Overnight Open Thread

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It is spring, moonless night in the small town, starless and bible-black, the cobblestreets silent and the hunched, courters’-and-rabbits’ wood limping invisible down to the sloeblack, slow, black, crowblack, fishingboat-bobbing sea. The houses are blind as moles (though moles see fine tonight in the snouting, velvet dingles) or blind as Captain Cat there in the muffled middle by the pump and the town clock, the shops in mourning, the Welfare Hall in widows’ weeds. And all the people of the lulled and dumbfound town are sleeping now.

— Dylan Thomas, Under Milk Wood

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530 comments
1 Irenicum  Mon, May 10, 2010 10:53:18pm

Accidental timing is impeccable.

2 sanfranciscozionist  Mon, May 10, 2010 10:54:03pm

My idiot bank is being idiotic.

3 Irenicum  Mon, May 10, 2010 10:54:49pm

re: #2 sanfranciscozionist

I’m leaning towards going local in my banking.

4 Mark Pennington  Mon, May 10, 2010 10:55:00pm

I don’t have a witty phrase ready.

5 Four More Tears  Mon, May 10, 2010 10:55:33pm

re: #2 sanfranciscozionist

My idiot bank is being idiotic.

Or so they’d have yo believe…

6 Four More Tears  Mon, May 10, 2010 10:55:54pm

re: #3 Irenicum

I’m leaning towards going local in my banking.

I’d try a credit union if I had money…

7 Mark Pennington  Mon, May 10, 2010 10:56:06pm

re: #3 Irenicum

I’m leaning towards going local in my banking.

I’ve been thinking of doing the same.

8 Irenicum  Mon, May 10, 2010 10:56:22pm

re: #4 beekiller

Witty is totally in the eye of the beholder. Believe me, I know.

9 sanfranciscozionist  Mon, May 10, 2010 10:56:33pm

re: #3 Irenicum

I’m leaning towards going local in my banking.

About two months ago, I tried to write a check for some groceries. There wasn’t enough money in my account, and the check was rejected at the counter, so I gave them cash.

Now the check has deposited, EVEN THOUGH I NEVER COMPLETED THE TRANSACTION.

10 Mark Pennington  Mon, May 10, 2010 10:57:52pm

re: #9 sanfranciscozionist

About two months ago, I tried to write a check for some groceries. There wasn’t enough money in my account, and the check was rejected at the counter, so I gave them cash.

Now the check has deposited, EVEN THOUGH I NEVER COMPLETED THE TRANSACTION.

Wow. Bastards.

11 sanfranciscozionist  Mon, May 10, 2010 10:58:00pm

Damn! Sigma_x swept the bottom 10? That used to mean something around here. Like a couple of weeks ago it meant something.

12 Four More Tears  Mon, May 10, 2010 10:58:07pm

re: #9 sanfranciscozionist

Is there a reason you didn’t use a debit card first?

13 Irenicum  Mon, May 10, 2010 10:58:09pm

re: #9 sanfranciscozionist

OOO crap, that sucks. Our electronic world is both wonderful and diabolical.

14 Mark Pennington  Mon, May 10, 2010 10:59:16pm

re: #11 sanfranciscozionist

Damn! Sigma_x swept the bottom 10? That used to mean something around here. Like a couple of weeks ago it meant something.

What happened? I miss everything thanks to working!

15 freetoken  Mon, May 10, 2010 10:59:16pm

re: #1 Irenicum

Accidental timing is impeccable.

Impeccable timing is accidental.

16 Four More Tears  Mon, May 10, 2010 10:59:17pm

re: #11 sanfranciscozionist

Damn! Sigma_x swept the bottom 10? That used to mean something around here. Like a couple of weeks ago it meant something.

Meh. His worst was only a -13. That’s still minor leagues in my book.

17 Irenicum  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:00:05pm

re: #11 sanfranciscozionist

He, she, it, must’ve known it was on a mission to self destruct early on.

18 Dancing along the light of day  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:00:17pm

re: #2 sanfranciscozionist

Credit unions are my banks of choice…

19 sanfranciscozionist  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:00:58pm

re: #10 beekiller

Wow. Bastards.

Those were some really, really expensive kidney beans, that’s all I’m saying.

I hate Chase. I wouldn’t be with them, except they ate my old bank.

Last time I wrote and asked them if they could cover some overdrafts, or at least tell me if the overdrafts would be accepted or rejected, they wrote back and told me:

a. They decide about each overdraft payment on an individual basis, according to parameters that they, apparently, don’t share with you, and

b. The best way to make sure all your payments go through is to keep sufficient money in the account.

Ya think?

20 Irenicum  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:01:14pm

re: #15 freetoken

Nice assessment of a philosophical reality.

21 Dancing along the light of day  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:01:39pm

re: #12 JasonA

Probably for safety & security reasons. Debit cards can make you life holy heck, if lost or stolen.

22 Mark Pennington  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:02:03pm

re: #18 Floral Giraffe

Credit unions are my banks of choice…

Everyone I know suggests I use a Credit Union too. I’m going to check it out this week when I have time.

23 sanfranciscozionist  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:02:06pm

re: #12 JasonA

Is there a reason you didn’t use a debit card first?

Because I knew there wasn’t enough money in the account.

Things have been sort of dicey around here since, well, you don’t want to hear my whole financial history. It was a bad week. I was conserving cash resources.

24 Dancing along the light of day  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:02:54pm

re: #19 sanfranciscozionist

Time for a new bank.

25 Mark Pennington  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:03:02pm

re: #19 sanfranciscozionist

Those were some really, really expensive kidney beans, that’s all I’m saying.

I hate Chase. I wouldn’t be with them, except they ate my old bank.

Last time I wrote and asked them if they could cover some overdrafts, or at least tell me if the overdrafts would be accepted or rejected, they wrote back and told me:

a. They decide about each overdraft payment on an individual basis, according to parameters that they, apparently, don’t share with you, and

b. The best way to make sure all your payments go through is to keep sufficient money in the account.

Ya think?

gah! I hate Chase. My wife has been through hell and back with them.

26 Dancing along the light of day  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:03:42pm

re: #16 JasonA

Meh. His worst was only a -13. That’s still minor leagues in my book.

I don’t know when Charles has the “reset the counter” go. It was -43 on at least one post, earlier.

27 Four More Tears  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:04:15pm

re: #23 sanfranciscozionist

Because I knew there wasn’t enough money in the account.

Things have been sort of dicey around here since, well, you don’t want to hear my whole financial history. It was a bad week. I was conserving cash resources.

Ohhh. Yeah, they can do that with checks nowadays. Though my bank would probably let them go ahead with it and throw a $30 over-limit fee on top of that…

28 Dancing along the light of day  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:04:22pm

re: #15 freetoken

Impeccable timing is accidental.

Dear Sir,
Impeccable timing is a work of art. The more natural it looks, the greater the art.

29 Irenicum  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:04:41pm

Mind you friends; Jack Johnson is acting as my background music. His vibe may just alter my mood.

30 Four More Tears  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:05:15pm

re: #19 sanfranciscozionist

You really have to watch this.

Youtube Video
31 Dancing along the light of day  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:05:34pm

re: #22 beekiller

Everyone I know suggests I use a Credit Union too. I’m going to check it out this week when I have time.

You can join dang near any of them, these days.
Mine started it’s life out as the LA County Sheriff Credit Union.
I like a cop’s bank!

32 Four More Tears  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:05:40pm

Holy crap. Sigma went full Chernobyl today, huh?

33 sanfranciscozionist  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:06:28pm

re: #24 Floral Giraffe

Time for a new bank.

I think so. I should look at credit unions. I actually liked WAMU, but they got eaten.

I hated BofA when I was there. I hated Wells Fargo. I even hated Bank of the Orient—I should have know we were going to have trouble when they found someone who’d been kiting checks with my (extremely common) last name, and a variant of my first name. In Lodi. While I was signing up.

“Is this you?” the woman asked.

“No.” I said.

That wasn’t good enough so I added things like “I’ve never been to Lodi. Do the Social Security numbers match? No? Good. That is not my name. Yes, it’s the same last name. There are literally two million of us worldwide. I am not this person. I PROMISE I am not this person.”

Eventually, they let me sign up.

34 sanfranciscozionist  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:06:54pm

re: #26 Floral Giraffe

I don’t know when Charles has the “reset the counter” go. It was -43 on at least one post, earlier.

I thought that was scrooster’s “Obango” post.

35 Irenicum  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:07:03pm

re: #28 Floral Giraffe

I specialize in peccability. I’m damn good at being imperfect.

36 Dancing along the light of day  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:07:09pm

re: #25 beekiller

gah! I hate Chase. My wife has been through hell and back with them.

Bank of America isn’t any better. The big banks know they don’t need to care about your business. They have 8 million other customers.

37 sanfranciscozionist  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:07:18pm

re: #27 JasonA

Ohhh. Yeah, they can do that with checks nowadays. Though my bank would probably let them go ahead with it and throw a $30 over-limit fee on top of that…

Mine usually does, so that was what I was going for.

OY.

38 Four More Tears  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:07:38pm

re: #34 sanfranciscozionist

I thought that was scrooster’s “Obango” post.

That wasn’t that long ago, was that?

39 Mark Pennington  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:08:57pm

re: #36 Floral Giraffe

Bank of America isn’t any better. The big banks know they don’t need to care about your business. They have 8 million other customers.

Absolutely. This is why I am seriously going to go local.

40 Nimed  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:09:01pm

re: #16 JasonA

Meh. His worst was only a -13. That’s still minor leagues in my book.

That score is completely unfair to him. He was much more of an asshole than -13.

41 Dancing along the light of day  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:09:06pm

re: #33 sanfranciscozionist

Yes, someone here once posted a “how common is your name search engine”.
I was suprised that “Charles Johnson” was more common than “Bob Smith”!

42 freetoken  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:10:23pm

re: #20 Irenicum

Nice assessment of a philosophical reality.

A = B :: B = A

Reflexivity in action.

43 sanfranciscozionist  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:10:27pm

re: #30 JasonA

You really have to watch this.

[Video]

AWESOME.

44 Four More Tears  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:11:06pm

re: #40 Nimed

That score is completely unfair to him. He was much more of an asshole than -13.

Weird. I remember him coming of the gate like that, then mellowing a bit.

Oh well.

45 Four More Tears  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:11:58pm

re: #43 sanfranciscozionist

AWESOME.

“You can’t only have 20 dollars.”
“Listen, I’m not being broke just to fuck with you…”

I love that whole bit.

46 Irenicum  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:12:08pm

re: #36 Floral Giraffe

B of A and Chase are both evil and should be divested as soon as possible. Banks as an entity aren’t, but the multi-national corporate expression is.

47 Dancing along the light of day  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:12:48pm

re: #37 sanfranciscozionist

You might look into, or listen to Dave Ramsey. You can ignore the overtly Southern Christian bit, that is less than 5% of his gig. He appears to give very sound financial advice to folks having tough times, and there’s lots of them right now. He answers stuff like “Do I pay the mortgage, or put food on the table for my family” and asks for the financial background & gives what he would do, if he were in their situation.

48 Dancing along the light of day  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:13:56pm

re: #40 Nimed

That score is completely unfair to him. He was much more of an asshole than -13.

He was a troll from before his registration was completed.

49 sanfranciscozionist  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:14:14pm

re: #38 JasonA

That wasn’t that long ago, was that?

Yesterday, I think.

50 Irenicum  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:14:37pm

re: #47 Floral Giraffe

Generally he’s pretty good regarding financial issues.

51 sanfranciscozionist  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:15:27pm

re: #46 Irenicum

B of A and Chase are both evil and should be divested as soon as possible. Banks as an entity aren’t, but the multi-national corporate expression is.

Well, my first indication that they were evil was when they ate my old bank.

52 Dancing along the light of day  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:15:44pm

Viewing this thread
10 registered users ( Soon to be 9)
beekiller
Floral Giraffe
freetoken
Irenicum
JasonA
Nimed
ryannon
SanFranciscoZionist
sngnsgt
The Bunny

Good night all!

53 Four More Tears  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:15:47pm

re: #49 sanfranciscozionist

Yesterday, I think.

He was a total asshat, but I’m surprised Sigma barely put a dent in his score. He got robbed.

54 Irenicum  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:15:47pm

re: #51 sanfranciscozionist

Mine too.

55 Mark Pennington  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:16:17pm

My aunt ordered some dishes for me and they were delivered here while I was at work today. I shouldn’t have mentioned to her that I was looking to buy some new stoneware.

My problem with them:

1. The cups have random marks all over them.
2. The blue bled into the white areas of some of the dishes.
3. They look like they were painted by several people, no 2 designs match.
4. They’re Balls!! ——>Image: 2ahzcli.jpg

56 sanfranciscozionist  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:16:45pm

re: #47 Floral Giraffe

You might look into, or listen to Dave Ramsey. You can ignore the overtly Southern Christian bit, that is less than 5% of his gig. He appears to give very sound financial advice to folks having tough times, and there’s lots of them right now. He answers stuff like “Do I pay the mortgage, or put food on the table for my family” and asks for the financial background & gives what he would do, if he were in their situation.

Might check that out. I’ve managed to mostly stabilize my student loan situation, which is good. Turns out they needed seventy bucks for three months in a row, as a gesture of good faith, and then I can go back into forebearance.

This makes NO sense to me, but it is better than defaulting.

57 Four More Tears  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:17:10pm

re: #55 beekiller

My aunt ordered some dishes for me and they were delivered here while I was at work today. I shouldn’t have mentioned to her that I was looking to buy some new stoneware.

My problem with them:

1. The cups have random marks all over them.
2. The blue bled into the white areas of some of the dishes.
3. They look like they were painted by several people, no 2 designs match.
4. They’re Balls!! —->Image: 2ahzcli.jpg

Holy crap…

58 sanfranciscozionist  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:18:18pm

re: #55 beekiller

My aunt ordered some dishes for me and they were delivered here while I was at work today. I shouldn’t have mentioned to her that I was looking to buy some new stoneware.

My problem with them:

1. The cups have random marks all over them.
2. The blue bled into the white areas of some of the dishes.
3. They look like they were painted by several people, no 2 designs match.
4. They’re Balls!! —->Image: 2ahzcli.jpg

My.

Well, that was nice of her. I guess.

59 Dancing along the light of day  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:20:05pm

re: #56 sanfranciscozionist

You can put them on hardship deferral, and need to do it NOW.
Seriously, take an hour, put your finances on paper & either call or email Dave.
He will make your life easier, or at least tell you how to go in a better direction. (Like putting your student loans on hardship deferral, IIRC, means you pay nothing, not even interest, until you are working again.)

60 Mark Pennington  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:20:22pm

re: #57 JasonA

Holy crap…

It did supply me and my wife with hysterical laughter tonight. She said my aunt will probably be giving me this for Christmas. [Link: www.bumpernuts.com…]

61 sanfranciscozionist  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:20:39pm

I requested on one of my Israel activism list that we not post blatantly partisan material. Ie, I really can find all the rants about how Jews need to vote Republican now because Obama is throwing Israel under the bus by myself, without assistance.

I hope I don’t get clobbered too badly. The gentleman doing this is a nice person, but he seems to think that we can’t locate the screeds by the guy who thinks AIPAC are lefty sellouts by ourselves.

62 Sol Berdinowitz  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:20:53pm

re: #10 beekiller

Wow. Bastards.

Did you ask for the check back? Sounds like a simple cashier’s screw-up.

63 Dancing along the light of day  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:21:13pm

re: #55 beekiller

Can they be returned for anything? Anything at all?

64 sanfranciscozionist  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:21:32pm

re: #60 beekiller

It did supply me and my wife with hysterical laughter tonight. She said my aunt will probably be giving me this for Christmas. [Link: www.bumpernuts.com…]

What if your car is a girl? Or shouldn’t I ask?

65 Mark Pennington  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:21:49pm

re: #58 sanfranciscozionist

My.

Well, that was nice of her. I guess.

LOL She means well but she has very tacky taste.

66 Dancing along the light of day  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:21:57pm

Goodnight, for real, this time!

67 sanfranciscozionist  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:22:06pm

re: #62 ralphieboy

Did you ask for the check back? Sounds like a simple cashier’s screw-up.

They gave me the check back. I fear I may have shredded it, though.

68 Four More Tears  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:22:25pm

re: #60 beekiller

It did supply me and my wife with hysterical laughter tonight. She said my aunt will probably be giving me this for Christmas. [Link: www.bumpernuts.com…]

First of all, I’ve never had the displeasure of seeing those on a vehicle. *round of pleasure for the great NY area*
Second, whoever had that disgusting idea is now a rich man, sitting on a beach, earning twenty percent…

69 Mark Pennington  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:22:44pm

re: #63 Floral Giraffe

Can they be returned for anything? Anything at all?

I hope so because my wife said our kitchen will not be a testicle theme. :D

70 sanfranciscozionist  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:23:19pm

re: #68 JasonA

First of all, I’ve never had the displeasure of seeing those on a vehicle. *round of pleasure for the great NY area*
Second, whoever had that disgusting idea is now a rich man, sitting on a beach, earning twenty percent…

I just hope he was already married at the time he got the idea, because otherwise, when his sweetheart’s parents ask what he does for a living, there’s gonna be an awkward silence.

71 Mark Pennington  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:23:23pm

re: #64 sanfranciscozionist

What if your car is a girl? Or shouldn’t I ask?

I think these gross things actually come in pink.

72 Four More Tears  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:24:19pm

re: #71 beekiller

I think these gross things actually come in pink.

Uhhh… that’s not how this works. :P

73 sanfranciscozionist  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:24:25pm

re: #71 beekiller

I think these gross things actually come in pink.

So a female car gets pink testicles? Well, OK. Makes as much sense as ‘blue balls are for married men’.

74 Nimed  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:24:35pm

re: #61 sanfranciscozionist

I requested on one of my Israel activism list that we not post blatantly partisan material. Ie, I really can find all the rants about how Jews need to vote Republican now because Obama is throwing Israel under the bus by myself, without assistance.

I hope I don’t get clobbered too badly. The gentleman doing this is a nice person, but he seems to think that we can’t locate the screeds by the guy who thinks AIPAC are lefty sellouts by ourselves.

Geesh. AIPAC lefty sellouts, hu?
But there’s J Street now, right? That will supposedly change some of it.

75 Irenicum  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:24:38pm

Likewise, g’nite kiddo’s. As always, work beckons t’morrow.

76 Mark Pennington  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:25:06pm

re: #68 JasonA

First of all, I’ve never had the displeasure of seeing those on a vehicle. *round of pleasure for the great NY area*
Second, whoever had that disgusting idea is now a rich man, sitting on a beach, earning twenty percent…

I agree. I wouldn’t be caught dead with that on my car.

77 sanfranciscozionist  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:25:12pm

re: #74 Nimed

Geesh. AIPAC lefty sellouts, hu?
But there’s J Street now, right? That will supposedly change some of it.

J Street is beyond lefty as far as this gentleman is concerned.

78 Four More Tears  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:26:29pm

re: #76 beekiller

I agree. I wouldn’t be caught dead with that on my car.

Funny thing is if someone tried to sell truck vaginas they’d be stopped cold.

