At Florida Fundraiser, Paul Ryan Mocks ‘War on Women’

Tone deaf to the max
Politics • Views: 42,298

Tonight in Ft. Myers, the GOP’s vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan decided it would be a good idea to laugh at women who are worried about the caveman views his party promotes: At Fla. Fundraiser, Paul Ryan Mocks ‘War on Women’.

FORT MYERS, Fla. — GOP vice-presidential nominee Paul Ryan on Thursday night poked fun at the Democratic argument that the GOP is waging a “war on women.”

“Now it’s a war on women; tomorrow it’s going to be a war on left-handed Irishmen or something like that,” Ryan told donors at a Naples fundraiser, according to Shushanna Walshe of ABC News.

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477 comments
1 Obdicut  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:01:40pm

Gee, Ryan, do you think maybe they're referring to the massive, unprecedented attack on abortion rights in the US, as well as the defunding of women's health centers as a result?

Or maybe the GOP's fight against equal pay?

Ryan doesn't do humor well.

2 Gus  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:02:05pm

It's not even a funny joke on technical grounds.

3 Tiny Alien Kitties are Watching You  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:04:43pm

"Must. Keep. Digging."

Go ahead Ryan, pretend it is all just a joke, I certainly wont stop you from making light of many women's legitimate concerns.

4 Ghost of Tom Joad  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:04:52pm

I'm beginning to think this whole election is nothing more than a psychology experiment being performed by UC Berkeley or something. How close can a party come to winning an election while at the same time trying to do everything they can to lose it?

This guy just gets worse as each day goes by.

5 Mark Winter  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:05:46pm

Does Romney also have binders with left-handed Irishmen?

6 Charles Johnson  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:05:58pm

re: #2 Gus

It's not even a funny joke on technical grounds.

That's because it isn't really a joke. He's not kidding. He's telling you how he feels about women's rights, to your face.

7 JamesWI  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:06:55pm

We need Voter ID to prevent Democrats from trying to steal the election.....

8 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:07:55pm

re: #5 Mark Winter

Does Romney also have binders with left-handed Irishmen?

If he does, he didn't call me but alas I was 15 when he was elected and I'm only a quarter Irish.

9 Gus  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:08:40pm

re: #6 Charles Johnson

That's because it isn't really a joke. He's not kidding. He's telling you how he feels about women's rights, to your face.

Oh. Ick. That's even worse.

10 Gus  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:09:11pm

I was still in Al Smith mode.

11 Mark Winter  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:09:40pm

Why is this a close election?

12 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:09:56pm

[Link: www.usatoday.com...]
Yeah no war on women whatsoever Paul. None. This hypocrite claims to be against big government yet has shown throughout his career time and time again, he's willing to use it to tell women what they can and cannot do with their bodies.

13 b_sharp  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:09:56pm

DARVO.

14 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:10:34pm

re: #11 Mark Winter

Why is this a close election?

Because people are stupid.

15 Ghost of Tom Joad  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:10:52pm

re: #6 Charles Johnson

Exactly. What we sanely-minded people see as the "War on Women" is nothing more than what he thinks is the way the world should be.

Every time this clown speaks, he just exposes more and more of his medieval self.

16 Gus  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:11:13pm

Twitter is over capacity.

17 Gus  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:11:35pm

test

18 jaunte  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:14:21pm
“Now it’s a war on women; tomorrow it’s going to be a war on left-handed Irishmen or something like that."

Hurrr.

19 freetoken  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:15:06pm

re: #17 Gus

I just got a "database connect" error.

Growing pains.

20 Ghost of Tom Joad  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:16:38pm

Damn, Pedal faster Charles :-)

21 freetoken  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:16:41pm

re: #19 freetoken

To specify, I got a database error at LGF.

Twitter is just "over capacity".

22 Tiny Alien Kitties are Watching You  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:17:58pm
“Now it’s a war on women; tomorrow it’s going to be a war on left-handed Irishmen or something like that,” Ryan told donors at a Naples fundraiser, according to Shushanna Walshe of ABC News.

Really disappointed with my state, the Florida election maps have gone from light blue before the first debate to light pink now. 538 only gives Obama a 33% chance of winning here, which is a complete reversal of where things stood only four weeks ago. 29 electoral votes that are probably going to Romney along with the fact that without Florida Romney only had a single digit chance of winning.

23 Obdicut  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:18:21pm

re: #18 jaunte

I bet the GOP wound oppose funding to make workplaces and schools more suited for left-handers, too.

24 Hercules Grytpype-Thynne  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:18:35pm

Time to break out the emergency backup hamsters?

25 William Barnett-Lewis  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:18:44pm

You're probably well aware, Charles, but I just got "MDB2 Error: connect failed" twice trying to load this thread. Been lots of lag on my end too but I usually blame the Dino The Dell for that.

26 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:19:18pm

re: #23 Obdicut

I bet the GOP wound oppose funding to make workplaces and schools more suited for left-handers, too.

Knowing the religious right, it wouldn't shock me since being left handed was once seen as being demonic and sinister.

27 b_sharp  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:19:26pm

re: #23 Obdicut

I bet the GOP wound oppose funding to make workplaces and schools more suited for left-handers, too.

Of course they would, left-handedness is sinister.

28 freetoken  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:20:06pm

Well, the war on Big Bird takes a twist:

Sexy Big Bird Costume Banned

29 Charles Johnson  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:20:33pm

re: #25 William Barnett-Lewis

I know - look at the Twitter counter for this post. Explosion time.

30 moderatelyradicalliberal  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:20:47pm

re: #11 Mark Winter

Why is this a close election?

Tribalism.

31 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:21:10pm

re: #28 freetoken

Well, the war on Big Bird takes a twist:

Sexy Big Bird Costume Banned

Sexy Big Bird? And I thought I'd seen everything.

32 moderatelyradicalliberal  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:21:28pm

re: #11 Mark Winter

Why is this a close election?

I'm sorry. Tribalism and the president is near.

33 Kragar  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:22:06pm

What conservative war on women?

Fischer: 'Political Leadership Ought to be Reserved for the Hands of Males'

Oh yeah.

34 b_sharp  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:22:41pm

re: #31 HappyWarrior

Sexy Big Bird? And I thought I'd seen everything.

I'm waiting for sexy Oscar the grouch.

35 engineer cat  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:23:57pm

Now it’s a war on women; tomorrow it’s going to be

pay no attention to the man behind the curtain calling for defunding health clinics

36 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:24:03pm

re: #33 Kragar

What conservative war on women?

Fischer: 'Political Leadership Ought to be Reserved for the Hands of Males'

Oh yeah.

Yeah and GOP politicians including their nominee repeatedly appear on this dipshit's radio show. And Ryan has of course met Legitimate Rape Akin and even sponsored a bill with him. But they'll be talking about wars on Czech artists next!

37 Kragar  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:24:04pm

We do have hip cookie monster

Youtube Video
38 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:24:51pm

re: #34 Gangnam Style

I'm waiting for sexy Oscar the grouch.

Sexy Mr. Hooper.

39 freetoken  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:25:24pm

Note that this article comes up on the first page of doing a Google search on "Ryan War on Women". The Google-foo remains strong at LGF, but the new hamsters may not be used to all the exercise.

40 b_sharp  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:26:00pm

re: #37 Kragar

We do have hip cookie monster

[Embedded content]

After the last time I ate Cookies, she stopped talking to me.

41 Obdicut  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:26:37pm

re: #34 Gangnam Style

I'm waiting for sexy Oscar the grouch.

Image: sexy-oscar-the-grouch.jpg

42 Kragar  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:30:43pm

re: #40 Gangnam Style

After the last time I ate Cookies, she stopped talking to me.

Image: 41V0AYvk8XL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

43 Obdicut  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:31:33pm

And for the ladies:

Image: oscar-584-1291308460.jpg

Image: oscar-the-grouch-costume-2.jpg

Since I'm back in shape, I may go back to an old Halloween costume this year, and do Satanic Chippendale

44 moderatelyradicalliberal  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:33:34pm

re: #22 Tiny Alien Kitties are Watching You

Really disappointed with my state, the Florida election maps have gone from light blue before the first debate to light pink now. 538 only gives Obama a 33% chance of winning here, which is a complete reversal of where things stood only four weeks ago. 29 electoral votes that are probably going to Romney along with the fact that without Florida Romney only had a single digit chance of winning.

Don't worry too much. Democrats did an awesome job registering new voters and beat Republicans in FL. These new voters along with non-whites and people under 50 are not counted in LV polls.

[Link: thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com...]

And here is some more good news.

Florida Democrats Cut Traditional Republican Lead
[Link: www.bloomberg.com...]

This shit ain't over til its over.

45 Gus  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:35:58pm

re: #41 Obdicut

Image: sexy-oscar-the-grouch.jpg

Oscar? You mean there's some guy around here called Oscar? For her I'll make an exception.

[Bicycle horn.]

46 engineer cat  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:38:31pm

Hands of Males

i am not going to that movie

47 Charles Johnson  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:38:32pm

We're tweaking settings on the fly to deal with this surge -- it's a good stress test for the new system. Increased the max MySQL connections and it seems to have helped a lot.

48 Romantic Heretic  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:38:42pm

re: #11 Mark Winter

Why is this a close election?

Because the world is changing, the U.S. is no longer the 'indispensable nation' and it scares the living bejeebers out of a lot of Americans. The GOP promises a return to 'The Good Old Days' and many people believe that should happen and that the GOP are the people to do it.

49 freetoken  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:39:44pm

The "War on Women" meme was hot in early 2011, e.g.:

The War on Women

Republicans’ War on Women

It's a popular phrase, but it's been used to mean several things, such as:

Obama's War on Women

Someone needs to challenge Ryan on the details of the past 2 years of Congressional actions.

50 freetoken  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:44:07pm

And speaking of women... for all you comic book fans out there:

Kim Kardashian Comic Book: Coming Soon!

51 Gus  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:50:18pm

Title change.

2 Sources: #Romney Fundraiser Held Alongside Former Members of the Young Socialist Alliance

52 Decatur Deb  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:51:16pm

VA GOP Voter Registration Guy is tied to the organization caught dirty last month and "fired" by the GOP. Nathan Sproul again..They just did a quick letterhead change.

[Link: www.bluenc.com...]

The key is the Pinpoint Staffing agency buried under another layer or so.

53 goddamnedfrank  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:53:52pm

The entire GOP game plan is to dissemble and feign ignorance about what the War on Women constitutes. Romney lied when he said he didn't support the Blunt-Rubio Amendment, then tried to pretend he was confused and thought the question referred to some hypothetical, non existent state law allowing employers to fire or otherwise physically prevent employees from using contraception. Similarly Ryan is lying now, he knows that most women view his personal stance against allowing abortions in cases of rape as deeply offensive. It's no mystery, he's just pretending to be so incredibly dense as to not understand that women by and large don't want to see their current rights over their own bodies rolled back by misogynistic religious fanatics.

54 palomino  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:55:42pm

This is the kind of rhetoric we've heard from the GOP for decades. It just seems even more out of place now than it did back in the day.

Ryan reflects the older, whiter, more conservative mindset that problems involving race, gender and ethnicity have all been eradicated. And that something as inconsequential--in today's society--as being lefthanded and Irish is in any way comparable to women's reproductive issues.

55 engineer cat  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 7:58:35pm

re: #50 freetoken

And speaking of women... for all you comic book fans out there:

Kim Kardashian Comic Book: Coming Soon!

my ex sister in law: kim kardashian is fat

me: kim kardashian is SEXY

my ex sister in law: you have a thing for fat women

me: KIM KARDASHIAN IS SEXY

56 JRCMYP  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:01:37pm

Hey Ryan! Yeah, boy! Love your recent pictures with the weights and backwards baseball cap! Your so cuuuute!

It's all just so much fun to take away our rights, isn't it? Who needs birth control? Who needs that silly medical procedure that enables us to decide if we want to be parents. No biggie, right? Yeah, it's okay that we don't agree 'cause you know, I'm not going to vote for your skinny white ass anyway. So, you can think about how funny this all is while you wash soup kitchen pans that are already clean because you're no way gonna be the VP and seems like you've lost your seat in Congress. Dude! Too bad!

Asshole.

Love,

Womankind.

57 efuseakay  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:12:26pm

re: #13 Gangnam Style

DARVO.

DOUCHEBAGGERY.

58 JRCMYP  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:14:48pm

re: #25 William Barnett-Lewis

Having a hard time loading too.

59 efuseakay  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:15:31pm

re: #22 Tiny Alien Kitties are Watching You

Really disappointed with my state, the Florida election maps have gone from light blue before the first debate to light pink now. 538 only gives Obama a 33% chance of winning here, which is a complete reversal of where things stood only four weeks ago. 29 electoral votes that are probably going to Romney along with the fact that without Florida Romney only had a single digit chance of winning.

Lots of old folk down there scared of that colored foreigner on TV.

60 Charles Johnson  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:17:16pm

I think we've got the settings right now ... loads are holding steady and we're not getting knocked offline any more.

61 Gus  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:19:09pm

Fidel Castro suffered a stroke, Venezuelan doctor says
A Naples doctor said former Cuban leader Fidel Castro is near ‘a neurovegetative state’ after suffering a stroke.

62 Targetpractice  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:20:12pm

re: #61 Gus

Fidel Castro suffered a stroke, Venezuelan doctor says
A Naples doctor said former Cuban leader Fidel Castro is near ‘a neurovegetative state’ after suffering a stroke.

This breaking news just in: Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead.

//

63 Kragar  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:20:59pm

re: #61 Gus

Fidel Castro suffered a stroke, Venezuelan doctor says
A Naples doctor said former Cuban leader Fidel Castro is near ‘a neurovegetative state’ after suffering a stroke.

Oh darn

64 Gus  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:21:18pm

re: #62 Targetpractice

This breaking news just in: Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead.

//

I'm on a Mexican radio.

65 blueraven  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:22:50pm

President Obama is on The Daily Show

66 prairiefire  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:24:43pm

I've got the biggest right wing toad in my state running against a sitting ~ LADY ~ senator. AND IT'S A CLOSE RACE!

67 jaunte  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:27:11pm

re: #61 Gus

I sense an increase in drinking tonight on Calle Ocho.

68 b_sharp  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:27:42pm

re: #62 Targetpractice

This breaking news just in: Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead.

//

I kept hoping.

69 Charles Johnson  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:27:53pm

Hoo. Surfing the big waves tonight.

I think we're getting it under control now.

70 blueraven  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:30:46pm

re: #48 Romantic Heretic

Because the world is changing, the U.S. is no longer the 'indispensable nation' and it scares the living bejeebers out of a lot of Americans. The GOP promises a return to 'The Good Old Days' and many people believe that should happen and that the GOP are the people to do it.

Yes, the world is changing, but I disagree that the USA is dispensable.
The world needs us to be sane, that is true.

71 Charles Johnson  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:30:46pm

Why are all these people on the Internet? Don't they have lives?

72 William Barnett-Lewis  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:31:01pm

re: #61 Gus

Fidel Castro suffered a stroke, Venezuelan doctor says
A Naples doctor said former Cuban leader Fidel Castro is near ‘a neurovegetative state’ after suffering a stroke.

I wondered based on the news that Cubans could leave for "trips". His brother, despite his own real flaws, seems to have paid attention to what happened in Eastern Europe a few years ago and is trying to make the transition a wee bit more like that of East Germany than Romania... ;)

Seriously, I'd rather hope he succeeds. A gentle transition to something a little more like western democracy would be of benefit to everyone.

73 engineer cat  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:31:13pm

re: #61 Gus

Fidel Castro suffered a stroke, Venezuelan doctor says
A Naples doctor said former Cuban leader Fidel Castro is near ‘a neurovegetative state’ after suffering a stroke.

can raul hang on after fidel is gone?

will it be turtles dictators all the way down?

74 efuseakay  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:31:52pm

re: #70 blueraven

Yes, the world is changing, but I disagree that the USA is dispensable.
The world needs us to be sane, that is true.

Too bad half us are completely off our rockers.

75 Charles Johnson  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:32:31pm

Wow, the Twitter counter on this one is headed for 2500.

76 b_sharp  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:33:32pm

re: #66 prairiefire

I've got the biggest right wing toad in my state running against a sitting ~ LADY ~ senator. AND IT'S A CLOSE RACE!

The radical right has convinced a large segment of people that the left is responsible for all the problems facing the country. They use fear mongering.

Science has indicated a correlation between fear and authoritarian right leaning thinking.

77 Gus  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:34:10pm

re: #73 engineer cat

can raul hang on after fidel is gone?

will it be turtles dictators all the way down?

Castro might be dead but we still have Jimmy Carter.
-- Wingnut

//

78 dragonath  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:40:52pm

Image: AP805321054877-cropped-proto-custom_28.jpg

OMG, Romney's palling around with...

