Fitz and Christy!

Bonne Anne mes ami(e)s.

OOh, maybe a zed! I’ve got coffee and tea ready, and the biscuits just came out of the oven. This is at the bottom of late night, but here it is again. Nicholas Kristof is in the NYT, with some ideas about W’s “legacy.” Like he’d listen…

http://mgpaquin.blogspot.com/

Christy — before you get rollin’ — really enjoyed yesterday’s “Pull Up A Chair”. Won’t remember the individual bios and the handles but am amazed at the diversity of the folks that hang around here — educated, talented and motivated.

Fitz in a fortnight.

FDL plays an up-tempo game that is delightful
to its fans…

Jack

Morning all. Making my coffee here. How is everyone this morning?

Marion — we are thinking about making a day trip to Savannah one of the days we are on vacation. Any restaurant tips? I see there are some horse and carriage tours through the city — I’m wondering if that might be fun for The Peanut?

Lieberman really is “The Thing That Wouldn’t Die,” isn’t he? It is to be hoped that he’ll get a lot less attention in the new Congress…

retirin’ in five @ 3

Absolutely! That was huge fun. I got there VERY late after a day of after-Christmas sales shopping and there were still folks chatting. (It turned into kitty-blogging at the end!)

Marion in Savannah @ 3

OOh, maybe a zed! I’ve got coffee and tea ready, and the biscuits just came out of the oven. This is at the bottom of late night, but here it is again. Nicholas Kristof is in the NYT, with some ideas about W’s “legacy.” Like he’d listen…

http://mgpaquin.blogspot.com/

Thanks.
Obit is incomplete. No mention of Bush’s impeachment in 2007 and willful deceit?

Jack

Christy, to find out about carriage tours in Savannah go here:

http://www.savannahcarriage.com/

It’s a fabulous way to see Savannah, at the speed the town was built, and the height of the carriage seat lets you see a bit more of some of the gardens in the downtown area. Wonderful tour guides, too. In order to become a tour guide here you have to take a ferocious exam on the city’s history and architecture. I think Peanut would find it fun, but you might want to bring along a toy or book in case she’s not too interested in architecture. The guides do try to cater to each set of passengers, though, and I’ve seen kids having a ball.

Christy, about restaurants… There are SOOOO many to choose from, and I’m not sure of your tastes, so here’s a link with some very good ones listed. (One word of caution — Lady & Sons [Paula Deen’s first place] can be VERY heavy-handed with the salt, IMO. Just an alert.)

http://www.eatinginsavannah.com/ourfavorites.html

Let me know where you wind up! It looks like you’re going to be here mid-week when I’ll be slaving in the coal mines, but my thoughts will be with you even if I can’t.

Bay State Librul, I don’t think Kristof meant it to be an obit, but more in the tone of a kindly uncle taking the stupid, slacker nephew and sitting him down and trying to talk sense to him. The stupid, slacker nephew is, of course, squirming and looking out the window and sighing and tapping his foot and…. You get the idea!

(Edited in later — I just looked at the nephew and he’s picking his nose too. EEEW!)

Late Nite with T-Rex…
Early Bird with Christy and the Gang

Marion and BSL — I’m hoping for Bush to soon have his “Ron Ziegler” moment. He’s probably always talked to the portraits.

Good morning, folks. Staying at Mom’s for the weekend.

Monsterboy is talking in his sleep on the LR sofa, dreaming of his upcoming 15th birthday. I see his legs hang over the end of the bed, exposing his size 14 feet to the air. Sweetie is sawing wood in the bedroom, looking happy and peaceful. The 20 year old Diva will rise around 1 pm to growl about the lack of service around here, then kiss us all.

2006 ends with Billmon’s site shut down. There’s no there there, as Gertrude Stein would say. Many of us here are Billmon’s orphaned offspring.

Thought you should know…

Perhaps Billmon’s exquisite rants are too difficult to sustain at a totally individual, idiosyncratic venue. Perhaps he needed to find a way to regain the adoration of his commenters without losing his mind due to the winger attacks. Perhaps we needed to send him more love. Perhaps it was too frustrating to try to stop the national train from going off the trestle bridge without Superman’s powers.

So Christy, I appreciate the planning and the management and the intentionality of FDL more than you will ever know. This cannot be lost. The collective capacity of the site must be sustaining to us all, and we must be able to sustain each other.

We must be bold and take risks, or we must cheer on those, like the Lamont crew, who take on Herculean tasks and make a wild, desperate attempt to restore the nation’s sanity.

Here we find good politics AND good people. Cherish both.

retirin’ in five @ 13

Marion and BSL — I’m hoping for Bush to soon have his “Ron Ziegler” moment. He’s probably always talked to the portraits.

The think that freaks me out is I have a feeling he thinks they talk back to him… Or is it only God who talks to him?

Marion in Savannah @ 16

retirin’ in five @ 13

Marion and BSL — I’m hoping for Bush to soon have his “Ron Ziegler” moment. He’s probably always talked to the portraits.

The think that freaks me out is I have a feeling he thinks they talk back to him… Or is it only God who talks to him?

He hasn’t read three books on Washington. He speaks with him three times a week.

Mornin’ all!

Marion in Savannah @ 12

Bay State Librul, I don’t think Kristof meant it to be an obit, but more in the tone of a kindly uncle taking the stupid, slacker nephew and sitting him down and trying to talk sense to him. The stupid, slacker nephew is, of course, squirming and looking out the window and sighing and tapping his foot and…. You get the idea!

(Edited in later — I just looked at the nephew and he’s picking his nose too. EEEW!)

