Volleyball... reminds me of the Brazilian women's team...

I'm going to go to bed now. Good night, all. And Charles, thanks for running this blog. You don't get thanked enough for it, but you do a fine job.

There are positives to Rio getting the Olympics...

ah. The feel of sand in your shorts.

I'd say this thread is a net gain.

I need my glasses.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"You're husband's a stinkin' liar."

"Yeah!!! We're gonna run him out of office!!"

Yay!!!

re: #3 freetoken

Three out of the nations that have hosted/will host the Olympics between 2008 and 2016 are from the BRIC faction.

re: #2 Dark_Falcon

G'nite, dark_falcon!

For those with short memories... the Brazilian Olympic Beach Volleyball team.

re: #8 Fenway_Nation

Three of them are permanent members of the UNSC too...

The Republican Party needs to stop fucking around and show who they are. And I don't mean being a nice guy. Have some freaking guts, have a take, a belief system and stick with it.

re: #11 freetoken

Which one besides China and Russia?

Good night all, sweet dreams!

But do they have nice personalities, Freetoken? ;p

re: #13 Fenway_Nation

London is up for 2012.

re: #15 Sharmuta

I'm pretty sure I don't care...

LOL

re: #15 Sharmuta

Certainly. I could watch those personalities interact all night.
/

Since Charles Got things started with the blues

Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown: Song for Renee

re: #16 freetoken

Right...

I meant to say three of the five

Beijing- 2008
Vancouver, Canada- 2010
London- 2012
Sochi, Russia- 2014 (about 50 miles from the border w/Georgia)
Rio De Janeiro-2016

75% BRIC representation for the Olympics right there.

I think I've posted this before.
It's the 12/2007 humongous surf off Northern Ca.
It's amazing.
Yes, those little black things are people surfing.
[Link: www.surfline.com...]

Isis - Weight

From the album Oceanic.

Time for me to get some sleeps, but since we are on a blues theme tonight, here's a clash of cultures I can get behind:

Time for another shameless bout of Blog pimpin'...

Not Another New England Sports Blog! The Blog That's Exactly What It Says it Isn't!

re: #23 Slumbering Behemoth

Isis - Weight

From the album Oceanic.

That's the kind of shit I like to listen to for long distance driving. I'll have to look for them on Bittorrent

Ahoy, polloi!

I'm loving this whole new Ocean theme for the overnight.

What's up and how is everyone?

Goodnight, Lizards!
Have fun, play well together & above all, stay scaly!

re: #28 Floral Giraffe

G'nite vinyl vole!

re: #27 iceweasel

Ahoy, polloi!

I'm loving this whole new Ocean theme for the overnight.

What's up and how is everyone?

Looks like it's about dead. Are you in a different timezone or just a late nighter?

I got my ass handed to me in the last thread for being a DKos member. I survived.

re: #26 Conservative Moonbat

Do as you like, but I say support good music (or music you like) and buy that shit. Hit a used record store.

re: #21 Fenway_Nation

Right...

I meant to say three of the five

Beijing- 2008
Vancouver, Canada- 2010
London- 2012
Sochi, Russia- 2014 (about 50 miles from the border w/Georgia)
Rio De Janeiro-2016

75% BRIC representation for the Olympics right there.

Speaking of the other 25% of BRIC...when will India get the Olympic nod?

My guess is 2048, in either Delhi or Hyderabad!

re: #31 Slumbering Behemoth

Do as you like, but I say support good music (or music you like) and buy that shit. Hit a used record store.

I won 't download anything I'm not willing to go see live if it's near me. I don't buy many albums but I see all the live music I can and buy stuff at the shows. They get more money that way anyway.

If I download them and like them, I'll look for them coming to my area.

re: #30 Conservative Moonbat

Looks like it's about dead. Are you in a different timezone or just a late nighter?

I got my ass handed to me in the last thread for being a DKos member. I survived.

I have strange sleep patterns, in addition to being in an undisclosed seekrit underground location.
The thread just downstairs? I would have pitched in to help you out. I'll go check it out.

re: #33 Conservative Moonbat

I get what you're saying, but if a recording label does not see a return on their investment, they are not likely to keep a band on contract producing albums.

And those recording companies don't normally do that shit for free for anyone less than a Super Star. If people don't buy a band's album, that band is often on the hook for the cost of the recording.

re: #30 Conservative Moonbat

Looks like it's about dead. Are you in a different timezone or just a late nighter?

I got my ass handed to me in the last thread for being a DKos member. I survived.

You're sure about that? Just for being a DKos member?

re: #35 Slumbering Behemoth

I get what you're saying, but if a recording label does not see a return on their investment, they are not likely to keep a band on contract producing albums.

And those recording companies don't normally do that shit for free for anyone less than a Super Star. If people don't buy a band's album, that band is often on the hook for the cost of the recording.

Even if you buy the albums at the shows? That's what I try to do since they get more money out of it that way. Most of the contemporary music I listen to is indie or self-produced though.

re: #32 Surabaya Stew

Full disclosure: I've never set foot in India, but isn't it so damn hot and humid throughout most parts of the country that hosting the Olympics really wouldn't be practical?

re: #36 Summersong

Certainly, there was a bit more to it than that.

Comment at your own risk, and take the lumps that come your way.

re: #30 Conservative Moonbat

I got my ass handed to me in the last thread for being a DKos member. I survived.

Maybe your inability to answer this fairly simple question of mine has something to do with it.

re: #36 Summersong

You're sure about that? Just for being a DKos member?

and for refusing to denounce one thing markos said two years before I even registered, something I don't feel I even have the standing to speak on. I hardly ever read him anyway.

re: #37 Conservative Moonbat

If the music you buy is independently produced, then it doesn't much matter where you buy it. You will get a better price if you buy direct, though.

I'm just not down with exploiting the bootleg market for free music. If you like a band, I think you should pay money for their product.

re: #40 Fenway_Nation

Maybe your inability to answer this fairly simple question of mine has something to do with it.

I did in a later response when I said I was leaving it up to other vets to judge him and I didn't think it was my place because I didn't have the life experience.

re: #41 Conservative Moonbat

and for refusing to denounce one thing markos said two years before I even registered, something I don't feel I even have the standing to speak on. I hardly ever read him anyway.

I thought that you said it was funny? Am I mistaken?

re: #43 Conservative Moonbat

Those Americans that were murdered, mutilated, incinerated and their charred corpses hung from a bridge were vets. I think your willingness to cover for Kos and try and find 'context' or 'proportion' for his childish, vapid, ghoulish little 'neener neener' dance is just as vile some five years on as it was when all the other darlings of the lefty blogosphere rushed to Kos' aid back then.

re: #44 Summersong

I thought that you said it was funny? Am I mistaken?

That was the A. Whitney Brown post. It left me agast, amazed, and totally cracking up because it was so obscene.

re: #41 Conservative Moonbat

and for refusing to denounce one thing markos said two years before I even registered

There was a bit more to it then that, CM. You gave Markos a pass for his disgusting comments, A.W. Brown a pass for his disgusting comments, and DKos in general a pass for their history of disgusting comments on the subject.

I would like to suggest you discontinue defending the indefensible.

C'mon lizards. Leave last posts' arguments behind. C M can wait a while.

CM himself brought it up on this thread. Just sayin'.

re: #45 Fenway_Nation

Those Americans that were murdered, mutilated, incinerated and their charred corpses hung from a bridge were vets. I think your willingness to cover for Kos and try and find 'context' or 'proportion' for his childish, vapid, ghoulish little 'neener neener' dance is just as vile some five years on as it was when all the other darlings of the lefty blogosphere rushed to Kos' aid back then.

So I have to be forced to judge this man, whom I've never met, on somthing he said two years before I joined his website?

I'm just not willing to pass judgement against him on that. I don't know him. I don't know his life experiences. I don't even know what he said when he meant it. I don't know if he'd say the same thing now as he'd say then. I frankly think it's absurd to expect every member of his website to be willing and able to pass judgement one way or the on the basis of this.