79 Mark Pennington  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:27:30pm

re: #78 JasonA

Funny thing is if someone tried to sell truck vaginas they’d be stopped cold.

Zing!

80 sanfranciscozionist  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:27:33pm

re: #59 Floral Giraffe

You can put them on hardship deferral, and need to do it NOW.
Seriously, take an hour, put your finances on paper & either call or email Dave.
He will make your life easier, or at least tell you how to go in a better direction. (Like putting your student loans on hardship deferral, IIRC, means you pay nothing, not even interest, until you are working again.)

I am working, though.

Will get in touch with Dave.

81 Four More Tears  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:28:10pm

Time for something a little light-hearted and goofy.

Youtube Video
82 sanfranciscozionist  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:30:23pm

OK. I’m going to bed.

83 Four More Tears  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:32:14pm

I’m out.

Peace.

84 Nimed  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:32:35pm

re: #77 sanfranciscozionist

J Street is beyond lefty as far as this gentleman is concerned.

Probably beyond Jew too.

85 Irenicum  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:39:52pm

Hmm, tomorrow’s markets look “interesting.” Methinks we may be in for some interesting times. I have no interests at stake, so I see this as a spectator. But still; as a citizen of the USA, it’s a strange time indeed.

86 Mark Pennington  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:41:19pm

Good-night from me too. I leave you with comedy…Maya Rudolph(my favorite cast member!) formerly of SNL singing the National Anthem. This never fails to make me laugh.

[Link: www.hulu.com…]

87 Sol Berdinowitz  Mon, May 10, 2010 11:50:16pm

Long before they hung testicles off the bumpers, they had babez on da hood:

[Link: northstargallery.com…]

88 Cato the Elder  Tue, May 11, 2010 12:40:30am

re: #85 Irenicum

Hmm, tomorrow’s markets look “interesting.” Methinks we may be in for some interesting times. I have no interests at stake, so I see this as a spectator. But still; as a citizen of the USA, it’s a strange time indeed.

Too bad Sigma blew it here. He could have eerily, presciently predicted something or other.

He’s an ex-Sigma now.

89 Sol Berdinowitz  Tue, May 11, 2010 1:44:01am

Dead Thread. Everyone in bed…

It really seems that since there is very little inherent value behind the US economy to lend any shape or direction to the stock market, it has been left wide open to the sort of speculative roller coaster rides we have seen here.

Gotta get back to work here.

90 freetoken  Tue, May 11, 2010 1:50:21am
MP3 Audio
91 freetoken  Tue, May 11, 2010 1:55:28am
MP3 Audio
92 freetoken  Tue, May 11, 2010 1:56:49am
MP3 Audio
93 laZardo  Tue, May 11, 2010 2:30:26am

And speaking of “Why, God, Why!?”

It’s official: a family name alone is enough to get you the presidency in the Philippines.

94 Sheepdogess  Tue, May 11, 2010 2:34:44am

re: #60 beekiller

I was just talking about these the other day. Teenagers think they are soooo coool. I think they are tacky as hell. What’s next? I’ll let you use your imagination.

95 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:14:37am

re: #94 Sheepdogess

I saw a pair of those the other day. I’ve also seen them in chrome.

Why the hell hasn’t anyone made them in brass? That makes the most sense to me.

Stupid as hell, tho.

96 rwdflynavy  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:14:44am

Good Morning to Charles Personal Private Reptilian Legion,

It is morning on the East Coast. We’ll take it from here.

97 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:17:44am

Morning lizards - another day, another landslide of karma

98 Taqyia2Me  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:19:53am

re: #97 vinnievin

Here’s hoping it’s all good kharma!

99 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:19:57am

I predicted Sigma X would sweep the bottom 10 yesterday. Me was right.

100 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:20:30am

re: #99 Cannadian Club Akbar

And good morning.

101 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:20:32am

I know some people will scream about linking the following site, but I thought the topic was worth discussing …

[Link: www.foxnews.com…]

World Health Organization Moving Ahead on Billions in Internet and Other Taxes

Thoughts?

102 Taqyia2Me  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:22:28am

re: #99 Cannadian Club Akbar

I predicted Sigma X would sweep the bottom 10 yesterday. Me was right.

More than a wee bit of paranoia with that one, there was.

103 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:24:20am

re: #101 vinnievin

The UN will do whatever it can to steal our money. Toothless agency.

104 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:25:14am

re: #102 Taqyia2Me

More than a wee bit of paranoia with that one, there was.

He was “this close” to a flounce.

105 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:25:19am

re: #102 Taqyia2Me

More than a wee bit of paranoia with that one, there was.

Yeah, that was quite a meltdown of Chernobyl proportions.

I made a comment about how it was pretty sadistic to see some of the posters taunt him further, and I got a few downdings myself. Made me think that maybe my time could be better spent in a myriad of ways.

I came to have some fun but mostly hear contrasting thoughts and opinions, not to revisit the grade school playground.

106 Taqyia2Me  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:25:53am

re: #101 vinnievin

In a related story, gout treatments skyrocket amongst the elite ruling class. Those tax dollars at work.
/

107 Taqyia2Me  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:29:41am

re: #105 vinnievin

Yeah, that was quite a meltdown of Chernobyl proportions.

I made a comment about how it was pretty sadistic to see some of the posters taunt him further, and I got a few downdings myself. Made me think that maybe my time could be better spent in a myriad of ways.

I came to have some fun but mostly hear contrasting thoughts and opinions, not to revisit the grade school playground.

It seems the dogpile lives.
(agree that Sig_x’s commenting would have been better left to stink on their own merit)

108 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:30:05am

Has anyone used godaddy.com as a web host? I re-registered a domain name last night. Also, talked to them. They said it is easy to do a web site. (blog)

109 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:30:33am

re: #106 Taqyia2Me

Gout ain’t funny, maaan…

Dr. told me to cut back on organ meats. Told him, not a problem. Then he told me to cut back on alcohol. I called him an asshole and stormed out of his office (well, as much as one can storm out of anywhere with an Igor-esque limp).

110 Sol Berdinowitz  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:30:52am

re: #107 Taqyia2Me

It seems the dogpile lives.
(agree that Sig_x’s commenting would have been better left to stink on their own merit)

Ignorance is bliss, ignoring is blissful.

111 rwdflynavy  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:31:56am

re: #104 Cannadian Club Akbar

He was “this close” to a flounce.


Can you really blame him!? I mean the lizards took down the entire Twitter network worldwide just to delete his followers!!!!!11!!!
//

112 rwdflynavy  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:33:04am

re: #108 Cannadian Club Akbar

Has anyone used godaddy.com as a web host? I re-registered a domain name last night. Also, talked to them. They said it is easy to do a web site. (blog)


I have used them for years. Easy to use and inexpensive.

113 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:33:35am

re: #108 Cannadian Club Akbar

Has anyone used godaddy.com as a web host? I re-registered a domain name last night. Also, talked to them. They said it is easy to do a web site. (blog)

They do have a pretty simple system. They are to web hosting as T-ball is to baseball (if that makes any sense).

114 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:34:41am

re: #112 rwdflynavy

I have used them for years. Easy to use and inexpensive.

re: #112 rwdflynavy

I have used them for years. Easy to use and inexpensive.

Really? I asked about hosting. I asked about a comment section. They said yes. I had a domain name for years. It was still there. Heh.

115 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:35:27am

re: #113 vinnievin

They do have a pretty simple system. They are to web hosting as T-ball is to baseball (if that makes any sense).

re: #113 vinnievin

They do have a pretty simple system. They are to web hosting as T-ball is to baseball (if that makes any sense).

Gotcha. I love baseball. Great analogy.

116 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:38:41am

re: #111 rwdflynavy

Can you really blame him!? I mean the lizards took down the entire Twitter network worldwide just to delete his followers!!!11!!!
//

It was really a vain complaint too … I mean, who really cares about losing twitter followers? One should be more concerned if the person who ‘hacked into his account’ started linking to naked pics of his mom. Now that would be funny.

117 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:40:41am

re: #116 vinnievin

You’ve got naked pictures of his mom?

118 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:43:07am

re: #117 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

You’ve got naked pictures of his mom?

Wanna buy some? I got naked pics of everyone’s mom. Prove they ain’t - show me the real McCoy and I’ll digress.
/

119 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:43:53am

re: #116 vinnievin

He settled down after Charles sent him a message.

120 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:45:52am

re: #116 vinnievin

It was really a vain complaint too … I mean, who really cares about losing twitter followers? One should be more concerned if the person who ‘hacked into his account’ started linking to naked pics of his mom. Now that would be funny.

I’m just saying, his accusations made about as much sense as if he would have said: You guys found my house and took my newspaper! It’s always right outside at the end of my driveway … who took it? WHO TOOK IT!?!?!?!

And then of course he learns that the paperboy was out sick that day.

121 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:46:51am

re: #120 vinnievin

I’m just saying, his accusations made about as much sense as if he would have said: You guys found my house and took my newspaper! It’s always right outside at the end of my driveway … who took it? WHO TOOK IT!?!?!?!

And then of course he learns that the paperboy was out sick that day.

re: #120 vinnievin

I’m just saying, his accusations made about as much sense as if he would have said: You guys found my house and took my newspaper! It’s always right outside at the end of my driveway … who took it? WHO TOOK IT!?!?!?!

And then of course he learns that the paperboy was out sick that day.

GET OFF MY LAWN!!!
/

122 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:47:49am

re: #119 Cannadian Club Akbar

He settled down after Charles sent him a message.

Yeah I saw that. I am trying to make light of it. Is there any history whatsoever of posters accessing other posters’ accounts here?

123 Taqyia2Me  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:48:21am

re: #109 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Sorry, FBV…I’ll work to draw other comparisons in the future.

124 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:48:44am

re: #122 vinnievin

re: #122 vinnievin

Not that I know of.

125 rwdflynavy  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:49:02am

re: #122 vinnievin

Yeah I saw that. I am trying to make light of it. Is there any history whatsoever of posters accessing other posters’ accounts here?

I do it all the time. Then I replace everything with exact duplicates so no one ever knows….

126 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:50:21am

This mouse is a POS. Doubles everything. Fuck.

127 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:51:40am

re: #125 rwdflynavy

I do it all the time. Then I replace everything with exact duplicates so no one ever knows…

Do you live at the end of a one-way street?

128 NJDhockeyfan  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:51:42am

re: #126 Cannadian Club Akbar

This mouse is a POS. Doubles everything. Fuck.

That sucks.

That sucks.

129 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:52:22am

re: #126 Cannadian Club Akbar

This mouse is a POS. Doubles everything. Fuck.

I was thinking it was PEBCAK?

130 NJDhockeyfan  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:53:04am

B.B. King is coming to Charlottesville. I’m thinking about going.

131 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:53:07am

re: #129 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

I was thinking it was PEBCAK?

OK. I’ll ask. What?

132 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:54:26am

re: #131 Cannadian Club Akbar

OK. I’ll ask. What?

AKA the nut behind the wheel.

133 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:55:20am

re: #131 Cannadian Club Akbar

OK. I’ll ask. What?

Problem Exists Between Chair And Keyboard

Also known as the I-D-10-T error.

134 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:55:46am

re: #131 Cannadian Club Akbar

OK. I’ll ask. What?

Problem Exists Between Chair And Keyboard.

135 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:57:11am

re: #132 vinnievin

re: #133 vinnievin

re: #134 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

This ain’t my first rodeo!! Heh.

136 sandbox  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:57:50am

See Obama Wakes Up on Possible New Terror Attacks
by Ralph Peters

[Link: www.nypost.com…]

137 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 4:58:39am

re: #136 sandbox

See Obama Wakes Up on Possible New Terror Attacks
by Ralph Peters

[Link: www.nypost.com…]

Love a good lingerie ad - thx

138 NJDhockeyfan  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:00:44am

re: #136 sandbox

See Obama Wakes Up on Possible New Terror Attacks
by Ralph Peters

[Link: www.nypost.com…]

Spot on!

… A week ago, failed Times Square bomber Faisal Shahzad wasn’t even a Muslim, but a 40-something white male and, as Mayor Bloomberg insisted, probably an opponent of ObamaCare.

Then, after Shahzad’s apprehension, we were told that he was just another “one-off” in the tradition of Islamist terrorists who aren’t really Islamist terrorists at all, but distraught homeowners unable to meet mortgage payments or victims of our prejudice (such as Maj. Nidal Hassan, the traitor and butcher of Fort Hood).

Even generals who knew better lined up to deny that Shahzad was part of a terror network.

Then wham! Over the weekend, the Obama administration unleashed a reverse-course media offensive — deploying Attorney General Eric Holder, terror czar John Brennan, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and plentiful back-channel messages from staffers.

Instead of Shahzad being a one-off, Brennan tied him to the Pakistani Taliban and stressed to TV viewers that there are dangers we’re “taking very seriously.”

Clinton and others warned Pakistan that it must crack down on militant strongholds in North Waziristan, hinting that Islamabad’s failure to do so might lead to direct US intervention in Cambodia (uh, sorry, that’s Pakistan).

But the administration’s biggest policy reversal to date came from Holder, the longtime advocate of terrorist “rights,” who offered one of the most belated acknowledgments in history when he told a TV network, “We’re now dealing with international terrorism.”

Holder, of all people, now wants Congress to change the rules for Miranda rights, giving the government more time under a “public-safety exception” to permit extended questioning of terrorist suspects before arming them with lawyers.

…

139 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:01:51am

re: #136 sandbox

See Obama Wakes Up on Possible New Terror Attacks
by Ralph Peters

[Link: www.nypost.com…]

I think they are trained to, if caught, state that there are many more events to come - to get maximum yield from the act. We then must fail safe (maybe I could find a better term that doesn’t have the ‘f’ word in it).

140 NJDhockeyfan  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:02:49am

Meanwhile out in Afghanistan the RoP are spreading peace…

Afghan girls hit again by suspected gas attack

KABUL - Dozens of schoolgirls in Afghanistan were admitted to hospital on Tuesday after two suspected poisonous gas attacks on schools, officials said, the latest in a spate of similar incidents.

Thirty schoolgirls in the northern city of Kunduz and six in Kabul were admitted to hospital, health officials and the interior ministry said.

“Others are also coming in. We don’t know the exact number of girls affected, it could be many. It’s a similar incident to what happened in Kabul and Kunduz last week,” said Homayun Khamosh, head of the Kunduz city hospital where girls were admitted.

141 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:03:04am

re: #139 vinnievin

I think they are trained to, if caught, state that there are many more events to come - to get maximum yield from the act. We then must fail safe (maybe I could find a better term that doesn’t have the ‘f’ word in it).

I am referring to this passage:
First, the administration has plainly realized that the terror danger is much higher than it believed one week ago.
Second, it means that Shahzad really has been talking — almost certainly tipping us that there are more America-bound terror trainees out there (or already here) and letting us fit together important pieces of the intelligence puzzle.
Third, the White House obviously fears more terror attacks sooner rather than later.

142 MandyManners  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:03:34am

GAH. The word “decimation” has been used and abused beyond belief.

143 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:04:17am

re: #140 NJDhockeyfan

Meanwhile out in Afghanistan the RoP are spreading peace…

Afghan girls hit again by suspected gas attack

It takes real men to attack girls.
/
*spit*

144 rwdflynavy  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:05:05am

re: #138 NJDhockeyfan

Holder, of all people, now wants Congress to change the rules for Miranda rights, giving the government more time under a “public-safety exception” to permit extended questioning of terrorist suspects before arming them with lawyers.

I heard the bit about Holder wanting to change the rules for Miranda yesterday and thought: “Can you even imagine the huh and cry if a Republican administration tried to do that…”

145 rwdflynavy  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:05:23am

re: #142 MandyManners

GAH. The word “decimation” has been used and abused beyond belief.


NAZIS!!!

146 MandyManners  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:06:37am

re: #140 NJDhockeyfan

Meanwhile out in Afghanistan the RoP are spreading peace…

Afghan girls hit again by suspected gas attack

Slimey motherfuckers.

147 MandyManners  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:07:18am

re: #145 rwdflynavy

NAZIS!!!

10%

148 NJDhockeyfan  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:08:06am

re: #144 rwdflynavy

I heard the bit about Holder wanting to change the rules for Miranda yesterday and thought: “Can you even imagine the huh and cry if a Republican administration tried to do that…”

There would be extreme outrage from the left. Remember what happened when wiretapping hit the headlines?

149 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:08:32am

re: #144 rwdflynavy

I heard the bit about Holder wanting to change the rules for Miranda yesterday and thought: “Can you even imagine the huh and cry if a Republican administration tried to do that…”

Kind of sickening how many times you can use that phrase.

Another recent application is in the comparison of Elena Kagan to Harriett Myers. Completely different sides of the spectrum, but both were clerks for judges listed as experience for being a judge in the supreme court.

I wonder if the Reps will display as much hypocrisy about this as the Dems are. My guess is … absolutely they will!

150 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:09:42am

re: #149 vinnievin

Kind of sickening how many times you can use that phrase.

Another recent application is in the comparison of Elena Kagan to Harriett Myers. Completely different sides of the spectrum, but both were clerks for judges listed as experience for being a judge in the supreme court.

I wonder if the Reps will display as much hypocrisy about this as the Dems are. My guess is … absolutely they will!

umm, grammar police, I see my mistake, please, no ticket …

151 sandbox  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:10:04am

re: #144 rwdflynavy

The next thing you know Holder will reverse himself on trying KSM et al in civilian courts, and send them back to military commissions.

152 rwdflynavy  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:10:41am

re: #151 sandbox

The next thing you know Holder will reverse himself on trying KSM et al in civilian courts, and send them back to military commissions.

Sounds good to me!!

153 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:10:53am

re: #151 sandbox

The next thing you know Holder will reverse himself on trying KSM et al in civilian courts, and send them back to military commissions.

Or maybe keep Gitmo open … or use drones more often … or continue with renditions … or … or … or …

154 MandyManners  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:11:38am

HUE

155 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:11:59am

re: #153 vinnievin

Or maybe keep Gitmo open … or use drones more often … or continue with renditions … or … or … or …

Memory hole.

156 MandyManners  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:12:13am

re: #153 vinnievin

Or maybe keep Gitmo open … or use drones more often … or continue with renditions … or … or … or …

Follow the policies of the Bush Administration.

157 MandyManners  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:12:39am

Gotta’ git.

158 sandbox  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:13:14am

re: #153 vinnievin

Sorry Vinnie, the morning shift at LGF tends to taking the war with radical islam more seriously than the pm time posters. We’re trying to understand the reason for that.

159 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:14:45am

re: #156 MandyManners

Follow the policies of the Bush Administration.

I just imagine Obama, after campaigning so fiercely against so many Bush policies, getting ushered into his first highly classified security briefing and walking out with the thought … “Oh. NOW I get it.”

160 Walter L. Newton  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:15:39am

re: #153 vinnievin

Or maybe keep Gitmo open … or use drones more often … or continue with renditions … or … or … or …

Or continue to give environmental waivers to oil drilling companies…

Since spill, feds have given 27 waivers to oil companies in gulf

[Link: www.mcclatchydc.com…]

161 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:16:00am

re: #159 vinnievin

I just imagine Obama, after campaigning so fiercely against so many Bush policies, getting ushered into his first highly classified security briefing and walking out with the thought … “Oh. NOW I get it.”