Yes indeed. He will never change.
Bush on the couch, first he thinks he is
Geo Washington, then Harry Truman… he’s
really the paranoid Prez…
As Hofstadter says, “We are all sufferers from history, but the paranoid is a double sufferer, since he is afflicted not only with the real world, with the rest of us, but by his fantasies as well”.

Morning Christy and Firedogs,

that dove is perfect as I have Why We Fight on the tivo

being the Infanta of EPU, I expended some keystrokes downstairs -

for any long time readers lurking – I’d like to take us all back to that first time Jane & Christy ‘disappeared’ and left us in Pachacutec’s care – most of us went all WATB on him, wondering where they were, just how long they were gonna be gone, who the hell is this Incan Sex God anyway, etc. ?!?!?

my brain and archive retrieval skills are too fuzzy to pull up any good examples, BUT – I believe that was the beginning of Rootz with Pach doing yeoman’s work, laying the foundation for the work ahead with some incredibly well written and practical posts on what had to be done and how to do it – he looks flat out prescient at this point in the ride, doncha think ? (of course Jane and Christy’s wisdom in plucking him from the comments should go without saying :])

with minimal hindsight, many of us will find the catalyst for our reawakened activism in Pacha’s posts and his ungodly patience and willingness to bring us all along

All Hail Pachacutec !

(and I swear to Gaia, if this comment gets EPU’d, . . .)

Savannah is beautiful. I’m jealous.

Someone please rescue me from upstate SC. I’m drowning in red.

;)

retirin’ in five @ 16

He hasn’t read three books on Washington. He speaks with him three times a week.

LOL! So I guess he talks with everyone, portraits included, but only listens to God?

Re: White Winged Dove

Stevie Nicks explains it all for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JWnDKpmlAY

(Edge of Seventeen)

Seems apropos of this year’s end somehow.

Thank goodness, I have the coffee brewing and some cinnamon rolls that just finished rising got tucked into the oven. Ahhhhh…now I can sit down and chat in the comments while The Peanut puts together a puzzle at my feet here in the kitchen.

cbl @ 19, thanks for the reminder, which ties in very well with what alison @ 14 said about billmon. I don’t think any 2 people could keep this place up and running alone, and I think it’s good to see new “headliners” like Jordan Barab.

(And @19 means no EPU! Rah!)

Marion in Savannah @ 22

retirin’ in five @ 16

He hasn’t read three books on Washington. He speaks with him three times a week.

LOL! So I guess he talks with everyone, portraits included, but only listens to God?

That’s why decideratin’s such hard work. Reguires a lot of outside input.

I’m back on the eating better diet wagon again tomorrow gang, so enjoy the scent of these fattening, luscious cinnamon rolls baking in my oven while you can. *g* Well, I will, anyway, enough for all of us.

It’s a U Tube world …..

The Saddam hanging via cellphone :

http://noquarter.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Christy Hardin Smith @ 26

I’m back on the eating better diet wagon again tomorrow gang, so enjoy the scent of these fattening, luscious cinnamon rolls baking in my oven while you can. *g* Well, I will, anyway, enough for all of us.

You’re not going to be on a diet in Savannah, are you? At least not in the restaurants, I hope! Don’t fret — if you like seafood there are wonderful broiled and “low country boil” things that will probably fit in.

COLORADO BOB @ 28

It’s a U Tube world …..

The Saddam hanging via cellphone :

http://noquarter.typepad.com/my_weblog/

CNN just finished showing it. They stopped the video only right before the actual execution but kept the audio going. They also had the shouting translated. Like Cheney, they love this stuff.

Marion at 29 — I’m going to try and stick to eating better as much as possible, but I’m giving myself a four bad meals allowance for the vacation. And I may be using two of those in Savannah. *g*

Aaiighh! Went to the MtP link and saw Tim Russerts beefy visage on there! Too early in the morning. Will have to revisit that.

Hi Alison and good morning to all this last day of 2006. I surely hope that we make things much better in 2007…

Go Waxman, Leahy, and Dorgan. We gotcher backs!

My single resolution this year is to work on being healthier. I need to take some weight off for a number of reasons, but my joint issues are a big catalyst along with having a very active Peanut. Eating a healthier diet and trying to squeeze in some time for exercise somewhere in my insane daily schedule are the two biggest steps for me in making this happen. Anyone else working on a resolution this year?

mornin’ twolf1,
have been ranting forevah that these ghouls are tantric with this shit – have been tempted to go over to some of the rightie sites just to see how sticky the floor is at this point

p.s. loved your furry sons in the shoebox

Nice to see Count Dracula Cheney commenting on the healing powers of presidential pardons.

Nice to see members of the new Iraqi government hanging people left and right and eating the hearts out of rabbits at graduation ceremonies.

Mission accomplished you shit sacks.

-GSD

Waccamaw or snowbird, if you see me, e-mail me at isolde0724 AT yahoo if you want to meet in Asheville sometime. Somebody said something about Cullowee. I used to date a guy in Asheville who had lots of friends in Cullowee.

cbl @ 35

p.s. loved your furry sons in the shoebox

That picture always makes me laugh. It’s actually a shallow box that is about 75% longer than a shoe box. I initially placed them in that position, but then they slept there for over 3 hours. The next day, they managed to get themselves back in the same position. Don’t know how they managed it, I would have liked to see it happen.

Alison at 15 — It is awfully hard, day in and day out, to wade through the mess that is the news, and try to make some sense of it…and then write down your thoughts only to have people yell at you for them. *G* (I exaggerate, it’s really quite enjoyable with the great conversation we have here in the comments most of the time, but there are days when it sure feels that way.) And Billmon had been doing the day in, day out blogging for the long haul. I can certainly understand needing a break or perhaps even a recasting.