To be honest, I really don't care. It was a long time ago.

re: #48 swamprat

CM started mixing the batter for his martyr cookies on this thread- neither me, summer or slumbering brought it up.

re: #48 swamprat

I suppose you have a point, but C.M. brought the issue into this thread, and in a disingenuous way, IMO.

If C.M. will drop it for now, I will drop it for now.

I was just giving ice a recap of what had been going on. I didn't realize so many people were even still awake.

Forgive, I'll go to bed shortly.

re: #52 Slumbering Behemoth

I suppose you have a point, but C.M. brought the issue into this thread, and in a disingenuous way, IMO.

If C.M. will drop it for now, I will drop it for now.

deal

re: #50 Conservative Moonbat

Nobody's forcing you, but it speaks volumes about the company that you choose to keep.

re: #38 Fenway_Nation

Full disclosure: I've never set foot in India, but isn't it so damn hot and humid throughout most parts of the country that hosting the Olympics really wouldn't be practical?

That's an astute observation, and is the absolute truth! (Full disclosure: I visited Madras and Hyderabad in 2002 for about 1 week each; the climate change from the Coast to the Deccan plateau is quite extreme!) Which therefore disqualifies Bombay, Madras, and Calcutta as potential Olympic locations. Therefore an interior city like the capital of Delhi, or the 5th largest city of Hyderabad are the only realistic options.

A more serious problem with a sub-continental bid is that India would hardly win any medals (aside from Field Hockey), due to the low interest of sporting events throughout the country. Still though, it's an interesting idea that will come to fruition eventually; no matter how many decades it takes. Perhaps keeping up with the other BRIC nations will give India the kick in the pants needed to get its citizens enthusiastic about the Olympics someday.

re: #50 Conservative Moonbat

To be honest, I really don't care. .

Hence the problem.

It's one thing to cheer the U.S. losing the Olympics (that's insane in my opinion), it's another thing to not be outraged by Americans being murdered and mutilated in Iraq. It's also more outrageous to hide behind the "well I wore the uniform" card to defend that position. That is all.

re: #54 Conservative Moonbat

deal

Done deal. Until next time, then.

re: #56 Surabaya Stew

OK...that's along the lines of what I thought. Plus there's the ever-uncertain security situation in that part of the world as well.

Zappa --- Watermelon in Easter Hay

What would happen if you got all of the famous movie trailer voice artists in one limo?

Good Night Now!!!

re: #59 Fenway_Nation

OK...that's along the lines of what I thought. Plus there's the ever-uncertain security situation in that part of the world as well.

True that...true that!

re: #62 Canadian Guy

Fare thee well, gentleman of the Dominion north of the 49th parralell persuasion!

Well, I looked at that thread and I think it's a good idea to let the issue drop.

I'd say this: CM is right that Kos is pretty indispensible for many on the left as an organising hub, others are right that those diaries are indefensible, but again, reading some info from that site doesn't mean a person endorses everything that's been on it. We were all reading them during the fallout over the Iranian elections, remember, because they were one of the very few places that had up to date info. Charles was linking them. Doesn't mean an endorsement of everything ever on there. I think things got a little out of control over on that thread and CM deserves a little slack here.

My (likely unnecessary) 2 cents.

BTW, I'm significantly to CM's left. And not now or ever a member of Kos or a regular reader. It's easy to pigeonhole people, but rarely accurate.

Okay, the shame is finally wearing off to the point where I can say that Alan Grayson is my representative. There, I said it...well, maybe the shame hasn't worn off yet. Damn...

re: #61 Mauser

HA! Were is that from? 1989?

re: #63 Surabaya Stew

Now that I think about it, I'd like to have President 0bama over for lunch sometime so I could serve up some satays or bakmi goereng. I'd like to think of it as a two-fer; tweaking the pres and the nirthers.

Typhoon Parma is landing in the Norther Philippines... hopefully our friend laZardo will hang tough.

Parma has a rather large area of heavy rainfall on its west side... not good for the Philippines.

re: #68 Fenway_Nation

Now that I think about it, I'd like to have President 0bama over for lunch sometime so I could serve up some satays or bakmi goereng. I'd like to think of it as a two-fer; tweaking the pres and the nirthers.

An excellent suggestion, but don't forget the beef (sapi) rendang!

re: #27 iceweasel

I'm doing ok... glad you asked, wasn't quite sure how to get in on any conversations here.

I just finished skimming Real Clear Politics, and they linked to something from National Review entitled "Five Afghan War Excuses" that I wonder about. I wish I knew how serious the administration was on the issue; what I've heard from congressional Democrats (i.e. the ANA is fully capable of fighting and winning without any help except logistical) is a bit scary.

Has this been posted yet?

Glenn Beck using Vicks Vaporub to prep him for crying on cue:

This is for a photoshoot, but you can hear him saying "My eyes are getting used to this".

Quoth Nelson Munsen: Ha-Ha!

re: #25 Fenway_Nation

Trains! Train pron! Now, it's a real blog.

re: #72 iceweasel

OMG, what bullshit. Good find.

re: #71 akarra

I'm doing ok... glad you asked, wasn't quite sure how to get in on any conversations here.

I just finished skimming Real Clear Politics, and they linked to something from National Review entitled "Five Afghan War Excuses" that I wonder about. I wish I knew how serious the administration was on the issue; what I've heard from congressional Democrats (i.e. the ANA is fully capable of fighting and winning without any help except logistical) is a bit scary.

hey akarra, what's up?

I just took a look at that Lowry article. I'm a bit out of the loop on the current hoo-ha over Afghanistan. My understanding is that McChrsytal wanted even more troops?--- But also that we were already on track to have double the deployment there by the end of Dec than we did last year. So I don't think the admin is weak or unserious on this issue AFAIK.

re: #25 Fenway_Nation

Time for another shameless bout of Blog pimpin'...

Not Another New England Sports Blog! The Blog That's Exactly What It Says it Isn't!

Hey, nice start to your blog; keep up the good work!

re: #74 theheat

OMG, what bullshit. Good find.

Well, I was excited and thought it was a good find, but it turns out that gawker caught the vid back in June-- the rest of the internets (crooks and liars, etc) are just now catching up.

This is better though: remember that piece Salon did on Beck's hero, Cleon Skousen? Charles linked it. MMFA did a follow up. Guess who is yet another white supremacist?

Fox News' Glenn Beck has heavily promoted the writings of far-right activist W. Cleon Skousen, even making Skousen's book, The 5000 Year Leap, a central part of his 9-12 Project. Skousen is the author of several controversial works, including The Making of America: The Substance and Meaning of the Constitution, which presented as "the story of slavery in America" a passage from a book that attacked abolitionists for delaying emancipation; cast slave owners as "the worst victims of the system"; claimed white schoolchildren "were likely to envy the freedom of their colored playmates"; and claimed that "[s]lavery did not make white labor unrespectable, but merely inefficient," because "the slave had a deliberateness of motion which no amount of supervision could quicken."

Shorter Skousen: the worst victims of slavery were the slaveowners.

Beck guru Skousen's "story of slavery" suggests slave owners were "worst victims of the system"

(apologies if this has already been mentioned too)

re: #75 iceweasel

Fair enough. I'm of the opinion that while I don't want right-wing crazies to go too far with pressing the administration on the issue, I do want to see it be a concern generally and things like a "let's just target al-Qaeda only" plan - things that seem to emphasize counterterrorism ops without counterinsurgency be rightfully attacked.

And I'm out. Take care all, thanks for talking!

re: #77 iceweasel

I don't remember who, but someone included Skousen's comments about the plight of slave owners in one of their posts a day or two ago. I think they were quoting the source, also.

The whole thing makes you shake your head, that people are so happy to look the other way about Beck and his ilk. Beck is a pasty-faced ranting racist doughboy that cries on cue, that surrounds himself with like-minded crazies, and lives by and promotes the word of crazies. Gee, what's not to like?

OK, after a discussion last week about caps lock keys and crappy computer keyboards in general, I got inspired to order a Unicomp Customizer 104 to replace my mushy, annoying Dell POS that came with my machine. This keyboard is identical to the Lexmark IBM Model M that dominated the market for years, and is still widely available in the used market because they simply don't ever break.