He did that.

162 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:16:15am

re: #158 sandbox

Sorry Vinnie, the morning shift at LGF tends to taking the war with radical islam more seriously than the pm time posters. We’re trying to understand the reason for that.

I have a couple theories about that. But it will earn me downdings in the long run …

I need to use my sarcasm tags more often. But I agree - it ain’t no joke.

163 NJDhockeyfan  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:16:26am

re: #146 MandyManners

Slimey motherfuckers.

Speaking of Slimey motherfuckers…

Colossal squid is a big lazy blob

164 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:19:10am

How about that Mullah Omar?

Turns out that we knew that Pakistan had him weeks ago, yet Sec Clinton said something pretty silly just last weekend, that they were holding back on us. Je ne comprendre pas cette choses ….

165 Walter L. Newton  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:19:22am

And, the weather for the Rocky Mountains 30-100 miles west of Denver… National Weather Service says there is a big spring storm on the way for frountrange and the mountains. The Foothills and Mountains could get up to 24in. Heavy wet snow.

Two feet or snow folks… May 11th… I hope it doesn’t start until after LOST tonight, or that at least the power lines hold out until after LOST tonight.

166 compound idaho  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:20:05am

re: #144 rwdflynavy

I heard the bit about Holder wanting to change the rules for Miranda yesterday and thought: “Can you even imagine the huh and cry if a Republican administration tried to do that…”

Question
Do I have the right to remain silent before I am mirandized or only after? or is it strickly an issue of how the statements may be used in court?

167 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:20:22am

re: #165 Walter L. Newton

And, the weather for the Rocky Mountains 30-100 miles west of Denver… National Weather Service says there is a big spring storm on the way for frountrange and the mountains. The Foothills and Mountains could get up to 24in. Heavy wet snow.

Two feet or snow folks… May 11th… I hope it doesn’t start until after LOST tonight, or that at least the power lines hold out until after LOST tonight.

You can catch the episode online in a couple of days if you lose power. Fewer commercials.

168 Walter L. Newton  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:20:51am

re: #164 vinnievin

How about that Mullah Omar?

Turns out that we knew that Pakistan had him weeks ago, yet Sec Clinton said something pretty silly just last weekend, that they were holding back on us. Je ne comprendre pas cette choses …

Ils sont des politiciens.

169 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:21:21am

re: #160 Walter L. Newton

Or continue to give environmental waivers to oil drilling companies…

Since spill, feds have given 27 waivers to oil companies in gulf

[Link: www.mcclatchydc.com…]

Then there is this…
[Link: www.businessweek.com…]

170 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:21:47am

re: #166 compound idaho

Question
Do I have the right to remain silent before I am mirandized or only after? or is it strickly an issue of how the statements may be used in court?

I would think you can not say anything at any time, as long as you can handle a little waterboarding … /

I think it is solely a legal issue about what is admissible in court.

171 Renaissance_Man  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:22:46am

re: #101 vinnievin

I know some people will scream about linking the following site, but I thought the topic was worth discussing …

[Link: www.foxnews.com…]

World Health Organization Moving Ahead on Billions in Internet and Other Taxes

Thoughts?

It’s a great how-to on how to write an article to push people’s buttons.

Wealth transfer! Overspending! Financial disarray! Wealth transfer! A huge bite out of global consumers!!!

It’s tripe. It’s just another overhyped article in the constant bombardment of fearmongering about OLIGARHY and NEW WORLD ORDER and FOREIGNERS TAKIN UR MONEY. It hits all the buttons. Buzzwords such as ‘wealth transfer’? Check. Blame disease in poor countries on ‘abysmal living conditions’ - in other words, their own fault? Check. Insert a lot of editorial bias while trumpeting the slogan ‘Fair and Balanced’ at the top of the page? Check.

The financial report makes a few suggestions. That’s all. It has no power to directly send stormtroopers out to forcibly transfer your wealth to corrupt brown people. It spends half a page out of 19 noting a few ideas that member nations have either tried or suggested to raise funds. Of course, the idea of taxes is so anathema that it’s easy to beat that up into another scare story about the New World Order. Especially when you add further scare stories about the ‘massive financial disarray’ and corruption, which is an easy play because it’s a KnownFactTM that all foreign organisations are corrupt and evil.

Some perspective, if you will: The budget for the WHO is $5 billion. The budget for the Pentagon is $700 billion. The amount of money they are asking for, overall, to coordinate health efforts on a global scale is a very small amount. The number of people that die from curable, communicable disease worldwide is staggering. It’s a lot more than the number that die from diabetes, erectile dysfunction, or gastric reflux. It may even be more than the number of good, decent, free people that are tortured to death in the UN’s seekrit commie prisons, though I have no numbers to support that assertion. And yes, they note that they have some organisational waste and problems. Their plan to fix it notes that they will see improvement in a year. If you picked any US Department (pick your favourite, the one you think wastes the most money and should be eliminated) and they had a plan to improve their efficiency and reduce their waste and it only took a year to do, you’d be ecstatic. We’d all be ecstatic. (Except, of course, those who think the sun never shines during whatever the current Administration is.)

Furthermore, contrary to what this brilliant FOX editor suggests, the problem with communicable disease is not as simple as his three lines - ‘the cures are already found, but these poor people live in such terrible conditions that it’s all their fault they get sick’ - suggests. I know, it’s hard to believe that global health isn’t that simple. Cures are often no longer effective. They’re often worse than the disease. And they’re usually not even manufactured, because it’s more profitable to make wrinkle cream than it is to save the lives of thousands of poor people.

I’m not going to blame rich nations for the woes of poor nations. Nor do I believe that flinging endless money at the problem fixes anything. But this is the World Health Organisation, not the Communist People’s Liberation Front for Taxing Rich Americans to Death. Their requests are fairly reasonable and their goals worthy ones. And this endless scaremongering against all things foreign is unbecoming.

172 Walter L. Newton  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:22:49am

re: #167 vinnievin

You can catch the episode online in a couple of days if you lose power. Fewer commercials.

I have DSL up here in the mountains, it streams a bit jerky sometimes, depending on the user loading on the loop in my neighborhood…. prefer not watching it that way… but I have.

173 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:23:23am

re: #168 Walter L. Newton

Ils sont des politiciens.

Oui, ‘est vrai - aussi, beaucoup triste. Mais, que peut-on faire?

174 Liberal Classic  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:23:48am

re: #159 vinnievin

I just imagine Obama, after campaigning so fiercely against so many Bush policies, getting ushered into his first highly classified security briefing and walking out with the thought … “Oh. NOW I get it.”

I think you’re probably right. I bet first thing the president does after being sworn into office is he gets “The Briefing” in which high-ranking officials from the military and intelligence services lay our who we have in custody and why, who we’re still after and why, etc.

There’s no doubt the president leans left politically. But political leanings and what you can actually accomplish in the office are two different things. For one, remember that we still have a system of checks and balances. The president is not the king. His powers are limited by law. His powers are also limited by a web of trust and support of those people who work for him in the intelligence services and military.

All of these things tend to have a moderating effect on the office of president. That the current president is affected by these moderating factors tells me that he is not a completely insane narcissist, as some of the ODS people would have us believe. I thought the same thing about Bush also.

175 Walter L. Newton  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:24:26am

re: #169 Cannadian Club Akbar

Then there is this…
[Link: www.businessweek.com…]

Already saw that over the weekend. Business as usual. If all the partisans on LGF would just get off our soapboxes for a few minutes, we really would be all standing on the same side of our soapboxes.

I’ll say it over and over… look up plutocracy and kleptocracy.

176 Walter L. Newton  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:25:18am

re: #173 vinnievin

Oui, ‘est vrai - aussi, beaucoup triste. Mais, que peut-on faire?

Not much legal.

177 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:25:54am

re: #171 Renaissance_Man

Thx for the analysis. My eyes kinda glazed over after the third or fourth paragraph. Then I just downloaded the pdf files for future reference.

178 Walter L. Newton  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:26:20am

re: #173 vinnievin

Oui, ‘est vrai - aussi, beaucoup triste. Mais, que peut-on faire?

D’où êtes vous

179 NJDhockeyfan  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:27:08am

Afghanistan Grapples with “Honor Rape”

The Muslim world is full of violent, graphic and alarming stories of ‘honor killings’, in which young woman are killed by male family members for dishonoring the family.

‘Honor rape’, in which the gang rape of a woman is used as a tool of social punishment, is spoken of less.

Almost unheard of is an ‘honor killing’ or ‘honor rape’ of a man.

But the northern Afghanistan province of Jowzjan is grappling with just that, after the sons of the region’s governor and police chief were found having sex with two women almost a month ago in the Dasht-i Leile desert, north of the provincial capital Shiberghan.

According to local media reports, a man named Yama, the 30-year-old son of the Jowzjan governor, and his friend Hashmatullah, the 28-year-old son of the provincial police chief, was seen by local herdsmen having sex with 24-year old Shokreya and 22-year-old Jamila.

The herdsmen allegedly stole the men’s guns and money and gang raped them in retribution for the ‘dishonor’ they had committed by having sex with the two young women.

“The farmers tore the clothes of the two young men with sickles and raped them,” a local official told Pajhwok Afghan News. The herdsmen later described to local organizations that the attack was an ‘honor rape.’

As the story goes, the two men were left naked in the desert, only to return home covered by the women’s burqas and unable to sit down due to their injuries. The two women were reportedly unharmed, but told to leave the area within two weeks.

Muhammad Hashim Zare, the provincial governor, has refused to comment on the case, but his spokesperson Mahboobullah Zare has claimed that the governor is being targeted as part of a political smear campaign.

180 Walter L. Newton  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:27:37am

re: #173 vinnievin

Oui, ‘est vrai - aussi, beaucoup triste. Mais, que peut-on faire?

P.S. don’t get too fancy. My French is a combination of tourist French, better French reading skills than verbal French speaking skills and Babel-fish.

181 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:30:13am

re: #171 Renaissance_Man


Furthermore, contrary to what this brilliant FOX editor suggests, the problem with communicable disease is not as simple as his three lines - ‘the cures are already found, but these poor people live in such terrible conditions that it’s all their fault they get sick’ - suggests. I know, it’s hard to believe that global health isn’t that simple. Cures are often no longer effective. They’re often worse than the disease. And they’re usually not even manufactured, because it’s more profitable to make wrinkle cream than it is to save the lives of thousands of poor people.

One more thought (although I might have another in a minute or two) … this hits close to home. I have been living in Africa for a couple of years now, just came home for the birth of my daughter. My wife works for an NGO, and the truth is that many of the deaths are completely preventable. Mosquito nets, treatment for malaria, education about health medicine and farming, clean running water, access to doctors and supplies, these things we completely take for granted. Where I live, we now have the lowest human development index, and the only country worse for delivering mothers is Afghanistan. Families have several children with the expectation that some will die. It is a completely different mindset, and so frickin sad that these problems exist.

182 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:32:30am

re: #174 Liberal Classic

I think you’re probably right. I bet first thing the president does after being sworn into office is he gets “The Briefing” in which high-ranking officials from the military and intelligence services lay our who we have in custody and why, who we’re still after and why, etc.

There’s no doubt the president leans left politically. But political leanings and what you can actually accomplish in the office are two different things. For one, remember that we still have a system of checks and balances. The president is not the king. His powers are limited by law. His powers are also limited by a web of trust and support of those people who work for him in the intelligence services and military.

All of these things tend to have a moderating effect on the office of president. That the current president is affected by these moderating factors tells me that he is not a completely insane narcissist, as some of the ODS people would have us believe. I thought the same thing about Bush also.

The uber-majority in both houses is reducing the system of checks and balances. I think the best government we can hope for right now is one where the political parties keep each other in check. That is not happening. All I can do is cross my fingers and hope some of this stuff they are doing has more positive effect than negative.

I guess I could carry around a big sign with typos too, but I got a real job … /

183 rwdflynavy  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:34:58am

re: #181 vinnievin

One more thought (although I might have another in a minute or two) … this hits close to home. I have been living in Africa for a couple of years now, just came home for the birth of my daughter. My wife works for an NGO, and the truth is that many of the deaths are completely preventable. Mosquito nets, treatment for malaria, education about health medicine and farming, clean running water, access to doctors and supplies, these things we completely take for granted. Where I live, we now have the lowest human development index, and the only country worse for delivering mothers is Afghanistan. Families have several children with the expectation that some will die. It is a completely different mindset, and so frickin sad that these problems exist.

DDT

184 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:37:08am

re: #178 Walter L. Newton

D’où êtes vous

Maintenant, Baton Rouge … mais j’habite au Niamey. Pardon, je parl le Francais Arfique. alors, la grammaire n’est pas juste -J’essaie, et d’apprendre tous les jours. C’est bon - le practique.

185 Renaissance_Man  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:37:33am

re: #181 vinnievin

One more thought (although I might have another in a minute or two) … this hits close to home. I have been living in Africa for a couple of years now, just came home for the birth of my daughter. My wife works for an NGO, and the truth is that many of the deaths are completely preventable. Mosquito nets, treatment for malaria, education about health medicine and farming, clean running water, access to doctors and supplies, these things we completely take for granted. Where I live, we now have the lowest human development index, and the only country worse for delivering mothers is Afghanistan. Families have several children with the expectation that some will die. It is a completely different mindset, and so frickin sad that these problems exist.

Exactly right. The problems are ghastly, and while we can’t wave a wand and fix them, nor can we toss money at the problems till they’re gone, we can and should do more. The goals of the WHO are worthy ones. They’re worth $5 billion or so out of the economy of the whole planet, at least. Getting people’s panties in bunches through misleading articles to maintain the narrative is shameful.

186 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:38:44am

re: #180 Walter L. Newton

P.S. don’t get too fancy. My French is a combination of tourist French, better French reading skills than verbal French speaking skills and Babel-fish.

I have been studying for the last two years, but my tutors are not native speakers. Gotta love babelfish/google translate!

187 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:39:39am

re: #183 rwdflynavy

DDT

AMEN, BRUDDA!!!

188 Liberal Classic  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:40:25am

re: #182 vinnievin

The uber-majority in both houses is reducing the system of checks and balances. I think the best government we can hope for right now is one where the political parties keep each other in check. That is not happening. All I can do is cross my fingers and hope some of this stuff they are doing has more positive effect than negative.

I guess I could carry around a big sign with typos too, but I got a real job … /

Yeah, I’m a fan of divided government. I feel less comfortable when a single party controls both houses of congress and the presidency, too. When this happens, there seems to be a trend towards “agenda pushing” trying to get things done that couldn’t otherwise be accomplished when more robust opposition exists.

This is why I lament the direction the Republican party is taking. I don’t consider it healthy for American politics for one of the major parties to suffer a meltdown. I’m not worried about turning into a permanent one-party system. It’s just that until a viable opposition party organizes itself, the remaining party won’t have to make compromises or do other things to moderate itself to get things done.

189 rwdflynavy  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:41:28am

re: #187 vinnievin

AMEN, BRUDDA!!!

Silent Spring was a death sentence for millions of people.

190 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:41:31am

re: #185 Renaissance_Man

Exactly right. The problems are ghastly, and while we can’t wave a wand and fix them, nor can we toss money at the problems till they’re gone, we can and should do more. The goals of the WHO are worthy ones. They’re worth $5 billion or so out of the economy of the whole planet, at least. Getting people’s panties in bunches through misleading articles to maintain the narrative is shameful.

Problem is that these UN whores spend a large chunk of the money on $200 lunches, and then applaud each other when a fraction of the money given makes it to where it should be. Completely disgusting, the waste involved. Is one reason why I am so proud to be in the trenches making a difference and not feeding Sally Struthers with a room full of Snacky cakes.

Also, wife’s NGO has overhead of about 5% of the budget. Completely admirable.

191 NJDhockeyfan  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:41:39am

This may be a problem for Elena Kagan.

Law Review: One contingent hopes Kagan hearings revisit 9/11 case

At a time when the ideal Supreme Court nominee comes coated in Teflon, the better to fend off partisan attacks, Elena Kagan has a pretty good resume.

She has never served as a judge and her writings reveal little about how she would rule on the most ideologically divisive issues of the day. The absence of any meaningful paper trail, apart from things such as her decision as Harvard Law School dean to ban military recruiters, makes her less of a target.

Yet there is one legal case in Kagan’s background that to a small group of litigants constitutes a profound distortion of justice, a slap in the face that they say stings even now, one year later.

And they contend that the Senate Judiciary Committee should keep this case in mind, painful though it may be to revisit the matter, as it reviews Kagan’s nomination in the coming weeks.

It was on May 29 of last year that Kagan - as U.S. solicitor general - filed legal papers with the Supreme Court urging it not to hear arguments in a lawsuit against the government of Saudi Arabia brought by thousands of family members and other victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Days later, the Supreme Court rejected the case, following the lead of the solicitor general, as it often does in deciding whether to weigh in on a matter.

The Supreme Court decision effectively let stand lower-court rulings that the Saudi government and senior members of the Saudi royal family could not be sued by U.S. citizens - even if the plaintiffs had shown that millions of dollars in Saudi government money went to bankroll al-Qaeda in the years leading up to the Sept. 11 attacks.

“We were terribly disappointed with her ruling,” said Beverly Burnett, of Northfield, Minn., whose son, Tom, perished on United Flight 93 when it went down near Shanksville, Pa. “We had hoped she would be with us so that we could have our day in court.”

192 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:42:04am

DDT
[Link: en.wikipedia.org…]

193 Walter L. Newton  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:42:16am

re: #184 vinnievin

Maintenant, Baton Rouge … mais j’habite au Niamey. Pardon, je parl le Francais Arfique. alors, la grammaire n’est pas juste -J’essaie, et d’apprendre tous les jours. C’est bon - le practique.

My moms side of the family is from Naw Arlens… they go back to the LA territory to the middle 1700’s.

You speak/type it better than I can… like I said, I read it about 70 pecent accurate, at least get most of the context, speaking… tourist speak (Rick Steves method)… and the rest… Babel-fish

194 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:43:04am

re: #189 rwdflynavy

Silent Spring was a death sentence for millions of people.

The China Syndrome didn’t help either (I know, big tangent) …

this is dangerously close to a circus act, juggling so many rants at once …

195 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:44:46am

re: #194 vinnievin

China Syndrome
Silent Spring
See a common denominator?

196 rwdflynavy  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:45:05am

re: #195 Cannadian Club Akbar

China Syndrome
Silent Spring
See a common denominator?

Idiot Moonbats?

197 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:45:15am

re: #192 Cannadian Club Akbar

DDT
[Link: en.wikipedia.org…]

That fluff piece really overstates some facts … it isn’t as tragic as the alternative, which is over a million unnecessary deaths every year with no end in sight.

198 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:45:48am

re: #195 Cannadian Club Akbar

China Syndrome
Silent Spring
See a common denominator?

Umm … starts with an H and ends with an ollywood?

199 Bubblehead II  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:46:41am

Morning Lizards.

200 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:47:23am

Thanks to all who are helping offset the karma downdings from upsetting the nocturnal bedwetters.