But his voice and his heart will be sorely missed in the reading, I can tell you that much, if this is a permanent break. I sure hope that it isn’t, because his insights were awfully helpful on a lot of levels for my thought processes.

This is such a difficult medium to sustain, daily, at any sort of quality level. Whatever the reasons that Billmon needed to pause, I wish him the best — with the sincere hope that he’ll be back at it some day, because his voice is a unique and very valued one.

GSD @ 36

Nice to see Count Dracula Cheney commenting on the healing powers of presidential pardons.

Is there ever a reason for presidents to be able to override the rule of law? Such a strange, monarchical, atavistic provision.

It seems to be used for illicit or self serving reasons. Maybe it’s time to get rid of it.

Christy Hardin Smith @ 39

This is such a difficult medium to sustain, daily, at any sort of quality level. Whatever the reasons that Billmon needed to pause, I wish him the best — with the sincere hope that he’ll be back at it some day, because his voice is a unique and very valued one.

Well then, keep your resolution to maintain your health, and keep up the great work at maintaining a healthy community committed to progressive change. This operation is so precious to those who know it and so important to keeping the voices of thoughtful dissent clear, well informed, and networked.

Christy Hardin Smith @ 34

My single resolution this year is to work on being healthier…. Anyone else working on a resolution this year?

I’ll be honest: I rarely keep my resolutions past mid-February. I’m not easily defeated, though, so I’ll just try a new approach in 2007. Namely, I’ll be rockin’ the new year around a theme.

Please don’t laugh and roll your eyes when I tell you that I’ve co-opted last year’s Rose Parade theme, “It’s Magical.”

I know, I know. It’ll take more than a magic wand and a liberal sprinkling of pixie dust to make my dreams for 2007 come true. I’m nothing if not practical. But this theme suits the generally optimistic outlook I have about life. Also, I’m thinking it’ll help provide balance for my analytical tendencies. And, corny as it seems, it’s a good reminder to whistle while I work. Metaphorically speaking, of course.

With a nod to my left brain, I’ve backed up this creativity-oriented theme with a quasi-plan. I’ll call it a parade route, just to keep that metaphor rolling. I’ve written out fitness goals (I can easily fit back into those size 4 jeans before next summer!), and I’ve gotten some organization-related ideas (a decluttered office…no more wishful thinking!). It’s always my top priority to be a loving mother, wife, and friend. But, if sometime in this next year I can sell, and also finish writing my book, I think that would rank among the most magical accomplishments of all.

Happy New Year’s Eve! I wish for all of you a New Year that’s happy, healthy, peace-filled, and…well, magical.

Christy Hardin Smith @ 33

Anyone else working on a resolution this year?

I’m going to try to figure out how to work more exercise/walking/moving into my days. The garden in the spring and summer takes care of some, but now I’m an inert mass. From what I understand, however, is you can get a bunch of exercise and have a ball with that new Nintendo thing the Wii. David Pogue in the NYT said everyone in his family, from a little one to his 87 year old father, had a fabulous time with it. Hmmm… maybe that’s what I’ll put my Christmas present from my boss towards…

Alison at 40 — Actually, there can be a good reason where you have a defendant who has been tried and convicted and exhausted the appeals process entirely. But new evidence comes to light that, under current law as it is written, is not allowed to be considered. A pardon is the only means of correcting a miscarriage of justice in that sort of case, absent some amendment to the law by the legislature.

It is not often in this way that pardons are actually used by folks in the position to issue them, but that is one very good intentioned way that they were supposed to be used.

What do you think are Bush and Cheney’s favorite video deaths? Do they like the Uday and Qusay post autopsy stitched up frankenstein look? Do they did the Zarqawi in the rubble or the makeover photos? Or the Saddam hanging?

Never has our country fetishized these kinds of things–maybe in pre tv days, but this stuff is a clear sign that our nation is engulfed with a death cult. Very Caligula like.

Heckuva job Ghoulardi.

-GSD

Best wishes to all for a better year in 2007. I’m a bit pessimistic, to be honest. But my hope for the new year is for the continued growth and strength of the progressive netroots movement and for a more attentive ear from establishment Dems. Thank you, Cristy, for your valuable contributions towards that end.

GSD @ 45

What do you think are Bush and Cheney’s favorite video deaths? Do they like the Uday and Qusay post autopsy stitched up frankenstein look? Do they did the Zarqawi in the rubble or the makeover photos? Or the Saddam hanging?

Never has our country fetishized these kinds of things–maybe in pre tv days, but this stuff is a clear sign that our nation is engulfed with a death cult. Very Caligula like.

Heckuva job Ghoulardi.

-GSD

Wonder if the Gold Frame Zarqawi Corpse images are hanging in the Crawford ranch?

Anyone else working on a resolution this year?

normally eschewing resolutions as too Calvinist – am seriously considering a run at local office – yeegawd!

o/t

latest from Riverbend
http://stevegilliard.blogspot……-ever.html

I thought we fired Donna Brazile. Will she be a Bush apologist today or rather to what degree will she be a Bush apologist? I am reminded of Allan Colmes. I can’t stomach watching any of these right-wing propaganda fests. Like Presnit Bush (in this case), I prefer that others do the summarization for me. I can depend on the sharp minds here to relay the key points without the mind- numbing, nausea-inducing first-hand experience.

