(Photo from our own reader Gordon.)
Here’s the Sunday Talking Head line-up. Read it and weep: (AP via WaPo)
ABC’s "This Week": Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del.; Sen. Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., and his primary challenger, Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey; actress and animal rights activist Bo Derek.
CBS’ "Face the Nation": Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean; Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
NBC’s "Meet the Press": Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., and his Democratic challenger, state treasurer Robert Casey.
CNN’s "Late Edition": Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn.; Iraqi deputy prime minister Barham Salih; Ali Asghar Soltanieh, Iranian representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency; Teamsters president James Hoffa and Labor Secretary Elaine Chao; former Clinton adviser Lanny Davis and former Bush campaign strategist Matthew Dowd.
"Fox News Sunday": Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., and Arlen Specter, R-Pa.; Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs.
Quite the odd mix, but I think it is fair to say that the November elections are on everyone’s mind. Luckily for the McConnell household CBS and CNN have their shows on at different times — so they can set the TIVO for Mitch’s earlier CBS slot, and still tape Elaine Chao’s match-up later with the Teamster’s President. (And won’t THAT be a lovefest? Not. The match-up, I mean, not the McConnell’s watching themselves on taped replay…no idea whether they do ego-boo or constructive critique.)
Meet the Press has their first debate match-up with Casey and Santorum from the Pennsylvania Senate race. That should be an interesting one to watch. If you missed it, EPU provided a link to a good Pittsburgh Post-Gazette editorial that is worth a read on Santorum’s (and the Bush Administration’s) use of false analogies to make themselves look better. Wonder if Russert read it in his question prep? (Ha.)
The above photo was taken and sent to me by one of our great readers — Gordon — and I just loved this shot. I think it is a female ruby-throated hummingbird, but I thought I’d put the question out to the group because the female Anna’s also looks a bit similar (albeit smaller), and I am forever having to go to my Sibley’s guide and flipping back and forth between the two to identify the little rascals that hit my lantana and salvia in the pots on our side porch by the kitchen windows. (Which have been placed there specifically for my viewing pleasure as I write and hang out with you guys on the blog. I have had some amazing butterfly and hummingbird sights this summer, and I’m definitely going to have to get a new digital camera to capture them better for you guys.)
We’ve been getting a bit of rain the last couple of days, but not nearly the deluge that had been predicted. Darn the luck on that, because we needed the rain, but it’s probably for the best considering the flooding that could have occurred for folks in low-lying areas. I do hope we get much more rain, though, over the next few weeks or our Fall leaf show will be the lesser for all the dry, hot days we’ve had the last few weeks of summer.
My potted kitchen garden of herbs, though, is thriving with the little bit of showers after all that heat. I don’t think I’ve ever seen my chives or my sage looking this good. If you haven’t tried it, pick up an herb plant or two and start your own little fresh herb plot. And be amazed what a difference some freshly snipped chives or a handful of fresh thyme leaves, lightly bruised, can do for a sauce. Fresh sage leaves are amazing — so much better than dried sage, especially for stuffings and soups. Honestly, fresh basil is the only way to go in summer if you have some homegrown tomatoes around — a little sea salt, a drizzle of good extra-virgin olive oil and a bit of good balsamic vinegar and I’m happy as can be.
And, mercifully, most herbs are fairly forgiving about neglect and such because they come from a lot of difficult climates and are more than happy to thrive through some dry spells.
Plus, if you grow a pot of mint, you always have an excuse for a mojito — mint grows like crazy, I absolutely recommend keeping it in a pot because it will take over your whole yard if you let it. But it needs to be thinned out periodically, and…well…a mojito is a great start. Or some lovely tea. Or whatever. So, what’s going on in your yard?
(One other bit this morning, Bob Geiger did a great column last year about Katrina that he re-ran this week, and it is worth a read and then some. Wonderful stuff. For the jerk who sent me an e-mail saying we were only covering this issue for election purposes, here’s your answer as to why this is important. Real people, real heartbreak, real issues that need to be solved. Try some compassion for a change, you might find you sleep a little better at night.)
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FITZ!
Morning Nate — you are up early!
…or perhaps just up late. *g*
Sunnnnday! Funny car!
Christy, did you see Larry Johnson’s post about Fitz and the attacks right-wingers are starting to hurl at him? Looks like they’re trying to pre-empt something from him with some typical swiftboating.
No Quarter
You can tell the Dems have a good potential to take a lot of territory in November because the Sunday morning idiot parades are starting to create fairly balanced talk panels.
Nate at 5 — I haven’t seen it yet. Will take a peek. Sad to say, but nothing surprises me any more. SIGH
the punditocracy is beginning to remember the weenies taste the same at either Dem or GOP cocktail parties …
ActuallyChristy Hardin Smith @ 1
Up too late… :)
I’ve been working on some stuff for the StateRootzProject for Sacramento. Specifically Charlie Brown and his bid to unseat that Abramoff whore John Doolittle. It’s a very winnable race and no one deserved to be unceremoniously tossed out of Congress and on his ass quite as bad as Doolittle.
I’m moving to CA in exactly a month but I’m getting an early jump on how to help out even from here.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 6
Not something to be sad about in this case. Larry’s positing that they’re bringing the heat at Fitz because Fitz is about to drop a bomb on Bushco.
Good morning, Christy and all!
Nate — I dunno about Calif deadlines but be sure to register to vote the day you arrive and have an address !
Personally, I think Katrina deserves to be brought up AT LEAST as often as 9/11 in the media. It truly impacted more people. And with the help of the incompetent Bushies, BOTH incidents were exponentially worsened. I still can’t believe the Bushies call on 9/11 like a mantra, when it happened on their watch, so they really should be ashamed, instead of using it for political advantage the way they do. Shows how corrupt our media is.
*ilson46201 @ 11
*ilson46201 – I already have an address and I’ve even worked out the timing perfectly. I get to vote for Senator Akaka in the upcoming Democratic Primary here in Hawaii and my move to CA and registration there brings me 8 days under the window to re-register and vote for Lt. Col. Brown in the general there. :)
A win/win all the way around.
Nate @ 14
Way cool !