Suddenly, I enjoy typing again. The keys are well-spaced and have over an eighth of an inch of travel. And it's loud - the keys make a distinct clicking noise when pressed (although there's not any distinct resistance felt); this is a good thing, since a click means you actually typed something, and lack of a click means you didn't. The caps lock key is well separated from the rest of the keys, so you can't hit it accidentally. And the entire keyboard has a slight concave curve to it, which makes it easier to "locate" the keys, as do the sharp edges on the keys themselves.

Plus, it weighs like five pounds. You could stun an ox with this thing.

A bit pricey at $70, but there are Model Ms over twenty years old that are still going strong.

Whoever it was that complained about their caps lock key being pressed accidentally - this is the keyboard for you.

They also make a "quiet" version. I don't see the point.

re: #72 iceweasel

That's from a GQ Magazine photo shoot in June, I believe.

"The crying was my idea, and Glenn was cool with trying it," Greenberg says. "We used mentholated balm to make his eyes tear up naturally. From then on it was acting on his part. He had fun with it and was a great sport."

re: #82 Slumbering Behemoth

That's from a GQ Magazine photo shoot in June, I believe.

Yup! That Jill (?) greenberg chick is the one who took those pics of McCain and retouched them to make him look like a vampire, IIRC.

re: #80 theheat

I don't remember who, but someone included Skousen's comments about the plight of slave owners in one of their posts a day or two ago. I think they were quoting the source, also.

The whole thing makes you shake your head, that people are so happy to look the other way about Beck and his ilk. Beck is a pasty-faced ranting racist doughboy that cries on cue, that surrounds himself with like-minded crazies, and lives by and promotes the word of crazies. Gee, what's not to like?

Ah, figures. I've been out of the loop for the last few days, really. The MMFA article is from the 30th.

I guess I'm stunned at just how many white supremacist associations there seem to be on the right. Look at all the ones Charles has uncovered. I knew about Malkin and VDARE, but I guess for me the real eyeopener was that the entire wingnutsphere seems to have chosen to support RSM as their excuse to make a formal attack on LGF and a formal break with Charles. RSM, of all people. It's mindboggling.

The entire right side of the blogosphere seems to have collapsed into teh fever swamps.

re: #73 theheat

Arigato...I'm debating whether or not to make it a daily thing.

I'd like to incorporate some of my own work into the Train of Thought, but precious few images I've taken are digitized.

(stubborn 35mm holdout).

re: #81 SixDegrees

That's a sessy keyboard. I like the old style keyboards. I tried a few of those ergonomic ones and never could get used to them, plus they were all fairly lightweight crap. I bashed one of them to bits, I hated it so much, if I recall.

The one I'm using now is an old HP I pulled out of the bargain bin at a retro computer recycling store. It's full sized, heavy, noisy, it's slightly curved, and the keys are very predictable with just the right degree of play and firmness. Unfortunately, I've worn half the type off the keys. And it's filthy.

I go through keyboards so fast I can't justify spending a whole lot on them. But this one I picked up for $10 and had more than a year, and it's a great one. When I replace I'd like to find another exactly like it.

re: #85 Fenway_Nation

Find me a large image w/no copyright restrictions and maybe I can customize it for you as a masthead.

"It's what I do. It's all I do."

Members of the Tokyo 2016 bid team appear speechless after Tokyo lost its bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics during the International Olympic Committee's voting session in Copenhagen on Friday. Rio de Janeiro won the right to stage the first Olympics in South America.

What's this, citizens of a country that lost a bid for the Olympics are actually sad that they lost? What is this world coming to?

re: #84 iceweasel

The entire right side of the blogosphere seems to have collapsed into teh fever swamps.

But if you think about it, you could see it coming. I mean, they have honed and focused like a laser to separate themselves as far from the left and center as possible. When you push something this much in one direction or another, it's reduced to its most basic essence, whether it's communism or fascism. Anyone that straddles the center line, or goes a little left or right, is thrown under the bus.

re: #83 iceweasel

Yeah, I see you sussed that out before I made my post. It was talked about a little bit here.

re: #88 freetoken

crybabies.
//

re: #89 theheat

But if you think about it, you could see it coming. I mean, they have honed and focused like a laser to separate themselves as far from the left and center as possible. When you push something this much in one direction or another, it's reduced to its most basic essence, whether it's communism or fascism. Anyone that straddles the center line, or goes a little left or right, is thrown under the bus.

Oh absolutely. I've been an observer of them for a few years now. Even I'm shocked though at how rapidly and completely the wingularity has arrived.

Wingularity:

This punchy term nicely captures the way that rightwing argumentation has become gradually detached from independently recognized reality and into a state of total unselfawareness. The pace of change is also accelerating. Just weeks before the election I never could guess that wingnuts would organize nationally around an act that they call teabagging. Imagine being the traveler from the future of three months hence trying to convince Americans of our semantically awkward future. How would you even start?

Thanks to the magic of talk radio and the internet, these guys can talk to no-one but each other for extremely long stretches of time, so they have no idea how crazy they sound. The time could come in the very near future when it becomes totally impossible for any ordinary person to have any idea what they are talking about. They will be beyond ordinary logic, beyond spoof. The wingularity will have arrived.

re: #90 Slumbering Behemoth

Yeah, I see you sussed that out before I made my post. It was talked about a little bit here.

Yeah, I missed it. Found the vid at Crooks and Liars before I knew about the gawker coverage or the backstory. Oh well. It's still funny!

re: #91 theheat

Not enough Vick's Vapo-Rub.

re: #23 Slumbering Behemoth

Isis - Weight

From the album Oceanic.

Already posted in your general link on top, but I can't say enough good about Sigur Ros. If you like Isis, I'd think you'd really appreciate this Icelandic group with a worldwide following:

re: #94 Fenway_Nation

Or salt. Or Tabasco sauce. Or garlic. Or jalapenos.

Great. Now I'm getting hungry.

re: #96 theheat

Or salt. Or Tabasco sauce. Or garlic. Or jalapenos.

With a Vick's Vapo-Rub chaser?

/pineapple screwdriver and Bacardi & coke are duking it out to see which one can slake my thirst most effectively.

re: #97 Fenway_Nation

Well if you rub any of that in your eyes, you're gonna cry.

I don't drink the hard stuff much any more. But I do love my Guinness Stout. The darker the better. I like stuff so thick you practically have to stir it with a spoon.

But when the occasion calls for it, I make a wicked Bloody Mary.

re: #98 theheat

But I do love my Guinness Stout.

"TO ARTHUR!"

Well, I see VDH has a new column up at PJM (to which I will not link)...

He goes overboard in appealing to the revanchists. Frankly, VDH is now writing "essays" which are no more than assemblages of populist talking points.

E.g., he goes on (and on) about oil... mentioning four states in which he wants drilling... only problem for VDH is that he doesn't about that which he is writing... or else he wouldn't have put the "Dakotas" in that list.

Query...

For the most part, people contently wait in line at Wal-Mart to buy their Wal-Crap. People contently wait in line at the grocery store to buy their groceries. People contently wait in line at McDonald's to buy their McShit.

Yet when it comes to the Post Office, most people turn into bitching, crying special snow-flake princesses if they have to wait in line for more than three seconds for what they want.

WTF is up with that?

Good morning. Could not sleep. Coffee on, listening to the King of the Surf Guitar -- that'll wake me up.

theheat: Guinness is my favorite too. Have you tried Smithwicks? Very good too.

re: #101 Slumbering Behemoth

I love Wal-Mart. McD's, not so much. Post office? Works okay, unless it's important/work related, then I use UPS--or PDF if and email.

re: #95 ryannon

Thanks for the link. It's cool, but I am just not feeling it. No rhyme nor reason, I'm just a weird fucker when it comes to what I like musically. I can't even tell you why I like the music I do, other than to say "I just do".

re: #102 centaur

No, never had a Smithwicks. Is it domestic US or imported?

re: #101 Slumbering Behemoth

Because they're running late for standing in line for their Wal-Crap and Crap McNuggets?