I still maintain that our pResident does not read anything – whole books, especially. Lest we forget, he did not read the August 2001 PDB and he needed a jazzy DVD with vivid colors to pique any interest in Katrina. He would have preferred to ignore Katrina like he did the PDB. War presidentin’ is all he do. War on the children and elderly, war on the environment, war on gays, etc.

hackworth @ 49

I thought we fired Donna Brazile. Will she be a Bush apologist today or rather to what degree will she be a Bush apologist? I am reminded of Allan Colmes. I can’t stomach watching any of these right-wing propaganda fests. Like Presnit Bush (in this case), I prefer that others do the summarization for me. I can depend on the sharp minds here to relay the key points without the mind- numbing, nausea-inducing first-hand experience.

I still maintain that our pResident does not read anything – whole books, especially. Lest we forget, he did not read the August 2001 PDB and he needed a jazzy DVD with vivid colors to pique any interest in Katrina. He would have preferred to ignore Katrina like he did the PDB. War presidentin’ is all he do. War on the children and elderly, war on the environment, war on gays, etc.

What he said!

Signing off for the day pups. Wife cuttin’ off tube access. Happy New Year to all and in the coming months, weeks, preferably days, may the anger on the left begin the task of reshaping the planet.

Mornin’, pups! I shall let the MTP crowd blather on in the background and put the microwave oatmeal on hold for a moment….

Thanks for the peace dove, Christy. My own little Iraq war protest…and hope for peace…was to get two 4×8 white lattice panels and using clear Christmas rope lighting and the Picasso peace dove for a model, assemble a giant dove to hang from our second story roofline. It glowed for 3 Christmas seasons before retiring. This year it’s a park bench–rest for the weary–wrapped in blue lights.

After a brown Christmas and a slushy – rainy – snowy last night, we awake today to white-frosted trees and fresh snow on the ground.

I’ll take my fetishes and metaphors hopeful.
Happy New Year, everyone!

I was at a local diner yesterday, and this lout was talking loudly, as most louts do. I guess it’s a signal to other louts in the immediate area. He was going on about how disapointed he was that they only showed up to the point that the noose being placed around Saddam’s neck.

The other lout that he was feeding with, reminded him that the internet would have it, and when they go home they could look for it.

It looked like Christmas came for the second time in a week for this guy as his eyes light up at thought at watching this.

Anyway, Happy New Year to all and I hope it’s great year for everyone.

Watching Ruth Wedgewood for a bit; had to turn it off. She is a kool-aide drinking bushco apologist of the first order. She’s now affiliated with Johns Hopkins and yet disputes her own institution’s study of 655,000 dead.

blech– I tuned in to find an international law perspective– not America is always right…..

hackworth, Brazile was co-opted by Karl Rove almost immediately after Bush moved into the WH. That she still hasn’t realized this speaks volumes.

I’ve a resolution to proffer the MSM: we will be honest in our reporting, contexting our pundits’ *cough* Kate O’Beirne *cough* and put trivial reporting *cough* Britney, Paris… *cough*

We will honor the responsibility as well as the freedom of the First Amendment. And remember that our highest calling is to serve the people, not the powerful.

Morning everyone! Cuppa in hand, NYTimes scanned (nothin much there). Nothing much worth looking at on the Sunday shows. I’ll get some more writing in today.

Resolution: 2 years ago, I gave up flour & sugar (rice, potatoes, oats = OK) and, regularized jog/malking (5 days a week), losing a bunch of weight, and looking pretty mean. I’ll do it again (one year commitment only, then I can decide). It wasn’t so tough, and for me was easier than saying a little less of this or that. I’ll miss the pizza & bread though.

I’ve a resolution to proffer the MSM: we will be honest in our reporting, contexting our pundits’ *cough* Kate O’Beirne *cough* and put trivial reporting *cough* Britney, Paris… *cough*

sould be “put trivial reporting…behind us.

[sidebar to me…resolve to self-edit and then edit again….]

A good opportunity to repeat my props to Norah O’Donnell for one brief shining moment when she said she was switching from a serious, and interesting! topic to the latest Britnewsies because her producers were making her.

And my nominee for Media Star of the Year: KO.

Okay, that’s it…time for a cuppa–”sould” be good for clearing the cobwebs outa the cranium.

May your New Year’s be filled with promises fulfilled, goals accomplished, and…peace.

mandrake @
21

Savannah is beautiful. I’m jealous.

Someone please rescue me from upstate SC. I’m drowning in red.

;)

Do you go to the Drinking Liberally meetings in Greenville?
http://drinkingliberally.org/locations.html#sc

Christmas in Crawford

Stephen at 59 — I know that Bill Scher of Liberal Oasis had a great time at all the Drinking Liberally chapters that he visted down that way on the southern leg of his book tour. :)

Is this the same Eugene Robinson who finds it necessary to repeat Barack Hussein Obama’s name like the worst right-wing ideologues do?

mandrake @ 37

Waccamaw or snowbird, if you see me, e-mail me at isolde0724 AT yahoo if you want to meet in Asheville sometime. Somebody said something about Cullowee. I used to date a guy in Asheville who had lots of friends in Cullowee.

Mandrake -
Glad I caught you before getting EPU’d. ‘Tis I from Cullowhee & no doubt we have some cross-referenced acquaintances since there’s basically nothing here except the university. Will try your address later today but be forwarned sometimes can’t get e-mail to go thru’ for unknown reasons. If that happens, will post here tomorrow a.m.

Flamethrower at 61 — Not that I know of, but I could have missed an editorial somewhere…

Stephen Parrish -
Think you mentioned at “Pull up a chair” yesterday that you’re in Spartenburg; I go thru’ on 26 about once a month. Are you interested in having a coffee at the Beacon sometime?

twolf1 @ 58

Christmas in Crawford

707!!!