Nate — I appreciate the heads up. I’m way behind in my reading since Fiona’s been ill. (I swear, I’m never going to get caught up…) Her fever is down this morning and she and I have been playing a bit with her Fisher Price farm and animals and playhouse, so it’s been a much better morning all around at our house today. I hope this holds this morning.
I know it’s ridiculous to speak of a “best” herb, but sage is the best herb. Well, besides cannabis.
Sharkbabe at 17 — my favorite is fresh basil, but it’s due to the whole heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil combo. Mmmmmm….
(And, having never tried cannibis nor ever really wanted to, I just don’t get the allure. But that’s me. And probably why I was a prosecutor…lol)
Hope peanut’s through the worst of it and Casa del Redds can enjoy some serenity – you all deserve it!
Christy–is that the Fisher-Price farm where the barn goes moo when you open the door? Good times.
wondering at 20 — yep. :) And the other door goes “neigh.” hehehehe We’ve been playing with it nonstop for three days now — I think we may have a future veterinarian on our hands, because she loves, loves, LOVES animals.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 15
Sorry Christy… In all the hubbub for the past two days I didn’t have a good chance to catch up so I didn’t know she was ill.
I’m glad to hear she’s getting better though.
Caught your comment to Sharkbabe (although I didn’t see her comment) and it reminded me of this great remixed version of the song “What if God was one of us” with an interesting twist. LOL
What if God smoked cannabis? Good for a late night smile and a chuckle. Not sure if it’s good mornin’ music though. :)
I’m watching Bob Casey and little ricky debate right now, and the little guy not only looks like a tweaker, but talks like one too. As Bugs Bunny once said, “What a maroon”.
As always,
Why would he do that, Nate? It’s not like he created the stuff.
Wait…never mind.
Good Morning Christy, glad the Peanut is feeling better. Oh, and a large animal veterinarian, yes indeed, the world needs more of them. (Friends with horses)
My Sunday Morning Quote for all of you and then I have to finish reading Christy’s great post and finish my write up for Charlie Brown.
It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly American criminal class except Congress.
-Mark Twain
I’ll come say goodnight before heading to bed.
Thanks for keeping us in the posts, Christy.
Oh and favorite herbs, basil and rosemary. Rosemary makes a great pseudo-bonsai when it’s brought in for the winter, and basil starts so well from seeds.
If you like many different kinds of sage or basil (or scented geraniums) check out Sandy Mush Herb Nursery They’re the nicest people. I haven’t had an order go wrong from them yet.
Wow, what is wrong with the folks in Pennsylvania?
Little Ricky: Iran, Iran, Iran, Islamofascism, Iran, Islamofascism, Iran oh, and we FOUND weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
Mornin’ all,
Watching Linc Chafee on Georgie’s show. Someone is finally paying attention to RI!
Good ? to Linc, “What did you promise the Repubs for coming down to RI to campaign for you?”
Good morning.
In full
But, if you bring in the rosemary, do not put it anywhere near a gas stove as it will expire…….
beard5 at 25 — we have friends that have horses, and she begs to go and visit them pretty much every day. It’s funny, because she’s only three, but she sits a horse as though she were born to ride one. Perfect balance, and she can lay right down on the neck. And she adores them.
All these shows appear to pull from a pool of about 20 people.
I have great respect for Larry Johnson but I’m afraid he’s dreaming if he thinks the anti-Fitz press of late is because of a looming Cheney/Hadley indictment. It’s more likely the White House is setting up a Libby pardon.
Here is a link to some good news from New Orleans for a change
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/f…..amp;coll=1
He’s (little ricky) right about one thing though – you ARE up against the greatest challenge in the history of America. But it’s not Islamofascism etc., it is the sordid cabal called Bu$hCo, of which he is just one particularly annoying lackey, and their greed that knows no bounds and never ending assault on the constitution !!!
Cue the arrest of Al Qaeda number two in five, four, three, two, one.
Also, it looks like the US may be on the verge of needing a permission slip from Nouri Al Maliki.
“A day after the dispute forced an embarrassing delay of a signing ceremony in Baghdad, an Iraqi Defense Ministry source said disagreements remained over the wording of a document that outlines the new relationship between U.S.-led occupying forces and Iraq’s new military.”
Finally what I find to be the most ominous recent development, the US calling for the death penalty for US troops alleged in reported war crimes. This says to me “Oh yeah, we’ll execute our own men too, killing people doesn’t bother us.”
-GSD
J. Donne at 36 — agreed that they are testing the waters for a Libby pardon. Methinks that Cheney on the stand, under oath, in public is not what some folks want to see. Heaven forbid that the same laws apply to every citizen, regardless of rank or high-level associations.
By the way… Although I love good fresh basil and rosemary, my favorite fresh herb for cooking would have to be thyme. Although nothing beats fresh basil for dicing into a cold pasta salad with some kidney beans, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and sun dried tomatoes.
And folks, I’m off for the day, be good!
Hillary may not run for president.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/a…..52,00.html
Christy might throw this one away.
I watched Elaine on cpsan for 20 seconds yesterday and started thinking. What if Elaine, after a good day at work reading that the children living in poverty numbers are up, and wanted to do some “celebrating”. After checking in with Malkin she gets more lathered up because Michelle is talking about putting those children in camps.
As she heads up to bed is she thinking? I am going to sand Mitch’s nose down even with his cheeks, or does she have a drawer full of appliances next to the bed.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 43
Quick take on this one on Talk Left.
“actress and animal rights activist Bo Derek.”
That should read “actress, animal rights activist, and professional beard for Republican closet queens, Bo Derek.”
And the reason she’s on is to promote her new TV series Fashion House.
Christy @ 34 ~ oh what a lucky little peanut to have parents that recognize the equine passion bug at an early age; nurture and encourage it…so, so much for her to learn from these amazing animals. Especially to start at such an early age ~ what a gift…
I often think I’d love to get the members of our so-called administration in a round-pen with a mustang just off the range ~ talk about some lessons in intent, integrity and honesty..
One more thought this a.m. with my coffee before I head out to throw some hay…in the blessedly *cooler* Redding morning dawn (these sometimes thought of as unintelligent animals are standing at the pasture fence, giving me the eye through my office window, and nickering at me because I’m 15 minutes late…yeah, dumb….right :) — I have been taking the time to click on the websites of many of the posters here? Not that I expected anything less; but WOW…you people are amazing on so many levels.