/Certain grocery stores are much worse than the Post Office, IMHO. I'm pretty sure these are union grocery stores, too.

re: #105 theheat

Oh, it's Irish. Kind of a "light" Guinness, if that makes sense. Tasty. It's in more and more bars lately on draft -- check it out.

re: #104 Slumbering Behemoth

Thanks for the link. It's cool, but I am just not feeling it. No rhyme nor reason, I'm just a weird fucker when it comes to what I like musically. I can't even tell you why I like the music I do, other than to say "I just do".

That's quite all right - no problem.

The important thing is to share - no accounting for taste, though.

re: #103 centaur

I get all that. I just don't get why most people, who are normally content to wait in line for just about any other service, suddenly become so cranky and hostile when they have to do the exact same thing at the Post Office.

I don't get it, it's not at all comparable to the bureaucratic nonsense one might have to put up with at the DMV. You ask for what you want, they tell you what it costs, you pay them, you get it. Same as any other retailer.

re: #108 ryannon

The important thing is to share - no accounting for taste, though.

I couldn't agree more, on both counts.

re: #109 Slumbering Behemoth

Selective outrage. Maybe they complain because it's run by the gov. and makes an easy target pile on.

Or maybe because there's no pay off. Waiting in line for that Whopper and fired has a reward, waiting in line to buy that new digital camera or whatnot from Wal-Mart is worth the wait ... but sending a package, let it be over and done with.

Likely, both.

fired=fries.

re: #100 freetoken

Well, I see VDH has a new column up at PJM (to which I will not link)...

He goes overboard in appealing to the revanchists. Frankly, VDH is now writing "essays" which are no more than assemblages of populist talking points.

E.g., he goes on (and on) about oil... mentioning four states in which he wants drilling... only problem for VDH is that he doesn't about that which he is writing... or else he wouldn't have put the "Dakotas" in that list.

VDH, quite honestly, has been doing that sort of thing for a while now. The good and fair post he did about LGF was essentially an anomaly.

re: #113 iceweasel

VDH, quite honestly, has been doing that sort of thing for a while now.

He seems to be "mailing it in" these past couple of years... maybe he is tired of actually doing research and is in retirement, in practice, but keeps up his publicity to get folk to sign up for his Mediterranean cruises.

re: #113 iceweasel

He makes a good point though about Obama not wanting to be identified as a "Chicago" politician--esp. with Rezko and shady real estate rumors vis-a-vis the Olympics. For that stuff though I read John Kass, and go to VDH for ancient military history.

re: #111 centaur

Selective outrage. Maybe they complain because it's run by the gov. and makes an easy target pile on.

I think that's it. I just find it strange that waiting in one line for certain goods/services you want is cool, but waiting in another line for other goods/services that you want is unacceptable.

People are strange.

I guess I am just venting because I had some business to attend to today at the local Post Office, and I had a variety of people all around me, practically standing right up my ass, bitching about the line. Bitching about other things that they would otherwise accept anywhere else.

re: #114 freetoken

He seems to be "mailing it in" these past couple of years... maybe he is tired of actually doing research and is in retirement, in practice, but keeps up his publicity to get folk to sign up for his Mediterranean cruises.

That's my sense too. That he's been mailing it in for a couple of years now and basically writes what he knows will work for those readers.

He's not a total sell-out, or he would have joined in on the Wingnut War Dance over LGF, but he's not really engaged.

re: #100 freetoken

Since you didn't bother linking the article, I don't get what your beef is. Are you objecting to the use of 'the Dakotas' as a singlular state or saying that there's no oil to be had in the Dakotas?

re: #117 iceweasel

There comes a time in many peoples' lives, from what I gathered, when they just want to be turned out to pasture. It happens at a variety of ages - for some in their 50's they are ready to spend all day on the golf course, while others like to work well into their 70's, or 80's.

If VDH has reached a point in his life where he no longer wants to research the topic in which he is interested - well, fine by me. If so, then Victor, go hit the golf courses.

Are we alone yet... ?

re: #120 Bagua

No...and I just finished updating my blog.

Not Another New England Sports Blog! Now with 33% More Train p0rn!

re: #118 Fenway_Nation

Charles does not want links to PJM here...

On the Dakotas... what VDH is selling is some more grievance theatre to the revanchists, about how mean old government is preventing oil exploration and development... and he lists a handful of states.

Unfortunately for VDH's grievance claims, there is plenty of oil drilling in the Dakotas and there has been for a long time! Drilling in the Dakotas is controlled by the economics of oil exploration, not those mean nasty environmentalists.

re: #120 Bagua

If your name ain't Tiffany, then the answer is "hell no".

Right.. then let me my report post in parts, and more...

Bagua can confirm that the world is a strange and wondrous place,
and Texas is even stranger... the world is also a cruel place,
a beautiful place, and more…

Much can happen in 24 hours...

re: #121 Fenway_Nation

"Today's Train of Though"...

Fix that, bro.

re: #122 freetoken

Right- I remember CNN comparing some of the new money from the oil revenues to the Beverly Hillbillies. I can also think of at least three railways that are making some serious money hauling inbound drilling and exploration equipment and outboud crude for refining in the NW corner of North Dakota or NE corner of Montana whereas previously they were just content to haul grain and sugarbeets or just pass through on their way from the Twin Cities to Seattle.

Mean old government and whackjob environmentalists are more applicable to offshore drilling, IMHO.

re: #125 Slumbering Behemoth

Hell no- Took me three attempts just to get the name of the town spelled correctly.

/I mean...what the hell kind of name isBed-ford?

re: #127 Fenway_Nation

Ha! But you did fix it. Just trying to be helpful, as I'm sure you know.

Good Morning LGF.
One of my fave weights.

re: #126 Fenway_Nation

Mean old government and whackjob environmentalists are more applicable to offshore drilling, IMHO.

Even there it is more NIMBYism than anything else. In Florida, whose western coastal areas contain likely natural gas deposits (though probably not much oil, according to the US govt), it is the Floridians who don't want to see rigs off their shores. BTW, we currently has a glut of natural gas here in the US, which has driven the price way down and subsequently drilling has decreased.

In California there has been, and continues to be, oil drilling in the central part of the state, where much oil has been produced. The offshore area from LA to Santa Barbara is known, from past drilling, to likely to have small deposits of relatively easy to access (for underwater sources) oil, but it is the people of those counties who really don't want the drilling off-shore and in this case (unlike Florida) the wells really would be close to shore.

The only place I know of where there is a reasonable shot of finding a meaningful domestic source of oil (according to the USGS and the MMS), whose access is also being fought by a united "environmentalist" front against the wishes of the locals, is in ANWR.

pimf has "have"

Part I:

Having jousted with an errant – but well meaning Knight: (Quixote)
Our tilting interrupted by the Black Knight Salamantis.
With appearance Dark Raven in the form of Falcon.
The hour was late, and ponderous matters left unsettled,
On the seemly, sad uncertain, of the dead thread… alive… uncertain.

Shattered was the Nights Plutonium Shore, by an electrical storm
Of strange frequency and duration. For thirty minutes or more
Never more than two seconds between flashes, and often three strikes Per second, or more,

Not the tame heat lightning of the normal world this came with thunder, Rain, and more. Just after Dark Raven said: Nevermore.

One imagines storms on Venus, some hell where life could live,
But nevermore
Some hot hell of sauna gasses, a future hell, if real, comes faster
The weather truly did grow frightening, lasting, strongly long the flashing

Retreating back into my chamber turning
All my soul within me burning
Dreaming dreams no warming skeptic ever dreamed before.
Thrilled me, filled me with fantastic weather never seen before.

But the thunder gave no freetoken, and Ice remained unbroken
The storm had past, Bagua unbroken, soon clocked the air had cooled,
Entry to the ever vigilant Journal, a valid data point, jotting, fine tuning
Noting, and nothing more.

Cast upon my silken sad uncertain, rustling of mouse clicks uncertain,
Googling deep into the net staring, let me this mystery explore.
Thus my fancy turned to smiling...
It is but a thunder, lightnin’ rapid, some tropical anomaly,
Flashing beyond my chamber door, some strongly flashing
Strobe beyond my open door, no warming demon this,
This it is, a stately storm and nothing more.