79 goddamnedfrank  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:44:44pm

I'm trying to imagine being a Romney supporter, cheering on my candidate for blatantly lying his ass off and cynically attempting to weasel his way out of taking responsibility for long held policy positions. How proud they must be watching this spoiled, greasy con artist deliberately twist the truth into tortured knots in an attempt to win the highest leadership position in the nation.

I just can't do it, I can't understand how these people ignore all semblance of integrity, how they wave away their entire lifetimes of economic data, how they glibly dismiss clear questions of basic civil rights and equality all in service of a simplistic gang mentality.

80 blueraven  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:45:01pm

re: #66 prairiefire

I've got the biggest right wing toad in my state running against a sitting ~ LADY ~ senator. AND IT'S A CLOSE RACE!

Missouri?

81 Gus  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:48:22pm

Tonight, Mitt Romney joked about Barack Obama. Barack Obama, joked about Barack Obama. I'm voting for Obama.

82 prairiefire  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:49:00pm

re: #76 Gangnam Style

I think it's something in the corn.

83 HypnoToad  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:49:28pm

The world is getting unrecognizable. With Castro going, I won't have any of the dictators I remember from my childhood left. Even some whole countries have disappeared. All these changes frighten me, I wanna go back to the way things were when everything was as it should be...

/

84 prairiefire  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:50:29pm

re: #80 blueraven

Missouri?

Yes, aren't you from Savannah?

85 Gus  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:52:04pm

re: #83 HypnoToad

The world is getting unrecognizable. With Castro going, I won't have any of the dictators I remember from my childhood left. Even some whole countries have disappeared. All these changes frighten me, I wanna go back to the way things were when everything was as it should be...

/

The Hypno Toad has made his (verify, copy, psssht) presence! We are not worthy! Where is Floral?

86 blueraven  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:53:12pm

Yesre: #84 prairiefire

Yes, aren't you from Savannah?

Yep...originally.
Thats right, you said you lived in Augusta? for a while?

Been in Austin for more years than I care to count up though.

87 nines09  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:55:34pm

re: #79 goddamnedfrank

I'm trying to imagine being a Romney supporter, cheering on my candidate for blatantly lying his ass off and cynically attempting to weasel his way out of taking responsibility for long held policy positions. How proud they must be watching this spoiled, greasy con artist deliberately twist the truth into tortured knots in an attempt to win the highest leadership position in the nation.

I just can't do it, I can't understand how these people ignore all semblance of integrity, how they wave away their entire lifetimes of economic data, how they glibly dismiss clear questions of basic civil rights and equality all in service of a simplistic gang mentality.

There are Romney signs outnumbering Obama signs all over my town. Today I went to get some Chinese take out and parked next to a van that was about 7 or so years old. It had the "Nobama Stop Socialism" bumper sticker on the back. So I went in and looked around trying to guess who's it was. It was a fellow who was at least late 50's with a ball cap and a souvenir T shirt and not looking particularly well off.. WTF? One stupid dipstick. I know a lawyer, well off, almost made judge in a to remain nameless county, and he's lock stock and barrel gone off the rails. I had to respond on FB as it just got too bad. He was lying. Outright WND lies. Easily found to be outright stupid lies. Birther too. It's a fucking disease.

88 prairiefire  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:58:51pm

re: #86 blueraven

I've been traveling to Dallas to see friends and family since the 80's. Austin is the absolute best place for a lib in that state. I have a high school class mate who lives in TX now and actively worked to get the school curriculum change to a right wing slant.

89 Interesting Times  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 8:59:17pm

re: #79 goddamnedfrank

I just can't do it, I can't understand how these people ignore all semblance of integrity, how they wave away their entire lifetimes of economic data, how they glibly dismiss clear questions of basic civil rights and equality all in service of a simplistic gang mentality.

Their entire sense of self-worth revolves around hating and hurting liberals, and anything they think liberals like. Take that away from them, and they would curl up into a thumb-sucking, blubbering, quivering fetal position.

What a sad way to live.

90 dragonath  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:00:19pm

re: #83 HypnoToad

In MY day, we had REAL dictators, like Enver Pasha and Porfirio Diaz! All your new dictators are just PUNKS!

91 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:00:49pm

I keep forgetting, there is no War on Women.

What could everyone be thinking when they hear about plans to de-fund Planned Parenthood and the supossed shock SHOCK that they don't do mamograms on-site.

OR THAT there is legitimate rape, rape in the military, native american women who have no avenue to pursue justice, GOP Congressman who don't want to renew the Domestic Violence Act because language has been changed to include LGBT individuals . . . . . .should I go on?

No, if you want to know more, or if you don't already know, just look thru my Pages. I've been so naive, believing everything I've posted.

**SPIT**

92 nines09  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:01:23pm

re: #89 Interesting Times

Their entire sense of self-worth revolves around hating and hurting liberals. Take that away from them, and they would curl up into a thumb-sucking, blubbering, quivering fetal position.

What a sad way to live.

They have to have an enemy. It's like that couple who fight all the time. Cheat on each other. Hit and throw things. Why do they stay together? If they left each other there would be no one to blame for their miserable lives.

93 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:02:33pm

re: #87 nines09

There are Romney signs outnumbering Obama signs all over my town. Today I went to get some Chinese take out and parked next to a van that was about 7 or so years old. It had the "Nobama Stop Socialism" bumper sticker on the back. So I went in and looked around trying to guess who's it was. It was a fellow who was at least late 50's with a ball cap and a souvenir T shirt and not looking particularly well off.. WTF? One stupid dipstick. I know a lawyer, well off, almost made judge in a to remain nameless county, and he's lock stock and barrel gone off the rails. I had to respond on FB as it just got too bad. He was lying. Outright WND lies. Easily found to be outright stupid lies. Birther too. It's a fucking disease.

WHAT really gets me is even when LGF leaned to the right, sites like WND were still considered whacko. No, it is mainstream for the right-wing.

94 Interesting Times  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:05:05pm

re: #88 prairiefire

I've been traveling to Dallas to see friends and family since the 80's. Austin is the absolute best place for a lib in that state.

Houston has an openly lesbian mayor, so hopefully that's an indication of at least some progressive inroads there. Is Dallas pretty much a rightwing wasteland, or are there glimmers of hope there as well?

95 nines09  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:06:13pm

re: #93 ggt

I came to the realization that the internet will do just what you want it to. If you are looking to educate yourself you can do it. If you seek truth, you can find it. If you only wish to reinforce a fucked up mind or belief, you can do that too.

96 HypnoToad  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:08:48pm

re: #79 goddamnedfrank

I just can't do it, I can't understand how these people ignore all semblance of integrity, how they wave away their entire lifetimes of economic data, how they glibly dismiss clear questions of basic civil rights and equality all in service of a simplistic gang mentality.

It's even better when they are your relatives. I have to deal with family that thinks things are so bad under Obama that we might as well be living in the former East Germany. I have to be very careful about what I say to avoid irreparable rifts.

97 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:09:54pm

re: #95 nines09

I came to the realization that the internet will do just what you want it to. If you are looking to educate yourself you can do it. If you seek truth, you can find it. If you only wish to reinforce a fucked up mind or belief, you can do that too.

Will it produce those nanos to repair my joints?

98 William Barnett-Lewis  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:09:58pm

re: #90 dragonath

In MY day, we had REAL dictators, like Enver Pasha and Porfirio Diaz! All your new dictators are just PUNKS!

I have a hard time with jokes like these. I watch these sleeze talk about their love of Pinochet or the Argie Junta and remember that my family - my mother was a librarian & my father a janitor, both at the local university & both Union members - would have been some of the first murdered. I'm not even sure what's worse - the union membership or helping educate people. It's hard to give Republicans the benifit of the doubt when you can imagine your mother being thrown out of a helicopter 100 miles out to sea...

99 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:10:45pm

re: #96 HypnoToad

It's even better when they are your relatives. I have to deal with family that thinks things are so bad under Obama that we might as well be living in the former East Germany. I have to be very careful about what I say to avoid irreparable rifts.

I no longer care about irreparable rifts. If people think that I will be silent while they and others decided I am not a human being, they don't need to be in my life.

100 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:11:18pm

re: #98 William Barnett-Lewis

I have a hard time with jokes like these. I watch these sleeze talk about their love of Pinochet or the Argie Junta and remember that my family - my mother was a librarian & my father a janitor, both at the local university & both Union members - would have been some of the first murdered. I'm not even sure what's worse - the union membership or helping educate people. It's hard to give Republicans the benifit of the doubt when you can imagine your mother being thrown out of a helicopter 100 miles out to sea...

I feel the same way about Che.

101 dragonath  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:11:20pm

re: #87 nines09

There are Romney signs outnumbering Obama signs all over my town.

I've been halfway wondering if it's just Obama campaign strategy of having all the obnoxious fanatics out there reveal themselves as assholes to the entire world.

Yeah, probably not, but I still think it's in bad taste to put up signs before the debates are over.

102 nines09  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:13:17pm

re: #97 ggt

Will it produce those nanos to repair my joints?

Just maybe.

103 goddamnedfrank  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:13:54pm

538 just updated, +4.7% on Obama's chance of winning, up to 70.4. Gallup just ain't moving the needle enough.

104 nines09  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:14:11pm

re: #101 dragonath

I look at it as herd fever.

105 JamesWI  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:17:05pm

re: #103 goddamnedfrank

538 just updated, +4.7% on Obama's chance of winning, up to 70.4. Gallup just ain't moving the needle enough.

On Twitter, one of the journalists (can't remember which one) said he talked to an (unnamed) "top GOP pollster," and even he said something like "None of the numbers I'm seeing look anything like what Gallup is putting out there."

106 dragonath  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:17:32pm

re: #98 William Barnett-Lewis

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend. I think, dictators need to be made fun of...

Sadly, not many Americans are really aware of either Pinochet or the Junta.

107 SanFranciscoZionist  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:17:59pm

re: #61 Gus

Fidel Castro suffered a stroke, Venezuelan doctor says
A Naples doctor said former Cuban leader Fidel Castro is near ‘a neurovegetative state’ after suffering a stroke.

When he goes, I plan to hold a party and serve Cuba libres and mojitos.

108 dragonath  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:19:01pm

I wonder if this will change the dynamics of the exile vote? Probably not.

109 Mich-again  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:19:11pm

Paul Ryan is a twerp who brings nothing to the GOP ticket. Mitt would be in no worse shape today had he chosen Sarah Palin as his running mate.

110 Mich-again  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:19:53pm

re: #107 SanFranciscoZionist

When he goes, I plan to hold a party and serve Cuba libres and mojitos.

Heck I thought he was already dead.

111 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:20:19pm

re: #102 nines09

Just maybe.

I wanna 3-D print them, mix them in a smoothie and be better by tomorrow.

112 Mich-again  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:22:28pm

re: #90 dragonath

In MY day, we had REAL dictators, like Enver Pasha and Porfirio Diaz! All your new dictators are just PUNKS!

The threat of drones make it hard to be an old fashioned dictator these days.

113 SanFranciscoZionist  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:22:30pm

re: #110 Mich-again

Heck I thought he was already dead.

Well, according to Gawker, he's still holding on.

I can't drink right now anyway, and I don't actually know how to make a mojito, so this may all be useless talk.

114 nines09  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:22:59pm

re: #111 ggt

I hear you. My mother had rheumatoid arthritis before there was any advances. I had a friend who had polio in his one foot and hand. He was lucky. It stinks.

115 William Barnett-Lewis  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:23:44pm

re: #106 dragonath

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend. I think, dictators need to be made fun of...

Sadly, not many Americans are really aware of either Pinochet or the Junta.

None was taken. This is the one place where I can imagine that statement being true ;) No, I just needed to make my own statement about the rat bastards I've heard praising Pinochet especially. It's as much as I can say within Charles' rules... :eek:

And, yes, you are so terribly right that too many Americans do not have any clue of the evil we have upheld in the name of fighting that other evil...

116 Kragar  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:24:00pm

re: #112 Mich-again

The threat of drones make it hard to be an old fashioned dictator these days.

The real dictators are all running big businesses nowadays.

117 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:24:30pm

Been listening to the Forever War by Joe Haldeman.

A bit sexist (it was written in 1974) but not overly so. What is so good about this book is the main characters constant aging due to the time dilation due his space travels. With each new assignment he is more and more out of sync with people on earth and eventually those on other settlements.

Very much is a should read by the most conservative of citizens. They *might* just see themselves.

Like Rod Serling said -paraphrased--people will accept truth about themselves and their world in fiction, but not in non-fiction.

118 William Barnett-Lewis  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:24:54pm

re: #108 dragonath

I wonder if this will change the dynamics of the exile vote? Probably not.

Too many of them have been raised to believe that Batista was a good guy.

119 Shiplord Kirel  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:27:31pm

I AM a left-handed Irishman, as well as a student of science and history, a veteran, and the father of two daughters. The Republicans declared war on me a long time ago.

120 nines09  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:28:03pm

Nite all. Tomorrows another day.

121 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:28:07pm

Really, I don't know if it is the Feline Overlord or the Trees who are really In Charge. Tress have been known to kill skiers.

For the record, I will give my utmost respect to both.

122 William Barnett-Lewis  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:29:32pm

re: #117 ggt

Been listening to the Forever War by Joe Haldeman.

A bit sexist (it was written in 1974) but not overly so. What is so good about this book is the main characters constant aging due to the time dilation due his space travels. With each new assignment he is more and more out of sync with people on earth and eventually those on other settlements.

Very much is a should read by the most conservative of citizens. They *might* just see themselves.

Like Rod Serling said -paraphrased--people will accept truth about themselves and their world in fiction, but not in non-fiction.

One of the greatest books in SF. The story is that Robert Heinlein, the author of "Starship Troopers" which Haldeman was explicitly contrasting, came up to him at the Hugo awards and shook his hand telling him what a great novel he'd written. Considering the far right love of Bob, I always get a kick out of that tale.

Good stuff.

123 prairiefire  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:30:44pm

re: #94 Interesting Times

Houston has an openly lesbian mayor, so hopefully that's an indication of at least some progressive inroads there. Is Dallas pretty much a rightwing wasteland, or are there glimmers of hope there as well?

Yes, there are glimmers of hope in Dallas. People remember Ann Richards. The Religious Right has grabbed a lot of political power throughout the South and Mid West..

124 darthstar  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:30:54pm

Image: 408680_10151189435024214_1585682823_n.jpg

125 Romantic Heretic  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:32:00pm

re: #117 ggt

Been listening to the Forever War by Joe Haldeman.

A bit sexist (it was written in 1974) but not overly so. What is so good about this book is the main characters constant aging due to the time dilation due his space travels. With each new assignment he is more and more out of sync with people on earth and eventually those on other settlements.

Very much is a should read by the most conservative of citizens. They *might* just see themselves.

Like Rod Serling said -paraphrased--people will accept truth about themselves and their world in fiction, but not in non-fiction.

An old favourite, but I still much prefer Starship Troopers. A sadly misunderstood book in my opinion.

127 Kragar  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:32:24pm

re: #122 William Barnett-Lewis

One of the greatest books in SF. The story is that Robert Heinlein, the author of "Starship Troopers" which Haldeman was explicitly contrasting, came up to him at the Hugo awards and shook his hand telling him what a great novel he'd written. Considering the far right love of Bob, I always get a kick out of that tale.

Good stuff.

The Forever War also did a god job portraying deep space combat and relativistic time dilation caused by speed of light travel.

128 JamesWI  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:35:00pm

Top Romney Foreign Policy Adviser Tied to Lebanese Militia that Committed Massacres

Walid Phares, the recently announced co-chair of GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney's Middle East advisory group, has a long résumé. College professor. Author. Political pundit. Counterterrorism expert. But there's one chapter of his life that you won't find on his CV: He was a high ranking political official in a sectarian religious militia responsible for massacres during Lebanon's brutal, 15-year civil war.

During the 1980s, Phares, a Maronite Christian, trained Lebanese militants in ideological beliefs justifying the war against Lebanon's Muslim and Druze factions, according to former colleagues. Phares, they say, advocated the hard-line view that Lebanon's Christians should work toward creating a separate, independent Christian enclave. A photo obtained by Mother Jones shows him conducting a press conference in 1986 for the Lebanese Forces, an umbrella group of Christian militias that has been accused of committing atrocities. He was also a close adviser to Samir Geagea, a Lebanese warlord who rose from leading hit squads to running the Lebanese Forces.

Since fleeing to the United States in 1990, when the Syrians took over Lebanon, Phares has reinvented himself as a counterterrorism and national security expert, traveling comfortably between official circles and the GOP's anti-Muslim wing. In a little over two decades, he's gone from training Lebanese militants to teaching American law enforcement and intelligence officials about the Middle East, and from advising Lebanese warlords to counseling a man who could be the next president of the United States.

