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I have no money, no resources, no hopes. I am the happiest man alive.
— Henry Miller
863 comments
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Tiny Alien Kitties are Watching You Mon, Jan 25, 2010 10:59:08pm |
Yeah, but did he have either a woman or a dog? Either would explain his perception of luckiness after all...
| 2 |
Oh no...Sand People! Mon, Jan 25, 2010 10:59:40pm |
Give it a few more years like this and I am sure we'll be the happiest country evah!!!
/
| 3 |
boredtechindenver Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:00:43pm |
I'm happy. It's time for a new Bourdain.
| 4 |
The Left Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:01:39pm |
re: #1 ausador
Yeah, but did he have either a woman or a dog? Either would explain his perception of luckiness after all...
Many women, including Anais Nin. I'll forbear further comment on that...
I think there's a biography of Miller called "The Happiest Man Alive".
| 5 |
Tiny Alien Kitties are Watching You Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:04:40pm |
re: #2 Oh no...Sand People!
There is something to be said for the freedom felt in utter Nihilism, once your that far gone you just honestly don't worry anymore, about anything. Just getting by for another day is a thrill in itself, I got there once, I hope never to get anywhere near there again.
| 6 |
Fionn MacCumhaill Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:04:47pm |
I have no money and no resources, but I do have hopes and a bottle of 12-year-old Glenfiddich. I'm going to pour myself a shot and then it's off to bed.
| 7 |
The Left Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:12:02pm |
Uhoh. Speaking of people without resources and hope, looks like there's a John Edwards sex tape.
Bleargh. I wish this wouldn't come out-- not because I give a damn about Edwards, but because of his wife.
| 8 |
Mocking Jay Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:15:52pm |
re: #7 iceweasel
It's like he wanted his political career to die a horrible death.
| 9 |
Silvergirl Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:16:47pm |
re: #7 iceweasel
Uhoh. Speaking of people without resources and hope, looks like there's a John Edwards sex tape.
Bleargh. I wish this wouldn't come out-- not because I give a damn about Edwards, but because of his wife.
She's must be beyond it by now. There's a point where it's like, "Bring it on--I'm numb, impervious. Do your best. I feel nothing."
| 10 |
Mocking Jay Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:19:36pm |
re: #9 Silvergirl
Being a man I can't claim to know women that well, but is this really something a wife gets desensitized to? Hell, at this point I imagine she might be happy to have one more thing to send to the divorce lawyer...
| 11 |
Tiny Alien Kitties are Watching You Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:20:57pm |
re: #7 iceweasel
I'm waiting for the inevitable tapes of Tiger Woods in action...
(honestly, a young man making hundreds of millions a year and who spends much of the year on the road has mistresses? Well gee I'm simply shocked!)
| 12 |
Dancing along the light of day Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:21:05pm |
Hiya & Bye-ya Lizards.
Nice to see you ( And not JE).
Hasta Manana!
| 13 |
The Left Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:22:26pm |
re: #8 JasonA
It's like he wanted his political career to die a horrible death.
Yes, it does almost seem that way. the excerpt from Game Change in Ny Mag certainly makes it look that way.
re: #9 Silvergirl
She's must be beyond it by now. There's a point where it's like, "Bring it on--I'm numb, impervious. Do your best. I feel nothing."
I really hope so, partly because she's sick and I can't imagine what she's going through.
Then I remember this bit from that excerpt:
As for Elizabeth Edwards, she is reportedly now urging John to accede to Hunter’s demands and take responsibility for his paternity of Frances Quinn—a dramatic and no doubt painful turnabout from her position eighteen months ago. Confronted then with the Enquirer photo of her husband cuddling Hunter’s baby, she insisted to Palmieri that she still believed he was not the father. “I have to believe it,” Elizabeth said. “Because if I don’t, it means I’m married to a monster.”
Last I'd heard she had filed for separation, I think. The tape coming out would just compound what she's going through. And it'll come out, I'm sure. They always do.
| 14 |
Mocking Jay Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:23:39pm |
re: #11 ausador
I'm waiting for the inevitable tapes of Tiger Woods in action...
(honestly, a young man making hundreds of millions a year and who spends much of the year on the road has mistresses? Well gee I'm simply shocked!)
Well, I don't think it was a foregone conclusion. Some of us actually like monogamy and respecting our partner.
| 15 |
Slumbering Behemoth Stinks Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:24:10pm |
I hate Colorado Nazis....
BRIGHTON, Colo. -- Members of a small neo-Nazi organization are now state volunteers for roadside cleanup.
"We want to get the word out that we’re not bad people," Cpl. Neal Land, the head of National Socialist Movement in Denver, told the Longmont Times-Call.
Here's a hint, Neal. Try not being a fucking Nazi! Jackass.
| 16 |
Silvergirl Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:26:05pm |
re: #10 JasonA
Being a man I can't claim to know women that well, but is this really something a wife gets desensitized to? Hell, at this point I imagine she might be happy to have one more thing to send to the divorce lawyer...
I don't know, I was doing a little bit of "feeling her pain." I mean what else can he do to hurt her? There's a point where you're just in the corner absorbing the punches.
| 17 |
Mocking Jay Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:27:47pm |
re: #15 Slumbering Behemoth
I hate Colorado Nazis...
Here's a hint, Neal. Try not being a fucking Nazi! Jackass.
Aww, they even use ranks. how cute.
Seriously, sometimes I wonder if we let this freedom of speech thing go too far. I know the answer's no, but these things make me feel skeevy.
| 18 |
Mocking Jay Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:29:57pm |
re: #15 Slumbering Behemoth
This gave me a chuckle.
A 2005 Supreme Court ruling supported the Ku Klux Klan’s right to adopt a highway in Missouri. When the National Socialist Movement later adopted a highway in that state, officials -- instead of denying the application -- decided to rename the subject stretch of road after a rabbi who fled Nazi Germany.
| 19 |
Silvergirl Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:32:08pm |
| 20 |
The Left Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:33:45pm |
This is kind of funny: Stewart does a great imitation of Olbermann and rips him a new one. Video there.
Apparently Olbermann later played it and admitted Stewart was right:
On Friday night's Countdown, Keith Olbermann responded to Jon Stewart's mockery of the MNSBC host on the previous night's Daily Show, admitting, "I have been a little over the top lately. Point taken. Sorry."
| 21 |
RadicalModerate Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:33:59pm |
re: #15 Slumbering Behemoth
I hate Colorado Nazis...
Here's a hint, Neal. Try not being a fucking Nazi! Jackass.
Hopefully, the Colorado Highway Department (or whatever government body is in charge of such things) has the same sensibility that the state of Missouri had when the KKK decided to try their hand at adopting highways.
From Snopes
"Anne Frank Memorial Highway", anyone?
| 22 |
Tiny Alien Kitties are Watching You Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:36:48pm |
re: #14 JasonA
Well, I don't think it was a foregone conclusion. Some of us actually like monogamy and respecting our partner.
Name me one biography of a very rich man written in the last fifty or more years that does not include philandering? It certainly seems to be pretty universal to me, either money does something weird to these guys heads or perhaps it is that the type of man to pursue and make it is also the type who cheats? (political power seems about the same)
Of course I would have to say that the added wealth and/or power probably brings along a lot more temptation also. It is awfully hard to think with your big head when a stunning looking beauty is practically crawling into your lap.
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Slumbering Behemoth Stinks Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:38:07pm |
re: #17 JasonA
Aww, they even use ranks. how cute.
When your lame group of Nazi assholes is composed of a grand total of six limp-dicked impotent fucks, I don't imagine it's that hard to obtain the rank of corporal. He was probably the dude who picked up the most discarded cans, or something.
Seriously, sometimes I wonder if we let this freedom of speech thing go too far. I know the answer's no, but these things make me feel skeevy.
The first amendment protects their speech, but yeah. Skeevy as hell. I think it won't be long before the city/county/state/whoever rescinds this.
I foresee a section of highway being so polluted with the most disgusting garbage that even six needle-dicked, bug-fucking nazis working full time can't keep it clean. It will become an unmanageable mess for the gov't dept. responsible for highways.
| 24 |
ryannon Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:40:02pm |
I don't know if you saw the link to TripAdvisor I posted a few threads back for your upcoming Washington visit. Always good info on hotels, B&Bs, etc.:
[Link: www.tripadvisor.com...]
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Silvergirl Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:41:12pm |
re: #22 ausador
Name me one biography of a very rich man written in the last fifty or more years that does not include philandering? It certainly seems to be pretty universal to me, either money does something weird to these guys heads or perhaps it is that the type of man to pursue and make it is also the type who cheats? (political power seems about the same)
Of course I would have to say that the added wealth and/or power probably brings along a lot more temptation also. It is awfully hard to think with your big head when a stunning looking beauty is practically crawling into your lap.
Say it ain't so. I know they're out there. Jon Huntsman, Sr?
| 26 |
The Left Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:41:34pm |
re: #24 ryannon
I don't know if you saw the link to TripAdvisor I posted a few threads back for your upcoming Washington visit. Always good info on hotels, B&Bs, etc.:
[Link: www.tripadvisor.com...]
Thanks! I have to go back to that thread in a bit and scoop up all the info (and upding everyone, naturally). Appreciate it!
| 27 |
RadicalModerate Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:43:12pm |
re: #20 iceweasel
This is kind of funny: Stewart does a great imitation of Olbermann and rips him a new one. Video there.
Apparently Olbermann later played it and admitted Stewart was right:
Say what you will about Olbermann, but I have to give him some props for admitting that he's turned up the rhetoric too much. The chances of guys like Beck or Limbaugh making this same sort of admission?
Pretty close to zero, I'd imagine.
| 28 |
Tiny Alien Kitties are Watching You Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:45:09pm |
Getting close to 3:00am here...I'm off to bed, see you Lizards later. :)
| 29 |
Mocking Jay Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:46:12pm |
re: #22 ausador
Name me one biography of a very rich man written in the last fifty or more years that does not include philandering? It certainly seems to be pretty universal to me, either money does something weird to these guys heads or perhaps it is that the type of man to pursue and make it is also the type who cheats? (political power seems about the same)
Of course I would have to say that the added wealth and/or power probably brings along a lot more temptation also. It is awfully hard to think with your big head when a stunning looking beauty is practically crawling into your lap.
I've never heard rumors of Bill Gates cheating. Warren Buffet, either. I can't claim to have extensively researched the issue all that much but I'm of the opinion that money enables someone to do what they want. I'm not so certain that it actually changes them, per se.
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ryannon Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:46:49pm |
More music from Mali - Amadou and Mariam:
"Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia first came together in 1977. Both are blind and they met at the Institute for the Young Blind in Bamako, the capital of Mali, where Amadou and Mariam were part of the Institute’s Eclipse Orchestra."
| 31 |
The Left Mon, Jan 25, 2010 11:54:26pm |
re: #27 RadicalModerate
Say what you will about Olbermann, but I have to give him some props for admitting that he's turned up the rhetoric too much. The chances of guys like Beck or Limbaugh making this same sort of admission?
Pretty close to zero, I'd imagine.
Yep, I agree with that.
re: #29 JasonA
I've never heard rumors of Bill Gates cheating. Warren Buffet, either. I can't claim to have extensively researched the issue all that much but I'm of the opinion that money enables someone to do what they want. I'm not so certain that it actually changes them, per se.
Money will change how others relate to you, though. So the rich guy might have a lot more temptations come his way than that same guy without the money.
Some psychologists did a study a few years ago about happiness and life-changing events. They took people who had won a great deal of money in a lottery and people who had been in a devastating accident, one resulting in paralysis or the like.
The interesting result was that one year after the life-changing event, people reported similar levels of base-line happiness. That is, after the initial euphoria or despair at the changed circumstances, people reported being as happy, or unhappy, as they always had been.
Suggests that personal happiness and fulfillment have less to do with our external circumstances and more to do with our internal resources.
I'll see if I can dig up the study. It was one of these things that got a lot of attention in the news media and they typically distort scientific research, so the version I'm recalling is probably also wildly skewed.
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Mocking Jay Tue, Jan 26, 2010 12:03:13am |
re: #31 iceweasel
Money will change how others relate to you, though.
Tis true. I think the bottom line is that some of us are just dogs at heart. I don't really think less of Tiger for being one, but more for pretending not to. George Clooney I respect because he never lowered himself to playing that game.
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The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 12:05:49am |
Here's a boston globe article from 2009 that talks about this:
In recent years, cognitive scientists have turned in increasing numbers to the study of human happiness, and one of their central findings is that we are not very good at predicting how happy or unhappy something will make us. Given time, survivors of tragedies and traumas report themselves nearly as happy as they were before, and people who win the lottery or achieve lifelong dreams don't see any long-term increase in happiness. By contrast, annoyances like noise or chronic pain bring down our happiness more than you'd think, and having friends or an extra hour of sleep every night can raise it dramatically.
The original study is here:
Lottery winners and accident victims: Is happiness relative?.
By Brickman, Philip; Coates, Dan; Janoff-Bulman, Ronnie
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Vol 36(8), Aug 1978, 917-927.
Article in Nature a couple of years ago:
Well-being research: A measure of happiness
Nature 444, 418-419 (23 November 2006) %P% doi:10.1038/444418a; Published online 22 November 2006
| 34 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 12:07:44am |
re: #32 JasonA
Tis true. I think the bottom line is that some of us are just dogs at heart. I don't really think less of Tiger for being one, but more for pretending not to. George Clooney I respect because he never lowered himself to playing that game.
Yeah, I'm agreeing with you. As with the happiness research studies-- some of us are just dogs at heart, and external circumstances have less to do with our happiness or unhappiness (or, I would argue, our ability to keep our promises, whether it's monogamy or some other) than we might think.
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Slumbering Behemoth Stinks Tue, Jan 26, 2010 12:08:11am |
re: #31 iceweasel
Happiness takes a lot of work. Being miserable is as easy as breathing.
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ryannon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 12:10:47am |
| 38 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 12:11:52am |
re: #35 Slumbering Behemoth
Happiness takes a lot of work. Being miserable is as easy as breathing.
Exactly!
No matter who you are, you can always find something to be unhappy about. There's a lot to be unhappy about in this world. Happiness requires effort.
And, I would argue, a certain amount of luck too: genetic luck and circumstantial luck. If you're born with a genetic predisposition to clinical depression 'positive thinking' alone won't help. Same as if you're born in say Darfur.
| 39 |
SixDegrees Tue, Jan 26, 2010 12:12:33am |
re: #23 Slumbering Behemoth
The first amendment protects their speech, but yeah. Skeevy as hell. I think it won't be long before the city/county/state/whoever rescinds this.
I foresee a section of highway being so polluted with the most disgusting garbage that even six needle-dicked, bug-fucking nazis working full time can't keep it clean. It will become an unmanageable mess for the gov't dept. responsible for highways.
I was just thinking the same thing. Reading about this makes me want to litter.
| 40 |
Slumbering Behemoth Stinks Tue, Jan 26, 2010 12:15:57am |
re: #39 SixDegrees
I wouldn't want to encourage illegal behavior, but it's gonna happen. A "No Duh!", really.
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Slumbering Behemoth Stinks Tue, Jan 26, 2010 12:19:53am |
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ryannon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 12:21:43am |
re: #38 iceweasel
Exactly!
No matter who you are, you can always find something to be unhappy about. There's a lot to be unhappy about in this world. Happiness requires effort.
And, I would argue, a certain amount of luck too: genetic luck and circumstantial luck. If you're born with a genetic predisposition to clinical depression 'positive thinking' alone won't help. Same as if you're born in say Darfur.
I was born in Prozac. Eventually moved to the People's Republic of Effexor LR. Life could be worse:
| 44 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 12:33:56am |
re: #38 iceweasel
A stranger arrives at the gates of a city, speaks to a local. "Sir? I am thinking of moving to this city. How will I find the people here?"
The local says, "What are they like from where you come?"
Traveler says, "The most gossipy, thieving people you've ever seen. Steal the shirt right off your back."
Local says, "You should probably move on. It is the same way here."
The traveler moves on to another city.
Another man arrives at the gates of the same city, speaks to the same man. "Sir? I have come from another place and am thinking of moving to this city. How will I find the people here?"
Local says, "What are they like from where you come?"
New traveler says, "Most wonderful people on earth. Give you the shirt right off their backs. I am only moving to provide a better opportunity for my family."
Local says, "It is the same way here, welcome."
| 45 |
SixDegrees Tue, Jan 26, 2010 12:53:16am |
Malkin's attacking mathematics. The stupid forced me to leave.
| 46 |
teleskiguy Tue, Jan 26, 2010 12:53:48am |
God grant me the courage not to give up what I think is right even though I think it is hopeless.
-Chester W. Nimitz
| 47 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 12:57:28am |
re: #45 SixDegrees
Malkin's attacking mathematics. The stupid forced me to leave.
Note the spin-off I put up...
| 48 |
AK-47% Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:01:37am |
re: #23 Slumbering Behemoth
The only redeeming feature would be if those neo-Nazi guys would declare their stretch of highway an Autobahn and abolish the speed limit...
[Link: www.myvideo.de...]
| 49 |
Slumbering Behemoth Stinks Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:04:06am |
re: #45 SixDegrees
Malkin's attacking mathematics. The stupid forced me to leave.
Advanced mathematics are born from the minds of Jesus hating Pagans. They're worse than those secular humanists, I tell ya. Satan worshiping scienticians, they are.
| 50 |
AK-47% Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:08:25am |
re: #49 Slumbering Behemoth
Advanced mathematics are born from the minds of Jesus hating Pagans. They're worse than those secular humanists, I tell ya. Satan worshiping scienticians, they are.
Don't forget how many prominent XXth century mathematicians were Soviet Jewish intellectuals...
| 51 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:13:25am |
re: #45 SixDegrees
Furthermore, Malkin's claims (as often the case) are quite far from the mark. I wonder if her readers/commenters can even note where she went wrong.
Her claim "Johnny won’t be able to add. But he’ll be more ethno-mathematically correct than students from around the world" doesn't even follow from what she quotes in her entry.
In her entry, the people she quoted clearly point out that the goal is to engage the children, not to make them "correct".
The whole "ethno" "correct" emphasis comes from Malkin herself, not from what was said by those she quoted.
Indeed, Malkin's blog entry is nothing more than a poorly disguised attack upon Mexican/Central-Americans.
FWIW, by the time children are over 10 (the target ages of the program Malkin mentions are 11 and 12 year olds) they've already left an important part of their math-learning ability behind them, especially to the kind of simple mathematics Malkin references ("drill and kill"). As with language learning, we can continue to develop skills all our lives but it is in the more tender ages that we form the structure upon which we hang our later knowledge.
As for myself, pretty much by third grade, from what little I can remember of it, the students had already sorted out into the groups of those who did well at math (learning multiplication tables) and those who weren't.
By seventh grade (the target of the program of which Malkin attacks) it was very clear in my classes who were those who were gifted, those who were capable, and those who would struggle.
Malkin knows as much about math as she does climatology: it makes for a good hook by which to entertain her audience's own ignorance.
| 52 |
Cannadian Club Akbar Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:14:32am |
I posted a story yesterday morning about how some are saying we should be looking for extra terrestrial life on earth first. Now the guy behind the story is on my radio. Excellent.
| 53 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:16:18am |
re: #51 freetoken
Indeed, Malkin's blog entry is nothing more than a poorly disguised attack upon Mexican/Central-Americans.
(snip)Malkin knows as much about math as she does climatology: it makes for a good hook by which to entertain her audience's own ignorance.
And these two parts right here could apply to quite a few Malkin articles; swap out 'math' for the relevant subject and bingo.
| 54 |
Gus Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:16:55am |
Still kicking here.
Another face palm moment.
South Carolina Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer [Feeding] Poor like 'stray animals'
"My grandmother was not a highly educated woman, but she told me as a small child to quit feeding stray animals. You know why? Because they breed! You're facilitating the problem if you give an animal or a person ample food supply. They will reproduce, especially ones that don't think too much further than that."
Also here.
| 55 |
Slumbering Behemoth Stinks Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:20:02am |
re: #51 freetoken
Okay, now I am dying to know. Cached link to the "article" in question?
| 56 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:24:22am |
re: #53 iceweasel
Yes, and if you read what her commenters say it is quite clear she knows her audience.
E.g.:
On January 25th, 2010 at 7:04 pm, Flyoverman said:
Mayan Math? Oh boy I can’t wait to see the word problems.“A Priest on top of the temple notices a comet in the Southeast at an angle of 17.5 degrees above the horizon. The comet is sinking at a rate of .75 degrees each night. Also, the goat constellation is below the horizon"
How many human sacrifices are needed to placate the gods and prevent the comet striking the temple?”
The purpose of Malkin's articles is to reinforce stereotypes in the heads of her audiences. People like to be reinforced in their beliefs, not challenged, and thus we respond well to those who reinforce our prejudices.
| 57 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:24:40am |
re: #54 Gus 802
South Carolina Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer [Feeding] Poor like 'stray animals'
My grandmother was not a highly educated woman, but she told me as a small child to quit feeding stray animals. You know why? Because they breed! You're facilitating the problem if you give an animal or a person ample food supply. They will reproduce, especially ones that don't think too much further than that."Also here.
Reading your WaPo link now.
Why doesn't he just complete the analogy, and advocate rounding them up, sterilizing them, and dumping them on the outskirts of town?
"Do I wish I'd used a different metaphor? Of course I do," the 40-year-old said. "I didn't intend to offend anyone."
Yeah.
| 58 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:24:57am |
re: #56 freetoken
Just go to her site and search for "Mayan".
| 59 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:27:48am |
I wonder how long "SixDegrees" will last over there?
| 60 |
Gus Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:27:51am |
re: #51 freetoken
I did a drive by at Malkin's blog when I saw you mention this. Couldn't help but notice but she's going after John McCain again. Now she's also going after Cindy McCain and Carly Fiorina of which she says:
McCain-backed GOP Senate candidate Carly Fiorina hearts Jesse Jackson — and radical gender politics...
Fiorina believes she is best suited to offer a contrasting vision to Democrat Sen. Barbara Boxer — a feminist social engineer who panders to self-appointed liberal black leaders and treats minority conservatives who oppose Rainbow Coalition racialism with naked contempt.
She looks and sounds more like an echo, not a choice.
Of course you know what qualifies as radical for her.
Then over at American Spectator they have their nickers in a twist regarding Fiorina and Jackson and they quote this from her:
"And I thought about something that the Reverend Jesse Jackson said to me several years ago. He very graciously came to the offices of Hewlett Packard to visit me, because we were doing some work together for his Rainbow Coalition. And he said to me, 'You know, Carly, every game is better when everybody gets to play.' And I thought it was such a great way of describing why everything is better when all people, regardless of color or nationality or gender, get to play. Sports are better. Business is better. Politics are better. The world is better when everybody gets to play in things that matter."
They're playing the guilt by association route. She's running against Boxer.
| 61 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:32:47am |
re: #56 freetoken
The purpose of Malkin's articles is to reinforce stereotypes in the heads of her audiences. People like to be reinforced in their beliefs, not challenged, and thus we respond well to those who reinforce our prejudices.
Absolutely. That's also why when you leave extremist rhetoric in the comments unchecked, it reproduces at an exponential rate and becomes even more extreme.
The nuts find a place where they can let it all hang out, speech that they normally hide in daily life starts to look 'normal', and soon they're vying with each other to be most hateful.
Same process happens with all blogs, basically. Talking to people who only share your viewpoint results in everyone moving further left (or further right), and also leads to a tendency to only seek out places that confirm your views.
A paper was written about it in 2008-- available here.
Blogs, Participation, and Polarization
We were interested in two questions, both of which stem from normative debates in political science and political theory. One was whether blogs make it more likely that people will get access to points of view other than their own.
| 62 |
Gus Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:33:00am |
| 63 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:34:10am |
re: #60 Gus 802
Yeah, over on her HotAir site they are pushing the challenger to McCain.
The problem with McCain for the ethno-nativists is that he still isn't hard enough on foreigners, even after giving up his immigration reform effort. They don't like the fact that McCain will not go for incarcerating every illegal alien found, and physically dragging them back over the boarder.
In other words, McCain is probably too humane for them.
| 64 |
Gus Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:34:37am |
re: #57 iceweasel
Yeah.
That's what they would have said "in the old days." Funny how this is the same crowd that's always screaming about eugenics. He's go rather good approval numbers too. Weird.
| 65 |
AK-47% Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:40:30am |
re: #57 iceweasel
Yeah.
Animals often kill deforemd offspring or let them starve.
But we are humans and we ostensibly play by different rules. Most major religions are based on the notion of aiding the poor and helpless, and offering them protection.
| 66 |
Gus Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:40:40am |
re: #63 freetoken
Yeah, over on her HotAir site they are pushing the challenger to McCain.
The problem with McCain for the ethno-nativists is that he still isn't hard enough on foreigners, even after giving up his immigration reform effort. They don't like the fact that McCain will not go for incarcerating every illegal alien found, and physically dragging them back over the boarder.
In other words, McCain is probably too humane for them.
Which will never happen. There won't be any new immigration reform without amnesty. Even Ronald Reagan instituted amnesty which many people still refuse to acknowledge.
I'm sure it wouldn't take very long to find a lot of dirt on J.D. Hayworth.
| 67 |
Slumbering Behemoth Stinks Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:41:47am |
re: #58 freetoken
Heh. I am just now recalling horror stories from folks who had to do math problems in Roman Numerals in college as an exercise from certain teacher.
Not much wrong with learning the history and evolution of mathematics within different cultures, in my opinion. I must admit though, that the term "Ethno-mathematics" sounds friggin' ridiculous. Ancient methods of mathematics are not tied to ethnicity.
| 68 |
AK-47% Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:44:09am |
re: #67 Slumbering Behemoth
Heh. I am just now recalling horror stories from folks who had to do math problems in Roman Numerals in college as an exercise from certain teacher.
Not much wrong with learning the history and evolution of mathematics within different cultures, in my opinion. I must admit though, that the term "Ethno-mathematics" sounds friggin' ridiculous. Ancient methods of mathematics are not tied to ethnicity.
Don't forget that those are arabic numerals we are using, which makes them immediately suspect...
| 69 |
Gus Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:44:38am |
re: #66 Gus 802
Which will never happen. There won't be any new immigration reform without amnesty. Even Ronald Reagan instituted amnesty which many people still refuse to acknowledge.
I'm sure it wouldn't take very long to find a lot of dirt on J.D. Hayworth.
Some quickies:
Wife on Leadership PAC's Payroll
Between 2001 and 2005 inclusive, Mary Hayworth, J.D. Hayworth's wife, received $101,872 compensation from her husband's leadership PAC, TEAM. During the same period, TEAM PAC also paid outside sources for bookkeeping and political consultation/fundraising a total of $61,676.
In the period between 2001 and February 2006, inclusive, TEAM PAC took in $538,109. This puts administrative costs for TEAM PAC at around 30% of contributions over a five year period.
(Data Source: Center for Responsive Politics)
Abramoff Related Contributions
Hayworth was listed in the Center for Responsible Politics Newsletter "Capital Eye", as being the 2nd largest recipient of Abramoff related contributions, receiving $64,060.
Praising of Henry Ford and "Americanization"
In his 2006 book, Whatever it Takes: Illegal Immigration, Border Security, and the War on Terror, Hayworth praised automaker Henry Ford's ideas on the early 20th-century concept of "Americanization," endorsing them as a model for integrating immigrants into American society. Many historians view Ford's views in this area as anti-Semitic. In response, the Jewish News of Greater Phoenix sharply criticized Hayworth in a August 2006 editorial. Matt Lambert, a spokesman for Hayworth, responded by saying, "This has nothing to do with Henry Ford or antisemitism; it’s all about politics."
[Link: www.sourcewatch.org...]
| 70 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:47:27am |
re: #65 ralphieboy
Animals often kill deforemd offspring or let them starve.
But we are humans and we ostensibly play by different rules. Most major religions are based on the notion of aiding the poor and helpless, and offering them protection.
One of the reasons for the successful spread of Christianity in Rome was that it offered help to the poor. Well, that and it offered at that time a leadership role to women, as did a few of the mystery religions, which made it attractive to some of the Roman noblewoman.
| 71 |
Slumbering Behemoth Stinks Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:52:46am |
re: #68 ralphieboy
They get a pass, 'cuz they're not super-arabic.
| 72 |
SixDegrees Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:54:57am |
re: #51 freetoken
Furthermore, Malkin's claims (as often the case) are quite far from the mark. I wonder if her readers/commenters can even note where she went wrong.
Her claim "Johnny won’t be able to add. But he’ll be more ethno-mathematically correct than students from around the world" doesn't even follow from what she quotes in her entry.
In her entry, the people she quoted clearly point out that the goal is to engage the children, not to make them "correct".
The whole "ethno" "correct" emphasis comes from Malkin herself, not from what was said by those she quoted.
Indeed, Malkin's blog entry is nothing more than a poorly disguised attack upon Mexican/Central-Americans.
FWIW, by the time children are over 10 (the target ages of the program Malkin mentions are 11 and 12 year olds) they've already left an important part of their math-learning ability behind them, especially to the kind of simple mathematics Malkin references ("drill and kill"). As with language learning, we can continue to develop skills all our lives but it is in the more tender ages that we form the structure upon which we hang our later knowledge.
As for myself, pretty much by third grade, from what little I can remember of it, the students had already sorted out into the groups of those who did well at math (learning multiplication tables) and those who weren't.
By seventh grade (the target of the program of which Malkin attacks) it was very clear in my classes who were those who were gifted, those who were capable, and those who would struggle.
Malkin knows as much about math as she does climatology: it makes for a good hook by which to entertain her audience's own ignorance.
I pointed out in one of my comments that Malkin's "analysis" was pure snark, hung on nothing, and that she never actually bothers to describe the curriculum or material she's criticizing. Pure shit stirring.
To me, taking one classroom period a week to discuss mathematical concepts outside the regular curriculum sounds like something I'd do if I were teaching a math class anyway.
| 73 |
SixDegrees Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:56:27am |
re: #62 Gus 802
He left a message there. :)
That was my limit. After I found the post from the guy who thought he was "smarter" than the nebulous concept he was attacking, and then presented an equation in two unknowns and implied he could solve for both, I gave up.
| 75 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:57:59am |
re: #72 SixDegrees
I pointed out in one of my comments that Malkin's "analysis" was pure snark, hung on nothing, and that she never actually bothers to describe the curriculum or material she's criticizing. Pure shit stirring.
Yeah, I noticed that after I posted here.
While I'm not sure that the Mayan Math program is actually worth doing, it certainly is not the type of thing that deserves the pejoratives that Malkin and her followers throw at it.
However, in Malkin-speak, "Mayan" is just a synonym for "those brown people from the south."
| 76 |
Gus Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:58:53am |
re: #74 iceweasel
Heh. I looove sourcewatch!
Took a while before it was finally accepted here at LGF. At first it would cause a stir. You know, the vast Sourcewatch conspiracy.
| 77 |
SixDegrees Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:00:42am |
re: #75 freetoken
Yeah, I noticed that after I posted here.
While I'm not sure that the Mayan Math program is actually worth doing, it certainly is not the type of thing that deserves the pejoratives that Malkin and her followers throw at it.
However, in Malkin-speak, "Mayan" is just a synonym for "those brown people from the south."
I noticed that the program she was dissing probably doesn't focus on Mayan mathematics, but covers a wide swath of mathematical history. Funny how she left out the inevitable Babylonian contributions that will be a part of it.
| 78 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:01:00am |
re: #76 Gus 802
Took a while before it was finally accepted here at LGF. At first it would cause a stir. You know, the vast Sourcewatch conspiracy.
Oh boy, do I remember that. Yes indeed. Linking sourcewatch or politifact was always good for some of the wingnuts to flood out of the woodwork screeching. "The founder of the newpaper that politifact is connected with said something dumb 45 years ago!"
Good times.
| 79 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:02:03am |
re: #77 SixDegrees
I noticed that the program she was dissing probably doesn't focus on Mayan mathematics, but covers a wide swath of mathematical history. Funny how she left out the inevitable Babylonian contributions that will be a part of it.
She's probably planning a whole series of exposes on that. Babylon-gate!
| 81 |
Gus Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:02:56am |
re: #72 SixDegrees
I pointed out in one of my comments that Malkin's "analysis" was pure snark, hung on nothing, and that she never actually bothers to describe the curriculum or material she's criticizing. Pure shit stirring.
To me, taking one classroom period a week to discuss mathematical concepts outside the regular curriculum sounds like something I'd do if I were teaching a math class anyway.
That's the key there. One class, once a week, and one school. All of that outrage and generalizations for that.
Basically it's like a math-history course. But I think Freetoken is correct on why Malkin is on this witch hunt (one of thousands). The consultant to the school is Faviana Hirsch-Dubin is part of the Chicano studies at UCSB.
| 82 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:06:44am |
re: #79 iceweasel
She's probably planning a whole series of exposes on that. Babylon-gate!
Sounds like a title the Stargate producers would dream up.
| 83 |
Gus Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:07:26am |
re: #77 SixDegrees
I noticed that the program she was dissing probably doesn't focus on Mayan mathematics, but covers a wide swath of mathematical history. Funny how she left out the inevitable Babylonian contributions that will be a part of it.