Good Morning Folks,
Well I’m happy to say we got a good soaking here in south Jersey (it’s really 2 states you know, north and south), my electricity was out for 10 hours yesterday. However the big news is I have a Pupa of a Black Eastern Swallowtail on the trellis ooutside my back door.
I’m so excited. Every year I plant butterfly host plants, and I always see the caterpilliars, however this is the first year I’ve seen a Pupa.
Last week I had at first eleven, then thirteen of the caterpillars on my bronze fennel plant. The ate the whole thing, and I moved a couple to the parlsley plants by the trellis. Well it seems like one of the transplanted ones is now in the Pupa stage.
I’ve named it Ernesto since it held on in the rain and wind.
I’ve got some things clear in my little brain now, thanks to Ricky Santorum. The problem was and will be again if them dems get power:
Fugitive Felons on Welfare
Is it any wonder why they hate America? or at least have no respect?
Christy –
Things have been way crazy at our house lately, and I don’t get to be here (where my heart is!) posting enough, but before I finally close my tired/insomniac eyes this a.m. I had to pop in here and thank you again for all you do.
I just left a most belated message for siun on the press sec’y thread, and after reading all the comments there I want to commend you here on your tremendous grace under stress and pressure and exhaustion. It raised my b.p. just to hear someone take you to task unfairly on the basis of his own ignorance!
So in addition to leaving a msg for siun, I wouldn’t feel right going to bed without coming up top to your Sunday morning hang-out place — which is always warm with a sense of your generous hospitality and graciousness — to tell you how offended I was on your behalf, and reiterate how much I appreciate both you and Jane, and the whole crew here who give of their time to make FDL a great community.
So, nighty-night now! Thank goodness your lovely peanut is better! I hope you get some time to relax, just for you, too.
I think the wildflower in the picture is spotted touch-me-not (or jewelweed). I saw lots of it yesterday and took the time to look it up. http://www.umassgreeninfo.org/…..ipaca.html
My preference is to have a candidate for president in 2008 who is not cozy with Gingrich, McCain, the DLC, or one who supports the Middle East policies of President Hobby Horse W. Bush. Hillary for me, meets none of this criteria. I will vote for Hillary only if the Democratic movers, shakers and shiny pants types, (DLC, etc.) shove her down my throat.
Christy Hardin Smith @
18
Christy, I might have to go with Sharkette on both herbs and would be honored to invite you to the jurisdiction of DEA nightmares, yep the Holland of the North (with mountains), BC – so you could widen you experiential palette in another jurisdiction (ala Clinton at Oxford or Cambridge). The fact that cannibis is ever an issue in criminal court is laughable on its face!
Christy,
Wish Ernesto had saved some of the water he left us for you – we didn’t need it!
Mint also goes nicely in the juleps, and adds a nice touch to Derby Day.
Cilantro. Fresh cilantro is really good.
My basil just died :(
You know, I sense some sort of change in the air. When I’m talking politics with people, sometimes I’ll make a reference to President Feingold. People usually chuckle and tell me that’s absurd, say something about Hillary’s inevitablity. But lately, people just nod and look thoughtful at the mention of Feingold. And my right-wing Republican friends are getting less enchanted with McCain.
Touch-me-not is a lovely wildflower, my favorite actually. We have loads of them in our backyard here in Central Ohio. (Our yard is truly wild, and is certified as a Wildlife Refuge by the National Wildlife Federation.) The seed pods of the t-m-n are such fun! When ripe, the slightest touch causes the pod to pop open, sending the seeds flying. With enough practice, one can catch the seeds and eat them. They’re good! My 8.5 year-old son and his friend adore this “game” and spend hours popping, catching, and eating the seeds. Don’t know which hummingbird you’ve got there, but it’s beautiful. Thanks for making Sunday mornings so relaxing, Christy.
That should say, “and his friends,” as he has more than one… :>)
ESaund says:
September 3rd, 2006 at 6:39 am
I was wondering what those flowers were.
Christy, I can’t say what kind of hummer that one is, but female Anna’s frequently have red speckles on their throats. (Our backyard bird would come over to the window when the feeder was empty: ‘Aren’t you people going to do something about this?’
And the rufous hummers in west Texas, passing through on their way south in the fall, having major wars over the feeder there because every one of them thought that feeder belonged to him and the others were thieves and worse – there were times I was almost afraid to go out and run the mower, with the shrieking and the chasing going on.
Lords of War. Israel prepares for war with Iran and Syria.
Richard Perle sports a boner over the thought.
-GSD
Oh yeah… there’s a change in the air alright. Folks here, in my little town (pop. 700) are just plain old ‘fed-up’.
Democrats will win this autumn. The Republicans are fully aware of this FACT. Mr. Lamont goes to Washington. This fall.
David Ehrenstein @
46
Morning everybody!
That’s funny, I was thinking the same thing about Bo-They had to go to the D list of Gambino shills ,everybody must be at Russerts house on Nantucket. Naked Republican slumber party!
J. Donne @ 36
That’s my fear too.
The NY POst had an editorial specifically calling for a pardon. I WISH WISH WISH Larry Johnson was right, but have my misgivings.
Emptywheel did a great job yesterday of explaining (despite some troll harassment) why the Armitage revelation (if you can call it that–she had it months ago)means that the 1×2×6 story is debunked.
Emptywheel points out that the FBI and Ashcroft had the Armitage revelation BEFORE Fitz was appointed and they went ahead and decided they needed a Special Counsel anyway–will full knowledge of Armitage’s role.
THAT ONE SINGLE POINT should be the focus of the pushback!!
The timeline is our friend, and emptywheel. *g*
Iran and Syria. It’ll be atomic.
Atomic and with 140,000 of our soldiers held hostage in Iraq. That’s about the only hope we have of stirring up the slumbering folk in the US to speak up NOW and have it make any kind of effect.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 65
Atomic by who? Israel against Iran/Syria, or the US against Iran/Syria?
