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Open Thread, Open Comments

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 10:05:17 AM EST
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Update: The e-mail spammers hit the comments. Registration is back on. If anyone has trouble getting their comment posted, please email Mike Ditto. Also, I don't like anonymous comments because you can't tell if it's ten people or one person commenting ten times. Thanks.

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    Open Thread, Open Comments | 35 comments (35 topical)
    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 10:16:51 AM EST
    Help out The Young Turks and give them a post. The Turks are going live continuously until we get 40 Senators to support the filibuster. They have been going for 20 hours straight so far. Maybe a post or at least a mention in a open thread would help out. Cenk, Jill, Ben and company have been fighting the good fight for a long time. Give them so love!

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 10:35:56 AM EST
    Rumor from insiders is that both Stevens & Souter wanna retire this summer. Just rumors, but they got me thinking about something related: orderly retirement in general. Justices love their court and do not really wanna die in office or otherwise impinge on it. Happens, but they try to avoid it. So ... and esp given the many delays in confirmations of late (e.g. 6 months or so for SDO's replacement) ... and further given the threat of filibuster-length delays of future nominees, regardless of which party wins the presidency ... then I would think that Stevens, Souter and Ginsburg (and shortly behind them, Scalia) have to be thinking something like this: "This could take quite some time to replace the lot of us. We need to get started sooner rather than later." I mean, if for example, RBG's health is deteriorating as we hear, and Souter wants to retire as he's always said, then neither one wants to wait too long cuz they could end up stuck in the queue for years. maybe even years that they know they don't have. These are smart folks, they must have seen this already. So I gotta think at least one of them's gonna announce before '08. [Not only that, all of them think Roberts is "fabulous." And for all the rehtoric in the Senate, I expect they'll say much the same about Alito since that's what his co-workers in the past have said. I.E. The Libs on the court might not be nearly as worried about Bush picking their replacement as some would expect.]

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 10:52:08 AM EST
    I've got several threads on my blog that might be worth checking out: 1) GOP planning to go back to gay marriage ban 2) Oodles of bad polls for Dubya, GOP Congress 3) Joe Lieberman's Democratic primary challenger 4) More on the surveillance of those dangerous vegans 5) Anderson Cooper ignoring real news for puff and Aaron Brown decrying the state of cable news If you get a chance, check them out and comment if you think of anything to add.

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 10:59:10 AM EST
    Anonymous, If you think ten minutes is enough time for anyone on the court to judge Roberts' JUDICIAL performance, then I'd like to talk to you about some mountain property I'm selling in Florida. I assume they like Roberts as a person, which we all do to most people most of the time. Beyond that, it's just a tad too soon to call his "tenure" anything. And as for your belief that "liberal" judges on the court aren't nearly as worried about Bush naming their replacement as people think, well, all I can do is chuckle and add that I strongly, to say the least, disagree.

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 11:00:48 AM EST
    Ack, again, this registration glitch is killing me. Last message from Dadler.

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#6)
    by desertswine on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 11:02:18 AM EST
    I gotta give that Karen Bigfoot Hughes a big "HECKUVA JOB" for what she's doing for us in the ME.

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#7)
    by MikeDitto on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 11:22:32 AM EST
    We're gearing up for the campaign to pass the Colorado Domestic Partnership Act and defeat James Dobson's constitutional amendment banning equal marriage rights for same-sex couples. You can learn more about the issue and get updates, write letters to the editor and to legislators, by joining our CO-equality group at Progress Now Action.

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 11:46:08 AM EST
    Dadler, I was the anonymous to whom you anonymously replied. Thx for spotting the glitch. As for Roberts, I wsa indeed referring to his fellow justices' response to him as there is not much of a track record on him yet (tho what there is is really good so far). I do think the Libs will take a Bush-appointed successor into account, but given the queue that's forming, this has gotta be just one of several factors when planning a retirement. My main thesis remains: if they wanto to retire, or need to for health reasons, they gotta get started sooner rather than later, and I strongly suspect they've figured that out. --ras p.s. Wait, I'm anonymous now? I can comment as many times as I like? Bwa ha ha! .. ha .. heh ... um, but I can't think of anything more to say. Damn.

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 11:52:49 AM EST
    Foremost, due to a perhaps irrational professional aversion to 'signing up' for anything I've not posted here though long wished to. Thank you for the opportunity. As an academic I strive to meet a criterion I try to pass on to my students, that the very epitomy of the writing craft is in the ability to thoroughly curse someone out without resorting to the use of profanity. And while one of Tom's Three Rules of E-Mail presented to students in an introductory, "Never say something you wouldn't want your mother, or cops, to see", has received quite a bit of play lately (I feel like I've plagerized, weird) one of the other rules come to mind - "Keep it short and simple." So here's my short and simple: It ain't the spying, it's the lying. If Alito is confirmed, it is the end of America.