Also, remember when the Chinese abacus was almost a fad in the US? Didn't hear any outrage about that.
| 84 |
AK-47% Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:07:44am |
re: #70 iceweasel
One of the reasons for the successful spread of Christianity in Rome was that it offered help to the poor. Well, that and it offered at that time a leadership role to women, as did a few of the mystery religions, which made it attractive to some of the Roman noblewoman.
aiding the poor is also one of pillars of Islam.
The point is that it is one of the founding principles of humanity, and one of the major things that makes human society different than animals in the wild.
I don't know how the Lt. Governor stands on Creationism, but what he is promoting is nothing other than social Darwinism.
| 85 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:09:26am |
re: #82 freetoken
Sounds like a title the Stargate producers would dream up.
"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I've watched Michelle Malkin's tears glitter in the dark near the Babylon-Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like wingnut tears in rain."
| 86 |
Slumbering Behemoth Stinks Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:09:45am |
| 87 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:12:58am |
re: #84 ralphieboy
aiding the poor is also one of pillars of Islam.
The point is that it is one of the founding principles of humanity, and one of the major things that makes human society different than animals in the wild.
I don't know how the Lt. Governor stands on Creationism, but what he is promoting is nothing other than social Darwinism.
Not humanity-- you yourself have pointed out that at various times and places, humans had no problem disposing of the malformed, sickly infants, or treating the poor in terrible ways.
Later human society, in the last couple of hundred years, frowns on that. For all the horrors and exploitation that industrialization brought, it did also bring about looking at the poor, and children, and protecting them.
The big three religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) all emphasise good works with respect to the poor, but I think if we looked at all religions throughout history it wouldn't be a common thread.
| 88 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:14:28am |
re: #81 Gus 802
From reading the article to which Malkin claims as her source, it seems pretty clear to me the idea behind the program is to try and engage the students in the entire math-learning process.
It must be near impossible to be a teacher these days... given that the students' attention spans have been shortened and in their pockets they have iPods and other electronic devices just waiting to be played.
I did quite well in mathematics (and indeed, it was one of my majors), so it is not like I don't understand the angst that mathematics causes, as I've tutored enough people in my life to see people struggle.
Just last week at the store I was observing two young (20-ish) women struggling to figure out how much 4 pounds of oranges at 98 cents/lb were going to cost them. It broke my heart.
The key to life is to not try to force what one can't control (which is about 99.999%), I propose. Different humans have differing abilities and frankly not everyone will do well with mathematics, even the 4 simple operations performed on the real numbers which make up the great bulk of our daily contact with mathematics.
I would rather have a student learn that mathematics has a history, and that people have struggled with it during all of human existence, than for them to feel guilty because they can't divide 180 by 9 in their head in under 2 seconds.
| 89 |
Gus Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:14:33am |
re: #85 iceweasel
"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I've watched Michelle Malkin's tears glitter in the dark near the Babylon-Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like wingnut tears in rain."
Lockheed developed its stealth technology for the F-117 stealth fighter based on the work from research by the Soviet physicist, Pyotr Ufimtsev. Guess you could call that acquired ethno-physics in the service of the DoD.
| 90 |
suchislife Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:14:36am |
re: #87 iceweasel
I'm not sure I would call them the big three. The prophetic religions, maybe?
| 91 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:16:18am |
re: #90 suchislife
I'm not sure I would call them the big three. The prophetic religions, maybe?
Yeah, but even Buddhism might be considered a prophetic religion, I think?
But i definitely take your point about the 'big three'. Sloppy on my part; that does seem to be how they're taught though in a lot of the west.
| 92 |
Gus Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:17:00am |
re: #88 freetoken
Good point. Then at least it creates a foundation for math literacy even though the student doesn't get the full grasp of math. It could lead to math advocacy and then others who will grasp it can benefit through that advocacy.
| 93 |
Gus Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:20:56am |
re: #88 freetoken
Here's a comment from the VCS article:
This is so unreal to read... this is FREAKING AMERICA PEOPLE, learn OUR LANGUAGE AND MATHAMATICS OR GET OUT. I'm so tired of hearing the options to press #2 to hear a message in another language, I'm OVER IT
Our mathematics? lol
| 94 |
AK-47% Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:21:42am |
re: #87 iceweasel
Not humanity-- you yourself have pointed out that at various times and places, humans had no problem disposing of the malformed, sickly infants, or treating the poor in terrible ways.
Later human society, in the last couple of hundred years, frowns on that. For all the horrors and exploitation that industrialization brought, it did also bring about looking at the poor, and children, and protecting them.
The big three religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) all emphasise good works with respect to the poor, but I think if we looked at all religions throughout history it wouldn't be a common thread.
Well, then call it modern humanity, then. We cannot belie our evolutionary origins.
And I understand the difference between helping and enabling: simply following an emotional response can sometimes worsen the problem.
Thre is the old adage about "give a man a fish and he can eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he can eat for the rest of his life".
Which is a fine alalogy, but there are two "catches", so to speak: it costs a lot more and takes a lot more time to teach somebody how to fish, and it assumes that there will be some fish left in the sea when he gets around to doing so...
But the analogy about feeding wild animals the Lt. Governor offered is most unfortunate.
| 95 |
suchislife Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:22:09am |
re: #91 iceweasel
I really meant the maybe, I'm not completely sure what that term would imply exactly or if there is a better one. So, maybe!
| 96 |
AK-47% Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:22:30am |
re: #93 Gus 802
Here's a comment from the VCS article:
Our mathematics? lol
we must maintain the purity of our mathematical formulae!
| 97 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:23:08am |
re: #92 Gus 802
Good point. Then at least it creates a foundation for math literacy even though the student doesn't get the full grasp of math. It could lead to math advocacy and then others who will grasp it can benefit through that advocacy.
A lot of our education is very 'results oriented' though. Not much emphasis is placed on grasping (and applying) abstract concepts. There's also a general resistance to that. One of the subtexts of Malkin's rant (and many rants about education) seems to be "our students don't need to know this".
And with educational philosophies, (because that's part of what this is about) 'need' isn't always going to be quantifiable on test results in the 10th grade.
I can fully agree that there are some very practical basics that aren't on a HS curricula that probably should be: like balancing a household budget or checkbook, say. But we also have to lay down a foundation for critical thinking and some appreciation for abstract concepts. It's a problem.
| 98 |
srb1976 Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:24:01am |
re: #92 Gus 802
Good point. Then at least it creates a foundation for math literacy even though the student doesn't get the full grasp of math. It could lead to math advocacy and then others who will grasp it can benefit through that advocacy.
I know I'm kind of jumping in in the middle of the conversation...but what grade are we talking about here?
I don't see anything wrong with a history break in math class, (math always being my least favorite subject) but I think it matters whether you're talking about 8 yr olds or 8th graders....
| 99 |
Gus Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:24:54am |
re: #98 srb1976
I know I'm kind of jumping in in the middle of the conversation...but what grade are we talking about here?
I don't see anything wrong with a history break in math class, (math always being my least favorite subject) but I think it matters whether you're talking about 8 yr olds or 8th graders...
6th and 7th grade.
[Link: www.vcstar.com...]
| 100 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:25:45am |
re: #95 suchislife
I really meant the maybe, I'm not completely sure what that term would imply exactly or if there is a better one. So, maybe!
I'm agreeing with you! :) There probably is a better term. I should have scare-quoted 'big three' at least.
| 102 |
Gus Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:27:23am |
re: #97 iceweasel
A lot of our education is very 'results oriented' though. Not much emphasis is placed on grasping (and applying) abstract concepts. There's also a general resistance to that. One of the subtexts of Malkin's rant (and many rants about education) seems to be "our students don't need to know this".
And with educational philosophies, (because that's part of what this is about) 'need' isn't always going to be quantifiable on test results in the 10th grade.
I can fully agree that there are some very practical basics that aren't on a HS curricula that probably should be: like balancing a household budget or checkbook, say. But we also have to lay down a foundation for critical thinking and some appreciation for abstract concepts. It's a problem.
Looking at the Mayan math quiz it remind me of the spatial reasoning question I used to get on IQ tests. I haven't looked into this but that's how I typically scored well on those tests. It's good to put the mind through these exercises.
| 103 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:27:45am |
re: #92 Gus 802
From the program as described in the article, I'd say it is as much history as anything else. And that is a topic at which our primary and secondary educational system fails even more so than with mathematics.
Rather than continually portraying "history" as something in a bubble - as only happening in a history textbook and only discussed in a class labeled "history", I'd much rather see our schools teach that we, as a culture, as a nation, as a species, didn't just pop out of thin air but that we have a past and that we are a small part of a larger organism. Math classes in particular are suspiciously void of any connection with the past, as if "math" was just handed down on tablets from a mountain top.
Truth is, "math" is a human construction, it is a part of history. Now, we objectivists claim that the real physical universe doesn't depend upon our understanding of it, so our concepts of "math" must mirror a real, external, world... yet it is true that the subject of Mathematics is a human construction and relates to all manner of human activities down through history.
| 104 |
suchislife Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:28:53am |
re: #100 iceweasel
I'm agreeing with you! :) There probably is a better term. I should have scare-quoted 'big three' at least.
Yes, I got that. :-) I was talking about my term, prophetic religion. You suggested that it might apply to Buddism, and I was just saying, That's interesting, I wish I knew more about the term I myself suggested.
| 105 |
srb1976 Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:29:57am |
re: #99 Gus 802
6th and 7th grade.
[Link: www.vcstar.com...]
Thanks, for what it's worth, I think that this is maybe a good idea, but that calling it "ethno-mathematics" is maybe not such a good idea. But kids in 6th or 7th grade probably have arithmetic down pretty stinkin' well and I just don't see where 1 day a week to focus on something else is goign to hurt much...
| 106 |
AK-47% Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:31:58am |
re: #105 srb1976
Thanks, for what it's worth, I think that this is maybe a good idea, but that calling it "ethno-mathematics" is maybe not such a good idea. But kids in 6th or 7th grade probably have arithmetic down pretty stinkin' well and I just don't see where 1 day a week to focus on something else is goign to hurt much...
If they had been counting Bible verses or reading from the Book of Numbers, I am sure she would not be getting upset.
| 107 |
Gus Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:33:03am |
re: #105 srb1976
Thanks, for what it's worth, I think that this is maybe a good idea, but that calling it "ethno-mathematics" is maybe not such a good idea. But kids in 6th or 7th grade probably have arithmetic down pretty stinkin' well and I just don't see where 1 day a week to focus on something else is goign to hurt much...
Exactly. It's probably just 45 minutes a week. Maybe an hour. There's always room for more in education.
| 108 |
srb1976 Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:34:59am |
re: #106 ralphieboy
If they had been counting Bible verses or reading from the Book of Numbers, I am sure she would not be getting upset.
Eh, maybe not....but for that, I might be more upset. Always depends on what direction you're looking at something from. I think it's probably the name that throws people off..."ethno-mathematics" makes it sound like the answers change depending on what color you are....where "math history" is a little more generic...
(Apologizing in advance for any sloppy phrasing on my part....still only semi coherent this morning)
| 109 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:35:32am |
re: #105 srb1976
Thanks, for what it's worth, I think that this is maybe a good idea, but that calling it "ethno-mathematics" is maybe not such a good idea. But kids in 6th or 7th grade probably have arithmetic down pretty stinkin' well and I just don't see where 1 day a week to focus on something else is goign to hurt much...
This is one of those area where academic jargon is taken to mean something else entirely by those like Malkin with various ideological axes to grind. It's ethno-mathematics in the sense we do ethno-anthropology or ethno-linguistics or ethnology:
Ethnology (from the Greek ἔθνος, ethnos meaning "people, nation, race") is the branch of anthropology that compares and analyzes the origins, distribution, technology, religion, language, and social structure of the ethnic, racial, and/or national divisions of humanity.[1]
Malkin hits on that prefix ethno intending people to read 'ethnic', and it's part of her ongoing attempts to feed her commenters red meat-- as freetoken mentioned, she's intending to rev up prejudice against Mexicans and people from Central America.
| 110 |
Gus Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:36:06am |
re: #103 freetoken
It is a human construction. Oddly enough based on the 10 human digits. Math can be based on any sequence of numbers. It can be base 12, 14, 23, etc. Of course the concepts would remain constant.
| 111 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:36:28am |
re: #105 srb1976
I have little doubt that one of the goals of the program is to try and address a student body whose composition is increasingly made from immigration from Mexico and Central America, to get the students to understand that their (non European) heritage too struggled with mathematics, and thus math per se is not something that is imposed as some sort of academic imperialism.
I'm quite fine with that, should it actually be the case. The goal is, again, to try and engage students who otherwise are probably more disengaged with learning math than ever before.
Malkin et. al. wish to portray this as some sort of nasty Political Correctness that will doom our (white) society.
What I see it as is an attempt to bring young people back (mentally) into the classroom, a classroom in which most of them probably are itching to get out of as soon as possible.
| 112 |
Slumbering Behemoth Stinks Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:38:28am |
Jumping back in for just a second or two...
re: #88 freetoken
Just last week at the store I was observing two young (20-ish) women struggling to figure out how much 4 pounds of oranges at 98 cents/lb were going to cost them. It broke my heart.
I think this is where rote learning fails people. This equation (4*$0.98) is a bit more difficult and time consuming to figure than this one ($1.00-$0.08)+$3.00.
| 113 |
srb1976 Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:39:34am |
re: #112 Slumbering Behemoth
Jumping back in for just a second or two...
I think this is where rote learning fails people. This equation (4*$0.98) is a bit more difficult and time consuming to figure than this one ($1.00-$0.08)+$3.00.
Or, in my case, just get lazy and round up....98 cents is close enough to a dollar in my book = )
| 114 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:41:39am |
re: #112 Slumbering Behemoth
Bowling.
That is where a very useful, practical, mathematical process is learnt the best.
If one has never bowled and been the score keeper, recommend giving it a try. Of course, these days you have to ignore the computer which does it for you...
In bowling one has to learn that to keep score subtraction is your friend.
| 115 |
Gus Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:42:21am |
re: #109 iceweasel
Malkin hits on that prefix ethno intending people to read 'ethnic', and it's part of her ongoing attempts to feed her commenters red meat-- as freetoken mentioned, she's intending to rev up prejudice against Mexicans and people from Central America.
In architecture studies you learn every kind of architecture that was built until this time. The same with music and the arts. This is also done in literature. Jorge Luis Borges has inspired many a great writer regardless of culture.
This reminds me a bit of James Burke and the PBS series Connections. I think it can have a positive impact on students.
| 116 |
SixDegrees Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:45:49am |
re: #88 freetoken
I agree. As I pointed out over there, it's always a good thing if you can hang mathematics on something tangible, and even useful. You can present different number bases as an abstract concept, and lose half the class. Point out where they've actually been used - by the Mayans, Babylonians, and how they persist today in our groupings into dozens, 60s and 180s, and you stand a chance of picking up at least some of the stragglers. Other examples - the relation between calendrical calculations and modular arithmetic, for example - abound.
On the upside, there were a number of comments over there saying much the same thing, an unusually high amount of dissent.
| 117 |
SixDegrees Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:47:28am |
re: #111 freetoken
I have little doubt that one of the goals of the program is to try and address a student body whose composition is increasingly made from immigration from Mexico and Central America, to get the students to understand that their (non European) heritage too struggled with mathematics, and thus math per se is not something that is imposed as some sort of academic imperialism.
I'm not even sure that's the case. Malkin keyed in on "Mayan" math, but never discussed the rest of the program; I have a strong suspicion that it draws upon a number of regions and histories for it's material.
| 118 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:49:03am |
re: #116 SixDegrees
On the upside, there were a number of comments over there saying much the same thing, an unusually high amount of dissent.
My hope is that as the hate-mongers keep trying to out-do each other with ever sillier nontroversies they will lose at least a few people who will come to their senses and see that the pied pipers of populism really are wingnuts.
| 119 |
srb1976 Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:50:24am |
re: #118 freetoken
My hope is that as the hate-mongers keep trying to out-do each other with ever sillier nontroversies they will lose at least a few people who will come to their senses and see that the pied pipers of populism really are wingnuts.
I think it will eventually lead to burnout anyway....most of us are not capable of outrage as a sustained emotion....we've got too many more important things to worry about = )
| 120 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:50:25am |
re: #115 Gus 802
In architecture studies you learn every kind of architecture that was built until this time. The same with music and the arts. This is also done in literature. Jorge Luis Borges has inspired many a great writer regardless of culture.
This reminds me a bit of James Burke and the PBS series Connections. I think it can have a positive impact on students.
I've never yet seen that series or read the book; I've heard good things about it.
Learning where we came from (whether it's in literature, art, whatever) is necessary to fully understand where we are now-- to understand what's going on and to participate in those areas as ongoing endeavours.
I think a lot of people still have the old "great men" theory of history though, and so tend to see advances and achievements as though those were discrete events, the product of lone geniuses, rather than as also the product of various historical forces and conditions, as well as standing on the achievements of those who came before:
John of Salisbury in 1159:
Bernard of Chartres used to say that we are like dwarfs on the shoulders of giants, so that we can see more than they, and things at a greater distance, not by virtue of any sharpness of sight on our part, or any physical distinction, but because we are carried high and raised up by their giant size.
| 121 |
Slumbering Behemoth Stinks Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:51:04am |
re: #113 srb1976
Or, in my case, just get lazy and round up...98 cents is close enough to a dollar in my book = )
My point, exactly. I suck at math, so I look for short cuts. $0.98 is two cents less than a dollar, by four that makes eight cents less than one dollar ($0.92). Add the other three (dollars/pounds) to that, and you get $3.92.
Much easier for me to do in my head than (4*$0.08)+(4*$0.90).
| 122 |
Gus Tue, Jan 26, 2010 2:52:25am |
Flamenco is being taught in our schools!!!1111!11re: #111 freetoken
I have little doubt that one of the goals of the program is to try and address a student body whose composition is increasingly made from immigration from Mexico and Central America, to get the students to understand that their (non European) heritage too struggled with mathematics, and thus math per se is not something that is imposed as some sort of academic imperialism.
I'm quite fine with that, should it actually be the case. The goal is, again, to try and engage students who otherwise are probably more disengaged with learning math than ever before.
Malkin et. al. wish to portray this as some sort of nasty Political Correctness that will doom our (white) society.
What I see it as is an attempt to bring young people back (mentally) into the classroom, a classroom in which most of them probably are itching to get out of as soon as possible.
Someone needs to remind Malkin who bankrolled Columbus and what inspired Ravel. The irony is that since Malkin's parent are from the Philippines she probably shares some ancestry with many Central Americans. There is no Philippines without Spain and China.
| 123 |
Gus Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:02:33am |
re: #120 iceweasel
I suppose they're endorsing scientific or technological nationalism. But most people know that flight wasn't discovered in a vacuum. Nor was rocketry, medicine, math itself, chemistry, photography, and the vast list that follows. I'm sure the likes of Malkin and her cultist following must find Henri Pitot rather troubling because he is French after all. If you break down their thinking you will find that even European discoveries are troubling for the obsessed.
| 124 |
Slumbering Behemoth Stinks Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:04:57am |
re: #118 freetoken
My hope is that as the hate-mongers keep trying to out-do each other with ever sillier nontroversies they will lose at least a few people who will come to their senses and see that the pied pipers of populism really are wingnuts.
It happens. I fell into CDS in the early '90s, listening to shock talk radio for three years. I came up for air, saw a lot of the senoJ xelA stuff being the source of such material, and I shook off the crap and insanity.
I'm still registered as a republican, and I still identify with the (Goldwater style) conservative movement, but I no longer spend my intellectual currency on populist products.
| 125 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:05:34am |
So, I'm working on web development concepts, AJAX, PHP, and the like...
I wanted to start a blog, and have been playing with Wordpress.
Yet for all I play, the less I like... No matter how creative the Wordpress template, underneath the same Wordpress-ness keeps surfacing.
One thing I am increasingly disliking is the sameness of so many websites (not just blogs.) No wonder some artists, like photographers, try so hard to work on "different" Flash-based splash pages.
Don't know about the blog idea... I might just end up with a site that is full of essays, perhaps a library of essays and links...
I did come up (and register) a domain name - it is... well, if and when I link to it I'll be watching to see how it is interpreted.
| 127 |
Slumbering Behemoth Stinks Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:09:20am |
re: #126 Gus 802
Just behind you. Out for real this time. G'nite all.
| 129 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:09:53am |
re: #123 Gus 802
I suppose they're endorsing scientific or technological nationalism. But most people know that flight wasn't discovered in a vacuum. Nor was rocketry, medicine, math itself, chemistry, photography, and the vast list that follows. I'm sure the likes of Malkin and her cultist following must find Henri Pitot rather troubling because he is French after all. If you break down their thinking you will find that even European discoveries are troubling for the obsessed.
.
Yep. And it creeps me out. Not to go all Godwin here, but something I only learned later in life was that one of the strategies the Nazis employed early on was forbidding scholars (and doctors) to cite any works in their research that required them to rely on the research of Jews.
That should have sent alarm bells ringing loudly through academia and research. Scholars had to go through all sorts of convolutions in order to only cite 'Aryan' works, even to the extent of distorting their papers and footnoting some obscure 'thinker' from centuries ago-- to avoid giving the credit for some discovery or idea to someone on the 'unapproved' list.
Racial Hygiene: Medicine Under the Nazis
IIRC this started long before some of the more obvious and hardcore laws oppressing the Jews.
Night, gus!
| 130 |
srb1976 Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:10:24am |
| 131 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:15:35am |
BTW, have I told everyone lately that I hate Dreamweaver?
| 132 |
srb1976 Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:16:37am |
re: #129 iceweasel
.
Yep. And it creeps me out. Not to go all Godwin here, but something I only learned later in life was that one of the strategies the Nazis employed early on was forbidding scholars (and doctors) to cite any works in their research that required them to rely on the research of Jews.
That should have sent alarm bells ringing loudly through academia and research. Scholars had to go through all sorts of convolutions in order to only cite 'Aryan' works, even to the extent of distorting their papers and footnoting some obscure 'thinker' from centuries ago-- to avoid giving the credit for some discovery or idea to someone on the 'unapproved' list.
Racial Hygiene: Medicine Under the Nazis
IIRC this started long before some of the more obvious and hardcore laws oppressing the Jews.Night, gus!
Just to play devil's advocate for a minute....While I don't think that that sort of thinking is OK by any means.... There is a very large difference between private citizens thinking that way and the State thinking that way.
It's one thing if you have a group of people bending over backwards to try not to acknowledge the accomplishments of , and this is creepy, but not nearly as creepy as having a government decree that scholars MUST not acknowledge or cite the accomplishments of
(Realizing how much trouble I'm having typing and REALLY hoping this makes some small amount of sense)
| 133 |
srb1976 Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:17:15am |
| 134 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:21:15am |
| 135 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:23:15am |
re: #132 srb1976
Just to play devil's advocate for a minute...While I don't think that that sort of thinking is OK by any means... There is a very large difference between private citizens thinking that way and the State thinking that way.
It's one thing if you have a group of people bending over backwards to try not to acknowledge the accomplishments of , and this is creepy, but not nearly as creepy as having a government decree that scholars MUST not acknowledge or cite the accomplishments of
(Realizing how much trouble I'm having typing and REALLY hoping this makes some small amount of sense)
It definitely makes sense, and you're right, there is a difference. (Hi, srb!)
What bothers me is the similarity in sentiment. In both cases there's a kind of uber-nationalism, a need to believe that all accomplishments come from the chosen nation, and a need to wipe out the idea that other nations or peoples contribute, even if that means distorting history itself.
You also get this blending of the State or the Nation with the idea that acknowledging the contributions of others is somehow a betrayal of the State or Nation. It creeps me out, and I think the seeds of that sort of thought are present on the wingnutty right-- cf Pat Buchanan's blather about 'real Americans' and 'white America'.
| 136 |
AK-47% Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:25:07am |
re: #132 srb1976
Just to play devil's advocate for a minute...While I don't think that that sort of thinking is OK by any means... There is a very large difference between private citizens thinking that way and the State thinking that way.
It's one thing if you have a group of people bending over backwards to try not to acknowledge the accomplishments of , and this is creepy, but not nearly as creepy as having a government decree that scholars MUST not acknowledge or cite the accomplishments of
(Realizing how much trouble I'm having typing and REALLY hoping this makes some small amount of sense)
The song of the Loreley, the ultimate Germanic romantic myth of the Rhine, was written by a German Jew, heinrich Heine.
The Nazis kept the song, just changed the author to "Annonymous".
That is small-mided cultural cowardice.
| 137 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:26:57am |
re: #136 ralphieboy
The song of the Loreley, the ultimate Germanic romantic myth of the Rhine, was written by a German Jew, heinrich Heine.
The Nazis kept the song, just changed the author to "Annonymous".
That is small-mided cultural cowardice.
It's also intellectual theft. And an early form of revisionism.
| 138 |
srb1976 Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:27:03am |
re: #135 iceweasel
Hiya = )
I see what you're saying, and I agree with you....just wanted to point out the difference between private idiots (buchanan) and state sponsored idiocy (nazis).
OT/ Did you see I updated my avatar with a new pic of HRS? (just taking a minute to brag on the pure cuteness =) )
| 139 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:28:51am |
re: #138 srb1976
Hiya = )
I see what you're saying, and I agree with you...just wanted to point out the difference between private idiots (buchanan) and state sponsored idiocy (nazis).
OT/ Did you see I updated my avatar with a new pic of HRS? (just taking a minute to brag on the pure cuteness =) )
NO! I hadn't seen!! Oh my god, too cute!!
(not enough exclamation points in the world to convey Teh Cute!)
| 140 |
srb1976 Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:33:00am |
re: #139 iceweasel
NO! I hadn't seen!! Oh my god, too cute!!
(not enough exclamation points in the world to convey Teh Cute!)
Thanks = )
It's a good thing she a the Little Man are both adorable....they got up night before last, got ahold of 2 bottles of baby powder and proceded to have a "baby powder fight"...better half found them in the morning.....said she looked like a ghost! And of course Little Man was the picture of innocence = )
| 141 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:36:35am |
re: #140 srb1976
Thanks = )
It's a good thing she a the Little Man are both adorable...they got up night before last, got ahold of 2 bottles of baby powder and proceded to have a "baby powder fight"...better half found them in the morning...said she looked like a ghost! And of course Little Man was the picture of innocence = )
heh-- I love your stories about them. And I love the pics! Must say I'm kind of an anomaly in that I don't normally get excited over babies, but yours are so cute they have me bouncing off the walls. :-)
| 143 |
srb1976 Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:44:38am |
re: #141 iceweasel
heh-- I love your stories about them. And I love the pics! Must say I'm kind of an anomaly in that I don't normally get excited over babies, but yours are so cute they have me bouncing off the walls. :-)
Thanks again!!
The Little Man is just as cute as his baby sister, but harder to get him to hold still long enough to get a good picture = )
| 144 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:45:07am |
re: #142 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
Somebody's nesting...
Just in terms of cooking and stuff like that! I swear!
Cookies and cakes and pie though too. :-)
| 145 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:46:07am |
re: #143 srb1976
Thanks again!!
The Little Man is just as cute as his baby sister, but harder to get him to hold still long enough to get a good picture = )
I don't even want to think about you having to clean up the baby powder fight. I can just imagine the havoc they wrecked!
| 146 |
srb1976 Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:46:23am |
Yikes!! Hate to brag and run, but it's time to go to work!! (I will be so very glad to get to the end of this week!!!)
| 147 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:47:41am |
re: #146 srb1976
Yikes!! Hate to brag and run, but it's time to go to work!! (I will be so very glad to get to the end of this week!!!)
Good luck! See you soon I hope.
| 149 |
laZardo Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:52:11am |
In entertainment news, remember the famous "Filipino Prison Thriller" on YouTube?
It's now "official."
| 150 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:53:08am |
re: #148 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
mmm hmm.
Cripes, I hope not. It's true that iceweasels appear to take to domestication, more than I thought...
That Jimmah is a wily Scot bastard.
| 151 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:58:21am |
re: #150 iceweasel
Once of my very good friends is long time super-lib, married to a super hippie lib.
They have a son. He's 9.
He insists on wearing ties to school. They're not required. It is a real Alex P Keaton thing.
They are a very happy family. I wish the same happiness on you and yours.
heh.
| 152 |
AK-47% Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:59:01am |
re: #149 laZardo
In entertainment news, remember the famous "Filipino Prison Thriller" on YouTube?
It's now "official."
[Video]
a Pacific island, a former colony of China, Spain and America, dancing to music by a person of African descent.
Truly World culture.
Eat my ethno, Malkin!
/
| 153 |
laZardo Tue, Jan 26, 2010 3:59:12am |
re: #151 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
Once of my very good friends is long time super-lib, married to a super hippie lib.
They have a son. He's 9.
He insists on wearing ties to school. They're not required. It is a real Alex P Keaton thing.
They are a very happy family. I wish the same happiness on you and yours.
heh.
Two wrongs don't make a right, two lefts do? q:
| 154 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 4:00:24am |
| 155 |
AK-47% Tue, Jan 26, 2010 4:02:56am |
re: #153 laZardo
Two wrongs don't make a right, two lefts do? q:
A had a friend whose parents were radical 60's college professors. he rebelled by wearing ties, being clean-cut and conservative.
Another friend was at Woodstock as an 11-month old baby. She rebelled by getting into athletcs.
i wonder how my kids are going to rebel against me...
| 156 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 4:02:58am |
re: #151 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
They are a very happy family. I wish the same happiness on you and yours.heh.
Cheers, FBV. :) I'll take that in the spirit in which it's meant.
(neither of us are hippies. But Jimmah is regularly accused of being 'too pro-American' there, so there you go. )
| 157 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 4:07:29am |
re: #156 iceweasel
My parents have never voted anything but Democrat their entire lives.
| 158 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 4:10:01am |
re: #157 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
My parents have never voted anything but Democrat their entire lives.
And mine Republican! {FBV}
| 160 |
AK-47% Tue, Jan 26, 2010 4:16:29am |
re: #158 iceweasel
And mine Republican! {FBV}
I remember when the 10-cent stamps came out with a portrait of FDR. My uncle remarked, "I don't know which side to spit on!"
| 161 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 4:16:35am |
I'm one of 8 kids.
Four are a-political...
Two are conservatives...
One is liberal...
And my big brother is an unregistered socialist.
He'd never admit it. He believes that no one should be allowed to make more than 75,000.00 a year. The funny thing, is everyone I know who thinks like that, are the same guys that make good hourly money, but will never make more than 75,000 per year. I think that's why he arrived at that number.
My parents have always voted Democrat. But they're not political folks by nature. Just the tradition of folks from coal mining country.
| 162 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 4:27:21am |
re: #161 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
I'm one of 8 kids.
Four are a-political...
Two are conservatives...
One is liberal...
And my big brother is an unregistered socialist.He'd never admit it. He believes that no one should be allowed to make more than 75,000.00 a year. The funny thing, is everyone I know who thinks like that, are the same guys that make good hourly money, but will never make more than 75,000 per year. I think that's why he arrived at that number.
My parents have always voted Democrat. But they're not political folks by nature. Just the tradition of folks from coal mining country.
I don't know anyone who thinks the way your one brother does. Not in real life or on the lefty blogs I choose to frequent.
I could probably find some on DU or similar.
But I do see some similar forms of 'class resentment' I should call it, on both the left and right-- people who want the wealthy taxed purely because they aren't in that top 1 %, and people who want social programs for the poor slashed, because they are convinced that medical bankruptcies, unemployment, and more only happen to 'other people' (read: who deserve it).
| 164 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 4:33:46am |
re: #162 iceweasel
I don't get it either. He's in the 75K's all you need category. I kind of mistyped, I do know folks who believe in caps. Their cap always seems to be just a year or two away from where they are.
Kind of like the congresscritters who aren't happy with those congresscritter with safe seats who believe... "Some of you may die in this quest, but it is a chance that I am willing to take."
| 165 |
AK-47% Tue, Jan 26, 2010 4:33:47am |
re: #162 iceweasel
I don't know anyone who thinks the way your one brother does. Not in real life or on the lefty blogs I choose to frequent.
I could probably find some on DU or similar.
But I do see some similar forms of 'class resentment' I should call it, on both the left and right-- people who want the wealthy taxed purely because they aren't in that top 1 %, and people who want social programs for the poor slashed, because they are convinced that medical bankruptcies, unemployment, and more only happen to 'other people' (read: who deserve it).
It does seem to be way outside the mainstream - most people did not begin to give a hoot about bankers' salaries and bonuses until they appealed to the government for a bailout.
| 167 |
gegenkritik Tue, Jan 26, 2010 4:39:55am |
Here's another link for my friend Oslogin (I hope he's reading here): The ‘Anti-Semitism Expert’ and His Nazi Mentor.
Prof. Wolfgang Benz, Germany's so-called "leading Anti-Semitism expert" is a prominent representative of the concept of "Islamophobia", which he promotes as not only similiar to Anti-Semitism, but the real threat of today (or, as Oslogin would say: "Muslims are the Jews of today" because there is no substantial difference in banning minarets and gasing humans).