Thanks Christy. The bird in question was identified as a ruby throated hummingbird (re:Christy’s question and ESaund at 60) by the photographer, Gordie, himself. It was taken in upstate NY north of Saratoga. I encouraged him to send some photos on to you, since I thought you would enjoy them. Your Sunday morning posts with the photos are such a pleasanat way to start facing the news, even though it is mid afternoon here in Greece.
Snip of latest Wolcott: “What we’re hearing from pundits, bloggers, and likeminded belligerents this August is a baying to a false God, a nostalgic need for motivational clarity and a macho yearning for deliverance that the facts on the ground will deny them. Their commando belts tied up in knots, their umbrellas unfolded, they can turn on Bush, or on Condi Rice (as Richard Perle has done), but who can they turn to? Nobody. That’s why they’re egging each other on, flexing their biceps, and clinging to Mark Steyn for warmth. It’s the only way to hold on to their fading relevance.”
http://www.jameswolcott.com/
I wish I had Wolcott’s confidence that there was not going to be a war with Iran.
I’m not sure if that is jewel weed in the picture or not, but I have a liitle factoid to ffer about jewel weed.
It is the best antidaote for poison ivy.
It is so effective, that you can use it (there is an aloe like sap in the stem) to write your name in the poison ivy rash.
It works best if you put it on BEFORE any water or soap has touched the poison ivy rash. And if done before washing or scratching, will usually completely irradicate the rash on the spot.
Even if you have washed the rash, jewel weed applied a couple few times a day, is still a more effective remedy than anything over the counter or prescription i have ever seen.
Just snap the stem open and smear the goo.
Nate at 10
Oooohh THANKS for the Fitz news. Will definitely read the Johnson post.
I’m absolutely fed up with all the mbrs of press corpse who blithely dismiss Fitz’s whole quest on the assumption that, if Armitage babbled, apparently no one else is guilty of anything.
At this point, I’m assuming any MSMloon who says that is either crooked or terminally stoopid. Thanks out to all the FDLers who harp on this so it doesn’t fly under the radar. Makin’ it more & more impossible for the MSM to get away with lying &/or laziness. HA! ;->
cleter @ 66
All of the above. The U.S. has failed using conventional weapons in Iraq. Likewise for Israel in Lebanon. Nuclear is the only option left. Peace is not on the table. What bothers is Russia, China, Pakistan, India, North Korea and others. What are they going to do? If Hot-War war breaks out in the Middle East, it’s hard to visualize these countries remaining on the side-lines.
Howard Dean is kicking *ss on Face the Nation. I hope it is put up on C&L.
gotta go get groceries.
Mornin’.
Now that the hurricane has blown thru, I’m off to a lovely public garden to see the sights. Hope to find the blue heron that lives there.
Want to see the Lord’s creation before we get into a nuclear showdown with the eastern hemisphere. Let’s not go this path, ok?
An unprovoked nuclear first strike by the US against a smallish non-nuclear state would be a war crime of historic proportions. It would make the US a pariah, a rogue state. It would be a nuclear Pearl Harbor. Why does Bush want to replay Pearl Harbor with us as the f***ing Japanese? Does he think that worked well for Japan? Hell, the reason there ARE nuclear weapons at all is because of Japan’s stupid and short-sighted pre-emptive attack on the US.
So, how do we stop it? It’s not like we can pressure our senators to vote against the Authorization to Use Nuclear Weapons Resolution, because there won’t be one.
David Brooks just said that he agreed that there was going to be a Dem wave thsi Nov. and the only question was how huge that wave is gonna be.
He then compared repug candidates to a baseball pitcher on the mound while his own mother is booing him in the stands. That repubilcan voters want to throw out republican politicians.
Steponopoulus made a good point that Dem leader are STOOPID if they place the blame on Rumsfeld instead of on Bush where it belongs, b/c that gives the Reps a scapegoat.
I’ve got the smoker going (West Coast) and Howie is shilling for this hotsoup.com site.
I think Joe Lockhart is a sellout. This is NOT the time for bipartisanship, this is the time to take the goddam gloves off and FIGHT like someone is trying to kill you.
Any of the politicos shows any sense of bipartisanship for the next year, is getting one helluva nastygram.
Can you tell I’m sleep-deprived?
Anyone out in the San Diego CA area who could give a clue as to how the flying weather is today thru tues?
Would appreciate, thanks. Nervousnelly concern about sonnyboy. (they never outgrow that) ;->
Gilliard is on fire this morning.
Oo, in my above comment, I think I stumbled onto an answer to Olbermann’s rhetorical question: with what country have they mistaken the United States?
A. Imperial Japan, circa 1940. They mistakenly think we have a divine god-emperor, and that pre-emptive war is an excellent solution.
Speaking of kids and horses, my 4 yr old grandson loves horses more than the others combined. He begs to go and rides this 20 yr old mare around the ring and even trots. Has no fear and sits the saddle pretty good.
As Christy said with her Peanut who sits the horse like they were born there, the lack of fear and their balance is really extra-ordinary at these ages and riding at this time, I believe, gives them a great all around start.
My daughter was looking for a different horse for her younger ones because this 20 yr old mare does not get along with other horses and often kicks out, and refuses to lope. But man, his smile while walking/troting is ear to ear and does not come off his face for hours.
Mitch McConnel revived the “Howard Dean is an agry man” smear.
What a wanker
Adie @ 78
Looks like MVFR in the morning, VFR in the afternoons, but with a chance of thunderstorms.
Is sonnyboy military or civilian? Airline or smaller aircraft?
Try Basil instead of lettuce on a hamburger, even better replace the meat with a nice 1″ slice of fresh garden tomato.
Use Rosemary stem/twigs as skewers for pork or chicken kebabs.
Got a water (lemonade) jug in the fridge, add a bunch of mint leaves.
Almost any/all herbs go great in a nice homemade broth.
Today I’ll be roasting a couple dozen ripe Roma tomatoes (olive oil, sea salt, pepper). Freezes well and awesome in soups, stews and chilis.
uh– there was a ‘British’ attack planned? The illegal NSA thingie stopped that?
Sanctorum jest said that– he comes off ugly as ugly gets this morning. He’s got that ‘Let Me Finish’ thing down pat.
Rick Sanotrum just admitted that the American people have turned against the war!
moeman @ 84
EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW. I detest raw tomato.