For a walk down Billmon memory lane:

I can only imagine the intensity of how an excellent blog is maintained. And so I’d like to add my great thanks to all who make FDL so meaningful. It would be much easier to make it up as you go along (ala Malkin) than to do the research and present facts.

g’morning all

In a videotape of Ford back in the Watergate days, he said of Nixon …I’m sure he was so preoccupied with matters of national security that he was unaware of others’ wrongdoing

Sounds like a scooter alibi

Hillary falls to earth in poll race

In Iowa, the Midwestern state that will once again open the primary season with its caucus votes on January 14, 2008, Clinton slumped to fourth place with only 10% of the vote in a survey of 600 likely Democratic voters.

In New Hampshire, which will hold the first full primary eight days later, Clinton had appeared to be cruising comfortably with a 23-point lead over her Democrat rivals — until last weekend, when a poll in the Concord Monitor newspaper showed her only one point ahead of Senator Barack Obama

Clinton supporters argued that their candidate’s poor showing — she was also beaten by Tom Vilsack, the Iowa governor who is considering his own bid for the White House — reflected the fact that she was focused on her Senate re-election in New York and did not visit Iowa this year.

-via huffpo

Christy -
The downstairs thread re. raising $$ brings to mind a question: I snail mailed a donation to FDL mid-November & it has not cleared in either Nov or Dec. bank statements. Could you pass this along to whoever has been handling financial transactions to track down? Tks a bunch; would have e-mailed you but yours is one of the addresses that won’t go thru’ from this computer.

Hope you & the family have a wonderful trip to SC; eat lots of seafood for me ;-)

Good morning all! Glad to see this year in the rear view mirror!

Clinton supporters argued that their candidate’s poor showing — she was also beaten by Tom Vilsack,

ouch!…that one might leave a mark.

Waccamaw at 69 — Will check with Jane on that. Thanks for the heads up.

Very kind of you, cbl. I’ve always considered myself more of an organization builder than a writer, and I’ve always considered my “client” in my political work to be the progressive movement as a whole.

I’ve tried to do whatever I can to defend and further the growth of that movement, though that’s a bit abstract. Then, on a more micro level, I’m here to serve this community as best I can, and be at the service of my amazing co-bloggers who let me borrow the keys once in a while.

Just went to C&L and there was the “Sunday Boid”. Is CHS at C&L new or have I just missed it before today?

hey, look who I found over at drifty’s place
(check the comments)

http://deepconfusion.blogspot.com/

oh, and drifty, they’ll say we’re in love . . .

In a world where “news” and foie gras are manufactured using identical processes

1. The use of industrial technology to esophageally force-feed caged, tiny-brained animals,

2. In order to mass-produce unhealthy gobbets of fatty crap

morning, all… coffee’s ready…

oh! the puppies love playing in snow! (we took a day trip to the mountains yesterday) my new year’s resolution is to GO and PLAY more often in places that are beautiful.

Steve at 74 — I told John Amato that I’d post the Sunday line-up link for him on Sunday mornings so he could get a bit of a sleep-in. :) I’m compiling them for everyone here, too, so I don’t mind sharing. I’ve done the last five Sundays, and that way his crew get s small breather, too.

Did anyone catch Dan Senor on This Week? I missed the segment, but my husband said he basically trumpeted the fact that he “carries a Neo-Con ID in his wallet” and that the Neo-Cons were responsible for getting Lieberman his seat back. UGGHHH!

Good Morning -
Just watched that witch, Norah O’Donnell get all gushy over a possible McCain presidential run and she actually tried to cut down his competition, Giulliani, by saying that folks wouldn’t accept him because he’s on his third marriage.
Correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t McCain drop his wife for someone who could help his career? or was that a different Republican…

Flamethrower @ 61

Is this the same Eugene Robinson who finds it necessary to repeat Barack Hussein Obama’s name like the worst right-wing ideologues do?

I’m glad I don’t like Obama. I’d be upset if Obama were a progressive Senator, but he is not a real progressive/liberal. He is an opportunistic poseur – evidenced by his voting record and his efforts to help ChristianizeTM the US government.

Too bad about his name. Obama sounds like Osama and Hussein is Hussein. A name (or a scream) can be a deal killer in Soundbyte Nation. The right wing MSM will clobber Obama with this as they let slide – Go Eff Yourself, The Finger, Haliburton/Cheney, Secret Energy Deals, Nose Picking, Booger eating, Farting on Condi, Shooting a guy in the face, The Dick’s Million Dollar Medical Escort Team, Saudi/Bush Family, Saddam/Rummy 1984, Ford’s Nixon pardon, and etc….

Today’s disgusting Talking Head TeeVee Lineup provides evidence of same.

RagingGurrl @ 79

Good Morning -
Just watched that witch, Norah O’Donnell get all gushy over a possible McCain presidential run and she actually tried to cut down his competition, Giulliani, by saying that folks wouldn’t accept him because he’s on his third marriage.
Correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t McCain drop his wife for someone who could help his career? or was that a different Republican…

So few Republicans…….so many wives (or boys, as the case may be);-)

Pachacutec – modest mensch you are, pls see my, um, ‘resolution’ note above – at least I’ll have someone to blame when I ponder what made me do it in the first place*g*

and btw – that Lawrence Welk ‘hippie’ tube was abso-f-ing-lutely priceless

Morning Christy. Morning everyone!
Boyohboy. late again.
I had an excuse today. Been wakin’ up so mopey, I decided on some home therapy.
Sample below. I hope the link works.
p.s., don’t let anyone ever tell you baroque music is stuffy & boring, heh. Try to imagine a sorta overweight hausfrau dancing around dusting cobwebs to this stuff…. or, maybe not. Just listen. ;->

http://www.baroquemusiclibrary.com/717T1S.mp3

RagingGurrl @ 79

Good Morning -
Just watched that witch, Norah O’Donnell get all gushy over a possible McCain presidential run and she actually tried to cut down his competition, Giulliani, by saying that folks wouldn’t accept him because he’s on his third marriage.
Correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t McCain drop his wife for someone who could help his career? or was that a different Republican…

Yep. Wife #1 also also came down with a condition before he dumped her. (MS? I can’t remember.) I believe he has also acknowledged some philandering during his first marriage.

http://www.baroquemusiclibrary.com/717T1S.mp3

dammit!