"I can't think of any earlier instance of a [possible presidential] adviser having held a comparable formal position with a foreign organization," says Paul Pillar, a 20-year veteran of the CIA and a professor at Georgetown's Center for Peace and Security Studies. "It should raise eyebrows any time someone in a position to exert behind-the-scenes influence on a US leader has ties to a foreign entity that are strong enough for foreign interests, and not just US interests, to determine the advice being given."

Granted, it's Mother Jones so maybe you have to take it with a grain of salt, but the info seems valid here....

129 prairiefire  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:35:44pm

re: #113 SanFranciscoZionist

May I so politely inquire as to any situation where you could not drink?

130 JamesWI  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:35:53pm

re: #128 JamesWI

Top Romney Foreign Policy Adviser Tied to Lebanese Militia that Committed Massacres

Granted, it's Mother Jones so maybe you have to take it with a grain of salt, but the info seems valid here....

Edit - Year old story, don't know if it's still valid.

131 William Barnett-Lewis  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:37:09pm

re: #125 Romantic Heretic

An old favourite, but I still much prefer Starship Troopers. A sadly misunderstood book in my opinion.

Not sure which I'd call "better" but I really have to agree that ST is badly misunderstood these days...

132 Kragar  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:38:20pm

re: #129 prairiefire

May I so politely inquire as to any situation where you could not drink?

Medical fasting, designated driver, operation of heavy machinery, caring of small children...

133 William Barnett-Lewis  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:38:39pm

re: #127 Kragar

The Forever War also did a god job portraying deep space combat and relativistic time dilation caused by speed of light travel.

Rare that someone make such good use of it as a plot element too. There was the one book of Heinlein's with the psychic twins and that's really about it...

134 William Barnett-Lewis  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:40:45pm

re: #128 JamesWI

Mother Jones is much like the Progressive - you may disagree with their conclusions and their politics, but they've done the best that they can to get their facts straight. I trust them more than any of the mainstream new rags from America.

135 prairiefire  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:41:56pm

re: #134 William Barnett-Lewis

I don't think I trust them as much as the Christian Science Monitor.

136 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:42:10pm

re: #122 William Barnett-Lewis

One of the greatest books in SF. The story is that Robert Heinlein, the author of "Starship Troopers" which Haldeman was explicitly contrasting, came up to him at the Hugo awards and shook his hand telling him what a great novel he'd written. Considering the far right love of Bob, I always get a kick out of that tale.

Good stuff.

So far, I'm enjoying it, but I don't get all the hype about it yet. It's a good book so far, but just not all that earth-shattering to me. Still 1/2 way thru.

Maybe I"m jaded because I've read so many contemporary books and short stories that I can't appreciate the older writers for their vision.

Remember, I watched the first Star Trek on a little B&W tv when I was 3, sitting in my Dad's lap. Been in love with sci-fi ever since. But we had already landed a man on the moon. It's always been obvious to me that that the future is wide open.

137 HappyWarrior  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:42:50pm

I think I read about Phares last year. Anyhow seems to be another in a long line of Romney advisers who are suspect.

138 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:43:48pm

re: #125 Romantic Heretic

An old favourite, but I still much prefer Starship Troopers. A sadly misunderstood book in my opinion.

I like Heinlein too. Haven't read all his stuff. Most is quite visionary.

It's difficult, I think, even for my generation to understand that all the sexual freedom and short skirts were revolutionary in that time period. I'm just shocked at people in today's world who want to back to a time when such behavior was criminal.

139 Kragar  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:45:12pm

re: #136 ggt

So far, I'm enjoying it, but I don't get all the hype about it yet. It's a good book so far, but just not all that earth-shattering to me. Still 1/2 way thru.

Maybe I"m jaded because I've read so many contemporary books and short stories that I can't appreciate the older writers for their vision.

Remember, I watched the first Star Trek on a little B&W tv when I was 3, sitting in my Dad's lap. Been in love with sci-fi ever since. But we had already landed a man on the moon. It's always been obvious to me that that the future is wide open.

You've got to remember it came out in 1974 and dealt with issues such as homosexuality, disillusioned veterans, and the military mindset.

140 freetoken  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:45:31pm

A story that just sounds incomplete:

GOP employee testifies in Iowa bias lawsuit

141 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:47:12pm

re: #139 Kragar

You've got to remember it came out in 1974 and dealt with issues such as homosexuality, disillusioned veterans, and the military mindset.

Yeah, I keep reminding myself as I read.

What I think is interesting is that in the book Earth de-sexualizes conception and makes everyone homosexual to control the population size. Today, we can't even get the Whacko's to accept contraception as an economic need.

142 William Barnett-Lewis  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:48:02pm

re: #136 ggt

That's cool.

Did you finish Existence? What did you think of it? I found reading it to be massive amounts of fun - lots of interesting ideas, entertaining characters and certainly an entertaining take on the Fermi Paradox.

143 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:49:19pm

I'm still blown away by the last David Brin novel, Existence, which I just finished.

It was 3 or 4 downloads in audio. I may have to listen again to get the full impact. I think I missed a lot.

Master and the Margarita too. A lot going on and I know I missed some.

144 Kragar  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:49:27pm

re: #141 ggt

Yeah, I keep reminding myself as I read.

What I think is interesting is that in the book Earth de-sexualizes conception and makes everyone homosexual to control the population size. Today, we can't even get the Whacko's to accept contraception as an economic need.

Which reminds me, I've been meaning to get myself a copy of "The Uplift War" again.

145 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:50:09pm

re: #142 William Barnett-Lewis

That's cool.

Did you finish Existence? What did you think of it? I found reading it to be massive amounts of fun - lots of interesting ideas, entertaining characters and certainly an entertaining take on the Fermi Paradox.

see my #143

I'm still pondering the Righteous Indignation as addiction meme. That one really hit home.

146 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:51:15pm

re: #144 Kragar

Which reminds me, I've been meaning to get myself a copy of "The Uplift War" again.

That's in my queue. I have 3 credits left on Audible. I might have read it a long time ago.

I wanna go thru the Foundation series again. I remember almost nothing about it. Other than I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'd like to enjoy it again.

147 William Barnett-Lewis  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:51:17pm

re: #139 Kragar

You've got to remember it came out in 1974 and dealt with issues such as homosexuality, disillusioned veterans, and the military mindset.

Major uproar.

All the more magnified because he was a Combat vet in Vietnam. There is a lot in the book that can only be understood in that context.

148 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:54:19pm

re: #142 William Barnett-Lewis

That's cool.

Did you finish Existence? What did you think of it? I found reading it to be massive amounts of fun - lots of interesting ideas, entertaining characters and certainly an entertaining take on the Fermi Paradox.

The thing about the Fermi Paradox and Time dilation that has always struck me as strange in most Sci-Fi --like Star Trek etc --is the real-time communications between "settlements" or "civilizations". It just wouldn't work with space travel as we know it.

also recently finished the Empress of Mars by Kage Baker. It seemed more realistic than most of the stories. Real politik and crap.

149 Kragar  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:56:03pm

re: #146 ggt

That's in my queue. I have 3 credits left on Audible. I might have read it a long time ago.

I wanna go thru the Foundation series again. I remember almost nothing about it. Other than I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'd like to enjoy it again.

The first 3 books were good, but it definitely went downhill after that.

150 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:56:05pm

Does anyone know a good historical fiction or "not dry and boring academic" non-fiction book about the French Revolution or the time period leading up to it?

I've read Le Mis (audio version --a gazillion downloads, but more than worth it).

151 William Barnett-Lewis  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:56:21pm

re: #146 ggt

Foundation was Asimov's best work. I was never as fond of him as I was of Clarke or Heinlein when I was growing up. That said, I always knew an Asimov book would be worth the time spent.

Since you liked Existence, can I suggest that you check out his earlier novel "Earth"? Glorious in all the same great ways that Existence is. Just read it and, only after, check the publication date... ;)

152 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:56:23pm

re: #149 Kragar

The first 3 books were good, but it definitely went downhill after that.

Like Ender's Game.

That turned godawful.

153 HypnoToad  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:56:25pm

re: #136 ggt

Remember, I watched the first Star Trek on a little B&W tv when I was 3, sitting in my Dad's lap. Been in love with sci-fi ever since. But we had already landed a man on the moon. It's always been obvious to me that that the future is wide open.

I grew up with the Apollo program and was a total space geek. Star Trek, StarWars, Amateur astronomy, all the SF I could read. I was frustrated sometimes at the slow progress reality was making relative to my SF expectations.

One day, I was at my desk at work and heard the double boom of a reentering shuttle. (the first of many times) I thought, There's a returning orbital shuttle! I then looked at the computer in front of me and realized that part of that dreamt about future was actually real. Today, we know of thousands of confirmed extrasolar planets. That was something I never thought I'd live to know. For all of our problems, what an incredible time to be alive.

154 Tiny Alien Kitties are Watching You  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:56:59pm

I put a new page up about Ryan and the soup kitchen photo-op because of the backlash by Ryan supporters against the charity. I knew that was going to happen as soon as the story hit the news, the charity president was being "too honest" about exactly what happened.

No good deed ever goes unpunished I guess... :(

155 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:58:30pm

re: #153 HypnoToad

I grew up with the Apollo program and was a total space geek. Star Trek, StarWars, Amateur astronomy, all the SF I could read. I was frustrated sometimes at the slow progress reality was making relative to my SF expectations.

One day, I was at my desk at work and heard the double boom of a reentering shuttle. (the first of many times) I thought, There's a returning orbital shuttle! I then looked at the computer in front of me and realized that part of that dreamt about future was actually real. Today, we know of thousands of confirmed extrasolar planets. That was something I never thought I'd live to know. For all of our problems, what an incredible time to be alive.

I know, SCIENCE IS SO KEWL!!!!!!

Then I hear from the Whackos that we've done some great disservice to our country becauses the Chinese will get to Mars first. All I can think is: "Humans on Mars!!!! how kewl is that?"

156 Kragar  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:58:45pm

re: #152 ggt

Like Ender's Game.

That turned godawful.

1st book was great, second was good, third was WTF, didn't read anything after that.

157 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 9:59:34pm

re: #156 Kragar

1st book was great, second was good, third was WTF, didn't read anything after that.

I quit reading after the OCD asian chick and her hard-wood floor.

158 prairiefire  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:01:17pm

re: #150 ggt

"A Tale Of Two Cities" by Dickens.

159 William Barnett-Lewis  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:01:26pm

re: #153 HypnoToad

As of this week, we know there is a least one earth mass planet in orbit around Alpha Centauri B. There may well be more.

4.5 light years. Even without raping Einstein, that's doable. We can get all the eggs out of one basket.

160 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:05:00pm

seen this one yet?

161 HypnoToad  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:05:54pm

re: #159 William Barnett-Lewis

As of this week, we know there is a least one earth mass planet in orbit around Alpha Centauri B. There may well be more.

4.5 light years. Even without raping Einstein, that's doable. We can get all the eggs out of one basket.

Only if you want them fried. Unfortunately, that planet is in a tight orbit. (3 or 4 days) The surface is certainly molten. Let's hope there are others.

162 Kragar  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:06:09pm

re: #159 William Barnett-Lewis

As of this week, we know there is a least one earth mass planet in orbit around Alpha Centauri B. There may well be more.

4.5 light years. Even without raping Einstein, that's doable. We can get all the eggs out of one basket.

Image: tumblr_m709ev4wHY1qz7kizo1_500.jpg

163 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:06:15pm

re: #158 prairiefire

"A Tale Of Two Cities" by Dickens.

ugh, I hate Dickens. Paid by the number of words written author. Dumas (fils?), from that category, is so much better.

164 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:08:35pm

re: #151 William Barnett-Lewis

Foundation was Asimov's best work. I was never as fond of him as I was of Clarke or Heinlein when I was growing up. That said, I always knew an Asimov book would be worth the time spent.

Since you liked Existence, can I suggest that you check out his earlier novel "Earth"? Glorious in all the same great ways that Existence is. Just read it and, only after, check the publication date... ;)

I'll add it it to my queue. Existence is the first Brin I remember reading/listening to and I since I enjoyed it so much, I was wondering which of his to read next. I really like his youtube that was going around fb a month or so ago --someone posted in in the Pages as well.

165 Kragar  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:08:51pm

re: #163 ggt

ugh, I hate Dickens. Paid by the number of words written author. Dumas (fils?), from that category, is so much better.

Ever read "Count of Monte Cristo"?

166 Targetpractice  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:11:14pm

re: #159 William Barnett-Lewis

As of this week, we know there is a least one earth mass planet in orbit around Alpha Centauri B. There may well be more.

4.5 light years. Even without raping Einstein, that's doable. We can get all the eggs out of one basket.

Generational ship, perhaps?

167 Kragar  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:12:53pm

re: #166 Targetpractice

Generational ship, perhaps?

The thing about generationals is "Congratulations on your baby boy, he'll be an engineer when he grows up. No, its already been decided, we're behind quota."

168 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:12:58pm

Just went to my library on audible.com. I listened to The Sundiver by David Brin last summer. Same download time as Master and the Margarita. Master and the Margarita must have overshadowed Sundiver, because I don't have any memory of it.

I tend to forget books I don't enjoy or don't seem to think worth remembering. (technique I've used because the old brain only has so much RAM) What was so great about this one?

169 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:14:50pm

re: #165 Kragar

Ever read "Count of Monte Cristo"?

LOVED IT--read it twice and I think I've seen every version of the movie.
Yes, the book was wordy. But I liked it!

The Gerard Depardieu movie was the BEST!

170 William Barnett-Lewis  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:15:42pm

re: #166 Targetpractice

Generational ship, perhaps?

I was thinking even 1/4c from fusion drives. That would get us someone there within a normal lifetime. If something seriously interesting were there (see Centauri Knights ;) then we can get more people there by means such as that.

171 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:16:08pm

re: #167 Kragar

The thing about generationals is "Congratulations on your baby boy, he'll be an engineer when he grows up. No, its already been decided, we're behind quota."

Footfall, Larry Niven. The aliens on the generational ship decided they didn't want to be land lubbers --I loved that concept.

172 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:17:56pm

re: #170 William Barnett-Lewis

I was thinking even 1/4c from fusion drives. That would get us someone there within a normal lifetime. If something seriously interesting were there (see Centauri Knights ;) then we can get more people there by means such as that.

I don't think conventional travel will do it. We'll have to learn to move thru space in another way --a way that today is still probably considered under the "fantasy" genre. Science will get there, I have *faith* :)

173 dragonath  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:18:05pm
Youtube Video
174 Targetpractice  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:18:12pm

re: #170 William Barnett-Lewis

I was thinking even 1/4c from fusion drives. That would get us someone there within a normal lifetime. If something seriously interesting were there (see Centauri Knights ;) then we can get more people there by means such as that.

Project Daedalus?

175 Kragar  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:21:24pm

re: #169 ggt

LOVED IT--read it twice and I think I've seen every version of the movie.
Yes, the book was wordy. But I liked it!

The Gerard Depardieu movie was the BEST!

I liked the Jim Caviezel version

Youtube Video
176 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:23:33pm

I just set my bluetooth up to my macbook. No more ear bud wires!!!!

I feel so 21st century --I did it ALL BY MYSELF :)

177 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:24:27pm

re: #175 Kragar

I liked the Jim Caviezel version

[Embedded content]

I'll check it out!

178 William Barnett-Lewis  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:26:17pm

G'night all!

179 Gretchen G.Tiger  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:29:29pm

Me too! Have a great evening/morning.

180 moderatelyradicalliberal  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:32:29pm

re: #103 goddamnedfrank

538 just updated, +4.7% on Obama's chance of winning, up to 70.4. Gallup just ain't moving the needle enough.

Nate said that if Romney ever got to a 40% chance of winning the race would officially be a toss-up. It gives me some comfort to know that even at his best Willard was still falling short. Hopefully, the foreign policy debate will go very well for Obama and the OFA ground game is as good if not better then 2008.

181 Tiny Alien Kitties are Watching You  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:39:25pm

The Hyperion books by Dan Simmons are excellent sci-fi, my personal favorites of all time so far. If your deeply Christian you may have a bit of a problem with the last two because the main supporting character is a sort of, kind of, female replacement for Jesus, not religiously but functionally. It is a very different and deeply and intricately wrought plot about man vs. the artificial intelligences he has created.


Hyperion (1989)
The Fall of Hyperion (1990)
Endymion (1996)
The Rise of Endymion (1997)

182 Targetpractice  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:42:42pm

re: #180 moderatelyradicalliberal

Nate said that if Romney ever got to a 40% chance of winning the race would officially be a toss-up. It gives me some comfort to know that even at his best Willard was still falling short. Hopefully, the foreign policy debate will go very well for Obama and the OFA ground game is as good if not better then 2008.

