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Friday Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 03:55:49 PM EST
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Busy work day, but I see the jobs report is out.

If you're driving on East Colfax today in Denver, be prepared for delays. A 19 year old is holding the manager of a Radio Shack hostage at Colfax and Glencoe. Shots have been fired, the police are everywhere, and the 19 year old says he's not coming out.

Businesses in the adjacent strip mall and nearby streets have been evacuated. Traffic on Colfax is blocked by 40 to 50 police and emergency vehicles. Fifteen to 20 cops, including SWAT-team officers, are in front of the RadioShack. Others searched the alley behind the store with their guns drawn. Along Glencoe Street north of Colfax, cops have lined the street with their cars and are pointing their guns toward the store from behind open car doors.

5 elementary schools are on lockdown.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

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    Super Cool Picture... (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by ScottW714 on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 04:10:20 PM EST
    ...guy kissing his lady, both in handcuffs, and escorted by the police.

    Kdog? (5.00 / 1) (#15)
    by Yman on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 04:40:21 PM EST
    Is that you?

    Parent
    Still free... (none / 0) (#119)
    by kdog on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 08:30:47 AM EST
    as of today, thanks for checking!

    That's some True Romance...aside from the whole chains and cage thing, he's a lucky man.  

    Free Graffiti Romeo!

    Parent

    She acted as his lookout, so ... (none / 0) (#140)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 04:58:47 PM EST
    ... it must be true love!

    Parent
    Looks like a magazine advert (none / 0) (#4)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 04:17:31 PM EST


    Parent
    NYC (none / 0) (#8)
    by ScottW714 on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 04:30:26 PM EST
    Here the story.  

    The photographer needs their permission to get the pic in some contest.  He puts it on the web in hopes of locating the couple, finds the girl.  She's not releasing until her love is released.

    She was the lookout, while he spray painted.

    Parent

    LINK (none / 0) (#9)
    by ScottW714 on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 04:31:06 PM EST
    LINK

    Parent
    wild. (none / 0) (#13)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 04:35:32 PM EST


    Parent
    Linky no werky... (none / 0) (#10)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 04:31:44 PM EST


    Parent
    werky for me (none / 0) (#17)
    by DFLer on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 04:46:58 PM EST


    Parent
    AZ judge blames sex assault victim (5.00 / 1) (#16)
    by Yman on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 04:42:16 PM EST
    A sexual assault victim who was groped by an off-duty police officer is demanding an apology from an Arizona judge who during a sentencing hearing for the defendant told her: "If you wouldn't have been there that night, none of this would have happened to you."

    The victim wants the judge to apologize.

    That judge is so appalling (5.00 / 1) (#22)
    by Towanda on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 05:13:54 PM EST
    and more reason to entirely avoid Arizona.

    I wish that I could avoid even thinking about Arizona.  But I must.

    Parent

    We have a judge here in Maryland, (5.00 / 2) (#24)
    by Anne on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 05:24:10 PM EST
    Bruce Lamdin, who has been suspended from hearing cases.  Why?

    A woman came before him on a hearing for a restraining order against her husband, and:

    Miller said the 33-year-old woman went to Lamdin's courtroom in December seeking protection from her husband. She described two incidents that happened in the couple's White Marsh home that caused her to ask for the husband to be removed from the house.

    In a courtroom recording, the woman said, "On or about Nov. 27, he pinned me to a shelf, busted my arm open, left a gash in my forearm. He then threw me down on the floor and stomped me in the ribs so hard that I peed my pants. My oldest, who was 12 years old, got my son and hid in a closet with a hammer and called someone to come get us."

    [snip]

    "I believe he is a threat to the safety and well-being of my children and I. I just finished graduate school, and I have no means by which to vacate the house. And I need him to be not there until I can ..." the woman said in a court recording.

    "Ma'am, there are shelters," Lamdin said.

    "I suppose there are, sir," the woman said.

    "It confounds me that people tell me they are scared for their life, and then they stay in a situation where they can remove themselves and go to a shelter," Lamdin said.

    Lamdin repeatedly noted the couple's house was owned only by the woman's husband and made clear he was reluctant to put the husband out.

    "Where is he going to live if I put him out of the house?" Lamdin asked in the recording.

    "At his parents," the woman said. "Out of his house? How can you not say it's our house? I am his wife."

    "It's his house," Lamdin said.

    "That's not what the police said," the woman said.

    "I don't care what the police say," Lamdin said.

    Lamdin questioned the woman's decision to return to her husband after a prior breakup and twice accused her of thinking only of money.

    "Because you allow money to control your better judgment. Because it's the easy way out," Lamdin said.

    "That's not it at all," the woman said.

    "You can get out of there anytime you want," Lamdin said.

    "With what? With what?" the woman said.

    "That's not my concern. It's your concern. Your whole concern is money," Lamdin said.

    "You can't feed children on (inaudible), sir," the woman said.

    "What you've done and what you continue to do has been based on what is the economically easy road for you," Lamdin said. "If your concern was really the safety of your children and yourself, you'd already be out of there. But as always, based on your testimony, it comes back to the almighty dollar. And you can't afford to."

    Lamdin did grant the woman's request. He issued a temporary protective order putting her husband out, but only after he told the woman the court order was nothing more than paper.

    "You can hold a piece a paper right up in front of this gentleman and he can shoot you right through it. It's no guarantee," Lamdin said.

    At one point in the hearing, the woman was so distraught, she told the judge, "I'll just leave. You can drop the whole thing."

    I am sad to say that, years ago, I knew Bruce, and while he was kind of a jerk then, I had no idea he would turn into a total d-bag; I hope they decline to reappoint him - he has no business on the bench.

    Parent

    Wow (5.00 / 2) (#30)
    by Yman on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 05:44:00 PM EST
    Unf***ingbelievable.  I can't imagine they'll allow him to remain on the bench after that, particularly coupled with his prior history.  Getting a judge removed is no easy matter, but his (non)reappointment should be a no-brainer.

    OTOH, I can think of at least one commenter/resident of Charm City who'd support him ...

    Parent

    I had that same thought... (5.00 / 1) (#33)
    by Anne on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 05:49:49 PM EST
    even wondered if it was him!

    Lamdin's father was a judge, too, but I don't think he was anything like his son.

    Parent

    Judge Bruce should win ... (none / 0) (#37)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 05:58:48 PM EST
    ... the "Mr. Aloha" award for that performance. What an insensitive jerk!

    (Back in the day when I was slinging drinks for a living, a fellow bartender and I used to nominate customers -- and occasional co-workers -- for "The Mr. and Ms. Aloha Awards," of which as you can probably guess, the sole qualifying criteria was simply how big an a**hole he or she was on a particular day. To be honest, I've probably deserved a few of them myself over the years.)