Like Oslogin, Prof. Benz never had a clue what Anti-Semitism is, but there's more: his doctoral adviser was a convinced Nazi and Benz never critizised this fact. Now, Benz is following his mentor, immunizing islamic Anti-Semitism against every critique, calling everyone "islamophobic" who dares to critizise Islamic Anti-semitism.
| 168 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 4:40:39am |
re: #164 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
I don't get it either. He's in the 75K's all you need category. I kind of mistyped, I do know folks who believe in caps. Their cap always seems to be just a year or two away from where they are.
Kind of like the congresscritters who aren't happy with those congresscritter with safe seats who believe... "Some of you may die in this quest, but it is a chance that I am willing to take."
Yep. I think that happens on both sides of the aisle-- everyone (right or left) is always most interested in demanding sacrifices on the part of others-- the classes they don't happen to belong to. And they'll change their tune as their personal circumstances change, sometimes. Congresscritters and ordinary folks too.
This is kind of happening on the left right now, esp in the lefty blogopshere-- lots of the folks further left (like FireDogLake) are working to tank health reform because it doesn't have a public option, even though it would help a lot of people right now even as it is.
Pretty easy to 'take a stand' for 'better' health reform when you already have coverage.
I'm not saying there aren't problem with the reform package as is-- there are lots -- but it irks me.
| 169 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 4:44:16am |
The Texas Work Force Department claimed he was not paying proper wages to his help,and sent an agent out to interview him.
"I need a list of your employees, and how much you pay them," demanded the agent.
"Well," replied the rancher, "there's my farm hand, who's been with me for 3 years. I pay him $200 a week plus free ...room and board. The cook has been here for 18 months, and I pay her $150 per week, plus free room and board.
Then there's the half-wit. He works about 18 hours every day and does about 90% of all the work around here. He makes $10 per week, pays his own room and board, and I buy him a bottle of bourbon every Saturday night. He also sleeps with my wife occasionally."
"That's the guy I want to talk to.. to the half-wit," said the agent.
The rancher replied,
"That would be me."
| 170 |
Spare O'Lake Tue, Jan 26, 2010 4:53:30am |
re: #169 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
The Texas Work Force Department claimed he was not paying proper wages to his help,and sent an agent out to interview him.
"I need a list of your employees, and how much you pay them," demanded the agent.
"Well," replied the rancher, "there's my farm hand, who's been with me for 3 years. I pay him $200 a week plus free ...room and board. The cook has been here for 18 months, and I pay her $150 per week, plus free room and board.
Then there's the half-wit. He works about 18 hours every day and does about 90% of all the work around here. He makes $10 per week, pays his own room and board, and I buy him a bottle of bourbon every Saturday night. He also sleeps with my wife occasionally."
"That's the guy I want to talk to.. to the half-wit," said the agent.
The rancher replied,"That would be me."
Small business and the vanishing middle class gets teh shaft from big government, big unions and big business...coming, going, standing still, from the left, from the right, from the top, from the bottom and sideways too.
| 171 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 4:55:49am |
re: #170 Spare O'Lake
And it doesn't even get a reach around.
| 172 |
AK-47% Tue, Jan 26, 2010 4:57:42am |
re: #170 Spare O'Lake
Small business and the vanishing middle class gets teh shaft from big government, big unions and big business...coming, going, standing still, from the left, from the right, from the top, from the bottom and sideways too.
That is of course, the American ideal: a boss who works harder than his employees, pays them fairly and sets a high standard of performance in exchange.
Then we have bank managers...
| 173 |
Spare O'Lake Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:00:07am |
| 174 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:02:39am |
Glenn Beck is a soulless panderer.
All your maths belong to us.
Good Morning Lizards!
| 175 |
Spare O'Lake Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:02:47am |
Has anyone on the planet ever proposed that they should make less than their current income?
| 176 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:03:57am |
re: #175 Spare O'Lake
Has anyone on the planet ever proposed that they should make less than their current income?
I remember Bill Clinton talking about how he didn't think he was taxed enough. Never offered to send in more though...
| 177 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:04:01am |
Toots made me sick... Where is she... I've been huntin' her.
| 178 |
reine.de.tout Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:06:04am |
re: #177 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
Toots made me sick... Where is she... I've been huntin' her.
Right here -
sorry FBV!
| 180 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:09:10am |
re: #169 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
The Texas Work Force Department claimed he was not paying proper wages to his help,and sent an agent out to interview him.
"I need a list of your employees, and how much you pay them," demanded the agent.
"Well," replied the rancher, "there's my farm hand, who's been with me for 3 years. I pay him $200 a week plus free ...room and board. The cook has been here for 18 months, and I pay her $150 per week, plus free room and board.
Then there's the half-wit. He works about 18 hours every day and does about 90% of all the work around here. He makes $10 per week, pays his own room and board, and I buy him a bottle of bourbon every Saturday night. He also sleeps with my wife occasionally."
"That's the guy I want to talk to.. to the half-wit," said the agent.
The rancher replied,"That would be me."
Just wait until BHO and his Progs. inflict a tax-hike on his small business.
| 181 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:10:59am |
re: #172 ralphieboy
That is of course, the American ideal: a boss who works harder than his employees, pays them fairly and sets a high standard of performance in exchange.
Then we have bank managers...
Yeah, fuck them evil bankers.
| 182 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:11:52am |
| 183 |
AK-47% Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:12:00am |
re: #181 MandyManners
Yeah, fuck them evil bankers.
Naw, just bail their asses out without imposing any terms or conditions, we cannot expect them to learn responsibility overnight...
| 184 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:12:13am |
re: #178 reine.de.tout
Right here -
sorry FBV!
Came out of nowhere yesterday afternoon. All the sudden. I've been thinking, who do I know who's been sick. Nobody, 'ceptin Toots! Therefore? I am blaming you.
That Mucinex stuff is the shit tho.
| 185 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:12:31am |
re: #183 ralphieboy
Naw, just bail their asses out without imposing any terms or conditions, we cannot expect them to learn responsibility overnight...
I blame the government, not the bankers. Let them fail.
| 186 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:12:33am |
re: #183 ralphieboy
Naw, just bail their asses out without imposing any terms or conditions, we cannot expect them to learn responsibility overnight...
Oh, go pound sand.
| 187 |
The Sanity Inspector Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:12:53am |
| 188 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:14:11am |
"Shanna, they bought their tickets, they knew what they were getting into. I say, let 'em crash."
-Airplane!
| 189 |
reine.de.tout Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:15:00am |
re: #184 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
Came out of nowhere yesterday afternoon. All the sudden. I've been thinking, who do I know who's been sick. Nobody, 'ceptin Toots! Therefore? I am blaming you.
That Mucinex stuff is the shit tho.
You'll feel better soon (I hope!). I had only one day where felt really bad - yesterday & today were much better.
| 190 |
Spare O'Lake Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:15:10am |
re: #181 MandyManners
Yeah, fuck them evil bankers.
Now, now, please let's save our true hatred for those "Wall Street Bankers".
| 191 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:15:59am |
| 192 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:16:38am |
re: #190 Spare O'Lake
Now, now, please let's save our true hatred for those "Wall Street Bankers".
DEBILLL KORPORASHUNS!
| 193 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:19:40am |
Anybody know any bank branch managers?
They work their asses off, btw.
| 194 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:20:43am |
re: #193 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
Anybody know any bank branch managers?
They work their asses off, btw.
No, but I know a guy that works in IT at a bank. It's impossible to get ahold of him.
| 195 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:21:01am |
re: #193 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
Anybody know any bank branch managers?
They work their asses off, btw.
They sure do. But, they're gonna' get taxed to hell and back by BHO and his Progs.
| 196 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:22:27am |
re: #195 MandyManners
They sure do. But, they're gonna' get taxed to hell and back by BHO and his Progs.
WINDFALL TAX!
| 197 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:22:37am |
I've got "The Hangover" on DVD. Anybody seen it? Is it worth walking all of the way across the room to put into the player?
| 198 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:23:07am |
| 201 |
reine.de.tout Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:23:29am |
re: #187 The Sanity Inspector
From the article:
“I don’t think an ideology should be fought through constraining measures but through ideas,” Mohammed Moussaoui, the head of a national coalition of Muslim organizations, told The Associated Press on Monday. “It’s very difficult to talk about the liberation of women through a law that constrains.”
hoo-boy! Talk about twisting yourself into knots.
Does he think the Islamic practice of wearing that veil is not constraining?
| 203 |
drymocke Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:25:57am |
Ah... the Newbie label... :-) haven't heard that one in a long time... makes me feel young again...
| 204 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:27:57am |
re: #198 MandyManners
Income tax.
As if $250,000.00 makes one rich.
It's a windfall tax for excessively successful individuals. I've always been of two minds about the progressive income tax structure we have here in the US. One thing that does bother me, though, is how readily so many people will agree to cranking up the income tax on the "rich people" to absurd levels.
| 206 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:28:47am |
re: #204 thedopefishlives
It's a windfall tax for excessively successful individuals. I've always been of two minds about the progressive income tax structure we have here in the US. One thing that does bother me, though, is how readily so many people will agree to cranking up the income tax on the "rich people" to absurd levels.
Tax the rich to feed the poor, til there ain't no rich no more...
| 208 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:29:16am |
| 209 |
Cannadian Club Akbar Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:29:47am |
re: #204 thedopefishlives
It's a windfall tax for excessively successful individuals. I've always been of two minds about the progressive income tax structure we have here in the US. One thing that does bother me, though, is how readily so many people will agree to cranking up the income tax on the "rich people" to absurd levels.
I would tell those people to pay out 40 percent fed tax and tack on another 8% state tax. See what they say.
| 210 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:29:58am |
| 211 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:31:02am |
re: #209 Cannadian Club Akbar
I would tell those people to pay out 40 percent fed tax and tack on another 8% state tax. See what they say.
Their response would be along the lines of "If I had millions and millions of dollars, I probably wouldn't even notice. Or if I did, I could afford to go without a few luxuries to pay my fair share." Yeah, well, just wait till the shoe is on the other foot, you sanctimonious bastards.
| 213 |
Spare O'Lake Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:31:19am |
re: #193 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
Anybody know any bank branch managers?
They work their asses off, btw.
I used to know my bank managers and they me, but nowadays the Banks up here seem to move them around and replace them every couple of years. They are now less accessible, less experienced, with less authority and less discretion...in short, almost useless to many customers.
| 214 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:32:05am |
re: #212 iceweasel
Are you seriously going to harp on that every single morning?
| 215 |
drymocke Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:32:34am |
re: #213 Spare O'Lake
That's why I went with a local/regional bank... so I could work with a manager... same guy for 10 years now... even though he's a VP now...
| 216 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:32:38am |
| 217 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:33:09am |
re: #214 thedopefishlives
Are you seriously going to harp on that every single morning?
I do plan to point out uses of it, yes.
Perhaps you should take it up with those who use those terms every morning?
| 218 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:34:35am |
| 219 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:35:22am |
re: #218 rwdflynavy
I don't spend any time on the stalker blog, so I don't tend to worry about what they are sayin.
I'm talking about people right here. As you know.
| 220 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:36:50am |
I've made it a point not to know what y'all are talking about.
I'll keep it that way.
| 221 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:37:19am |
re: #217 iceweasel
I'd rather take it up with the people that are making a big production out of their use. If you two have problems with each other that's fine, but take it off of here and fight it out in private. You and Mandy's little pissing contest has no place here; it's getting beyond stupid at this point.
| 222 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:38:03am |
re: #221 thedopefishlives
I'd rather take it up with the people that are making a big production out of their use. If you two have problems with each other that's fine, but take it off of here and fight it out in private. You and Mandy's little pissing contest has no place here; it's getting beyond stupid at this point.
Then you can ask her what she means by that term.
| 223 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:38:56am |
re: #220 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
I've made it a point not to know what y'all are talking about.
I'll keep it that way.
I like potatoes!!
| 224 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:40:13am |
| 225 |
Cannadian Club Akbar Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:40:24am |
This might piss some people off...
[Link: news.yahoo.com...]
| 227 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:42:19am |
re: #225 Cannadian Club Akbar
This might piss some people off...
[Link: news.yahoo.com...]
One thing I do like about Ahhhnold is that he is not lacking for cojones. He'll call it like he sees it.
| 228 |
Aye Pod Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:45:18am |
Iceweasel, are you bullying hordes of wingnuts again? When will you learn to leave the poor little things alone, and stop tormenting them like this? lol
At least be decent about it and deal with them one at a time. This business of stomping on large numbers of them at the same time is getting old.
:D
| 229 |
Cannadian Club Akbar Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:49:09am |
People who drink valium milkshakes for breakfast should not be on my radio. Just sayin'.
| 231 |
Aye Pod Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:51:32am |
re: #218 rwdflynavy
I don't spend any time on the stalker blog, so I don't tend to worry about what they are sayin.
I have to go out shortly but I'll just make a quick observation before I leave :
A whole bunch of people who post on 2.0 now used that exact same deflection while they were posting here, when anyone made a similar point. People like buzzsawmonkey for example.
| 233 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:53:00am |
re: #231 Jimmah
You thrive on this shit, don't you?
| 234 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:55:36am |
re: #228 Jimmah
Iceweasel, are you bullying hordes of wingnuts again? When will you learn to leave the poor little things alone, and stop tormenting them like this? lol
At least be decent about it and deal with them one at a time. This business of stomping on large numbers of them at the same time is getting old.
:D
Yes, as we all know, baiting is never the problem. The real problem is when someone points it out-- such as noting someone's tendency to bait, even when the people she's baiting aren't even present.
Oh dear.
| 235 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 5:57:48am |
re: #232 woodsman
My apologies if the link has alredy been posted.
-Woody
Funny, coming from someone who just posted that same post and link in another thread.
| 236 |
Aye Pod Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:00:08am |
re: #233 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
You thrive on this shit, don't you?
Nope. I'd much rather not have to deal with this sort of crap. But if I have to, I will...
| 237 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:00:46am |
re: #236 Jimmah
None of my business. Go ahead. Enjoy.
| 238 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:01:10am |
re: #234 iceweasel
You mean like you, baiting said person even though she's not here? Somewhat like the pot calling the kettle black, wouldn't you say?
| 239 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:02:35am |
re: #231 Jimmah
I have to go out shortly but I'll just make a quick observation before I leave :
A whole bunch of people who post on 2.0 now used that exact same deflection while they were posting here, when anyone made a similar point. People like buzzsawmonkey for example.
Man you nailed it! I'm just like those guys!!
//
| 241 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:03:47am |
re: #238 thedopefishlives
You mean like you, baiting said person even though she's not here? Somewhat like the pot calling the kettle black, wouldn't you say?
Rubbish. She's been posting shit about 'progs' and 'cats fucking' everywhere for weeks. Regardless of who is on the thread or not.
I'll be taking your calls for 'civility' and your handwringing over what such stupid bickering does to the blog when you start applying your concerns equally.
For example, this thread is a lovely example of what she likes: throw a stinkbomb, run away, let others turn it into a littl bitchfest.
You can continue with your bitchfest if you like; I will not be engaging.
| 243 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:05:49am |
re: #242 iceweasel
Later, folks! Have fun!
How ironic, considering your previous post. I'm sorry you think I'm being unequal about it, but considering Mandy isn't here for me to discuss the issues I have with her, it's a bit beside the point.
| 244 |
ryannon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:06:28am |
And now a rare video of two prog cats going through the entire repertoire of the Kama Suta with background music by Julio Iglesias. Ha-ha! Fooled ya' all!
| 245 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:07:20am |
Dungeons and Dragons ban in Wisconsin prisons upheld:
[Link: www.insidebayarea.com...]
MADISON, Wis. — A man serving life in prison for first-degree intentional homicide lost his legal battle today to play Dungeons & Dragons behind bars.Kevin T. Singer filed a federal lawsuit against officials at Wisconsin's Waupun prison, arguing that a policy banning all Dungeons & Dragons material violated his free speech and due process rights.
Prison officials instigated the Dungeons & Dragons ban among concerns that playing the game promoted gang-related activity and was a threat to security.
Maybe it has something to do with the inmates problem with beating people with his +3 Warhammer:
Singer was sentenced to life in prison in 2002 after being found guilty of first-degree intentional homicide in the killing of his sister's boyfriend. The man was bludgeoned to death with a sledgehammer.
| 246 |
Aye Pod Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:08:50am |
re: #239 rwdflynavy
Man you nailed it! I'm just like those guys!!
//
You do remember updinging buzz for making the same excuse you just made here, don't you? Anyway, like I said a little while ago I have chores to do now, so later folks.
Roobarb and custard are on the buffet ;-) Enjoy!
| 247 |
baier Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:09:30am |
The very definition of 'a day late and a dollar short' on display at the New York Times today.
Americans are still looking for the answer, and if they don’t get it soon — or if they don’t like the answer — the president’s current political problems will look like a walk in the park.Mr. Obama may be personally very appealing, but he has positioned himself all over the political map: the anti-Iraq war candidate who escalated the war in Afghanistan; the opponent of health insurance mandates who made a mandate to buy insurance the centerpiece of his plan; the president who stocked his administration with Wall Street insiders and went to the mat for the banks and big corporations, but who is now trying to present himself as a born-again populist.
| 250 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:10:15am |
re: #246 Jimmah
You do remember updinging buzz for making the same excuse you just made here, don't you? Anyway, like I said a little while ago I have chores to do now, so later folks.
Roobarb and custard are on the buffet ;-) Enjoy!
[Video]
I'm very sorry I ever updinged a lizard who flounced. Please forgive me.
| 251 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:10:42am |
re: #232 woodsman
Just gonna keep spamming that, eh?
My apologies if the link has alredy been posted.
-Woody
You know it's already been posted: you posted it in the last thread, genius.
| 253 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:11:16am |
| 254 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:11:30am |
re: #248 iceweasel
I hope you have a good day. I'm sorry you misunderstand me, but it's obviously a bit too late to correct such a misunderstanding. And to everyone else - enjoy the day, Lizards.
| 255 |
Cannadian Club Akbar Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:11:30am |
| 256 |
drymocke Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:12:09am |
| 257 |
Cannadian Club Akbar Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:13:31am |
re: #256 drymocke
Try the front page. I know we had an LGF dictionary.
| 258 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:15:18am |
| 259 |
ryannon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:15:59am |
NSFW: GIANT PROG TURTLES FUCKING!
| 260 |
Cannadian Club Akbar Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:16:24am |
| 261 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:17:06am |
| 262 |
Cannadian Club Akbar Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:18:08am |
| 263 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:18:13am |
re: #260 Cannadian Club Akbar
I haven't needed it in forever.
I've found that if I wait, I'll figure it out eventually.
| 264 |
ryannon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:19:10am |
re: #263 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
I've found that if I wait, I'll figure it out eventually.
And in the meantime, being clueless isn't so bad.
| 265 |
Cannadian Club Akbar Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:19:34am |
re: #263 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
I've found that if I wait, I'll figure it out eventually.
It's fun when bored to just run through it and see where some words originated, like "Stan."
| 266 |
drymocke Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:19:49am |
| 267 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:19:51am |
re: #264 ryannon
A condition that I've been in a few times.
| 269 |
ryannon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:22:44am |
| 271 |
woodsman Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:25:16am |
re: #251 Obdicut
re: #232 woodsman
Just gonna keep spamming that, eh?
You know it's already been posted: you posted it in the last thread, genius.
Spamming? I missed the top thread. I re-posted it here to start a conversation. The article is interesting - but perhaps not for you since you've only been on LGF for two months.
| 274 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:27:16am |
re: #272 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
ummm avatar, I mean...
| 275 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:27:24am |
| 276 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:28:02am |
re: #271 woodsman
Wow, and immediately a claim to seniority. You certainly know how to win friends and influence people!
| 277 |
woodsman Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:28:27am |
re: #273 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
Yeah. I think Charles' mind is a hot topic rignt now.
| 279 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:29:00am |
| 280 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:29:01am |
Remember the story of the fireman who shot his dogs so he didn't have to pay to board them while he went on vacation? He was fired and sentenced to jail. His appeal hearing was yesterday but he walked out. I guess he doesn't like cameras:
[Link: www.dispatch.com...]
A former Columbus firefighter who was fired for executing his two dogs walked out on his appeal hearing before it began this morning.
The Civil Service Commission dismissed David Santuomo's appeal of the firing because he wasn't present for the hearing.
Santuomo, 43, was seated and waiting for the hearing to begin, but left minutes after WBNS-TV (Channel 10) set up a camera in the commission's hearing room.
"He came here with the intention of going forward but changed his mind," said Barbara McGrath, the commission's executive director.
| 281 |
drymocke Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:29:19am |
re: #278 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
Bad "Fu" this morning.
“I am not a vegetarian because I love animals; I am a vegetarian because I hate plants” - A. Whitney Brown
| 283 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:30:16am |
re: #277 woodsman
Oh, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking about that. I thought it was silly that you have 80 comments in a couple of years but were harshing the mellow of someone with a few thousand comments.
That's all. And I don't care what Dennis Prager says.
| 284 |
woodsman Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:30:30am |
re: #278 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
Bad "Fu" this morning.
Couldn't be Swine or Bird versions... must be Tofu flu
| 285 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:31:11am |
re: #282 woodsman
I didn't call anyone names.
Do you want a cookie?
In the last thread, you also said this:
I guess I'd like to hear them too. My apologies if the link has alredy been posted.
-Woody
Can you explain what it is you'd like to hear from Charles, please?
| 286 |
ryannon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:31:19am |
re: #272 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
Hey! That's my nic!
Better your nic than your wife, n'est ce pas?
Count your blessings, FBV.
| 287 |
Daniel Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:31:31am |
What is it with turtles and cats these days?
| 288 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:33:08am |
| 289 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:33:42am |
| 290 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:34:26am |
Funny as hell. Watching "The Hangover"... Ed Helms looks over at Zack (Don't know how to spell it, but it begins with a G) and says, "You, are literally too stupid to insult." Zack looks at him and says, "Thank you."
heh. Funny as hell.
| 291 |
drymocke Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:35:34am |
re: #290 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
Funny as hell. Watching "The Hangover"... Ed Helms looks over at Zack (Don't know how to spell it, but it begins with a G) and says, "You, are literally too stupid to insult." Zack looks at him and says, "Thank you."
heh. Funny as hell.
Told ya... I don't like to get folks hopes up about movies as your enjoyment is a direct correlation to your expectations... I find if I don't expect much from a movie, that I enjoy an average movie much more than if I had high expectations for it...
| 292 |
ryannon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:35:48am |
re: #275 MandyManners
What about two cats?
They're resting.
How about walruses? Are you into walruses?
I've got some good stuff....
| 293 |
woodsman Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:35:50am |
re: #283 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
re: #277 woodsman
Oh, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking about that. I thought it was silly that you have 80 comments in a couple of years but were harshing the mellow of someone with a few thousand comments.
That's all. And I don't care what Dennis Prager says.
re: #285 Obdicut
re: #282 woodsman
Can you explain what it is you'd like to hear from Charles, please?
I'd like to hear him answer the questions. That I have only 80 comments doesn't mean I didn't read the blog for years. If you look at my last set of comments it was a conversation about this very subject before anyone else was talking about it. I liked the blog. I enjoyed the community debate here though I didn't post much. I liked the threads and learned something. The blog is very different now. Your instant attack dog posts a perfect example.
| 294 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:36:05am |
re: #279 MandyManners
Watched the "pop-up video" of Michael Jackson's "Beat It" the other night. Eddie was supposed to be in the video, but didn't show up because he didn't think it would be a hit.
| 295 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:36:40am |
re: #276 Obdicut
Wow, and immediately a claim to seniority. You certainly know how to win friends and influence people!
Well, good morning all...what are the odds that i enter the room and to find Obdicut sparring :)
OB - i hadn't seen the link, so i'm at least grateful for the re-post.
Interesting. I've always admired Dennis Prager's ability to remain calm in the face of disagreement. Seems like a difference of opinion, nothing more. I would guess, though, that Charles would be received politely on Dennis' show, were he to take up the offer; Prager is perhaps the most civil of any AM host i've ever heard, and one of the only ones that I can listen to.
| 296 |
NJDhockeyfan Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:37:08am |
re: #287 Rightwingconspirator
What is it with turtles and cats these days?
They rock!
The Turtles
The Stray Cats
| 297 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:37:31am |
re: #293 woodsman
He ain't my attack dog. I don't have an attack dog.
Well, Rocky. But he's only 5 lbs.
| 298 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:38:29am |
re: #293 woodsman
Do you understand that asking Charles to specifically respond to something-- especially criticism-- is rather rude?
re: #295 Aceofwhat?
It was the demand in the last thread, rather than the link in this thread-- plus the butter-wouldn't-melt 'apology' if it had been posted already, when he knew it had-- that made me twitch.
| 299 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:38:31am |
re: #290 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
Funny as hell. Watching "The Hangover"... Ed Helms looks over at Zack (Don't know how to spell it, but it begins with a G) and says, "You, are literally too stupid to insult." Zack looks at him and says, "Thank you."
heh. Funny as hell.
I loved that movie. They said that Tyson only needed one take for his scenes. The actors were in awe - they said he was by far the best-prepared on the set and called him "one-take Tyson". I love it when folks take their cameos so seriously - increases my enjoyment of a movie.
| 300 |
Mr. Crankypants Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:38:36am |
re: #288 MandyManners
Found this in the same general vicinity..as my tastes run more to acoustic..
| 301 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:38:56am |
| 303 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:39:27am |
re: #297 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
He ain't my attack dog. I don't have an attack dog.
Well, Rocky. But he's only 5 lbs.
My dogs poop weighs more than that.
| 304 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:39:31am |
re: #292 ryannon
They're resting.
How about walruses? Are you into walruses?
I've got some good stuff...
Coo-coo-ka-choo?
| 305 |
ryannon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:40:01am |
| 306 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:40:38am |
re: #300 PT Barnum
Found this in the same general vicinity..as my tastes run more to acoustic..
[Video]
Purdy. Just purdy.
| 307 |
woodsman Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:40:43am |
re: #298 Obdicut
What's rude about bringing it to the attention of Charles and to the lizard community? The blog is different than it used to be. Charles is different. People are writing about it. It's relevant.
| 308 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:40:53am |
| 310 |
Mr. Crankypants Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:41:40am |
| 311 |
ryannon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:41:57am |
| 312 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:42:51am |
re: #303 RogueOne
I just watched the Dog Whisperer episode where he adopts four new pups to raise 'perfectly'. They're all awesome dogs, but the pit bull and the English bulldog are my two favorites.
It's on hulu, here:
[Link: www.hulu.com...]
re: #307 woodsman
Again: What's rude is asking that Charles respond to it.
Whatever. Maybe I'm totally off-base here. I have had only 1/2 cup of my awesome Aeropress coffee.
| 313 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:43:04am |
re: #301 MandyManners
That was flipping impressive, IMO. Showed decisiveness.
| 314 |
Locker Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:44:08am |
Good morning all. Watched a great segment with the Wall Street Journal columnist Thomas Frank on PBS recently with regard to politics, banking and the financial situation. Completely worth the time, in my opinion. Just click the Watch Video link on the following page to view the segment:
pbs.org - Bill Moyers Journal - Thomas Frank
Just something to pass the time till I can go get my steak, potato and egg breakfast burrito at 8 AM.
| 315 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:44:20am |
This thread needs more puppies.
[Link: www.ustream.tv...]
Siba Inu Puppy-Cam
| 316 |
NJDhockeyfan Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:44:58am |
Zombie Kid Likes Turtles
| 317 |
Locker Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:45:15am |
re: #297 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
He ain't my attack dog. I don't have an attack dog.
Well, Rocky. But he's only 5 lbs.
Ahah our Papillon is only 8 lbs but he thinks he's an attack dog. Guard dog yes... attack dog... only if door mice try to break in.
| 318 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:45:29am |
| 319 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:45:47am |
re: #287 Rightwingconspirator
What is it with turtles and cats these days?
Since G-d is omnipotent, he could have chosen to have fluffy kitties and turtles (and 'progs') reproduce by smelling a little flower.
Instead, he chose fucking.
| 320 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:46:18am |
re: #318 MandyManners
WindupBird, you're an asshole and so is the one who up-dinged you.
Looking to start a few fights, hon?
| 321 |
NJDhockeyfan Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:46:21am |
re: #301 MandyManners
What a jerk.
Overwhelming non-support for this guy.
Rating: -32
Total: 36Minus: 34
Aceofwhat?, brookly red, Bubblehead II, CapeCoddah, cenotaphium, Cheechako, cliffster, DaddyG, eclectic infidel, EmmmieG, Fat Bastard Vegetarian, Floral Giraffe, garhighway, Gus 802, jaunte, Jimmah, LotharBot, MandyManners, marjoriemoon, Mark Winter, NJDhockeyfan, Obdicut, philosophus invidius, PT Barnum, Racer X, Radicchio ad Absurdum, reine.de.tout, SanFranciscoZionist, Spare O'Lake, talon_262, The Sanity Inspector, tradewind, Varek Raith, wrenchwenchPlus: 2
Locker, Silvergirl
| 323 |
Locker Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:46:56am |
re: #301 MandyManners
It's called double jeopardy Mandy. Want me to link back to the thread where you offer indirect support to Ben Stein's anti-evolution movie or should we just let it go?
| 324 |
Locker Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:47:57am |
re: #318 MandyManners
WindupBird, you're an asshole and so is the one who up-dinged you.
I guess this is the only way to keep up your 10 posts a minute post count huh? You have absolutely no class... at all.
| 325 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:47:59am |
re: #297 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
He ain't my attack dog. I don't have an attack dog.
Well, Rocky. But he's only 5 lbs.
"does your dog bite?"
"no"
--pets dog--
"OWW! You said your dog didn't bite!"
"That is not my dog."
| 326 |
Mr. Crankypants Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:48:04am |
re: #315 RogueOne
This thread needs more puppies.
[Link: www.ustream.tv...]Siba Inu Puppy-Cam
We had a Shiba for a while...I had not realized at the time that Shiba Inu was Japanese for gigantic pain in the ass, just like I did not know that karaoke meant "can't sing for shit"
He was a neurotic little thing, but my wife hadn't socialized him very well and certainly hadn't let him know who was the alpha. He had a bit of adjusting to do when I moved in and became the alpha of the pack.
| 327 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:48:33am |
re: #321 NJDhockeyfan
As long as everyone understands who was first...
| 328 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:48:43am |
re: #322 woodsman
That it's Charles's blog is, in fact, the reason why it's rude to ask that he respond to your own interests, actually.
However, the atmosphere in here is getting pretty damn sour, so I'll happily let this drop and replace it with:
An awesome funky-ass bank called Freakpower.
| 329 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:48:44am |
re: #314 Locker
Good morning all. Watched a great segment with the Wall Street Journal columnist Thomas Frank on PBS recently with regard to politics, banking and the financial situation. Completely worth the time, in my opinion. Just click the Watch Video link on the following page to view the segment:
pbs.org - Bill Moyers Journal - Thomas Frank
Just something to pass the time till I can go get my steak, potato and egg breakfast burrito at 8 AM.
Thomas Frank is pretty cool if he's the person I'm thinking of. Wrote "What's the Matter With Kansas" right? Also a few columns I liked in (gasp!) the WSJ. Thanks for the link.
| 330 |
ryannon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:48:53am |
re: #319 iceweasel
Since G-d is omnipotent, he could have chosen to have fluffy kitties and turtles (and 'progs') reproduce by smelling a little flower.
Instead, he chose fucking.
Sometimes it's better not to....
| 331 |
NJDhockeyfan Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:49:26am |
| 332 |
Locker Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:49:59am |
re: #329 iceweasel
Thomas Frank is pretty cool if he's the person I'm thinking of. Wrote "What's the Matter With Kansas" right? Also a few columns I liked in (gasp!) the WSJ. Thanks for the link.
Yes ma'am that's one of his titles. He also wrote "The Wrecking Crew".
| 333 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:50:18am |
re: #324 Locker
Have a listen to the song I posted, and see if it doesn't ease out any hint of acerbity and replace everything with funkified bliss.
| 334 |
Locker Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:51:01am |
re: #333 Obdicut
Have a listen to the song I posted, and see if it doesn't ease out any hint of acerbity and replace everything with funkified bliss.
Without even clicking I have to upding for the phrase "Funkified bliss".... delightful.
| 335 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:51:09am |
| 336 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:51:12am |
re: #332 Locker
Yes ma'am that's one of his titles. He also wrote "The Wrecking Crew".
He's written a few op-eds I thought were really smart. I'll check this out too. Thanks for the link, and enjoy your breakfast burrito. :-)
| 337 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:51:52am |
re: #319 iceweasel
Since G-d is omnipotent, he could have chosen to have fluffy kitties and turtles (and 'progs') reproduce by smelling a little flower.
Instead, he chose fucking.
who would bother reproducing otherwise//
| 338 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:52:46am |
re: #312 Obdicut
I saw a portion of the first episode. I have to DVR his show to watch after the animals bedtime. Both of my dogs watch a lot of tv and seeing other dogs in their living room sets them off.
When my male was a pup he used to sit and watch "Winged Migration". He knew the whole movie start to finish, even knowing when his favorite parts were coming up.