Adie @ 83

You are SO right about Baroque music! I often play it in my office and have people stand in the doorway, head cocked over like a spaniel, and ask “What’s that? It’s pretty.” I don’t know as I’d use “pretty,” but I have made a few converts!

I didn’t have a chance to participate in the Pull Up a Chair thread yesterday, though I did read through it…. Wow, what a group of people!

I just want to say thank you so much to all of you who live blog the Sunday talk shows for those of us who can’t watch them. I know the sacrifice you make each week by watching those things! If it makes you feel any better, I shout at my TV when watching the political talk shows here (Germany) probably just as much as you do in the US :~)

Waccamaw, it’s so nice to be on a thread at the same time! If you’re still here: I’ve been trying to make your candied orange peel for my husband for a couple of weeks now. I’ve been diligently saving the peels as we work our way through two large bags of oranges, but I keep dropping a peel here and a peel there into my cups of tea (yum!) and…. poor hubby’s going to have to wait a little longer :~)

Happy New Year everyone!

cbl: very great and brave resolution. I think I need to ask Howie to put together a Blue America edition just for Q&A for people who may be thinking of running for something. Maybe he can get us a couple of our supported candidates to offer advice, etc. I’ll send him a note.

Good on ya!

mrsmarks @ 84

RagingGurrl @ 79

Good Morning -
Just watched that witch, Norah O’Donnell get all gushy over a possible McCain presidential run and she actually tried to cut down his competition, Giulliani, by saying that folks wouldn’t accept him because he’s on his third marriage.
Correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t McCain drop his wife for someone who could help his career? or was that a different Republican…

Yep. Wife #1 also also came down with a condition before he dumped her. (MS? I can’t remember.) I believe he has also acknowledged some philandering during his first marriage.

Thought I remembered something like that. Hmm, and Norah doesn’t know this? So, is this how it’s gonna be? Are Republicans are going to pretend he’s a virgin, too?

Can we invite Billmon to guest post here when his muse strikes?

Thanks Marion 86.

I used to run a string quartet around doing weddings & stuff. Adapted a whole bunch-a stuff for ‘em to play.

Absolute favorite compliment we ever received, & we attracted quite a few (even tho we weren’t all that good – but I kept the music pretty tame),
Some grumpy father-of-the-bride fella burst out with, “Well! I still don’t like baroque music, but I like THAT stuff!” (we were too timid to tell him it was Handel’s Water Music, heh.)

The clip above is from a Bach oboe concerto.
I dare you to tell me it’s not “pretty”. eh?

CHS..thanks..I’m not sure why, but seeing you at C&L and Gilliard here gives me the feeling that the inter-action of “lefty blogs” will be more than additive.

cbl @ 48

Anyone else working on a resolution this year?

normally eschewing resolutions as too Calvinist – am seriously considering a run at local office – yeegawd!

Go for it!

If shy little egregious can run for office and win, anyone can. Look at it as a new challenge. It’s really easy if you don’t mind Talking With People. Offline I mean.

Prairie Sunshine @
54

I’ve a resolution to proffer the MSM: we will be honest in our reporting, contexting our pundits’ *cough* Kate O’Beirne *cough* and put trivial reporting *cough* Britney, Paris… *cough*

.

I didn’t realize ol’ Scratch had children.

goin’ all personal alert -

Christy,

a simple and sincere thank you for all the reading, sorting, digesting, and writing every gd day – it has truly made a difference – just ask the churchgoers I’m about to harass with ‘the sign’ outside their parking lot . . .*g*, everyone should be so lucky to have coffee every morning with such a whipsmart, warm, funny, girlfriend.

enjoy the well deserved time w/ Peanut and Mr.Reddhead

Happy New Year !!!

Is it a safe assumption that everyone here will be watching A Nashville New Year with Sean Hannity on Fux News Channel tonight?

Pfiff !
Have been worried about you; long time no hear. Had no idea you were in Germany. If you want a great recipe involving orange peel, let me give you one that will be even better than trying to use the stuff for the orange bread recipe.

Christy,
Is it OK if I go off-thread long enough to pass a short one to Pfiff?

Adie @
91

I dare you to tell me it’s not “pretty”. eh?

“Pretty” has always seemed to be such a superficial, trivial thing, like candybox art. The word I’d go for is “beautiful.” As in “bee-yoo-ti-full!!!“

And since when would an orange bread recipe be off-topic?

Okay fellas. I give up. *puts away pretty music & puts on proper Sunday frown*

If it’s Sunday, it’s serious, so here’s my grump ‘n plea, mightily EPU’d yestidie, but dredged up like a beached whale. Would appreciate someone considering the idea, thanx… before the thing gets too rancid, or gets put on ice again…

Adie says:
December 30th, 2006 at 9:21 am *

Christy. You still there?