    Parent

    Is it just me or is the number (none / 0) (#46)
    by brodie on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 06:38:51 PM EST
    of jerks and eh-holes in positions of power or authority increasing noticably in recent years?

    I get the feeling it's not me, and it's not just improved journalism.

    I see a real nasty trendline developing re callousness and insensitivity by those with too much power at their disposal.  Hope I'm wrong, but I doubt it.

    Parent

    Two thoughts: (none / 0) (#50)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 06:59:21 PM EST
    (1) There have always been jerks in public office, and the media has of late been increasingly willing to highlight them. Most often, they give these clowns a pass.

    (2) There's also been a palpable sense of fear and resentment building toward those who are less fortunate, which does tend to increase during difficult economic times because let's face it, scapegoating others for one's problems is just so much easier than actually crafting practical and reality-based solutions.

    And unfortunately, there will always be those politicians whose entire careers are premised upon the pointing of fingers and the casting of blame, and are thus more than willing to stoke that sort of public fear and resentment for their own short-term advantage.

    Parent

    And a lot of those pols (none / 0) (#57)
    by brodie on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 07:30:05 PM EST
    happen to be in the party that has been wholly taken over by the Tea Party forces of selfishness and rugged individualism, unfettered capitalism and social Darwinism that has contempt for notions of community and looking out for our fellow human beings.

    And the depressing thing is this same party -- despite the extremist positions and the outrageously callous attitudes, especially towards women and minorities, is still in a position to get at least 47% for their 1% nominee plus whatever further damage they can inflict by winning the senate and keeping the house.

    Something not good has taken root in this country.  And I'm skeptical that an Obama second term presidency will be able to stand up to these forces of evil and greed.

    Parent

    i am getting kind of tired of that phrase, (none / 0) (#103)
    by cpinva on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 12:50:33 AM EST
    which i consider an insult to mr. darwin, who himself never advocated such a thing. nor, is it even applicable to his actual work, which involved the survival of the species most able to adapt to a changing environment. it may or may not have involved eating other animals for a living.

    i'm not aware of a better replacement term, but defaming mr. darwin seems horribly unfair, to him and his descendents.

    Parent

    Well when you can come up (none / 0) (#143)
    by brodie on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 06:42:35 PM EST
    with a better term get back to me.  Meanwhile the term is commonly used as I did and serves a useful purpose even if arguably it suffers from some technical objections.  You want to replace it, fine, but instead of whining maybe you should get together with fellow passionate Darwin devotees and keepers of the flame and work on a replacement term.

    Meanwhile, "defame" is a rather strong and also inappropriate term at this legal blog.  There is no such thing, legally speaking, as defaming the dead.  Tough luck too for the ancestors, legatees and friends of the deceased.  It's called freedom of speech, excepting, on this blog only, the just-departed.  As I recall, Darwin died sometime in the late 19th C.

    Parent

    World's richest woman says $2/day ... (5.00 / 2) (#18)
    by Yman on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 04:54:34 PM EST
    ... is a good example.  Gina Rinehart criticized Australian miners as "too expensive" saying:

    "Africans want to work. Its workers are willing to work for less than $2 per day."

    This isn't Rinehart's first jab at Australia's working class. In a recent article, she wrote, "If you're jealous of those with more money... spend less time drinking, or smoking and socialising and more time working."

    She an heiress who inherited her fortune estimated at @ 18 billion dollars.

    I saw this story the other day. (5.00 / 3) (#20)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 04:59:00 PM EST
    Gina Rinehart needs to be thrown down one of her own mine shafts along with a pick and shovel, and then told by her $2-per-day miners to dig her own way out.

    Parent
    she doesn't deserve a pick & shovel (5.00 / 2) (#39)
    by The Addams Family on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 06:01:19 PM EST
    let her use her nail file

    Parent
    Thats Why The Top 1% Is So Awesome (5.00 / 1) (#123)
    by john horse on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 08:36:11 AM EST
    and why we need to keep tax rates for them as low as possible in order to encourage them to create as many $2/day jobs as possible.

    Parent
    May I brag on my Grandson??? (5.00 / 4) (#23)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 05:20:46 PM EST
    Yes? Why thank you.

    He plays CB.

    You may recall in the first game he intercepted a pass in the end zone and ran it back 107 yards.

    In the second game he made three tackles in the backfield for large losses, knocked down two passes and intercepted one.

    All you grandparents will understand. All others...Your understanding and forgiveness is appreciated.

    ::CHEERS!:: (5.00 / 1) (#27)
    by nycstray on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 05:38:11 PM EST


    Parent
    I enjoy hearing about him (5.00 / 1) (#28)
    by ruffian on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 05:39:06 PM EST
    Keep the brags coming!

    Reminds me of when my brother played football and my mom would get so excited. Good memories.

    Parent

    Years and years ago when my daughter played (none / 0) (#64)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 07:45:33 PM EST
    in her first basketball game when she hit her first basket I jumped up and yelled.

    The stands were the pull out/fold up type so there was nothing between the seat and the floor. My foot slipped through and I skinned my shin from ankle to knee.

    It became a family legend. And yes, those are great memories.

    Parent

    Congrats, Jim...I'm awaiting the (5.00 / 2) (#34)
    by Anne on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 05:52:34 PM EST
    birth of my first grandchild, a boy, in December, and pretty much can't wait to start bragging...

    Your grandson sounds like quite the athlete - looks like you're going to be having a great fall watching him play - enjoy!

    Parent

    Congratulations to both your grandson ... (none / 0) (#26)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 05:33:40 PM EST
    ... for a great defensive on-field performance, and his proud grandparents for their encouragement and support.

    But you left out one important piece of information: Did his team win?

    Parent

    Won 2 lost none! (none / 0) (#65)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 07:48:22 PM EST


    Parent
    That's great! (5.00 / 1) (#85)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 10:02:17 PM EST
    Eldest Daughter's volleyball team beat Miami (OH), Long Island Univ. and Minnesota in the Gophers' tournament last weekend, before losing to Georgia tonight over at the Spartan Invitational in East Lansing, MI. They play Michigan State tomorrow night.

    I don't know how they find time to go to school. Over the last three weekends, the Lady Danes have been out here to Honolulu, then to Minneapolis, and now they're in Michigan. They'll be closer to home next weekend, though, traveling 50 miles down the Hudson River Valley to West Point to play Army.

    Parent

    i understand jim, (none / 0) (#92)
    by cpinva on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 12:05:43 AM EST
    i played CB in high school. most dangerous position on the field, and the most fun. good for your grandson, nothing quite like the feeling of intercepting a pass, and then running it in for a TD! like sticking the knife in, then twisting. just deflates the other team.

    i look forward to hearing more of his plays this season. :)

    Parent

    Great Stuff... (none / 0) (#122)
    by kdog on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 08:33:25 AM EST
    the boy's from good stock, I expect nothing less.