[Link: www.sonyclassics.com...]
| 339 |
Mr. Crankypants Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:53:06am |
re: #337 Aceofwhat?
Yes but he put the waste treatment plants in the middle of a prime recreation area...
| 340 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:54:10am |
re: #325 Aceofwhat?
"does your dog bite?"
"no"
--pets dog--
"OWW! You said your dog didn't bite!"
"That is not my dog."
Always upding for Peter Sellers!
| 341 |
Locker Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:54:12am |
re: #334 Locker
Without even clicking I have to upding for the phrase "Funkified bliss"... delightful.
I did... however.... have to google "acerbity".... word of the day.
| 342 |
NJDhockeyfan Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:54:35am |
Be careful what you do in life. It can come back to bite you.
The eastern German state of Brandenburg on Thursday became the last of the formerly communist states to introduce a law requiring all parliamentarians to be checked for past collaboration with the East German secret police, the Stasi.
It's no secret in Germany that there are tens of thousands of former informants for the East German secret police still around. After all, over the lifetime of the communist German state, more than 100,000 people provided information to the so-called Stasi on either an official or unofficial basis.
Concern remains high, however, that some of those who collaborated with the Stasi have ended up in positions of political influence. And on Thursday, the parliament for the German state of Brandenburg passed a law requiring all members of state parliament be checked for possible collaboration with the communist spies.
The law was a long time in coming. Brandenburg is the last of the five former East German states to enact such a regulation -- and it was only passed due to a series of revelations last fall that several members of the state parliament had cooperated with the Stasi prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall.
"It is about time that the state parliament addresses this question," said parliamentarian Linda Teuteberg, a member of the business-friendly Free Democrats, in response to the vote.
| 343 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:54:52am |
re: #334 Locker
And this one makes you walk funny:
Amazing female vocals on that one. Waiting For the Story to End.
re: #338 RogueOne
Aw, that's neat. I still miss my childhood dog, don't have the heart to get another until I have kids.
Childhood dog was Russell, a dumb, incredibly energetic mutt with the die-hard certainty that he could kill a car. He got his leg broken by a car, came back in a cast, and started chasing cars again while his leg was still in a cast.
Best dog ever.
| 344 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:55:25am |
| 345 |
Mr. Crankypants Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:55:34am |
re: #337 Aceofwhat?
who would bother reproducing otherwise//
I've long had the theory that kids are cute so you don't kill em when they start throwing a fit at the 7-11.
| 346 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:55:34am |
| 347 |
Mr. Crankypants Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:57:27am |
re: #344 Obdicut
my feet started moving almost immediately...that was great!
| 348 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:57:48am |
It seems Prager's main defense of his fellow "conservatives" is that "left" this and "left" that.
This is called passing the blame.
E.g., We can't be guilty because they are guilty!
It's the last (or in some cases, the only) defense of those who know they have to get the spotlight off of themselves.
| 349 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:58:33am |
And one more just to blow the roof off of this sucker:
| 350 |
woodsman Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:58:49am |
re: #328 Obdicut
re: #322 woodsman
That it's Charles's blog is, in fact, the reason why it's rude to ask that he respond to your own interests, actually.
In two months you have risen to the position of Charles' spokesperson. Interesting.
I believe Charles will respond to Dennis Prager publically. I will even go so far as to predict that he will take up Prager's invitation and appear again (for the third time) on Prager's radio show. There is no malice in the wonder we have about the "180" that Charles did. There is respect. Disagreement is a chance for edification and a lively debate, once the main-stay of this blog.
| 351 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:59:15am |
re: #348 freetoken
It seems Prager's main defense of his fellow "conservatives" is that "left" this and "left" that.
This is called passing the blame.
E.g., We can't be guilty because they are guilty!
It's the last (or in some cases, the only) defense of those who know they have to get the spotlight off of themselves.
Prager is a fool of long-standing, imo.
I can go back and find google caches to support this claim, but I'd rather not.
| 352 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:59:21am |
re: #347 PT Barnum
They have a real sweetness to them and a great positivity. Or had, I should say.
| 353 |
Locker Tue, Jan 26, 2010 6:59:44am |
re: #343 Obdicut
Sent that one home, no youtube at work. Thanks though... looking forward to it. Currently I'm getting my funkified bliss from truehouse.net... thankfully it's not blocked.
| 354 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:00:21am |
re: #339 PT Barnum
Yes but he put the waste treatment plants in the middle of a prime recreation area...
two schools of thought. i personally don't need any more appendages, so i'm sanguine about the current situation.
| 355 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:00:37am |
re: #350 woodsman
What 180 has Charles performed?
And it's my personal opinion, by the way, that asking Charles to respond something on his own blog is rude. I'm not sure where you're getting this 'spokesperson' thing from.
| 356 |
lawhawk Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:01:18am |
FBI says that a Virginia man who was arrested in NJ with a grenade launcher, other weapons, and maps to a US military installation, has no apparent ties to terrorism.
Prosecutors said he was wearing a bulletproof vest and carrying a semiautomatic rifle. Authorities found a cache of weapons in his motel room, including rifles, a grenade launcher and a night vision scope. They said he also had maps of a U.S. military facility and a town outside New Jersey.
Glad they arrested the guy, but to claim that he had no terror ties so quickly? I think I'd wait for a full investigation to come through first.
| 357 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:01:19am |
re: #350 woodsman
In two months you have risen to the position of Charles' spokesperson. Interesting.
I believe Charles will respond to Dennis Prager publically
I'm sure Prager would looove to have a link from LGF, or to have CJ appear on his pathetic 'radio show'.
I think Charles has better options.
| 358 |
Mr. Crankypants Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:01:22am |
re: #348 freetoken
It seems Prager's main defense of his fellow "conservatives" is that "left" this and "left" that.
This is called passing the blame.
E.g., We can't be guilty because they are guilty!
It's the last (or in some cases, the only) defense of those who know they have to get the spotlight off of themselves.
I thought it was called projection...
| 360 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:02:41am |
re: #353 Locker
Sent that one home, no youtube at work. Thanks though... looking forward to it. Currently I'm getting my funkified bliss from truehouse.net... thankfully it's not blocked.
Ha-- I have a bunch of your truehouse links saved. Good stuff.
| 361 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:02:43am |
I think I'll post this on my monitor tomorrow night.
In doing so, he showed considerable candor as he acknowledged having made mistakes and missteps in his Middle East policy during the last year even as he recommitted himself to the peace process.
But then again, internal reflection is one thing and public confession quite another. Sharing as Obama did raises questions about whether he's learned the right lessons.
For starters, detractors have long labeled Obama as naïve and hubristic; in the Time interview, he seems to echo their assessment.
He told Joe Klein that the political realities confronting Palestinian and Israeli leaders made it harder than expected for them to come to the negotiating table. "I think that we overestimated our ability to persuade them to [negotiate] when their politics ran contrary to that," he said, adding later that, "If we had anticipated some of these political problems on both sides earlier, we might not have raised expectations as high."
It's as though legions of Middle East experts, Arab and Israeli officials and large chunks of the American Jewish community hadn't told the administration exactly that, repeatedly. Acknowledging not having comprehended that reality smacks of, indeed, naivete; proceeding in the face of such advice suggests, well, hubris.
SNIP
| 362 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:03:49am |
re: #359 RogueOne
Cesar's wife runs an outreach organization that uses dogs to help at-risk kids. They have the kids teach the dogs obedience, and in the process help their own sense of themselves. It's got a pretty good success rate.
To me, Cesar is a fascinating example of a meme-inventor, or at least an excellent meme-spreader. The way he teaches people how to be around dogs, which then makes the dogs adapt a certain meme-- which they can then use to help other dogs, it's just so interesting to me.
| 363 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:03:52am |
re: #349 Obdicut
And one more just to blow the roof off of this sucker:
[Video]
If you're trying to blow the roof off, you chose the wrong freak:
| 364 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:04:07am |
re: #318 MandyManners
WindupBird, you're an asshole and so is the one who up-dinged you.
Oh, lookie. More up-dings.
| 365 |
Locker Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:04:33am |
Happiness is discovering payday is Friday instead of Monday and that you can make the weekend Costco run after all. Jimmy Dean's and Meatball Bakes galore! Woop woop! Not to mention store brand vitamin water and mochachinos for half the name brand price. It's on like Donkey Kong!
| 366 |
vxbush Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:04:57am |
re: #361 MandyManners
I think I'll post this on my monitor tomorrow night.
Heh. I saw this yesterday and was amazed to see someone come out and admit the hubris and naivety comments might have something behind them.
Greetings, lizards.
| 367 |
Ojoe Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:05:56am |
Sunrise on the snow-covered San Gabriel Mountains. Towercam, Pacific time zone.
"Paradise is all around us and we do not understand."
— Thomas Merton
| 368 |
Mr. Crankypants Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:06:32am |
re: #366 vxbush
I'm hoping he's smart enough to learn from his mistakes.
On the other hand, I still can't stomach the thought of Caribou Barbie anywhere near the White House.
| 369 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:06:58am |
| 370 |
lawhawk Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:07:10am |
re: #367 Ojoe
I always look forward to those photo streams from Mt. Wilson.... very serene and peaceful and a welcome change of pace from the usual business of the day.
| 372 |
Locker Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:07:39am |
re: #364 MandyManners
Oh, lookie. More up-dings.
Oh lookie. More pouting about a personal failure to incite further outrage.
| 373 |
ryannon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:08:18am |
re: #367 Ojoe
Sunrise on the snow-covered San Gabriel Mountains. Towercam, Pacific time zone.
"Paradise is all around us and we do not understand."
— Thomas Merton
Nice thoughts, but I'll wager he never traveled to Haiti.
| 374 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:08:31am |
| 375 |
woodsman Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:08:40am |
re: #357 iceweasel
re: #350 woodsman
I'm sure Prager would looove to have a link from LGF, or to have CJ appear on his pathetic 'radio show'.
I think Charles has better options.
So now Charles has two spokespersons. How cool.
Prager wrote:
Dear Charles,
...I was so impressed with your near-daily documentation of developments in the Islamist world that I twice had you on my national radio show -- both times face to face in my studio...
So it came as somewhat of a shock to see your 180-degree turn from waging war on Islamist evil to waging war on your erstwhile allies and supporters on the right.
Having been a fan of the blog for several years I agree.
| 376 |
Mr. Crankypants Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:08:43am |
re: #371 iceweasel
like I said last night, some folks just want to start a fight. It's one of the few things that spoils this place for me, is the deliberately nasty and condescending tone taken by some as a default.
| 377 |
vxbush Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:08:47am |
re: #368 PT Barnum
I'm hoping he's smart enough to learn from his mistakes.
On the other hand, I still can't stomach the thought of Caribou Barbie anywhere near the White House.
Learning from his mistakes is fine, but the problem is his mistakes will leave us footing the bill for decades to come. I saw a figure today that said the government is running deficits of 200 billion dollars a month. Deficits. That's seriously scary debt.
| 378 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:08:51am |
re: #362 Obdicut
Long article for when you have some time to kill:
[Link: nymag.com...]
The Rise of Dog Identity Politics
Dogs are increasingly rootless souls, country bumpkins in city apartments. But is a vegan pup still an animal?
Outside of its country context, the dog plays an ever more human role. Which can make things very confusing. “We’ve seen a linear explosion in pet populations in Western countries over the past 40 years,” Serpell tells me, and notes a correlation with the depressing statistics in Robert Putnam’s Bowling Alone. “People are living more isolated lives, are having fewer children, their marriages aren’t lasting. All these things sort of break down a social network and happen to exactly coincide with the growth in pet populations. I think that what’s happening is simply that we’re allowing animals to fill the gap in our lives.”
| 379 |
Locker Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:08:59am |
re: #363 RogueOne
No fair you guys I wanna blow the roof off but youtube is blocked! That better be some George Clinton or something fools!
| 380 |
Ojoe Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:09:11am |
re: #370 lawhawk
Cool ! You are welcome.
Now I am off to drive the food bank truck in these depression times.
BBL, like in time to post the sunset.
| 381 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:09:19am |
re: #367 Ojoe
Hey, which direction is the camera facing there? Away from LA I am assuming, but just not sure.
| 382 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:09:33am |
re: #351 iceweasel
I propose that he is suffering some sort of existential crisis of the social/political flavor. By that I mean he realizes that the too-often content of the sites like FoxNation and FreeRepublic are in conflict with his basic Judaic morality, but he can't find it in himself to come out and criticize the loonies/haters on the right for fear of ostracizing some of his own supporters/customers.
I mentioned this before... but I saw a video last year of a presentation Prager gave (in a synagogue I believe) in which he was covering a variety of topics of contemporary political relevance. When he got to AGW his entire demeanor changed, quite visibly. His mannerism grew more exaggerated, his voice changed, etc. Then, after he settled down and went to the next topic he returned to the same old, very even keeled, usual Dennis Prager.
It was informative for me, as it became clear that what motivates his belief system was highly challenged by AGW. For most anyone you can find their "buttons", and when you do you know you are hitting them where they are feeling (perhaps not self-aware) vulnerable.
| 383 |
Ojoe Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:10:21am |
re: #373 ryannon
It would be more like paradise there if they actually engineered their buildings.
I'm off to work.
| 384 |
Locker Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:10:31am |
re: #374 Obdicut
You know, the person who stops is the cool one.
[Video]
It's true but not normally compatible with ADHD + a mouth the size of Wisconsin. Your point though, is completely valid.
| 385 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:10:34am |
re: #379 Locker
It's Korn, and the one I just posted to you is Robert Plant in a really nifty song. Sorry, forgot you can't tube at work.
| 386 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:10:36am |
re: #348 freetoken
It seems Prager's main defense of his fellow "conservatives" is that "left" this and "left" that.
This is called passing the blame.
E.g., We can't be guilty because they are guilty!
It's the last (or in some cases, the only) defense of those who know they have to get the spotlight off of themselves.
No, he differs with where the balance of outrage should lie. Each extreme has its odious elements. there is nothing desperate about believing that the majority of outrageous behavior exists on one side versus another. one can believe that either Prager or Charles has correctly identified the more outrageous extreme, but it is a discussion that rightfully includes comparisons.
| 388 |
Ojoe Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:10:45am |
| 389 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:11:21am |
re: #376 PT Barnum
like I said last night, some folks just want to start a fight. It's one of the few things that spoils this place for me, is the deliberately nasty and condescending tone taken by some as a default.
Yep. If they genuinely care about readers, they'll stick to posting interesting links and stories, and political commentary.
| 390 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:11:28am |
re: #357 iceweasel
I'm sure Prager would looove to have a link from LGF, or to have CJ appear on his pathetic 'radio show'.
I think Charles has better options.
why so much venom for a guy who is easily the most polite on the AM spectrum?
| 391 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:11:39am |
re: #358 PT Barnum
I thought it was called projection...
In this case I wouldn't call it projection as indeed one can find plenty of activists/websites that self-describe themselves as "left" that indeed are guilty of what Prager describes.
What Prager is trying to do is the same thing as when someone gets caught speeding on the highway, and then pleads with the officer, while pointing to cars passing them by, that other people are going just as fast.
| 392 |
Mr. Crankypants Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:11:50am |
re: #384 Locker
I understand that...have shot my fingers off only to regret it later more than once here. Thank God people are so forgiving...
| 393 |
Mr. Crankypants Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:12:58am |
re: #389 iceweasel
Yep. If they genuinely care about readers, they'll stick to posting interesting links and stories, and political commentary.
You left out puns... :)
Or was that deliberate?
| 394 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:14:03am |
re: #390 Aceofwhat?
why so much venom for a guy who is easily the most polite on the AM spectrum?
It's kind of relative, that particular designation of 'most polite'.
I used to consider Prager pretty sane, albeit someone with a different ideology than mine. I liked him for that-- because it was a different viewpoint and, I once thought, a rational one.
Now, not so much. he's changed.
| 397 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:15:11am |
re: #395 woodsman
It's easier to spout venom than to exchange ideas.
i wasn't starting a fight. please don't start one on my behalf.
| 398 |
ryannon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:15:32am |
re: #383 Ojoe
It would be more like paradise there if they actually engineered their buildings.
I'm off to work.
They did, Joe, they did.
But not well enough, when you're making less than a dollar a day. Even the ministries and presidential palace went ploof.
| 399 |
Locker Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:16:14am |
re: #395 woodsman
It's easier to spout venom than to exchange ideas.
I'm gonna go ahead and pretend you aren't accusing iceweasel of choosing to spout venom over exchanging ideas. I'd like to keep the focus on my burrito and not on taking you to the clinic.
| 400 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:16:24am |
re: #394 iceweasel
It's kind of relative, that particular designation of 'most polite'.
I used to consider Prager pretty sane, albeit someone with a different ideology than mine. I liked him for that-- because it was a different viewpoint and, I once thought, a rational one.
Now, not so much. he's changed.
has he become more strident? i ask honestly, i haven't listened to his show in 2 years or so. I know he's not on board with AGW, but he's a master of religious topics.
| 401 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:18:23am |
re: #395 woodsman
Hey, are you ever going to describe what it is you believe Charles has done a 180 on?
| 402 |
NJDhockeyfan Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:19:31am |
Indonesia mulls tearing down Obama statue
JAKARTA — Indonesian authorities said Monday they are considering a petition to tear down a statue of US President Barack Obama as a boy, only a month after the bronze was unveiled in Jakarta.
...Critics say the site should have been used to honour an Indonesian and 55,000 people have joined a page on social networking website Facebook calling for the statue to be removed.
...Members of the "Take Down the Barack Obama Statue in Menteng Park" group on Facebook say Obama has done nothing for Indonesia.
"Barack Obama has yet to make a significant contribution to the Indonesian nation. We could say Obama only ate and s (expletive) in Menteng. He spent his subsequent days living as an American," the web page says.
"For the dignity of a sovereign nation, Barack Obama's monument in Menteng Park must be removed immediately."
| 403 |
woodsman Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:19:37am |
re: #397 Aceofwhat?
re: #395 woodsman
i wasn't starting a fight. please don't start one on my behalf.
My apologies.
I'm just making the point that it IS easier to condemn than to rationally debate. I love to debate but people can't always handle it. This used to be a place that it could occur in a civil manner.
| 404 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:19:44am |
re: #400 Aceofwhat?
has he become more strident? i ask honestly, i haven't listened to his show in 2 years or so. I know he's not on board with AGW, but he's a master of religious topics.
Yeah, I think so. I used to like Prager, even though (actually, especially though) we disagreed. Not so much any more.
I do have to take off now, but I promise to dig up some transcripts etc as to why. I'll post them in this thread later and give you a headsup when I next see you and point you to the link.
Have a good day, all!
And here are some cats fucking, just for fun!
| 405 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:20:21am |
re: #404 iceweasel
Yeah, I think so. I used to like Prager, even though (actually, especially though) we disagreed. Not so much any more.
I do have to take off now, but I promise to dig up some transcripts etc as to why. I'll post them in this thread later and give you a headsup when I next see you and point you to the link.
Have a good day, all!And here are some cats fucking, just for fun!
[Video]
i really appreciate it. have a great day-
| 406 |
Mr. Crankypants Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:21:17am |
re: #404 iceweasel
You posted a clip of Axl Rose singing?
| 407 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:21:27am |
re: #401 Obdicut
Hey, are you ever going to describe what it is you believe Charles has done a 180 on?
He's completely reversed on AGW. Other than that? Nothing at all that I've noticed.
He's gotta be the most objective guy on the interweaves.
Anybody who says he's changed, is wrong. He's parted ways with nutjobs, has not reversed. They began running in circles like their hair was on fire, Charles has begun pointing and laughing at them.
At least, there's the way I see it.
| 408 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:22:24am |
re: #402 NJDhockeyfan
He owes you JACK, Indonesia. You're the idiots who put up a statue of him.
| 409 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:22:36am |
Why can't women resolve their differences like men? If I get in a fight with my dad, we have it out on the spot, exchange heated words, throw a hammer or two, and then we're done. If it's my wife versus one of her ladyfriends, though... God help the poor soul who gets stuck in the middle until they finally both admit they've been stupid and hurtful all along. Although the making up is worth watching. ;)
| 410 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:23:19am |
re: #407 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
Good response, man.
And now, time for my awesome commute. I'm not kidding-- going over the Bay Bridge in the morning is gorgeous.
| 411 |
Mr. Crankypants Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:23:38am |
re: #407 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
One of the reasons I actually registered at LGF was that the tone had changed from wingnut to sane discussion. That and you all seemed to be having way too much fun and there were puns which meant I would be allowed to express my personal failing on a regular basis...
| 412 |
ryannon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:23:54am |
re: #401 Obdicut
Hey, are you ever going to describe what it is you believe Charles has done a 180 on?
Well, for one thing, he's finally learned how to talk to women. Here's Charles filmed with a hidden camera a few years back. A bit on the uncouth side, wouldn't you say? But we're happy to report that he's since got his act together and even has a steady sweetie in his life. A total 180 if I ever saw one....
| 414 |
Mr. Crankypants Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:24:41am |
re: #409 thedopefishlives
Why can't women resolve their differences like men? If I get in a fight with my dad, we have it out on the spot, exchange heated words, throw a hammer or two, and then we're done. If it's my wife versus one of her ladyfriends, though... God help the poor soul who gets stuck in the middle until they finally both admit they've been stupid and hurtful all along. Although the making up is worth watching. ;)
| 416 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:25:22am |
re: #414 PT Barnum
Updinged for one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite musicals of all time! Nice find.
| 417 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:26:53am |
re: #409 thedopefishlives
Why can't women resolve their differences like men? If I get in a fight with my dad, we have it out on the spot, exchange heated words, throw a hammer or two, and then we're done. If it's my wife versus one of her ladyfriends, though... God help the poor soul who gets stuck in the middle until they finally both admit they've been stupid and hurtful all along. Although the making up is worth watching. ;)
Heard a comedian the other night talking about his daughter, and said that he gained more insight into how men are different.
"Men fuck shit up. Women are fucked up."
| 418 |
Lidane Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:27:02am |
re: #407 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
Anybody who says he's changed, is wrong. He's parted ways with nutjobs, has not reversed. They began running in circles like their hair was on fire, Charles has begun pointing and laughing at them.
At least, there's the way I see it.
That's the impression I've gotten as well. I haven't been here at LGF all that long, but I'd read some of it in the past via links from other sites, and the only thing that's really changed, at least as far as I can tell, is the fact that the nutbars have been publicly disavowed and that Charles has made his reasons for that quite clear.
It's not his fault that a bunch of people are suddenly running around acting like he's personally betrayed them.
| 419 |
darthstar Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:28:07am |
Good morning, Lacertilia...I'm friggin' exhausted, and need to get my ass moving as I have to be at a meeting in an hour. But the plow just came by, so the road should be passable.
Happy whateverin'...Time permitting, I'll stop by and say something more general about nothing in particular...yeah...I'm that tired.
| 421 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:29:27am |
| 422 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:30:02am |
re: #417 Aceofwhat?
Heard a comedian the other night talking about his daughter, and said that he gained more insight into how men are different.
"Men fuck shit up. Women are fucked up."
Remind me of that next time I try to mediate a personal dispute between two women.
| 423 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:30:27am |
re: #403 woodsman
My apologies.
I'm just making the point that it IS easier to condemn than to rationally debate. I love to debate but people can't always handle it. This used to be a place that it could occur in a civil manner.
It still is. A piece of advice, if you keep talking about how great this blog used to be and how much it has changed, you won't last long. Bring the lively civil debate.
| 424 |
albusteve Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:30:34am |
Whatever the degree of difficulty, it is a fact that Abdulmutallab was recruited by al Qaeda, trained by al Qaeda, and sent to the United States by al Qaeda. It's reasonable to assume he could be an important source of information about the terrorist organization. For Lieberman, Collins and Sessions, that makes it worth the effort.
blowback...Gibbs claims a 50 min interview by the FBI was all the time needed to weed out any important intel this guys knows
Read more at the Washington Examiner: [Link: www.washingtonexaminer.com...]
| 425 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:31:21am |
re: #403 woodsman
My apologies.
I'm just making the point that it IS easier to condemn than to rationally debate. I love to debate but people can't always handle it. This used to be a place that it could occur in a civil manner.
Sometimes debates get uncivil. Often they don't. I like to assume the best about my fellow citizens and debate, and deal with boorish behavior the best I can when it arises.
Seeing as how i'm not immune to boorish behavior, i try not to forecast it in advance. Glass houses, you know...
| 426 |
Lidane Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:31:33am |
Lieberman: ‘It’s Possible’ I Could Be ‘A Good Old-Fashioned New England Moderate Republican’
Yeah. Good luck with that, Joe.
| 427 |
ryannon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:31:59am |
re: #421 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
That is a sincerely messed up movie.
Laura Dern ... is damn sexy trashy in it too.
I liked the happy end!
| 428 |
drymocke Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:32:14am |
I know I'm a Newbie but... It feels as though I’ve been thrown into the middle of someone’s family and that they are totally unaware or unconcerned that they are laying bare their dirty laundry in front of a stranger… kinda weird...
| 429 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:32:15am |
re: #424 albusteve
Buncha fucking armchair quarterbacks....
| 430 |
NJDhockeyfan Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:32:32am |
re: #424 albusteve
I saw that yesterday. Fucking unbelievable bullshit coming out of the mouth of Gibbs. What kinds of fools does he thing American are?
| 431 |
woodsman Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:32:37am |
re: #401 Obdicut
re: #395 woodsman
Hey, are you ever going to describe what it is you believe Charles has done a 180 on?
Anyone who has been reading the blog for a long time (and is honest about it) knows that there is a profound difference. The small answer is that Charles appears to be "courting" the left now whereas before I didn't notice him courting anyone... he courted his ideas whichever way they took him. I don't think he does that anymore. The It's not only in the topics of threads but in the wording. Sometimes it's subtle, but sometimes, as with his piece "Why I Parted Ways With The Right," it's not. This would be hard for anyone who's only been reading for a few months to observe. To you long-time lizards I ask, am I right?
| 432 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:33:39am |
re: #428 drymocke
I know I'm a Newbie but... It feels as though I’ve been thrown into the middle of someone’s family and that they are totally unaware or unconcerned that they are laying bare their dirty laundry in front of a stranger… kinda weird...
we're unconcerned. you're family until you prove otherwise. welcome...
| 433 |
Mr. Crankypants Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:33:56am |
Welp, I gotta go..you guys keep it classy...
| 434 |
windsagio Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:34:00am |
re: #426 Lidane
driveby;
Poor Joe. Its sad that his career is gonna end up being remembered as 6 years totally defined by spite.
| 435 |
ryannon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:34:07am |
re: #428 drymocke
I know I'm a Newbie but... It feels as though I’ve been thrown into the middle of someone’s family and that they are totally unaware or unconcerned that they are laying bare their dirty laundry in front of a stranger… kinda weird...
Give the man a beer and some popcorn.
| 436 |
NJDhockeyfan Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:34:24am |
US Terror Blacklist Whitewashes Hamas, Enables Funding
The United States Treasury has taken all but one member of Hamas off the international list of terrorists, thus enabling funds from the European Union to enter Hamas-controlled Gaza.It is an open secret that large sums of money from the EU flow into Gaza in the guise of humanitarian aid and salaries for officials, but are actually funneled into the coffers of Hamas, which controls Gaza with an iron grip. This method of transferring funds into terrorists' hands could have been blocked by an international lawsuit, but according to journalist Avi Tarango, the United States Treasury has made this impossible by removing all but one Hamas man – Deputy Chairman of the Political Bureau, Musa Abu Marzouk – from the list of international terrorists.
The updated terrorist list, published last week, takes up 443 pages. However, according to Tarango, who went over the list, none of the tens of thousands of people who form Hamas is mentioned – other than Abu Marzuk, who resides in Damascus. The terrorist list is meant for distribution in the world banking system, where the transfer of funds to anyone on the list is prohibited.
| 437 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:34:33am |
re: #428 drymocke
I know I'm a Newbie but... It feels as though I’ve been thrown into the middle of someone’s family and that they are totally unaware or unconcerned that they are laying bare their dirty laundry in front of a stranger… kinda weird...
We don't pick up our skid-marked spiderman underoos for family. Now if you were "company" we'd clean up a little.
| 438 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:35:31am |
re: #428 drymocke
I know I'm a Newbie but... It feels as though I’ve been thrown into the middle of someone’s family and that they are totally unaware or unconcerned that they are laying bare their dirty laundry in front of a stranger… kinda weird...
Don't worry, you'll get use to it. Pretty soon you know which fights to get into and those to avoid. Try not to pick any and you'll do just fine. I've been a Lizard for about three weeks now and I kinda think of the fights as sibling revelry :-)
| 439 |
windsagio Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:35:34am |
re: #428 drymocke
Its a weird time, I think. You're coming in part way through a big cultural shift in the blog. You can watch it with some excitement tho', 'cuz nobody knows how the story will end!
And now I'm off to a class!
| 440 |
drymocke Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:35:35am |
| 441 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:35:53am |
| 442 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:36:41am |
re: #431 woodsman
Anyone who has been reading the blog for a long time (and is honest about it) knows that there is a profound difference. The small answer is that Charles appears to be "courting" the left now whereas before I didn't notice him courting anyone... he courted his ideas whichever way they took him. I don't think he does that anymore. The It's not only in the topics of threads but in the wording. Sometimes it's subtle, but sometimes, as with his piece "Why I Parted Ways With The Right," it's not. This would be hard for anyone who's only been reading for a few months to observe. To you long-time lizards I ask, am I right?
i'm a long time reader, not necessarily a long-time member (f-ing registration took me 6 years). but i gently disagree...it seems that he spends time highlighting odious behavior, and having done so with regard to islamofascism and related excesses of the left, there is now a serious concern about whether the excesses of the right threaten to poison the right altogether. just my observation of 7 years' reading.
| 443 |
NJDhockeyfan Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:37:16am |
The UN wants to negotiate with terrorists...
U.N. Seeks to Drop Some Taliban From Terror List
KABUL, Afghanistan — The leader of the United Nations mission here called on Afghan officials to seek the removal of at least some senior Taliban leaders from the United Nations’ list of terrorists, as a first step toward opening direct negotiations with the insurgent group.
In an interview, Kai Eide, the United Nations special representative, also implored the American military to speed its review of the roughly 750 detainees in its military prisons here — another principal grievance of Taliban leaders. Until recently, the Americans were holding those prisoners at a makeshift detention center at Bagram Air Base and refusing to release their names.
Together, Mr. Eide said he hoped that the two steps would eventually open the way to face-to-face talks between Afghan officials and Taliban leaders, many of whom are hiding in Pakistan. The two sides have been at an impasse for years over almost every fundamental issue, including the issue of talking itself.
“If you want relevant results, then you have to talk to the relevant person in authority,” Mr. Eide said. “I think the time has come to do it.”
| 444 |
Cannadian Club Akbar Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:37:44am |
| 446 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:37:55am |
re: #442 Aceofwhat?
i'm a long time reader, not necessarily a long-time member (f-ing registration took me 6 years). but i gently disagree...it seems that he spends time highlighting odious behavior, and having done so with regard to islamofascism and related excesses of the left, there is now a serious concern about whether the excesses of the right threaten to poison the right altogether. just my observation of 7 years' reading.
Exactly, I disagree with Charles often, but he is Anti-idiotarian first and foremost.
| 447 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:38:52am |
re: #409 thedopefishlives
I've said it before and I'll say it again, women are meaner than men. Woman are absolutely the tougher sex.
| 448 |
ryannon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:40:03am |
re: #439 windsagio
Its a weird time, I think. You're coming in part way through a big cultural shift in the blog. You can watch it with some excitement tho', 'cuz nobody knows how the story will end!
| 449 |
albusteve Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:40:39am |
re: #443 NJDhockeyfan
The UN wants to negotiate with terrorists...
negotiate what?...they always leave out the good parts
| 451 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:41:10am |
re: #429 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
Buncha fucking armchair quarterbacks...
Par for the course for talking heads. Thats one of the reasons I try not to watch them, they always piss me off and I end up yelling at the tv and with a headache. RWC gets mad at me when I yell at the tv so I tend to walk out of the room and let him do the watching.
| 452 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:42:48am |
re: #431 woodsman
To you long-time lizards I ask, am I right?
Not really.
You've kind of missed the obvious.
Times change. Crowds change.
I've been reading this blog since 2004, and the only subject I know of which this blog has actually changed it's position significantly has been AGW, and that has more or less already been explained, clearly.
Post 9/11 the country as a whole went through a cathartic phase where there was a great need to focus on one particular subject. As the wounds of 9/11 heal, and our responses to the action come to either completion or some steady state, it is only natural that other topics take more of the spotlight.
With the coming of President Obama the political discussions of the whole country changed flavor.
IMO, the dominant subject among Americans right now has not much to do with terrorism but with the American Way of Life, and how that is changing. Jobs, financial security, new social identities (e.g., the ascent of new minorities) are taking their rightful place as the center of American political/social thought.
Any blog the aims at the contemporary issues of the day has to change with the group focus if it is to expose the bleeding edge of social change.