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#10)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 11:58:49 AM EST
    MD,
    We're gearing up for the campaign to pass the Colorado Domestic Partnership Act...
    Without having access to the verbiage of the Act, and going just by the title, I hope you succeed and I'd imagine you'd have strong support for it. However...
    ...and defeat James Dobson's constitutional amendment banning equal marriage rights for same-sex couples.
    The link from your website suggests that this is not a valid interpretation of the amendment at all:
    A proposed constitutional amendment against gay marriage will be limited to a one-sentence definition of marriage. "Only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state," the Colorado Marriage Amendment will read, according to a copy obtained Wednesday by the Rocky Mountain News. Unlike similar initiatives that have been passed elsewhere, the Colorado measure would not prohibit domestic partnerships or civil unions.
    sarcastic unnamed one

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#11)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 12:07:55 PM EST
    ...although I interpreted your statement to mean that what you want is same-sex couples to be able to have the same rights accorded to married couples, and not to mean that you want the legal definition of marraige to include same-sex couples. Did I interpret your statement correctly?

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 12:50:43 PM EST
    Thomas Ware, Foremost, due to a perhaps irrational professional aversion to 'signing up' for anything I've not posted here though long wished to. I really try not to sign up in order to avoid spam, and keep a throwaway email id that I periodically delete in favor of something new, to use in places just such as this. I know of only one truly thorough study of spam, where the authors created thousands of email ids and used them in various places to see where the spammers were finding them. Conclusion? The vast majority of spam comes from posting your email on public fora just like this. The big co's - e.g. Amazon - are relatively benign., as are the brick & mortar biz's and other orgs you might deal with, and the various levels of govt. Just remember that spammers are screen-scraping most of the time to find you. BTW, "irrational professional aversion?" That means that irrationality is your profession. Interesting job you got there! Oh, and epitomy is spelled epitome, as in "the very epitome of your writing craft."

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 01:40:56 PM EST
    Stop me before I comment again!

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#13)
    by ras on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 01:42:10 PM EST
    Oh, sigh, the comment above about how spammers get your email id was by me. This cloak of invisibility thing takes some getting used to. --ras

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#15)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 01:42:56 PM EST
    Thanks anon, that's what happens when your mind travels faster the bits can get from the keyboard to the unit. And yes, maintaining four hundred or so computers across a fifty-five square acre campus and a ten thousand square mile district is irrational. don't even get me started on spam.

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#16)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 02:29:59 PM EST
    Thomas, Four hundred computers to look after and to protect from spam?!?! I'm not sure I can even imagine the pain, so yes, perhaps irrationality truly is your profession, after all! --ras

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#17)
    by MikeDitto on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 02:53:48 PM EST
    Sarcastic, It's the same either way. In several states with similar verbiage, the very people who justified the marriage bans by saying that they would not impinge on civil unions or health benefits or anything else proscribed by law are now suing in state courts attempting to get those benefits thrown out on the argument that they are unconstitutional due to the marriage ban. Their motives are clear, even when the language isn't. With regards to the Colorado Domestic Partnership Act, it hasn't been introduced in the legislature yet--that will happen in a couple of weeks, at which time we'll know the wording. But it is supposed to guarantee hospital visitation, inheritance, adoption rights, and health insurance coverage for same-sex domestic partners--rights that are already guaranteed to unmarried opposite sex partners because Colorado is a common-law state with regards to marriage. But my understanding is that the act will allow those couples to register as well, to solidify their legal standing.

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#18)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 03:39:07 PM EST
    Thanks, MD, good luck with the CDPA.

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#19)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 04:20:28 PM EST
    As an academic ... plagerized ... epitomy
    Sir, you are obviously no academic. Next! - posted by Sailor

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#20)
    by ras on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 05:52:34 PM EST
    Sailor, Actually, I believe him that he's an academic, or - depending on what that word really means - at least that he works at a school of some sort and gives courses. I cut him slack (can I say that to a guy who calls himself Sailor?) on anything that might be a typo. I mean, ras's in glass houses and all, and also I've met too many teachers at all levels who can't spell to use that as a disqualifier.

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#21)
    by Sailor on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 07:33:57 PM EST
    Ras, good points, my bad. I expect more from academics, and I really expect more from folks calling themselves Academic, but I should know better on both counts. p.s. The 'slack' pun was good! Nautical etymology is a hobby of mine. Dammit, I just let the cat out of the bag;-)

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#22)
    by squeaky on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 07:39:23 PM EST
    Of course it was obvious but now there is documentation. Wives and female children of Iraqi's are arrested to lure the husband and fathers. Horrible & despicable. Laura Rozen and HufPo have the story.

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#23)
    by scarshapedstar on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 09:09:35 PM EST
    Good post on Pandagon about the government surveillance of dangerous vegans in Georgia. Anyone who doesn't like honeybaked ham is an obvious terrorist, I know. Bleh. Cue deafening silence from the conservatarians.

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#24)
    by squeaky on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 09:24:13 PM EST
    scarshapedstar-It is worrysome when terror hunters are more of a threat to the public than terrorists.