    Send some of that mojo this way, rec league starts Sunday, I'd like to start the season with a couple picks.

    Parent

    You may indeed. Congrats! (none / 0) (#131)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 10:29:12 AM EST
    My eldest is playing youth football, with me as one of his coaches. And despite my meddling, he's doing really well too!

    Parent
    The American Dream (5.00 / 2) (#32)
    by Robot Porter on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 05:49:00 PM EST
    "The American dream" is a phrase politicians use a lot.  But lately it seems Democrats have downgraded the term to very modest dimensions.

    I always thought the American dream was about abundance and endless possibility. James Truslow Adams who popularized the phrase saw it as a dream of "material plenty" and :

    a dream of being able to grow to fullest development as man and woman, unhampered by the barriers which had slowly been erected in the older civilizations, unrepressed by social orders which had developed for the benefit of classes rather than for the simple human being of any and every class.

    And also went on to say:

    But there has been also the American dream, that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for every man, with opportunity for each according to his ability or achievement.

    But in his speech last night Obama sketched out these parameters:

    My grandparents were given the chance to go to college, buy their first home, and fulfill the basic bargain at the heart of America's story: the promise that hard work will pay off; that responsibility will be rewarded; that everyone gets a fair shot, and everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same rules- from Main Street to Wall Street to Washington, D.C.

    I'll avoid the fact he clearly doesn't believe that last line. And just move onto the parameters of this vision of America.

    It sounds very narrow. More like a kind of feudal egalitarianism.  There's no talk of rules in Adams' definitions.  Or people's need to do their "fair share" or just getting a "fair shot".

    Obama will win this election. But I think the reason Dems continue to lose the big argument is they paint a smaller and smaller picture of opportunities and the future.

    Nowadays it seems even the Dems believe Adams American dream is only accessible to the one percent.  The rest of us get something grayer and more modest with multiple rules, exceptions and caveats attached.  

    Disagree.. (none / 0) (#35)
    by magster on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 05:52:55 PM EST
    Obama talked plenty, as did Clinton himself, that the Democratic plan as it existed in the 90s created a lot of millionaires. There was every implication that the fair shot belongs to the middle class to become millionaires rather than for the multi-millionaires to become billionaires.

    Parent
    I don't see how you can ... (5.00 / 1) (#41)
    by Robot Porter on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 06:12:57 PM EST
    even compare the two visions.  Adams's vision is about the individual and it's on a huge scale.  It soars.

    Obama's vision sounds like the rules of a condo board.

    Here's another one of Obama's versions of the American dream:

    The folks I hear from in letters, and meet when I travel across the country, they aren't asking for much.  They're just looking for a job that covers their bills.  They're just looking for a little financial security.  They want to know if they work hard and live within their means everything will be okay. They will be able to get ahead.  And give a better life to their children.  That's the dream all of us have for ourselves and our families.
     

    Yup, that's the American dream.  Just covering your bills.  And living within your means.

    Parent

    "A job that covers your bills" (5.00 / 1) (#113)
    by Mr Natural on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 08:03:54 AM EST
    leaves you eating cat food or road kill in your old age.  It is a pathetic vision.

    Parent
    Maybe the difference lies in that Adams' (none / 0) (#43)
    by magster on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 06:28:23 PM EST
    "vision is about the individual" rather than about rebuilding the country from the middle class out where everyone gets their shot if they play by the rules, rather than giving the ones who've already had a break another shot so they become some caricature of a James Bond villain.

    Parent
    The difference is Obama's vision ... (none / 0) (#45)
    by Robot Porter on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 06:37:05 PM EST
    sounds like something the lord of the manor would offer the chattel on his his estate. While Adams' dream is about breaking from those feudal and rigid class constraints that had been limiting people's lives in Europe for thousands of years.  

    Parent
    What's Romney's dream? (5.00 / 1) (#48)
    by magster on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 06:44:13 PM EST


    Parent
    What is Romney's dream? (none / 0) (#126)
    by sj on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 09:33:09 AM EST
    To become President.  Period.  It's all about Romney.  But that's a lesser-of-two-evils type of argument and irrelevant to the larger point that Robot Porter is trying to make.  IMO

    And "relevant/irrelevant" always looks spelled wrong to me.

    Parent

    'Everyone gets a fair shot' (none / 0) (#74)
    by coigue on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 08:59:41 PM EST
    sounds like something the lord of a manor would say?
    I couldn't disagree with you more.


    Parent
    What are you expecting? (none / 0) (#77)
    by magster on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 09:14:39 PM EST
    Everyone's a millionaire? Step right up!

    The American dream was about everyone having an opportunity, jobs, college, schools, the middle class.

    If your vision is that that has to be sacrificed so the top 1 % can become the top 0.5%, like what Romney's proposing, then yeah, we couldn't be more apart.

    But I suspect (hope) this comment thread tangent is just a misunderstanding about syntax and about what was said versus what was meant.

    Parent

    I was disagreeing with Robert Porter. (none / 0) (#78)
    by coigue on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 09:17:47 PM EST
    I think if you actually know what the world is like, everyone having a fair shot is a wonderful goal.

    Parent
    Ahh.... well.... (none / 0) (#79)
    by magster on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 09:26:26 PM EST
    nevermind.

    Guess the formatting in these comments need to indent a little more on these comment tangents.

    Parent

    Yes. I know (none / 0) (#80)
    by coigue on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 09:34:58 PM EST
    it can be confusing

    Parent
    If it did that, then some of these ... (none / 0) (#82)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 09:42:23 PM EST
    ... comments would be four words wide and a foot long!

    Parent
    I've seen it done that way before (none / 0) (#84)
    by coigue on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 09:49:26 PM EST
    It's funny

    Parent
    you show your hand, (none / 0) (#94)
    by cpinva on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 12:19:15 AM EST
    Yup, that's the American dream.  Just covering your bills.  And living within your means.

    when you conveniently leave out this part:

    They will be able to get ahead.  And give a better life to their children.  That's the dream all of us have for ourselves and our families.

    no doubt it was an unintended oversight, or not. this has always been the "American Dream", from the first commoner settlers at jamestown, this nation's first illegal immigrants, as it were (i don't recall reading that they inquired within of the native population, and filled out the proper paperwork).

    like all people, everywhere, we want a level playing field, where diligent, hard work breeds success, both material and intellectual (maslow's pyramid), and we are able to provide our children greater opportunities to be even more successful (assuming also diligent hard work) than we were. that we are able to remove any insecurities from our families, about where their next meal is coming from, or whether they'll have shelter from the storm, clean clothes on their backs, adequate health care, clean water/air/land.

    in short, when i pass on, i will be comforted knowing i left an honorable family name, and my children can carry that on to my grandchildren, without having lost the race before it even began, because it was fixed.