What Prager doesn't like is that someone (Charles) who once was so useful in building his own agenda has now turned the focus onto other aspects of American life, and in particular onto some of the shady dealings of people who, in naval parlance, are rowing in the same navy as Prager.
| 453 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:44:21am |
re: #447 RogueOne
I've said it before and I'll say it again, women are meaner than men. Woman are absolutely the tougher sex.
We'll we do have to clean up the s**t that most men, not all, throw down and walk away from. You try it sometime and see just how mean you get.
| 454 |
filetandrelease Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:45:10am |
Muhaha, Rubio leap frogs Crist. Another RINO bites the dust.
Can you feel the ground swell beneath your feet? Muhaha, Crist can.
| 455 |
lawhawk Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:45:34am |
Saudi Arabia has finally shown up to help in the Haiti relief efforts; they'll be giving $50 million. I guess being shown up by a 7 year old in the UK who raised $160,000 by himself shamed them to action (probably not; the Saudis are shameless). Took them long enough to act.
| 457 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:46:41am |
re: #455 lawhawk
Saudi Arabia has finally shown up to help in the Haiti relief efforts; they'll be giving $50 million. I guess being shown up by a 7 year old in the UK who raised $160,000 by himself shamed them to action (probably not; the Saudis are shameless). Took them long enough to act.
I'm stationed at NAS Jacksonville in FL and to date we have shipped out 264 pallets with over 1 million pounds of water, food, medical supplies and emergency equipment to Haiti.
| 458 |
woodsman Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:47:11am |
re: #442 Aceofwhat?
re: #431 woodsman
i'm a long time reader, not necessarily a long-time member...it seems that he [Charles] spends time highlighting odious behavior, and having done so with regard to islamofascism and related excesses of the left, there is now a serious concern about whether the excesses of the right threaten to poison the right altogether.
I know that my conservative lean now puts me in the minority here (that's another thing that has changed) but I need to say, that statement "the excesses of the right threaten to poison the right altogether" is the type of blanket indictment that Prager calls out in his peice. Not every conservative is a wingnut just as not every liberal or liberal leaner is a communist. Is the blog about ideas and sharing or tearing down and bashing.
| 459 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:47:33am |
re: #457 rwdflynavy
I'm stationed at NAS Jacksonville in FL and to date we have shipped out 264 pallets with over 1 million pounds of water, food, medical supplies and emergency equipment to Haiti.
Been watching it on the boob tube, nice work!
| 460 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:48:28am |
re: #457 rwdflynavy
Thank you're mates for me, huh?
| 461 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:48:41am |
re: #447 RogueOne
I've said it before and I'll say it again, women are meaner than men. Woman are absolutely the tougher sex.
Tougher from the standpoint that they're more manipulative and capable of intrigue, backstabbing, and long-term grudgematches, sure. Although the Mrs. Fish can whip my hide in a sparring match, too.
| 462 |
woodsman Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:48:45am |
re: #452 freetoken
re: #431 woodsman
...What Prager doesn't like is that someone (Charles) who once was so useful in building his own agenda has now turned the focus onto other aspects of American life, and in particular onto some of the shady dealings of people who, in naval parlance, are rowing in the same navy as Prager.
Why is everthing a conspiracy?
| 463 |
NJDhockeyfan Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:49:05am |
re: #447 RogueOne
I've said it before and I'll say it again, women are meaner than men. Woman are absolutely the tougher sex.
Grateful Dead - Man Smart-Woman Smarter
| 464 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:49:30am |
| 465 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:49:48am |
re: #458 woodsman
I know that my conservative lean now puts me in the minority here (that's another thing that has changed) but I need to say, that statement "the excesses of the right threaten to poison the right altogether" is the type of blanket indictment that Prager calls out in his peice. Not every conservative is a wingnut just as not every liberal or liberal leaner is a communist. Is the blog about ideas and sharing or tearing down and bashing.
Since the election, the kooks on the right have come out enmasse (I am very much a conservative) and Charles has rightly pointed out the kookiness, from birthers to the Birch folks behind the tea party movement. It is well documented. I feel the GOP needs to seriously distance themselves from this stuff.
| 466 |
drymocke Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:50:25am |
re: #458 woodsman
That's what I'm curious about... I have always been a conservative but after 9/11 I wasn't conservative enough for many folks...
| 467 |
woodsman Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:51:15am |
re: #465 rwdflynavy
re: #458 woodsman
Since the election, the kooks on the right have come out enmasse (I am very much a conservative) and Charles has rightly pointed out the kookiness, from birthers to the Birch folks behind the tea party movement. It is well documented. I feel the GOP needs to seriously distance themselves from this stuff.
Amen
(Whoops now I'll be thought of as a Wacky Chistian Conservative)
| 468 |
filetandrelease Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:51:22am |
re: #465 rwdflynavy
Since the election, the kooks on the right have come out enmasse (I am very much a conservative) and Charles has rightly pointed out the kookiness, from birthers to the Birch folks behind the tea party movement. It is well documented. I feel the GOP needs to seriously distance themselves from this stuff.
Yeah, cause it sure is hampering their efforts to win elections.
| 469 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:52:22am |
re: #458 woodsman
I know that my conservative lean now puts me in the minority here (that's another thing that has changed) but I need to say, that statement "the excesses of the right threaten to poison the right altogether" is the type of blanket indictment that Prager calls out in his peice. Not every conservative is a wingnut just as not every liberal or liberal leaner is a communist. Is the blog about ideas and sharing or tearing down and bashing.
I lean William Buckley, but I need you to lean semantically here. "the excesses of the right" is an anti-blanket statement. It specifically refers to extremists on the right that I want nothing to do with. That would be as opposed to saying that every conservative is a wingnut.
and "threaten to poison" in no way means "wholly represent". If you think that was a blanket statement, you certainly will have a difficult time with sharing ideas. it is as much our responsibility to read each others' posts with care as it is to write our posts with care.
| 470 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:53:18am |
re: #455 lawhawk
Saudi Arabia has finally shown up to help in the Haiti relief efforts; they'll be giving $50 million. I guess being shown up by a 7 year old in the UK who raised $160,000 by himself shamed them to action (probably not; the Saudis are shameless). Took them long enough to act.
I saw John Travolta on the news this morning, he and his wife flew 4 tons of supplies over to Haiti on his private plane saying as long as he has the resources it would be a shame not to use them to help out. He's the first real celeb I've seen thus far to actually go over there and make a deliver like this and he plans to be making more flights over there. If he were a Lizard I'd give him a hundred updings!
| 471 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:53:41am |
re: #453 Dragon_Lady
We'll we do have to clean up the s**t that most men, not all, throw down and walk away from. You try it sometime and see just how mean you get.
I didn't say it was a bad thing, just speaking truth to power//
| 472 |
lawhawk Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:54:31am |
Israel is closing up its relief efforts, including its hospital, which treated more than 1,000 patients.
| 473 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:54:39am |
re: #470 Dragon_Lady
I saw John Travolta on the news this morning, he and his wife flew 4 tons of supplies over to Haiti on his private plane saying as long as he has the resources it would be a shame not to use them to help out. He's the first real celeb I've seen thus far to actually go over there and make a deliver like this and he plans to be making more flights over there. If he were a Lizard I'd give him a hundred updings!
He's got an old 707 that would make a great cargo plane. I'm glad that he's putting it to such a noble use.
| 474 |
Dark_Falcon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:54:50am |
re: #430 NJDhockeyfan
I saw that yesterday. Fucking unbelievable bullshit coming out of the mouth of Gibbs. What kinds of fools does he thing American are?
They elected his boss, didn't they?
| 475 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:55:26am |
re: #471 RogueOne
I didn't say it was a bad thing, just speaking truth to power//
No worries brother, I'm not offended. Strength often comes through s**t, often thrown in the face. :-)
| 476 |
lawhawk Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:55:47am |
re: #470 Dragon_Lady
Not a fan of Scientology, but Travolta is doing the right thing by putting his skills to good use flying in equipment and materials.
| 477 |
NJDhockeyfan Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:56:40am |
re: #474 Dark_Falcon
They elected his boss, didn't they?
True but Gibbs is hardly the smooth talker that Obama is.
| 478 |
generalsparky Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:56:43am |
re: #474 Dark_Falcon
Thank you for my first "snort" of the day ;-)
| 479 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:57:23am |
re: #472 lawhawk
Well, I suppose that the first-responders will now gradually give way to the long term operations.
I really don't know what Haiti will do for the long run.
How does a nation with very little in-country wealth and a shortage of natural resources handle the near instantaneous displacement of about 1/5 of their population, at a time when what little government infrastructure that existed has mostly been demolished?
| 480 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:57:31am |
re: #476 lawhawk
Not a fan of Scientology, but Travolta is doing the right thing by putting his skills to good use flying in equipment and materials.
Yeah me either, but in his case I'm willing to make an exception. There's always an exception to the rule and I believe he proves the point.
| 481 |
albusteve Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:57:46am |
climate change will bring down Hugo!...
[Link: www.humanevents.com...]
| 482 |
abolitionist Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:59:11am |
Carlos the Jackal, imprisoned for life, looks in lawsuit to protect his image
Excerpt:
Isabelle Coutant-Peyre, the lawyer representing Ramírez, said that Ramírez is demanding that the Film in Stock production company hand over a master copy of the documentary as soon as it is finished and grant him three months to review the content and impose changes. Anything else, she said in an interview Monday, would violate his intellectual property rights to his name and "biographical image."Coutant-Peyre, who is Ramírez's wife as well as his attorney, said the documentary, being shot for France's Canal Plus television network, would likely be a propaganda film unless she and her husband were granted a right to oversee its accuracy.
I think the pair have been reading Alinsky's Rules for Radicals.
| 483 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:59:22am |
re: #468 filetandrelease
Yeah, cause it sure is hampering their efforts to win elections.
Fortunately Obama's incredibly unpopular agenda is giving the Republicans a boost. I still think we need to distance ourselves from conspiracy nuts and racists.
| 484 |
albusteve Tue, Jan 26, 2010 7:59:33am |
| 485 |
Dark_Falcon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:00:06am |
re: #477 NJDhockeyfan
True but Gibbs is hardly the smooth talker that Obama is.
Maybe that's the point. Gibbs is there to make a fool of himself and thereby make Obama look better. HE also leaves the press corps jones'in for another dose of Hopeychange from the master rather than the stepped on stuff they get from Gibbs.
/the implication of the last sentence is that the MSM seems to treat Obama's rhetoric like a drug. No other meaning was intended.
| 486 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:00:20am |
How did left leaning lizards feel about Tony Snow?
| 487 |
The Sanity Inspector Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:00:25am |
re: #335 MandyManners
I'm probably the only person in the world who loves Van Halen and Van Hagar equally. The hook on this song could drop a charging rhino at 50 paces.
| 488 |
Dark_Falcon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:00:47am |
re: #483 rwdflynavy
Fortunately Obama's incredibly unpopular agenda is giving the Republicans a boost. I still think we need to distance ourselves from conspiracy nuts and racists.
Quite Concur.
| 489 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:01:19am |
| 490 |
woodsman Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:01:38am |
re: #469 Aceofwhat?
re: #458 woodsman
I lean William Buckley, but I need you to lean semantically here. "the excesses of the right" is an anti-blanket statement. It specifically refers to extremists on the right that I want nothing to do with. That would be as opposed to saying that every conservative is a wingnut.and "threaten to poison" in no way means "wholly represent". If you think that was a blanket statement, you certainly will have a difficult time with sharing ideas. it is as much our responsibility to read each others' posts with care as it is to write our posts with care.
Point taken. But is the pushing from the fringes in or from the middle out? To me the Middle is that usually quiescent middle majority.
That middle shifts slightly left and right (recently right) and rose up during the Mass. election.
The middle is to big to be poisoned by the fringes.
Hey thanks for the chat. I'm glad it came back to a decent talk.
One last look than gotta go.
| 491 |
Lidane Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:01:42am |
re: #479 freetoken
How does a nation with very little in-country wealth and a shortage of natural resources handle the near instantaneous displacement of about 1/5 of their population, at a time when what little government infrastructure that existed has mostly been demolished?
Good question. In theory, Haiti will have to start with the basics-- reforestation of the land, infrastructure and agricultural rebuilding, etc.
In practice? I don't think anyone really knows how all of this will turn out. So many things have gone wrong in Haiti for so long that fixing them all will be a nightmare.
| 492 |
filetandrelease Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:02:43am |
re: #483 rwdflynavy
Fortunately Obama's incredibly unpopular agenda is giving the Republicans a boost. I still think we need to distance ourselves from conspiracy nuts and racists.
I agree with that, on the other had, the tea party movement is much bigger.
| 493 |
lawhawk Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:02:50am |
re: #479 freetoken
Haiti is currently meeting with UN and other national leaders reps in Canada to discuss long term rebuilding and reconstruction efforts. Considering that Indonesia has rebuilt many areas hit by the tsunami in about five years time, it's possible for Haiti to do similarly; there's an interest to get the job done and to not subsist merely on handouts - to have the world provide the knowhow, but to get the Haitians doing more for themselves.
I think the needs can be overcome, and the country can recover and improve from this; it's going to take a whole lot of work.
It starts with determination to improve things from the ground up. Self determination and a will to see it through is needed. Outside groups can provide assistance, but it will be up to the Haitians to get it done. That means upgrading key infrastructure and to do so swiftly in advance of not only the hurricane season (June through November), but the rainy season which is just a few weeks away. Getting tents is a temporary measure; building reinforced concrete buildings for schools and government offices that can double as shelters is a paramount concern.
| 494 |
birdwoman Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:03:49am |
re: #116 SixDegrees
I agree. As I pointed out over there, it's always a good thing if you can hang mathematics on something tangible, and even useful. You can present different number bases as an abstract concept, and lose half the class. Point out where they've actually been used - by the Mayans, Babylonians, and how they persist today in our groupings into dozens, 60s and 180s, and you stand a chance of picking up at least some of the stragglers. Other examples - the relation between calendrical calculations and modular arithmetic, for example - abound.
On the upside, there were a number of comments over there saying much the same thing, an unusually high amount of dissent.
It seems their real concern is the fact that many countries do "much better" educating their children in areas such as math and science. However, one can also find that those countries do not educate all of their children, and those they educate do not all get math education. The comparison to our own education system is not valid.
If we are going to attempt to teach all children numeracy, we need to approach it from more than rote. Though I believe, honestly, that rote is as necessary to math as sprints and weight lifting are to basketball.
| 495 |
generalsparky Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:03:50am |
re: #486 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
Tony Snow was a class act.
| 496 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:03:54am |
re: #489 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
I'm a Van Hagar more than Van Roth.
Hagar's crazy good.
Preach brother. I remember where I was when I heard the announcement that Hagar was joining Van Halen. It was a beautiful day.
| 497 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:04:12am |
re: #486 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
How did left leaning lizards feel about Tony Snow?
He was okay, a bit of a patsy but then he was a press sec so that's part of the job I guess. When he left the job I was a bit sad cause I got use to him, but its was even sadder to loose him to cancer so young.
| 498 |
Lidane Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:04:18am |
re: #486 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
How did left leaning lizards feel about Tony Snow?
I didn't think he was a bad guy. Seemed like a decent person even if I disagreed with him politically.
| 499 |
albusteve Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:04:59am |
re: #491 Lidane
Good question. In theory, Haiti will have to start with the basics-- reforestation of the land, infrastructure and agricultural rebuilding, etc.
In practice? I don't think anyone really knows how all of this will turn out. So many things have gone wrong in Haiti for so long that fixing them all will be a nightmare.
Haiti will suffer endlessly...the only alternative is a massive babysitting job, from dawn til dusk...that means occupation, nation building and hundreds of billions of dollars, never to be seen again
| 500 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:05:16am |
re: #493 lawhawk
Wouldn't a better point for comparison be Burma/Myanmar?
| 501 |
reine.de.tout Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:05:23am |
This is cool:
Bonfire built on the levee to honor the Saints
| 502 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:05:26am |
re: #492 filetandrelease
I agree with that, on the other had, the tea party movement is much bigger.
I agree and feel many of the tea partiers have the right idea, but you can't deny the bircher roots of the leadership. I wish it wasn't so.
| 503 |
Dark_Falcon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:05:38am |
re: #492 filetandrelease
I agree with that, on the other had, the tea party movement is much bigger.
It is, but its leaders are the conspiracy theorists and racists. The Tea Parties need to be dismantled and their non-crazy members incorporated into the GOP. We need to find a way to subvert them.
| 504 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:06:08am |
re: #490 woodsman
Point taken. But is the pushing from the fringes in or from the middle out? To me the Middle is that usually quiescent middle majority.
That middle shifts slightly left and right (recently right) and rose up during the Mass. election.
The middle is to big to be poisoned by the fringes.Hey thanks for the chat. I'm glad it came back to a decent talk.
One last look than gotta go.
At some point, a fringe gets noisy enough that the middle needs to smack them down themselves rather than let the other side do it for them. Otherwise, it's tacit assent, which is the first symptom of poisoning. I don't personally believe we're there yet, but part of what I see Charles doing is increasing everyone's awareness of the fringe to give us an opportunity to step up and smack down.
| 505 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:06:19am |
re: #492 filetandrelease
I agree with that, on the other had, the tea party movement is much bigger.
I just read this:
Tea Party Disputes Take Toll on Convention
[Link: www.nytimes.com...]
A Tea Party convention billed as the coming together of the grass-roots groups that began sprouting up around the country a year ago is unraveling as sponsors and participants pull out to protest its expense and express concerns about “profiteering.”
| 506 |
Silvergirl Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:06:29am |
re: #321 NJDhockeyfan
You may have to repost your findings. A misplaced ding on my part yesterday. I plead clumsy fingers. The plus and the minus are so close together.
| 507 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:06:57am |
re: #501 reine.de.tout
Reggie Bush is blowing up the levees in NOLa!
| 508 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:07:32am |
re: #507 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
Reggie Bush is blowing up the levees in NOLa!
Right after he uses the super-sekrit orbital weather control ray, right?
| 509 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:07:35am |
re: #506 Silvergirl
You may have to repost your findings. A misplaced ding on my part yesterday. I plead clumsy fingers. The plus and the minus are so close together.
BLASPHEMER!! YOU ARE GUILTY!!!
ok maybe not.
//
| 510 |
The Sanity Inspector Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:07:56am |
re: #479 freetoken
Well, I suppose that the first-responders will now gradually give way to the long term operations.
I really don't know what Haiti will do for the long run.
How does a nation with very little in-country wealth and a shortage of natural resources handle the near instantaneous displacement of about 1/5 of their population, at a time when what little government infrastructure that existed has mostly been demolished?
If we give the aid to the government, it'll wind up in offshore bank accounts. If we shoulder the government aside and give the aid directly to the people, it will erase whatever legitimacy the government has ever earned during its brief democratic phase.
G-d bless and keep the victims, but lordy that place is a running sore...
| 511 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:08:10am |
re: #507 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
Reggie Bush is blowing up the levees in NOLa!
That just never gets old. Good clean American fun that!
| 512 |
Dark_Falcon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:08:10am |
re: #499 albusteve
Haiti will suffer endlessly...the only alternative is a massive babysitting job, from dawn til dusk...that means occupation, nation building and hundreds of billions of dollars, never to be seen again
Must concur with your assessment. The world will do its best to do right by Haiti but much of the money and resources will simply be stolen. Most of the efforts will simply end in disgust, because no one is willing to put in the full occupation needed to really rebuild.
| 513 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:08:23am |
re: #505 RogueOne
Sounds like a normal situation for any political entity these days.
| 514 |
Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:08:34am |
re: #170 Spare O'Lake
Small business and the vanishing middle class gets teh shaft from big government, big unions and big business...coming, going, standing still, from the left, from the right, from the top, from the bottom and sideways too.
Gee, and that's the same folk that don't have any money available to buy political influence.
| 515 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:08:48am |
re: #511 rwdflynavy
That just never gets old. Good clean American fun that!
It just keeps giving and giving and giving and giving...
I just wish they had a Brown on their roster.
| 516 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:09:11am |
re: #493 lawhawk
the relatively widespread selfishness and corruption of their leadership needs to end (how, i have no idea) or they'll continue to be just another third world country endlessly siphoning aid without any improvement in the life of the average inhabitant.
| 518 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:09:27am |
re: #515 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
It just keeps giving and giving and giving and giving...
I just wish they had a Brown on their roster.
or an Obama!
| 519 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:09:39am |
re: #501 reine.de.tout
Oh, and that was really cool.
| 520 |
lawhawk Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:10:07am |
re: #500 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
Not necessarily; Haiti isn't a totalitarian dictatorship, which pursues a military agenda over all else, as is the case with Burma/Myanmar. Indonesia has similar issues to Haiti with corruption, and the loss of life was on a similar scale in Aceh province. We're talking about the near total disruption of all services as a result of a natural disaster, and the Indonesian government has managed to restore much of them within 5 years.
It's an imperfect model, but it's one that Haiti could use as a template; in fact the UN is looking at Indonesia's rebuilding as a model.
| 521 |
woodsman Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:10:12am |
re: #504 Aceofwhat?
re: #490 woodsman
At some point, a fringe gets noisy enough that the middle needs to smack them down themselves rather than let the other side do it for them. Otherwise, it's tacit assent, which is the first symptom of poisoning. I don't personally believe we're there yet, but part of what I see Charles doing is increasing everyone's awareness of the fringe to give us an opportunity to step up and smack down.
I hope you're right.
Have a great day.
| 522 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:11:40am |
| 524 |
lawhawk Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:12:11am |
re: #503 Dark_Falcon
The fact that their "convention" turned into a mess - demanding hundreds in fees from participants and members - for a grass-roots effort, and which led to counter-conventions and complaints that it was too elitist may bring it down on itself.
| 525 |
albusteve Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:13:06am |
[Link: www.humanevents.com...]
Haiti and it's leadership....rising anger
| 526 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:14:09am |
re: #524 lawhawk
The fact that their "convention" turned into a mess - demanding hundreds in fees from participants and members - for a grass-roots effort, and which led to counter-conventions and complaints that it was too elitist may bring it down on itself.
I think you've summed it up about right, much better than I could have. I keep learning more and more from you every day! Thank you!
| 527 |
albusteve Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:14:27am |
| 528 |
drymocke Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:14:37am |
As a Newbie I am curious as to what sources people are reading... web-based, newspaper, magazine...
| 529 |
lawhawk Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:14:40am |
re: #525 albusteve
That's [T]hugo Chavez and Venezuela's rising anger at his socialist policies.
| 530 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:14:47am |
re: #523 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
Gosh, you're neat.
Concur. Lawhawk is a treasure, I've learned a great deal from his posts.
| 531 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:15:25am |
re: #493 lawhawk
Well, there's a world of difference between Indonesia and Haiti.
Indonesia is the world's 4th most populous nation, still has considerable natural resources (though deforestation is starting to catch up with them), and a functioning (if somewhat strained) government.
Haiti and Indonesia lost about the same number of people, but Indonesia has 20x the population, and an even larger difference in resources/wealth.
Now, there are small nations, island nations, that have found a way to make it on crowded islands. Singapore for example, but they have built their wealth over centuries of trade (often controlled by key Chinese families), but they also relied on having a much larger nation with which to share a border and trade.
Without being too much of a doomer... I can't see life in Haiti getting "better" except by the most extreme of international interventions.
| 532 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:15:40am |
re: #528 drymocke
As a Newbie I am curious as to what sources people are reading... web-based, newspaper, magazine...
I subscribe to the Wall Street Journal. Read lots of different news online. Google News for a good rundown of headlines.
| 533 |
NJDhockeyfan Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:16:15am |
Drill baby drill...
Interior to look at drilling in Atlantic Ocean
WASHINGTON—Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says he is nearly ready to begin an environmental analysis that could lead to drilling in areas up to 200 miles offshore in the Atlantic Ocean.Salazar told reporters he will soon launch a 45-day comment period on a planned study of how drilling would affect the ocean floor. He said federal officials know little about the Atlantic Coast because of a long-standing moratorium on oil and gas exploration across much of the nation's Outer Continental Shelf. Congress lifted the moratorium in 2008.
Information on the possible effect of Atlantic drilling "is 30 years out of date," Salazar said Monday. He said six companies have filed applications to do more seismic exploration in the Atlantic and three others have indicated interest.
| 534 |
Dark_Falcon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:16:45am |
Fox News is taking the right tack with Obama's budget BS:
Obama Seeks Partial Three-Year Spending Freeze
President Obama, after approving billions of dollars in spending increases in his first year in office, now is seeking a three-year federal spending freeze that would reduce budgets by less than 1 percent.
| 535 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:18:25am |
re: #513 Dragon_Lady
Sounds like a normal situation for any political entity these days.
True. I'm not as down on the tea party crowd as most around here seem to be but this convention situation has been completely mishandled.
| 536 |
lawhawk Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:18:27am |
re: #531 freetoken
Agreed that there are significant issues with the comparison between Indonesia and Haiti's reconstruction and rebuilding efforts - population is a huge difference along with natural resources, but there are some things that Haiti could use to its advantage; it could make better use of its position as a tourism destination, it could become a banking center along the lines of the Caymans, but it starts with real reforms and a change in the culture of dependency.
| 537 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:18:35am |
re: #528 drymocke
As a Newbie I am curious as to what sources people are reading... web-based, newspaper, magazine...
I prefer tea leaves, though when coming across roadkill I have been known to take a gander at the entrails...
| 538 |
albusteve Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:19:13am |
re: #533 NJDhockeyfan
Drill baby drill...
nearly, closer, almost there, to begin an analysis....hahaha!...fuck you Ken
| 539 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:19:38am |
re: #534 Dark_Falcon
Fox News is taking the right tack with Obama's budget BS:
Given Washington Democrats' unprecedented spending binge, this is like announcing you're going on a diet after winning a pie-eating contest," said Michael Steel, spokesman for House Minority Leader John Boehner
Heh
| 540 |
The Sanity Inspector Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:19:42am |
re: #528 drymocke
As a Newbie I am curious as to what sources people are reading... web-based, newspaper, magazine...
I get most of my online news from news.google.com. I also persue and comment widely on a number of political blogs, mostly in the dextrosphere. CNN, Fox News, and NPR are my primary sources for other news. I don't pay a lot of attention to my local news because frankly I don't much care. If you've seen one convenience store robbery, one apartment fire, one Fun Day In The Park, you've seen 'em all.
| 541 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:20:10am |
re: #530 rwdflynavy
Smartest guy in the room.
| 542 |
Locker Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:20:25am |
re: #537 freetoken
I prefer tea leaves, though when coming across roadkill I have been known to take a gander at the entrails...
Tea leaves huh? I always preferred a toss of the chicken bones myself. To each his own I guess...
| 543 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:21:09am |
re: #525 albusteve
[Link: www.humanevents.com...]
Haiti and it's leadership...rising anger
I'm not surprised. Every time he opens his mouth he sticks his foot in and I keep waiting for him to swallow it. His anti American comments have pissed me off over and over again. The people of Argentina won't stand for his incompetence for much longer, I'm sure. The Argentinians are way to smart and way to proactive to put up with it for much longer.
| 544 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:21:28am |
re: #536 lawhawk
Agreed that there are significant issues with the comparison between Indonesia and Haiti's reconstruction and rebuilding efforts - population is a huge difference along with natural resources, but there are some things that Haiti could use to its advantage; it could make better use of its position as a tourism destination, it could become a banking center along the lines of the Caymans, but it starts with real reforms and a change in the culture of dependency.
That was going to be my point but you beat me to it. I'm still under the impression that the best thing that could happen to Haiti right now is if a large chunk of their population were to move. They need to just start over.
| 545 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:21:41am |
re: #536 lawhawk
Agreed that there are significant issues with the comparison between Indonesia and Haiti's reconstruction and rebuilding efforts - population is a huge difference along with natural resources, but there are some things that Haiti could use to its advantage; it could make better use of its position as a tourism destination, it could become a banking center along the lines of the Caymans, but it starts with real reforms and a change in the culture of dependency.
All you have to do is look to the other side of the Island. 20 years ago the Dominican Republic was an absolute mess. Now it is a very popular tourist destination.
| 546 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:22:03am |
re: #542 Locker
Since they started to sell us young chickens overly fattened through the miracles of hormones the "bones" are little more than useless cartilage, so I had to give them up.
| 547 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:22:47am |
| 548 |
Locker Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:23:30am |
re: #546 freetoken
Is very bad to steal Jobu's rum; is very bad
| 549 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:23:32am |
re: #546 freetoken
Since they started to sell us young chickens overly fattened through the miracles of hormones the "bones" are little more than useless cartilage, so I had to give them up.
Free range chickens are the best for bones to roll.
//
| 550 |
The Sanity Inspector Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:24:27am |
re: #544 RogueOne
That was going to be my point but you beat me to it. I'm still under the impression that the best thing that could happen to Haiti right now is if a large chunk of their population were to move. They need to just start over.
I think that's actually one of their problems. Their best people do move--to the U.S. It's a brain drain.
| 551 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:24:32am |
re: #545 rwdflynavy
Base-a-ball has-a bin berra berra gud tu me.
| 552 |
Darth Vader Gargoyle Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:25:12am |
re: #548 Locker
I say F*** you Jobu! I do it myself!!
| 553 |
Spare O'Lake Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:25:40am |
| 554 |
filetandrelease Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:25:45am |
re: #502 rwdflynavy
I agree and feel many of the tea partiers have the right idea, but you can't deny the bircher roots of the leadership. I wish it wasn't so.
I don't deny it, but don't over estimate the negative impact either. The tea party movement is much bigger than any single group. Much bigger. And a very positive political movement the country needs.
| 555 |
lawhawk Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:25:55am |
re: #537 freetoken
I prefer going with palmistry and cartomancy myself though it helps to have the Inner Eye. /Trelawney
| 556 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:26:13am |
| 557 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:28:31am |
I keep seeing stories in the national press making the claim that Bayh might have some trouble in his upcoming election race. I'd like to put my claim in now that it's not going to happen. No way Bayh loses.
[Link: www.washingtonexaminer.com...]
Rasmussen shows Democratic incumbent Evan Bayh trailing Republican Congressman Mike Pence 47%-44% and leading former Congressman John Hostettler 44%-41% and state Senator Martin Stutzman 45%-33%.These are astounding numbers. A general rule in polling is that what an incumbent gets in a poll he gets in a general election.
Read more at the Washington Examiner: [Link: www.washingtonexaminer.com...]
I know more than a few hoosiers who are regretting their Obama vote but unless Bayh comes out and stomps a puppy on TV they aren't going to take out their frustration on him.
| 558 |
Locker Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:28:43am |
re: #554 filetandrelease
I don't deny it, but don't over estimate the negative impact either. The tea party movement is much bigger than any single group. Much bigger. And a very positive political movement the country needs.
I didn't see much about the tea party "movement" that was at all positive. Just a personal and narrow perspective but it seemed like one big ball of negative from this point of observation.
| 559 |
The Sanity Inspector Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:28:56am |
| 560 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:29:44am |
re: #555 lawhawk
I prefer going with palmistry and cartomancy myself though it helps to have the Inner Eye. /Trelawney
A Harry Potter fan! New there was another reason I liked you! Muggles beware!
| 562 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:30:18am |
re: #557 RogueOne
I keep seeing stories in the national press making the claim that Bayh might have some trouble in his upcoming election race. I'd like to put my claim in now that it's not going to happen. No way Bayh loses.
[Link: www.washingtonexaminer.com...]
I know more than a few hoosiers who are regretting their Obama vote but unless Bayh comes out and stomps a puppy on TV they aren't going to take out their frustration on him.
Yeah. He's just wayyy too entrenched by now. He's as much a political institution as the Kennedy clan in Massachusetts.
| 563 |
filetandrelease Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:30:27am |
re: #558 Locker
I didn't see much about the tea party "movement" that was at all positive. Just a personal and narrow perspective but it seemed like one big ball of negative from this point of observation.
What about the last few elections? No impact?
| 564 |
Dark_Falcon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:31:16am |
re: #557 RogueOne
I keep seeing stories in the national press making the claim that Bayh might have some trouble in his upcoming election race. I'd like to put my claim in now that it's not going to happen. No way Bayh loses.
[Link: www.washingtonexaminer.com...]
I know more than a few hoosiers who are regretting their Obama vote but unless Bayh comes out and stomps a puppy on TV they aren't going to take out their frustration on him.
Not to mention the fact that Bayh is backpeddling away from Obama right now. I think he'll win, but to do so he's going to take an "I'm not with Stupid" stance towards his party's more liberal policies this year. That means he'll vote against things like Card Check.
| 565 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:31:25am |
| 566 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:31:46am |
re: #563 filetandrelease
What about the last few elections? No impact?
The negative impact of the Teabaggers was offset by the deeper hole that the Obama Administration has dug for themselves. The lesser of two evils, as it were.
| 567 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:33:31am |
re: #528 drymocke
As a Newbie I am curious as to what sources people are reading... web-based, newspaper, magazine...
WSJ and Financial Times
| 568 |
sattv4u2 Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:33:57am |
re: #563 filetandrelease
What about the last few elections? No impact?
Nothing to see here (in Virginia,, New Jersey,, Massachusetts)
Move along!
| 569 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:34:18am |
re: #563 filetandrelease
What about the last few elections? No impact?