Soon again I heard a flapping, of a pet duck some beast was trapping,
Shrieking in pain, terror and more. Startled by the stillness broken
The tame ducks fed beyond my chamber door,
Some tame ducks upon the river, drying
Old friend cold Weasel had found before.
Here I opened wide my door. Horror there, happy house,
Nevermore.

BTW- exactly how crestfallen did Chicagoans look upon the IOC's announcement that the 2016 Summer Olympiad would be taking place elsewhere?

My first reaction was: The average Chicagoan is probably a Cubs fan- you think they'd be used to disappointment.

re: #129 Spare O'Lake

Morning, Spare of the freshwater aquatic body persuasion!

re: #132 Bagua

Wellplayed, sir. Well played!

I like mixing fresh fruit with cottage cheese. Is it weird that I also like to liberally dust that mixture with black pepper?

/drunk eating

Part II:

Tempo changes:

It was a confusing sight at first, no fox, no Weasel,
A thin man shirtless, his jeans sagging revoltingly.
A beer in one hand.

Beside him a chubby girl holding a broom handle?
Unable to comprehend. No doubt his mate.

I saw the man kick the large while the white duck lay dying,
In the yard below me.
Confused I wondered, “Surely he found the duck wounded,
And is making short his suffering.

She said “Its still alive” its head on the cement path, body on the grass.
The man approached and stomped its head a dozen or more times.
The horror of such egregious violence shocked me into awareness
That it was a crime, not mercy.

A large tame duck, nearly a goose, no honor student, no child,

My mind thought of camera, none handy, and also of guns, then the phone
As the savage picked up the dead duck, its head shattered and mangled,
And the pair took off running and laughing before I could react on my high balcony.

Too late to shoot or film, I dialed: 411 (Bagua gets flustered)
Hearing the message I dialed again:
911 – and gave my report, precious seconds and I described their deeds
And guessed their likely escape route.

Then, against reason, chose to be citizen on patrol.
And set out into the darkness to stalk these savage freaks
I spotted the local PD, fast on scene, but typically,
On the wrong side of the river.

re: #137 Bagua

Holy cow! Bravo!

re: #130 freetoken

There has also been some recent excitement about the deeper parts of the Gulf of Mexico. Isn't there still a lot of optimism for many more GOM oil strikes to be reported in the next few years?

re: #137 Bagua

Too late to shoot or film, I dialed: 411 (Bagua gets flustered)
Hearing the message I dialed again:
911 – and gave my report, precious seconds and I described their deeds
And guessed their likely escape route.

Then, against reason, chose to be citizen on patrol.
And set out into the darkness to stalk these savage freaks
I spotted the local PD, fast on scene, but typically,
On the wrong side of the river.

I'm still cracking up over these. Brilliant!

re: #134 Fenway_Nation

Morning, Spare of the freshwater aquatic body persuasion!

And the top of the morning to the green monster of the fen.

re: #136 Slumbering Behemoth

Bet it tastes even better coming back up

I get to go to a BBQ today. It is a sorta wake. My friend of 30 years was shot in Texas 4 weeks ago. I still have no details on what happened. My circle of friends, those who I have known forever, is shrinking. I consider myself young still. This was a guy who would never back down from a fight. And he would always be beside you if needed. Miss you, my friend.

re: #136 Slumbering Behemoth

I like mixing fresh fruit with cottage cheese. Is it weird that I also like to liberally dust that mixture with black pepper?

/drunk eating

Fruit salad with a scoop of peppered cottage cheese works for me too.
Not weird at all - I like fresh black pepper on almost anything.

re: #141 Spare O'Lake

Now that we have all these international players, I wonder if the 37ft left-field wall at Fenway can be translated into something with a more dramatic and flowery flourish than the Green Monster.

/How does one say 'Glorious Emerald Beast' in Japanese?

re: #139 Spare O'Lake

Yes... but I guess that shows my point: oil drilling is alive and well in the US and is principally limited by geology and economics, not that environmentalists are cordoning off the good stuff. See:

[Link: finance.yahoo.com...]

Mexico btw has over the past couple of years been talking more and more about exploring their portion of the deep parts of the GOM. There is even a territorial dispute with the US that gained some notoriety last year. However, drilling in deep water is reported to be very expensive, and PEMEX doesn't have the funds to pursue deep water drilling on their own, so the Mexicans might, for the first time in many years, allow the international (private) oil companies do the deepwater discovery.

The takeaway from all of this: oil is a commodity whose production is controlled by economics, and the grievance theater for the revanchists has little merit (outside, as I mentioned earlier, ANWR.)

re: #142 Fenway_Nation

Bet it tastes even better coming back up

Cud you please stop that?

re: #147 Spare O'Lake

Oh lordy- it's a little early to be regurgitating the same old lame puns today, isn't it?

re: #143 Cannadian Club Akbar

I get to go to a BBQ today. It is a sorta wake. My friend of 30 years was shot in Texas 4 weeks ago. I still have no details on what happened. My circle of friends, those who I have known forever, is shrinking. I consider myself young still. This was a guy who would never back down from a fight. And he would always be beside you if needed. Miss you, my friend.

I'm so sorry. {CCA}

Part III:

After a troubled sleep, uneasy, uncertain
I headed to the laboratory as models need tweaking
And data sampling, and the endless lists of numbers.

Yet, the trailer trash escaped,
And I’m troubled that in this world there are great minds thinking
Moral minds debating, artistic minds creating, and also those
Whose pleasure lay in deviant pleasure, unpunished by my action.

The world was uncomfortable again,
Profession feels hollow, I’d prefer to walk the night with my own stick,
And see what I would find.

Uneasy I casualy scanned the music events listing,
And Friday closed into weekend,
I knew there was nothing important familiar with the latest paper.

Scanning without any intent or motive,
The smaller bars with unknown bands.

EEK - A - Mouse !!!

Impossible, I called, some unknown pub.
“Not the real one, from Jamaica?”
Some small venue, not an amphitheatre?

Plans change quickly in the living world.
MapQuest and “Cato, fire up the silver hornet.”

(Bagua is always late and often underestimates the task,
Addendum Parts to follow faster)

re: #148 Fenway_Nation

Oh lordy- it's a little early to be regurgitating the same old lame puns today, isn't it?

Yes, I agree, let's heave them over the side.

re: #151 Spare O'Lake

And let's make it a point not to hurl invectives at each other.

re: #145 Fenway_Nation

Now that we have all these international players, I wonder if the 37ft left-field wall at Fenway can be translated into something with a more dramatic and flowery flourish than the Green Monster.

/How does one say 'Glorious Emerald Beast' in Japanese?

IIRC that would be Godzilla.

For whats is worth my high skool football team is 4-0. My favorite college is 4-0. We play Syracuse today. I hope I didn't jinx it.

re: #153 Spare O'Lake

IIRC that would be Godzilla.

No no no! That would be 'Magnificent jade Creature'!
/

re: #152 Fenway_Nation

And let's make it a point not to hurl invectives at each other.

I will not bring up the matter again.

re: #154 Cannadian Club Akbar

For whats is worth my high skool football team is 4-0. My favorite college is 4-0. We play Syracuse today. I hope I didn't jinx it.

I guess my english teacher was right. Me stoopid. Geez.

re: #155 Fenway_Nation

No no no! That would be 'Magnificent jade Creature'!
/

How about "Rizard in Reft"?

re: #158 Spare O'Lake

Ruh-roh!

OK lizards- probably long past time for me to get some shuteye.

Weet dreams
(I can barley keep my eyes open!)

Part IV:

Fossil fuels flaring in the Ultimate Driving Machine®
The cool air filled with renewed hope, and change.
It’s never a good sign when One,
Speaks to the Police twice within 24 hours.

Bagua is also helpless in times of navigation,
Lost and entering on the wrong side of the city,
Unaware of highway exit. Could it be the Legend will be missed?

No where to turn around, meandering, cursing, fuming,
Weaving through the unfamiliar city… there’s Main street.