Nate pretty much said today that Gallup, when it's this badly off the baseline, is generally in for a bad finish. That when the trend has the race virtually tied, with a slight Obama advantage, Gallup saying Romney has a seven point lead makes it a pretty glaring outlier. Not that Gallup should be ignored, just viewed in context.

183 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:47:07pm

re: #163 ggt

ugh, I hate Dickens. Paid by the number of words written author. Dumas (fils?), from that category, is so much better.

Youtube Video

That's Dikkens with two "k"s, the well known Dutch author? Or maybe something by Edmond Wells?

184 sagehen  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:48:52pm

re: #159 William Barnett-Lewis

As of this week, we know there is a least one earth mass planet in orbit around Alpha Centauri B. There may well be more.

4.5 light years. Even without raping Einstein, that's doable. We can get all the eggs out of one basket.

Fuck Londo and the rest of the Centauris. I want to do a Kim Stanley Robinson on Mars.

185 Kragar  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 10:50:23pm

re: #181 Tiny Alien Kitties are Watching You

The Hyperion books by Dan Simmons are excellent sci-fi, my personal favorites of all time so far. If your deeply Christian you may have a bit of a problem with the last two because the main supporting character is a sort of, kind of, female replacement for Jesus, not religiously but functionally. It is a very different and deeply and intricately wrought plot about man vs. the artificial intelligences he has created.

Hyperion (1989)
The Fall of Hyperion (1990)
Endymion (1996)
The Rise of Endymion (1997)

Personal favorites are the Eisenhorn books.

Inquisitor Eisenhorn is one on the most senior members of the Imperial Inquisition. With his warband he scourges the galaxy in order to root out heresy. When that heresy is found to infiltrate the hierarchy of the Imperium and the Inquisition itself, he must rely on himself alone to deal with it - even if it means making deals with the enemy.

186 goddamnedfrank  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 11:30:07pm

At least a few people caught on and are starting to write about Mitt's mendacity.

During Tuesday's debate, Mitt Romney did a sneaky little pivot on the issue of contraception coverage that surely went over the head of most of the people watching. What Romney supports is a Republican bill, the Blunt amendment, that would allow any employer to refuse to include coverage for contraception in employees' health insurance. For many women, that would mean they would be shut out of getting contraception through the plans that, we should note, they paid for themselves (insurance coverage isn't a favor your employer does for you, it's part of your compensation that you get in return for your labor, which means you paid for it). But when it came up in the debate, Romney said this:

"I don't believe that bureaucrats in Washington should tell someone whether they can use contraceptives or not. And I don't believe employers should tell someone whether they could have contraceptive care of not. Every woman in America should have access to contraceptives. And—and the—and the president's statement of my policy is completely and totally wrong."

See what he did there? Instead of answering the actual question of whether your boss should be able to take your coverage for contraception away, he answered a question nobody ever asked, which is whether the government should ban contraception, or whether your boss should be able to literally come to your doctor's office during your appointment and grab the prescription for birth control pills out of your hand. In other words, Romney thinks your boss should be able to cancel your coverage for contraception, but he generously acknowledges that your boss shouldn't actually tell you whether you can use contraception or not. You're welcome, ladies.

In a normal, non-Bizarro version of reality the shitty little two faced stunt Romney pulled in the last debate would be a total disqualifier for any national service. He not only sacrificed his own integrity in order to pretend he was so utterly ignorant of the issue at hand, he insulted the intelligence of the entire nation. The very next day his glib hyperliteralism took a turn into outright lying when he pretended not to recognize his support for the legislation even when the questioner accurately called it the Blunt-Rubio amendment by name.

He explained that he was confused by the question and thought the reporter was referencing legislation in Ohio, despite the fact that it was explicitly referred to as Blunt-Rubio.

"I didn't understand his question, of course I support the Blunt amendment," he said. "I thought he was talking about some state law that prevented people from getting contraception so I was simply -- misunderstood the question and of course I support the Blunt amendment."

There is simply no way in hell that Romney "misunderstood" the question. He's been prepping to address his support of the Blunt Amendment in debate training sessions for months, and this, thin, transparent, totally bullshit pretend confusion was the best strategy Mitt and his team of mountain trolls could come up with. If you find his explanation to be at all credible then the man is playing you for a fool.

187 engineer cat  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 11:54:47pm

re: #182 Targetpractice

Nate pretty much said today that Gallup, when it's this badly off the baseline, is generally in for a bad finish. That when the trend has the race virtually tied, with a slight Obama advantage, Gallup saying Romney has a seven point lead makes it a pretty glaring outlier. Not that Gallup should be ignored, just viewed in context.

anybody know what's happening in the betting markets?

188 sagehen  Thu, Oct 18, 2012 11:58:13pm

re: #187 engineer cat

anybody know what's happening in the betting markets?

Intrade has Obama at 62.2

189 engineer cat  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 12:18:32am

re: #44 moderatelyradicalliberal

This shit ain't over til its over.

two weeks and four days

too soon to see results from this weeks debate tho

190 Big Joe  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 12:22:22am

a little sick humor.

Image: eDGGJ.jpg

191 MittDoesNotCompute  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 12:26:19am

re: #190 Big Joe

a little sick humor.

Image: eDGGJ.jpg

Intentional pun? Yeah, I think so...

;-P

192 AK-47%  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 12:37:35am

So what if Virgina passes a law requiring a rectal sound probe for all Irishmen who want to use a pen or scissors in their left hand?

193 freetoken  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 1:20:43am

Now, for some longhair diversion:

Antonio Salieri's "Requiem":

MP3 Audio
194 AK-47%  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 1:29:05am

While we're turning this site into a requieation area, one of my favorite pop songs as a kid:

Youtube Video
195 Kremer  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 1:31:35am

re: #170 William Barnett-Lewis

I was thinking even 1/4c from fusion drives. That would get us someone there within a normal lifetime. If something seriously interesting were there (see Centauri Knights ;) then we can get more people there by means such as that.

Problem is, no matter what (or who) we send, there's no way to get the info back to Earth without returning a ship or probe. We don't have laser tech to span that distance (to be detectable), and any type of radio signal would need a gigawatt-powered transmitter to be reliably received... with at least enough bandwidth for comprehensible data/image transmission.

196 researchok  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 1:34:30am

Morning, all

197 Kremer  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 1:40:12am

re: #172 ggt

I don't think conventional travel will do it. We'll have to learn to move thru space in another way --a way that today is still probably considered under the "fantasy" genre. Science will get there, I have *faith* :)

Star Trek "warp" isn't that far-fetched it seems - you 'wrap' the vehicle in a normal space bubble. FTL could then be possible, because the 'bubble' doesn't exist in normal space/time. It's already theoretically possible, the big problem is the power required to make it happen.

Power always tends to be the stumbling block for most high-tech, out-of-the-box theories for future propulsion systems. (And weapons, too.)

198 AK-47%  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 1:42:18am

We couldn't achieve heavier-than-air flight until we developed engines that produced more power than they needed to lift themselves off the ground.

I am sure we will get there. And if we do it right, we we get ther yesterday...

199 Kremer  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 1:48:04am

re: #194 AK-47%

While we're turning this site into a requieation area, one of my favorite pop songs as a kid:

[Embedded content]

Haven't heard that in a long while. Great production considering the studio tech at the time it was recorded.

200 AK-47%  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 2:04:47am

re: #199 Kremer

Haven't heard that in a long while. Great production considering the studio tech at the time it was recorded.

A truly underrated vocal band of that era.

201 researchok  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 2:21:39am

re: #193 freetoken

Favorited.

A great example of why opera matters.

Great convergence of orchestra and voice.

TY-

202 Cannadian Club Akbar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 3:15:08am

Ah, Ft. Myers. Nice county jail there. They even serve coffee with breakfast. Or so I hear.
Morning Honcos.

203 Cannadian Club Akbar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 3:18:34am

The news station I usually listen to is giving me a 404 code so I decided to jump to the sports one from the same complex. Another 404. But other streaming stations are working.

204 Cannadian Club Akbar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 3:35:48am

Cannonball!!! Into, or onto, a frozen pool!!!

Youtube Video
205 Cannadian Club Akbar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 3:45:38am

Man Runs Entire Baltimore Marathon In Flip Flops
Keith Levasseur ran the Baltimore Marathon on Saturday in 2:46:58 and did all 26 miles in flip flops.
[Link: baltimore.cbslocal.com...]
Incredible feet.
/

206 Cannadian Club Akbar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 4:00:39am

re: #205 Cannadian Club Akbar

Man Runs Entire Baltimore Marathon In Flip Flops
Keith Levasseur ran the Baltimore Marathon on Saturday in 2:46:58 and did all 26 miles in flip flops.
[Link: baltimore.cbslocal.com...]
Incredible feet.
/

In a related note, Paul Ryan ran the marathon in 2:44:19 wearing ice skates.
/

207 Cannadian Club Akbar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 4:12:08am

Dildo Removed From Man's Intestines (GRAPHIC LANGUAGE)
The dildo measured roughly 9 inches long and three inches wide.
[Link: www.huffingtonpost.com...]
That's no Fazzoletti Jerry.

208 AK-47%  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 4:21:40am

I seem to recall that someone once did a doctoral thesis on "Vacuum-Cleaner Related Penis Trauma"

I see another thesis in the making here...

209 Cannadian Club Akbar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 4:22:55am

re: #208 AK-47%

I seem to recall that someone once did a doctoral thesis on "Vacuum-Cleaner Related Penis Trauma"

I see another thesis in the making here...

I recall a guy sticking it into one of the jets in a hotel pool and EMS had to be called.

210 Cannadian Club Akbar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 4:24:24am

re: #209 Cannadian Club Akbar

Not the jet, a suction fitting.
[Link: www.snopes.com...]

211 AK-47%  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 4:30:48am

This could become an entire branch of medical research.

212 Cannadian Club Akbar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 4:33:26am

O.J. Simpson Trying To Sell Knife He Allegedly Used To Murder Nicole Brown Simpson, Ron Goldman: Report
[Link: www.huffingtonpost.com...]

213 AK-47%  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 4:34:32am

I didn't do it, but If I did, this is what would've used ?!? WWTTTTTFFFFF?!?

214 Cannadian Club Akbar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 4:41:12am

re: #212 Cannadian Club Akbar

And since the National Enquirer is the source, remember this:
How do you assess the coverage of the case by the National Enquirer?

The irony is that the press that had the most significant and relevant and tangible evidence turned out to be the National Enquirer.

... The National Enquirer was very effective at saying: "We're going to go to the source. We're not going to do this behind our desk. We're not even going to do it by phone. We're going to go out and saturate the community." They went to places where knives were sold; they followed every rumor; they talked to every witness; and they were able to bring in things in a very significant way that other journalists had just missed. Most journalists were focused on what was going on in the courtroom, and the National Enquirer was focused on what happened outside the courtroom, where evidence is collected and created and preserved.
[Link: www.pbs.org...]

215 Cannadian Club Akbar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 4:49:15am

Cape Man Wins $30.5M Lottery Jackpot After Girlfriend Dumps Him
“No, no lucky girlfriend, just broke up with her, Nice. Ha ha. Thank God!” he giggled.
[Link: boston.cbslocal.com...]

216 Tigger2005  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 4:53:41am

re: #4 Ghost of Tom Joad

I'm beginning to think this whole election is nothing more than a psychology experiment being performed by UC Berkeley or something. How close can a party come to winning an election while at the same time trying to do everything they can to lose it?

This guy just gets worse as each day goes by.

I literally get sick to my stomach when I think of two men I know...my older brother and a friend of mine...both with daughters...who just mindlessly, slavishly support Romney/Ryan, "liking" every post on Facebook supporting them, insisting Romney "won" the second debate, etc. I just don't get it. These are good, honest men who would not dream of lying and flipflopping their asses off like Romney/Ryan, and wouldn't take the same kind of b.s. from anyone in person. I realize we all forgive a lot in our politicians that we wouldn't forgive in other people...but isn't there ANY limit?

217 Tigger2005  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 4:59:37am

re: #212 Cannadian Club Akbar

O.J. Simpson Trying To Sell Knife He Allegedly Used To Murder Nicole Brown Simpson, Ron Goldman: Report
[Link: www.huffingtonpost.com...]

I would take that with several tons of rock salt. Despite the police bungling I sincerely doubt Simpson left that knife anywhere he could find it later, or where anyone else could find it and know that it was his knife. It's in a trash heap somewhere.

218 Sheila Broflovski  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 5:01:15am

While I am thrilled with the Tigers' win, it seemed to me that the Yankees really sucked, like they didn't give a shit any more.

219 Cannadian Club Akbar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 5:08:34am

re: #218 Sheila Broflovski

While I am thrilled with the Tigers' win, it seemed to me that the Yankees really sucked, like they didn't give a shit any more.

I saw an article earlier that said the Yanks gave up. Whatever. I was listening to sports talk out of Tampa yesterday and the host was saying that Sabathia was missing the strike zone high and the Tigers were gonna tee off on him. And they did. Good for them. I love Jim Leyland.

220 Tigger2005  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 5:09:05am

re: #197 Kremer

Star Trek "warp" isn't that far-fetched it seems - you 'wrap' the vehicle in a normal space bubble. FTL could then be possible, because the 'bubble' doesn't exist in normal space/time. It's already theoretically possible, the big problem is the power required to make it happen.

Power always tends to be the stumbling block for most high-tech, out-of-the-box theories for future propulsion systems. (And weapons, too.)

I read an article about that just recently where they've taken a big step toward reducing (theoretically) the power needed. You might Google for it.

221 Sheila Broflovski  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 5:12:18am

re: #219 Cannadian Club Akbar

I saw an article earlier that said the Yanks gave up. Whatever. I was listening to sports talk out of Tampa yesterday and the host was saying that Sabathia was missing the strike zone high and the Tigers were gonna tee off on him. And they did. Good for them. I love Jim Leyland.

Losing the first two games at Yankee Stadum was a real downer for them.

Whatevs, I'll take a Tigers win any way it comes.

OF COURSE I had to buy my grandson a Tigers jersey!

222 Cannadian Club Akbar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 5:16:57am

re: #221 Sheila Broflovski

Losing the first two games at Yankee Stadum was a real downer for them.

Whatevs, I'll take a Tigers win any way it comes.

OF COURSE I had to buy my grandson a Tigers jersey!

Here's is what is fucked up. The Yanks didn't sell out Game 2 before the game, not sure if they eventually did.
[Link: espn.go.com...]

223 Tigger2005  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 5:23:56am

re: #153 HypnoToad

I grew up with the Apollo program and was a total space geek. Star Trek, StarWars, Amateur astronomy, all the SF I could read. I was frustrated sometimes at the slow progress reality was making relative to my SF expectations.

One day, I was at my desk at work and heard the double boom of a reentering shuttle. (the first of many times) I thought, There's a returning orbital shuttle! I then looked at the computer in front of me and realized that part of that dreamt about future was actually real. Today, we know of thousands of confirmed extrasolar planets. That was something I never thought I'd live to know. For all of our problems, what an incredible time to be alive.

One of my favorite books as a kid, I can't remember the title, but it was mostly a picture book and was about this boy and his dad taking a trip to the Moon. They go to a space station first, then on to the lunar base. In the last illustration in the book, they are standing on a ridge on the lunar surface, looking up at Mars and saying "Someday we'll go there, too." Gave me the chills and I was maybe 6 or 7 years old.

I just never understood people without curiosity, and unfortunately that included an older brother and sister. My brother once literally flew into a spitting, teeth-grinding rage when I tried to talk to him about how amazing it would be to explore other worlds. "I don't want to live in space!" he snarled. Then there is my sister, once I found some old newspapers my mom had saved about the Apollo missions and the Kennedy assassination, and brought them upstairs to read. She couldn't understand it. "Why is he reading those stupid old papers?" she asked my mom. My mom tried to explain I had a curious and questioning mind. My sister just looked at her blankly. She didn't get it.

224 Cannadian Club Akbar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 5:26:23am

Wow. Yankees payroll for 2012- $195,477,900.

225 Sheila Broflovski  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 5:28:17am

re: #222 Cannadian Club Akbar

Here's is what is fucked up. The Yanks didn't sell out Game 2 before the game, not sure if they eventually did.
[Link: espn.go.com...]

Well you know what, I really enjoy watching the game at home on a wide screen TV. But there is something special about being there at the stadium, especially for a championship game.

226 Cannadian Club Akbar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 5:30:12am

re: #225 Sheila Broflovski

Well, you got the whole World Series to go to if you choose.