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#25)
    by squeaky on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 10:31:21 PM EST
    a preview of tues nights SoTU. For a good laugh. Guaranteed to be more informative than the real thing. link via smirking chimp

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#26)
    by scarshapedstar on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 11:01:09 PM EST
    scarshapedstar-It is worrysome when terror hunters are more of a threat to the public than terrorists.
    Yeah, seriously. As an Atlanta resident and frequent visitor to the benighted DeKalb County, sorry, I do not feel more safe in the slightest, knowing that someone has a dossier on all the local vegans. I would rather see a terrorist walking down the street than a government spy, because at least someone will arrest the terrorist.

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#27)
    by scarshapedstar on Fri Jan 27, 2006 at 11:04:43 PM EST
    And yes, I know, it's for my own good, like eating my brussels sprouts. All those Bush voters out in the great red wasteland just care too much about us city folk to let us continue with our dangerous notions of "civil liberties". They'll vote to have us live in a panopticon for our own safety, bless their hearts.

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#28)
    by Edger on Sat Jan 28, 2006 at 05:39:23 AM EST
    scar: All those Bush voters out in the great red wasteland just care too much about us city folk to let us continue with our dangerous notions of "civil liberties". Kind of makes me feel all "Misty Blue": What the hell is wrong with you? I've got eyes of misty blue All the things I want to do Are all I ever wanted to As the laddie grew and he looked aroung him At the thugs and rapists in their stolen suits louder beat the rhythm of his bloody heart Telling him to shoot Thoughtless competition Like a home-made prison Made him fix his vision On a certain fate What's the use in winning all the worlds creation If you won't create.

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#29)
    by Edger on Sat Jan 28, 2006 at 10:47:39 AM EST
    Security trumps all. It's a big, bad, nasty dangerous world out there. Full of fanatical killers who hate you because you're free. You got to make sure you're safe. That's the most important thing, right? Everything else ain't worth sh*t without you're safe and secure, right?. Right. No question. I heard on the news today that they're closer now. In my town. Sh*t. Now what? I've got it! I'll put up a steel fence around the house. To be safe and secure. Ahhh, that's better. The local radio station said this morning that there's a good chance they're now in the neighborhood. F*ck! Now what? I've got it! I'll put up steel shutters on the windows. To be safe and secure. Ahhh, that's better. The mailman came today. He said he's seen some suspicious looking brown people on the street this morning. But not to worry. He called Homeland Security. They said since they don't need warrants anymore that this is nothing to worry about. They'll be right out to arrest anyone on the sidewalk today. But just to be on the safe side they saide to shut, seal and lock the steel shutters. To be safe and secure. Ahhh, that's better. Something woke me up at three in the f*cking morning today. Some low banging and thumping on the wall from outside. I had a hard time getting up out of bed to check it out because the air is getting so bad in here I can hardly fu*king breath in here now. Cough, cough. But I'm safe and secure. Gasp. Choke. Sh*t, there's no food in the cupboard. And the fridge is empty. But I just remembered... I'm safe and secure. Why isn't this any better? It's getting really hard to breath in here now. But good thing I'm safe and secure. F*ck I'm hungry. Mostly for human contact... I wish I had someone to talk to... I'd like to let someone know that I'm safe and secure. But I'm afraid to open the shutters now. I wish there was some air in here... Tell my kids I loved them, will you? And please give them this note.

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#30)
    by Jlvngstn on Sat Jan 28, 2006 at 02:24:42 PM EST
    tasty gem:
    Maj. Todd Vician, a Defense Department spokesman in Washington, said the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy states that "homosexual orientation alone is not a bar to service, but homosexual conduct is incompatible with military service." "We define homosexual conduct as homosexual acts or verbal or nonverbal communication that a member is homosexual," Vician said.
    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#31)
    by squeaky on Sat Jan 28, 2006 at 02:33:48 PM EST
    Jlvngstn-Tasty indeedy
    ...nonverbal communication that a member is homosexual.....
    Wonder who the screener is going to be...Mel Gibson or Tom Cruise?

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#32)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Jan 28, 2006 at 02:56:42 PM EST
    scar wrote:
    All those Bush voters out in the great red wasteland just care too much about us city folk to let us continue with our dangerous notions of "civil liberties".
    My advice is to stock up on essentials and learn to trap piegons... and then there are garden plots...

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#33)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Jan 28, 2006 at 03:59:08 PM EST
    Mel Gibson or Tom Cruise? et tu, Mel?

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#34)
    by squeaky on Sat Jan 28, 2006 at 04:16:31 PM EST
    I did not see the movie but I heard that it was a big hit among the S&M gay crowd. I think the military has the same pull. Abu Ghraib and all.

    Re: Open Thread, Open Comments (none / 0) (#35)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Jan 28, 2006 at 04:18:04 PM EST
    Hadn't occurred to me, but makes sense.

    Open Thread, Open Comments | 35 comments (35 topical)