Sorry, raw tomato is like eating placenta or something. I’ll stick with the burger.
Little Rickie: Kosovo STILL a bad decision. Iraq still good.
Saw Chaffee and Laffey on ABC. If I was a Republican, I would vote for Laffey. He was passionate and articulate. His manner and presence (though not his politics) reminded me of Howard Dean. Chaffee reminded me of an effigy of a senator carved out of a banana. He was just a melty mess. He was like a scarecrow made of styrofoam packing peanuts.
Desperate Sanctorum– demonizing Iran and lying too.
Agreed that all holds are barred if someone starts a nuclear offensive. No prior diplomatic arrangements are guaranteed to hold. To stop such an attack, it’s got to be about the 140,000 sitting ducks in Iraq and their families and friends here. There is a 400 mile highway through which ALL the supplies travel–thats ALL the food all the water, all the ammo, all the other supplies, airport safety being an issue in Baghdad. With that highway unusable, the straits of Hormuz blocked, and no airport, we would have to abandon our troops there, and I have a nephew there. Get THAT message to the media, get that into the churches, get the voices shouting, and maybe we could stop it. Short of that or an unexpected termination of people in power here, we have to pray for miracles.
GPB at 83. THANKS!
Now y’re gonna have to translate. I’m slow learner on blog-speak & weather-”.
MVFR? VFR? duh….
civilian airline
you might appreciate —- musician ;->
Casye in a blue tie and Ricky in a red tie. How cute! Branding!
I wonder if they called each other up before they got dresses this morning?
cleter…7:41am
We don’t stop “it”. Out side the government of Tony Blair and the government of Israel, the U.S., mostly, is not liked. Some would say, detested. And our actions are dreaded. The only solution which seems feasible, if there is time, is to trade in the “old tin-lizzie” Republican jalopy for a dynamic brand new-year Democratic model.
in 1776, tomatoes weren’t the food they are today — they were considered poisonous — famously there was an attempt to kill General George Washington by slipping some tomatoes into a stew for him. He survived to dine another day !
Casey brings up the big Dick Cheney and his lack of support on Iran sanctions.
(which I am against, btw) Good old fashioned, honest diplomacy works– ask Joe Wilson.
OK #95
Congress? How does Congress matter? Who controls Congress is only relevent if Bush asks for authorization. What if he doesn’t?
Casey asking Ricky to denounce Cheney for Cheney’s public opposition to sanctions against Iran when Cheney was at Hallibuton.
Punkkinhead it pointing out how ricky’s whole campaign strategey is his attmept to distance himself from the president.
Russert just got ricky to admit he thinks Bush is the greatest president ever. Thereby blowing ricky’s strategy all to hell. What fun.
Casey reviving the “Rubber Stamp” meme.
Adie..VFR stands for “visual flight rules”…means a pilot flies by “sight” therefore weather conditions have to be clear enough for them to do that. Not sure what MVFR stands for – IFR is “instrument flight rules” meaning just that…plane is flown by instruments, not relying on pilot visual. Commercial air is all IFR ~ can’t imagine San Diego ever having the kind of “weather” that would ever give a passenger pause…don’t worry (I know, easy for me to say :); sonny will be fine…..
Hey, my guitar-playing friend in/near San Diego(??)
You still around? my 92. Anyone?
Guitar Playing Bastard @ 87
GPB, try BBQing the aforementioned tomato. even sweeter.
I caught five minutes of Rick Santorum blithering, and then two minutes of Elizabeth Dole babbling.
Then I had to turn off the TV.
I don’t know how you can watch this stuff without wanting to hurl. Thank you for sitting through it so I won’t have to! :)
Ok folks… It’s almost 5am and sunrise here and time for me to get a few hours sleep before kicking into high gear again. I’ve got an original song and a link to an IAVA article on my front page this morning in honor of a friend who suffered a major head injury in Iraq this week. If you’ve got a minute, go have a quick listen/read.
Aloha,
Nate
THANKS Horsewoman. mommas can’t help it, a-course. appreciate the tips.
Adie @ 78
adie – I don’t know about “flying weather”, but I’m 70 miles north of San Diego… skies are blue with a few light clouds, no wind… been hotter than hell and according to the weather man, prolley will stay that way for a week…
Nate, linky no worky
Casey and Santorum quibbling over the minutae of tax policy. Completely eye glazing.
the only one that is even remotely understandable during this exchange is Timmeh.
Casey’s folks better find a way to talk about tax policy in plain english.
And they probably adore her too.
Sounds nice at your house, Christy. Glad everyone’s feeling a bit better.
lhp– agreed.
Sharkbabe, I can’t agree with you about sage. There’s rosemary, there’s basil, there’s thyme. And tarragon, for that matter.
Sphinctorum is making me ill.
-GSD
*ilson46201 @
95
I learn and/or re- remember something from you, *ilson, nearly everyday! You help to keep me young and interested in all things. Nightshade- ha!
GSD @ 111
I had to change the station…
Nate,
I’m sad to hear about your friend.
Time to get out of Iraq.
Oratorio – “The Seasonings”, S. 1 1/2 tsp. (P.D.Q. Bach)
Chorus: “Tarragon of virtue is full”
Recitative: “And there were in the same country”
Duet: “Bide thy thyme”
Fugue
Recitative: “Then asked he”
Chorale: “By the leeks of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept”
Aria: “Open sesame seeds”
Recitative: “So saying”
Duet: “Summer is a cumin seed”
Chorus with Soloists: “To curry favor, favor curry”
*ilson46201 @ 96
I also heard that Thomas Jefferson, enlightened reality (science is cool) based gent that he was, famously ignored the advice re: raw tomatoes and enjoyed them regularly. Where are the Real George W(ashington)s and Doubting Thomas Jeffersons today, America could use a few good non-criminal leader type men today! God knows America is full of followers of the heinous.