227 Sheila Broflovski  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 5:31:25am

re: #226 Cannadian Club Akbar

Well, you got the whole World Series to go to if you choose.

I'm not paying a bunch of money for World Series tickets when I have a 50" HDTV and a laptop.

228 Decatur Deb  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 5:32:45am

re: #216 Tigger2005

I literally get sick to my stomach when I think of two men I know...my older brother and a friend of mine...both with daughters...who just mindlessly, slavishly support Romney/Ryan, "liking" every post on Facebook supporting them, insisting Romney "won" the second debate, etc. I just don't get it. These are good, honest men who would not dream of lying and flipflopping their asses off like Romney/Ryan, and wouldn't take the same kind of b.s. from anyone in person. I realize we all forgive a lot in our politicians that we wouldn't forgive in other people...but isn't there ANY limit?

The TPGOP leadership doesn't confuse me--they are simply insane or soul-dead. It's the normal 50% percent of the electorate, those who once would have run away from such mindless evil, that worries me.

229 Cannadian Club Akbar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 5:33:00am

re: #227 Sheila Broflovski

I'm not paying a bunch of money for World Series tickets when I have a 50" HDTV and a laptop.

I paid $325 a piece for Stanley Cup Game 7 tickets in 2004. But there aren't all that many game 7's in the finals.

230 Sheila Broflovski  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 5:34:02am

I hope the Giants win the NLCS, the Tigers have already faced the Cards in a WS.

231 Cannadian Club Akbar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 5:35:38am

re: #230 Sheila Broflovski

I hope the Giants win the NLCS, the Tigers have already faced the Cards in a WS.

So does Darth.

232 Cannadian Club Akbar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 5:44:57am

Fidel Castro suffered a stroke, Venezuelan doctor says
A Naples doctor said former Cuban leader Fidel Castro is near ‘a neurovegetative state’ after suffering a stroke.

Read more here: [Link: www.miamiherald.com...]

233 Decatur Deb  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 5:45:46am

re: #232 Cannadian Club Akbar

Fidel Castro suffered a stroke, Venezuelan doctor says
A Naples doctor said former Cuban leader Fidel Castro is near ‘a neurovegetative state’ after suffering a stroke.

Read more here: [Link: www.miamiherald.com...]

"Paging Dr. Frist..."

234 Sheila Broflovski  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 5:45:55am

re: #232 Cannadian Club Akbar

Fidel Castro suffered a stroke, Venezuelan doctor says
A Naples doctor said former Cuban leader Fidel Castro is near ‘a neurovegetative state’ after suffering a stroke.

Read more here: [Link: www.miamiherald.com...]

JUST DIE ALREADY.

235 Cannadian Club Akbar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 5:55:58am

re: #233 Decatur Deb

"Paging Dr. Frist Kevorkian..."

236 A Mom Anon  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 6:00:22am

On Sunday Jon Stewart is hosting the annual "Night of Too Many Stars" to support autism education and other programs. Watch and support if you can.
[Link: www.comedycentral.com...]

I normally don't go all out for charities,especially the ones run like corporations. This event raises money for many local programs in the various states,not one single entity. So many families and individuals are struggling to make life work with autism,it's really hard sometimes and even with all the awareness and education,people do not understand. In this pre-election time,many give to their party or candidate of choice. But if you have any money to spare,support of local autism programs(especially those for families and for teens and adults with autism)is a great way to help your community. So give if you can,damnit!!!

(end of your friendly neighborhood PSA)

237 Cannadian Club Akbar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 6:02:30am

Seems the entire iHeartRadio stream is down. Checked Tampa, Miami, San Antonio, LA....

238 Mr.Boots  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 6:05:24am

re: #228 Decatur Deb

Conservatism is the new macho for many men. It allows them to talk "tough" and be snarky while hiding behind the facade of "refusing to be politically correct," a "bleeding heart lib" attitude. I dealt, before retirement, with many young men who talked the conservative talk on Iraq, but wouldn't walk the walk by serving. That was for the as yet unlabeled 47%.

239 GunstarGreen  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 6:17:10am

re: #11 Mark Winter

Why is this a close election?

Two reasons, primarily.

1) Most Americans treat politics like sports. They pick a team and then root for that team to win no matter the cost. The other team is evil not because of their ideas, but solely because they are The Other Team. Deriding their ideas as evil simply comes in the course of rooting for Our Team and booing Their Team.

2) The news media is a for-profit industry, and has a vested financial interest in making the race seem close (and doing what they can to keep it close) in order to drive viewer/readership.

240 Sheila Broflovski  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 6:22:09am
241 BongCrodny  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 6:28:26am

I was really interested in the baseball playoffs this year, with Washington, Baltimore and Oakland all in the running.

And of course, all three of them lost.

242 Interesting Times  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 6:28:57am
243 BongCrodny  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 6:30:12am

re: #240 Sheila Broflovski

[Embedded content]

You've heard of the Evil Eye?

Well, that's the Evil Romneye.

244 Cannadian Club Akbar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 6:39:30am

12 Unsolved Murders Have Possible Ties to Manson Family, LAPD Says
[Link: www.nbclosangeles.com...]
Whoa.

245 William Barnett-Lewis  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 6:56:48am

Happy 25th Anniversary of Black Monday! The stock market lost 22% that day.

246 Reverend Mother Ramallo  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 6:59:13am

Image: 557791_422242691176147_376631810_n.jpg

Children get it...

247 Gretchen G.Tiger  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 6:59:43am

re: #197 Kremer

Star Trek "warp" isn't that far-fetched it seems - you 'wrap' the vehicle in a normal space bubble. FTL could then be possible, because the 'bubble' doesn't exist in normal space/time. It's already theoretically possible, the big problem is the power required to make it happen.

Power always tends to be the stumbling block for most high-tech, out-of-the-box theories for future propulsion systems. (And weapons, too.)

Yeah, I remember now. Thanks!

248 lawhawk  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 7:00:53am

Greets and saluts from the NYC metro area. BBC News is reporting that a car bomb went off in Beirut, and I wouldn't bet against the possibility that it's spillover from the ongoing Syrian civil war.

That follows reports that BBC satellite feeds are being purposefully disrupted in Europe and Middle East - also over its ongoing coverage of events there. Iran is being fingered as a possible culprit.

Turkey again retaliated for more mortar shells falling on its territory, and the concern remains that the situation might force Turkey to take even stronger action against Syria - even as no one is quite sure which side is engaging in the cross-border strikes.

249 Reverend Mother Ramallo  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 7:07:07am

Image: 602638_427641510616219_1660808944_n.jpg

Late morning funny!

250 darthstar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 7:13:00am

re: #197 Kremer

Star Trek "warp" isn't that far-fetched it seems - you 'wrap' the vehicle in a normal space bubble. FTL could then be possible, because the 'bubble' doesn't exist in normal space/time. It's already theoretically possible, the big problem is the power required to make it happen.

Power always tends to be the stumbling block for most high-tech, out-of-the-box theories for future propulsion systems. (And weapons, too.)

If dilithium crystals are hard to come by, you can always tape a piece of buttered toast to a cat.

Youtube Video
251 darthstar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 7:13:21am

Mornin' everyone.

252 Kaessa  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 7:21:39am

re: #250 darthstar

If dilithium crystals are hard to come by, you can always tape a piece of buttered toast to a cat.

[Embedded content]

Just create a buttered cat array. Should be more than enough power.

253 Reverend Mother Ramallo  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 7:21:39am

[Link: usnews.nbcnews.com...]

I may have to give in and get the boys a puppy.
Damn, I am such a sap.

254 darthstar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 7:24:01am

What's your tolerance to spin? Take the quiz. (It's only five questions)

[Link: www.guardian.co.uk...]

255 Killgore Trout  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 7:27:02am

re: #248 lawhawk

Greets and saluts from the NYC metro area. BBC News is reporting that a car bomb went off in Beirut, and I wouldn't bet against the possibility that it's spillover from the ongoing Syrian civil war.

That follows reports that BBC satellite feeds are being purposefully disrupted in Europe and Middle East - also over its ongoing coverage of events there. Iran is being fingered as a possible culprit.

Turkey again retaliated for more mortar shells falling on its territory, and the concern remains that the situation might force Turkey to take even stronger action against Syria - even as no one is quite sure which side is engaging in the cross-border strikes.

Syrians quickly blame Israel
SSNP says Israel behind Ashrafieh blast

The Syrian Social National Party on Friday condemned the explosion that rocked the Beirut area of Ashrafieh earlier in the day and accused Israel of being behind it.

"The [SSNP] sees that the criminal explosion carries the fingerprints of Israel," a statement issued by the party read.

256 Daniel Ballard  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 7:33:21am

re: #255 Killgore Trout

Did you see this? Consistent with a couple links you had up yesterday.. Very frustrating I just hope our best efforts are unseen and unheard until the opportunity arises to get those responsible.

257 Obdicut  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 7:35:21am

re: #254 darthstar

I got all of 'em right, but one of the questions is fucked up. It asks for which has the better pass rate and by how much, but the answers don't include by how much.

Anyway, that's a pretty good random stats quiz. However, the numbers presented aren't really being spun; I'd be interested to see a version of the quiz where some of the typical spin language is layered onto it.

258 AK-47%  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 7:35:24am

re: #238 Mr.Boots

Conservatism is the new macho for many men. It allows them to talk "tough" and be snarky while hiding behind the facade of "refusing to be politically correct," a "bleeding heart lib" attitude. I dealt, before retirement, with many young men who talked the conservative talk on Iraq, but wouldn't walk the walk by serving. That was for the as yet unlabeled 47%.

I read a great summary of that approach: those people who really do not understand what it really means to be a man in the modern age tend to cling to the trappings and symbols of traditional "manhood" even more fiercely. Modern conservatism serves that purpose to a T.

259 Killgore Trout  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 7:40:07am

re: #256 Daniel Ballard

Did you see this? Consistent with a couple links you had up yesterday.. Very frustrating I just hope our best efforts are unseen and unheard until the opportunity arises to get those responsible.

Interesting. I'm really starting to think he may actually have very little to do with the attack. I can't believe he'd still be walking around. The only people to question him have been reporters.

260 Gus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 7:42:11am

Conspiracy!

261 Cannadian Club Akbar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 7:42:35am

Reuters Beirut live coverage.
[Link: live.reuters.com...]

262 Daniel Ballard  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 7:44:09am

re: #259 Killgore Trout

At this point, little would surprise me. So much is going on over there. I'm just glad Wired is less tied to the partisan fight than much media.

263 erik_t  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 7:45:57am

re: #197 Kremer

Star Trek "warp" isn't that far-fetched it seems - you 'wrap' the vehicle in a normal space bubble. FTL could then be possible, because the 'bubble' doesn't exist in normal space/time. It's already theoretically possible, the big problem is the power required to make it happen.

Power always tends to be the stumbling block for most high-tech, out-of-the-box theories for future propulsion systems. (And weapons, too.)

Well, we think. There are a lot of solid physical reasons to think that there are other stumbling blocks that just haven't yet occurred to us. Certainly a topic worthy of long-term low-priority research, but I would not expect Mother Nature to give up her death-grip on causality so easily.

264 AK-47%  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 7:52:13am

re: #263 erik_t

...I would not expect Mother Nature to give up her death-grip on causality so easily.

she did not "give up her death grip" on powered flight, critters have been doing it for ages, we just needed to figure out how to move fast enough to get up off the ground and stay there:

"We don't serve your kind in here," says the bartender

So two tachyons walk into a bar.

265 Daniel Ballard  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 7:53:12am

re: #263 erik_t
Yes indeed.
Just the sound barrier took lives and years to understand. Transonic speeds killed P-38 pilots in power dives until they were modified with special flaps. And that's nothing compared to FTL technology.

267 Mocking Jay  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 7:58:28am

Festering economic boil Phil Gramm says Obama is winning because poor people have it too good

In 1980 and 1992, only 3% of the American labor force drew disability benefits from the government. Today it is 6%. The number of workers qualifying for disability since the recession ended in 2009 has grown twice as fast as private employment.
How would Presidents Jimmy Carter or George H.W. Bush have fared on their Election Day if 40% of the Americans who were unemployed had instead qualified for disability benefits? How would voters have reacted in 1980 or 1992 if food-stamp benefits had grown by 65% instead of an average of less than 25% during the first four years of their administrations?

During the past four years, the Obama administration's aggressive promotion of the food-stamp program has increased the number of recipients by 18.5 million. Do these people feel the same level of discontent about economic conditions as the rest of the voting population?

268 Gus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:00:50am

re: #255 Killgore Trout

Syrians quickly blame Israel
SSNP says Israel behind Ashrafieh blast

The Syrian Social Nationalist Party holds only 4 of the 250 seats in the Syrian parliament.

269 Mocking Jay  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:02:11am

Angry Republicans target soup kitchen where Paul Ryan staged photo-op

Ryan supporters have now targeted Antal and his soup kitchen, Antal said, including making hundreds of angry phone calls. Some members of Antal's volunteer staff have had to endure the barrage as well, he said. "The sad part is a lot of [the callers] want to hide behind anonymity," he said, adding that if someone leaves their name and number he has tried to return their call. In addition to phone calls, people have posted a few choice words on the charity's Facebook wall, including statements like "I hope you lose your tax [sic] emempt status," Anyone who is thinking about donations to you should think twice" and "Shame on you Brian Antal!"

These people really do disgust me.

270 Mocking Jay  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:02:56am

re: #268 Gus

The Syrian Social Nationalist Party holds only 4 of the 250 seats in the Syrian parliament.

Mostly true...

271 darthstar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:03:28am

re: #269 Mocking Jay

Angry Republicans target soup kitchen where Paul Ryan staged photo-op

These people really do disgust me.

I sent 'em fifty bucks yesterday. Match me.

[Link: www.indiegogo.com...]

272 Mocking Jay  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:04:57am

re: #271 darthstar

I sent 'em fifty bucks yesterday. Match me.

[Link: www.indiegogo.com...]

Too poor right now :(

I have an interview for a new job next Friday, though. Wish me luck.

273 Gus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:06:06am

re: #270 Mocking Jay

Mostly true...

I thought that would be mostly false.

//

274 AK-47%  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:07:24am

re: #272 Mocking Jay

Too poor right now :(

I have an interview for a new job next Friday, though. Wish me luck.

maybe you could drop by and wash a few clean dishes...

275 darthstar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:08:01am

re: #272 Mocking Jay

Too poor right now :(

I have an interview for a new job next Friday, though. Wish me luck.

Good luck with the new job. And my challenge wasn't just for you, but for everyone logged in and lurking.

276 Sheila Broflovski  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:09:21am

re: #267 Mocking Jay

Festering economic boil Phil Gramm says Obama is winning because poor people have it too good

WTF? WHY do wingnuts believe that any person would say "I think I'll quit my $60,000/year job so I can sit back and collect $600/month in unemployment/disability/welfare"

Would THEY do that? Why do they think someone else would? It's crazy.

277 Mocking Jay  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:09:26am

re: #274 AK-47%

maybe you could drop by and wash a few clean dishes...

Now now. Let's be the ones who pay attention to the facts.

Ryan did wash dirty dishes during soup kitchen visit

278 Gus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:10:12am

Syrian minister condemns Lebanon’s Ashrafieh explosion

“These terrorist explosions are condemned wherever they take place, nothing can justify them,” the Syrian Arab National Agency (SANA) quoted the Syrian minister as saying.

Hariri condemns Ashrafieh explosion, calls for protecting citizens

The former premier said that “the explosion is an attack against all the Lebanese people.”

279 Mocking Jay  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:10:52am

re: #276 Sheila Broflovski

WTF? WHY do wingnuts believe that any person would say "I think I'll quit my $60,000/year job so I can sit back and collect $600/month in unemployment/disability/welfare"

Would THEY do that? Why do they think someone else would? It's crazy.

When I told my wingnut mom about the new job I'm interviewing for I told her about the pay. The first words out of her mouth? "You know you'll be paying more in taxes, right?"

280 HappyWarrior  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:13:08am

re: #267 Mocking Jay

Festering economic boil Phil Gramm says Obama is winning because poor people have it too good

Poor people have it too good? What does Phil Gramm honestly want? A feudal society? I believe he made some equally stupid comments when he was McCain's economics adviser in 2008.

281 Gus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:14:04am

See the real problem is that the poor have it too good and not the rich. The rich have it hard!

//

282 HappyWarrior  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:14:43am

re: #269 Mocking Jay

Angry Republicans target soup kitchen where Paul Ryan staged photo-op

These people really do disgust me.

These people make me question my belief in humanity. Really, maybe if their stupid candidate hadn't tried to get a cheap photo-op. And they harass the man in charge of the soup kitchen. A man who spends his days working to help his fellow man. Sigh that's just low even for them.