201 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:47:37am

re: #196 rwdflynavy

Idiot Moonbats?


Yes.
re: #198 vinnievin

Umm … starts with an H and ends with an ollywood?


No.

202 Renaissance_Man  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:48:18am

re: #189 rwdflynavy

Silent Spring was a death sentence for millions of people.

DDT is still allowed and used to control malaria. Silent Spring hasn’t killed anyone.

203 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:49:09am

re: #201 Cannadian Club Akbar

Yes. No.

Often those terms - moonbats and hollywood - are synonymous.

204 garhighway  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:49:11am

re: #191 NJDhockeyfan

This may be a problem for Elena Kagan.

Law Review: One contingent hopes Kagan hearings revisit 9/11 case

Is it your impression that the position Kagan took was different than the position taken by her predecessors in that position?

205 Mad Al-Jaffee  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:49:21am

re: #189 rwdflynavy

Silent Spring was a death sentence for millions of people.

And Rachel Carson is considered a hero (usually by the same people who demonize Norman Borlaug for promoting genetically modified crops.)

206 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:51:08am

re: #203 vinnievin

Often those terms - moonbats and hollywood - are synonymous.

Good point.

207 Mad Al-Jaffee  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:52:38am

Silent Spring at 40: Rachel Carson’s classic is not aging well.

208 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:55:27am

re: #207 Mad Al-Jaffee

Silent Spring at 40: Rachel Carson’s classic is not aging well.

From the link:
In 1943 DDT famously stopped a typhus epidemic in Naples in its tracks shortly after the Allies invaded. DDT was hailed as the “wonder insecticide of World War II.”

209 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:55:34am

re: #202 Renaissance_Man

DDT is still allowed and used to control malaria. Silent Spring hasn’t killed anyone.

Sure, in 2006 the UN reversed themselves …
[Link: www.un.org…]

But then in 2009, they chose a new campaign slogan …
[Link: www.un.org…]

Wall Street Journal summarizes here ;;;
[Link: online.wsj.com…]

210 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:58:24am

I used to work for these fucks.

MSNBC Video
211 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:58:29am

re: #202 Renaissance_Man

DDT is still allowed and used to control malaria. Silent Spring hasn’t killed anyone.

And to say Silent Spring hasn’t killed anyone requires the adverb ‘directly’ - because indirectly, it is easy to argue that millions did die where DDT could have been used.

To make the argument, I would use the Socratic method and start with the question - why is malaria not a problem in the US?

212 reloadingisnotahobby  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:58:36am

I NEED A VACATION!!
Major job just shut down for Native American pit house!
Fremont Culture was very active here till the late17th century.
Finding some very cool stuff.
Sucks to be the General Contractor tho….

213 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:59:25am

re: #210 Cannadian Club Akbar

I used to work for these fucks.
[Link: www.msnbc.msn.com…]

I used to work for THESE fucks …
www.cnn.com

Isn’t it nice to use the past tense when saying that?

214 Walter L. Newton  Tue, May 11, 2010 5:59:51am

re: #212 reloadingisnotahobby

I NEED A VACATION!!
Major job just shut down for Native American pit house!
Fremont Culture was very active here till the late17th century.
Finding some very cool stuff.
Sucks to be the General Contractor tho…

Can you say NAPRA?

215 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:00:37am

re: #212 reloadingisnotahobby

I NEED A VACATION!!
Major job just shut down for Native American pit house!
Fremont Culture was very active here till the late17th century.
Finding some very cool stuff.
Sucks to be the General Contractor tho…

Cool. I mean, that sucks. I mean…wait, what?
/

216 Walter L. Newton  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:01:23am

re: #214 Walter L. Newton

Can you say NAPRA?

NAGPRA (oops)

217 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:01:42am

re: #213 vinnievin

I used to work for THESE fucks …
www.cnn.com

Isn’t it nice to use the past tense when saying that?

Yes. But I do have a bunch of movie posters. Heh.

218 NJDhockeyfan  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:02:09am

re: #204 garhighway

Is it your impression that the position Kagan took was different than the position taken by her predecessors in that position?

I don’t know what her predecessors’ position was. All I know is if I was one of the 9-11 victims who was part of the lawsuit I would be pissed.

219 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:02:24am

re: #217 Cannadian Club Akbar

Yes. But I do have a bunch of movie posters. Heh.

I got about 50 DVDs, unfortunately they are all Time Warner flicks …

220 rwdflynavy  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:02:37am

re: #202 Renaissance_Man

DDT is still allowed and used to control malaria. Silent Spring hasn’t killed anyone.

Go read up on DDT being banned in Africa (effectively by tying use to a loss of funds) as a result of the hysteria caused by the book and others in the environmental movement. Facts are stubborn things.

221 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:06:55am

Finally, some good news!!!
[Link: abcnews.go.com…]

222 Renaissance_Man  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:08:37am

re: #211 vinnievin

And to say Silent Spring hasn’t killed anyone requires the adverb ‘directly’ - because indirectly, it is easy to argue that millions did die where DDT could have been used.

To make the argument, I would use the Socratic method and start with the question - why is malaria not a problem in the US?

I was wrong - I only saw more recent reports noting the current use of DDT and the WHO endorsing it. Further research shows that DDT was once banned. My bad.

As to your question, malaria is not a problem in the US because the Plasmodium parasite is not endemic. Are you suggesting that it’s because of something else?

223 Mad Al-Jaffee  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:09:00am

re: #221 Cannadian Club Akbar

I hope that doesn’t get anyone pregnant.

224 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:10:02am

re: #222 Renaissance_Man

I was wrong - I only saw more recent reports noting the current use of DDT and the WHO endorsing it. Further research shows that DDT was once banned. My bad.

As to your question, malaria is not a problem in the US because the Plasmodium parasite is not endemic. Are you suggesting that it’s because of something else?

It is because before the ban. we bugbombed the hell out of the o****ry.

225 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:10:26am

re: #224 vinnievin

It is because before the ban. we bugbombed the hell out of the o****ry.

oops, country

226 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:12:38am

re: #225 vinnievin

China Syndrome
Silent Spring

Do you see the connection now?

227 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:17:26am

I just got a robocall. I hate those.

228 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:18:17am

re: #226 Cannadian Club Akbar

China Syndrome
Silent Spring

Do you see the connection now?

Maybe I am missing your point, but when I said Hollywood, what I meant was that in each case a media production swayed the thoughts and feelings of the population and enabled policies to take hold that were unjustified and counterproductive.

Silent Spring was used as the basis for banning the use of DDT, which indirectly led to millions of unnecessary deaths worldwide.

China Syndrome led to the halt of new nuclear power plant construction for decades, which led to who knows how many applications of fossil fuels and coal plants. It was completely counterproductive as far as ending dependency on foreign oil and embracing new technologies.

And if we don’t get over that nuclear xenophobia, how the hell are they going to power their high speed rail projects?

IMHO

229 pingjockey  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:22:19am

re: #227 Cannadian Club Akbar

I got a damn call from “refinance your debt” on my work cell! Apparently the company didn’t put all the company cell phones on the do not call list!

230 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:23:36am

re: #228 vinnievin

I was vague. Both are tied to environmentalist. I love the environment. I live in Florida. But knee jerk reactions to both are what’s fucked up.

231 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:25:30am

re: #229 pingjockey

The one I got was do reduce my credit card debt. I have none.

232 pingjockey  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:25:39am

Darwin Award nominee on the news. Wrasslin’ alligator and the gator took a chunk out of his arm.

233 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:26:43am

re: #232 pingjockey

Darwin Award nominee on the news. Wrasslin’ alligator and the gator took a chunk out of his arm.

Happened here (Tampa area). I posted the story yesterday morning.

234 pingjockey  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:26:52am

re: #231 Cannadian Club Akbar
I hate that shit, the call comes in and the number is restricted, so you can’t call the assholes back and give them what for!

235 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:28:33am

re: #230 Cannadian Club Akbar

I was vague. Both are tied to environmentalist. I love the environment. I live in Florida. But knee jerk reactions to both are what’s fucked up.

Okay, I can totally see that now. My scope was too narrow - I have a heavy media background, and I can spot subterfuge and typos from miles away. Guess I couldn’t see the forest for the trees … heh heh … eh …

236 pingjockey  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:28:41am

re: #233 Cannadian Club Akbar
Heh. Watching a show on animal planet last night, this fool was swimming with pirahanas and crocodiles. Then to top it off, he was trying to show a croc nest and mom was there. We were waiting to see if she was gonna get the camera man or the host!

237 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:30:00am

re: #234 pingjockey

I hate that shit, the call comes in and the number is restricted, so you can’t call the assholes back and give them what for!

Or if you ask for the manager, they just hang up.

That crap makes it hard for me to reach family from Africa. I use Skype, and they get the same reading on their caller ID as if I were a telemarketer.

238 Bubblehead II  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:30:58am

re: #234 pingjockey

I hate that shit, the call comes in and the number is restricted, so you can’t call the assholes back and give them what for!

Or the number does come across and it doesn’t accept incoming calls.

239 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:31:05am

re: #236 pingjockey

I always root for the wildlife.

240 pingjockey  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:31:41am

re: #237 vinnievin
That stinks. Saw your lite rail comment. IIRC, Puget Sound Transit spent billions in feasability studies and is just now getting the system going.

241 pingjockey  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:32:18am

re: #239 Cannadian Club Akbar
Yep. The dude did get bit by a turtle.

242 Locker  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:33:11am

Morning ya’ll. What’s new in the zoo?

243 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:33:57am

re: #240 pingjockey

That stinks. Saw your lite rail comment. IIRC, Puget Sound Transit spent billions in feasability studies and is just now getting the system going.

The No Agenda podcast (In the Morning!) has an awesome theory about this. Have you noticed the marketing ploy for train travel? Biden, Train Day, Obama speech, commercials … the propaganda is afoot.

244 pingjockey  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:34:07am

Try this on, got up at 3:30 am for a service call, Buger King. I was so filthy I had to come home and change and shower before going back to work!

245 Mad Al-Jaffee  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:34:39am

re: #242 Locker

Morning ya’ll. What’s new in the zoo?

A Baby Griffon Vulture Named Einstein

246 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:34:45am

re: #244 pingjockey

Try this on, got up at 3:30 am for a service call, Buger King. I was so filthy I had to come home and change and shower before going back to work!

what kind of work do you do?

247 pingjockey  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:35:35am

re: #243 vinnievin
I have no problem with lite rail, if you can do it without it turning into a boondoggle, and I haven’t seen that yet, except San Diego put in a trolley system that seems to work well and didn’t break the bank.

248 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:36:03am

re: #244 pingjockey

Try this on, got up at 3:30 am for a service call, Buger King. I was so filthy I had to come home and change and shower before going back to work!

A kid at work set a fryer on fire the other night. I thought the ANSUL system was gonna pop.

249 charlz  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:37:21am

re: #218 NJDhockeyfan

I don’t know what her predecessors’ position was. All I know is if I was one of the 9-11 victims who was part of the lawsuit I would be pissed.

That’s really stretching it to lay that position at her feet. The Solicitor Genereal is the Government’s attorney. They represent their client.

250 pingjockey  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:37:49am

re: #246 vinnievin
Fire suppression systems for restaurants. So the nozzles have to come out and be cleaned, same with these things called fuseable links. Those are kind of like a remote sensor to dump the system if there’s a fire and no one is there. So you are up in the exhaust/vent system. BK is one of the worst for grease, chain char broiler and all that entails!

251 Mad Al-Jaffee  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:38:15am

re: #248 Cannadian Club Akbar

A kid at work set a fryer on fire the other night. I thought the ANSUL system was gonna pop.

Was it one of these kids?

252 pingjockey  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:39:08am

re: #248 Cannadian Club Akbar
Those are my favorite system to service. Not a mechanical abortion like Range Guard or Kidde. Those systems you need 3 arms to rearm the system!

253 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:39:24am

re: #251 Mad Al-Jaffee

Was it one of these kids?

re: #251 Mad Al-Jaffee

Was it one of these kids?

Linky no worky.

254 Mad Al-Jaffee  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:39:59am

re: #253 Cannadian Club Akbar

Linky no worky.

It works for me.

Image: bb_burger_world.gif

255 Liberal Classic  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:40:51am

Medical marijuana stores firebombed in Montana
[Link: www.cnn.com…]

The Billings, Montana, City Council will take up the issue of regulating medical marijuana on Monday night in a meeting expected to be intense in the wake of the firebombings of two of the city’s medical marijuana storefronts in the last two days.

The southern Montana city’s dispensaries legally provide marijuana to medical patients who use it for maladies from glaucoma to nausea to lack of appetite. In the latest incidents, the phrase “Not in our town” was spray-painted on the businesses, police say.

256 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:41:24am

re: #252 pingjockey

Those are my favorite system to service. Not a mechanical abortion like Range Guard or Kidde. Those systems you need 3 arms to rearm the system!

Well, the kid had to use a $300 fire extinguisher to put out the fire. I stand next to him, my IQ drops 10 points. I don’t have points to spare!!

257 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:43:19am

re: #254 Mad Al-Jaffee

Hey, do you know of IlYAIMY?

258 pingjockey  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:43:31am

re: #256 Cannadian Club Akbar
Did he use a K class or a regular FE? You don’t want to use a regular ABC or BC in the kitchen, that damn powder goes everywhere.

259 Mad Al-Jaffee  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:44:10am

re: #257 Cannadian Club Akbar

Hey, do you know of IlYAIMY?

No, what’s that?

260 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:44:39am

re: #247 pingjockey

I have no problem with lite rail, if you can do it without it turning into a boondoggle, and I haven’t seen that yet, except San Diego put in a trolley system that seems to work well and didn’t break the bank.

I think the fact that it is a government project ensures that it will be a boondoggle.

No Agenda’s theory is that they are selling the concept of HSR trains to the public, but it is not feasible as a passenger alternative. It will put the truckers out of business … and Warren Buffett just bought a big train line. It will be utilized for freight.

261 Vicious Babushka  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:44:46am

re: #23 sanfranciscozionist

Because I knew there wasn’t enough money in the account.

Things have been sort of dicey around here since, well, you don’t want to hear my whole financial history. It was a bad week. I was conserving cash resources.

{{SFZ}}

262 Political Atheist  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:44:54am

re: #255 Liberal Classic

Oh that’s ugly. I’ll bet they never did that to a strip club or bar.

263 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:45:04am

re: #259 Mad Al-Jaffee

No, what’s that?

A band my friend near you saw. Chick singer.

264 pingjockey  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:45:06am

re: #255 Liberal Classic
Assholes. I had a connection get me some pot while I was going through chemo and radiation. The stuff works wonders for naseua and appettite.

265 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:45:20am

re: #250 pingjockey

Fire suppression systems for restaurants. So the nozzles have to come out and be cleaned, same with these things called fuseable links. Those are kind of like a remote sensor to dump the system if there’s a fire and no one is there. So you are up in the exhaust/vent system. BK is one of the worst for grease, chain char broiler and all that entails!

BK is worse than Waffle House? Say it ain’t so!

You guys use Halon?

266 Locker  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:45:37am

re: #247 pingjockey

I have no problem with lite rail, if you can do it without it turning into a boondoggle, and I haven’t seen that yet, except San Diego put in a trolley system that seems to work well and didn’t break the bank.

We have light rail in Sacramento and people use it but the problem, imo is safety. The main line goes right through the worse areas of Sacramento and there are constantly homeless people sleeping on the train, paying and staying on all day, teenagers hassling people, yelling and fist fights etc.

Back in Jersey the commuter trains all had conductors and in the city there were transit cops everywhere. The light rail around here is so “unpoliced” that I won’t let my wife use it.

267 pingjockey  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:45:54am

re: #260 vinnievin
Lite rail to move freight? That isn’t going to work.

268 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:45:55am

re: #258 pingjockey

Did he use a K class or a regular FE? You don’t want to use a regular ABC or BC in the kitchen, that damn powder goes everywhere.

It was a “special” one.

269 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:46:43am

re: #267 pingjockey

Lite rail to move freight? That isn’t going to work.

HSR - high speed rail

270 Vicious Babushka  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:46:52am

re: #237 vinnievin

Or if you ask for the manager, they just hang up.

That crap makes it hard for me to reach family from Africa. I use Skype, and they get the same reading on their caller ID as if I were a telemarketer.

Telemarketers call Africa?

271 Skeetghazi  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:47:32am

re: #255 Liberal Classic

Medical marijuana stores firebombed in Montana
[Link: www.cnn.com…]

Wow - that’s pretty domestic terrorismy.

272 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:47:34am

bbiam

273 pingjockey  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:47:40am

re: #265 vinnievin
No Halon. Halon is for electrical/electronic/power generation. Don’t have any Waffle Houses! Halon is also bloody expensive. We can’t make it in the US any more, chlorofluorocarbon.

274 Mad Al-Jaffee  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:48:10am

re: #263 Cannadian Club Akbar

A band my friend near you saw. Chick singer.

Never heard of them before.

275 pingjockey  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:48:20am

re: #269 vinnievin
Oh, okay. Like the one the Japanese and French have?

276 pingjockey  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:49:38am

re: #268 Cannadian Club Akbar
Yep, that’s a K class. Liquid chem, turns to foam for a grease fire. The manufacturer is damn proud of that stuff, very spendy. 150 bucks for 3 gallons.

277 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:54:07am

re: #270 Alouette

Telemarketers call Africa?

LOL - I live in the US sometimes. Right now I am in Baton Rouge. Heading back to Africa in July.

But now that you mention it, I get calls sometimes from the local phone companies like Orange and Zain. I just say “Je ne parl pas Francais” and hang up. They also send SMS messages every other day with some special deal, either a special texting rate, long distance to Europe, or double your recharge …

278 pingjockey  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:54:19am

re: #271 Stanley Sea
Buncha assholes.

279 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:55:27am

re: #275 pingjockey

Oh, okay. Like the one the Japanese and French have?

Exactement. Right now they are working on one between Vegas and LA. Also talking about one between LA and San Fran. Hang on, I can find a link …

[Link: www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov…]

280 pingjockey  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:55:49am

My brother will be taking a road trip soon. NASCAR just opened a Hall of Fame in Charlotte, NC.

281 albusteve  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:56:11am

showtime!
[Link: bigjournalism.com…]

if this is true, then expect a major soap opera

282 Political Atheist  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:56:17am

Did you all hear about Playboy?
Upgrade-Going from double D centerfold to 3-d centerfold. Glasses are in the magazine. Story source is safe for work. WGN TV web site

283 pingjockey  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:56:28am

re: #279 vinnievin
Thanks. WA state was talking about one from Seattle to Spokane.

284 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:57:45am

re: #281 albusteve

showtime!
[Link: bigjournalism.com…]

if this is true, then expect a major soap opera

Brad Thor is a great author. Hope that story is true!

285 pingjockey  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:57:59am

re: #281 albusteve
“If true”. Damn I hope so. You’d think for 10 million bucks one of their buddies would’ve dropped a dime on them by now!

286 albusteve  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:58:16am

re: #271 Stanley Sea

Wow - that’s pretty domestic terrorismy.

evil weed
kill it!