I’m still trying to recover from the global warming thread a couple days ago. Very hard to read, but I do thank you for covering the subject. Been tearing me apart for some years, especially since the gang of thugs took over D.C. (goodgawd. scientists were worried back in the sixties!)

Would there be any chance for, or interest in, trying to get Al Gore to visit the Lake for an interview session sometime soon?

Don’t know about others, but I’d really appreciate seeing that happen, and we know a lotta scientists who would also.

Thanks for thinking about it, anyway. Going out on a limb as usual, so to speak, I’d guess global warming dwarfs all other world problems combined, in serious consequences – e.g., whether our species will survive or not. seriously.

But everyone knows I tend to exaggerate sometimes. How say you, other biologists?
Wanna tell me for sure I’m wrong?

We’re retired now, and have been taking some long-overdue trips (really tied-down bigtime with work & family responsibilities in previous years).

With our interest in all things nature, especially birds, we’ve been to quite a few states birding, plus Costa Rica & Ecuador. Unbelievably wonderful, and yet unsettling, trips.

We’ve gloried in seeing every beautiful, multi-colored trogon, hummingbird, honeycreeper, tinamou, and ornate hawk-eagle(!), albatross, antpitta, Sapphire-vented Puffleg & White-browed Purpletuft (I kid you not! google em. *g*)… not to mention the hundreds of other species also new to us (& dear hubby’s been ornithology prof. 30 yrs).

The experiences have been wonderful but, at the same time, are always bittersweet – I feel as if we’re saying hello AND good-bye-forever to all of those glorious creatures.

Even the most knowledgeable scientists don’t know if we have time, or if it’s already too late to save the world from horrible effects of human-activity-accelerated global warming. But we just MUST try.

I’m sorry. Gotta quit rant for now, *dang sniffles* but I’d appreciate your thinking about the suggestion above in re: Gore. Thanks. ;-(

I’m with Egregious!

I don’t post often, Waccamaw, because I’m so shy and, also, being so removed from things, I don’t feel like I can contribute much.

‘fraid i managed to git somethin’ stuck in mod. is it not okay to quote from previous thread ‘r somethin? I really would like some comment, & don’t believe anyone did when it was 1st posted.
purty please? if I promise no more baroque???

nevermind. thanks. i think. it’s at 100, showing it’s still in mod. purtypleeze? I’ll add some %&##! if it’ll help. maybe it was too “clean”???
goodgawd I need more coffee to cope today. or a walk in the woods alone…. *bach still running around in her head*

Waccamaw at 97 — Are you kidding? I’m waiting for it, too. ;-)

Fresh thread, for everyone, btw. Feel free to continue here, though. :)

Pfifferling @ 100

I’m with Egregious!

I don’t post often, Waccamaw, because I’m so shy and, also, being so removed from things, I don’t feel like I can contribute much.

Being removed from things gives you a different perspective. We need all views.

Blogs are perfect for shy people, we can control how much or little we interact with others!

So jump in, let us hear your unique voice.

Elizabeth Edwards is John’s greatest asset…

Going into the new year with Iraq like a dead weight behind is really depressing for me.

I have been trying to focus on a resolution about keeping everything positive. You know, good thoughts, healing, prosperity and all that.

I am getting off to a rough start with this.

Thanks to the crew here–the top liners who do the heavy lifting for the rest of us who chime in below. Glad to have met so many through the threads, and may the new year bring new energy and new life to every good spirit.

Cheers!!

Adie -
I love baroque music!
One of my favorite pieces is Bach’s St. Matthew Passion – beautiful themes, his artistry will bring you to tears. I found a little snip on iTunes:

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObj…..i=13551698Adie @ 83

Morning Christy. Morning everyone!
Boyohboy. late again.
I had an excuse today. Been wakin’ up so mopey, I decided on some home therapy.
Sample below. I hope the link works.
p.s., don’t let anyone ever tell you baroque music is stuffy & boring, heh. Try to imagine a sorta overweight hausfrau dancing around dusting cobwebs to this stuff…. or, maybe not. Just listen. ;->

http://www.baroquemusiclibrary.com/717T1S.mp3

Adie at 100 — Al Gore is welcome to chat here any time, and his folks are aware of that. But his schedule is insanely busy — we can try to make space pretty much any time, but it’s a matter of finding time for him (and for a LOT of the other folks we try from time to time to get here to chat).

Thank you Christie!

By the way, it is posts like that one on the WVa mining tragedy (that you reposted the other day in your post about poverty) that kept me coming back after originally discovering FDL through a “Plame link”. I remember your posts from back then and they are what distinguished this place for me. Thank you so much for those posts the other day.

Pfiff & Egreg – Close to end of thread so here goes:

CANDIED ORANGE or GRAPEFRUIT PEEL

4 oranges (or 3 grapefruit)
1 T. salt
4 C. water

Peel fruit. Cut peel into strips (abt 1/4″ wide). Cover peel w/salt & water & weigh down w/plate to keep peel under water. Let stand overnight. Drain & wash. Cover w/water & heat to boiling. Repeat 3 times.

2 C. granulated sugar
1/2 C. water

Bring to boil. Put in peel strips. Simmer (w/occasional stirring) ’til peel absorbs syrup completely. (Will take several hours) Roll in granulated sugar & air dry for several hours before storing in cookie tin.

Good stuff…..tart AND sweet. Keeps well. Sorry to take so long but had to type.

Oh, and Dan Senor, proud neocon that he is, announced this morning that he and all his neocon cronies got Joe Lieberman re-elected. Anyone wonder why we took that race so seriously, after the recent Joe-Lie op-ed wherein he once again tells Iraq critics to STFU and now this? Jerk.