But it is a Texas street, long, windy, detours, bus lanes,
And horses!

Yes, horses, with policemen on top. A Texas Mounted Police,
Shining his flashlight nightstick at me, and muttering something,
Unintelligible to me. It was indeed words for me. Pull over,
His eagle eyes upon my window stickers.
(Bagua is also not so good at renewal taxes)

Yes, the Silver Hornet rampant, is being ticketed by a policeman on a horse,
Worse, he is so bewildered, and also pleased (and fearful)
Yet impossible to contain smiling and man and horse and street.

Things didn’t go so well, the hawk-eyed Old Bill sees evening,
And his horse smells everything.
“Are those other ID in your wallet?” So goes the drama.
No Mouse, rather rat’s in jail. Asked my age I get that wrong too,
(As I say, Bagua get’s flustered.)

Things are not going well, and the horse is very friendly and curious,
Sniffing my hand as I offer various IDs, sticking nose in car. “I travel and move a lot…”
“Gee, he never does that, must smell something sweet.
Have some candy?” Says the Ranger.
“Good grief, I think, I’ll never make the show now, (but what a story.)

re: #160 Fenway_Nation

OK lizards- probably long past time for me to get some shuteye.

Weet dreams
(I can barley keep my eyes open!)

Good night, I hops to see you agrain.

re: #139 Spare O'Lake

There has also been some recent excitement about the deeper parts of the Gulf of Mexico. Isn't there still a lot of optimism for many more GOM oil strikes to be reported in the next few years?

Sure. And rising costs make such exploration more attractive, as well as extraction.

Good Morning Lizards.

Serious multi-tasking here. Making Cinnamon Buns and brewing a batch of Cherry Wheat for the FL/GA Tailgate on Halloween (beer for the tailgate, the buns won't last past this weekend).

re: #163 SixDegrees

Sure. And rising costs make such exploration more attractive, as well as extraction.

But if we drill here we hate the enviroment or love big oil. I would drill in my back yard if I knew there was oil.

Part V:

The Ranger turns out to be a Knight,
Pleasant, professional, free to proceed.
Oh joy! As horse and man move away from the vehicle,

He turns and says, “Oh you can go.”
Still stunned and smiling “ I’m afraid to spook your horses.”

No worry, horse and man backup into the Main street,
And traffic is stopped so I can proceed.
“Thank you very much Officer.”
I think to myself, that was the finest officer I’ve been
Stopped by, (And I have a large data set spanning numerous
Nations)

It was a small club, impossibly small for the star it held,
An hour late! No Problem Jamaica. The Show had yet to start.

He was beyond belief, electric, yes, small crowd, yes,
Intimate, at times I too sang into the mike.
In fact the best show in living memory (mine)

And of course strange, after the show someone spoke to me in German,
‘Strange’ I thought, forgetting the Dutch on my T-Shirt back.
And I told Mouse my story of the Horse pull over car.
Thinking ‘he will think I’m a raving, “Is that the horse?” Says Mouse.
It’s there visible outside the door.

24 hours have now passed start to finish. And I am no wiser, yet vastly entertained.
My faith in the creative power of the universe and man restored.

fin

re: #164 rwdflynavy

The cocktail party. Nice.

re: #167 Cannadian Club Akbar

The cocktail party. Nice.

We aren't even going to the game, just got 4 tailgate spots for my squadron officers to hang out.

WHAT'S UP BEOOOTCH!?

Speaking of barf:

Is Ahmadinejad trying to hide his Jewish roots by bashing Israel? Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's scathing attacks against Israel and his repeated denials of the Nazi Holocaust could be motivated by a desire to conceal his own Jewish roots, an Iran expert told The Daily Telegraph on Saturday.

The British newspaper examined the Iranian leader's identity card which he displayed in public during his country's elections in March 2008.

The ID card bears his family's original surname, Sabourjian, which is a Jewish name that means cloth weaver, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Advertisement

The Sabourjians have historically been concentrated in the same region of Iran where Ahmadinejad was born, according to the report.

Ahmadinejad's identity papers indicate that his family changed its name and converted to Islam after he was born, the British newspaper said.

Iranian observers suggested that the president's constant verbal assault against Israel and Jews may be an attempt to prove his loyalty to Shia Islam while making every effort to hide his Jewish past.

"This aspect of Mr Ahmadinejad's background explains a lot about him," Iranian studies expert Ali Nourizadeh told The Telegraph. "Every family that converts into a different religion takes a new identity by condemning their old faith."

"By making anti-Israeli statements he is trying to shed any suspicions about his Jewish connections," Nourizadeh said. "He feels vulnerable in a radical Shia society.

[Link: www.haaretz.com...]

re: #169 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

WHAT'S UP BEOOOTCH!?

What did you call me?

re: #169 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

WHAT'S UP BEOOOTCH!?

Morning FBV

re: #171 Cannadian Club Akbar

(*looking down... gently kicking dust*)

nuthin...

In honor of the "All Wet On Sea Level" thread...

I hate it when I have to call my cell phone just to realize it is sitting right next to me.

re: #170 Spare O'Lake

Speaking of barf:

Is Ahmadinejad trying to hide his Jewish roots by bashing Israel? Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's scathing attacks against Israel and his repeated denials of the Nazi Holocaust could be motivated by a desire to conceal his own Jewish roots, an Iran expert told The Daily Telegraph on Saturday.

The British newspaper examined the Iranian leader's identity card which he displayed in public during his country's elections in March 2008.

The ID card bears his family's original surname, Sabourjian, which is a Jewish name that means cloth weaver, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Advertisement

The Sabourjians have historically been concentrated in the same region of Iran where Ahmadinejad was born, according to the report.

Ahmadinejad's identity papers indicate that his family changed its name and converted to Islam after he was born, the British newspaper said.

Iranian observers suggested that the president's constant verbal assault against Israel and Jews may be an attempt to prove his loyalty to Shia Islam while making every effort to hide his Jewish past.

"This aspect of Mr Ahmadinejad's background explains a lot about him," Iranian studies expert Ali Nourizadeh told The Telegraph. "Every family that converts into a different religion takes a new identity by condemning their old faith."

"By making anti-Israeli statements he is trying to shed any suspicions about his Jewish connections," Nourizadeh said. "He feels vulnerable in a radical Shia society.

[Link: www.haaretz.com...]

Link to the Telegraph story: [Link: www.telegraph.co.uk...]
WTF - Ahmadinejad is a J...J...J... - oh forget it, I can't even say it!

Crap. I have to start drinking beer in 4 hours.

re: #177 Cannadian Club Akbar

Crap. I have to start drinking beer in 4 hours.

Not soon enough?

re: #178 rwdflynavy

Not soon enough?

I might start at 11.

[Link: www.beerchurch.com...]

re: #168 rwdflynavy

Go Gators!

re: #181 ohpleaseno

Go Gators!

Go USF Bulls!!!

Krauthammer on Iran: Obama's French Lesson

re: #182 Cannadian Club Akbar

Go USF Bulls!!!

Go Hawkeyes!

re: #184 Pianobuff

Go Hawkeyes!

Go local sports team!

re: #185 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Go local sports team!

Not local, but a sentimental favorite. I don't root for any of the local teams here (LA).

re: #186 Pianobuff

Not local, but a sentimental favorite. I don't root for any of the local teams here (LA).

Go LSU!!! Maybe not.

re: #187 Cannadian Club Akbar

Go LSU!!! Maybe not.

Ooops on my part... LA = Los Angeles in this case.

re: #183 Pianobuff

Krauthammer on Iran: Obama's French Lesson

Krauthammer, as usual, is right on the money.
Obama is naive and worse than useless - so taken with the sound of his own voice that he thinks that the stench of his constant stream of bullshit will go undetected.

re: #183 Pianobuff

Krauthammer on Iran: Obama's French Lesson

When France chides you for appeasement, you know you're scraping bottom.
oh Lawdy...Obama is taking us to the edge

re: #190 HoosierHoops

I wonder how many have buyers remorse.

re: #190 HoosierHoops

Oh, lo'dy, lo'd, he's desp'it! Do what he sayyy, do what he sayyy!