287 rwdflynavy  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:58:49am

re: #255 Liberal Classic

Medical marijuana stores firebombed in Montana
[Link: www.cnn.com…]

A huge crowd formed downwind to see the destruction….Dude….

288 Liberal Classic  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:58:50am

re: #286 albusteve

evil weed
kill it!

With fire!

289 Skeetghazi  Tue, May 11, 2010 6:59:46am

re: #286 albusteve

evil weed
kill it!

Not in our town!!

290 McSpiff  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:01:44am

Someone decided to use their very first post at LGF to bitch at us, on the end of the dead Maine in GOP thread.

291 pingjockey  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:02:37am

re: #290 McSpiff
They can go piss up a rope.

292 MrSilverDragon  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:03:42am

re: #290 McSpiff

Someone decided to use their very first post at LGF to bitch at us, on the end of the dead Maine in GOP thread.

If he/she has a valid point, great. If not, perhaps he/she needs a visit from the clue stick.

Good morning, y’all!

293 darthstar  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:03:49am

Good morning everyone…Happy Tuesday…

Ooh, pot store firebombed in Montana…I’m sure the sheriff will be all over finding the culprits on that one.

Personally, I’m still reeling over that pathetic McCain ad. I mean, I know he’s done some stupid shit lately, but dang. Just. Dang.

Okay…time to move on, I suppose.

294 lawhawk  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:04:33am

re: #260 vinnievin

I’ve been following the rail/mass transit issues for years in the NYC metro area, and have found that the light rail systems are a boondoggle since they can be done much more cheaply if utilizing bus rapid transit since it requires less infrastructure, dedicated bus lanes, and much more flexible than the dedicated infrastructure. NJ Transit spent $1 billion to build a River Line that services several thousand people a week, which could have been better spent with a bus only right of way, which would be far cheaper to maintain and operate (since it would utilize new or existing buses, rather than whole new electric vehicles). High speed rail isn’t going to happen unless there’s a critical mass of population to be served and the rights of way can be obtained at a reasonable cost. In the NE, that means the NE Corridor isn’t going to get much faster than it is already because there’s no other right of way that can be obtained that is dedicated for passenger rail (allowing far higher speeds than a mixed passenger/freight system). Some states are looking at funding their own HSR systems, but they run into the same problems - acquisition costs are cost prohibitive, limiting the size and connectivity of their HSR systems.

The US has the largest freight rail network in the world, and the passenger rail overlays that system in many parts, so that speeds are limited because of freight and local passenger rail systems. To build a dedicated passenger HSR system would be cost prohibitive unless you’re running it in open desert, and even then, the costs are far higher than they should be (compared with the French, who seem to be able to build their TGV system at about $40 million per mile - it’s nearly double based on estimates here).

With such high costs, states in turn look to more modest speeds - looking to boost speeds from a high of 79 up to about 90 or so on stretches (often requiring straightening of track, overpasses and removal of at-grade crossings, which require trains to reduce speeds through municipalities. In the NE - at-grade crossings represent a significant reason why HSR isn’t happening any time soon, especially on routes like the Buffalo-Albany-NYC stretch. Outdated equipment and infrastructure is another reason trains simply aren’t running faster on the NE corridor - but there’s a plan to replace the Portal Bridge in NJ that would reduce a major bottleneck and problem area since that drawbridge frequently breaks down and forces the system to come to a halt.

295 McSpiff  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:05:05am

re: #292 MrSilverDragon

If he/she has a valid point, great. If not, perhaps he/she needs a visit from the clue stick.

Good morning, y’all!

Very much a case of the stick.

296 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:05:44am

re: #295 McSpiff

Name?

297 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:06:10am

re: #290 McSpiff

Someone decided to use their very first post at LGF to bitch at us, on the end of the dead Maine in GOP thread.

It was probably linked by an article on another site - I have seen Charles get called to task for changing his political affiliation.

298 pingjockey  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:06:39am

re: #296 Cannadian Club Akbar
Heh…potus lied or potus lies.

299 Skeetghazi  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:07:00am

re: #296 Cannadian Club Akbar

Name?

potus_lies

ha

300 lawhawk  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:07:14am

re: #281 albusteve

Don’t count on it. He’s the only one making that report, and Bill Roggio, who’s more plugged into the situation than pretty much anyone hasn’t said a word about it. Unless they drag his ugly mug out and show him for all the world to see, don’t count on it being anything other than a rumor that’s too wishfully good to check.

301 albusteve  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:08:21am

They say Villaraigosa should “face the fact” that “between now and 2014 the city will likely declare bankruptcy.” Villaraigosa says that will not happen. But look what has happened.
Riordan and Rubalcava say two numbers—8 percent and 5,000—define the city’s crisis. L.A. has conveniently but unrealistically assumed 8 percent annual growth of the assets of the city’s pension funds. The two main funds’ actual growth over the last decade have been 3.5 percent and 2.8 percent. And Villaraigosa added 5,000 people to the city’s payroll in his first term.

For 15 years Villaraigosa was an organizer for the Service Employees International Union and the city’s teachers’ union.

[Link: www.newsweek.com…]

imagine that

302 McSpiff  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:08:35am

re: #1225 potus_lies

I love (not) how Little Green Footballs doesn’t even try to show any understanding of non-progressive opinions. I love (not) how LGF accepts demonizing one’s opponents as normal and healthy. This article on the Maine Republican platform is itself “totally insane.”

303 MrSilverDragon  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:08:46am

re: #293 darthstar

Good morning everyone…Happy Tuesday…

Ooh, pot store firebombed in Montana…I’m sure the sheriff will be all over finding the culprits on that one.

I wonder how many “onlookers” were there when they heard about the fire. “Dude, the smoke is making me hungry! Where are the Ding Dongs?”

…you’d think people could come up with better ways to channel their energy aside from destroying property. *shakes head and sighs*

304 pingjockey  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:08:53am

re: #300 lawhawk
I would think if we had his murderous ass, we’d be showing it. Unless the Pakistanis have him and are waiting until he’s out of their country to say anything.

305 pingjockey  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:09:52am

re: #301 albusteve
8% annual growth? WTF are they smoking?

306 lawhawk  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:12:07am

re: #304 pingjockey

Don’t count on it. The Pakistanis haven’t exactly been honest with their reporting on captures/kills of AQ/Taliban in the past, and we’ve been taken on a ride before. So, unless US military reports his capture and shows him in prison garb, treat the rumor as what it is - a rumor.

307 albusteve  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:13:03am

re: #300 lawhawk

Don’t count on it. He’s the only one making that report, and Bill Roggio, who’s more plugged into the situation than pretty much anyone hasn’t said a word about it. Unless they drag his ugly mug out and show him for all the world to see, don’t count on it being anything other than a rumor that’s too wishfully good to check.

I’m not…if Omar had any brains at all he’d be set up in Orlando by now, in the pool cleaning business

308 prairiefire  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:13:04am

re: #302 McSpiff

Yes, a newbie dropped a pearl of wisdom on a dead thread.

309 pingjockey  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:14:08am

re: #306 lawhawk
I agree. Rumor control runs amok.

310 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:16:43am

re: #294 lawhawk

I lived and commuted with those lines a couple of years ago, and I kinda liked it. But it was infrequent that I used them.

I think you bring up some good points about the NE corridor - it would definitely be the most effective application, and how effective it would be is questionable. So some questions remain …

Why is Obama giving it airtime?
[Link: www.c-span.org…]

Why are they spending billions of dollars on the concept?
[Link: online.wsj.com…]

WWe start life in diapers and end life in diapers, who wants to start and end every workday in them? (/)
[Link: www.chinadaily.com.cn…]

Some other links:
[Link: www.fra.dot.gov…]

[Link: www.mnn.com…]

[Link: www.scientificamerican.com…]

[Link: www.infrastructurist.com…]

311 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:20:16am

re: #294 lawhawk

Another thought … if Amtrak can’t turn a profit in the NE corridor, how much cash will they sink into HSR for the rest of the country?

(Answer: as much as we let them)

312 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:20:18am

bbl

313 prairiefire  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:23:40am

re: #310 vinnievin

All of the links were interesting, thanks. Did you mention you lived in Africa?

314 lawhawk  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:24:03am

re: #305 pingjockey

That was a convenient rate of growth that most municipalities, companies, and states (and the feds) used to predict growth for pensions and other markets’ based returns. So, when they failed to materialize, the deficits mushroomed. If states held to much more conservative rates of growth, it would result in far fewer deficits and a much lower rate of spending growth.

If you’re assuming a 1-2% growth rate, that limits the spending growth in the absence of new taxes, but when you assume 8%, you think that spending can grow similarly, and when the growth fails to materialize, you get massive deficits (see NY and NJ).

315 lawhawk  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:26:51am

re: #311 vinnievin

States are attempting to build their own linked HSR lines with Amtrak. They’re putting up the money themselves - which is what CA, NC, and FL are doing (they’re at the most advanced stages of planning and implementation).

316 albusteve  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:28:38am

The more likely scenario is that, according to the CBO, to finance current projected spending only on the tax side, assuming current policies continue, all taxpayers would be punished by requiring the 10 percent bracket to increase to 25 percent, the 25 percent bracket to jump to 63 percent, and the 35 percent rate to rise to 88 percent. The CBO noted “such tax rates would significantly reduce economic activity and would create serious problems with tax avoidance and tax evasion,” which understates the point.

woohoo!….Recovery!

[Link: www.washingtontimes.com…]

317 pingjockey  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:28:59am

re: #314 lawhawk
Thanks. 8% seemed absurdly high for a rate of return.
Off to work Lizards. Y’all have a fine day!

318 darthstar  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:29:09am

There’s a great rant about the oil booming going on in the Gulf of Mexico on dKos…it’s well worth reading.

Here’s one image from the diary…it’s pretty simple, but makes the point.

Read the diary…it’s not just entertaining…it’s got some good information.
[Link: www.dailykos.com…]

319 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:31:46am

re: #313 prairiefire

All of the links were interesting, thanks. Did you mention you lived in Africa?

This just in from the Department of Redundancy Department, I live in Africa most of the time. Came home for the birth of my daughter. She is just over a month old - LOVING IT!

And this is for Sean Penn: I am an expert from Africa, and he is just a Hollywood actor. (not really FROM Africa) /

[Link: www.celebitchy.com…]

320 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:32:49am

re: #315 lawhawk

States are attempting to build their own linked HSR lines with Amtrak. They’re putting up the money themselves - which is what CA, NC, and FL are doing (they’re at the most advanced stages of planning and implementation).

So what is the 8 billion in federal stimulus funds going to?

321 ShaunP  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:34:26am

re: #320 vinnievin

So what is the 8 billion in federal stimulus funds going to?

Grants to the states…

322 Slap  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:36:14am

Mornin’, Lizardia!

Well, this is what happens when one fails to explore a key author’s works. LGF has taught me many things, and the latest is that I had NO IDEA (I’m quite ashamed to say) that this morning’s quote is the source of the title of an album that has remained one of my most abiding personal musical influences….

King Crimson - Starless and Bible Black

(Yes, it is dark and challenging. And it still floors me.)

So, thanks, Charles, for filling in a blank that I didn’t know was a blank.

323 Mad Al-Jaffee  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:36:25am

Just looked at the bottom 10 comments. Looks like I missed an interesting discussion.

324 reine.de.tout  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:38:30am

re: #318 darthstar

There’s a great rant about the oil booming going on in the Gulf of Mexico on dKos…it’s well worth reading.

Here’s one image from the diary…it’s pretty simple, but makes the point.

Read the diary…it’s not just entertaining…it’s got some good information.
[Link: www.dailykos.com…]

Great rant, and good info, as you said!

BP is going to be questioned by Congress today.
Watch for a bob and sway, anything to divert attention away from themselves.

I believe somewhere along the way (close to the time of the blowout), they made a decision that was a bad one, and they killed 11 people, and caused great grief in the Gulf of Mexico.

325 rwdflynavy  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:39:39am

re: #323 Mad Al-Jaffee

Just looked at the bottom 10 comments. Looks like I missed an interesting discussion.


His meltdown was interesting…

326 Aceofwhat?  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:40:45am

re: #324 reine.de.tout

Great rant, and good info, as you said!

BP is going to be questioned by Congress today.
Watch for a bob and sway, anything to divert attention away from themselves.

I believe somewhere along the way (close to the time of the blowout), they made a decision that was a bad one, and they killed 11 people, and caused great grief in the Gulf of Mexico.

Morning, all-

I think i read somewhere this morning (WSJ?) that Halliburton is expected to argue that BP removed the mud plug before the cement plug was properly in place.

Shaping up to be a fingerpointy kind of day, isn’t it?

327 reine.de.tout  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:42:00am

re: #323 Mad Al-Jaffee

Just looked at the bottom 10 comments. Looks like I missed an interesting discussion.

He:
Accused an LGF’er of hacking into his twitter account and removing all of his 500 followers.
He promoted and excused illegal activity.
He insulted everyone, while insisting he “doesn’t usually” act that way.
He bragged that he’s rich and has the most beautiful wife in the world, while simultaneously he has posted elsewhere that he spends his money on drugs and whores (!?)
He blamed all his LGF troubles on the “right wingers” here.
Yes, you missed quite an interesting discussion.

328 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:43:04am

re: #326 Aceofwhat?

Morning, all-

I think i read somewhere this morning (WSJ?) that Halliburton is expected to argue that BP removed the mud plug before the cement plug was properly in place.

Shaping up to be a fingerpointy kind of day, isn’t it?

I would think that the PR consultants of Halliburton would be advising them to, in ALL cases, keep their mouths shut. I don’t see how even being mentioned in any article in any way is going to help their cause. They have been demonized so thoroughly that the mere mention of their name sets people off.

329 darthstar  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:43:40am

re: #326 Aceofwhat?

Morning, all-

I think i read somewhere this morning (WSJ?) that Halliburton is expected to argue that BP removed the mud plug before the cement plug was properly in place.

Shaping up to be a fingerpointy kind of day, isn’t it?

Fingerpointy kind of day…I like that phrase…ooh, speaking of pointing fingers, I need to point mine out the door and follow it…otherwise, BP/Halliburton might make me late for work.

330 reine.de.tout  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:43:57am

re: #326 Aceofwhat?

Morning, all-

I think i read somewhere this morning (WSJ?) that Halliburton is expected to argue that BP removed the mud plug before the cement plug was properly in place.

Shaping up to be a fingerpointy kind of day, isn’t it?

That’s essentially what happened, according to what I’ve heard.

331 Macha  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:45:38am

If this posts twice, my apologies in advance. I hit something and it vanished. So again….

Here is an interesting event showing a consequence of AGW.
[Link: news.discovery.com…]

332 garhighway  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:46:00am

re: #249 charlz

That’s really stretching it to lay that position at her feet. The Solicitor Genereal is the Government’s attorney. They represent their client.

Exactly.

333 lawhawk  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:47:26am

Inhofe comes out as a no against a Kagan confirmation. Not really a surprise since he opposed her nomination to be solicitor general.

334 Aceofwhat?  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:48:35am

re: #328 vinnievin

I would think that the PR consultants of Halliburton would be advising them to, in ALL cases, keep their mouths shut. I don’t see how even being mentioned in any article in any way is going to help their cause. They have been demonized so thoroughly that the mere mention of their name sets people off.

i think that when you get dragged in front of Congress, a factually effective alibi > damning silence.

just my guess;)

335 Mad Al-Jaffee  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:49:02am

re: #327 reine.de.tout

He:
Accused an LGF’er of hacking into his twitter account and removing all of his 500 followers.
He promoted and excused illegal activity.
He insulted everyone, while insisting he “doesn’t usually” act that way.
He bragged that he’s rich and has the most beautiful wife in the world, while simultaneously he has posted elsewhere that he spends his money on drugs and whores (!?)
He blamed all his LGF troubles on the “right wingers” here.
Yes, you missed quite an interesting discussion.

Now I keep picturing him as John Lovitz on SNL. “My wife…Morgan Fairchild. Yeah, that’s the ticket!”

336 garhighway  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:49:44am

re: #333 lawhawk

Inhofe comes out as a no against a Kagan confirmation. Not really a surprise since he opposed her nomination to be solicitor general.

I have a hard time imagining the BHO SCOTUS nominee Inhofe would support.

337 garhighway  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:51:37am

re: #334 Aceofwhat?

i think that when you get dragged in front of Congress, a factually effective alibi > damning silence.

just my guess;)

With the hardware under a mile of water and the key eyewitnesses all dead, I don’t think it will be hard for BP, Halliburton, Transocean, Cameron or any of the others to say “we don’t yet know what happened”.

338 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:51:53am

re: #334 Aceofwhat?

i think that when you get dragged in front of Congress, a factually effective alibi > damning silence.

just my guess;)

That is fine, give the info to Congress, but not the media. I meant from a media perspective. Let the WSJ find that out via C-SPAN.

339 Aceofwhat?  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:52:08am

re: #335 Mad Al-Jaffee

Now I keep picturing him as John Lovitz on SNL. “My wife…Morgan Fairchild. Yeah, that’s the ticket!”

Yep, except Lovitz was funny!

340 lawhawk  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:52:39am

Afghan school girls under attack again. Yet another chemical gas attack.

Dozens of schoolgirls in Afghanistan were admitted to hospital on Tuesday after two suspected poisonous gas attacks on schools, officials said, the latest in a spate of similar incidents.

Thirty schoolgirls in the northern city of Kunduz and six in Kabul were admitted to hospital, health officials and the interior ministry said.

“Others are also coming in. We don’t know the exact number of girls affected, it could be many. It’s a similar incident to what happened in Kabul and Kunduz last week,” said Homayun Khamosh, head of the Kunduz city hospital where girls were admitted.

One of the girls taken ill in Kunduz said she saw a man in black clothes, with his mouth and nose wrapped in a cloth, throw a bottle near the school. The bottle appeared to release a smelly fume, the girl who said her name was Farzana told Reuters.

341 Skeetghazi  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:53:00am

wrenchwench just posted a link - apparently the sheriff McCain was talking to in his new ad isn’t the sheriff for the area he was at. That sheriff was the one who came out against the new AZ law!!

342 Aceofwhat?  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:53:46am

re: #337 garhighway

With the hardware under a mile of water and the key eyewitnesses all dead, I don’t think it will be hard for BP, Halliburton, Transocean, Cameron or any of the others to say “we don’t yet know what happened”.

$5 says they don’t have the nerve to close ranks like that, especially if one or more of them really believes they can effectively demonstrate a plausible scenario which would exonerate them.

343 Jadespring  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:54:07am

Morning Lizards,

It’s a great day in the Jadespring household. Lots of positive news seems to be coming our way. If I had to muse over the whole thing I’d have to say that it seems that something in the universe seems to be aligning.

344 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:55:06am

re: #342 Aceofwhat?

$5 says they don’t have the nerve to close ranks like that, especially if one or more of them really believes they can effectively demonstrate a plausible scenario which would exonerate them.

You don’t get that rich/powerful without knowing how to throw others under the bus oil tanker.

345 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:57:11am

re: #337 garhighway

And it is also possible they don’t know what happened.

Publicly? I think they’re screwed.