If the voters of America re-elect these criminals yet again, I too will join most of the world and hate America too, and if they steal the election again, you better act like the Mexicans if you want me to cut you any slack!
cleter @ 97
I don’t know. But it’s worth a try (the up-coming elections). When the Demos take back the Congress this fall, and they will, impeachment may be the only way to stop the neo-con/Bush usurpation. Of course the realization is that impeachment proceedings will not matter to imitation cowboy George. We, I think, are not dealing with a rational man. Some might argue we’re confronting a lunatic.
in my dreams, Cheney gets arrested and Rumsfeld gets impeached… and chimpy is left to stand there with his thumb up his ass…
OldCoastie @ 118
Can I borrow your dream tonite?
Biting into a fresh tomato off the vine,still warm from the sun ~ for me at least, absolute taste bud heaven. Sun drenched Santa Rosa plum is right up there too……
angie @ 119
of course! oh and I forgot – Rove gets caught in the Lincoln bedroom with his boyfriend, Jeff Gannon…
OC, in my dreams too
rich dreaming tonight!
moeman @
101
Not a chance. Cooked placenta is still placenta. I like a lot of tomato products, salsa,m marinara sauce, etc, but just eating straight tomatoes nauseates me.
Proving yet again if you want your kid to hate something for life, force it on them.
I find it amazing that Sphinctorium and that guy from KY can sit there with straight faces and just lie and lie… what kind of people do this?
OldCoastie. thanks for weather hints! sounds terrific, & soothes the worrywort in me. ;->
Hey Herb-lovers!
GREEK OREGANO! HANDS DOWN FAV!!! at our house.
FRESH BASIL close 2nd.
But for pure fun: fresh catnip, picked daily all summer. MEOWRmmmmmm! = 2 votes from another quarter of the household.
Christy. You’re soooo right. It’s an absolutely incredible delight to be able to scoot out the door at the last minute & snag herbs right off the plants for a meal Yum!
And who said they hate tomatoes?! Your loss, friend. How sad….. except, that’s more for those as luv ‘em.
carolyn urban @ 111
I was confused with my herb contribution above @54, I’m with Christy on the basil and Sharkette on the other herb! And I’d still be honored to give Christy a safe haven to widen her horizons, if she ever felt the need. If I were a proscecutor I would feel so silly and reprehensible proscecuting cannibis offenses, especially Fed attacks on sick people!
cleter @
56
i’m definitely with you on this one, cleter. Feingold may not actually get the nomination but there are a lot of people like you and me who are willing to really support him. there are no rational reasons he wouldn’t be a good president, only doubts that he’s electable. i think that the doubts are beginning to fade and it’s up to people like us to convince the doubters to get with him too. there is a change in the air, yes, and way past time.
i don’t agree with you about your fears on iran. maybe i’m naive but i believe bushco is shook up about iraq and deep down they know iran isn’t doable. they don’t have the confidence to go that route and the snakes that are pushing that gambit are the same ones who urged us into iraq. bushco doesn’t want to admit it, but they know.
OK Kiddo @ 117…that’s one of the reasons I keep coming back here; to keep my mind from dwelling too long on the fact that I deeply feel we are dealing with a lunatic president and an administration that has an ultimate objective that they are going to pursue to the end ~ at whatever cost. Those three words “at whatever cost”…..make me shiver.
And when I read the commentary here – the good, the bad, the uplifting and the depressive; I can’t honestly say yet that the mix is coming out overwhelmingly on the positive side…time, due diligence, and commitment to a sane truth, is going to be the only hope that things DO, end up positively in the end.
For the sake of my 5 year old grandson, the peanut and every child, grandchild of every person posting here ~ I deeply hope that things do.
No, no, no, you heathens!! Marjoram for teh win!! It’s like a non-ghetto version of oregano hehe.
If you like tarragon, put some in your franks & beans…tres yummy.
Fresh tomatoes, warm from the garden, with a liberal sprinkling of salt and pepper is a bit of heaven.
Or on a good slice of bread with mayo.
yummy.
Sanctorum is craaaaaaaazy.
I’m with you!
FEINGOLD! Ready for a sane adult in the big white house?! Definitely.
oops– Sanctorum is faced with his home in PA.
Tomatoes hot offin’ the vine with a bit of salt. Fruit of the god’s. Those red golf balls you buy in the store? Yuk!!!
earlier in the summer there was a lot of talk of aircraft carriers heading for the gulf to attack Iran… I wasn’t worried then as some of the reports weren’t correct…
but I do believe that chimpy has that “dengenerate gambler” thing going on and may think doubling down is a good idea… it also worries me that the air force is so pliable to all this (I think the Army and the Navy are fiercely opposed to any military action in Iran)… I don’t know what he’s going to do, I don’t know how he will be stopped (except – see my dream above)… I do think “other events” that disrupt the triumverate will be very helpful…
cannot wait for next week on MTP when Allen goes down in front of America!
Go Webb!
Horsewoman at 129
Couldn’t have said it better!
I think rover would be delighted if we all crawled in separate corners & cried in our sleeves, thinking we must be the only one in the world who felt that way.
THANKS CHRISTY, JANE, PACH and everyone else.
Rover. Will. Not. Win…. EVER Again!
frogmarch would be good fun, tho, if I just had to view his ugly face again…. mmmmmmmm…
even rotten tomatoes are useful……
OldCoastie @
125
Callous sociopaths like them and Lady McBush and Deadeye Dick Cheney and Rimsfeld.
-GSD
tomatoes. what kind of tomatoes? GPB if you ate those tasteless Safeway crap from California or some hothouse in february i can understand but if youy try some July tomatoes from North Carolina you might just be won over. and as for the green stuff, basil and cilantro are my faves.
Hillary for Senate Majority Leader. President Feingold to keep her on track!
GSD @ 138
they should be locked up for society’s protection…
Lady McBush- bwahahahahaha GSD!
I can’t believe lil Rickey is still burbling on… enough!
What, no parsley? Have I got a sauce for you.
Any fresh herb is awesome– the taste is so different and better than anything dried.
angie @ 141
Shakespeare would’ve had a field day, wot? John Adams must be hard at work on something equal to his “Nixon In China”
Garden experiments this year.
Saved seed from the fauncy schmauncy “stoplight” mixed-color peppers bought in the dead of winter from local grocery store.
Seed’s viable, folks. We have humungous plants with nice big fat fruit ripening. Can’t tell what the colors are gonna be, yet, but they taste good green.