    Parent

    I had to triple check the parent (none / 0) (#124)
    by sj on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 09:21:18 AM EST
    to this comment because what you claim was left out is right there.  So I don't understand what you mean about showing his hand.  

    Those three sentences sound perfunctory to me, not visionary.  But really, I don't think you and RP are that far off.  You're describing the every day hopes that most people have.  Myself included.  

    But my day-to-day hopes aren't exactly visionary.  They are the hopes of someone who has passed that "I can help to change the world" stage and has reached the "I guess I did okay" stage.  I have one "child".  I'm deeply proud of him.  But I worry that in his old age he might have the burdens of my grandparents -- trying to care for his aging parent with little or no societal help.  

    I guess what I'm saying is that it isn't hope that's speaking there; it is fear.  Passing on honorable family name is a comfort but that isn't the same thing as passing on greater opportunity and greater optimism.

    Parent

    What O is describing isn't a vision (none / 0) (#125)
    by sj on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 09:25:39 AM EST
    at all.  It's a world view.  I'm not uplifted by that, I'm just even more tired.  
    Yup, that's the American dream.  Just covering your bills.  And living within your means
    That's pretty much it alright.  He's describing living paycheck to paycheck.  

    Parent
    Or maybe "The American Dream" (none / 0) (#135)
    by jondee on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 12:20:49 PM EST
    is a b.s pep rally chant that's outworn it's catchy, crowd pleasing usefulness..

    ..Just another way to avoid ever talking in any depth about real human potentials and reponsibilites.

    God bless you all and God bless the United States of America.

    Parent

    Dueling ... (none / 0) (#145)
    by Mr Natural on Sun Sep 09, 2012 at 09:17:04 AM EST
    ... Hoovers.

    Parent
    O's reference to his grandparents (none / 0) (#132)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 10:54:43 AM EST
    going to college and buying homes is kind of odd.

    My grandparents were given the chance to go to college, buy their first home

    Sure, they had the opportunity to go to college, but none of them did.

    OK, maybe Madelyn Dunham took a few college courses, but none of his other grandparents did, according to wiki.

    And according to wiki none of his grandparents, including Madelyn, had a college degree - which I think is generally what people regard as the benefit of "going to college."

    He also said his grandparents were given the chance to "buy their first home" (presumably as a result of going to college, which it does not look like any of them did), but according to wiki his maternal grandparents pretty much lived in apartments.

    Not sure about his paternal grandparents back in Kenya, but I can't imagine he's holding up his grandparents' lives in Kenya as an example of the "American Dream."

    Ah well, an odd reference by O...

    Parent

    Obama endorses idea of appointing Bill Clinton... (5.00 / 3) (#36)
    by magster on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 05:55:36 PM EST
    becoming "Secretary of Explaining Stuff"

    "Bubba, (none / 0) (#114)
    by Mr Natural on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 08:06:53 AM EST
    you got some 'splainin' to do!"

    Parent
    I hate baklava (5.00 / 1) (#49)
    by Zorba on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 06:50:53 PM EST
    I hate gyros. I hate tzatziki sauce. I hate hummus.  I hate dolmades (stuffed grape leaves). I hate chicken souvlaki.
    I just spent ten hours on my feet, cooking for our food festival which starts tomorrow, and I'm exhausted.  My back hurts, my feet hurt, my arms hurt, I have a headache.  I cannot imagine how cooks who are my age do this every day, all year round, for a living.
    Sorry for the griping.  I'm just tired.

    Have a drink (5.00 / 2) (#51)
    by Yman on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 07:06:39 PM EST
    ... and think about how happy you'll have made all those people, tomorrow.

    Parent
    get some oozo and put your feet up! (5.00 / 1) (#53)
    by DFLer on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 07:15:34 PM EST


    Parent
    I am now (5.00 / 1) (#56)
    by Zorba on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 07:30:00 PM EST
    sitting in my nice recliner chair with my feet up, my iPad in hand, and a vodka martini by my side (sorry, no ouzo!).  I am starting to feel much better.  Except that I have about six or seven hours of work ahead of me tomorrow.  But at least it won't be ten hours!

    Parent
    I just gained 15 pounds reading this, Zorba. (5.00 / 2) (#54)
    by caseyOR on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 07:23:16 PM EST
    I feel your pain, I really do. I recommend a good stiff drink and a comfortable chair and ottoman.

    Parent
    I recommend (5.00 / 1) (#55)
    by CoralGables on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 07:26:01 PM EST
    Zorba ships all the baklava to me to make her feel better.

    Parent
    Jacuzzi! (5.00 / 2) (#60)
    by Anne on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 07:34:08 PM EST
    That's what you need, girl!

    If we ever have a TL gathering, I'd like a lesson in making all these fabulous Greek dishes...I promise you can do it while seating in a comfortable chair!

    Parent

    i second that anne! maybe even third it! wait, (none / 0) (#107)
    by cpinva on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 01:08:53 AM EST
    can i have thirds? i think i just gained a couple of lbs, reading zorba's list, but it was a tasty couple of lbs, well worth it.

    i love food, and live to eat, unlike my lovely, smart spouse, who simply eats to live. i love the different tastes and textures, the variety and blends of spices. i love to cook as well as eat. it is a great joy to me, when people enjoy that which i have made, and it brings a smile to their face and tastebuds. there are few things quite so satisfying to me than a serving dish scraped clean! i am proud to say i've actually had that happen a few times.

    ok, sorry, got carried away. i'll go back to my corner now.

    Parent

    On the upside, a lot of that food (5.00 / 1) (#66)
    by brodie on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 07:52:37 PM EST
    is of Mediterranean origin, which is supposed to be about the healthiest food on the planet.

    "Jesus food" some call it.  Though that might not have been his real name ...

    Parent

    Yes, a lot of it is healthy (none / 0) (#72)
    by Zorba on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 08:32:49 PM EST
    But, trust me on this one, baklava is nowhere near "healthy." On the other hand, Greeks don't eat this every day-  it's a special occasion dessert.
    It's the heavy use of fresh vegetables, fresh greens, beans, grains, olive oil, very little butter- except for those special occasions, of course- fresh fish, and not so much meat, that makes the traditional Mediterranean diet healthy.
    And also, on the other hand, we're not necessarily presenting the healthiest of Greek cuisine at our food festivals.  I don't think that we'd make nearly as much money if we were just serving bean or lentil soup, or briefly boiled greens with lemon juice and olive oil.  Or vegetable stews.    ;-)

    Parent
    wow...send some (5.00 / 2) (#70)
    by fishcamp on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 08:08:33 PM EST
    out here to the keys...we got nothin' but fresh grouper and lobster.