Well, in NY-23 it is pretty clear the Tea Party crowd cost the GOP a seat.
| 570 |
Daniel Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:34:36am |
re: #506 Silvergirl
You can fix that if you like...
| 571 |
sattv4u2 Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:35:25am |
re: #567 Aceofwhat?
WSJ and Financial Times
Mad Magazine and Sports Illustrated
And oh ,,, National Geographic ,, (but just for the naked pictures!!)
///
| 572 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:35:55am |
re: #568 sattv4u2
Nothing to see here (in Virginia,, New Jersey,, Massachusetts)
Move along!
No, nothing really.
| 573 |
Daniel Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:36:13am |
re: #499 albusteve
Haiti and the DR remind me of old east and west Germany. What if the best answer was the same?
| 574 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:36:14am |
re: #568 sattv4u2
What you didn't bother to mention is that the NJ GOP candidate intentionally did not court the Tea Party vote and went out of his way to not associate with the far right. And, the VA candidate carefully designed a campaign to appeal to a very small set of well defined issues based on the economic problems of the region at the time.
| 575 |
Locker Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:36:40am |
re: #563 filetandrelease
What about the last few elections? No impact?
Hmm... hard to judge impact. I mean most people, especially Americans, want everything their way and if they don't immediately get what they want then they swing back in the opposite direction.
I think there is some sort of pattern regarding governor elections following a Presidential race and how they always go to the opposing party, as an example.
It's also difficult because the "tea partiers" don't seem to share an sort of common philosophy or position across the board. It seems to be a bunch of different "groups" and the only thing they all seem to have in common is anger and a desire to blame someone.
Once again, it's just one person's thoughts and perspective, not a be all, end all judgment.
| 576 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:38:06am |
re: #571 sattv4u2
Mad Magazine and Sports Illustrated
And oh ,,, National Geographic ,, (but just for the naked pictures!!)
///
Have you seen the NatGeo mag for February yet? Polygamy in America! What are those people thinking? I would think one wife would be enough, those guys are nuts.
| 577 |
Dark_Falcon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:38:08am |
re: #569 freetoken
Well, in NY-23 it is pretty clear the Tea Party crowd cost the GOP a seat.
True, but they also supplied energy and money in three victorious statewide races, although their presence was not the cardinal reason for those Republican successes. The key for GOP candidates is to incorporate the sane attendees of Tea Paries into their campaigns while avoiding the nutjob teabaggers at the movement's core.
| 578 |
sattv4u2 Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:38:43am |
re: #574 freetoken
What you didn't bother to mention is that the NJ GOP candidate intentionally did not court the Tea Party vote and went out of his way to not associate with the far right. And, the VA candidate carefully designed a campaign to appeal to a very small set of well defined issues based on the economic problems of the region at the time.
And what you don't bother to mention is that even that those people (Scott Brown, for instance) didn't actively court the Tea Party hierarchy they all DID run on issues that the TPers embrace
| 579 |
Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:39:22am |
re: #496 RogueOne
Preach brother. I remember where I was when I heard the announcement that Hagar was joining Van Halen. It was a beautiful day.
A friend of mine hated it because it meant he was only going to get half the output since they would no longer be separately producing material.
| 580 |
Daniel Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:39:24am |
re: #576 Dragon_Lady
Was that really about polygamy or just the the FLDS?
| 581 |
lawhawk Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:39:48am |
re: #528 drymocke
As a Newbie I am curious as to what sources people are reading... web-based, newspaper, magazine...
And give away my secrets of where I get my info from? /
Seriously though, I look at the NYT, NYDN, NYP, WaPo, and Bergen Record for starters for domestic. MSNBC.
Google News for specific issues.
Times of London.
Times of India.
Jerusalem Post and YNetNews for Middle East.
Daily Star (Lebanon).
I tend to shy away from websites that make it impossible to find news stories, so CNN and FoxNews are secondary. If you put it behind a pay wall, I'm not linking or going there (and neither are my few readers).
Which leads me to say you should check out the 11th most informative blog on the planet. Mine. Best bang for buck.
| 582 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:39:58am |
re: #578 sattv4u2
And what you don't bother to mention is that even that those people (Scott Brown, for instance) didn't actively court the Tea Party hierarchy they all DID run on issues that the TPers embrace
Yes, while consciously avoiding the Ron Paulian nutjob theories that dominate the leadership of the Tea Parties themselves. The idea behind the parties may, in fact, be sound; but the parties themselves, and most especially the organizers, are poisonous.
| 583 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:40:32am |
re: #574 freetoken
And they both deserve to be commended for it, as well. Bob McDonnell in particular demonstrated that he at least knew what the voters were anxious about.
I find his stance on many issues to be insupportable and wrong-headed, but his focus on the actual problems of his constituents is rather nice.
| 584 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:40:48am |
re: #580 Rightwingconspirator
Was that really about polygamy or just the the FLDS?
FLDS. I still think they're nuts whatever part of the population it is!
| 585 |
albusteve Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:42:04am |
re: #581 lawhawk
And give away my secrets of where I get my info from? /
Seriously though, I look at the NYT, NYDN, NYP, WaPo, and Bergen Record for starters for domestic. MSNBC.
Google News for specific issues.
Times of London.
Times of India.
Jerusalem Post and YNetNews for Middle East.
Daily Star (Lebanon).I tend to shy away from websites that make it impossible to find news stories, so CNN and FoxNews are secondary. If you put it behind a pay wall, I'm not linking or going there (and neither are my few readers).
Which leads me to say you should check out the 11th most informative blog on the planet. Mine. Best bang for buck.
nice set up...
| 586 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:42:20am |
BBL, I got a major demand for furry affection making it hard to type right now. The Holstein cat won't leave me alone.
| 587 |
sattv4u2 Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:42:21am |
re: #576 Dragon_Lady
Have you seen the NatGeo mag for February yet? Polygamy in America! What are those people thinking? I would think one wife would be enough, those guys are nuts.
Quadrophonic 24/7 Surround Sound "HONEY,, TAKE OUT THE GARBAGE!!!"
| 588 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:42:27am |
| 589 |
Daniel Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:42:51am |
re: #578 sattv4u2
Every fiscal conservative has an issue in common with the Tea Party. Every small gov/libertarian as an issue in common. The Tea Party will support Republicans every or nearly every time. (The general election, not the primary)
How much Tea Party associative guilt gets shared?
| 590 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:43:05am |
re: #587 sattv4u2
Quadrophonic 24/7 Surround Sound "HONEY,, TAKE OUT THE GARBAGE!!!"
I can type this though, LOLOLOLOLOLOL!
| 591 |
webevintage Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:43:14am |
re: #486 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
How did left leaning lizards feel about Tony Snow?
He was hot in a big man way and did not seem as much of a bullshitter (even though I'm sure that is their main job description) as Perino (ugh. love the way she is all over the TV revising history) and Flesher.
| 593 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:44:49am |
And as for what I read for information, I mostly read LGF for current events. When it comes to hard information, I'm an old-school Googler and also a bit of a Wikipedia addict, as long as it's not on a subject that's even remotely debated. Anyone can astroturf Wikipedia, after all. It's not hard to locate online resources that would be passable references in a scholarly work - it was what I spent the vast majority of my time doing writing college papers, as I couldn't be bothered to go down to the library. Lawhawk has listed off some of the major ones that have online publications.
| 594 |
NJDhockeyfan Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:45:22am |
Right Wing News polled more than 250 right-of-center bloggers on which candidate they'd support if the 2012 Republican primaries were today.
Here's how the results broke down:
12) Mike Huckabee: 0% (0 votes)
11) Ron Paul: 1% (1 votes)
10) Newt Gingrich: 3% (2 votes)
9) Haley Barbour: 3% (2 votes)
8) Rick Perry: 4% (3 votes)
7) John Thune: 7% (5 votes)
6) Jeb Bush: 7% (5 votes)
5) Tim Pawlenty: 9% (6 votes)
4) Mitch Daniels: 10% (7 votes)
3) Mitt Romney: 12% (8 votes)
2) Mike Pence: 14% (10 votes)
1) Sarah Palin: 29% (20 votes)
| 596 |
Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:46:23am |
re: #586 Dragon_Lady
I had that issue the other day and actually had the gumption to exile the annoying catlord from the room and shut the door. Major disruption to the normal way of things and feline cold shoulder treatment for a few hours afterwards.
My annual review is going to go further down since I allowed a major intruder issue yesterday (maintenance folk in to re-grout a leaking shower stall.)
I'll have to plan something to get back in their good graces... ;)
| 597 |
Daniel Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:46:30am |
re: #594 NJDhockeyfan
Except for Mike Pence it looks like a name recognition ranking.
| 599 |
webevintage Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:47:25am |
re: #539 rwdflynavy
Given Washington Democrats' unprecedented spending binge, this is like announcing you're going on a diet after winning a pie-eating contest," said Michael Steel, spokesman for House Minority Leader John Boehner
If the Kos Kids are freaking out and FOX/Boehner don't like what you are doing that pretty much tells me someone one is doing the right thing.
| 600 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:48:59am |
| 601 |
The Sanity Inspector Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:49:53am |
re: #587 sattv4u2
Quadrophonic 24/7 Surround Sound "HONEY,, TAKE OUT THE GARBAGE!!!"
The polygamist marital aid catalog features ear plugs on the cover.
| 602 |
Daniel Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:50:17am |
re: #600 Obdicut
31% Say nobody on the list. ?!
| 603 |
NJDhockeyfan Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:50:19am |
re: #600 Obdicut
That's disappointing.
How come the votes only adds up to 69?
I was wondering the same thing. Only 69 out of 250 bloggers were interested in the poll?
| 604 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:50:20am |
re: #600 Obdicut
That's disappointing.
How come the votes only adds up to 69?
Probably the people that realized there's nobody actually worth voting for in that list.
| 605 |
Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:50:34am |
re: #598 Rightwingconspirator
Tuna will do it.
Might have to escalate up to salmon. They're onto the can of tuna trick -- that's one way I get them to take pills.
| 606 |
NJDhockeyfan Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:51:55am |
CBO: Federal deficit projected at $1.35T
WASHINGTON – The latest congressional budget estimates out Tuesday predict a $1.35 trillion deficit for this year as the economy continues to slowly recover from the recession.
The Congressional Budget Office report predicts a sluggish economic recovery and continued high deficits that present twin political problems for President Barack Obama and his Democratic allies.
The report sees a slow rebound of the economy, with unemployment averaging 10.1 percent this year as the economy grows by just over 2 percent. It would grow only slightly more next year with an unemployment rate of 9.5 percent.
"Economic growth in the next few years will probably be muted in the aftermath of the financial and economic turmoil," the CBO report says.
| 608 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:52:07am |
Okay, I'm back. The Holstein cat has had enough affection and has gone on to other things like annoying our other furrbie. Ah cat wars, just what I need to get my Irish up. Joy! //
| 609 |
Daniel Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:52:07am |
re: #605 oaktree
Be very careful. If you offer farm Salmon you could get hurt.
| 610 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:53:21am |
re: #608 Dragon_Lady
Okay, I'm back. The Holstein cat has had enough affection and has gone on to other things like annoying our other furrbie. Ah cat wars, just what I need to get my Irish up. Joy! //
It could be worse. I have two females and a (neutered) male in the house. I'm sure you can imagine the intrigue and vicious backbiting (sometimes literally!) that goes on between the two ladies and their not-so-capable beau.
| 611 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:54:55am |
| 612 |
cliffster Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:56:07am |
re: #606 NJDhockeyfan
The WH is pushing for a spending freeze. Seems like I remember the current WH resident ridiculing that idea not too long ago..
| 613 |
NJDhockeyfan Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:58:40am |
“The problem with a spending freeze is you’re using a hatchet where you need a scalpel. There are some programs that are very important that are underfunded,” Obama says in his first debate against Republican candidate John McCain, who was pushing a spending freeze.
“That is an example of an unfair burden sharing,” Obama says of McCain’s proposal in the second debate. “That’s using a hatchet to cut the federal budget. I want to use a scalpel so that people who need help are getting help and those of us like myself and Senator McCain who don’t need help aren’t getting it. That is how we make sure that everybody is willing to make a few sacrifices.”
“It sounds good,” Obama says of the proposal during the third debate. “It is proposed periodically. It doesn’t happen. And in fact an across-the-board spending freeze is a hatchet and we do need a scalpel because there are some programs that don’t work at all. There are some programs that are underfunded and I want to make sure that we are focused on those programs that work.”
| 614 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:59:42am |
re: #610 thedopefishlives
It could be worse. I have two females and a (neutered) male in the house. I'm sure you can imagine the intrigue and vicious backbiting (sometimes literally!) that goes on between the two ladies and their not-so-capable beau.
Thats why I won't get another male cat in the future! We had a mother, son and another female cat at one time and it never stopped! All girls or all boys from now on! Never a mixed batched in this household again! I have a neighbor with four males cats and their all best buds, our three girls are just getting to be friends, its been a long process folding a new one into the family but its getting better one day at a time.
| 615 |
generalsparky Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:59:48am |
re: #612 cliffster
The WH is pushing for a spending freeze. Seems like I remember the current WH resident ridiculing that idea not too long ago..
Change!
| 616 |
Dark_Falcon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 8:59:54am |
re: #613 NJDhockeyfan
“The problem with a spending freeze is you’re using a hatchet where you need a scalpel. There are some programs that are very important that are underfunded,” Obama says in his first debate against Republican candidate John McCain, who was pushing a spending freeze.
“That is an example of an unfair burden sharing,” Obama says of McCain’s proposal in the second debate. “That’s using a hatchet to cut the federal budget. I want to use a scalpel so that people who need help are getting help and those of us like myself and Senator McCain who don’t need help aren’t getting it. That is how we make sure that everybody is willing to make a few sacrifices.”
“It sounds good,” Obama says of the proposal during the third debate. “It is proposed periodically. It doesn’t happen. And in fact an across-the-board spending freeze is a hatchet and we do need a scalpel because there are some programs that don’t work at all. There are some programs that are underfunded and I want to make sure that we are focused on those programs that work.”
Change You Can Believe In!
| 617 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:00:01am |
re: #604 thedopefishlives
Probably the people that realized there's nobody actually worth voting for in that list.
Mitch Daniels
| 619 |
Spare O'Lake Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:00:42am |
re: #610 thedopefishlives
It could be worse. I have two females and a (neutered) male in the house. I'm sure you can imagine the intrigue and vicious backbiting (sometimes literally!) that goes on between the two ladies and their not-so-capable beau.
Would their names by any chance be...nah, never mind.
| 621 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:01:10am |
| 622 |
cliffster Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:01:22am |
"I thought you were going to close Guantanamo?"
"I changed my mind"
Change!
| 624 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:02:03am |
re: #617 RogueOne
Mitch Daniels
You know, I periodically wonder how he's doing down there. I don't get a lot of news about him from my family. I'm unsure how he'd be as President - I might vote for him - but he has very low name recognition right now.
| 625 |
drymocke Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:02:21am |
re: #622 cliffster
"I thought you were going to close Guantanamo?"
"I changed my mind"
Sounds better than "I lied"...
| 626 |
lawhawk Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:02:26am |
re: #612 cliffster
And you've already got people whining that a spending freeze equals a cut in programs. I kid you not.
And the spending freeze is at already unsustainable levels that were increased due to Obama opening the floodgates on spending via the stimulus package. It also exempts the defense spending and nondiscretionary spending like Medicare, Medicaid, and SS.
| 627 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:02:38am |
Hey Ayla Brown, daughter of Scott Brown is performing her new single on CBS and shes really really good! I see a bright future for that young lady! Smart, pretty and talented! You go girl!
| 628 |
cliffster Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:03:51am |
re: #627 Dragon_Lady
Hey Ayla Brown, daughter of Scott Brown is performing her new single on CBS and shes really really good! I see a bright future for that young lady! Smart, pretty and talented! You go girl!
And she's available!
| 629 |
generalsparky Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:03:53am |
re: #621 thedopefishlives
WAFFLES!
Can't y'all just let the man eat his waffle! It's not as if he is running for president or anything. Geez.
| 630 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:04:12am |
| 631 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:04:39am |
re: #614 Dragon_Lady
Thats why I won't get another male cat in the future! We had a mother, son and another female cat at one time and it never stopped! All girls or all boys from now on! Never a mixed batched in this household again! I have a neighbor with four males cats and their all best buds, our three girls are just getting to be friends, its been a long process folding a new one into the family but its getting better one day at a time.
Well, that's most of the problem we have. I originally had the male and one of the females in the house, and the other female lived with the Mrs. Fish as her personal princess. Well, when moving day arrived, we had to combine the households, and as you can imagine, that didn't go over so well. They're still ironing out a few of the difficulties, although they've learned to get along much better than at first.
| 632 |
Dark_Falcon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:04:59am |
re: #627 Dragon_Lady
Hey Ayla Brown, daughter of Scott Brown is performing her new single on CBS and shes really really good! I see a bright future for that young lady! Smart, pretty and talented! You go girl!
When is that happening? If right now, what time zone do you live in?
| 633 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:05:01am |
re: #629 generalsparky
Can't y'all just let the man eat his waffle! It's not as if he is running for president or anything. Geez.
Maple syrup or jelly on that waffle?
| 634 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:05:14am |
re: #624 thedopefishlives
You know, I periodically wonder how he's doing down there. I don't get a lot of news about him from my family. I'm unsure how he'd be as President - I might vote for him - but he has very low name recognition right now.
I don't know if he has any intention of ever running but he's done well around here plus he's managed to stay out of the national lime-light while disagreeing with the president. If he does decide to run, he's handled himself very well.
| 635 |
Spare O'Lake Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:05:44am |
re: #622 cliffster
"I thought you were going to close Guantanamo?"
"I changed my mind"
Change!
Wanna see me close Gitmo?
*
Wanna see it again?
| 636 |
generalsparky Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:05:45am |
| 637 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:06:02am |
re: #632 Dark_Falcon
When is that happening? If right now, what time zone do you live in?
Sorry you missed it, she just finished. And I live in Los Angeles, that would be west coast time.
| 638 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:06:16am |
re: #626 lawhawk
And you've already got people whining that a spending freeze equals a cut in programs. I kid you not.
This is generally how liberal economists view federal spending. If we even cut the INCREASE IN SPENDING (as in, I was going to increase funds by 10%, then changed it to only increase by 5%), that is somehow a spending cut.
| 639 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:06:48am |
re: #636 generalsparky
Real maple syrup. Not that fake crap.
Really? Whats wrong with the fake crap? Especially for a dem? //
| 640 |
Daniel Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:06:54am |
re: #637 Dragon_Lady
Sorry you missed it, she just finished. And I live in Los Angeles, that would be west coast time.
Give it a few minutes. Youtube maybe...
| 641 |
Daniel Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:07:38am |
re: #638 thedopefishlives
W00t maybe we got a subject the deficit hawks can get into...
| 642 |
lawhawk Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:07:47am |
Trials and tribulations in trying terrorists, vol. xxxix
The trial, which is in its second week, is taking place under heavy security in United States District Court, with a metal detector and guards at the courtroom door. Still, there have been breaches. On Monday, Judge Richard M. Berman noted some of them in explaining his ruling against a defense motion for greater public access to the court.So far, three people have sneaked recording devices into the courtroom, said Judge Berman, adding that one audience member had even passed a cellphone, which is also banned, to a member of the defense team.
“The court finds that the additional security measures are necessary,” the judge announced.
That's not counting the outbursts by the defendant, Aafia Siddiqui, who has been tossed from the courtroom twice Monday alone.
| 643 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:09:06am |
The first year of Obama's administration seems to have taken a physical toll on him. Who will run to take his place if he decides "fuck it!" in 2012?
| 644 |
Killgore Trout Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:09:33am |
re: #626 lawhawk
Yeah, nobody seems to be buying into Obama's spending freeze. It's starting to look like Obama's lost the plot. If he keeps up like this he might be a one term president after all.
| 645 |
Dark_Falcon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:10:11am |
re: #631 thedopefishlives
Well, that's most of the problem we have. I originally had the male and one of the females in the house, and the other female lived with the Mrs. Fish as her personal princess. Well, when moving day arrived, we had to combine the households, and as you can imagine, that didn't go over so well. They're still ironing out a few of the difficulties, although they've learned to get along much better than at first.
What would cat-fighting be without some footage:
| 646 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:12:10am |
re: #644 Killgore Trout
This'll be an interesting State of the Union, that's for sure.
| 647 |
cliffster Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:12:18am |
re: #644 Killgore Trout
Yeah, nobody seems to be buying into Obama's spending freeze. It's starting to look like Obama's lost the plot. If he keeps up like this he might be a one term president after all.
It's the same kind of hard-to-watch flailing around McCain did the week they passed the bank bailout. That was the inflection point in the campaign.
| 648 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:12:46am |
re: #643 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
The first year of Obama's administration seems to have taken a physical toll on him. Who will run to take his place if he decides "fuck it!" in 2012?
Gee, what could be causing that kind of physical toll? Lack of sleep, too much pressure, making too many promises he can't keep, and so on and so on and so on.... // No wonder Bill needed quadruple bypass surgery and George looks thirty years older!
| 649 |
filetandrelease Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:12:51am |
I find it puzzling that people suggest the tea party movement is having a negative impact on the Republican Party. When the movement first began this mantra was prevalent and had merit especially since the movements wilder elements were usually the ones paraded about while the masses of “normal “ folks were largely ignored or over looked.
However now we have the luxury of some history to actually quantify the impact of this movement on elections. Clearly, there was no negative impact to the Republican Party in recent elections attributable to the tea party movement. Or would the Republican candidates have won by an even larger margin had the movement not existed? That is a real stretch in logic.
I can’t make that stretch, it defies common sense. So my question then becomes how much did the tea party movement help in recent elections? To me, that is the real question.
I do not know the answer, but to those on the left, my hope is that you believe it did not help at all, that other factors were in play. And therefore continue to ignore and disparage the movement. At least for 10 more months.
| 650 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:12:59am |
re: #645 Dark_Falcon
What would cat-fighting be without some footage:
[Video]
Now, see, where was that earlier when we had the cat-fighting going on right here? /
| 651 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:14:12am |
re: #649 filetandrelease
I do not know the answer, but to those on the left, my hope is that you believe it did not help at all, that other factors were in play. And therefore continue to ignore and disparage the movement. At least for 10 more months.
What about those on the right who disparage the 'movement'?
| 652 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:14:24am |
re: #648 Dragon_Lady
As I have said, ad infinitum... "That chair is much, much less comfortable than it looks."
Can't imagine wanting that damn job.
| 653 |
Daniel Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:14:36am |
re: #649 filetandrelease
You have the centrist/moderate Republicans and all the Dems playing up the negatives of the Tea Party. That would do it.
| 654 |
cliffster Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:14:57am |
re: #651 Obdicut
What about those on the right who disparage the 'movement'?
The 'movement' is seen very differently by liberals who immerse themselves in politics and, well, everyone else.
| 655 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:15:06am |
re: #652 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
As I have said, ad infinitum... "That chair is much, much less comfortable than it looks."
Can't imagine wanting that damn job.
I wouldn't take it for all the money on the planet!
| 656 |
lawhawk Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:15:19am |
re: #644 Killgore Trout
It gets worse when you consider that he's already getting off message right before the SOTU address. That's not a good sign, but I think his political advisers are probably lining up for ritual seppuku at this point - when they get sent to the Sunday shows and give essentially the same pep talk on the economy, but can't use the same numbers for job creation, you get the impression of a White House in disarray (Jarrett saying thousands and thousands jobs created or saved, Axelrod saying 1.5 million jobs created or saved, and Gibbs saying 2 million saved or created).
Never mind that they're all relying on a bogus metric that can't even be measured; they can't even agree among themselves as senior advisers/spokespeople what the numbers are when they should be highly coordinated in their message.
Who to blame for that? Axelrod? Emanuel? Obama? I don't know, but it makes it appear to be amateur hour again at the WH.
| 657 |
Dark_Falcon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:16:04am |
re: #650 thedopefishlives
Now, see, where was that earlier when we had the cat-fighting going on right here? /
I was still asleep. I don't get up till around 7:30am CST during the winter.
| 658 |
Daniel Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:16:10am |
re: #656 lawhawk
The first year was the rookie year. No more excuses.
| 659 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:16:19am |
re: #654 cliffster
I'm not sure what that had to do with my question. Could you explain?
| 660 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:16:21am |
re: #643 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
The first year of Obama's administration seems to have taken a physical toll on him. Who will run to take his place if he decides "fuck it!" in 2012?
I noticed in the pic of the president looking at himself in the mirror you can see where his bald spot is going to come in around year 3 of his presidency.
Image: article-0-032AFFA7000005DC-14_468x407.jpg
| 661 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:16:42am |
re: #644 Killgore Trout
Perhaps in the end (of the century) we'll (or somebody) will look back and see President Obama more as a "caretaker" President, who was needed post GWB as a sort of moderating figure but who really didn't advance very many "causes".
| 662 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:16:45am |
re: #656 lawhawk
Updinged because of the use of seppuku. I'm always amused when someone weaves such foreign concepts into everyday conversation.
| 663 |
cliffster Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:17:01am |
re: #656 lawhawk
It won't matter. He will go into sweeping generalities mode. It'll be hard, but we can do this. Americans have endured tough times before, and we will do it now! We are the change we've been hoping for!!
| 664 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:17:21am |
Oooops, Holstein cats back again with more demands of affection. BBL
| 665 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:17:28am |
re: #661 freetoken
Or he could start doing more things decisively and stop trying to cleave to an impossible middle road.
My opinion.
| 666 |
filetandrelease Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:17:32am |
re: #651 Obdicut
What about those on the right who disparage the 'movement'?
Democrats to left of me, Rinos the right, what is a person to do?
As long as they vote "R", as in recent elections, I don't care what they do.
| 667 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:18:31am |
re: #665 Obdicut
Or he could start doing more things decisively and stop trying to cleave to an impossible middle road.
My opinion.
My opinion is he needs to find the middle road instead of going off into the ditch on the left side of the freeway.
| 668 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:19:19am |
re: #663 cliffster
It won't matter. He will go into sweeping generalities mode. It'll be hard, but we can do this. Americans have endured tough times before, and we will do it now! We are the change we've been hoping for!!
Oh! You forgot "and... and... get these spiders off of meee!"
| 669 |
Dark_Falcon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:19:28am |
re: #656 lawhawk
It gets worse when you consider that he's already getting off message right before the SOTU address. That's not a good sign, but I think his political advisers are probably lining up for ritual seppuku at this point - when they get sent to the Sunday shows and give essentially the same pep talk on the economy, but can't use the same numbers for job creation, you get the impression of a White House in disarray (Jarrett saying thousands and thousands jobs created or saved, Axelrod saying 1.5 million jobs created or saved, and Gibbs saying 2 million saved or created).
Never mind that they're all relying on a bogus metric that can't even be measured; they can't even agree among themselves as senior advisers/spokespeople what the numbers are when they should be highly coordinated in their message.
Who to blame for that? Axelrod? Emanuel? Obama? I don't know, but it makes it appear to be amateur hour again at the WH.
Very good analysis. I just have one nitpick: seppuku itself means "Ritual Suicide". A better phrase would be "political seppuku". Even so, the phrase is good and its part of an excellent post.
| 670 |
Killgore Trout Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:19:48am |
re: #661 freetoken
Perhaps in the end (of the century) we'll (or somebody) will look back and see President Obama more as a "caretaker" President, who was needed post GWB as a sort of moderating figure but who really didn't advance very many "causes".
I'm a little worried about what an Obama fail might lead to. The wingnuts are convinced that the Tea Parties and Paulian economics are the way of the future. We might end up seeing a series of failed Presidencies until one party or the other gets their shit together.
| 671 |
cliffster Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:19:52am |
re: #659 Obdicut
I'm not sure what that had to do with my question. Could you explain?
To most people, the tea party rallies are a bunch of people getting together and protesting rampant spending and proposed taxation. To liberals immersed in politics, it's the EVIL tea party.. this guy is buddies with some guy who is a RACIST and that guy is buddies with some guy who is AGAINST ABORTION. No matter how much Keith O rants on his show, it doesn't change the way most perceive it.
| 672 |
Dark_Falcon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:21:31am |
re: #667 RogueOne
My opinion is he needs to find the middle road instead of going off into the ditch on the left side of the freeway.
Mine too. And I don't see how he can act decisively now. He lost his supermajority in the Senate and some of the Dems there are becoming less willing to do as he asks. He can be as bold as he wants, but at the end of the day he needs bills that the Senate will pass.
| 673 |
Charles Johnson Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:21:54am |
re: #431 woodsman
Anyone who has been reading the blog for a long time (and is honest about it) knows that there is a profound difference. The small answer is that Charles appears to be "courting" the left now whereas before I didn't notice him courting anyone... he courted his ideas whichever way they took him. I don't think he does that anymore. The It's not only in the topics of threads but in the wording. Sometimes it's subtle, but sometimes, as with his piece "Why I Parted Ways With The Right," it's not. This would be hard for anyone who's only been reading for a few months to observe. To you long-time lizards I ask, am I right?
This is complete bullshit.
You want to believe that there's a "profound difference" because you ASSUMED I was on board with all the religious right social conservative nonsense. Now that you've discovered that I was NOT on board with the Ann Coulter/Pat Buchanan/tea party crowd, you're accusing me of ulterior motives, of course. It's tedious, predictable, and venal.
| 675 |
freetoken Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:23:37am |
re: #665 Obdicut
Remember it was Clinton who after his first year was exasperated and cried out to the effect of "where are my peers?" The trouble he got himself into was that his original inner group turned out to be too influenced by the campaign and didn't really have the skills to handle the hot-seats of governance.
Perhaps Obama will come to the same sort of epiphany - that his election-throng, while needed bodies to get through the election, can't really serve the nation well if they don't decide to coalesce around a handful of daily-repeated themes.
Now, what in reality are the worse economic conditions since the early 1980's, and in some ways worse than that time, certainly is steering the nation not in a direction that President Obama's theoretical ideals for a society would bring.
As a nation we are, I'm afraid, in a time of malaise, and their is a growing need expressed to blame someone.
| 676 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:23:42am |
re: #667 RogueOne
Obama has done very little that's recognizably 'leftist', so I'm unsure what you're referring to.
re: #671 cliffster
I'm a liberal (probably, by your metrics-- I don't consider it a very useful word), and I tend to immerse in politics. I don't see the Tea Party as evil, but deeply worrying and disturbing in their faux-grassroots style and the extent to which they're already being manipulated.
I also found the outbursts in the town halls ridiculous buffoonery, but not evil.
I'd say you're kind of accusing 'liberals' of constructing a strawman of the Tea Party, but I'd say that position is itself at least partially a strawman.
| 678 |
lawhawk Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:25:39am |
re: #663 cliffster
He's trying to talk about middle class tax cuts. Problem is that his program agenda with health care would raise all manner of taxes on the middle class - since quite a few of those who fall into a group that doesn't have health insurance are those in the middle class who make more than the poverty levels (and their multipliers) to qualify for the state health insurance programs; they'd have to either pay for the insurance or pay penalties to not have insurance. That's a tax and a cost to them.
As an aside, when it comes to the annual SOTU drinking game, "middle class" will be a top drinking term.
| 679 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:26:38am |
re: #672 Dark_Falcon
Mine too. And I don't see how he can act decisively now. He lost his supermajority in the Senate and some of the Dems there are becoming less willing to do as he asks. He can be as bold as he wants, but at the end of the day he needs bills that the Senate will pass.
I think the phrase "never let a good crisis go to waste" is going to continue to haunt him. Instead of taking the issues on a piecemeal basis where he could have advanced his agenda by peeling off moderate republicans they decided to get everything in one big whack.
| 680 |
Dark_Falcon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:26:42am |
re: #676 Obdicut
Obama has done very little that's recognizably 'leftist', so I'm unsure what you're referring to.
re: #671 cliffster
I'm a liberal (probably, by your metrics-- I don't consider it a very useful word), and I tend to immerse in politics. I don't see the Tea Party as evil, but deeply worrying and disturbing in their faux-grassroots style and the extent to which they're already being manipulated.
I also found the outbursts in the town halls ridiculous buffoonery, but not evil.
I'd say you're kind of accusing 'liberals' of constructing a strawman of the Tea Party, but I'd say that position is itself at least partially a strawman.
Well, his tax proposals for banks are leftist and they threaten to constrict credit for everyone. Obama care started off with a leftist tinge, before public opposition forced the odious "public option" out of the bill.
| 681 |
Donna Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:26:43am |
My tummy's upset. I'm gonna go lay down. BBL. Have fun Lizards!
| 682 |
cliffster Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:28:55am |
re: #676 Obdicut
I'd say you're kind of accusing 'liberals' of constructing a strawman of the Tea Party, but I'd say that position is itself at least partially a strawman.
Tea Party!!! Strawman!! Tu Quoque!!! AAAAHHH!!!!