Grew yellow pear tomatoes next to red cherry tomatoes last year, & saved some seed from the tastiest of the plants. LOL, got a sassy little yellow cherry tomato plant this year, just hanging full of fruit & bursting with flavor. Don’t try in pots tho. They’re 7′ tall and still climbing. *g
It’s impossible to have too many tomatoes in the summer garden.
TERRIFIC way to make your favorite (or not-so- favorite) neighbor feel utterly spoiled and mushy-friendly: Give ‘em an assortment of gorgeous tomatoes n’ stuff from your garden, just because it’s a nice day.
And don’t forget the local food pantry.
Nothing could be fina than to be from Carolina eatin’ a tomata. Dill and tomatoes pull my chain.
OldCoastie @ 142
He’s the Manchurian Candidate with a tongue instead of a gun. unstoppable though……….
absoeffinglutely fahrender! The Bard would have ripped them to shreds by now.
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.
The Human Semen Stain that is Bill Kristol is calling for Scoots Libby to be pardoned.
-GSD
Angie at 143
… except oregano? at least, we like the texture and flavor better dried.
Books say same for catnip, but our kitties take it with joy in ANY form (tho they ignore store-bought – probably too old & no aroma) ;->
Hint: in your herbing, be cautious, folks – best not collected from roadsides, along powerlines & railroad track areas, etc. – heavily sprayed with gosh-awful stuff.
looseheadprop @ 76,
Speaking of Brooksie.
I just read his Thursday bullshit about
Armitage.
To wit, he writes, “Perhaps dear reader, you are perplexed. Perhaps you remember the scandal surrounding the outing of the CIA Agent Valerie Plame, a crime so heinous that her husband was forced to endure repeated magazine photoshoots.”
What an arsehole, Brooks is, downplaying the
smear of Wilson and his family.
They never get it, those arrogant MSM idiots.
Jack
I agree that chimpy is out of his mind. Not just casually delusional but batshit crazy, barking mad. Voices? Being told by God to go and save the muslims? His posture, body language and facial expressions which are all approapriate for a five year old?
And then he’s surrounded by his handlers, even scarier than poor crazy chimp. Papa Cheney, must be a substitute father figure, and now DAD’S MAD. Dad wants little georgie to buckle down and do what he knows he has to do: strangle the kitten.
“The Human Semen Stain that is Bill Kristol..”
A book of Firedoglake commentators “Metaphors for Our Current Political Life and Times” ~ perhaps a good site fundraising idea??
My poor keyboard has been through the ringer more than once because I’ve read a gem in the process of mid-swallow of something liquid…..
Mrs. Greenspan just said that this admin doesn’t understand AQ on Chris’s show.
angie @
148
methinks thou has made a contribution to our mother tongue, madam!
lil Rickey trying to defend not living in PA any more… priceless!
timmeh —- slammin sanitoirum on the residency!!!
rickey sounding a little excitable, doncha think?
carolyn urban @
152
(cue Frist)
You know, it’s times like these that I miss Nixon. He could do mental derangement much, much better………….
Guitar Playing Bastard @
87
sorta like this, OldCoastie, from one of my favorite artists ever, Warren Zevon:
give me that damned cat!!!
Good Morning! What did I miss while I was asleep? Has Joe conceded yet? Any new Fitz indictments?
o.k. Bill, you can go home now……….
Connecticut Bob @ 102
Santorum reminded me of Hillary Clinton’s opponent in her 2000 Senate run, Rick Lazio. Both Lazio and Santorum are pretty boys with a very belligerent, in-your-face debate style. Neither Dem laid back or took any crap. Many pundits credited Lazio’s debate tactic of “beating up a girl” as the death knell of his campaign. I wonder how the identical tactic and response plays against a male opponent.
fahrender @ 139
Oh yeah, the fresh tomatos garden grown taste like completely different vegetables compared to the winter hothouse varieties from a grocery store. Soooo incredibly sweet and juicy…just slice ‘em up, toss a little salt on ‘em if you like, and nibble away.
Raw hothouse tomatoes, however, are like eating particleboard.
Late late late of course. Love the Sunday Morning threads, Christy. Talk of home and hearth is dear.
We have a new addition to our bird population this year – a canyon wren. Most likely a pair but the girl doesn’t say much. Love their descending trill, which I first hear in the Grand Canyon.
Fresh sage is a treat. In addition to soups and stews, try sauteing some leaves in butter until crisp. Serve with polenta and sauce or with pasta – or, hell, just eat ‘em. Mmmmmm.
Hope I get back from son fun in time for the book club. You guys so rock with all the great guests you line up for us. Thanks.
I’m going to break the tradition above and say Lavender is the best herb ever.Though I love fresh herbs of all kinds.
Try lemonade spiked with fresh lavender flowers(let them sit in the lemonade overnight and then strain),it’s really yummy on a hot day.And lavender added to homemade vanilla ice cream is amazing.
I have a little cloth bag I made that holds lavender flowers and leaves.I put it in the dryer with our laundry,ahhh,it’s just the best stuff ever.One little bag lasts through about 10 dryer loads.I empty the bag into my compost heap and refill it with fresh about once a week(in summer we have tons of laundry due to yard work and a certain kid who loves digging in red GA clay).The top of the bag is closed up with the whipstitch so it’s easy to remove the stitching to fill the bag and then reclose it again.
Lavender oil in a diffuser will kill cold/flu germs in the air(so will rosemary,sage,and eucalyptus oils).
And if you iron things,lavender water in your steam iron or in a spray bottle to dampen the clothes before you press makes your clothes smell fresh and wonderful.
I saw a teeny baby hummingbird yesterday,must have just left the nest.At least I think it was a baby,it was way teenier than the grown up ones that visit the rose of sharon outside my kitchen window.At first I thought it was a bumblebee,lol.The cute factor was huge for something sooo itty bitty.
Just kinda doing a drive-by here – places to go and stuff…
Christy – so glad to hear the peanut is on the mend. The mental picture you gave me of her on horseback reminded me so much of my younger daughter, who lived in the barn for years, starting at a very young age. Still have the memory of her at about 6, hand-walking a 17-hand big gray gelding – she barely came up to the top of his leg – absolutely no fear. She used to ride that horse, trotted and cantered like a champ. Used to joke that she would muck out stalls for hours, but I couldn’t get her to clean her room…*g*
Santorum v. Casey was kind of a snooze. Santorum just the epitome of the talking points Republican (TPR). Couldn’t believe he actually raised the “we found the WMD” argument (paging Curt Weldon…) – “Bush has been a terrific president” made me gag a little.