    Parent
    oh my, how........tragique! (5.00 / 2) (#108)
    by cpinva on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 01:15:09 AM EST
    we got nothin' but fresh grouper and lobster.

    whatever will you do? i have the grill warmed up already, bring some of those bad boys here, we'll fix ya right up! a little lemon, a touch of garlic, a couple of grouper fillet slabs, a nice fresh lobster to the side, some grilled corn on the cob, lightly grilled (with a touch of olive oil brushed on them), fresh vegies............

    ok, gotta stop, i'm starting to hallucinate!

    is there such a thing as "food porn"?

    Parent

    Oh, but of course, monsieur... (5.00 / 2) (#112)
    by Anne on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 07:43:56 AM EST
    I say this as someone who reads cookbooks as if they were novels...

    I was smiling as I read your response to me, above, about living to eat as opposed to eating to live; ever have someone tell you they "forgot" to eat?  How the heck does that work?

    I love to cook, too - find it very relaxing and very gratifying; really love it when others enjoy my cooking.

    And speaking of "food p*rn," you probably aren't a "Pinterest" addict, but go to their food section, and try not to drool.

    Parent

    "Forgot to eat" (none / 0) (#127)
    by sj on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 09:38:24 AM EST
    Way back when I first signed up for an internet email account, and pretty much all you got for entertainment was a list of someone's passing thoughts, I received a list with an item something like this:

    "Forget to eat?  It takes a special kind of stupid to forget to eat."

    I agree.  I also suffer from it.  Odd, because I love to eat.  

    Parent

    It will be so delicious though (5.00 / 2) (#130)
    by Militarytracy on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 10:25:20 AM EST
    A restaurant opened in Dothan called Taj.  He is Indian, but he also serves Greek dishes too and his food is wonderful.  I'm so excited because he is opening another Taj in Enterprise now.  We won't have to drive all the way to Dothan.

    There was a similar restaurant in Colorado Springs across from Prospect Lake.  We ate their often.  Turns out he is friends with them, don't know if he added Greek cuisine because they did too or if it is common for Indians to cook and enjoy Greek cuisine as well.  I bet you know though.

    Parent

    But you say this every year! (none / 0) (#93)
    by oculus on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 12:16:13 AM EST


    Parent
    And I mean it every year (5.00 / 2) (#138)
    by Zorba on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 03:15:12 PM EST
    ;-)
    I am grooming some younger people to learn how to make all this stuff, though. I won't last forever.
    I just got home, and I am done for the weekend.  Hurray!

    Parent
    Not the biggest fan of either ESPN or John Clayton (5.00 / 1) (#76)
    by magster on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 09:03:39 PM EST
     but this tickled my funny bone.

    Judge Rejects Obama's Gitmo Rules (5.00 / 1) (#146)
    by Mr Natural on Sun Sep 09, 2012 at 09:48:54 AM EST
    "The Court, whose duty it is to secure an individual's liberty from unauthorized and illegal Executive confinement, cannot now tell a prisoner that he must beg leave of the Executive's grace before the Court will involve itself. This very notion offends the separation-of-powers principles and our constitutional scheme."

    Shout out to kdog (none / 0) (#1)
    by CoralGables on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 04:08:14 PM EST
    eight year old elementary school student in Greeley, Colorado told to remove his Peyton Manning jersey because...well...because Peyton Manning wears number 18.

    Of course, if Peyton wore number 13, 14, 31, 41, or 81 they still would have made him change it. A Tim Tebow Bronco jersey would have been fine in Greeley.

    Apparently... (5.00 / 2) (#3)
    by ScottW714 on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 04:14:54 PM EST
    ...there is a real gang problem at the elementary school in Greeley Colorado with the 18st something or another gang who are located 1000 miles away in LA.  End sarcasm.

    Parent
    Yup ... (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by Robot Porter on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 04:34:55 PM EST
    shirts aren't the problem.

    It's really embarrassing that we still have to say stuff like this.  But we do.

    Parent

    One of the jokes around here... (none / 0) (#61)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 07:37:50 PM EST
    ...is that has to make math class interesting.  

    Teacher: Billy, what is 15+3?  
    Billy: Suspension.

    All kidding aside, Greeley does have a bit of a an problem, so they are trying to walk a fine line.

    Parent

    That's funny.... (none / 0) (#118)
    by kdog on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 08:23:33 AM EST
    If a teacher puts 15 + 3 on a math quiz, can the student invoke the 5th?

    Come to think of it, the 18th amendment could be called the gangster stimulus package...

    Dan Marino and Tom Seaver throwbacks are out too I guess....has anyone thought of the poor jersey guy at the mall trying to make a living?

    Parent

    i always suspected the NFL was a street gang, (none / 0) (#97)
    by cpinva on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 12:27:28 AM EST
    masquerading as a sports club, and now the secret is out! the real trick will be deciphering the code words that mr. manning, in his position of leader of the gang, uses to impart secret information to those gang members lined up in front and to each side of him. no doubt they are instructions for the next robbery. odd though, that they would be thinking about that, right in the middle of a war with another gang, standing opposite them that very moment. scary, that these gangs can now multi-task!

    Parent
    Disgruntled Obama Supporter... (none / 0) (#5)
    by ScottW714 on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 04:25:52 PM EST
    ...in the 'Breaking Up With Obama" ad turns out to be RNC staffer.

    I know ads are BS, but the entire Romney machine couldn't actually find a disgruntled Obama supporter who backs Romney ?  The fake invalidates the entire premise of the commercial.

    Somebody put (none / 0) (#6)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 04:28:13 PM EST
    that up the other day and I thought the same thing. There are PLENTY of disgruntled Obama supporters so obviously they did not try very hard and did not even check the one the found.

    Parent
    Looks like you missed the discussion of this (none / 0) (#7)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 04:29:27 PM EST
    yesterday. Lame, as you rightly point out. But also recent examples of similar from Dems...

    Parent
    could you provide a cite or link, (none / 0) (#98)
    by cpinva on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 12:32:03 AM EST
    to support that assertion please?

    But also recent examples of similar from Dems...

    i don't buy the whole "false equivalency" BS, whether spewed by some lazy MSM "journalist", or someone on here.

    not, mind you, that i believe the dems are perfect, and would never stoop to such things, or that obama is perfect (um, no, not hardly), but anytime someone makes that claim, unsupported, i feel the need to see tangible evidence. i'm sure you understand.

    Parent

    I'll leave you to do your own search (none / 0) (#129)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 10:22:14 AM EST
    of the discussion:

    Looks like you missed the discussion of this (none / 0) (#7)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 01:29:27 PM PST
    yesterday.
    I'm sure you understand.

    Parent
    Well (none / 0) (#137)
    by sj on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 02:35:12 PM EST
    I don't understand.  If I read this right, you made the claim and then expect someone else do determine the validity of the claim?  Nope, I don't understand.

    Parent
    You'd almost think Romney ... (none / 0) (#14)
    by Robot Porter on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 04:38:42 PM EST
    was taking a dive.

    Of course that's crazy talk.  And here in the blogosphere we never endorse such CTish notions.