346 reine.de.tout  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:57:32am

re: #337 garhighway

With the hardware under a mile of water and the key eyewitnesses all dead, I don’t think it will be hard for BP, Halliburton, Transocean, Cameron or any of the others to say “we don’t yet know what happened”.

I think they know by now exactly what happened.
Not all of the witnesses are dead. Many people were severely injured but survived; others were far enough away that they survived but got to watch their friends being blown up. I think they know exactly what happened, and how.

347 Aceofwhat?  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:58:05am

re: #340 lawhawk

Afghan school girls under attack again. Yet another chemical gas attack.

Monsters. This is why i am intellectually (but not personally) offended when folks (usually not at LGF) pretend like the extreme end of any modern religion is as twisted or barbaric as extreme Islam.

Until this spade turns into a heart, it’s a spade…

348 prairiefire  Tue, May 11, 2010 7:59:26am

re: #346 reine.de.tout

You tell the Roi to hold them accountable, Reine. Politely, from me, please.

349 Aceofwhat?  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:00:03am

re: #344 vinnievin

You don’t get that rich/powerful without knowing how to throw others under the bus oil tanker.

Some do. Many don’t, unfortunately, and probably even fewer within the ranks of a large organization. (note that i didn’t say ‘corporation’…watch and learn, lefties;)

350 garhighway  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:00:37am

re: #346 reine.de.tout

I think they know by now exactly what happened.
Not all of the witnesses are dead. Many people were severely injured but survived; others were far enough away that they survived but got to watch their friends being blown up. I think they know exactly what happened, and how.

I’m not saying that they don’t know or suspect. I’m saying that giving the “we don’t know yet” answer has to be tempting.

Do you think they know why the BOP didn’t do the job? That seems to be one of the big mysteries here.

351 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:00:49am

re: #346 reine.de.tout

I’ll defer to people who know what they are talking about. I have no choice but to believe the reports.

I am interested in two things…

1. How do we stop it?
2. How do we clean it up?

How to stop anything like this from ever happening again?
That’s an impossible question to answer. Is a field fraught with peril.

I don’t think I’ve ever typed the word “fraught” before. Helluva word.

352 Aceofwhat?  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:02:03am

re: #343 Jadespring

Morning Lizards,

It’s a great day in the Jadespring household. Lots of positive news seems to be coming our way. If I had to muse over the whole thing I’d have to say that it seems that something in the universe seems to be aligning.

Ooh - tell me your sister is doing better…

353 reine.de.tout  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:02:22am

re: #348 prairiefire

You tell the Roi to hold them accountable, Reine. Politely, from me, please.

Heh.
He has no power to do that.
But he knows essentially what happened, and it was preventable, and certain folks knew they were taking a risk.
Which I was glad to hear; I sure don’t want him affected by a sudden and undetermined blowout.

354 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:03:16am

re: #351 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

I don’t think I’ve ever typed the word “fraught” before. Helluva word.

I fraught I saw a Puddy tat.

355 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:03:57am

re: #354 vinnievin
Your karma is improving quickly. What changed?

356 reine.de.tout  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:04:44am

re: #351 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

I’ll defer to people who know what they are talking about. I have no choice but to believe the reports.

I am interested in two things…

1. How do we stop it?
2. How do we clean it up?

How to stop anything like this from ever happening again?
That’s an impossible question to answer. Is a field fraught with peril.

I don’t think I’ve ever typed the word “fraught” before. Helluva word.

At this point, we stop it, apparently, by drilling a relief well. Which could take some time.
Clean up? Massive, I’m not sure it can be done effectively in time to save jobs, just my .02.

This incident was preventable. The Roi has worked on oil platforms for more than 30 years; we’ve been married 20 (today! yay!) and something like this has not happened in the time we’ve been married. It was preventable, and should never have happened, except a risky decision was made.

357 prairiefire  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:05:36am

re: #353 reine.de.tout

Well, I’m sure he is capable at his job. I just think this problem is going to take a lot of expertise from folks in his field.
I also wonder where the whistleblowers might be, if there are any.

358 Mad Al-Jaffee  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:05:59am

re: #356 reine.de.tout

we’ve been married 20 (today! yay!) and something like this has not happened in the time we’ve been married. It was preventable, and should never have happened, except a risky decision was made.

Congrats! I hope you’re celebrating tonight!

359 jaunte  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:06:13am

re: #356 reine.de.tout

The Roi has worked on oil platforms for more than 30 years; we’ve been married 20 (today! yay!)


Hey, happy anniversary! Today is mine, too (25).

360 reine.de.tout  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:06:16am

re: #357 prairiefire

Well, I’m sure he is capable at his job. I just think this problem is going to take a lot of expertise from folks in his field.
I also wonder where the whistleblowers might be, if there are any.

I think we’ll see more information come out as lawsuits proceed.

361 Aceofwhat?  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:06:32am

re: #356 reine.de.tout

happy 20th!

362 Political Atheist  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:06:34am

re: #346 reine.de.tout

There were radio reports this am about how “mud plugs” were removed before a cement version was ready, outside of normal procedure. I guess we are all going to learn more about deep drilling than we wanted. Lots of jargon to define. I wonder in these facilities have anything like an airliners black box?

363 reine.de.tout  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:06:52am

re: #359 jaunte

Hey, happy anniversary! Today is mine, too (25).

Really!?
Happy Anniversary to you too!

It’s also my nephew’s anniversary. A good day, wouldn’t you say?

364 reine.de.tout  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:07:28am

re: #362 Rightwingconspirator

There were radio reports this am about how “mud plugs” were removed before a cement version was ready, outside of normal procedure. I guess we are all going to learn more about deep drilling than we wanted. Lots of jargon to define. I wonder in these facilities have anything like an airliners black box?

From what the Roi has heard, that is essentially what happened.

365 jaunte  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:07:39am

re: #363 reine.de.tout

Good and busy! Anniversary, wife’s birthday, yesterday Father’s birthday!

366 reine.de.tout  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:09:02am

re: #365 jaunte

Good and busy! Anniversary, wife’s birthday, yesterday Father’s birthday!

The Roi will be home today, a day earlier than usual.
The feds have stopped any drilling that didn’t have its permits in order by April 20th (which affects his next job). So … he’ll be home a day early, and I’m counting the hours!

367 Political Atheist  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:09:30am

re: #356 reine.de.tout

Congratulations on 20 years. Not easy this era.

368 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:10:05am

re: #355 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Your karma is improving quickly. What changed?

Not sure - but enjoying the conversation a lot more than in previous days. Think I have spent more time in the comments today than … ever.

Wife is catching up on sleep, just kicking it with the baby, definitely a good morning.

369 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:11:25am

re: #356 reine.de.tout

we’ve been married 20 (today! yay!)

Happy Anniversary. Did you go for the traditional gift of China?

370 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:12:04am

re: #359 jaunte

Hey, happy anniversary! Today is mine, too (25).

Congrats also to you! Silver?

371 Jadespring  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:13:18am

re: #352 Aceofwhat?

Ooh - tell me your sister is doing better…

She’s making some progress. The doctors are finally starting to take it more seriously and speeding up the process of figuring out exactly what’s going on. She also decided to try a naturopath who has her on a particular diet. She been following it for about a month now and is feeling better.
Her main problem seems to be that she isn’t absorbing or processing food properly. Some sort of malabsorption issue. The key I guess is figuring out why it’s happening. They’ve been running test after test and everything is coming back as completely normal.

Hopefully they can find something biological that can be treated. I do think however that whatever it is, is related to stress or made worse by stress. She’s been under pretty severve emotional life stress the past three years due to problems in her marriage. Part of me thinks that her body has just had enough and is screaming at her to finally get a clue and stop trying to live in denial world and make some changes.

372 Skeetghazi  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:14:08am

re: #356 reine.de.tout

Happy Anniversary Reine!!

Traditional gift - China
Modern - Platinum

Modern it is, go buy some jewelry!

373 jaunte  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:14:17am

re: #370 vinnievin

Thanks; I think that’s the official designation, but she wanted Indian food instead of metal.

374 prairiefire  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:14:52am

re: #371 Jadespring

Yes, stress is awful. Has she had a colonoscopy?

375 Jadespring  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:15:45am

Happy anniversary Reine and Jaunte! Congrats!

376 Skeetghazi  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:16:53am

re: #359 jaunte

Hey, happy anniversary! Today is mine, too (25).

Happy Anniversary to you too!

May 11, an auspicious day for love..

377 Jadespring  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:17:55am

re: #374 prairiefire

Yes, stress is awful. Has she had a colonoscopy?

Yep she has. Came back fine. Doctors seem to be stymied.

Honestly it’s got to the point where every time I watch ‘House’ on tv I think, where’s the real life Doctor House when you need him?

378 prairiefire  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:18:02am

re: #376 Stanley Sea

Happy Anniversary to you too!

May 11, an auspicious day for love..

Pithy comment ding!

379 Aceofwhat?  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:18:04am

re: #374 prairiefire

Yes, stress is awful. Has she had a colonoscopy?

ew. i think that procedure would cause me more stress than it could alleviate;)

380 Skeetghazi  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:18:45am

re: #378 prairiefire

Pithy comment ding!

I’m sorry! First thing that came to my brain!

381 prairiefire  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:19:42am

re: #379 Aceofwhat?

ew. i think that procedure would cause me more stress than it could alleviate;)

When you need one, you really need one. Seriously, after 35 you should have one just as a base line. Colon cancer is very treatable if caught early.
Nagging liberal off./

382 prairiefire  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:21:10am

re: #380 Stanley Sea

Pithy is good![Link: www.thefreedictionary.com…]

383 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:22:10am

re: #379 Aceofwhat?

The before is much worse than the during or after.

And that’s not really a big deal. When I do mine? I’ll spend the day before in a hotel. Set up my laptop in the bathroom and make little brown footballs.

EWWWW!

384 McSpiff  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:22:34am

So apparently the Pope woke up finally…

Pope pins abuse scandal on Church ‘sin’

Pope Benedict XVI says the Church’s child abuse scandal shows that the greatest threat to Catholicism comes from “sin within” the Church.
…
“Today we see in a truly terrifying way that the greatest persecution of the Church does not come from outside enemies, but is born of sin within the Church,” the pontiff told reporters on a plane bound for Portugal.
…
Benedict said the Church has “a very deep need” to acknowledge that it must do penance for its sins and “accept purification”.

However, he added that forgiveness should not be a substitute for justice.
…

Color me impressed. Hopefully its not too late.

385 Interesting Times  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:27:09am

re: #356 reine.de.tout

Happy anniversary :) On the (far less cheerful) subject of the oil spill, do you think this person’s contraption could work?

BP Oil Spill Solution: The Permeable Cone Stocking

386 Aceofwhat?  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:28:31am

re: #381 prairiefire

When you need one, you really need one. Seriously, after 35 you should have one just as a base line. Colon cancer is very treatable if caught early.
Nagging liberal off./

you’re being too hard on yourself.

nagging liberal = it’s the evil corporations’ fault that we or our kids aren’t healthy.

caring individual = recommending healthy practices to a friend.

You’re being the latter! And i’m going to avoid that procedure like the plague!

387 Aceofwhat?  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:29:42am

re: #383 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

The before is much worse than the during or after.

And that’s not really a big deal. When I do mine? I’ll spend the day before in a hotel. Set up my laptop in the bathroom and make little brown footballs.

EWWW!

that was supposed to make me fear it less??

heh.

388 McSpiff  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:29:56am

re: #385 publicityStunted

Happy anniversary :) On the (far less cheerful) subject of the oil spill, do you think this person’s contraption could work?

BP Oil Spill Solution: The Permeable Cone Stocking

I think on another thread it was decided that it would be too large and would be too affected by the tides, but I don’t remember exactly.

389 prairiefire  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:30:05am

re: #386 Aceofwhat?

No! Now i will have to nag you.

390 jaunte  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:30:57am

re: #388 McSpiff

It seems like a mile of that stuff would act like a sail in the currents.

391 Mad Al-Jaffee  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:31:10am

re: #382 prairiefire

Pithy is good![Link: www.thefreedictionary.com…]

Thomtimes I can be in a real pithy mood. But not today.

392 prairiefire  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:32:01am

re: #391 Mad Al-Jaffee

Thomtimes I can be in a real pithy mood. But not today.

Ack, a lisp thread! Have a good day, lizards.

393 Cato the Elder  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:32:04am

re: #99 Cannadian Club Akbar

I predicted Sigma X would sweep the bottom 10 yesterday. Me was right.

Maybe you should join his stock prognostication team. But I don’t think he’d hire you - you’d be a threat.

Would you take stock tips (even free ones) from a man who can’t tell when he’s walking the plank?

394 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:36:08am

re: #390 jaunte

It seems like a mile of that stuff would act like a sail in the currents.

There are thermal layers in the ocean, one at about 700 ft, another at a couple of thousand … totally affects current, also a huge temperature difference (much lower below). On a submarine we would ‘hide’ below it - I wonder how it would complicate the deployment/utilization of such a device. It is the reason (I think) why that first solution failed - ice plug formed IIRC.

395 Political Atheist  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:37:24am

re: #393 Cato the Elder

Stock day trading is just gambling for the green desk lamp crowd.

396 reine.de.tout  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:38:06am

re: #369 vinnievin

Happy Anniversary. Did you go for the traditional gift of China?

heh.
No gifts, just companionship.
The Roi has been 100 miles out in the Gulf, no shopping there!

Besides - I only one want gift a year, and I want it to be a big one, so we just save it all up for Christmas! And I get to pick a piece of jewelry.

397 reine.de.tout  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:39:32am

re: #385 publicityStunted

Happy anniversary :) On the (far less cheerful) subject of the oil spill, do you think this person’s contraption could work?

BP Oil Spill Solution: The Permeable Cone Stocking

No clue!
Someone was promoting hay, spreading it on the spill to soak up the oil.
I think there are lots of potential solutions. The problem is - are there enough resources available to deploy them?

398 jaunte  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:40:21am

re: #394 vinnievin

There is some strange material down there:

clathrate hydrates are clathrate compounds in which the host molecule is water and the guest molecule is typically a gas. Without the support of the trapped molecules, the lattice structure of hydrate clathrates would collapse into conventional ice crystal structure or liquid water.[Link: en.wikipedia.org…]
399 Slap  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:40:41am

re: #347 Aceofwhat?

My $0.02….

I readily acknowledge that the actions — in recent history, prior centuries are a different discussion, IMO — of those who adopt militant Islam and the actions of the extremes of other modern religions (with the glaring individual exceptions we can all name, from Roeder to the ricin cult in Japan) have, to date, been in separate universes.

(And I freely acknowledge that last sentence was a grammatical train wreck. Gack.)

My personal intellectual complaint comes in when folks downplay the similarities in the rhetoric of utilizing scriptural justifications to minimize, demonize or dehumanize other groups of humans. To me, there is little difference in this impulse between ANY fundamentalist interpretations of religion — the difference lies in the structure and traditions of the societies in which they have influence. In an open societal structure where conflicting ideas are tolerated (if not necessarily embraced), it’s far less likely that radical vengeance against [insert target of choice] would be an idea that takes hold in a large way. In societies that are less diverse by design, it’s far easier for real evil to exploit and encourage the idea that deaths of THE OTHER are the only answer.

So I think we’re lucky so far — despite the martyr-cookie rhetoric that always seems to surface when a group of people feel “threatened” by something new and different. HOWEVER — failing to recognize and identify the dangers in fundamentalist religious rhetoric is, in itself, dangerous as hell. So I’m a bit tolerant of those who choose to see radical Islam and fundies of any other stripe as cut from the same cloth, up to a point.

If we ever reach a time where the diversity of our ideas becomes systematically repressed as a people, our situation will be QUITE different — so it behooves us to resist complacency.

400 Interesting Times  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:40:50am

re: #394 vinnievin

Commenters on the original post seem to think the current problems can be worked with:

It would actually become a little lighter, or even neutrally buoyant. I thought for a bit that the ocean currents might be a problem… but they aren’t really. The thing would have enough natural elasticity to bend with the currents. I mean, to scale, it’s like a long tube, only geting a bit wider toward the surface.

And:

…there would need to be intermediate hoops to stabilize the sock against cross currents underwater, and maybe that’s how the thing could be installed, in sections, with each upper hoop (bouyed to float at a specific depth) being moored to the bottom with guy wires.

I agree that some sort of geocloth would make a good sock. Something that would have a neutral specific gravity, preferably.

Anyone here with an engineering background who could evaluate the accuracy of this?

401 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:41:48am

re: #397 reine.de.tout

No clue!
Someone was promoting hay, spreading it on the spill to soak up the oil.
I think there are lots of potential solutions. The problem is - are there enough resources available to deploy them?

My bro and sis-in-law are managing a huge facebook campaign to collect hair and pantyhose out of Atlanta … so shave your head, shave your pets!

402 Dark_Falcon  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:43:15am

re: #393 Cato the Elder

Maybe you should join his stock prognostication team. But I don’t think he’d hire you - you’d be a threat.

Would you take stock tips (even free ones) from a man who can’t tell when he’s walking the plank?

I don’t think he cared. He’d gotten called out and was doing a trollish ‘spew before banning’.

403 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:47:26am

re: #400 publicityStunted

Commenters on the original post seem to think the current problems can be worked with:

Anyone here with an engineering background who could evaluate the accuracy of this?

I have a water-wicking shirt I can donate to the cause … patchwork quilt sock

404 Skeetghazi  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:48:42am

Breaking news twitter:

Seven-foot-tall cross in California’s Mojave Desert that sparked U.S. Supreme Court dispute has been stolen - AP

405 Aceofwhat?  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:50:14am

re: #399 Slap

I’m good with all of that. I’ll stress the point in your post about “in recent history”.

While i join you in your desire for continued vigilance, i strongly believe that it can be tempting to strive for vigilance and identification of potential future threats at the expense of loud, vigorous, and impassioned opposition to the current threat.

We should pause at the altar of vigilance, maintain a high level of tolerance, and then giddy-up down the road to outright opposition of the current monster in the room.

On occasion, i believe that we make the mistake of pausing to acknowledge the monster and then mount up to go fight for vigilance. It doesn’t happen only in this, fundamentalist religion example - the Right is currently guilty of being overvigilant about “SOCIALISM!!11!” and paying little attention to the deficit monster which threatens to devour us in cold, bipartisan fashion…

406 Interesting Times  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:52:05am

re: #404 Stanley Sea

Breaking news twitter:

Seven-foot-tall cross in California’s Mojave Desert that sparked U.S. Supreme Court dispute has been stolen - AP

To be listed on Ebay in 4…3…2…

407 Taqyia2Me  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:52:26am

Happy anniversary to both Reine.de.tout and Jaunte and many happy returns for each of your marriages!

408 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:54:11am

re: #407 Taqyia2Me

Happy anniversary to both Reine.de.tout and Jaunte and many happy returns for each of your marriages!

Marrige is the main cause of divorce. Just sayin’.
/

409 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:55:44am

re: #404 Stanley Sea

Well, then. That fixes that little legal issue, huh.

Justice Stevens was seen leaving the area, hiding something under his robe…
/

410 Taqyia2Me  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:55:48am

re: #408 Cannadian Club Akbar

Whoa, been there once, it was quite sucktacular…

411 Cato the Elder  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:56:30am

re: #401 vinnievin

My bro and sis-in-law are managing a huge facebook campaign to collect hair and pantyhose out of Atlanta … so shave your head, shave your pets!

