done.