    Parent

    Considering he said he can't ... (none / 0) (#29)
    by magster on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 05:42:52 PM EST
    ... laundry list a speech so he has to only talk about the "things that are important" in response to a question about why he didn't honor or thank the troops in his speech, the CT seems a bit more plausible.

    The original oversight is bad enough and Romney was already getting hammered, but to add the troops not one of the things that are important is jaw-dropping incredible.

    Parent

    He does seem to seem to ... (none / 0) (#42)
    by Robot Porter on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 06:25:28 PM EST
    basing his campaign strategy on famous losers. What's next? Driving a tank? Screaming at a crowd? Crying? Front porch strategy? Getting advice from Amy Carter?

    He has a rich bed of material to draw from.

    Parent

    ms. carter is a pretty smart young lady, (none / 0) (#99)
    by cpinva on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 12:36:50 AM EST
    he might do well to take her advice. it certainly couldn't be any less effective than the advice he's currently getting. in fairness to his campaign, consider the raw material they have to work with, a rich sociopath, seemingly disassociated from reality, who appears to never have developed the "street smarts" most of us pick up on starting early in our lives. with a candidate's spouse who isn't much better.

    there's only so much you can do, when you start with defective raw material.

    Parent

    He has that GW Bush (none / 0) (#58)
    by lilburro on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 07:32:28 PM EST
    "I am never wrong" thing going on.  His defense of his Olympics comments really underline that for me.  I'm sure we'll see more in the future.

    Parent
    hopefully, for only a very brief period (5.00 / 1) (#100)
    by cpinva on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 12:39:02 AM EST
    of time in the future,

    I'm sure we'll see more in the future.

    between now and nov. 6. after which, mr. romney will retire to well deserved obscurity.

    Parent

    Well, they could'a asked me... (none / 0) (#115)
    by Mr Natural on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 08:11:09 AM EST
    ... but I would have insisted on doing the bit with my Magic Skivvies Orchestra, with backup vocals by four or five teenage brides.

    Parent
    Interesting geneological discovery (none / 0) (#11)
    by Dadler on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 04:33:40 PM EST
    My mother just told me that through some research she's been doing, she discovered that my great-great-great grandfather was Chinese.  She had a great photo of the guy, which I'm still trying to figure out out to download. Handsome dude named Wilbur. More info to come. As we're currently living in a town that is about 50% Chinese, I now have a new tool with which to schmooze my neighbors.

    Who'da thunkit?

    see if you can schmooze them into giving (none / 0) (#101)
    by cpinva on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 12:41:06 AM EST
    up old family recipes, from the old country, not to be confused with the crap that was created solely for the american market.

    Parent
    I'm (none / 0) (#19)
    by lentinel on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 04:56:43 PM EST
    not grinding an axe here. just a question.

    How many of the soldiers who "came home", actually came home?
    How many were redeployed?

    I have a 33-year-old neighbor who's ... (none / 0) (#21)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 05:08:22 PM EST
    ... a career Marine non-com, and he's been deployed four times thus to Iraq and Afghanistan. He told me two weeks ago during our recent party for Eldest Daughter's volleyball team that he just re-upped for another four years, and is due to be redeployed again to Kabul next August.

    He also said that this particular pending deployment is not combat-related this time, but actually part of the de-escalation / drawdown effort, in that they will be spending nine months packing up military equipment and supplies to ship back home to MCB Kaneohe Bay. That said, he also admitted that he's really longing for peace.

    Parent

    So (none / 0) (#40)
    by lentinel on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 06:01:44 PM EST
    he's not coming home - but I think you said that it was his choice to be there for another four years.

    What I was asking is - how many of the troops that Obama alluded to as "coming home" actually came home. That is, how many actually returned to the United States?

    Parent

    He's been home since last December. (none / 0) (#44)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 06:29:22 PM EST
    So, he's looking at about 20 months between deployments. There are currently 85,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, and over the next two years as our involvement there comes to a close (or so they've said), we're probably looking at one more rotation for those awaiting orders for deployment. Everyone else is "home," i.e., wherever their home station happens to be.

    We have two active combat units based here on Oahu, the U.S. Army's 25th Light Infantry Division and the 1st Marine Amphibious Brigade, which together constitute about 50,000 combat personnel, not including support units. Last I heard, about 8,000 of them are in Afghanistan right now.

    The United States deployed a little more than 1.5 million military personnel to Iraq during our declared period of active hostilities in that country between March 20, 2003 and December 31, 2011. How many of those constituted multiple deployments, I really couldn't speculate.

    We do know, of course, that 4,474 of those who were deployed in the Iraq War subsequently died there, while another 32,226 were wounded. An estimated 116,000 Iraqis also died in the war.

    Regardless, you've asked a good question.

    Parent

    My question: (none / 0) (#89)
    by lentinel on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 11:34:47 PM EST
    After the war in the Gulf during the term of Bush the First, the "good war", troops did actually return home. There was a welcoming parade in New York City, which I witnessed.

    When the war in Iraq was declared to have been ended, I noticed that there were no parades, and I saw no footage of troops returning home.

    So, when Obama referred to the troops being welcomed home, it made me curious as to how many troops did in fact return to the United States - home - or were they in fact redeployed.


    Parent

    It depended on how close to their deployment (none / 0) (#128)
    by Militarytracy on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 10:18:07 AM EST
    year being up they were.  I know that a small number leaving Iraq finished their year tour in Kuwait.  Not all the forces in Kuwait were shifted from Iraq though, only a small portion because we had rested troops in route to actually make up the force that would stay in Kuwait.

    Leaving Iraq never meant immediately coming home though because most standard military traveled to and from with their equipment.  The National Guard equipment was often old and didn't survive the deployment and service into a war, so some of their stuff was not brought back.  Regular military though gets to play with all the new stuff and it has to come home.  The troops must wash it all carefully (the sand in Iraq has bacteria that some Americans have no resistance to), pack, bubble wrap, and load all of their equipment onto the cargo ships in Kuwait that will bring it home before they can get on a plane to come home. It can take months.

    You get a break though sort of when you get home, because all of your equipment takes about 3 months to get home.  Nothing to train with, nothing to maintain or repair.  How much bubble wrap does it take to wrap a helicopter though?  All the helicopters must be bubble wrapped, don't know if other vehicles are too.

    Parent

    MT, you should become the (none / 0) (#133)
    by fishcamp on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 11:02:35 AM EST
    Secretary of Defense.

    Parent
    Defense.. (5.00 / 2) (#134)
    by jondee on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 11:58:53 AM EST
    before the era of contracted p.r firms, it was called, more accurately, The War Department.