283 Interesting Times  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:15:14am

re: #280 HappyWarrior

Poor people have it too good? What does Phil Gramm honestly want? A feudal society? I believe he made some equally stupid comments when he was McCain's economics adviser in 2008.

Yes, he called Americans complaining about the Bush economy "a nation of whiners".

Amazing how that comment's douchebaggery quotient has been topped several times over since.

284 darthstar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:15:53am

re: #277 Mocking Jay

Now now. Let's be the ones who pay attention to the facts.

Ryan did wash dirty dishes during soup kitchen visit

They were soiled the moment he touched them with his greasy paws.

285 Eventual Carrion  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:15:59am

re: #280 HappyWarrior

Poor people have it too good? What does Phil Gramm honestly want? A feudal society? I believe he made some equally stupid comments when he was McCain's economics adviser in 2008.

When I hear these pinheads say things like that it always congers up the statement "let them eat cake" for some reason. So fucking out of touch and ignorant of the facts on the ground away from their WHITE towers (with car elevators).

286 HappyWarrior  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:16:15am

We live in a weird world where people can with a straight face claim the poor have it too easy and the rich have it too hard. I swear it's like some of these people would be happy to return to the days of feudalism and the days of no class mobility.

287 Reverend Mother Ramallo  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:16:46am

Bill Clinton on Mitt in Parma, OH yesterday...

Youtube Video
288 HappyWarrior  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:16:46am

re: #283 Interesting Times

Yes, he called Americans complaining about the Bush economy "a nation of whiners".

Amazing how that comment's douchebaggery quotient has been topped several times over since.

That's right.

289 ShaunP  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:17:04am

re: #280 HappyWarrior

Poor people have it too good? What does Phil Gramm honestly want? A feudal society? I believe he made some equally stupid comments when he was McCain's economics adviser in 2008.

This is the new meme from the right wing. The poor have it too good. US poor don't know what it's like to be poor, like Haitian poor poor. US poor are the rich Jesus warned about (that's an actual recent quote, in case you hadn't seen it)...

290 HappyWarrior  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:17:57am

re: #289 ShaunP

This is the new meme from the right wing. The poor have it too good. US poor don't know what it's like to be poor, like Haitian poor poor. US poor are the rich Jesus warned about (that's an actual recent quote, in case you hadn't seen it)...

I did see that. Really fucked up.

291 Gus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:18:21am
292 AK-47%  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:19:10am

re: #289 ShaunP

This is the new meme from the right wing. The poor have it too good. US poor don't know what it's like to be poor, like Haitian poor poor. US poor are the rich Jesus warned about (that's an actual recent quote, in case you hadn't seen it)...

Calvinism is still with us: wealth is considdered an outward sign of inner grace, poverty is a sign of moral depravity. We show no signs of getting over that attitude, in fact, it is becoming even more established and institutionalized.

293 HappyWarrior  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:19:48am

re: #291 Gus

[Embedded content]

Deadbeat Dad at it again. Man I hope Tammy Duckworth makes his ass unemployed.

294 Sheila Broflovski  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:20:29am

re: #279 Mocking Jay

When I told my wingnut mom about the new job I'm interviewing for I told her about the pay. The first words out of her mouth? "You know you'll be paying more in taxes, right?"

My wingnut husband said "What has Obama ever done for us?" and I showed him the new SUV in the garage and the new Focus in the driveway, and his new dentures and the living room full of new furniture and, oh yeah, his $45,000 worth of meds paid for by Medicare (which R/R want to take away from him and give him COUPONS).

295 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:21:25am

re: #272 Mocking Jay

Too poor right now :(

I have an interview for a new job next Friday, though. Wish me luck.

I had an interview yesterday, too. I did well, but right before it began I started getting sick, felt like I was having chills. I really wanted the job though, so i pushed through it did a first rate job. But soon thereafter whatever I've got (probably a mild flu) hit full force and left me feeling feverish and miserable. That was why I wasn't around last night; I went to bed early.

296 wrenchwench  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:23:26am

Another tough-shelled one:

NoVA Mouse

(Logged in)
Registered since: Oct 6, 2009 at 12:17 pm
No. of comments posted: 0
No. of Pages posted: 0

297 HappyWarrior  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:23:33am

re: #292 AK-47%

Calvinism is still with us: wealth is considdered an outward sign of inner grace, poverty is a sign of moral depravity. We show no signs of getting over that attitude, in fact, it is becoming even more established and institutionalized.

I agree but I think even the biggest Calvinists in the 16th century wouldn't be so craven to claim that the rich Christ talked about were the current poor. You can definitely see why David Barton thinks Calvin is more important than Jefferson because to him and those like him, Calvin's views are more closer to his than Jefferson's.

298 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:24:26am

re: #293 HappyWarrior

Deadbeat Dad at it again. Man I hope Tammy Duckworth makes his ass unemployed.

My dad sent Walsh some more money yesterday. He hadn't seen that comment and would not have cared if he had. He's been honest that he wants Walsh to keep his job for Walsh's vote on legislation, regardless that Walsh is a worse human being.

299 wrenchwench  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:24:31am

re: #295 Dark_Falcon

I had an interview yesterday. I did well, but right before it began I started getting sick, felt like I was having chills. I really wanted the job though, so i pushed through it did a first rate job. But soon thereafter whatever I've got (probably a mild flu) hit full force and left me feeling feverish and miserable. That was why I wasn't around last night; I went to bed early.

I hope you get the job and lose the bug and learn to love front page posts that point out how Republicans think.

300 Eventual Carrion  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:26:07am

re: #295 Dark_Falcon

I had an interview yesterday. I did well, but right before it began I started getting sick, felt like I was having chills. I really wanted the job though, so i pushed through it did a first rate job. But soon thereafter whatever I've got (probably a mild flu) hit full force and left me feeling feverish and miserable. That was why I wasn't around last night; I went to bed early.

Upding for the good interview, not your cold :-)

301 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:26:18am

re: #299 wrenchwench

I hope you get the job and lose the bug and learn to love front page posts that point out how Republicans think.

I actually like Paul Ryan's put-down. It was a mildly amusing way to dismiss the other side's attack.

302 HappyWarrior  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:26:35am

re: #298 Dark_Falcon

My dad sent Walsh some more money yesterday. He hadn't seen that comment and would not have cared if he had. He's been honest that he wants Walsh to keep his job for Walsh's vote on legislation, regardless that Walsh is a worse human being.

He really is among the biggest jerks in all of Congress. Good luck with your job by the way. Trying to get back on my feet myself.

303 Obdicut  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:28:22am

re: #301 Dark_Falcon

I actually like Paul Ryan's put-down. It was a mildly amusing way to dismiss the other side's attack.

You find the topic of women being restricted from having abortions, even when their lives are in danger, to be mildly amusing?

For fuck's sake, dude.

304 wrenchwench  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:30:39am

re: #301 Dark_Falcon

I actually like Paul Ryan's put-down. It was a mildly amusing way to dismiss the other side's attack.

Like I said, I hope you get well soon.

305 Kronocide  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:31:17am

re: #301 Dark_Falcon

I actually like Paul Ryan's put-down. It was a mildly amusing way to dismiss the other side's attack.

As if 'the other side's attack' had no merit....

Jeebus H McChrist.

306 erik_t  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:32:12am

re: #301 Dark_Falcon

I actually like Paul Ryan's put-down. It was a mildly amusing way to dismiss the other side's attack.

What in the actual hell is wrong with you?

307 Sheila Broflovski  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:32:33am

re: #301 Dark_Falcon

I actually like Paul Ryan's put-down. It was a mildly amusing way to dismiss the other side's attack.

I hope you get the job but please don't be an asshole.

308 Interesting Times  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:34:10am

re: #298 Dark_Falcon

My dad sent Walsh some more money yesterday. He hadn't seen that comment and would not have cared if he had. He's been honest that he wants Walsh to keep his job for Walsh's vote on legislation, regardless that Walsh is a worse human being.

Would your Dad say the same thing if it came out that Joe Walsh was getting it on with underage boys Sandusky-style?

309 Mocking Jay  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:34:21am

re: #301 Dark_Falcon

I actually like Paul Ryan's put-down. It was a mildly amusing way to dismiss the other side's attack.

He has binders full of put-downs.

310 Gus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:34:31am

Savagery.

311 Mocking Jay  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:35:45am

re: #310 Gus

Savagery.

[Embedded content]

Jeebus...

312 Kronocide  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:37:00am

re: #306 erik_t

What in the actual hell is wrong with you?

Partisan, dogma. A bad case of it.

313 Gus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:37:16am

re: #311 Mocking Jay

Jeebus...

Amazing isn't it? Exterminating people is bad enough but this is wildly atypical.

314 wrenchwench  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:37:38am

A mostly nice hashtag, hijacked from its original intent according to some of the tweets. #SignsYoSonIsGay

315 HappyWarrior  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:38:41am

re: #310 Gus

Savagery.

[Embedded content]

Yeah terrible.

316 HappyWarrior  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:39:24am

re: #314 wrenchwench

A mostly nice hashtag, hijacked from its original intent according to some of the tweets. #SignsYoSonIsGay

Ha, nice.

317 Mocking Jay  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:41:10am

re: #314 wrenchwench

A mostly nice hashtag, hijacked from its original intent according to some of the tweets. #SignsYoSonIsGay

Heehee

318 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:43:05am

re: #308 Interesting Times

Would your Dad say the same thing if it came out that Joe Walsh was getting it on with underage boys Sandusky-style?

No. He'd want anyone doing that sent to prison.

319 Mocking Jay  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:44:29am

Small government.

Romney Team Plans To Continue War Spending Indefinitely

320 Sheila Broflovski  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:45:49am

Donald's tears are sweet and tasty. Yum!

321 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:46:07am

re: #307 Sheila Broflovski

I hope you get the job but please don't be an asshole.

It's not being an asshole. The Dems said Paul Ryan is "waging a war on woman". Paul Ryan does not see himself as doing any such thing and said so in mildly humorous fashion. And think he's right as far as it goes; That is that Paul Ryan is not a misogynist and he does not act with the aim for hurting women.

322 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:47:15am

re: #320 Sheila Broflovski

Donald's tears are sweet and tasty. Yum!

[Embedded content]

"That's All Folks!"

/Yes, that really is how Cartman ends that episode.

323 Kronocide  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:47:25am

Economic Hitmen

Might have to read John Perkins

324 Obdicut  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:47:42am

re: #321 Dark_Falcon

Paul Ryan wants to ban all abortion.

Do you understand that banning all abortion would be immeasurably harmful to women?

325 Mocking Jay  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:47:58am

re: #321 Dark_Falcon

It's not being an asshole. The Dems said Paul Ryan is "waging a war on woman". Paul Ryan does not see himself as doing any such thing and said so in mildly humorous fashion. And think he's right as far as it goes; That is that Paul Ryan is not a misogynist and he does not act with the aim for hurting women.

If he's not aiming for it then he's way off target...

326 erik_t  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:48:09am

re: #321 Dark_Falcon

It's not being an asshole. The Dems said Paul Ryan is "waging a war on woman". Paul Ryan does not see himself as doing any such thing and said so in mildly humorous fashion. And think he's right as far as it goes; That is that Paul Ryan is not a misogynist and he does not act with the aim for hurting women.

Does his campaign support fair pay for women? If not, why not? What rational justification could there be for not paying women the same as men?

Cite your sources, please.

327 Interesting Times  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:48:15am
328 Gus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:48:33am

re: #319 Mocking Jay

Small government.

Romney Team Plans To Continue War Spending Indefinitely

See that's the thing the wingnuts can't comprehend. Military spending went up because of the Iraq war and the war in Afghanistan. Once hostilities come to an end spending will naturally go down. Same thing happened right after WWII where it shot straight down. Afterwards it began to climb up and down with the Cold War, Korean and Vietnam Wars. Up and down it goes. Of course there was the artificial climb in defense spending during the reign of His Royal Majesty and King, Saint Ronald of Reagan.

329 HappyWarrior  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:48:57am

Besides being a left handed Irishman is easy. They can't hit pitches as well and I can read Yeats poems all day.

330 Gus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:49:46am

re: #321 Dark_Falcon

It's not being an asshole. The Dems said Paul Ryan is "waging a war on woman". Paul Ryan does not see himself as doing any such thing and said so in mildly humorous fashion. And think he's right as far as it goes; That is that Paul Ryan is not a misogynist and he does not act with the aim for hurting women.

Right, sure, whatever.

Image: ryan_akin_rect-460x307.jpg

331 erik_t  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:50:56am

re: #328 Gus

See that's the thing the wingnuts can't comprehend. Military spending went up because of the Iraq war and the war in Afghanistan. Once hostilities come to an end spending will naturally go down. Same thing happened right after WWII where it shot straight down. Afterwards it began to climb up and down with the Cold War, Korean and Vietnam Wars. Up and down it goes. Of course there was the artificial climb in defense spending during the reign of His Royal Majesty and King, Saint Ronald of Reagan.

War spending isn't enough. Romney thinks we need a hard floor of 4% GDP on defense spending. Not because there's any specific procurement of a needed system, but because that's the Right Number to spend on defense.

Dark Falcon has professed that serious defense procurement reform needs to happen. I wonder how that could happen when spending is not tied to any particular need whatsoever, but to an arbitrary floor value.

I wonder if he'll ever explain that.

332 Obdicut  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:51:49am

re: #330 Gus

Right, sure, whatever.

Image: ryan_akin_rect-460x307.jpg

And Romeny doesn't think the Arizona 'paper's please' law is a model for the nation, he just has the guy who wrote it as his immigration adviser and said that all lawsuits against it should be stopped.

333 HappyWarrior  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:51:57am

re: #319 Mocking Jay

Small government.

Romney Team Plans To Continue War Spending Indefinitely

And this is why he can't be taken seriously on the deficit. You can't complain about "big government" while ignoring the elephant in the room that takes up a large portion of overall government spending.

334 Sheila Broflovski  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:53:02am

re: #333 HappyWarrior

And this is why he can't be taken seriously on the deficit. You can't complain about "big government" while ignoring the elephant in the room that takes up a large portion of overall government spending.

Romney & wingnuts like to complain about "the deficit" but they have NO CLUE how to reduce it.

335 wrenchwench  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:53:19am

re: #321 Dark_Falcon

It's not being an asshole. The Dems said Paul Ryan is "waging a war on woman". Paul Ryan does not see himself as doing any such thing and said so in mildly humorous fashion. And think he's right as far as it goes; That is that Paul Ryan is not a misogynist and he does not act with the aim for hurting women.

He also does not act with the aim of preventing harm to women. In fact, he supports a harmful agenda. When it involves health, life, and death, calling it war is appropriate.

Those who don't agree with his agenda see his comment as belittling a serious issue, and don't find any humor in it.

336 HappyWarrior  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:53:48am

[Link: www.usatoday.com...]
I guess she's worried about left handed Irishmen too. Really, it was a dismissive thing to say. Simple as that. Does Ryan think women don't hear GOP candidates dismissing rape, GOP legislatures making it hard to impossible to get what is a legal procedure, etc. The president made a great point about Planned Parenthood at the last debate and how they provide many important services to women.

337 AK-47%  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:54:01am

re: #321 Dark_Falcon

It's not being an asshole. The Dems said Paul Ryan is "waging a war on woman". Paul Ryan does not see himself as doing any such thing and said so in mildly humorous fashion. And think he's right as far as it goes; That is that Paul Ryan is not a misogynist and he does not act with the aim for hurting women.

He just wants to turn back all the gains they have made in access to contraception, abortion and health care over the past 50 years. That is not the same as beating them and locking them in the kitchen, but it is still against women.

338 Killgore Trout  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:55:38am

Obama’s claim that Romney wants to boost defense spending by $2 trillion

...Obama might reasonably argue the defense increase is “nearly $2 trillion,” not adjusting for inflation, compared to his current budget.

We will leave it to readers to decide if the military would want budgets higher than currently ordered by the Obama administration. The president’s phrasing is certainly carefully parsed.

One Pinocchio

339 erik_t  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:57:10am

Holy hopping hell, this thing is a fucking joke.

Romney Enlists General Behind Iraq Debacle as Key Military Adviser

If you're a presidential candidate looking to establish your national-security cred with a war-weary American public, who might be the worst frontman you could choose for your cause? How about the guy who oversaw the campaign that lost Osama bin Laden at Tora Bora, then bungled planning for war in Iraq?...