My dog is not a breed that requires shaving, and both he and I would look very silly without our hair.

Maybe I can provide bags of the stuff we shed, if I can ever find my vacuum cleaner.

412 Killgore Trout  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:56:33am

The ‘swift-boating’ of Rand Paul


….the American Future Fund, a conservative 501(c)4 based out of Iowa that usually — which is to say, in every other election — backs Republicans over Democrats and attacks Democratic policies. In Kentucky, it’s trying to tear down Rand Paul with a six figure buy. Here’s the ad running right now.


Youtube Video
413 Slap  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:57:02am

re: #405 Aceofwhat?

Agreed on the recent history aspect (I do my damndest to be specific!). Looking back to the Crusades is certainly important and worthwhile from a big-picture historical standpoint, and can provide useful insights into more modern events. But the world in the 21st century is, let’s just say, a little different. And so are religions. So I usually don’t find such talk productive, ultimately.

It sure provides entertaining and maddening conversational fodder, however.

414 Aceofwhat?  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:57:18am

re: #408 Cannadian Club Akbar

Marrige is the main cause of divorce. Just sayin’.
/

It’s true. OTOH, it can lead to a stellar going out : getting laid ratio;)

415 Vicious Babushka  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:57:36am

re: #356 reine.de.tout

Mazal tov on your anniversary!

Zedushka and I are looking at 39, this year.

416 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:58:22am

re: #327 reine.de.tout

He also accused me of being an ass-kisser. I liked that part.

I doubt we’ve seen the last of him. He was pretty obsessive.

417 Aceofwhat?  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:58:54am

re: #413 Slap

Agreed on the recent history aspect (I do my damndest to be specific!). Looking back to the Crusades is certainly important and worthwhile from a big-picture historical standpoint, and can provide useful insights into more modern events. But the world in the 21st century is, let’s just say, a little different. And so are religions. So I usually don’t find such talk productive, ultimately.

It sure provides entertaining and maddening conversational fodder, however.

i try to be at least as entertaining as i am maddening, but i often fall short of that goal;)

418 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:59:17am

re: #414 Aceofwhat?

It’s true. OTOH, it can lead to a stellar going out : getting laid ratio;)

I knew a guy years ago who would wear a wedding ring when he went out. Got laid a lot.

419 Cato the Elder  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:59:30am

re: #412 Killgore Trout

The ‘swift-boating’ of Rand Paul

Heh. I’ve never seen a picture of Rand before.

He looks rather weak and watery, to me.

420 Slap  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:59:40am

re: #417 Aceofwhat?

lol….most times, I’m merely happy to be barely coherent…..

421 Aceofwhat?  Tue, May 11, 2010 8:59:58am

re: #416 Obdicut

He also accused me of being an ass-kisser. I liked that part.

I doubt we’ve seen the last of him. He was pretty obsessive.

and of being a creepy, obsessive stalker. oh, and taking acid.

i feel like i’m missing one or two more, but perhaps the point is well enough made…

422 Spare O'Lake  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:00:19am

Good Noon EDT, LGF.

423 Charles Johnson  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:01:50am

I continue to be amused at the wingnut bloggers who are pulling out all the stops to smear me, every chance they get. They read every word I post, articles and comments.

Today the chuckleheads are all shrieking that I “quoted a genocide supporter.” This “genocide supporter” is George Bernard Shaw, renowned Nobel Prize winning playwright. Author of Pygmalion. Apparently we’re supposed to hate George Bernard Shaw now because he had some incorrect political opinions, and quoting him makes me a supporter of genocide.

Sigh. Freaking morons.

424 Aceofwhat?  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:01:56am

re: #422 Spare O’Lake

Good Noon EDT, LGF.

apropos of nothing, your lure avatar always looks like a person flossing to me unless i enlarge it.

makes me chuckle ever time…

425 McSpiff  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:02:54am

re: #424 Aceofwhat?

apropos of nothing, your lure avatar always looks like a person flossing to me unless i enlarge it.

makes me chuckle ever time…

Sigh now I see it as well…

426 Vicious Babushka  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:05:23am

re: #423 Charles

I continue to be amused at the wingnut bloggers who are pulling out all the stops to smear me, every chance they get. They read every word I post, articles and comments.

Today the chuckleheads are all shrieking that I “quoted a genocide supporter.” This “genocide supporter” is George Bernard Shaw, renowned Nobel Prize winning playwright. Author of Pygmalion. Apparently we’re supposed to hate George Bernard Shaw now because he had some incorrect political opinions, and quoting him makes me a supporter of genocide.

Sigh. Freaking morons.

Shaw was a “genocide supporter”? WTF? I heard that the Fabians were kind of weird, but I never heard that they were into genocide. Where does that come from?

Shaw’s best play ever (better than “Pygmailion” IMO) “Arms and the Man” especially the “Don Juan in Hell” sequence.

427 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:05:39am

re: #423 Charles

Don’t you remember? Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison had their careers destroyed for being in the film My Fair Lady!

428 Cato the Elder  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:05:45am

re: #416 Obdicut

He also accused me of being an ass-kisser. I liked that part.

I doubt we’ve seen the last of him. He was pretty obsessive.

Yeah, my ass is chapped from all the kissing you’ve given it, since I am one of the leaders of the right-wing crowd here.

Seriously, he was on a con-man mission. He’ll find another blog and practice his chops. I have the feeling that a good part of his “day-trading” consists in hanging around blogs and dropping hints about how he just made a fortune on a single trade, then waiting for fear and greed to drive little fish into his net.

429 Aceofwhat?  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:06:37am

re: #423 Charles

what a load of crap. i love quoting Shaw.

“People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can’t find them, make them.”

and

“I can forgive Alfred Nobel for having invented dynamite, but only a fiend in human form could have invented the Nobel Prize.”

suck it, wingnuts. i’m taking the party back…

430 cliffster  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:06:40am

good morning, to those of you for whom it’s still morning.

431 Dark_Falcon  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:07:20am

re: #412 Killgore Trout

The ‘swift-boating’ of Rand Paul

[Video]

The ad is wrong about coal (it really is a ‘least favorable form of energy’) but they’re right about the rest and the ad is right to call Luap Dnar Cuckoo. I hope the ad devastates him.

432 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:07:28am

re: #430 cliffster

good morning, to those of you for whom it’s still morning.

Afternoonist!!
/

433 Vicious Babushka  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:07:35am

re: #428 Cato the Elder

Yeah, my ass is chapped from all the kissing you’ve given it, since I am one of the leaders of the right-wing crowd here.

Seriously, he was on a con-man mission. He’ll find another blog and practice his chops. I have the feeling that a good part of his “day-trading” consists in hanging around blogs and dropping hints about how he just made a fortune on a single trade, then waiting for fear and greed to drive little fish into his net.

Why doesn’t he just run ads like that “White Teeth Secret” and “One Rule to Reduce Belly Fat” and “Local Stay at Home Mom Makes $88/hr”

434 Walter L. Newton  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:07:50am

re: #420 Slap

lol…most times, I’m merely happy to be barely coherent…

“Achievement of your happiness is the only moral purpose of your life, and that happiness, not pain or mindless self-indulgence, is the proof of your moral integrity, since it is the proof and the result of your loyalty to the achievement of your values.” (Ayn Rand)

435 badger1970  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:08:00am

re: #428 Cato the Elder

One of his first posts I recall was an “insider” stock tip and when reine called him out on it, he acted all “I didn’t know better” and promised not to do it again.

436 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:08:07am

re: #423 Charles

Just make sure not to quote Marcus Aurelius (persecuted Christians), Thomas Moore (burned heretics at the stake), Andrew Jackson (supported slavery and onerous policies towards Indians), or the Bible (too much insane crap to mention).

Then you’d really be in trouble.

Ezra Pound was an anti-semite and a deeply crazy man. I still say this poem is awesome, and worth quoting:

Meditatio:

When I carefully consider the curious habits of dogs
I am compelled to conclude
That man is the superior animal.

When I consider the curious habits of man
I confess, my friend, I am puzzled.

437 Spare O'Lake  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:08:07am

re: #424 Aceofwhat?

apropos of nothing, your lure avatar always looks like a person flossing to me unless i enlarge it.

makes me chuckle ever time…

Heh, I wonder if that’s what it looks like to the bass.

438 Mad Al-Jaffee  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:08:26am

re: #430 cliffster

good morning, to those of you for whom it’s still morning.

12:08 pm here, time for lunch!

439 Renaissance_Man  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:09:06am

re: #434 Walter L. Newton

“Achievement of your happiness is the only moral purpose of your life, and that happiness, not pain or mindless self-indulgence, is the proof of your moral integrity, since it is the proof and the result of your loyalty to the achievement of your values.” (Ayn Rand)

‘Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.’ (Aleister Crowley)

440 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:09:28am

re: #437 Spare O’Lake

I’m a bass-baritone and it looks like a set of mechanical clacking teeth to me.

441 Walter L. Newton  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:09:48am

re: #436 Obdicut

Just make sure not to quote Marcus Aurelius (persecuted Christians), Thomas Moore (burned heretics at the stake), Andrew Jackson (supported slavery and onerous policies towards Indians), or the Bible (too much insane crap to mention).

Then you’d really be in trouble.

Ezra Pound was an anti-semite and a deeply crazy man. I still say this poem is awesome, and worth quoting:

Or Ayn Rand… sort of idealized a serial killer… “In the late 1920s, Rand worked on a number of writing projects, including movie scenarios, short stories, and a novel called The Little Street.[27] The hero of The Little Street was described as having “the true, innate psychology of a Superman” and was to be based on an idealized portrait of child killer William Edward Hickman.[28] Rand scholars have interpreted her notes for this book as evidence of her early admiration of the ideas of Friedrich Nietzsche.[29] The novel was never completed and none of the other projects were produced or published during Rand’s lifetime.”

[Link: en.wikipedia.org…]

442 darthstar  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:09:50am

re: #427 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Don’t you remember? Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison had their careers destroyed for being in the film My Fair Lady!

Oh, Audrey…They don’t make them like her anymore.

443 SanFranciscoZionist  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:10:15am

re: #158 sandbox

Sorry Vinnie, the morning shift at LGF tends to taking the war with radical islam more seriously than the pm time posters. We’re trying to understand the reason for that.

That’s not exactly how I would characterize the difference, of course.

444 Mostly sane, most of the time.  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:10:22am

re: #439 Renaissance_Man

‘Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.’ (Aleister Crowley)

“You tease your brother again and you will be spending the whole of your day on your bed again.”

(Mommy EmmmieG)

445 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:11:15am

re: #442 darthstar

Rex won the Academy Award, and My Fair Lady won a total of 8 Oscars.

446 Cato the Elder  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:11:28am

re: #436 Obdicut

Just make sure not to quote Marcus Aurelius (persecuted Christians), Thomas Moore (burned heretics at the stake), Andrew Jackson (supported slavery and onerous policies towards Indians), or the Bible (too much insane crap to mention).

Then you’d really be in trouble.

Ezra Pound was an anti-semite and a deeply crazy man. I still say this poem is awesome, and worth quoting.

My favorite Ezra Pound ditty:

An Immorality

Sing we for love and idleness,
Naught else is worth the having.

Though I have been in many a land,
There is naught else in living.

And I would rather have my sweet,
Though rose-leaves die of grieving,

Than do high deeds in Hungary
To pass all men’s believing.

447 Kragar  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:11:42am

re: #444 EmmmieG

“You tease your brother again and you will be spending the whole of your day on your bed again.”

(Mommy EmmmieG)

“Revenge is a dish best served with mayonnaise and those little cheesy things on sticks.”

Osric the Loopy, planetary governor of Corania (appointed 756.M41, removed from office by the Officio Assassinorum 764.M41)

448 ShaunP  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:12:00am

re: #441 Walter L. Newton

Or Ayn Rand… sort of idealized a serial killer… “In the late 1920s, Rand worked on a number of writing projects, including movie scenarios, short stories, and a novel called The Little Street.[27] The hero of The Little Street was described as having “the true, innate psychology of a Superman” and was to be based on an idealized portrait of child killer William Edward Hickman.[28] Rand scholars have interpreted her notes for this book as evidence of her early admiration of the ideas of Friedrich Nietzsche.[29] The novel was never completed and none of the other projects were produced or published during Rand’s lifetime.”

[Link: en.wikipedia.org…]

Walter beat me to the Ayn Rand punch. I was going to mention her openly anti-religion stance, but this works too…

449 Political Atheist  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:12:13am

Good overview of the rig & spill science/technology
[Link: www.sciencenews.org…]

450 Vicious Babushka  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:12:59am

re: #445 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Rex won the Academy Award, and My Fair Lady won a total of 8 Oscars.

Julie Andrews won Best Actress for “Mary Poppins” because she was shut out of “My Fair Lady” after playing Eliza on Broadway for years.

451 Cato the Elder  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:12:59am

re: #442 darthstar

Oh, Audrey…They don’t make them like her anymore.

Well, Natalie Portman will do in a pinch.

452 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:13:14am

re: #441 Walter L. Newton

Right. There are much better reasons to dismiss Rand’s claptrap than her personal life, though it is a great display of the hypocrisy and falseness of her own philosophy. Doesn’t mean she didn’t ever say anything right, or worth quoting— though what she said was original was generally flawed and what she said that wasn’t flawed was usually not original.

For anyone who hasn’t read it, the book Sewer, Gas, Electric is a trippy, trippy novel where a large number of conspiracies are at work at once in the world, and it includes an artificial intelligence version of Ayn Rand and Howard Hughes golden submarine (which he used to to transport kangaroos to unlikely places in order to baffle marijuana farmers). Also, there’s a mutated great white shark in the sewers of New York City, and a secret room in the public library.

Good read.

453 cliffster  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:13:17am

I hate when this happens. Hornitos Tequila - Cougar Phone

Youtube Video
454 wrenchwench  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:13:23am

re: #442 darthstar

Oh, Audrey…They don’t make them like her anymore.

I wasn’t really a fan of hers, but I recently watched “War and Peace”, and she was quite good in that.

455 Aceofwhat?  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:14:32am

re: #439 Renaissance_Man

‘Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.’ (Aleister Crowley)

Heh.

You haven’t, by chance read Bare Faced Messiah?

Apparently Hubbard spent some time living with John Parsons, a huge Crowley devotée. Hubbard ended up stealing his girlfriend…oops…where’s Satan to protect your woman when you need her;)

456 Dark_Falcon  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:14:51am

re: #433 Alouette

Why doesn’t he just run ads like that “White Teeth Secret” and “One Rule to Reduce Belly Fat” and “Local Stay at Home Mom Makes $88/hr”

Because doing that he’s just one of many. This scam can get him in close to the mark and therefore able to take for everything the mark is worth. This is a bloodsucking con-man, as Cato said. Someone like this makes Stalker Bloggers look like saints. They stalk and hassle people online, and at worst expose your real identity. But scum like Sigma will try to take your life savings before they’re done. They have no honor nor conscience. Prison is their natural home.

457 Cato the Elder  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:15:22am

re: #452 Obdicut

[…] Also, there’s a mutated great white shark in the sewers of New York City, and a secret room in the public library.

Good read.

I’ve been in that secret room. In fact, I have a key.

Good reading. (My lips are sealed.)

458 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:16:56am

re: #450 Alouette

Julie Andrews won Best Actress for “Mary Poppins” because she was shut out of “My Fair Lady” after playing Eliza on Broadway for years.

I didn’t know that.

She had to have a stand in singer like Natalie Wood in West Side Story.

459 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:17:29am

re: #446 Cato the Elder

Heh. That was actually the first one I considered posting.

Oh, and W.B. Yeats really, really did believe in fairies, and yet wrote The Second Coming, one of the most-quoted poems of all time.


Gee, could it be that writers tend to be wanderers on the edges of society and culture, and tend to have unorthodox opinions? Oh no! Unorthodoxy and uniqueness! We can’t have that— it must be destroyed in the name of patriotism, purity, and nativism.

460 Walter L. Newton  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:17:46am

re: #452 Obdicut

Right. There are much better reasons to dismiss Rand’s claptrap than her personal life, though it is a great display of the hypocrisy and falseness of her own philosophy. Doesn’t mean she didn’t ever say anything right, or worth quoting— though what she said was original was generally flawed and what she said that wasn’t flawed was usually not original.

For anyone who hasn’t read it, the book Sewer, Gas, Electric is a trippy, trippy novel where a large number of conspiracies are at work at once in the world, and it includes an artificial intelligence version of Ayn Rand and Howard Hughes golden submarine (which he used to to transport kangaroos to unlikely places in order to baffle marijuana farmers). Also, there’s a mutated great white shark in the sewers of New York City, and a secret room in the public library.

Good read.

Now that I think of it… I remember that Ayn Rand was sort of persona non grata around here for some of her social associations and philosophy?

461 Dark_Falcon  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:18:33am

re: #451 Cato the Elder

Well, Natalie Portman will do in a pinch.

She’s an excellent actress. Unlike most child stars, she made sure to go to college (though in her case it was Harvard), studied under her original last name, and actually acquired real grounding and discipline. Thus she’s stayed on the level, rather than having her career tank like all the pop wrecks we see in the celeb mags.

462 Kragar  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:19:17am

Pope Benedict blames ‘sin inside the church’ for Vatican woes

On a flight to Portugal, Benedict told reporters “the greatest persecution of the church does not come from the enemies outside, but is born from sin inside the church,” he said. “The church has a profound need to relearn penance, to accept purification, to learn on the one hand forgiveness but also the necessity of justice.”

The comments were both the most direct and most self-critical the pope has made about a rash of reports in Europe that priests accused of sexually abusing children were shuffled between dioceses by their superiors rather than being removed from pastoral care and defrocked.

463 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:19:24am

re: #461 Dark_Falcon

She showed a lot of acting chops in Garden State. That was when I fell in deep like with her.

464 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:19:42am

re: #461 Dark_Falcon

Jodi Foster is also ivy, IIRC.

465 William Barnett-Lewis  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:20:01am

re: #412 Killgore Trout

The ‘swift-boating’ of Rand Paul

Love the coo-coo clock… ;)

William

466 Dark_Falcon  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:20:17am

re: #460 Walter L. Newton

Now that I think of it… I remember that Ayn Rand was sort of persona non grata around here for some of her social associations and philosophy?

Yes, as a rule she is. She’s the one who produced Atlas Shrugged and gave the world the absurd character John Gault.

467 Political Atheist  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:20:29am

PIMF! Sorry forgot the excerpt

“At least while the rig was burning, all of the effluent from the well was coming to the surface and burning at the surface,” Miller notes. Indeed, burning oil — even on the sea surface — is an accepted spill-mitigation technique. So he’s puzzled why water boats were deployed to dowse the burning platform.

A mile down and out of sight
“What they did was fill the rig up with water. At which point it sunk,” Miller says — a full 5,000 feet to the seabed. And that, he maintains, violated “the first rule in offshore fire-fighting, which is not to sink the ship.” The reason: As soon as the rig submerged, it took down the riser pipe, which in this case was a 5,000-foot-long tethered straw through which the oil was gushing up from a reservoir 13,000 feet below the seafloor.