Wished Tweety would have asked, “If Iran is the problem, why did we go after Iraq?”
Gonna go catch a workout and then go help my mom pack up the contents of a few cabinets and closets.
Horsewoman @ 129
I’m appreciating your comments lately; you’re a welcome addition to the lake. :)
new spool upstairs!
op99@169 ~ thanks….I’ve been here mostly lurking since “olden times”; have sometimes felt out of my depth with the level of discourse that has taken place on this site over the past year or so; seemed more comfortable to read and learn. I’ve realized though that thanks to my reading/lurking here, I’ve learned more than I think I have ~ consider my recent postings akin to a shy swimmer testing the water temp…….I’m up to my belly button at this point LOL!
Sad to say, I woke up to Daniel Schorr on NPR doing a “well, oops, guess we were all wrong about the White House outing Valerie Plame” routine (funny, Schorr just jumped on the bandwagon without catching that Novak is reported to have asked Armitage, rather than Armitage just blurting it out as gossip, which, of course, means that someone tipped Novak first).
Schorr’s got an excuse, I suppose (he turned 90 this week), but everyone else playing this game does not.
Horsewoman @ 172
you are very smart and I am glad to know you as a fellow longtime lurker.
Thanks angie ~ ditto the compliment…I figure we’re at a point now where the more the merrier; the combined energy is only going to be that much more powerful yes????
Horsewoman @ 175
yes
Wowee, on hard to spell George’s roundtable Will and company spent half their time talkin’ about Wal-mart and the election. I didn’t know Wal-mart had candidates.
The thing that caught my attention the most in all the drool and spittle was when George Will pontificated about the Wal-mart opening (did he attend?) one block outside of Chicago where 25,000 people showed up to apply for 325 positions.
That convinces me that the US economy is just cookin’ along reeeeeeaaaaaally good! Makes me almost want to move back to participate on all that there rollickin’ prosperity….Not!
theExile @ 177
Well, not officially, anyway.
If 25,000 people show up to try for 325 jobs at minimum wage with no benefits during good times with low unemployment (officially anyway), how many would be there in bad times?
I think too many Americans are buying a load of bovine excrement and then trying to spread it out around the world and I for one, but not for only, am goddamn sick and tired of it. We’ve temporarily fallen under the minority (thankfully) rule of a Bu$hCo clone here in the Great White North (and with his buddy David Emerson – Minister of Internation Trade the leading fundraisers for the ReThugs this fall) see:
SlushFund
I don’t know if many Americans are aware of this(the Slush Fund), but this article is mainly a presentation made to a Parliamentary committee by an American trade lawyer critical of the Harper/Emerson sellout to the Repubs and Southern Lumber Lobby in the States. One of the articles of impeachment of Nixon was about 450,000 of foreign money – this is 1/2 billion give or take.
I trust that Canadians are not yet narcotized or Fauxinized or downright stooopid enough to let Harper back to the House, when he dares to drop the writ, with any kind of mandate. His constituents in bum f**k Texas North (otherwise known as Alberta) may send him to a perch on the far back bench, but that’s about it. If I’m wrong, I’m moving to Mexico in search of freedom, or maybe even Burma or North Korea.
should read:
Nixon was about $50,000 of foreign money
didn’t have the CapShift down when I tried to add the $ sign. 450,000 is more like the current campaign donation.
There is an American take on this scam in $450 million slush fund for Bush from Canadian lumber deal, just in time for the mid-terms
theExile @
179
Hi TheExile,
Sigh. Canadians aren’t stupid but they tend to have bad cases of ‘normaloia’. As defined by Jan BenDor (of Pittfield Twp MI and a hero of mine), “That’s when you think everything is OK, no matter what.” Canadians are used to being fleeced by their politicians, but we don’t believe we’ll be actually eaten alive. Unfortunately, I think that’s what is coming. I have to be careful not to tell strangers — and even most of my friends — too much at once or they think I am tinfoil case. One of the reasons I come to FDL — makes me feel a whole lot less crazy! Most of my Cdn friends have not a clue as to what SH and cronies are up to. Which is carrying out the plans made by the Fraser Institute, which is our branch office of the the Institute for Economic Affairs. Even when I point out the FI’s funding my Cdn friends say, no, can’t be so, and what does a think tank have to do with government, anyway? I point them at independant sources and ask them questions that invite them to connect dots — it takes a *long* time for people to come to The True Vision!
Much of how our government functions is controlled at the ministry level, that is, by civil servants under the direction of a Minister, as of Health, Culture, Defense, Agriculture, whatever, and controlled by regulations rather than laws. Therefore, a lot of really scary things can be done without ever having to run anything past Parliament and without attracting the attn of the media. Tons o’power for stealthy change there! It is possible for a PM to simply change cabinet positions, too, I mean, like, create, amalgamate or delete whole ministries.
Folks in Ontario watched as our schools, hospitals, cities, tax structure, social services were all were Mike Harris-ed into oblivion. Don’t get me started! BTW, The Despicable Mike is now a Senior Fellow at the Fraser Institute and the bad, bad changes he made have not been undone by succeeding govts. When the Conservatives are in power the opposition parties decry their every move, but when the rascals get turned out, the new gang of rascals somehow can’t figure a way to undo the damage.
I am most grateful for FDL. Thank you Jane, Christy, TRex, Pach, Siun, all the posters, the guests, the mods, and all the commenters and lurkers. The discussions here help me to clarify my thoughts and to see what is possible. I am learning about networking and Netrootzing, how to research, and the power of individual contact. I believe this is democracy. Whew!
I am now collapsed on the floor, those 4 paragraphs took me two and a half hours to compose! Ain’t no real blogger… I will *not* re-read this one more time, it’s going out just as it is.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 18
make that TWO votes for basil
garlic bread just ain’t right without a little basil
and why waste good weed by cooking with it ???
that’s probably why I’m a defendant