Few living Americans can speak with as much authority about "years of feckless foreign policy" as can Tommy "Rumsfeld's water boy" Franks, who comes in at No. 4 on a Foreign Policy list of worst US generals ever. As readers of our lie-by-lie Iraq timeline will recall, Franks oversaw CENTCOM from 2000 to 2003 and scripted the initial conduct of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Franks:

...
* Completely failed to plan for any post-conflict cleanup after the predicted fall of Saddam Hussein. "You pay attention to the day after," he reportedly told the administration, "I'll pay attention to the day of." Here are the briefing slides he showed administration officials in which he described "post-hostilities" operations in Iraq as "unknown," and here's where he estimated we'd have a mop-up force of about 5,000 US troops in Iraq by 2006...

STRONG ON DEFENSE lol

340 wrenchwench  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:57:27am

re: #337 AK-47%

He just wants to turn back all the gains they have made in access to contraception, abortion and health care over the past 50 years. That is not the same as beating them and locking them in the kitchen, but it is still against women.

Not too different, either...

341 Interesting Times  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:57:31am
342 Eventual Carrion  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:57:37am

re: #338 Killgore Trout

Obama’s claim that Romney wants to boost defense spending by $2 trillion

How much does he truly want to raise it by?

343 wrenchwench  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:58:37am
344 Gus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:58:53am

Oh buoy.

[Link: littlegreenfootballs.com...]

345 wrenchwench  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 8:59:40am

re: #341 Interesting Times

[Embedded content]

Nice hat tip there.

346 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:01:31am

re: #344 Gus

Oh buoy.

[Link: littlegreenfootballs.com...]

Looks like its time to downding the bot again.

347 Interesting Times  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:02:30am

re: #345 wrenchwench

Nice hat tip there.

Ha! I didn't even realize :) That'll teach me not to skip following links in Tweets (I posted it more for "misogynist piggy")

348 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:03:03am

re: #326 erik_t

Does his campaign support fair pay for women? If not, why not? What rational justification could there be for not paying women the same as men?

Cite your sources, please.

Do those stats showing unequal pay take things like overtime or maternity leave into account?

349 Gus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:03:32am

re: #346 Dark_Falcon

Looks like its time to downding the bot again.

I wasn't going to say anything until I came across that. Weird.

350 Killgore Trout  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:04:37am

re: #342 Eventual Carrion

How much does he truly want to raise it by?

2 trillion is more or less correct.

351 AK-47%  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:05:18am

BREAKING NEWS: Virginia passes law requiring all Irishmen to undergo rectal sound probe if they wish to use their left hands to write or use scissors...

352 erik_t  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:06:25am

re: #348 Dark_Falcon

Do those stats showing unequal pay take things like overtime or maternity leave into account?

We're really going down that route? Really?

What is this, 1993?

353 HappyWarrior  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:06:37am

re: #351 AK-47%

BREAKING NEWS: Virginia passes law requiring all irishmen to undergo rectal sound probe if they wish to use their left hands to write or use scissors...

The so called left handed scissors are bad enough!

355 Killgore Trout  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:08:04am

re: #354 Killgore Trout

Police official: head of police intelligence was target of Beirut blast; not clear if he died

Unconfirmed reports that he was killed.

356 wrenchwench  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:09:15am
357 Eventual Carrion  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:09:47am

re: #350 Killgore Trout

2 trillion is more or less correct.

So the number is correct but it is a lie? Am I reading that correctly?

358 Eventual Carrion  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:10:48am

re: #353 HappyWarrior

The so called left handed scissors are bad enough!

But that left handed cigarette you're smoken, pass it down.

Edit: Fixed contraction

359 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:11:07am

re: #353 HappyWarrior

The so called left handed scissors are bad enough!

Bite your tongue! Left handed scissors were a godsend to me growing up.

360 HappyWarrior  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:11:48am

re: #359 Dark_Falcon

Bite your tongue! Left handed scissors were a godsend to me growing up.

I had terrible experiences with them.

361 Varek Raith  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:12:15am

re: #348 Dark_Falcon

Men also can get overtime.
[Link: en.wikipedia.org...]

362 Sheila Broflovski  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:12:23am

New hashtag #Romnesia all the stuff that Romney has said that he wants you to forget about.

363 Varek Raith  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:12:55am

re: #361 Varek Raith

Men also can get overtime.
[Link: en.wikipedia.org...]

Also, not all women choose to have kids.
So, do you support equal pay or not?

364 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:13:03am

re: #352 erik_t

We're really going down that route? Really?

What is this, 1993?

No, but I've seen an awful lot of made-up statistics this year. So right now I'm going to check every one or have the person using the stat do so and report back.

365 Sheila Broflovski  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:13:56am

re: #348 Dark_Falcon

Do those stats showing unequal pay take things like overtime or maternity leave into account?

Brad can't deal with the new bearings inspector.

366 wrenchwench  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:15:53am

Nor his sister or mother, for that matter.

367 sagehen  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:17:00am

re: #334 Sheila Broflovski

Romney & wingnuts like to complain about "the deficit" but they have NO CLUE how to reduce it.

Not true, they know *exactly* how to reduce it. They just choose not to.

They need the deficit to use as cover when going after programs they hate for entirely other reasons. Federal funding for Public Broadcasting is 1/100 of 1% of the federal budget, so is Planned Parenthood. Foreign Aid is a full 1%. All of our space and ocean and geology and disease science-y stuff (gov't agencies plus grants to academic and/or private outfits) all added together is another 2%.

Deficit panic allows them to point to these things and say "that's what's bankrupting us!!", while conveniently not noticing the military or prisons or any of the other things they like.

368 HappyWarrior  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:17:05am

re: #366 wrenchwench

[Embedded content]

Nor his sister or mother, for that matter.

Yep. President gets it.

369 Gus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:17:58am

Meh. The closing section sounds like an anti-Obama hit piece.

Remarks by the Deputy Secretary of Defense

The Honorable Gordon R. England (Bush Admin)
Islamic Society of North America
1 September 2006

Shared Understanding Provides Key to Defeating Extremism, England Says

The secretary addressed his comments to Ingrid Mattson, president of the Islamic Society of North America. The umbrella group describes itself as the largest Muslim organization in North America.
April 26, 2007 (Bush Admin)

370 darthstar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:18:27am

Probably already mentioned but it bears repeating:

371 darthstar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:19:14am

re: #303 Obdicut

You find the topic of women being restricted from having abortions, even when their lives are in danger, to be mildly amusing?

For fuck's sake, dude.

To DF, "the other side" = women.

372 erik_t  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:21:38am

re: #364 Dark_Falcon

No, but I've seen an awful lot of made-up statistics this year. So right now I'm going to check every one or have the person using the stat do so and report back.

For shit's sakes. Fine.

Average woman's wage is 81% of a man's.

Average overtime: about three hours.

Average maternity leave: 10.3 weeks.

Average number of children: 2.03

So suppose every working woman has 2.03 kids, takes 10.3 weeks of maternity leave per child, works for forty years, and works zero overtime (and thus the men work about 6 hours/week). She should presumably make, were these factors solely responsible for the disparity, (2059/2080)*(40/46) = 86% of a man's wage. We've made some pretty generous assumptions to even get it down that far.

Have a downding for making me explain such fundamental things at third-grade level.

373 darthstar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:25:50am

Image: 545289_487094837980250_603593047_n.jpg

374 Killgore Trout  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:27:51am

Update: Top Lebanese security official killed in Beirut blast: Official

Senior Lebanese intelligence official Wissam al-Hassan, who led the investigation that implicated Syria and Hezbollah in the killing of former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri, was killed in the Beirut explosion on Friday, a Lebanese official said.

"I can just say that it is true, he is dead," the official, who worked with al-Hassan, told Reuters.

Al-Hassan was also the brain behind uncovering a recent bomb plot that led to the arrest of a Lebanese politician allied to President Bashar al-Assad.

375 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:28:06am

re: #365 Sheila Broflovski

Brad can't deal with the new bearings inspector.

That's odd. I though Angelina oversaw of matters mechanical in their household.

/Sorry, that one was too easy.

376 darthstar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:28:48am

And yes, that is a real quote.

377 Sheila Broflovski  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:30:33am

Romney: I want this on the record.
POTUS: Please proceed.

GREATEST. PWN3GE. EVER.

378 kirkspencer  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:30:53am

re: #372 erik_t

For shit's sakes. Fine.

Average woman's wage is 81% of a man's.

Average overtime: about three hours.

Average maternity leave: 10.3 weeks.

Average number of children: 2.03

So suppose every working woman has 2.03 kids, takes 10.3 weeks of maternity leave per child, works for forty years, and works zero overtime (and thus the men work about 6 hours/week). She should presumably make, were these factors solely responsible for the disparity, (2059/2080)*(40/46) = 86% of a man's wage. We've made some pretty generous assumptions to even get it down that far.

Have a downding for making me explain such fundamental things at third-grade level.

Especially since some of those are overstated. For example it assumes that ALL working women take maternity leave and have children at some point.

379 darthstar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:31:28am

re: #378 kirkspencer

Especially since some of those are overstated. For example it assumes that ALL working women take maternity leave and have children at some point.

Isn't that what they're for?
//

380 wrenchwench  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:31:49am

re: #368 HappyWarrior

Yep. President gets it.

One of my favorite lines from the debate was, "I don't want my daughters being paid less than anybody's sons." I thought that attained zinger status without seeming practiced.

381 calochortus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:31:50am

re: #372 erik_t

Lest anyone think women are considered equally for employment and advancement with men, remember what happened when orchestras began to use blind auditions. When listeners could see the person auditioning, they rated the performance of women lower than men. When they couldn't see the person, they rated women far better than they had when they knew the sex of the person. The number of women in orchestras rose dramatically with the blind audition.

382 darthstar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:32:13am

re: #377 Sheila Broflovski

Romney: I want this on the record.
POTUS: Please proceed.

GREATEST. PWN3GE. EVER.

Watch for Romney to try to use "please proceed" on Monday.

383 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:32:25am

re: #373 darthstar

Image: 545289_487094837980250_603593047_n.jpg

Youtube Video
384 darthstar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:32:52am

re: #380 wrenchwench

One of my favorite lines from the debate was, "I don't want my daughters being paid less than anybody's sons." I thought that attained zinger status without seeming practiced.

Especially when "anybody's" sons have a 100 million dollar trust fund.

385 erik_t  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:32:56am

re: #378 kirkspencer

Especially since some of those are overstated. For example it assumes that ALL working women take maternity leave and have children at some point.

As I said, some pretty generous assumptions.

386 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:33:36am

re: #381 calochortus

Lest anyone think women are considered equally for employment and advancement with men, remember what happened when orchestras began to use blind auditions. When listeners could see the person auditioning, they rated the performance of women lower than men. When they couldn't see the person, they rated women far better than they had when they knew the sex of the person. The number of women in orchestras rose dramatically with the blind audition.

Why was that, I wonder?

387 wrenchwench  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:33:40am

re: #384 darthstar

Especially when "anybody's" sons have a 100 million dollar trust fund.

Exactamente, ese.

388 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:34:20am

re: #250 darthstar

If dilithium crystals are hard to come by, you can always tape a piece of buttered toast to a cat.

[Embedded content]

Ah, the fearsome Feline Overlord Drive.

389 Sheila Broflovski  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:35:33am

re: #381 calochortus

Lest anyone think women are considered equally for employment and advancement with men, remember what happened when orchestras began to use blind auditions. When listeners could see the person auditioning, they rated the performance of women lower than men. When they couldn't see the person, they rated women far better than they had when they knew the sex of the person. The number of women in orchestras rose dramatically with the blind audition.

On the same topic, it used to be that male orchestra musicians wore tuxedos and female orchestra musicians wore evening gowns. But I have noticed, watching YouTube videos of symphony performances, that everyone in the orchestra (men and women) wears a tuxedo and only female vocal soloists wear evening gowns.

390 calochortus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:36:06am

re: #386 Dark_Falcon

Why was that, I wonder?

Because it was generally believed that women lacked the emotional depth and understanding of the music to play as well as men. When you can tell the sex of the person you are listening too it is easy to ascribe your preexisting impression to a subjective evaluation. When you don't know whether you are listening to a man or a woman, you only evaluate the musical performance. Surely you already knew that?

391 wrenchwench  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:36:25am

re: #386 Dark_Falcon

Why was that, I wonder?

Dude, it's called sexism. Gender bigotry. It's a real phenomenon (says the female mechanic).

392 calochortus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:37:20am

re: #391 wrenchwench

Dude, it's called sexism. Gender bigotry. It's a real phenomenon (says the female mechanic).

Eh, what do you know? You're only a woman.
//

393 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:37:38am

re: #390 calochortus

Because it was generally believed that women lacked the emotional depth and understanding of the music to play as well as men. When you can tell the sex of the person you are listening too it is easy to ascribe your preexisting impression to a subjective evaluation. When you don't know whether you are listening to a man or a woman, you only evaluate the musical performance. Surely you already knew that?

I didn't know that people retained that attitude in matters of music for so long. I thought it had disappeared sooner than it had.

394 Varek Raith  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:38:04am

re: #391 wrenchwench

Dude, it's called sexism. Gender bigotry. It's a real phenomenon (says the female mechanic).

Can you put a rocket engine on my bike?
That would be awesome.
:)

395 kirkspencer  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:38:50am

re: #393 Dark_Falcon

I didn't know that people retained that attitude in matters of music for so long. I thought it had disappeared sooner than it had.

Oh god no. And if in fact you think it disappeared, allow me to point to the elephant in the room demonstrating otherwise:

How many orchestras have female conductors?

396 erik_t  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:38:50am

re: #390 calochortus

Because it was generally believed that women lacked the emotional depth and understanding of the music to play as well as men. When you can tell the sex of the person you are listening too it is easy to ascribe your preexisting impression to a subjective evaluation. When you don't know whether you are listening to a man or a woman, you only evaluate the musical performance. Surely you already knew that?

Double blind testing: how does it work?

397 calochortus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:39:23am

re: #393 Dark_Falcon

It is one of the best proofs of sexism in hiring because there is no other possible explanation of an increase in hiring women in orchestras.

398 wrenchwench  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:39:23am

re: #393 Dark_Falcon

I didn't know that people retained that attitude in matters of music for so long. I thought it had disappeared sooner than it had.

It didn't disappear. It's all around us. Look again at the article at the top, and open your eyes. This is not some relic from the past.

399 darthstar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:39:48am

Quote of the day at boomantribune:
“Trying to run a national campaign out of Boston if you’re not a Democrat is idiotic,” is how one GOP mandarin put it. “You’re surrounded by the enemy. It’s like going to Moscow to negotiate a peace treaty.”

400 darthstar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:40:27am

President Obama's Romnesia bit from this morning....worth watching.

Youtube Video
401 Gus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:41:31am
402 Eventual Carrion  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:42:04am

re: #396 erik_t

Double blind testing: how does it work?

6 mice and 2 farmers wives.

403 Killgore Trout  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:43:17am

Moonbats are really excited by the latest cartoonish silliness that passes for news these days
Lawrence O'Donnell Challenges Romney's Son Tagg To A FIGHT! "Any Time! Any Where!"

Youtube Video
404 Sionainn  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:44:03am

re: #301 Dark_Falcon

I actually like Paul Ryan's put-down. It was a mildly amusing way to dismiss the other side's attack.

So glad to hear that you find women's health issues "mildly amusing."
///

405 Kragar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:45:37am

I keep getting DB connect errors

406 darthstar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:46:02am
407 Killgore Trout  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:46:10am

re: #403 Killgore Trout

Moonbats are really excited by the latest cartoonish silliness that passes for news these days
Lawrence O'Donnell Challenges Romney's Son Tagg To A FIGHT! "Any Time! Any Where!"

[Embedded content]

That really does remind of Glenn Beck's schtick.

408 Sionainn  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:46:47am

re: #321 Dark_Falcon

It's not being an asshole. The Dems said Paul Ryan is "waging a war on woman". Paul Ryan does not see himself as doing any such thing and said so in mildly humorous fashion. And think he's right as far as it goes; That is that Paul Ryan is not a misogynist and he does not act with the aim for hurting women.

Of course, Paul Ryan doesn't think he's doing any such thing. That doesn't actually mean that he's not. He IS acting in ways that hurt women. Why can't you see that?!?

409 Varek Raith  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:46:56am

re: #407 Killgore Trout

That really does remind of Glenn Beck's schtick.

Apples and grenades.

410 blueraven  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:48:06am

re: #405 Kragar

I keep getting DB connect errors

ditto

411 erik_t  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:48:58am

re: #326 erik_t

Does his campaign support fair pay for women? If not, why not? What rational justification could there be for not paying women the same as men?

Cite your sources, please.

Since we've now established with basic arithmetic that it's not because the wimminz are all taking maternity leave....

I'm waiting for an answer. If Paul Ryan thinks the war on women is made up, presumably he supports equal pay for women. Right?

412 Batman  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:49:46am

Have you guys seen [Link: www.romneytaxplan.com....]