Waccamaw @
64

Stephen Parrish -
Think you mentioned at “Pull up a chair” yesterday that you’re in Spartenburg; I go thru’ on 26 about once a month. Are you interested in having a coffee at the Beacon sometime?

Although I haven’t been to the Beacon in years and rarely have more than two cups of coffee in the morning, I would be interested in meeting at the Beacon, or perhaps, if this is more convenient for you, another place near an exit from Interstate 26 to Highway 29.

Waccamaw, thank you so much for typing that all out! We have some very nice organic oranges that would be perfect in this type of a recipe.

Egregious, thank you so much for the encouragement. And by the way, you’re one of those who deserves a personal thank you for the live blogging :)

Pfifferling @ 101

I’m with Egregious!

I don’t post often, Waccamaw, because I’m so shy and, also, being so removed from things, I don’t feel like I can contribute much.

On the contrary, you can share the perspective from Europe. I would be most anxious to hear it!

Stephen Parrish @ 112 -
That would be super! Am in western NC for Jan & Feb but will be heading to eastern NC in late Feb/early March, likely via SC. Will give you a shout here when closer to travel time. Boy, do I wish there were less distance between the mountains & the sea!

Thanks Christy. Sounds as if you’ve done what you can. It’s up to Gore.
I do hope all FDL fans will go see his movie, “An Inconvenient Truth.”

Sorry to sound so maudlin about the subject, but there are major fears Katrina was only the beginning, not the worst to come.

And we’re supposed to be stewards of the place.
Makes me sick at heart…

Keep doin’ just what yer doin’. It’s the best thing going on anywhere, imho. You’re all special folk.

RagingGurrl @ 108

Thanks for the company. Yeah. Nothing better, not that there’s anything wrong with that…*g*

Pfiff -
Just a clarification on the recipe……after you soak the peel overnite, when you bring to boil in water 3X, don’t use salt again & don’t bother to measure the water; just dump enough in so that the peel strips are completely covered. Let me know what you think of it.

Adie @ 117: I feel you on this one.

Since our building is going condo, Mr. Marks and I are looking for a new apartment in lower Manhattan. One of the factors is making sure we’re placed above the water line in case of a tsunami or other water disaster rolling in the from the harbor.

And that fact just blows my mind.

egregious @
105

Pfifferling @ 100

I’m with Egregious!

I don’t post often, Waccamaw, because I’m so shy and, also, being so removed from things, I don’t feel like I can contribute much.

Being removed from things gives you a different perspective. We need all views.

Blogs are perfect for shy people, we can control how much or little we interact with others!

So jump in, let us hear your unique voice.

I’m reading ;-> Always like seeing comments from both of you guys. Please keep ‘em coming.

Happy New Year pups.

Thank you, Waccamaw. I will let you know how it turns out!

Nice to meet you, mrsmarks!

Pfifferling: Nice to meet you, too.

mrsmarks @ 120

Adie @ 117: I feel you on this one.

Since our building is going condo, Mr. Marks and I are looking for a new apartment in lower Manhattan. One of the factors is making sure we’re placed above the water line in case of a tsunami or other water disaster rolling in the from the harbor.

And that fact just blows my mind.

thanks. it’s not just the water surges. it’s the erratic, unusually strong weather patterns, the flip-flopping of weather-patterns over vast areas – rich farmland & wetlands to desert over relatively short period of time, etc. etc., the severe disruption of normal supply lines for food, fuel, you name it…

the last straw, for me, is hearing/seeing supposedly rational folks saying, “oh yeah. it’s all in the Bible. we’ll be saved but joeschmoe down the road is a heathen so he won’t.” drives me NUTS! What do you say/do when leaders in government hold such views!?!
Maybe the only ones worse, to me, are the greedy #%&*#s (bigtime & jr ) who don’t give a #### & are just grabbing loot hand over fist for themselves while they’re in power, with no thought whatsoever for the future.

One thing I think makes bigtime so dangerous to the world is that, with his health problems, he just doesn’t give a #%##!

whew – i gotta go turn on somethin’ r-e-a-l-l-y “pretty”. this funk aint gonna abate if i keep up this pityparty.

thanks for your thots here-abouts
wonderful place, the Lake(!) ;->

btw, I’m not just basing feelings on Gore. It’s just that he’s an excellent spokesperson at the moment. We know many professional scientists with expertise in the relevant fields, & data galore, and they are the most worried people we know, in re global warming.
Government scientists are being muzzled by the administration, apparently, as far as we can tell…

Did anyone see Edwards on Stephanopoulis today? How did it go?

egregious @ 105

Pfifferling @ 100

I’m with Egregious!

I don’t post often, Waccamaw, because I’m so shy and, also, being so removed from things, I don’t feel like I can contribute much.

Being removed from things gives you a different perspective. We need all views.

Blogs are perfect for shy people, we can control how much or little we interact with others!

So jump in, let us hear your unique voice.

Absolutely. I think that’s part of what many of us are looking for, or at least that was the case for me.

Hope to see you comment more often Pfifferling

Thank you for the excellent music, information and passion for the subject, Adie. I feel for the comment in modlimbo but we all know, if we don’t know what’s baroque, we can’t fix it.

karen – no, I’m sorry I missed it somehow.

Pfifferling @ 114

Waccamaw, thank you so much for typing that all out! We have some very nice organic oranges that would be perfect in this type of a recipe.

Egregious, thank you so much for the encouragement. And by the way, you’re one of those who deserves a personal thank you for the live blogging :)

Thank you for your kindness. It’s fun to develop new tools for the toolbox.