//
| 683 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:28:55am |
re: #675 freetoken
Rahm Emanuel is a lot different than Dick Morris. Allowing Reid/Pelosi to continually set the agenda makes it very hard for the president to appear as a centrist.
| 684 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:29:02am |
re: #642 lawhawk
Trials and tribulations in trying terrorists, vol. xxxix
That's not counting the outbursts by the defendant, Aafia Siddiqui, who has been tossed from the courtroom twice Monday alone.
The last time I posted my disagreement with sharing every single one of my civil rights with these shmucks, there was some mayhem (Charles told me not to abrogate the constitution). I will quote the Supreme Court in a 6-3 decision from 1990.
"[the Constitutional language] suggests that "the people" protected by the Fourth Amendment, and by the First and Second Amendments, and to whom rights and powers are reserved in the Ninth and Tenth Amendments, refers to a class of persons who are part of a national community or who have otherwise developed sufficient connection with this country to be considered part of that community. See United States ex rel. Turner v. Williams, 194 U.S. 279, 292, 24 S.Ct. 719, 723, 48 L.Ed. 979 (1904)"
like i said. tribunals are fine for the vast majority of noncitizen terrorists.
| 685 |
Dark_Falcon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:29:25am |
re: #679 RogueOne
I think the phrase "never let a good crisis go to waste" is going to continue to haunt him. Instead of taking the issues on a piecemeal basis where he could have advanced his agenda by peeling off moderate republicans they decided to get everything in one big whack.
Good point. He tried to push through to much spending too quickly and Congress hasn't been as willing as he needed them to be. His opposition held on long enough on health care until they finally got a stroke of luck.
| 686 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:29:54am |
re: #680 Dark_Falcon
To me, the public option isn't 'leftist', but simply pragmatic. Health insurance is a naturally broken market, and relying on free-market solutions in a naturally broken market is never going to work. It only leads to hyper-regulation.
Tax proposals on banks being 'leftist'-- sure, I don't really know how to evaluate that, but I'll accept it. That's still far from heading off into the left-hand side of the ditch, to me.
| 687 |
Dark_Falcon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:31:21am |
re: #683 RogueOne
Rahm Emanuel is a lot different than Dick Morris. Allowing Reid/Pelosi to continually set the agenda makes it very hard for the president to appear as a centrist.
I think that Emanuel may have had too much experience simply ramming things through in Chicago and later in the House He wasn't used to the different rules that make getting things through the US Senate a very different proposition.
| 688 |
Dark_Falcon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:32:08am |
re: #686 Obdicut
To me, the public option isn't 'leftist', but simply pragmatic. Health insurance is a naturally broken market, and relying on free-market solutions in a naturally broken market is never going to work. It only leads to hyper-regulation.
Tax proposals on banks being 'leftist'-- sure, I don't really know how to evaluate that, but I'll accept it. That's still far from heading off into the left-hand side of the ditch, to me.
Why do you say the market is naturally broken?
| 689 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:32:22am |
| 690 |
cliffster Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:32:53am |
re: #686 Obdicut
To me, the public option isn't 'leftist', but simply pragmatic. Health insurance is a naturally broken market, and relying on free-market solutions in a naturally broken market is never going to work. It only leads to hyper-regulation.
With due respect, you have illustrated why it is that liberals say that Obama is actually quite center-of-the-road. He's not, it's just that his leftist ideas seem "pragmatic", not "leftist", to a leftist.
| 691 |
filetandrelease Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:34:43am |
re: #558 Locker
I didn't see much about the tea party "movement" that was at all positive. Just a personal and narrow perspective but it seemed like one big ball of negative from this point of observation.
That is kind of my point. It was painted with such a negative brush, but in the end, if your are a Republican, it seems to have had, is having, a positive impact. That is if elections are your barameter.
| 692 |
cliffster Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:35:52am |
re: #689 Obdicut
Did what I said make any sense to you?
Sure. I don't agree, but of course it makes sense. Actually, liberals in general have tried to make tea party EVIL. And then they try to tie all republicans to the EVIL tea party. Apparently you don't, I think that's good.
btw, quit grouping your responses to me with your responses to other people!! //
| 694 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:36:15am |
re: #689 Obdicut
Did what I said make any sense to you?
re: #684 Aceofwhat?
Except that the fifth, sixth, seventh and eight-- the ones having to do with trials and punishment-- are still in play, there. Unless I'm reading that wrong.
it wasn't an attempt to be specific, just backing up the statement that i don't want to share every one of my civil rights with foreign terrorists and that my sentiment is, in a general sense, constitutional. it might require additional legislation to put them in tribunals as a matter of process, and such legislation might never pass, but there is certainly a legal basis for saying they don't deserve every right that I or you do.
| 695 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:36:41am |
re: #673 Charles
There are days (I am sure) that you don't even want to look at your monitor.
| 696 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:37:24am |
re: #676 Obdicut
Obama has done very little that's recognizably 'leftist', so I'm unsure what you're referring to.
It seems you might be in a bit of denial, since you describe yourself as a liberal, about how the independent voters feel about the dem party and the president. Why do you think independents are running away screaming from a president they just voted for last year? The independent voters in VA, NJ, and Massachusetts have all spoken, how many states do the dems have to lose before the realization hits them that their strategy is costing them a large swath of voters?
| 697 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:37:28am |
re: #695 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
There are days (I am sure) that you don't even want to look at your monitor.
the serene pictures and the music posts help to soothe us all...
| 698 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:38:14am |
re: #695 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
There are days (I am sure) that you don't even want to look at your monitor.
Any administrator of even the smallest online community could tell you that. I've never seen a site admin who exhibits such patience and even-handedness in his operations.
| 699 |
cliffster Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:38:25am |
re: #695 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
There are days (I am sure) that you don't even want to look at your monitor.
An occasional Chimay helps ease the stress.
| 700 |
filetandrelease Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:39:27am |
re: #699 cliffster
An occasional Chimay helps ease the stress.
Those lovely monks sure can make beer.
| 701 |
soap_man Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:39:54am |
re: #690 cliffster
With due respect, you have illustrated why it is that liberals say that Obama is actually quite center-of-the-road. He's not, it's just that his leftist ideas seem "pragmatic", not "leftist", to a leftist.
Agreed, but isn't that true with most political ideologies?
| 702 |
Charles Johnson Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:39:57am |
re: #691 filetandrelease
That is kind of my point. It was painted with such a negative brush, but in the end, if your are a Republican, it seems to have had, is having, a positive impact. That is if elections are your barameter.
If you define "positive impact" solely by whether it helps Republicans gain power, then yes, tea parties have a "positive impact."
If you look at the broader issue of whether the influence of tea partiers is actually GOOD for the GOP, though, the impact is all negative. They greatly encourage the fringe, they drive away moderates, and they force the party as a whole much farther to the extreme edges.
And that's why I want nothing to do with them. If you're not bothered by the fact that tea parties are organized by kooks, and attract lots of kooks, I can see why you'd argue they're a positive phenomenon.
| 703 |
wrenchwench Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:40:05am |
re: #691 filetandrelease
That is kind of my point. It was painted with such a negative brush, but in the end, if your are a Republican, it seems to have had, is having, a positive impact. That is if elections are your barameter.
Elections are not my only barometer. I'd like the party to get away from social issues as candidate qualifications. Tea Partiers are making that more difficult. I'm not indiscriminate in which Republicans I'd like to see elected.
I believe I am not to your right, but I would like to see a healthy Republican Party. The Tea Party influence is not a winning one in the long run. And by long run, I mean 2010.
| 704 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:41:35am |
re: #688 Dark_Falcon
Let me try my brief writeup.
1. We have reached a level of actuarial and medical knowledge where the costs of a patient over time can be extrapolated.
2. Health insurance companies mitigate risk across a pool; however, the lower the amount of risk they can accept in the pool, the better for them.
3. The actuarial and medical knowledge in (1) can identify individuals-- and populations, like cancer patients-- who add risk to the pool. Or, to put it another way, individuals who's care will cost more than they pay into insurance throughout their lives.
4. There is no incentive for insurance companies to keep those people covered if they have any way of forcing them off coverage, changing the coverage, or restricting the coverage. Every time they can get one costly person off the policy, they increase their profitability.
5. The population, in other words, that health insurance companies least want on their books are unhealthy people, since unhealth has a magnitude of cost that is orders of magnitude greater than standard care for a healthy person.
6. Since the larger risk pool you have-- weeded out as much of actual sick people as possible-- the better off you are as an insurance company, the field tends towards monopoly. If you are a new insurer trying to break into the field, the only really open market is those who are extremely expensive-- there's no way to make money on that.
7. The real 'customers' of health insurance, in general, are employers, who's metrics for what they want in a health insurance company are vastly different from the actual employees. They coincide in some ways, but the real 'customer' of the health insurance company is the employer, not the employee.
8. A sick employee is something detrimental to a business, so with employer-provided healthcare and a sick employee, both the health insurance company and the employer have a financial incentive to get that person off of the health insurance plan.
There's more, but I have a full day's work to get into, so that's probably as in-depth as I can go right now.
| 705 |
cliffster Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:42:10am |
re: #701 soap_man
Agreed, but isn't that true with most political ideologies?
Sure. It's good to try as hard as possible to learn through what lenses you are seeing things. Talking rationally with people who disagree with you helps with this. Myself, I've matured a lot as a political spectator in the last two years.
| 706 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:43:37am |
re: #690 cliffster
Again: "Leftist" is not a useful word. The other day I outlined a plan to help prison reform using just the private sector; is that a 'leftist' position of mine?
Politics, economics, justice-- these topics are all too complex to really be broken up into 'right' and 'left'. What you see as 'leftist' on my part I really do see as pragmatism. I have no ideological desire for a public option. I just think that since we already have socialized health insurance, we should do it right, because the way we do it now is costly and wasteful.
| 707 |
Dark_Falcon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:44:30am |
re: #701 soap_man
Agreed, but isn't that true with most political ideologies?
Hello, soap! I saw your comment about McKenna yesterday. I do think he can beat Quinn, after thinking about it. Unlike previous GOP candidates, he'll actually unite the party behind him and have real money to spend. Quinn will have more but the disparity won't be nearly as great. McKenna is also liable to benefit around Chicagoland from the Tribune's returning to its roots as far as the governorship is concerned.
| 708 |
Dark_Falcon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:46:04am |
re: #704 Obdicut
How about simply ending employer based insurance, then? That might mend things somewhat.
| 709 |
cliffster Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:46:37am |
re: #706 Obdicut
I'll agree with you that it's not a useful word. However, the reality is that we do have two "sides", and people tend to flock to those "sides". Most people even check with their "side" to figure out what they are supposed to believe on any particular topic. Lemmings and Homo Sapiens share 97% of the same DNA, right?
| 710 |
SanFranciscoZionist Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:48:22am |
re: #8 JasonA
It's like he wanted his political career to die a horrible death.
Not to mention his marriage.
| 711 |
soap_man Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:48:29am |
re: #707 Dark_Falcon
Hello, soap! I saw your comment about McKenna yesterday. I do think he can beat Quinn, after thinking about it. Unlike previous GOP candidates, he'll actually unite the party behind him and have real money to spend. Quinn will have more but the disparity won't be nearly as great. McKenna is also liable to benefit around Chicagoland from the Tribune's returning to its roots as far as the governorship is concerned.
Morning DF. You may be right. I was probably being a little pessimistic the last time we discussed this. I have a good friend and he and his girlfriend Dem every time, no questions asked. He asked me which Republican was good for the governorship. The fact that he is even looking into it says a lot.
| 712 |
soap_man Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:49:04am |
re: #711 soap_man
Morning DF. You may be right. I was probably being a little pessimistic the last time we discussed this. I have a good friend and he and his girlfriend Dem every time, no questions asked. He asked me which Republican was good for the governorship. The fact that he is even looking into it says a lot.
PIMF. He and his girlfriend vote Dem every time.
| 713 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:50:32am |
re: #708 Dark_Falcon
It would correct the last deficiency, but what do you mean by 'ending'? Prohibit group plans altogether? Just prohibit businesses from buying and offering health insurance to their employees?
re: #709 cliffster
Sure. But you're using the word as though it's meaningful outside that arbitrary context. I'm saying that politics in this country would be better if we looked at issues not as right-left issues, but as pragmatic, practical challenges to be solved working together. I think we've become, in general, over-ideology-ized in politics.
| 714 |
Dark_Falcon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:50:50am |
re: #711 soap_man
Morning DF. You may be right. I was probably being a little pessimistic the last time we discussed this. I have a good friend and he and his girlfriend Dem every time, no questions asked. He asked me which Republican was good for the governorship. The fact that he is even looking into it says a lot.
Well you were right about McKenna not being the the best in terms of qualifications. However, he is still decent in those areas and his ability to command party unity and money are very useful to a run for governor.
| 715 |
soap_man Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:51:44am |
re: #708 Dark_Falcon
How about simply ending employer based insurance, then? That might mend things somewhat.
Obama is absolutely correct that choice will go a long way in reducing costs. But the public option will only give people one other choice beyond their employer based coverage.
Detach it from work. Make it like car insurance. If you want cheap insurance, get the Geico-type coverage. You want the best, get State Farm or Allstate. I'm all for that.
| 716 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:51:51am |
And with that, I really have to put my headphones on and go to work. Have an excellent day, everyone.
| 717 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:52:33am |
re: #707 Dark_Falcon
Hello, soap! I saw your comment about McKenna yesterday. I do think he can beat Quinn, after thinking about it. Unlike previous GOP candidates, he'll actually unite the party behind him and have real money to spend. Quinn will have more but the disparity won't be nearly as great. McKenna is also liable to benefit around Chicagoland from the Tribune's returning to its roots as far as the governorship is concerned.
Speaking of my former home, you gotta love this quote from Rod Blago...
Rod Blagojevich: ‘If this isn’t corrupt, I don’t know what it is’
| 718 |
Charles Johnson Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:52:39am |
By the way, the comments for Prager's article at Townhall perfectly demonstrate my point about the raging hate speech on the right wing.
| 719 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:52:56am |
re: #702 Charles
....
If you look at the broader issue of whether the influence of tea partiers is actually GOOD for the GOP, though, the impact is all negative. They greatly encourage the fringe, they drive away moderates, and they force the party as a whole much farther to the extreme edges......
I'm going to have to disagree. Almost 70% of the independent vote in Massachusetts went to Scott Brown. That is a HUGE number. They are going to vote republican if for no other reason than lack of choices in our system.
| 720 |
Dark_Falcon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:53:17am |
re: #713 Obdicut
It would correct the last deficiency, but what do you mean by 'ending'? Prohibit group plans altogether? Just prohibit businesses from buying and offering health insurance to their employees?
I'm not actually sure how it would work. I can't detail my thoughts right now because I have to get ready for work.
re: #709 cliffster
Sure. But you're using the word as though it's meaningful outside that arbitrary context. I'm saying that politics in this country would be better if we looked at issues not as right-left issues, but as pragmatic, practical challenges to be solved working together. I think we've become, in general, over-ideology-ized in politics.
| 721 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:54:20am |
re: #717 Aceofwhat?
Speaking of my former home, you gotta love this quote from Rod Blago...
Rod Blagojevich: ‘If this isn’t corrupt, I don’t know what it is’
Because of all people, he would know corruption when he saw it.
| 722 |
Dark_Falcon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:54:25am |
re: #717 Aceofwhat?
Speaking of my former home, you gotta love this quote from Rod Blago...
Rod Blagojevich: ‘If this isn’t corrupt, I don’t know what it is’
Blago's just butthurt cause his party threw him out on his ass.
| 723 |
Charles Johnson Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:54:37am |
A classic comment for Prager's article, combining racism with whining victimhood:
Viking
Location: AZ
Reply # 84
Date: Jan 26, 2010 - 9:29 AM ESTThanks Dennis, another
great article. The Left, in my opinion, is far more intolerant and "hateful" than the Right. Look at how W was portrayed for 8 years - and they complain how we criticize The Kenyan for his policies and incompetence? Hypocrites.
| 724 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:54:59am |
re: #715 soap_man
Obama is absolutely correct that choice will go a long way in reducing costs. But the public option will only give people one other choice beyond their employer based coverage.
Detach it from work. Make it like car insurance. If you want cheap insurance, get the Geico-type coverage. You want the best, get State Farm or Allstate. I'm all for that.
And the point of what you are saying, if i read it correctly, is to make us cost-conscious consumers, a vital step imho. Unlike Obdicut, who believes that we should replace a crappy state option with a better one, I believe that the current crappy state option is proof that the state sucks at this job and should not therefore be permitted to suck on a wider scale.
| 725 |
SanFranciscoZionist Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:55:39am |
re: #56 freetoken
Yes, and if you read what her commenters say it is quite clear she knows her audience.
E.g.:
The purpose of Malkin's articles is to reinforce stereotypes in the heads of her audiences. People like to be reinforced in their beliefs, not challenged, and thus we respond well to those who reinforce our prejudices.
Now we're makng fun of Mayan math? Heck, I taught a unit in Mayan math once. Base eight makes sixth-graders' heads explode, but in a good way.
| 726 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:55:43am |
re: #723 Charles
A classic comment for Prager's article, combining racism with whining victimhood:
The commenter is a hypocrite himself, calling out the Left for a hypocrisy in which he is indulging (being intolerant and hateful toward the sitting President with his snide racist remark). And yet they'll magically refuse to see it in themselves, proclaiming the rightness of their cause.
| 727 |
Daniel Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:55:55am |
Imagine a member of the Lizard Nation on the ISS, chiming in on the budget...
Charles-Orbital Registration?
| 728 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:56:26am |
re: #724 Aceofwhat?
...... proof that the state sucks at this job and should not therefore be permitted to suck on a wider scale.
You could attach that quote to just about every job the state takes upon itself.
| 729 |
filetandrelease Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:56:50am |
re: #702 Charles
If you define "positive impact" solely by whether it helps Republicans gain power, then yes, tea parties have a "positive impact."
If you look at the broader issue of whether the influence of tea partiers is actually GOOD for the GOP, though, the impact is all negative. They greatly encourage the fringe, they drive away moderates, and they force the party as a whole much farther to the extreme edges.
And that's why I want nothing to do with them. If you're not bothered by the fact that tea parties are organized by kooks, and attract lots of kooks, I can see why you'd argue they're a positive phenomenon.
That does bother me. But I also believe that these kooks tapped in to something much larger than themselves and it becomes them ridding the coat tails, not vice versa.
As a conservative, it is hard to argue that what happened in MA is negative. Independents overwhelmingly voted for Brown. The tea party movement did not scare them away. That surprised me because conventional wisdom suggested otherwise.
It may be that the kooks are the fringe and not representative of the body of the movement.
| 731 |
Daniel Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:56:53am |
re: #723 Charles
That is a darn shame. Dennis is nearly always a class act. A respectable radio guy.
| 732 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:57:22am |
re: #719 RogueOne
I'm going to have to disagree. Almost 70% of the independent vote in Massachusetts went to Scott Brown. That is a HUGE number. They are going to vote republican if for no other reason than lack of choices in our system.
The reason why it's a negative thing, though, is that such a result makes the GOP think the Tea Partiers are actually having a positive effect, which makes the party shift more in that direction... You get my drift?
| 734 |
filetandrelease Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:59:17am |
re: #703 wrenchwench
Elections are not my only barometer. I'd like the party to get away from social issues as candidate qualifications. Tea Partiers are making that more difficult. I'm not indiscriminate in which Republicans I'd like to see elected.
I believe I am not to your right, but I would like to see a healthy Republican Party. The Tea Party influence is not a winning one in the long run. And by long run, I mean 2010.
But in 2009 it sure kicked butt ......
| 735 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:59:29am |
re: #732 thedopefishlives
Shifting to get the independent vote is a good thing IMO. The biggest issue holding all these groups together is the desire for a smaller, less intrusive government which is a stance I happen to agree with.
| 736 |
wee fury Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:00:30am |
| 737 |
soap_man Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:00:30am |
re: #724 Aceofwhat?
And the point of what you are saying, if i read it correctly, is to make us cost-conscious consumers, a vital step imho. Unlike Obdicut, who believes that we should replace a crappy state option with a better one, I believe that the current crappy state option is proof that the state sucks at this job and should not therefore be permitted to suck on a wider scale.
You read it correctly. Now, I want to be clear that I'm not a libertarian or anti-government or anything like that. There are certain things the government should provide the people at little to no cost, and some of those things are done very well (especially with local government). But the government (at any level) getting involved in providing health care coverage seems like a clusterfuck waiting to happen.
| 738 |
wrenchwench Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:01:07am |
re: #729 filetandrelease
That does bother me. But I also believe that these kooks tapped in to something much larger than themselves and it becomes them ridding the coat tails, not vice versa.
| 739 |
wee fury Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:03:42am |
re: #733 RogueOne
True/Slant: do we have to sign-up in order to comment?
My computer says that it cannot establish a data base connection to True/Slant -- so far today.
| 741 |
Dark_Falcon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:04:21am |
re: #731 Rightwingconspirator
That is a darn shame. Dennis is nearly always a class act. A respectable radio guy.
Agreed. People like Prager need to start insisting that the sites they post on moderate comments. There would be costs involved, but it would also corral the kooks and get them off the site.
| 742 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:04:49am |
re: #738 wrenchwench
Gigantic orgies... all missionary style...
| 743 |
Dark_Falcon Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:05:41am |
re: #740 RogueOne
Looks like a sausagefest.
True that. No point in taking a cruise without an adequate babe supply.
And now I must leave for work. BBT
| 744 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:05:53am |
Dear gracious, Blago remains the gift that keeps on giving. apologies if someone has already linked to this.
"I'm sorry that i said i was blacker than Barack Obama."
How big of a jerk do you have to be for the thought to even enter your mind, much less pass through your lips?
| 745 |
Daniel Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:07:03am |
re: #741 Dark_Falcon
I would love to hear Charles on The Dennis Prager show. Or even better have Dennis logged in here. Now that would be some fun.
| 746 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:07:03am |
| 747 |
SanFranciscoZionist Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:08:16am |
re: #175 Spare O'Lake
Has anyone on the planet ever proposed that they should make less than their current income?
Well, there are people who change careers knowing that they will make less.
| 748 |
lawhawk Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:08:20am |
NJ Senator Bob Menendez (D) thinks the best option for Democrats would be to drive a wedge between GOP moderates and the Tea Party. He's right, but for the wrong reasons. It's important to drive the lunatic fringe from the GOP, but that doesn't mean that the Democrats will benefit. The GOP would come out better if they stuck to fiscal responsibility (which happens to be a tea party theme), but dropped (kicked is more like it) the Tea Party racism.
With the current state of affairs with Democrats, moderates don't exactly have many options - and in NJ the GOP just won the governorship, so Menedez's call is more like a warning to those up for reelection in 2010. He's got to hope that people will try to link the hate of the tea parties to the GOP proper, and disassociate themselves from the GOP in the voting booth to vote for the Democrats.
| 749 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:09:31am |
re: #7 iceweasel
Uhoh. Speaking of people without resources and hope, looks like there's a John Edwards sex tape.
Bleargh. I wish this wouldn't come out-- not because I give a damn about Edwards, but because of his wife.
I just read the Gawker article and all I can say is "eww". Plus, funny photo.
| 750 |
SanFranciscoZionist Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:10:45am |
re: #201 reine.de.tout
hoo-boy! Talk about twisting yourself into knots.
Does he think the Islamic practice of wearing that veil is not constraining?
France's approach to all this makes me queasy.
| 751 |
filetandrelease Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:12:00am |
| 752 |
Kragar Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:12:16am |
Indonesia mulls tearing down Obama statue
The bronze was designed by Indonesian artists and depicts the boy Obama dressed in shorts and a T-shirt with a butterfly perched on his hand.
"The statue is of Obama as a child, not as the US president. His relatives and friends who erected it said it's meant to motivate children to study hard and dream big," Bintarto said.
Members of the "Take Down the Barack Obama Statue in Menteng Park" group on Facebook say Obama has done nothing for Indonesia.
"Barack Obama has yet to make a significant contribution to the Indonesian nation. We could say Obama only ate and s (expletive) in Menteng. He spent his subsequent days living as an American," the web page says.
"For the dignity of a sovereign nation, Barack Obama's monument in Menteng Park must be removed immediately."
| 753 |
soap_man Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:12:36am |
re: #737 soap_man
You read it correctly. Now, I want to be clear that I'm not a libertarian or anti-government or anything like that. There are certain things the government should provide the people at little to no cost, and some of those things are done very well (especially with local government). But the government (at any level) getting involved in providing health care coverage seems like a clusterfuck waiting to happen.
To expand on this comment, if the government wants to get more involved in HC, they should boost public-private investments and cooperation. They should give more money to non-profit HC clinics that provide services in economically depressed areas.
My girlfriend, who is in medical school, works for a non-profit that provides preventative care and HC education to those without insurance. So Obama, if you want to help, giving them more money is a good first step.
Now I'm done.
| 754 |
wrenchwench Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:14:55am |
re: #751 filetandrelease
Seems to make my point.
A luxury cruise that claims to be "of the people, by the people, and for the people" makes your point that the kooks are not in charge? Or was there a point I missed?
| 755 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:16:34am |
re: #753 soap_man
To expand on this comment, if the government wants to get more involved in HC, they should boost public-private investments and cooperation. They should give more money to non-profit HC clinics that provide services in economically depressed areas.
My girlfriend, who is in medical school, works for a non-profit that provides preventative care and HC education to those without insurance. So Obama, if you want to help, giving them more money is a good first step.
Now I'm done.
I'd rather change some structures. There are still too many basic preventative and medical things that only a doctor can do. Empower good nurses to run clinics like that and we can give good nurses raises rather than begging doctors to take pay cuts to provide the exact same service. Years of med school and residency aren't required to do basic checkups...except by law. Change the law, improve the cost structure...
| 756 |
Kragar Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:17:30am |
Oliver Stone: bankers helped Hitler
Adolf Hitler was aided in his rise to power by western bankers who appreciated his tough line on communist agitators and worker power, Oliver Stone told reporters in Bangkok yesterday.
Following on from the comments he made to TV critics in Pasadena earlier this month about his upcoming 10-hour TV documentary on The Secret History of the United States, the film-maker said the German dictator had seduced the nation's military industrial complex with his ambitious promises.
In the Thai capital to deliver a lecture to high-school students on the role of film in peace-building, Stone said: "Hitler is a monster. There is no question. I have no empathy for Hitler at all. He was a crazy psychopath.
"But, like Frankenstein was a monster, there was a Dr Frankenstein. He is product of his era," he added.
| 757 |
Sheila Broflovski Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:17:44am |
re: #718 Charles
By the way, the comments for Prager's article at Townhall perfectly demonstrate my point about the raging hate speech on the right wing.
I guess you will not be going on Dennis Prager's program anytime soon.
| 758 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:18:30am |
When are the Aussies going to get over being such prudes?//
[Link: www.brisbanetimes.com.au...]
The Simpsons porn lands man on sex offender listAn Ipswich man has only narrowly avoided jail for downloading graphic cartoon porn images featuring child characters from The Simpsons and The Powerpuff Girls television shows.
The 28-year-old former security guard was handed a 12-month suspended prison sentence and is now a registered sex offender after pleading guilty in Ipswich District Court to having the bizarre images on his computer.
Police went to Kurt James Milner’s Leichhardt home on January 24, 2008 after receiving an anonymous tip-off about the disturbing material.
| 759 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:19:47am |
re: #747 SanFranciscoZionist
Well, there are people who change careers knowing that they will make less.
I did, by a considerable amount too. Best decision I ever made.
| 760 |
garhighway Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:21:03am |
re: #724 Aceofwhat?
And the point of what you are saying, if i read it correctly, is to make us cost-conscious consumers, a vital step imho. Unlike Obdicut, who believes that we should replace a crappy state option with a better one, I believe that the current crappy state option is proof that the state sucks at this job and should not therefore be permitted to suck on a wider scale.
re: #737 soap_man
You read it correctly. Now, I want to be clear that I'm not a libertarian or anti-government or anything like that. There are certain things the government should provide the people at little to no cost, and some of those things are done very well (especially with local government). But the government (at any level) getting involved in providing health care coverage seems like a clusterfuck waiting to happen.
Several thoughts:
Creating "cost-conscious consumers" of health care services is impossible on a broad scale. Hardly anyone will sit with the doctor when he says "your wife has cancer, we need to operate now to save her life" and dicker about price. (Been there. Know this.) I know that we all love the power of the free market, but it doesn't always work.
And the "government never does anything right" meme is simply false. It just is. I have lots of dealing with all kinds of governmental agencies, and many are quite good at what they do. Other aren't. Usually, it has to do with the combination of management, resources and motivation. Agencies that get that right do well. Those that don't, don't.
I live in NYC. Bloomberg has that place running pretty well, and running THAT government is no layup. I get called for jury duty, and the process makes sense: it works, it's efficient (as it can be, given the underlying fundamental) and it is as respectful of my time as it can be.
Government-bashing is easy. And many times it is accurate. But bad government is not an argument for no government. It's an argument for better government. And there is nothing intrinsic to health care that makes it more or less suited to governmental involvement. And there is most certainly nothing intrinsically tricky about running a health insurance operation that is beyond the scope and abilities of a well-run governmental agency.
| 761 |
filetandrelease Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:21:13am |
re: #754 wrenchwench
A luxury cruise that claims to be "of the people, by the people, and for the people" makes your point that the kooks are not in charge? Or was there a point I missed?
That claim doesn't mean much to me other than a nice slogan. No, my point is that these "leaders" of the movement in this example are counting on regular folks to sign up for a cruise so they have a nice weekend.
| 762 |
lawhawk Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:21:27am |
re: #755 Aceofwhat?
NJ is reporting a doctor shortage; if any of the government health care proposals don't take into account that the number of doctors may be insufficient to maintain the quality of care, we're quickly going to find quality drop and outcomes get worse.
If you increase demand without increasing the supply of doctors, the time spent per patient will drop, and that benefits no one. If costs drive doctors out of business (because they can't recoup their costs, which include delayed reimbursements and insurance), the problems get magnified.
| 763 |
Kragar Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:21:28am |
re: #758 RogueOne
When are the Aussies going to get over being such prudes?//
[Link: www.brisbanetimes.com.au...]
Thats some bull shit right there.
| 764 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:21:53am |
re: #759 RogueOne
Evil clowns always make less...
| 765 |
filetandrelease Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:22:05am |
| 766 |
subsailor68 Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:22:29am |
Afternoon all. Reading the posts on the health care issue, thought I'd pass along something we did in our little town quite a few years ago.
We had a critical shortage of doctors here. The administrator of our hospital came up with an idea to ask folks to commit to "investing" in bringing new doctors to town, by pledging any amount they chose to a pool that would be used - only if necessary - to help doctors willing to come to town get set up, start their practices, cover the rent of office space, and quite a few other things.
The response from folks here was astounding. With that "investment" in hand, the administrator and the director of patient/community relations began attending the conventions and marketing to physicians.
We solved our physician shortage very quickly. My wife and I (didn't have a huge amount of disposable income at the time) had pledged $10K. The amazing thing is that nobody ended up having to meet their total pledged amount, but we did chip in the small amount that was needed overall.
And government wasn't involved at all.
| 767 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:24:58am |
re: #764 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
Evil clowns always make less...
Discrimination, pure and simple. Evil clowns need a union.
| 768 |
soap_man Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:25:31am |
re: #760 garhighway
And there is most certainly nothing intrinsically tricky about running a health insurance operation that is beyond the scope and abilities of a well-run governmental agency.
Maybe not, but as you stated, not all government agencies are well-run.
Here's the rub: If that government program isn't well-run and is wasteful, that is very difficult to change. They just ask for more money, which they usually get.
If a private company isn't well-run or efficient, they just fail and are replaced by a better company.
| 769 |
brookly red Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:26:15am |
re: #767 RogueOne
Discrimination, pure and simple. Evil clowns need a union.
I think they are adequately represented by some of the locals...
| 770 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:26:48am |
re: #763 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)
Thats some bull shit right there.
Can you imagine? they put him on a sex offender list! Imagine having to go to your neighbors every time you moved and explaining to them you're a sex offender and you're not allowed to be around cartoons.
| 771 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:27:35am |
re: #762 lawhawk
NJ is reporting a doctor shortage; if any of the government health care proposals don't take into account that the number of doctors may be insufficient to maintain the quality of care, we're quickly going to find quality drop and outcomes get worse.
If you increase demand without increasing the supply of doctors, the time spent per patient will drop, and that benefits no one. If costs drive doctors out of business (because they can't recoup their costs, which include delayed reimbursements and insurance), the problems get magnified.
Completely agree. One way to decrease demand is to allow Nurse Practitioners and Nurses to execute more basic health care functions. Another is to stop pretending that the govt can reimburse practitioners below a certain level without driving them off.
| 772 |
Mr. Crankypants Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:29:31am |
re: #771 Aceofwhat?
Another might be to adopt a comprehensive care model rather than fee per service which leads to a lot of unneccesary tests etc.
| 773 |
soap_man Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:30:50am |
re: #762 lawhawk
NJ is reporting a doctor shortage; if any of the government health care proposals don't take into account that the number of doctors may be insufficient to maintain the quality of care, we're quickly going to find quality drop and outcomes get worse.