    Parent
    Some people thought it was stupid (none / 0) (#139)
    by Militarytracy on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 03:54:15 PM EST
    to keep rotating equipment in and out.  I live with one of them.  You know when someone has a pet peeve and they can't stop gathering information on it?  And who do you vent to?  Your mamma or your spouse :)

    Some wanted the equipment fixed and only soldiers rotating in and out.  The bookkeeping system of the military is very punative though, probably for good reason.  But they have to have all equipment having a butt to beat or it won't be respected and maintained properly.  It costs an incredible amount of taxpayer money, manpower, and time though to move troops in and out.

    Probably would cost the same leaving all the equipment there because without someone to hang for it it would be used very harshly. But the military wouldn't have an arse to hang, and they must always have an arse to hang for wrongdoing like equipment abuses or they are not happy :)

    Our ex son-in-law was supposed to be part of the troops going to Kuwait until he was relieved of duty.  We don't know why and we never will, but I suspect he tested positive for smoking the ganja.  He always like the ganja too much to be a soldier :)

    Parent

    That's not true. (none / 0) (#141)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 05:10:59 PM EST
    lentinel: "When the war in Iraq was declared to have been ended, I noticed that there were no parades, and I saw no footage of troops returning home."

    The people of St. Louis, MO held a huge parade and day-long celebration for Iraq War veterans on January 28 of this year, four weeks to the day after the war was officially declared over. It was covered extensively by the national media.

    Parent

    I am quite sure (1.00 / 1) (#144)
    by Politalkix on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 06:56:01 PM EST
    that lentinel would have whined and complained if a parade was held in NYC. His complaint then would be "what really are we celebrating".

    Parent
    which kind of makes me wonder, (none / 0) (#105)
    by cpinva on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 12:56:03 AM EST
    That said, he also admitted that he's really longing for peace.

    what prompted him to re-up for another 4 years? given his background, that was pretty much a certain ticket back to afghanistan. oh, not unlike korea and vietnam, there is no such thing as a "not combat-related" area in the country, you can get whacked by anyone, anywhere, at anytime. the whole country is a "front line", in a guerilla war, so i hope he doesn't relax, because he thinks he's in a "safe" area, he won't be.

    Parent

    Only one I know who came "home" (none / 0) (#73)
    by me only on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 08:55:41 PM EST
    to a widow and two fatherless children.  Now my friend (mother of the widow) can't look at a US flag without crying.

    Parent
    Mitt Romney's Quote of the Day: (none / 0) (#25)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 05:30:44 PM EST
    "I'm looking here at Steve King. He needs to be your Congressman again. I want him as my partner in Washington!"
    -- Mitt Romney, Orange City, IA (September 7, 2012)

    Given that King recently agreed with GOP congressional colleague Todd Akin's contention that women can't become pregnant by "legitimate rape," and further compared immigrants to dogs -- all in the past month -- Romney's endorsement pretty much speaks for itself.

    as I commented above... (none / 0) (#31)
    by magster on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 05:47:17 PM EST
    Romney saying today that the troops are not one of the important things for him to talk about in his speech needs to be nominated.

    Is there a way to do a poll on this site?

    Parent

    Absolutely! (none / 0) (#38)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 06:01:17 PM EST
    But first, does anyone have any more entries, before nominations are closed?

    Parent
    Okay, Mitt's just offered one more gem, ... (none / 0) (#52)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 07:12:45 PM EST
    ... doubling down on his London Olympics comments:

    "I'm very pleased that my Olympic experience allows me to talk about the Olympics in a straight talk manner and I think it would be appropriate if the president would talk to China in a straight talk manner."

    Too bad his "straight talk" about his Olympic experience never seems to include any monetion of the $1.6 billion in federal subsidies he got.

    Parent

    Oh but there's a late entry! (5.00 / 2) (#63)
    by lilburro on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 07:42:23 PM EST
    Another competitor has stepped up to challenge Romney for the dumbest thing said today!

    Via Kevin Drum, Sarah Palin on being mentioned in John Kerry's speech:

    "How does he even know my name?"

    Click through for the whole quote, it is worth it.  Goodness sakes.

    Parent

    Holy moly..."word salad" is right. (5.00 / 1) (#67)
    by Anne on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 07:55:07 PM EST
    Pains me that I can actually "hear" her saying this...

    What a total train wreck.

    Parent

    And we have a new frontrunner! (5.00 / 1) (#81)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 09:38:56 PM EST
    That's the stupidest comment I've heard today. Ms. Palin did Alaska a big favor by quitting the governor's office two years early.

    But honestly, poor Mitt Romney! Nobody likes him, and he can't even win in his own "Mitt Romney's Quote of the Day" competition.

    Parent

    Lol, that really is vintage Palin (none / 0) (#71)
    by ruffian on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 08:18:57 PM EST


    Parent
    Ahahahaha (none / 0) (#136)
    by lilburro on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 01:35:02 PM EST
    I'm reading it again.  I love it.  Even though she gives me grammatical whiplash.

    Parent
    That's a good one too! (none / 0) (#62)
    by magster on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 07:39:09 PM EST
    Hope mitt has an interview somewhere tonight so we can have a choice "d)" for Friday's dumb quote quiz, and hope he has 4-5 more interviews tomorrow.

    Parent
    dude, romney pretty much speaks for (none / 0) (#106)
    by cpinva on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 12:59:07 AM EST
    himself.

    Romney's endorsement pretty much speaks for itself.

    a sociopath, completely disassociated from reality, with an equally sociopathic spouse. anyone getting an endorsement from mr. romney, is someone you should be very, very scared of.

    Parent

    The monsoons have come early. (none / 0) (#47)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 06:43:11 PM EST
    As I look outside my office window, it's raining so furiously that I can't even see across the street. Apparently, we have a stagnant weather front that stalled over us, with a flash flood warning now in effect. Gotta love Weather Underground.

    Please send the rain our way! (none / 0) (#59)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 07:33:58 PM EST


    Parent
    It's since stopped. (none / 0) (#69)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 08:05:06 PM EST
    But there's an awful lot of water flowing in the gutters and into the storm drains. Those types of torrential downpours are never much good for alleviating drought, though, since the ground can't possibly absorb that much water that quickly, so 98% of it simply becomes runoff.

    Parent
    I'm sure this was probably linked yesterday.... (none / 0) (#68)
    by magster on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 07:57:27 PM EST
    .... but I just love it too much.

    To be fair (5.00 / 3) (#75)
    by coigue on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 09:01:59 PM EST
    only one of his homes has an elevator. Cars at the other homes have to take the stairs.

    Parent
    That text is not the full text (none / 0) (#83)
    by Towanda on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 09:46:52 PM EST
    because she ad-libbed some added lines that I also loved, including her repeated "Ya know what I'm sayin'?"  

    Parent
    government job creation (none / 0) (#86)
    by desmoinesdem on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 10:42:28 PM EST
    Iowa's Republican governor, who claims to want small government and is always seeking lower taxes and fewer regulations for corporations, just signed off on the largest tax incentive package for a corporation in Iowa history. Over $1 million in state and local tax breaks or exemptions for each of the 165 permanent jobs expected to be created by the new facility, plus access to federal loans at below-market interest rates.