468 Spare O'Lake  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:20:32am

re: #443 SanFranciscoZionist

That’s not exactly how I would characterize the difference, of course.

Nor I.

469 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:20:36am

WOO HOO! I got number one!

470 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:21:22am

re: #469 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

WOO HOO! I got number one!

Down ding for bragging.
/

471 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:21:27am

re: #460 Walter L. Newton

I’m not sure Ayn Rand really had any weird social associations, but her philosophy is certain an inchoherent, self-contradictory mess with ill-defined terms that completely ignores biology. It’s funny; the two philosophers Rand hated most, Marx and Plato, are the two she resembles most.

Anyone interested in an excellent deconstruction of Ayn Rand, this site is awesome:

[Link: aynrandcontrahumannature.blogspot.com…]

472 darthstar  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:21:36am

re: #464 Cannadian Club Akbar

Jodi Foster is also ivy, IIRC.

And equally lovely

473 Kragar  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:21:55am

re: #469 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

WOO HOO! I got number one!

Nice going kid, don’t get cocky.

474 ryannon  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:22:28am

re: #294 lawhawk

Another relatively inexpensive solution to implanting a HSR system on existing right-of-way and tracks is the Pendular train

[Link: en.wikipedia.org…]

The main expense here is the acquisition of brand-new rolling stock - cheap compared to the cost of starting a HSR system from scratch.

475 Liberal Classic  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:22:36am

re: #436 Obdicut

Just make sure not to quote Marcus Aurelius (persecuted Christians), Thomas Moore (burned heretics at the stake), Andrew Jackson (supported slavery and onerous policies towards Indians), or the Bible (too much insane crap to mention).

If we had to exclude from consideration anyone or anything with politically incorrect or eccentric views, the world would be an exceeding dull place.

476 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:23:04am

re: #473 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

Indiana Jones quote?

477 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:23:58am

re: #476 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Star Wars… But Harry Ford!

So, at least I was close.

478 badger1970  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:24:08am

re: #476 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Indiana Jones quote?

Where’s the slash?

479 Dark_Falcon  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:24:16am

re: #476 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Indiana Jones quote?

SMACK!

480 lawhawk  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:24:32am

Whoa nelly. Thieves stole controversial cross in Mojave Desert that was subject of federal litigation.

Thieves have stolen a cross in the Mojave Desert that honored American war dead, less than two weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the religious symbol to remain on federal land.

The 7-foot-high cross was stolen late Sunday or early Monday by thieves who cut the metal bolts that attached the symbol to a rock in the sprawling desert preserve, National Park Service spokeswoman Linda Slater said.

Authorities had no immediate motive for the theft but ideas range from scrap metal scavengers to people “with an interest in the case,” Slater said.

A $25,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the thieves, she said.

Veterans groups were outraged.

No immediate motive? Really? I can think of motive - the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the religious symbol to remain on federal land.

481 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:24:46am

re: #477 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Star Wars… But Harry Ford!

So, at least I was close.

And you’re number one? Please…
/

482 lawhawk  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:25:38am

re: #474 ryannon

That was part of the Acela setup, but they botched the job and the tracks are too close to each other so that when the trainsets lean, they impinge on the track next to them. The solution was to limit how far the trains could lean, which meant a reduction in speed, offsetting the benefit to a great degree.

483 Aceofwhat?  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:25:46am

re: #475 Liberal Classic

If we had to exclude from consideration anyone or anything with politically incorrect or eccentric views, the world would be an exceeding dull place.

OTOH, those who can’t differentiate between quoting a witty statement and validating the author’s entire worldview are kindly self-identifying for exclusion from polite and relevant public discourse…

484 Cato the Elder  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:25:52am

re: #459 Obdicut

Heh. That was actually the first one I considered posting.

Oh, and W.B. Yeats really, really did believe in fairies, and yet wrote The Second Coming, one of the most-quoted poems of all time.

Gee, could it be that writers tend to be wanderers on the edges of society and culture, and tend to have unorthodox opinions? Oh no! Unorthodoxy and uniqueness! We can’t have that— it must be destroyed in the name of patriotism, purity, and nativism.

That’s what made me chortle so hard when Sigma pegged me as one of the right-wing opinion-makers here.

My politics are incorrect, both to the right and to the left. And I change them according to circumstances and shifting conditions. Mostly I enjoy exposing truisms and true believers using the club of their own bad logic.

Sarcasm in the name of truth is no vice!

485 Cato the Elder  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:26:53am

re: #460 Walter L. Newton

Now that I think of it… I remember that Ayn Rand was sort of persona non grata around here for some of her social associations and philosophy?

“Philosophy”?

LOL!

Third-hand Nietzsche badly wrapped in greed-porn.

486 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:28:32am

re: #461 Dark_Falcon

She’s an excellent actress. Unlike most child stars, she made sure to go to college (though in her case it was Harvard), studied under her original last name, and actually acquired real grounding and discipline. Thus she’s stayed on the level, rather than having her career tank like all the pop wrecks we see in the celeb mags.

Two words - Hotel Chevalier

487 Liberal Classic  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:31:24am

re: #483 Aceofwhat?

OTOH, those who can’t differentiate between quoting a witty statement and validating the author’s entire worldview are kindly self-identifying for exclusion from polite and relevant public discourse…

“At 83, George Bernard Shaw’s mind was perhaps not quite as good as it used to be, but it was still better than anyone else’s.”
— Alexander Woollcott

488 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:32:01am

re: #485 Cato the Elder

And a seething hate for Marxism that made Objectivism the funhouse inverse of Marxism; both systems postulate a perfection of man under the right economic conditions, a perfect ordering of society.

Beware anyone who believes in perfectly rational thought.

489 Mad Al-Jaffee  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:32:57am

On this day in 1960 Adolf Eichmann was captured by Mossad agents and taken to Israel to stand trial.

[Link: www.historyplace.com…]

490 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:33:08am

bbiab

491 Cato the Elder  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:34:12am

re: #488 Obdicut

And a seething hate for Marxism that made Objectivism the funhouse inverse of Marxism; both systems postulate a perfection of man under the right economic conditions, a perfect ordering of society.

Beware anyone who believes in perfectly rational thought.

Which was my whole point yesterday, really, about the downside of the “Enlightenment”.

492 darthstar  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:36:32am

re: #480 lawhawk

Whoa nelly. Thieves stole controversial cross in Mojave Desert that was subject of federal litigation.

No immediate motive? Really? I can think of motive - the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the religious symbol to remain on federal land.

That’s just stupid. Yes, I agree that the Ten Commandments shouldn’t be displayed in granite on courthouse lawns, and I think our obsession with being a ‘Christian Nation’ sometimes makes us sound like the Xian equivalent of Saudi Arabia, but this cross wasn’t put up as a symbol of our Christ-like nature as a country, it was a simple marker honoring WWI soldiers. It should have been ‘grandfathered’ in to be allowed to remain on federal land, in my opinion. It’s not like it was planted on the White House lawn in 2007 by the Phelps/Robertson/Falwell types.


I hope whoever stole it suffers karmic retribution in a big fuckin’ way.

493 windsagio  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:38:06am

re: #491 Cato the Elder

do you remember which thread? I have an hour to blow before we go up to the Island, and it sounds interesting :)

(and don’t say search, the search function blows)

494 Spare O'Lake  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:38:11am

re: #489 Mad Al-Jaffee

On this day in 1960 Adolf Eichmann was captured by Mossad agents and taken to Israel to stand trial.

[Link: www.historyplace.com…]

This was the operation that really put the Mossad on the map. The House on Garibaldi Street is an excellent account.

495 Cato the Elder  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:38:54am

re: #493 windsagio

do you remember which thread? I have an hour to blow before we go up to the Island, and it sounds interesting :)

(and don’t say search, the search function blows)

The Maine Tea Party thread.

496 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:38:55am

re: #491 Cato the Elder

Which was my whole point yesterday, really, about the downside of the “Enlightenment”.

Well, that’s a very strange misunderstanding of the Enlightenment, then. Some people involved in the Enlightenment thought man capable of perfect reason. Not most of them. The more religious members of the Enlightenment thought perfect rationality was reserved for God, and even amongst the least religious, most were well aware of the imperfects that permeated thought. That was one of the bases for the scientific method; to separate out the gold of proof from the chaff of supposition. The Liebnitzean idea that not only could all true things be thought but all possible but untrue things, and all true but impossible things, hinted at what was to come with Gödel— except that Liebnitz put it in terms of infinite possible Adams.

497 windsagio  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:39:03am

re: #492 darthstar

Thats all true, but I also doubt it was stolen by an atheist cabal bent on destroying christian symbols >>

498 Mad Al-Jaffee  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:39:14am

re: #494 Spare O’Lake

This was the operation that really put the Mossad on the map. The House on Garibaldi Street is an excellent account.

I really need to read that.

499 rwdflynavy  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:39:39am

re: #466 Dark_Falcon

Yes, as a rule she is. She’s the one who produced Atlas Shrugged and gave the world the absurd character John Gault.

And his wacky brother John Galt.
//

500 Slap  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:39:50am

re: #480 lawhawk

Could be, could be. Could also be idiot vandals with no political awareness or agenda.

I do hope for a karmic balance here, regardless. People do stupid, hurtful shit sometimes.

501 Aceofwhat?  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:39:55am

re: #488 Obdicut

And a seething hate for Marxism that made Objectivism the funhouse inverse of Marxism; both systems postulate a perfection of man under the right economic conditions, a perfect ordering of society.

Beware anyone who believes in perfectly rational thought.

Utopia is where the unicorns are…

502 darthstar  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:40:02am

re: #497 windsagio

Thats all true, but I also doubt it was stolen by an atheist cabal bent on destroying christian symbols >>

It could have been a couple of red-necks going for the scrap metal…but that’s not how it’ll play in the media.

503 Mostly sane, most of the time.  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:40:08am

re: #487 Liberal Classic

“At 83, George Bernard Shaw’s mind was perhaps not quite as good as it used to be, but it was still better than anyone else’s.”
— Alexander Woollcott

Except for that one guy…what was his name…Albert Einstein? Oh, and, again…Oppenheimer? Was that it?

Shaw was like Franklin’s description of John Adams:

“He means well for his country, is always an honest man, often a wise one, but sometimes, and in some things, absolutely out of his senses.”

504 rwdflynavy  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:40:20am

re: #489 Mad Al-Jaffee

On this day in 1960 Adolf Eichmann was captured by Mossad agents and taken to Israel to stand trial.

[Link: www.historyplace.com…]

Rendition!!!11!!!!

505 windsagio  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:41:00am

re: #502 darthstar

My hope is actually EBAY.

506 vinnievin  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:42:09am

Thanks for the civil dialogue - was a nice morning. May be back later if time (and the wife) permits.

507 Cato the Elder  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:42:17am

re: #496 Obdicut

Well, that’s a very strange misunderstanding of the Enlightenment, then. Some people involved in the Enlightenment thought man capable of perfect reason. Not most of them. The more religious members of the Enlightenment thought perfect rationality was reserved for God, and even amongst the least religious, most were well aware of the imperfects that permeated thought. That was one of the bases for the scientific method; to separate out the gold of proof from the chaff of supposition. The Liebnitzean idea that not only could all true things be thought but all possible but untrue things, and all true but impossible things, hinted at what was to come with Gödel— except that Liebnitz put it in terms of infinite possible Adams.

I’m sorry, but the “perfectibility of man” played a huge role, and that is something to which I do not hold.

Nor do you, apparently.

But it is perhaps the most dangerous notion ever conceived, and it’s still with us, in both rationalistic and religious guise.

I don’t believe we really have a conflict, we just approach the subject from radically different angles.

508 Aceofwhat?  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:43:01am

Oooh…a Kagan thread. Shiny…

509 Slap  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:43:09am

re: #500 Slap

People do stupid, hurtful shit sometimes.

Deep philosophy be my speci-al-i-tee.

Yeesh. Sorry…..

510 Political Atheist  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:43:36am

re: #502 darthstar

Scrap iron is darn cheap. Media aside, my personal suspicion is militant atheist rather than scrap thief. And yes I agree war memorials should exempt.

511 windsagio  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:43:57am

re: #507 Cato the Elder

I finally found your post by the way, and I’d actually argue that the culture has substantially “improved” since “1950”, let alone “The Enligthenment”. (Quotation marks yours, of course :p)

512 Cato the Elder  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:47:29am

re: #487 Liberal Classic

“At 83, George Bernard Shaw’s mind was perhaps not quite as good as it used to be, but it was still better than anyone else’s.”
— Alexander Woollcott

Chesterton was always one step ahead of and behind him, though:

“If a man called Christmas Day a mere hypocritical excuse for drunkeness and gluttony, that would be false, but it would have a fact hidden in it somewhere. But when Bernard Shaw says that Christmas Day is only a conspiracy kept up by poulterers and wine merchants from strictly business motives, then he says something which is not so much false as startling and arrestingly foolish. He might as well say that the two sexes were invented by jewellers who wanted to sell wedding rings.”

513 ClaudeMonet  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:50:00am

re: #359 jaunte

Hey, happy anniversary! Today is mine, too (25).

Congratulations to you and to reine!

514 Cato the Elder  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:50:15am

re: #511 windsagio

I finally found your post by the way, and I’d actually argue that the culture has substantially “improved” since “1950”, let alone “The Enligthenment”. (Quotation marks yours, of course :p)

“The decay of society is praised by artists as the decay of a corpse is praised by worms.” —G.K. Chesterton

515 windsagio  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:51:53am

re: #514 Cato the Elder

Cool quote, but it would be better if I were WUB (whose an artist).

Anyways, people have always thought what you’re saying :p Always.

Things are better now than ever, and in general getting better still.

516 Vicious Babushka  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:52:09am

re: #458 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

I didn’t know that.

She had to have a stand in singer like Natalie Wood in West Side Story.

Actually they both used the same stand-in singer.

517 windsagio  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:52:14am

re: #515 windsagio

dammit, forgot the link:

Youtube Video
518 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:52:18am

re: #507 Cato the Elder

I’m sorry, but the “perfectibility of man” played a huge role, and that is something to which I do not hold.

Nor do you, apparently.

But it is perhaps the most dangerous notion ever conceived, and it’s still with us, in both rationalistic and religious guise.

I don’t believe we really have a conflict, we just approach the subject from radically different angles.

That’s fine. But you have a habit of positing the Enlightenment as something that was a coherent doctrine, where it was a breaking open of new doctrines. Of course some of those ideas are going to be dangerous, and wrong, and all the rest. But the Enlightenment gave us the tools to start sorting through ideas, testing them for reality, for soundness, for practicality. The idea that we should act according to reason does not mean that reason is assumed to be perfect; the mere process of science for the natural philosophers made it obvious to them that reason wasn’t perfect, and very few believed it was more than theoretically perfectible.

Remember, that was the time period of the argument between the rationalists and the empiricists, between nature and nurture. It wasn’t any period of monolithic thought.

And the perfectibility of man predates the age of reason by a long time; it was cast in religious terms before— a shriven soul, the perfection of the mind and spirit in communion with god, and merely the concept of god as a sentient being all contain the ideas of the perfection of a mind.

519 Cato the Elder  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:54:02am

re: #515 windsagio

Cool quote, but it would be better if I were WUB (whose an artist).

Anyways, people have always thought what you’re saying :p Always.

Things are better now than ever, and in general getting better still.

Heh.

520 windsagio  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:55:42am

re: #519 Cato the Elder

It’s something I can go on about, really.

Its the difference between looking to the past for virtue and looking to the future.

The past wasn’t TERRIBLE, but nostalgia and the fogging effect of time aside, it just gets worse the further we go back.

521 Cato the Elder  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:55:49am

re: #518 Obdicut

Your understanding of the orthodox Christian image of man is as lacking as mine may well be of the Enlightenment’s.

522 reine.de.tout  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:59:26am

re: #416 Obdicut

He also accused me of being an ass-kisser. I liked that part.

I doubt we’ve seen the last of him. He was pretty obsessive.

Him’s gone.
But I bet he pops up somewhere.

523 Cato the Elder  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:59:36am

re: #520 windsagio

It’s something I can go on about, really.

Its the difference between looking to the past for virtue and looking to the future.

The past wasn’t TERRIBLE, but nostalgia and the fogging effect of time aside, it just gets worse the further we go back.

I look for virtue where I find it.

Not finding very much in the present, and the future can go diddle itself.

524 windsagio  Tue, May 11, 2010 10:00:37am

re: #523 Cato the Elder

Well this is always an interesting discussion, so lets do this:

What did you find virtuous in 1750, or 1950 for that matter, that’s lacking now?

525 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Tue, May 11, 2010 10:02:37am

re: #521 Cato the Elder

Your understanding of the orthodox Christian image of man is as lacking as mine may well be of the Enlightenment’s.

Not really. I was raised Catholic, and have studied a lot of other flavors of Christianity. I used to be quite religious. The conception of man in ‘orthodox Christianity’ has immense variation and bredth, not just between faiths but between individuals in one faith. William James has outlined this pretty well— have you read The Varieties of Religious Experience?

526 Dark_Falcon  Tue, May 11, 2010 10:18:50am

re: #492 darthstar

That’s just stupid. Yes, I agree that the Ten Commandments shouldn’t be displayed in granite on courthouse lawns, and I think our obsession with being a ‘Christian Nation’ sometimes makes us sound like the Xian equivalent of Saudi Arabia, but this cross wasn’t put up as a symbol of our Christ-like nature as a country, it was a simple marker honoring WWI soldiers. It should have been ‘grandfathered’ in to be allowed to remain on federal land, in my opinion. It’s not like it was planted on the White House lawn in 2007 by the Phelps/Robertson/Falwell types.

I hope whoever stole it suffers karmic retribution in a big fuckin’ way.

Thank you for the reasonable and relatively sensitive description, Darth.

527 windsagio  Tue, May 11, 2010 10:24:26am

Kinda sad that Cato backed out of what would have been an interesting discussion :(

528 claire  Tue, May 11, 2010 10:59:17am

I would just like to know what a velvet dingle is, much less a snouting one.

529 davesax  Tue, May 11, 2010 1:32:16pm

Last week, after saying, “I don’t care about this guy’s Miranda rights,” because I’d been at Times Square during the dreaded attempt to blow up that wonderful place, I was roundly condemned on these threads.

Obdicut even called me “dumb” and a “coward”, then said I was creeping him out, and finally turned my own GAZE against me .

Ace and SanfranciscoZionist followed suit with their ostracizing.

I was a shell of a Lizard for days.

But alas, the Obama administration is reconsidering Miranda rights for terrorist suspects. They have even nominated a justice that probably would support them doing it.

One may only conclude that they read the threads on LGF, and agreed with me more.

Hence, my vindication.

I expect neither thanks nor praise for my wisdom. As a matter of fact, I expect more scorn, because the tone of this post invites it.

But I am here to say:

Long Live Lizard Wisdom.

LGF trial by fire results in strength of character and a more elastic mind.

530 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Tue, May 11, 2010 9:45:29pm

re: #529 davesax

Again: There’s no such thing as Miranda rights.


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