If you increase demand without increasing the supply of doctors, the time spent per patient will drop, and that benefits no one. If costs drive doctors out of business (because they can't recoup their costs, which include delayed reimbursements and insurance), the problems get magnified.
While I agree with Ace that nurses do more things than the government allows, you are absolutely correct. But I'm not sure what the solution is. Being a doctor is not only incredibly expensive, but also an incredible commitment. We need more doctors, but I'm not sure what the solution may be.
| 774 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:30:53am |
| 775 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:33:19am |
re: #760 garhighway
Several thoughts.
You live in NYC. Your govt may run ok, but i live in North Florida...i'm going to go out on a limb and say that i prefer what i pay compared to what i get over what you pay compared to what you get. Because, mon ami, you are paying. The taxes there are francophone!
You're right, there are well-run government agencies. But even the best often lack the flexibility and drive of a well-run private agency.
And I should note that a consumer-based system still needs at its heart an insurance policy that covers big-ticket expenses so that we don't have to face exactly the question that you pose (it was a great example). People should have incentives to live well and use their health care providers judiciously. They shouldn't have to decide whether to have a double bypass.
| 776 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:33:45am |
| 777 |
DaddyG Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:35:55am |
re: #752 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)
I saw that. It is silly to take down a statue that was intended to inspire young students. He is a national President and a Nobel Prize (Premature) Winner. No matter your views he is a figure worth aspiring to be like. (Of course I'd rather be like some other Presidents).
| 778 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:36:57am |
re: #777 DaddyG
Yeah. I read that earlier. Purdy much... he ain't done nuthin' for us.
I said it earlier... He owes them JACK!
| 779 |
soap_man Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:36:58am |
re: #775 Aceofwhat?
You're right, there are well-run government agencies. But even the best often lack the flexibility and drive of a well-run private agency.
Bullseye.
| 780 |
Mr. Crankypants Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:37:32am |
re: #775 Aceofwhat?
This was suggested by one of my clients who is an independent doctor. Why not leave the current system in place, (other than getting rid of fee for service) require that everyone be covered at a certain base price and have the government act as the reinsurer of last resort?
| 781 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:37:53am |
re: #772 PT Barnum
Another might be to adopt a comprehensive care model rather than fee per service which leads to a lot of unneccesary tests etc.
I dunno. If i have, let's say, a $4k deductible on basic services and 100% coverage past that, then my conversation with the doctor is going to be very different than it is today. Dr says "i have to run this test in order to diagnose you", i say go for it. Dr says "well, one thing we can do is run this test but...", i might say 'thanks, i'll consider it' and then go do research and get multiple opinions.
We're a whooole lot better at picking the right services when we pay for them, which doesn't mean that we have to pay more than we do today. Healthy individuals pay more in insurance than they actually spend on services unless they have a catastrophe.
| 782 |
uncah91 Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:38:14am |
re: #768 soap_man
Maybe not, but as you stated, not all government agencies are well-run.
Here's the rub: If that government program isn't well-run and is wasteful, that is very difficult to change. They just ask for more money, which they usually get.
If a private company isn't well-run or efficient, they just fail and are replaced by a better company.
However, a private company doesn't have to serve the public good, they only have to be profitable. So health insurance companies can do all sorts of cruddy things, and still stay profitable, and in business.
| 783 |
Mr. Crankypants Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:38:36am |
re: #779 soap_man
Bullseye.
Having worked in corporate America for the best part of my life, well run private companies are just as scarce as well run government agencies. Most companies succeed in spite of what they do rather than because of what they do.
| 784 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:39:38am |
re: #782 uncah91
.... So health insurance companies can do all sorts of cruddy things, and still stay profitable, and in business.
Death panels.
| 785 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:40:13am |
re: #773 soap_man
While I agree with Ace that nurses do more things than the government allows, you are absolutely correct. But I'm not sure what the solution is. Being a doctor is not only incredibly expensive, but also an incredible commitment. We need more doctors, but I'm not sure what the solution may be.
if it's truly a shortage and not just Drs fleeing a crappy environment, the solution is easy. Med schools turn away lots of people who are more than smart enough to be doctors. I had a tough time getting in (i eventually decided not to go) and i scored a 34 on the MCAT with a perfectly good GPA.
| 786 |
Mr. Crankypants Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:40:19am |
re: #781 Aceofwhat?
The problem with fee for service however, is that there is no transparency of pricing to the customer, nor is there transparency in the effectiveness of treatment.
| 787 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:40:39am |
re: #783 PT Barnum
My company is currently gearing up to make a gigantic strategic mistake, in the exact same way it did last time it had extra money lying around.
Private business gets corrected eventually, but if the business is large enough, there can be entire divisions that are massively inefficient but have enough internal political protection to avoid being cut as they should.
It's still politics, in the end.
| 788 |
DaddyG Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:41:14am |
re: #760 garhighway
Good Government... but I'm not sure the Feds can pull it off like a state or local government can.
| 789 |
garhighway Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:42:35am |
re: #782 uncah91
However, a private company doesn't have to serve the public good, they only have to be profitable. So health insurance companies can do all sorts of cruddy things, and still stay profitable, and in business.
Bullseye.
| 790 |
Daniel Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:43:17am |
re: #788 DaddyG
I'm sure. They can not.
| 791 |
garhighway Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:43:28am |
re: #787 Obdicut
My company is currently gearing up to make a gigantic strategic mistake, in the exact same way it did last time it had extra money lying around.
Private business gets corrected eventually, but if the business is large enough, there can be entire divisions that are massively inefficient but have enough internal political protection to avoid being cut as they should.
It's still politics, in the end.
See: Citigroup
| 792 |
Mr. Crankypants Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:43:32am |
re: #787 Obdicut
Bet it's some monolithic business reengineering or IT project. Those are usually the prime suspects.
When I worked for Gateway in the 90s (before they went completely to pieces), I was involved with a 167 million dollar project called GCI that ended up getting cancelled after 3 years.
First they called it Gateway Customer Interface
Then they called it Gateway Cash Incinerator
then they called it God Couldn't Implement.
| 794 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:43:55am |
re: #786 PT Barnum
The problem with fee for service however, is that there is no transparency of pricing to the customer, nor is there transparency in the effectiveness of treatment.
disagree. 99% of services are 'typical' in that they are one of a group of standard responses to whatever your need is. you still need your doctor's word on how effective they believe the treatment will be.
and there is plenty of transparency if you had a reason to call 5 different clinics to see what they'd charge you for X.
Happens with LASIK all of the time...you have to judge price against your desire for the treatment and your opinion of the provider. lowest cost isn't always best.
| 795 |
soap_man Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:44:41am |
re: #782 uncah91
However, a private company doesn't have to serve the public good, they only have to be profitable. So health insurance companies can do all sorts of cruddy things, and still stay profitable, and in business.
You are right, but it goes back to my first statement: Obama is right that the lack of choice is a huge problem. I can only get insurance through my employer. I think I'm overpaying and I think my coverage sucks. They are not serving me as well as they should.
If you detach insurance from employment, give the money the employer spends on benefits back to the employee and let him/her chose from a variety of insurers, that would better serve the consumer. If I'm unhappy with my insurance, I just change companies.
Right now, I'm stuck with what I have. The insurance company knows this and does not feel the need to provide good service to the consumer.
I know a lot of people think the public option would solve the problems I listed. But it only gives me two choices, which isn't enough. Not to mention the high probability that it becomes a bloated and fiscally out-of-control program in the future.
| 796 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:45:10am |
re: #783 PT Barnum
I'd agree, but my overlord watches everything that I say.
| 797 |
filetandrelease Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:45:45am |
re: #782 uncah91
However, a private company doesn't have to serve the public good, they only have to be profitable. So health insurance companies can do all sorts of cruddy things, and still stay profitable, and in business.
There is a saying in business, a customer will tell one person about your good service, but he will tell 10 about your bad service.
Cruddy companies regardless of size ultimately get their comeuppance.
| 798 |
Kragar Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:45:48am |
re: #796 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
I'd agree, but my overlord watches everything that I say.
You got that right FBV.
| 799 |
Mr. Crankypants Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:45:53am |
re: #794 Aceofwhat?
Most people aren't going to take the time to do the comparison. If you have a cold, you aren't going to go shop around to find the best price for treating a cold, because your family doctor is going to be where you go because he has all your medical information.
For more expensive procedures, maybe, but usually you'll be forced to go where your insurance company is willing to pay for.
| 800 |
uncah91 Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:46:54am |
re: #784 RogueOne
Death panels.
Private insures have "death panels" now. They search for ways to deny coverage in order to be more profitable. That was always a "oh, be scared of the boogeyman" argument.
| 801 |
Mr. Crankypants Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:47:12am |
re: #797 filetandrelease
There is a saying in business, a customer will tell one person about your good service, but he will tell 10 about your bad service.
Cruddy companies regardless of size ultimately get their comeuppance.
Problem is that with health insurance by the time you find out you have a crappy company you could be dead.
| 802 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:49:30am |
re: #782 uncah91
However, a private company doesn't have to serve the public good, they only have to be profitable. So health insurance companies can do all sorts of cruddy things, and still stay profitable, and in business.
Can a private business force you to give it money under the threat of imprisonment?
| 803 |
DaddyG Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:50:18am |
re: #775 Aceofwhat?
You're right, there are well-run government agencies. But even the best often lack the flexibility and drive of a well-run private agency.
In Georgia we have been bringing private industry best practices into state Government for the last 4 years with great success.. The employees welcome it (they do want to serve) and good leaders leverage the initiative to improve as well as cut costs from the process.
That isn't an easy task. Private companies the size of our state (Budget and employees) are in a few product or service areas where we manage 200+ agencies with 2000+ services, many of which people don't really want to receive (i.e. prisons).
Health care is very complex and if private entities can support the worlds best system we can fix the broken parts without killing the innovation and availability that comes with a market sytem.
| 804 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:50:42am |
Speaking of death panels. My friend Jeff was just diagnosed with ALS, found out on Sunday.
Ain't a damn thing they can do, either. It'll progress to his death, or to his total incapacitation.
If I know him? He's praying for a direct impact with an asteroid.
| 805 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:50:48am |
re: #760 garhighway
And there is most certainly nothing intrinsically tricky about running a health insurance operation that is beyond the scope and abilities of a well-run governmental agency.
Except the current operation being beyond the scope and abilities of a government agency, you mean?
| 806 |
Daniel Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:52:19am |
re: #800 uncah91
Private insures have "death panels" now. They search for ways to deny coverage in order to be more profitable. That was always a "oh, be scared of the boogeyman" argument.
All we really need to do to reform medical care here is regulate it like a public utility. We do not need the Feds to take ownership of it any more than we need them to own utilities like electricity and water and gas.
| 807 |
uncah91 Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:53:19am |
It's perfectly valid to argue that government run healthcare would be sub-optimal.
However a majority of the western worl has government run health care, so it certainly isn't impossible to do acceptably.
| 808 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:53:44am |
re: #799 PT Barnum
Most people aren't going to take the time to do the comparison. If you have a cold, you aren't going to go shop around to find the best price for treating a cold, because your family doctor is going to be where you go because he has all your medical information.
For more expensive procedures, maybe, but usually you'll be forced to go where your insurance company is willing to pay for.
No, you're going to shop around for a doctor that you like who will offer you services at a price that you like. Then you'll stay with that doctor unless you find a big enough reason (price, service, or some combination) to leave.
It's basic market behavior, not at all unlike finding a financial advisor.
| 809 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:54:39am |
re: #807 uncah91
But, in a way that American's will accept?
That's the question.
We should stop talking about it. Gonna be a few minor (but important needed reforms) then it's going away.
| 810 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:54:54am |
re: #807 uncah91
It's perfectly valid to argue that government run healthcare would be sub-optimal.
However a majority of the western worl has government run health care, so it certainly isn't impossible to do acceptably.
How long do you think you'd wait in the UK or Canada for certain procedures? Why are affluent Canadians paying out of their own pockets to come here and get certain procedures?
| 811 |
uncah91 Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:55:03am |
re: #806 Rightwingconspirator
Isn't that what the current legislation does? There is no public option in it, just a variety of requirements on individuals and companies.
| 812 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:55:21am |
re: #807 uncah91
It's perfectly valid to argue that government run healthcare would be sub-optimal.
However a majority of the western worl has government run health care, so it certainly isn't impossible to do acceptably.
Doesn't explain all the Canadians coming down here for medical care.
| 813 |
subsailor68 Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:55:43am |
re: #805 Aceofwhat?
Except the current operation being beyond the scope and abilities of a government agency, you mean?
Interesting point Ace. Folks sometimes tend to forget that Medicare is - for all intents and purposes - an insurance program. And the 2009 trustees report had to fess up that the Medicare unfunded mandates now total (IIRC - number may be a bit off) around $89 TRILLION dollars.
As I say, that number may be off a little, but I do remember that the combined unfunded mandate of Medicare and Social Security now sits at $107 trillion.
| 814 |
Daniel Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:55:46am |
re: #811 uncah91
Nothing really like the public utility model.
| 815 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:56:03am |
re: #804 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
I'm very sorry to hear that.
re: #808 Aceofwhat?
Who is going to do that? The only criteria I use when looking around for a doctor is 'Do I believe this guy is going to give me acceptable medical care? Am I confident in his abilities?'
You are not going to know the prices for major things until you actually need them.
| 816 |
soap_man Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:56:15am |
re: #809 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
We should stop talking about it. Gonna be a few minor (but important needed reforms) then it's going away.
Good call. Time to get back to work. BBL.
| 817 |
DaddyG Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:57:05am |
re: #812 MandyManners
Doesn't explain all the Canadians coming down here for medical care.
Cuba was booked and the Blue Hairs in El Paso have the Mexicon antibiotic market tapped out. /
| 818 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:57:30am |
re: #804 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
Speaking of death panels. My friend Jeff was just diagnosed with ALS, found out on Sunday.
Ain't a damn thing they can do, either. It'll progress to his death, or to his total incapacitation.
If I know him? He's praying for a direct impact with an asteroid.
holy cow. i can't think of anything supportive to say that doesn't feel trite in the face of something like that.
| 819 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:57:51am |
re: #817 DaddyG
Cuba was booked and the Blue Hairs in El Paso have the Mexicon antibiotic market tapped out. /
BIG CUBA IS RIPPING US OFF! /
| 820 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:59:23am |
| 821 |
reine.de.tout Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:59:31am |
re: #808 Aceofwhat?
No, you're going to shop around for a doctor that you like who will offer you services at a price that you like. Then you'll stay with that doctor unless you find a big enough reason (price, service, or some combination) to leave.
It's basic market behavior, not at all unlike finding a financial advisor.
Ace, I often agree with you, but in this case ...
mosty of us are going to shop around for a doctor from among the physicians ourinsurance company has agreed will offer services for a price it likes.
| 822 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 10:59:42am |
re: #817 DaddyG
What explains the many US citizens who go abroad for medical care, then?
[Link: www.lindsayresnick.com...] (PDF warning)
| 823 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:00:04am |
re: #815 Obdicut
re: #808 Aceofwhat?
Who is going to do that? The only criteria I use when looking around for a doctor is 'Do I believe this guy is going to give me acceptable medical care? Am I confident in his abilities?'
You are not going to know the prices for major things until you actually need them.
Sooo...when you need a doctor...if your deductible is much higher because your monthly insurance bill is much lower...you won't find a good doctor who's also charging reasonable prices? Do you leave price completely out of consideration when you look for other services? why is this perfectly normal behavior so foreign when we substitute "doctor" for some other service provider?
| 824 |
DaddyG Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:00:16am |
Is anyone else posting in molasses? I suppose it makes me think about what I write.
| 825 |
reine.de.tout Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:00:41am |
re: #820 MandyManners
Gee. Blueheron and Locker UP-DINGED John Palcewski's ant-Semetic rant.
There's a blueheron
and a blueherron.
This was double "r" blueherron.
| 826 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:01:04am |
re: #806 Rightwingconspirator
All we really need to do to reform medical care here is regulate it like a public utility. We do not need the Feds to take ownership of it any more than we need them to own utilities like electricity and water and gas.
But, what about the dream called Chavez?!
| 827 |
Fat Bastard Vegetarian Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:01:25am |
re: #818 Aceofwhat?
holy cow. i can't think of anything supportive to say that doesn't feel trite in the face of something like that.
You're not kidding. I haven't seen him, I know his wife better. They used to run the cleaning service that we used for our house. She is the family spokesperson. She points and he moves...
I have no idea what I'll say when I do see him. The worst thing I can think of.
| 828 |
Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:01:49am |
re: #820 MandyManners
Do we really need to start stirring these pots this late in the afternoon? I was just going to curl up on the lid of the troll barbecue for my afternoon bask.
| 829 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:02:00am |
re: #820 MandyManners
Gee. Blueheron and Locker UP-DINGED John Palcewski's ant-Semetic rant.
Make that "blueherron".
Thanks, reine!
| 830 |
MandyManners Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:02:19am |
re: #825 reine.de.tout
There's a blueheron
and a blueherron.
This was double "r" blueherron.
Thank you!
| 831 |
Daniel Ballard Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:02:46am |
I had a dream about Chavez. But I'm not allowed to post it. :)
I seem to remember something about Trijicon though.
| 832 |
RogueOne Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:03:28am |
re: #825 reine.de.tout
There's a blueheron
and a blueherron.
This was double "r" blueherron.
That's too confusing. One of them needs to change their nick.
| 833 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:03:38am |
re: #823 Aceofwhat?
Sooo...when you need a doctor...if your deductible is much higher because your monthly insurance bill is much lower...you won't find a good doctor who's also charging reasonable prices? Do you leave price completely out of consideration when you look for other services? why is this perfectly normal behavior so foreign when we substitute "doctor" for some other service provider?
I thought I explained myself pretty well. My criteria for choosing a doctor is if I believe he or she can give me the care that I need, if I trust her or him. And if they're covered by my insurance.
Doctors deal with your health, your life. We do treat them differently from other service providers. It's a very different relationship. It goes beyond an easy economic analysis.
re: #827 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
This site has good resources for friends and family of ALS sufferers.
[Link: www.alsa.org...]
| 834 |
Spare O'Lake Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:04:53am |
re: #808 Aceofwhat?
No, you're going to shop around for a doctor that you like who will offer you services at a price that you like. Then you'll stay with that doctor unless you find a big enough reason (price, service, or some combination) to leave.
It's basic market behavior, not at all unlike finding a financial advisor.
Do you know anyone who shops for medical services on the basis of price?
Don't folks usually choose their family physicians on the basis of a word of mouth recommendation from a family member, friend or colleague?
Don't folks usually get referred to specialists for non-emergency matters by their family doctors?
And in emergency situations, don't folks just get taken or go to the closest hospital?
So how much real independent choice is currently exercised by most patients? Somewhere close to zero, no?
| 835 |
reine.de.tout Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:05:10am |
re: #832 RogueOne
That's too confusing. One of them needs to change their nick.
yeah, but I don't think it's possible.
I just wanted to be sure single "r" blueheron was not confused with double "r" blueherron.
| 836 |
drymocke Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:05:39am |
re: #832 RogueOne
re: #825 reine.de.tout
That's too confusing. One of them needs to change their nick.
And a Gil Scott Heron...
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
You will not be able to stay home, brother.
You will not be able to plug in, turn on and cop out.
You will not be able to lose yourself on skag and skip,
Skip out for beer during commercials,
Because the revolution will not be televised.
| 837 |
DaddyG Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:05:54am |
re: #822 Obdicut
What explains the many US citizens who go abroad for medical care, then?
[Link: www.lindsayresnick.com...] (PDF warning)
Plastic Surgery in South America? That PDF didn't break it down by country only region.
| 838 |
uncah91 Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:06:43am |
re: #812 MandyManners
The fact that some Canadians are looking around for some services does not invalidate the entire Canadian system. Much as people buying Canadian pharmaceuticals does not invalidate our system.
| 839 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:09:29am |
re: #821 reine.de.tout
Ace, I often agree with you, but in this case ...
mosty of us are going to shop around for a doctor from among the physicians ourinsurance company has agreed will offer services for a price it likes.
Oh, i agree. I'm advocating a system where most of us pay a much smaller bill for catastrophic insurance (with regulation to enforce that it be accepted anywhere) and have a much larger deductible for smaller services. If you're spending your deductible, you can go whereever you want...cash is still king!
| 840 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:10:08am |
re: #837 DaddyG
Here's a more comprehensive site, but I can't speak to the accuracy of all their numbers.
[Link: www.health-tourism.com...]
It's obviously a pro-tourism site.
| 841 |
SanFranciscoZionist Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:12:38am |
re: #810 Aceofwhat?
How long do you think you'd wait in the UK or Canada for certain procedures? Why are affluent Canadians paying out of their own pockets to come here and get certain procedures?
How long do non-affluent Americans wait for certain procedures? I acknowledge that Canadian and UK programs aren't perfect, but neither is what we have at the moment. We can't have a fair discussion of this if we play apples and oranges with horror stories.
| 842 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:12:44am |
re: #834 Spare O'Lake
all correct. and all examples of our current system, a system from which i advocate some departure. therefore the behavior i am proposing does not currently happen because we have no incentive to make price one of our criteria.
i simply have far more faith than you or Obdicut that price CAN become one of our criteria. i know it's a more important decision than picking the right plumber, so what?
we should be taking all the time in the world to pick the right health care provider, and spending cash from your deductible (that you have in your pocket because you're no longer paying such a huge insurance bill) puts no limits on your choice of basic provider.
btw, let me pause and thank those who are disagreeing with me for the civil and fascinating discussion. i'm really enjoying this. keep the challenges coming.
| 843 |
SanFranciscoZionist Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:13:53am |
re: #811 uncah91
Isn't that what the current legislation does? There is no public option in it, just a variety of requirements on individuals and companies.
Somehow, it's going to kill and bankrupt us all anyway.
//
| 844 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:14:33am |
re: #821 reine.de.tout
Ace, I often agree with you, but in this case ...
mosty of us are going to shop around for a doctor from among the physicians ourinsurance company has agreed will offer services for a price it likes.
When all else fails, n'oublie pas que je peux toujours conduire nos conversations dans la language de ta titre! That alone is reason to agree with me///
| 845 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:15:38am |
re: #841 SanFranciscoZionist
How long do non-affluent Americans wait for certain procedures? I acknowledge that Canadian and UK programs aren't perfect, but neither is what we have at the moment. We can't have a fair discussion of this if we play apples and oranges with horror stories.
i'd settle for apples and oranges with basic averages, if we can get them. i'm trying to stay on the merits, so i welcome your correction if i get sensationalist in the least (i trust your eye!)
| 846 |
SanFranciscoZionist Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:15:47am |
re: #822 Obdicut
What explains the many US citizens who go abroad for medical care, then?
[Link: www.lindsayresnick.com...] (PDF warning)
That's the free market, which shows that our system is good.
Canadians coming here just shows that their system is bad.
//
| 847 |
SanFranciscoZionist Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:17:28am |
re: #832 RogueOne
That's too confusing. One of them needs to change their nick.
They seem to have fairly different political leanings, so just remember that the one-r heron is farther to the right.
| 848 |
Spare O'Lake Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:18:02am |
re: #842 Aceofwhat?
all correct. and all examples of our current system, a system from which i advocate some departure. therefore the behavior i am proposing does not currently happen because we have no incentive to make price one of our criteria.
i simply have far more faith than you or Obdicut that price CAN become one of our criteria. i know it's a more important decision than picking the right plumber, so what?
we should be taking all the time in the world to pick the right health care provider, and spending cash from your deductible (that you have in your pocket because you're no longer paying such a huge insurance bill) puts no limits on your choice of basic provider.
btw, let me pause and thank those who are disagreeing with me for the civil and fascinating discussion. i'm really enjoying this. keep the challenges coming.
Is your cap key busted? If not please use it, it's hard on the eyes.
| 849 |
drymocke Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:18:45am |
re: #846 SanFranciscoZionist
re: #822 Obdicut
What explains the many US citizens who go abroad for medical care, then?[Link: www.lindsayresnick.com...] (PDF warning)
That's the free market, which shows that our system is good.Canadians coming here just shows that their system is bad.
//
I may be off but isn't the number of Canadians coming to the US for healthcare extremely small? If you have a link to more info please post...
| 850 |
reine.de.tout Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:20:06am |
re: #822 Obdicut
What explains the many US citizens who go abroad for medical care, then?
[Link: www.lindsayresnick.com...] (PDF warning)
Is that basic medical care?
Or is that for plastic surgery procedures that are less expensive abroad than here?
| 851 |
SanFranciscoZionist Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:20:42am |
re: #849 drymocke
I may be off but isn't the number of Canadians coming to the US for healthcare extremely small? If you have a link to more info please post...
I don't know. It's been brought up here a number of times, but I don't know exactly what the stats are.
| 852 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:21:39am |
re: #848 Spare O'Lake
Is your cap key busted? If not please use it, it's hard on the eyes.
sorry, bad habit. I'm relatively fast and am a lot faster when i skip caps. I'll do better.
| 853 |
Aceofwhat? Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:23:18am |
re: #851 SanFranciscoZionist
I don't know. It's been brought up here a number of times, but I don't know exactly what the stats are.
I'll look, but it may take more than a few hours, since i'm also working. Slow day, but not that slow!
| 854 |
drymocke Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:26:29am |
Throughout the 1990s, opponents of the Canadian system gained considerable political traction in the United States by pointing to Canada’s methods of rationing, its facility shortages, and its waiting lists for certain services. These same opponents also argued that "refugees" of Canada’s single-payer system routinely came across the border seeking necessary medical care not available at home because of either lack of resources or prohibitively long queues.
This paper by Steven Katz and colleagues depicts this popular perception as more myth than reality, as the number of Canadians routinely coming across the border seeking health care appears to be relatively small, indeed infinitesimal when compared with the amount of care provided by their own system.
[Link: content.healthaffairs.org...]
| 855 |
Pete(Detroit) Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:33:18am |
re: #105 srb1976
Thanks, for what it's worth, I think that this is maybe a good idea, but that calling it "ethno-mathematics" is maybe not such a good idea. But kids in 6th or 7th grade probably have arithmetic down pretty stinkin' well and I just don't see where 1 day a week to focus on something else is goign to hurt much...
You, clearly, do not come from the metro region that scored lowest on the planet in math functionality for 7/8th graders.
Then again, as they are clearly NOT learning "math" in math class ANYWAY, it probably would NOT "hurt" them to study something else.
| 856 |
Spare O'Lake Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:40:46am |
Some of the waiting times in Canada are far longer than many places in the US.
For example, in Toronto, you can wait weeks or months for a (free) MRI, or you can drive to Buffalo in 2 hours and have the MRI virtually immediately, and drive home with your film the same day. For someone with suspected cancer it is a no brainer unless the person does not have the money.
The main reason for many of the excessive waiting times in Canada is a lack of supply of the medical personnel or the medical infrastructure...all a direct result of government supply management policies.
This is why, IMO, Americans should fight like hell to keep the private, for-profit system, with an additional public option to look after those who cannot afford to pay the private rates.
Last point: In Canada most people are against a 2-tier system, for moral and political reasons, and Americans need to be ready to consider the socialist argument that all Americans should be entitled to equal medical care.
| 857 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:47:40am |
re: #850 reine.de.tout
See above. Plenty of it is dental and plastic, but a lot of it is cardiac and rheumatoid and other more 'serious' issues.
| 858 |
Obdicut Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:49:55am |
By the way, Reine, there is an excellent bit in Atul Gawande's latest book, The Checklist Manifesto, about Katrina. I think you'll find it matches up a lot with your experience, but he'd probably welcome anything you had to say about it, too.
| 859 |
Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:57:43am |
re: #806 Rightwingconspirator
All we really need to do to reform medical care here is regulate it like a public utility. We do not need the Feds to take ownership of it any more than we need them to own utilities like electricity and water and gas.
As if the local utilities are necessarily well-run either. Once they have their local monopoly locked in they can get away with a lot of abuses and/or shoddy service.
I lived for 20+ years under the loving care of Duquesne Light as an electricity provider. They made a poor decision regarding the future of the steel industry in the late 70s and the expense of that decision got passed on to their consumer base for the next couple of decades.
| 860 |
Aye Pod Tue, Jan 26, 2010 11:58:57am |
re: #820 MandyManners
Gee. Blueheron and Locker UP-DINGED John Palcewski's ant-Semetic rant.
Is that you going round the village handing out torches and pitchforks again? I downdinged this guy because I strongly disagree with his assessment, but I'm now removing that downding due to your freaky sub-McCarthyite histrionics.
| 861 |
Macha Tue, Jan 26, 2010 1:08:34pm |
re: #785 Aceofwhat?
You have just hit the bulls eye on the target. The AMA does not want more doctors. Access to med school is severely limited. More doctors would make for more competition. They did the same thing with nursing, made the criteria complex to get in and limited the number of programs. In California there are huge waiting lists to get in. Finally when out of desperation hospitals began hiring foreign grads hand over fist, they opened more RN programs. It isn't a lack of people who want to go into the field. It is the doorkeepers who want to manage the numbers so that they can keep salaries high.
| 862 |
The Left Tue, Jan 26, 2010 9:40:45pm |
re: #860 Jimmah
Is that you going round the village handing out torches and pitchforks again? I downdinged this guy because I strongly disagree with his assessment, but I'm now removing that downding due to your freaky sub-McCarthyite histrionics.
That's right. Last night she was urging people to google a few of our newer users, no doubt to dig up info on them and intimidate them into not posting.
It's bullying and intimidation tactics like these that keep people from registering here, drive new readers away, and intimidate good people from commenting.
That of course is why Mandy does it.
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Last updated: 2023-04-04 11:11 am PDT LGF User's Guide RSS Feeds
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Last updated: 2023-04-04 11:11 am PDT LGF User's Guide RSS Feeds
- Featured PagesClick to refresh
Once Praised, the Settlement to Help Sickened BP Oil Spill Workers Leaves Most With Nearly Nothing When a deadly explosion destroyed BP’s Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico, 134 million gallons of crude erupted into the sea over the next three months — and tens of thousands of ordinary people were hired ...
Cheechako
2 weeks ago
Views: 790 • Comments: 0 • Rating: 1
Alone in a Bathroom: The Fear and Uncertainty of a Post-Roe Medication Abortion Angel tucked two white pills into each side of her mouth, bracing herself as they began to dissolve. Her deepest fears and anxieties took over. Angel had wanted to talk to a doctor before she took the pills to ... Cheechako
3 weeks ago
Views: 1,343 • Comments: 0 • Rating: 3
They Were Desperate to Get Pregnant. Then IVF Gave Them Extra Embryos. One morning last spring, Ashley Harrolle put her 1-year-old daughter down for a nap and went to the kitchen. She pulled up her fertility clinic’s contact information. It was time to make the call. In a freezer several hundred ... Cheechako
3 weeks ago
Views: 445 • Comments: 0 • Rating: 1- Pictures From Today’s Exhibition of Paintings Done by Jane LilienthalPROPS TO MICHELE AND SAGEHEN FOR CATCHING THE SPELLING ERROR IN THE TITLE THAT MY DIABETIC EYES COULDN'T CATCH I wanted to share pictures of the art show I visited today. The portraits were created by the mother of my ...Joe Bacon ✅
3 weeks ago
Views: 514 • Comments: 1 • Rating: 11 
March FavoritesYou've seen these all already but looking back, just because. These are my favorite shots of this last month. That 1937 Zeiss Sonnar is such a gloriously wonderful bit of glass. Thanks for looking.
William Lewis
4 weeks ago
Views: 631 • Comments: 2 • Rating: 9
Russia’s New Combat Robots Blown Up by Drones Near Avdiivka When we landed on the moon, I thought about how science fiction had become real. Now, the robot wars have begun. It's more poignant somehow on the ground than in the missile wars we have in the air as ...
Rightwingconspirator
4 weeks ago
Views: 616 • Comments: 1 • Rating: 5
Why Did More Than 1,000 People Die After Police Subdued Them With Force That Isn’t Meant to Kill? An investigation led by The Associated Press has found that, over a decade, more than 1,000 people died after police subdued them through physical holds, stun guns, body blows and other force not intended to be lethal. More: Why ... Cheechako
5 weeks ago
Views: 622 • Comments: 1 • Rating: 5- A Closer Look at the Eastman State Bar DecisionTaking a few minutes away from work things to read through the Eastman decision. As I'm sure many of you know, Eastman was my law school con law professor. I knew him pretty well because I was also running in ...KGxvi
5 weeks ago
Views: 499 • Comments: 1 • Rating: 4
- Recent PagesClick to refresh
The Pandemic Cost 7 Million Lives, but Talks to Prevent a Repeat Stall In late 2021, as the world reeled from the arrival of the highly contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus, representatives of almost 200 countries met - some online, some in-person in Geneva - hoping to forestall a future worldwide ... Cheechako
5 days ago
Views: 148 • Comments: 0 • Rating: 1
Texas County at Center of Border Fight Is Overwhelmed by Migrant Deaths EAGLE PASS, Tex. - The undertaker lighted a cigarette and held it between his latex-gloved fingers as he stood over the bloated body bag lying in the bed of his battered pickup truck. The woman had been fished out ... Cheechako
2 weeks ago
Views: 311 • Comments: 0 • Rating: 1