-Blazing Saddles

But I do not blame him for Rio.

Let the kidnappings begin...

re: #191 Cannadian Club Akbar

I wonder how many have buyers remorse.

He keeps this crap up he'll be a one term prez..

re: #189 Spare O'Lake

From Krauthammer's article:

"At the time, we had no idea what Sarkozy was fuming about. Now we do. Although he could hardly have been surprised by Obama's fecklessness. After all, just a day earlier in addressing the General Assembly, Obama actually said, "No one nation can ... dominate another nation."

What a complete fucking moron Obama is.

I'm sorry, I'm trying to give Obama the benefit of the doubt but on the things that count the son of a bitch is probably going to get people killed.

Yes the right should not flip out about Obama, it distracts from the real objections to him that Krauthammer's article sets forth.

re: #195 Ojoe

Abso-frickin'-lutely.

re: #195 Ojoe

From Krauthammer's article:

"At the time, we had no idea what Sarkozy was fuming about. Now we do. Although he could hardly have been surprised by Obama's fecklessness. After all, just a day earlier in addressing the General Assembly, Obama actually said, "No one nation can ... dominate another nation."

What a complete fucking moron Obama is.

I'm sorry, I'm trying to give Obama the benefit of the doubt but on the things that count the son of a bitch is probably going to get people killed.

Yes the right should not flip out about Obama, it distracts from the real objections to him that Krauthammer's article sets forth.

but, but... hope and change! Unicorns!
//

re: #197 rwdflynavy

re: #196 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

The previous moron, & here we go again.

re: #193 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

But I do not blame him for Rio.

Let the kidnappings begin...

Good Morning...Reservations on AA for august 2016 to Rio are 917.00 round trip..Screw it...I'm going to the Olympics.. It would have been better to take the Train to Chicago with the boys and get trashed on the 4 hour ride to see a REAL OLYMPICS BASKETBALL GAME...I mean seriously...Trash talking somebody that doesn't understand english will be sweet.
/

I linked a story a few days ago... to lazy to find it now... that in Rio the kidnapping ransoms demanded are far less than in other parts of Brazil.

What a bargain!

re: #113 iceweasel

VDH, quite honestly, has been doing that sort of thing for a while now. The good and fair post he did about LGF was essentially an anomaly.

I don't think it was an anomaly at all. I read most of what VDH posts at NRO, and I find a lot of it is still well thought out and fair, but there's also stuff that I simply don't find at all interesting. I haven't read the article about drilling, unless it was on NRO in which case I've forgotten about it. What is the other site that you referred to and to which you didn't want to link?

re: #200 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

I linked a story a few days ago... to lazy to find it now... that in Rio the kidnapping ransoms demanded are far less than in other parts of Brazil.

What a bargain!

Think I'll kidnap a smoking hot Latin girl...Wait..You didn't mean that...

re: #199 HoosierHoops

Can I have $917.00?

re: #203 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Can I have $917.00?

It's 12.00 a month till 2016..Start saving Now!

re: #201 John Neverbend

What is the other site that you referred to and to which you didn't want to link?

Sorry, it was Freetoken, and I think I know the site.

re: #195 Ojoe

Feet of clay. Standing in crap.

re: #202 HoosierHoops

Think I'll kidnap a smoking hot Latin girl...Wait..You didn't mean that...

Well, they ain't Latin... I love this version...

How long before Obama, the left wing media & the Obama singers blame Bush for Chicago losing out on the Olympics?

re: #208 right_wing2

How long before Obama, the left wing media & the Obama singers blame Bush for Chicago losing out on the Olympics?

Boil an egg.

re: #208 right_wing2

How long before Obama, the left wing media & the Obama singers blame Bush for Chicago losing out on the Olympics?

I think there was already some of this yesterday.

re: #208 right_wing2

How long before Obama, the left wing media & the Obama singers blame Bush for Chicago losing out on the Olympics?

I expect that to happen today. They'll say we were rejected because the legacy of the Bush years. Buffoons.

re: #210 Pianobuff

I think there was already some of this yesterday.

On this board no less. World hates us, yadda yaddan teenage angst...

re: #207 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Well, they ain't Latin... I love this version...

I have a buddy that tried to teach me that song on guitar...To freaking hard
I'll bet Charles can play it in his sleep...Pisses me off...
Dang guitarists!
/

re: #195 Ojoe

From Krauthammer's article:

"At the time, we had no idea what Sarkozy was fuming about. Now we do. Although he could hardly have been surprised by Obama's fecklessness. After all, just a day earlier in addressing the General Assembly, Obama actually said, "No one nation can ... dominate another nation."

What a complete fucking moron Obama is.

I'm sorry, I'm trying to give Obama the benefit of the doubt but on the things that count the son of a bitch is probably going to get people killed.

Yes the right should not flip out about Obama, it distracts from the real objections to him that Krauthammer's article sets forth.

The whole thing makes me cry. I wish Sarkozy could corner Obama and just yell at him for a few minutes to try to inject some sense into Obama.

I'm out. I'll probably be back tomrrow.

re: #212 rwdflynavy

On this board no less. World hates us, yadda yaddan teenage angst...

Burris supposedly already stated yesterday that because of Bush the US reputation was so tarnished that the IOCC wouldn't consider us.

re: #213 HoosierHoops

I have a buddy that tried to teach me that song on guitar...To freaking hard
I'll bet Charles can play it in his sleep...Pisses me off...
Dang guitarists!
/

He's a hippie. I sell him pot.
///

re: #208 right_wing2

Was probably a done deal before anybody even got to Copenhagen.

Rio's about as far from Middle Eastern Islamic Extremists as you can get.

I am thinking the IIOC is not thinking it is going to get better anytime soon.

re: #215 Pianobuff

Burris supposedly already stated yesterday that because of Bush the US reputation was so tarnished that the IOCC wouldn't consider us.

Burris is a crack head.. The reason really is that S. America has never hosted the Olympics.. We have hosted 8 games...4 summer..4 winter
It's only fair..
Congratulations Rio!

re: #217 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Now, with Rio's... reputation as a party city, with topless beaches, will the Islamic world boycott? Or will extremist elements of Islam start committing violence there in order to bring Rio to the high moral standards expected by the Hammies, Hezzies & AlQui's?

I don't get why Florida hasn't gotten the winter games.

re: #122 freetoken

Drilling in the Dakotas is controlled by the economics of oil exploration, not those mean nasty environmentalists.

I read the article, and I agree with your point above, but I don't think VDH was disputing this. He was simply asking for greater government encouragement for the development of oil exploration and production of new fields in North Dakota. I assume that one such project would be the Bakken Shale, the announcement of which came out in April 2008.

re: #213 HoosierHoops

But, I'll bet I can out-sing Charles...

The only thing that I can do, musically.

I do not like it when singers (only) call themselves "musicians". We're singers.

re: #216 Cannadian Club Akbar

He's a hippie. I sell him pot.

Fear the pony-tail.

Well, I gotta tell ya, I was starting to get just a little worried about Obama's weakness on Iran, but now that I know that Ahmadinejad is a Jew I will be sleeping a lot better.
///ubersarc///

[Link: [Link: www.haaretz.com...]...]

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

re: #219 right_wing2

Now, with Rio's... reputation as a party city, with topless beaches, will the Islamic world boycott? Or will extremist elements of Islam start committing violence there in order to bring Rio to the high moral standards expected by the Hammies, Hezzies & AlQui's?

The beaches are topless? Yippee!
Beats Chicago by a mile...:)

re: #225 HoosierHoops

I've never seen a nudist that I would like to see nude.

'Ceptin pictures from Rio.

re: #220 Cannadian Club Akbar

I don't get why Florida hasn't gotten the winter games.

It is perplexing. I was also wondering why the summer games aren't going to be in Calgary.

re: #226 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

I've never seen a nudist that I would like to see nude.

'Ceptin pictures from Rio.

/note to self..Pack a camera...

re: #228 HoosierHoops

/note to self..Pack a camera...