    Saints player suspensions overturned (none / 0) (#87)
    by desmoinesdem on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 10:57:53 PM EST
    Link:

    A three-member panel has overturned the suspensions handed down to four players by the NFL in the bounty case, and all four suspended players -- New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma, defensive end Will Smith, Cleveland Browns linebacker Scott Fujita, and at-large defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove -- are free to play this NFL season. It is a crushing defeat for the league and commissioner Roger Goodell.
    A suspension upheld (none / 0) (#88)
    by CoralGables on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 11:21:51 PM EST
    Lance Armstrong won't be permitted to run in the Chicago Marathon. USA Track & Field is the national governing body for certified road running events and they are a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Agency code.

    Parent
    Uh oh. (none / 0) (#90)
    by lentinel on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 11:44:58 PM EST
    Paul Ryan says he believes it's up to the states to decide whether to legalize medical marijuana.

    If I'm not mistaken, that puts Ryan to the left of the current administration on this issue.

    The administration goes to the right, and the right goes to the left.

    Dizzying.

    No (5.00 / 1) (#91)
    by CoralGables on Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 11:58:39 PM EST
    that puts Ryan square in the middle of States Rights which is the stand Republicans take anytime they don't want to answer a question. They also tend to answer that way on laws for abortion, education, health care, and keeping women barefoot and pregnant.

    Come to think about it, the only times they don't blow smoke with the States Rights answer is for Christmas, school prayer, gay marriage, and tax cuts for the wealthy.

    Parent

    I (5.00 / 1) (#109)
    by lentinel on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 01:15:55 AM EST
    agree with you about the way the "states rights" argument has been used cynically by republicans and "dixiecrats".

    But, in this instance, don't you find it off-putting that a State can pass medical marijuana laws, and Holder and the Feds go in anyway and bust them?

    Didn't that happen?

    Am I remembering things incorrectly?

    Parent

    ryan voted against (5.00 / 1) (#95)
    by Jeralyn on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 12:21:27 AM EST
    medical marijuana in 1999. Here are his views on crime issues, surveillance, civil liberties etc.

    As for his comments today, he's not going to change Romney's mind and Romney is dead-set against it. In Romney's own words, May, 2012.

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    Romney in July, 2012 (none / 0) (#96)
    by Jeralyn on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 12:26:12 AM EST
    Video

    "If you elect me President you are not going to see legalized marijuana. I'm going to fight it tooth and nails."


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    Romney, (5.00 / 2) (#120)
    by lentinel on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 08:31:31 AM EST
    last I heard, is still pitching the "stepping stone" crappola - that pot leads to heroin.

    He is so ignorant that it is stupefying.

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    Oh, please! If Romney and the ... (none / 0) (#142)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 05:20:43 PM EST
    ... Mormons had their way, coffee would be declared a "stepping stone" and "gateway drug."

    I'd no sooner trust a Mormon to lecture me about marijuana, than I'd put my faith in Archbishop Dolan and the rest of the old boys in gold robes and ruby slippers when it comes to matters of contraception.

    Donald's New Rule: If you're not playing in game, you don't get to make the rules.

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    It (none / 0) (#102)
    by lentinel on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 12:42:23 AM EST
    just brings to the foreground, for me at least, the issue.

    I don't particularly care for the disrespect currently being shown by the Federal government regarding choices made by the States regarding marijuana.

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    I go with (none / 0) (#104)
    by lentinel on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 12:53:03 AM EST
    what you wrote last Sunday:

    Wouldn't it be great if Obama tomorrow came out for Amendment 64 which would legalize personal adult use of marijuana?

    Yes.
    That not only would be great, it would probably give him a landslide reelection.

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    and it will never, ever happen. (5.00 / 2) (#110)
    by cpinva on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 01:25:55 AM EST
    That not only would be great, it would probably give him a landslide reelection.

    there is way too much money invested in pot being illegal, with way too many jobs on the line, from the drug cartels, to the prison industry cartel (and that's exactly what it is, a cartel). billions of dollars flow annually, predicated on pot being illegal. the fact that there is no more legitimate reason for pot being illegal than there is for alcohol is irrelevant. any actual adverse affects to society are secondary considerations, it they're even that high on the list. it's all about money, and nothing more.

    those getting the money will not easily allow that spigot to be turned off. they'll fight tooth & nail, using every dirty trick in the book. no politician, especially of the conservative brand, who has any aspirations beyond local school board member, will ever publicly support legalization of pot, no matter the damage that national policy has caused. again, way too much money involved, and jobs. it is one of the few areas where "liberal/progressive" & conservative politicians can meet on equal terms, they are both equally determined to keep that cash cow's teats flowing.

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    But (none / 0) (#111)
    by lentinel on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 01:47:16 AM EST
    it is interesting that, in this instance, Ryan is openly supporting a hands-off position on the part of the Federal government regarding the right of a state to liberalize its mj laws.

    Interesting because Obama and Holder are aggressively going the other way.

    Of course what Ryan said doesn't translate into any kind of reality.

    But it would be especially entertaining if the republicans were to campaign on liberalization, and the democrats on prohibition.

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    These a**hat pols are completely out of touch (5.00 / 2) (#121)
    by Mr Natural on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 08:33:23 AM EST
    I saw a surprising amount of support for medical marijuana at my local level, here in a rural area just north of ann arbor, michigan.

    One conservative township trustee (a doctor) supported it based simply on the premise that voters had approved it.

    Another, an old codgery conservative township trustee, notorious for eyeballing and questioning every expense and line item, supported it simply on the premise that people should not be denied whatever might or could alleviate their suffering.

    Neither was a fool.  They knew the medical marijuana cards would be gamed by some people.

    Except for a few non-critical thinkers, I don't actually know that many ordinary people who support these anti-marijuana zealots.

    All day long we hear the right wing screaming and ranting about the evil of unions being pandered to by Obama policy decisions.  But I don't think these right wing a$$hats are doing any less by promising continuing full employment to the apparatchiks of authoritarianism, i.e., arms manufacturers, the prison and police unions, the countless sociopaths, minions, and bureaucrats employed by federal and state antidrug and anticrime TLAs (three letter agencies), the vast number of pablum peddling social workers, unending rehab programs, universities and junior college Criminal Justice and Homeland Security degree peddling diploma mills and attendent crap peddling instructors, and on and on and on.

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    - Just one of America's sustaining Big Lies (none / 0) (#116)
    by Mr Natural on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 08:16:18 AM EST


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    Maybe (none / 0) (#117)
    by lentinel on Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 08:23:02 AM EST
    he "evolved".

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    Friday Open Thread | 146 comments (146 topical)

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