It's hilarious. Hard to believe the DNC came up with it. Believe in (half of) America!

413 darthstar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:50:40am

re: #406 darthstar

BTW, nice work, Alouette.

414 AK-47%  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:50:47am

Women are getting paid lower because the Free Market will bear it. Employers know they can get away with it, period.

"Markets are there to serve the people, people are not there to serve the markets"

-Adam Smith

415 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:50:52am

re: #233 Decatur Deb

"Paging Dr. Frist..."

A cardiosurgeon isn't who operates in case of a stroke, I don't think. Frist's surgeon specialty is the heart, not the brain. Though he did save the life of the Capitol Hill gunman.

416 A Mom Anon  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:51:42am

re: #348 Dark_Falcon

You do understand that paid maternity leave is extremely rare,right? Oh you can take time off,the law says employer's have to give you that. But the law does not say they have to pay you for it. I've had two kids,I never got paid leave for either one.

And I'm sorry,a bunch of men who barely understand female anatomy(let alone their own) have no business interfering between any woman and her doctor. For any reason. And Paul Ryan is an asshole. I love how men can just dismiss all this as a joke. It's not.

417 darthstar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:52:24am

Romnesia up to 3 on the Trend

418 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:52:47am

re: #286 HappyWarrior

We live in a weird world where people can with a straight face claim the poor have it too easy and the rich have it too hard. I swear it's like some of these people would be happy to return to the days of feudalism and the days of no class mobility.

A lot of them probably would - with no real understanding of where they would end up in the social stratum would such an event actually take place.

419 erik_t  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:53:32am

re: #416 A Mom Anon

And I'm sorry,a bunch of men who barely understand female anatomy(let alone their own) have no business interfering between any woman and her doctor. For any reason. And Paul Ryan is an asshole. I love how Republican men can just dismiss all this as a joke. It's not.

With all due respect, aggressively FTFY.

420 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:53:53am

re: #403 Killgore Trout

Moonbats are really excited by the latest cartoonish silliness that passes for news these days
Lawrence O'Donnell Challenges Romney's Son Tagg To A FIGHT! "Any Time! Any Where!"

[Embedded content]

Lame. Mr. O'Donnell seems determined to play to the stereotype of the bellicose Irishman.

Also, I just found out I won't be getting a second interview on the job I interviewed for yesterday. Perhaps my illness effected me more than I suspected.

421 Sionainn  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:55:00am

re: #391 wrenchwench

Dude, it's called sexism. Gender bigotry. It's a real phenomenon (says the female mechanic).

Yep. I've been the recipient of it, too. It's definitely real.

422 Mattand  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:56:00am

re: #286 HappyWarrior

We live in a weird world where people can with a straight face claim the poor have it too easy and the rich have it too hard. I swear it's like some of these people would be happy to return to the days of feudalism and the days of no class mobility.

There's been some great observations on the blog lately. This is absolutely one of them.

423 wrenchwench  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:56:00am

re: #419 erik_t

With all due respect, aggressively FTFY.

Generalization is always bad.

424 calochortus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:56:00am

re: #416 A Mom Anon

You do understand that paid maternity leave is extremely rare,right? Oh you can take time off,the law says employer's have to give you that. But the law does not say they have to pay you for it. I've had two kids,I never got paid leave for either one.

And I'm sorry,a bunch of men who barely understand female anatomy(let alone their own) have no business interfering between any woman and her doctor. For any reason. And Paul Ryan is an asshole. I love how men can just dismiss all this as a joke. It's not.

And I, for one, am tired of (usually) conservative men telling me how I feel about things and what is important to me as a woman.

425 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:56:22am

re: #328 Gus

See that's the thing the wingnuts can't comprehend. Military spending went up because of the Iraq war and the war in Afghanistan. Once hostilities come to an end spending will naturally go down. Same thing happened right after WWII where it shot straight down. Afterwards it began to climb up and down with the Cold War, Korean and Vietnam Wars. Up and down it goes. Of course there was the artificial climb in defense spending during the reign of His Royal Majesty and King, Saint Ronald of Reagan.

I wonder if they will go back to keeping the war costs off the official proposed budgets and just using periodic spending resolutions to pay for it.

426 Mocking Jay  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:56:51am

This is pretty cool.

Britgeek Loves This SKYFALL PR Stunt!!

427 Kronocide  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:58:26am

re: #405 Kragar

I keep getting DB connect errors

Yeah, that and MBF database and False Balance feedback loops.

428 A Mom Anon  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 9:58:35am

re: #419 erik_t

Thank you. I should have clarified. This just pisses me off to no end. If they want to go live in the 1500's,fine,let them do it on their own private island and leave the rest of us the fuck alone. They are why we can't have nice things. I'm sick of it.

429 Sionainn  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:00:22am

re: #400 darthstar

President Obama's Romnesia bit from this morning....worth watching.

[Embedded content]

I love it when Obama cracks himself up while telling jokes.

430 erik_t  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:02:44am

re: #428 A Mom Anon

Thank you. I should have clarified. This just pisses me off to no end. If they want to go live in the 1500's,fine,let them do it on their own private island and leave the rest of us the fuck alone. They are why we can't have nice things. I'm sick of it.

No argument here.

431 Mattand  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:02:51am

re: #408 Sionainn

Of course, Paul Ryan doesn't think he's doing any such thing. That doesn't actually mean that he's not. He IS acting in ways that hurt women. Why can't you see that?!?

Paul Ryan can make all the jokes he wants, but this motherfucker would ban abortion outright if he could. The callousness towards women's health Republicans take these days is truly disturbing.

The fact that the rank-and-file, "moderates" in the GOP look the other way makes them enablers of the worst sort.

To make dismissive jokes about it is just icing on the misogynist cake.

432 darthstar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:03:32am

President Obama's 'optimal' response was to John Stewart saying, "you'll agree that it's not optimal when Americans get killed." It was agreement, and not an awkward response.

Now, Mitt Romney is likely to attack the President on this Monday, to which the President should (and likely will) say, "Don't politicize the deaths of Americans by cherry picking a word I said out of context. I was asked if it wasn't optimal, and I agreed."

433 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:03:37am

re: #390 calochortus

Because it was generally believed that women lacked the emotional depth and understanding of the music to play as well as men. When you can tell the sex of the person you are listening too it is easy to ascribe your preexisting impression to a subjective evaluation. When you don't know whether you are listening to a man or a woman, you only evaluate the musical performance. Surely you already knew that?

Maybe we need blind auditions of politicians and media. You know, no identification of network, party affiliation, etc. or showing image of them as we read or hear their policy statements.
//

I think this wouldn't work since for one party their policy appears to be a TV screen with no apparent signal.
:p

434 darthstar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:15:15am

Image: 408680_10151189435024214_1585682823_n.jpg

435 Sheila Broflovski  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:16:35am

What just happened?

436 Someone Please Beam Me Up!  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:17:09am

Totally off topic: gog.com is now offering some mac games in addition to their pc offerings.

437 wrenchwench  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:18:29am

re: #435 Sheila Broflovski

What just happened?

I just reloaded the page, Sorry, did it mess you up?

//

Actually I was experiencing latency, but the reload helped.

438 wrenchwench  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:18:53am

And the Master Spy has been chugging along like a champ.

439 alpuz  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:19:27am

re: #400 darthstar

Oh man.. I can feel the right-wingers seething from here at my chair. That one left one hell of a mark.

440 Gus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:21:32am

re: #403 Killgore Trout

Moonbats are really excited by the latest cartoonish silliness that passes for news these days
Lawrence O'Donnell Challenges Romney's Son Tagg To A FIGHT! "Any Time! Any Where!"

[Embedded content]

Looks like the wingnuts got pretty excited about it. But yeah, it takes focus out of Tagg being disrespectful of a sitting president. It was also a rather violent comment coming from an advisor to the Romney campaign.

441 Kragar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:25:31am

Fischer: CNN is 'What the Gay Gestapo Looks Like in Action'

To say that Bryan Fischer is furious about his failed appearance on CNN earlier this week where anchor Carol Costello threw him off the program would be a bit of an understatement, as yesterday he went off on an epic rant against the "gay gestapo," saying that Costello's refusal to allow him to spew his bigotry unchallenged on national television is exactly what "the gay gestapo looks like in action."

Fischer made multiple references to the "gay gestapo," proclaiming that "the stormtroopers of the homosexual movement" and "the Nazis in the gay gestapo" will punish anyone who says that "homosexuality is immoral, it is unnatural, and it is unhealthy - that is a simple, straightforward statement of fact" because "it is a crime of blasphemy against the god of gayness":

442 Gus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:26:27am

Tagg Romney: white-male-privilege

443 sagehen  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:27:05am

TNC just posted a cool find -- video of a witness to Abraham Lincoln's assassination.

Youtube Video
444 blueraven  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:30:57am

re: #440 Gus

Looks like the wingnuts got pretty excited about it. But yeah, it takes focus out of Tagg being disrespectful of a sitting president. It was also a rather violent comment coming from an advisor to the Romney campaign.

Tagg is just following Daddy's lead.
When Mitt:
Hangs with Donald the birther Trump
Says things like "No one has ever asked for my birth certificate"
Is very disrespectful to the Prez at the debate...Im talking, you'll get your turn!

They both show utter contempt and disrespect, not to mention privilege

445 Interesting Times  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:31:08am
446 Eventual Carrion  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:31:28am

re: #441 Kragar

Fischer: CNN is 'What the Gay Gestapo Looks Like in Action'

Just speculating, but I would bet ol' Fischer has an SS uniform in his closet right beside the brown shirt for his little dress up playmates. This guy really has some problems that I bet are hard to pronounce.

447 Sionainn  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:31:43am

I'm watching the videos from the Alfred E. Smith dinner yesterday. Obama's pretty funny. I haven't gotten to the Romney video yet.

Your text to link...

448 calochortus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:32:39am

re: #433 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste

Maybe we need blind auditions of politicians and media. You know, no identification of network, party affiliation, etc. or showing image of them as we read or hear their policy statements.
//

I think this wouldn't work since for one party their policy appears to be a TV screen with no apparent signal.
:p

Sounds good to me.

449 Gus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:33:23am

Shorter Tagg Romney: frat-boy douche bag.

450 erik_t  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:33:59am

I see someone cleared the dead hamster bodies out of the series of tubes.

451 Sheila Broflovski  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:35:25am

re: #450 erik_t

I see someone cleared the dead hamster bodies out of the series of tubes.

Sometimes the duck-sized horses just stampede.

452 HappyWarrior  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:35:33am

re: #441 Kragar

Fischer: CNN is 'What the Gay Gestapo Looks Like in Action'

The gay gestapo? Is there a lesbian SS?

453 Gus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:35:56am

re: #450 erik_t

I see someone cleared the dead hamster bodies out of the series of tubes.

Spastic tubes.

454 calochortus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:36:33am

re: #453 Gus

Spastic tubes.

Socialized medicine could help with that.

455 AK-47%  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:37:12am

re: #441 Kragar

Fischer: CNN is 'What the Gay Gestapo Looks Like in Action'

He is throwing a world-class hissy fit over not being allowed to spew his venom at will.

456 Sheila Broflovski  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:37:14am

re: #454 calochortus

Socialized medicine could help with that.

Pre-existing condition is covered under Obamacare.

457 calochortus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:39:10am

re: #455 AK-47%

He is throwing a world-class hissy fit over not being allowed to spew his venom at will.

Free speech shouldn't be fact-dependant!

458 erik_t  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:39:33am

re: #453 Gus

Spastic tubes.

When the database encounters a legitimate bug, it's got ways of shutting the whole thing down.

459 Kragar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:40:13am

Oh those wacky libertarians:

Gary Johnson adviser: RNC chair ‘Reince Penis’ belongs in a police lineup

460 Killgore Trout  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:40:53am

re: #420 Dark_Falcon

Also, I just found out I won't be getting a second interview on the job I interviewed for yesterday. Perhaps my illness effected me more than I suspected.

Bummer, sorry to hear that.

461 Sheila Broflovski  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:43:08am

Yeah but there are only 5 LGBT Romney supporters.

462 Gus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:43:26am



463 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:43:49am

Testing...

464 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:45:41am

re: #459 Kragar

Oh those wacky libertarians:

Gary Johnson adviser: RNC chair ‘Reince Penis’ belongs in a police lineup

I'd say that spokesman is being a dick.

/ :D

465 Sheila Broflovski  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:48:31am
466 DisturbedEma  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:49:15am

re: #424 calochortus

I agree- and that is pretty much the arrogance that some of the male members of the human race showing. . ."don't you worry your pretty little head and lady parts about it. . .you'll have the options and care WE decide you need." Feh!

467 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:49:36am

Yes, we're still tweaking the new servers, as you might have guessed already. Just made some changes that are looking really good so far - increased the maximum connections in both Apache and MySQL, and now it seems like the responsiveness is back.

468 Sheila Broflovski  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:49:39am
469 JamesWI  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:49:51am

Unemployment rate drops in 41 states, including most swing states

As we noted this a.m. in Morning Fix, the state-based unemployment numbers can actually be a better indication of how the voters that matter in the 2012 election (i.e. swing state voters) are viewing the economy than the national unemployment figures.

And just as President Obama got a relatively good national jobs report earlier this month, on Friday he got an improved state-based jobs report.

Among the states seeing a decline in their unemployment rate were:

* Colorado (from 8.2 percent in August to 8.0 percent in September)

* Florida (from 8.8 percent to 8.7 percent)

* Iowa (from 5.5 percent to 5.2 percent)

* Nevada (from 12.1 percent to 11.8 percent)

* North Carolina (from 9.7 percent to 9.6 percent)

* Ohio (from 7.2 percent to 7 percent)

* Wisconsin (from 7.5 percent to 7.3 percent)

The rate stayed the same in two states that already have among the lower unemployment rates: New Hampshire (5.7 percent) and Virginia (5.9 percent).

But how do these numbers SMELL to Jack Welch?

470 darthstar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:50:22am

re: #463 Dark_Falcon

Testing...

Nope...you're still wrong.
//

471 erik_t  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:50:38am

Well speak of the damned devil.

This morning, my coworker and I were discussing the fiendish challenges of political polling and cell phones and response bias and small samples etc etc etc and they sure do their best but we just don't see how you could ever truly trust polling.

Two hours later, the first political polling call of my thirty-odd years on this earth.

Mayans, y'all.

472 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:54:52am

re: #467 Charles Johnson

Yes, we're still tweaking the new servers, as you might have guessed already. Just made some changes that are looking really good so far - increased the maximum connections in both Apache and MySQL, and now it seems like the responsiveness is back.

Thanks for the explanation. For a while there I had to reload the page every time I posted.

473 wrenchwench  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:55:01am

re: #471 erik_t

Well speak of the damned devil.

This morning, my coworker and I were discussing the fiendish challenges of political polling and cell phones and response bias and small samples etc etc etc and they sure do their best but we just don't see how you could ever truly trust polling.

Two hours later, the first political polling call of my thirty-odd years on this earth.

Mayans, y'all.

So you're 60? (30 odd years + 30 even years).

474 Kragar  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 10:55:16am

Fucking customers.

"Did you guys perform all the tasks to allow remote access prior to the call?"
"We sure did."
45 minutes of troubleshooting later
"Were we supposed to enable remote access?"
"FUCK YOU!"

475 Gus  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 11:00:39am
476 Sheila Broflovski  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 11:02:00am

re: #474 Kragar

Fucking customers.

"Did you guys perform all the tasks to allow remote access prior to the call?"
"We sure did."
45 minutes of troubleshooting later
"Were we supposed to enable remote access?"
"FUCK YOU!"

True story:

In 1996 someone called me to report the "cup holder" on her new computer was not stable enough to hold her coffee cup. It seems she got an email joke about the "cup holder" and from that she thought the CD load tray was a "cup holder."

Another person called to report "It says it is OK to turn my computer off and I turned it off and when I turn it back on it says it is OK to turn my computer off." They were turning on and off the monitor. To be fair this person had been using a remote terminal that we replaced with a PC.

477 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste  Fri, Oct 19, 2012 11:13:35am

re: #476 Sheila Broflovski

True story:

In 1996 someone called me to report the "cup holder" on her new computer was not stable enough to hold her coffee cup. It seems she got an email joke about the "cup holder" and from that she thought the CD load tray was a "cup holder."

Another person called to report "It says it is OK to turn my computer off and I turned it off and when I turn it back on it says it is OK to turn my computer off." They were turning on and off the monitor. To be fair this person had been using a remote terminal that we replaced with a PC.

I joked to our desktop IT support guy once that I'd broken the cup holder on my office desktop. He semi-freaked out until I told him that * *knew* it was a CD drive and not really a cup holder.

Yes, I'm one reason tech support from Hell exists. >:D


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