And upload them.

re: #220 Cannadian Club Akbar

Damn those Bush's.

re: #199 HoosierHoops

Good Morning...Reservations on AA for august 2016 to Rio are 917.00 round trip..Screw it...I'm going to the Olympics

I'm not sure if it's still a problem, but it used to be a lot safer to fly into São Paulo and then take a domestic flight to Rio, arriving at the small domestic downtown airport, rather than Rio's international airport which is outside the main city. It's a lot longer, as you have to switch airports, I think, in São Paulo, and that's a real pain. It's the only way I've ever gone to Rio.

re: #229 Cannadian Club Akbar

And upload them.

My buddy went to Spain a few years ago..ahhh. the pics were spectacular...
/I'm in trouble aren't I?
//

"Some people regard private enterprise as a predatory tiger to be shot. Others look on it as a cow they can milk. Not enough people see it as a healthy horse, pulling a sturdy wagon."

Winston Churchill

Yea Capitalism!!!

re: #137 Bagua

Part II:

Tempo changes:

It was a confusing sight at first, no fox, no Weasel,
A thin man shirtless, his jeans sagging revoltingly.
A beer in one hand.

Beside him a chubby girl holding a broom handle?
Unable to comprehend. No doubt his mate.

I saw the man kick the large while the white duck lay dying,
In the yard below me.
Confused I wondered, “Surely he found the duck wounded,
And is making short his suffering.

She said “Its still alive” its head on the cement path, body on the grass.
The man approached and stomped its head a dozen or more times.
The horror of such egregious violence shocked me into awareness
That it was a crime, not mercy.

A large tame duck, nearly a goose, no honor student, no child,

My mind thought of camera, none handy, and also of guns, then the phone
As the savage picked up the dead duck, its head shattered and mangled,
And the pair took off running and laughing before I could react on my high balcony.

Too late to shoot or film, I dialed: 411 (Bagua gets flustered)
Hearing the message I dialed again:
911 – and gave my report, precious seconds and I described their deeds
And guessed their likely escape route.

Then, against reason, chose to be citizen on patrol.
And set out into the darkness to stalk these savage freaks
I spotted the local PD, fast on scene, but typically,
On the wrong side of the river.

May the gods see to it, I humbly beseech:
their empty heads
Smashed into bloody pulp;
Slowly, with determination and art
Two unworthy lives snuffed
Leaving only a malodorous
but fast dissipating trace,
Like some lingering fart.

re: #231 John Neverbend

I'm not sure if it's still a problem, but it used to be a lot safer to fly into São Paulo and then take a domestic flight to Rio, arriving at the small domestic downtown airport, rather than Rio's international airport which is outside the main city. It's a lot longer, as you have to switch airports, I think, in São Paulo, and that's a real pain. It's the only way I've ever gone to Rio.

I'll check it on the web today..What Airline? AA?

re: #232 HoosierHoops

My buddy went to Spain a few years ago..ahhh. the pics were spectacular...
/I'm in trouble aren't I?
//

Only if Ms. Hoops is behid you.

re: #235 HoosierHoops

I'll check it on the web today..What Airline? AA?

AA or JAL to SP then Tam to Rio. It's a long drive, however, from SP international airport to the domestic airport. I think that some years ago, armed gangs were routinely hijacking taxis going from Rio International into the city. Eventually, they managed to hijack a taxi which contained, instead of tourists, a senior Brazilian judge, who was so horrified that he made sure that the military ruled out any repeats of the incident. This part may be apocryphal, but whenever I've been there on business, I've always been advised to go to SP first.

By the time 2016 rolls around, things will be quite different, and given the volume of tourists, I would have thought you'll have no problem. Also, I can't believe that the Brazilian government will allow anything bad to happen to incoming tourists, at least not between the airport and the city.

Oh gosh! This is disgusting! Watch it.

re: #237 John Neverbend

AA or JAL to SP then Tam to Rio. It's a long drive, however, from SP international airport to the domestic airport. I think that some years ago, armed gangs were routinely hijacking taxis going from Rio International into the city. Eventually, they managed to hijack a taxi which contained, instead of tourists, a senior Brazilian judge, who was so horrified that he made sure that the military ruled out any repeats of the incident. This part may be apocryphal, but whenever I've been there on business, I've always been advised to go to SP first.

By the time 2016 rolls around, things will be quite different, and given the volume of tourists, I would have thought you'll have no problem. Also, I can't believe that the Brazilian government will allow anything bad to happen to incoming tourists, at least not between the airport and the city.

4 Billion dollars for security should get me to my hotel...*wink*
What in a good hotel down there? This is going to be great...
World class athletes and topless beaches! What more does a man want?

re: #238 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Oh gosh! This is disgusting! Watch it.

That is some of the funniest shit ever. EVER!!!

re: #237 John Neverbend

AA or JAL to SP then Tam to Rio.

The JAL non-stop flight to SP only goes from JFK, I think. AA may fly direct from other airports, but I've only ever flown from JFK.

Hey, what's the latest on the LGF cookbook?

re: #239 HoosierHoops

4 Billion dollars for security should get me to my hotel...*wink*
What in a good hotel down there? This is going to be great...
World class athletes and topless beaches! What more does a man want?

Beer. Steak. Whiskey.

re: #218 HoosierHoops

Burris is a crack head.. The reason really is that S. America has never hosted the Olympics.. We have hosted 8 games...4 summer..4 winter
It's only fair..
Congratulations Rio!

Yes. I don't think there was any hope in hell of Chicago (or anyone but Rio) getting it, assuming that Rio had a competent plan, which they obviously did.

And this was the first time that the heads of all potential host countries went, so Obama had to go. He was gone only 24 hours; I can't get worked up over that.

And hiya, Hoops!

re: #243 right_wing2

Beer. Steak. Whiskey.

Can I move in?

re: #239 HoosierHoops

4 Billion dollars for security should get me to my hotel...*wink*
What in a good hotel down there? This is going to be great...
World class athletes and topless beaches! What more does a man want?

...and BRAZIL CAN AFFORD TO HOST THE FRICKIN' GAMES!

re: #50 Conservative Moonbat

So I have to be forced to judge this man, whom I've never met, on somthing he said two years before I joined his website?

I'm just not willing to pass judgement against him on that. I don't know him. I don't know his life experiences. I don't even know what he said when he meant it. I don't know if he'd say the same thing now as he'd say then. I frankly think it's absurd to expect every member of his website to be willing and able to pass judgement one way or the on the basis of this.

To be honest, I really don't care. It was a long time ago.

this sounds like President Obama refusing to condemn jeremiah wright ...

"this is not the markos i knew ... "

re: #247 _RememberTonyC

this sounds like President Obama refusing to condemn jeremiah wright ...

"this is not the markos i knew ... "

Dude, come on...

re: #244 iceweasel

Good Morning Ice! Hope today finds you well
/Don't read the posts about topless beaches...I didn't mean that..
/Not
:)

re: #218 HoosierHoops

Burris is a crack head.. The reason really is that S. America has never hosted the Olympics.. We have hosted 8 games...4 summer..4 winter
It's only fair..
Congratulations Rio!

That, and the fact that Rio bid $12.4 billion, against Chicago's $4.8 billion; and that the IOC is probably the worlds sleaziest, most corrupt organization, actively soliciting bribes from competing finalists.

Good morning Lizards. It's funny how the smallest things remind me of what a great country we live in, and this weekend, it was a dinner party at the casino. Setting at our table were people from most cultures, Asians, whites, black and brown. A few beers into the evening, my wife was teaching a Chinese gal a line dance, a WWII vet was dancing with a young gal that recently immigrated from Russia and so on.
I don't think you'd find such a diverse group in most countries, and I think that's are strength, we get bits of the best from around the world.
BTW, as bad as the economy is, the 4 Harrah's proprieties booked over 5000 of their top level player for this weekends special events. Last night, we had the Dancing with the stars event,(Got to meet Shannon Elizabeth) tonight it's a Seinfeld show, I'm still about even on the tables and having a great time. If the rest of the businesses in this country could learn marketing from the casino industry, the economy would be going nuts. :)

re: #248 iceweasel