Morning Christie. Haven’t seen any owls in the woods back of my house, but you may recall I had a red-tailed hawk on my deck a couple of Sundays ago. Going to the local flea market today to see if they have any interesting bird feeders.

So, any guess as to when the jury will come back? And should we celebrate the potential incarceration of another human being, no matter how guilty? (That question crossed my mind the other day pondering the obvious glee of all of us regarding Scooter’s fate. It’s bothered me some.)

Patrick Dempsey?

Morning gang. Coffee is brewing. (And Patrick Dempsey is apparently talking about cancer this morning. According to the This Week website, anyway.)

what region is Beel from? Might help with the IDing of that faboo owl.

The eyes are too dark for a great grey, though it’s plenty big enough.

Deacon at 1 — My initial guess was a 3 and a half day deliberation period for the jury, which would put the verdict around Monday afternoon if I’m right. But you should know, I’m notoriously bad about guessing on timing of juries — you just never know.

And honestly, even when I’ve worked on convicting a murderer that I knew — knew — in my heart would turn out to be a serial killer if he’d been let back out again, I’ve still felt pangs of sorrow for what it would be like to be locked away. Justice is a good thing, but it should always be tinged with regret in the carrying out of the sentence, if only for the life that could have been had better choices been made by the defendant.

I do so hope Condi gives us her picks for tonight’s Oscars.

Because she’s just that relevant.

mornin y’all. coffee’s on. anyone like a little hazelnut?

When Gov. Rendell was mayor of Philly he had the nickname Slick Eddie. I’m just saying ya know.

one of my son’s favorite books was about going owling with dad in winter. we actually went a few times. then late one night, one came to visit our at house. unmistakeble ooo, ooo, ooooooooo. right outside the window. gave me shivers.

good morning, all…

Deacon Blues @ 1

Morning Christie. Haven’t seen any owls in the woods back of my house, but you may recall I had a red-tailed hawk on my deck a couple of Sundays ago. Going to the local flea market today to see if they have any interesting bird feeders.

So, any guess as to when the jury will come back? And should we celebrate the potential incarceration of another human being, no matter how guilty? (That question crossed my mind the other day pondering the obvious glee of all of us regarding Scooter’s fate. It’s bothered me some.)

I’m not gleeful about anyone’s incarceration. If convicted, I suspect he’ll remain free pending appeals and end up serving only a few months until he’s pardoned on Xmas eve of ‘08. Still, I feel badly for his family, especially his children.

I’m just grateful this trial has brought out some of the truth about the criminal enterprise that is the office of the Vice President.

The owl looks to me to be a Barred Owl. Dark eyes, dark rim to the facial disc, horizontal bars on chest, striped belly. Common throughout the east and spreading in the northwest.

I wonder if Carter is going to push for Gore to run today.

Looks like a Barred Owl to me.

Interesting raptor episode here the other day, a hawk went after a woodpecker and had it on the ground when my wife ran out to see what the ruckus was. She clapped her hands and told the hawk to scram, and it did. She went to the downed ‘pecker and picked it up and cleaned some mud from its feet and feathers, the woodie shrieking all the while. She carried it to the walnut tree where she maintains a suet feeder and let it go, whereupon it clambered further up the bole and sat for spell. There were no obvious injuries other than to its psyche.

I didn’t see the attack and can’t identify the hawk species, but the woodie was a Hairy.

Redd. in Marcy’s book (for those of you who havent read Anatomy of Deceit, it is well worth it), she mentions two “anonymous” SAOs showing a reporter Valerie’s W-2’s. This is clearly a violation of law (unless Valerie granted permission – haha). The Internal Revenue Code (with which I am intimately familiar) prohibits disclosure of tax information. A Fed can lose his/her job over it. Any idea if this incident is being pursued? As Joe Wilson pointed out, Al Capone was a heck of a tax cheat!

“Condi Rice; Sam Donaldson, Cokie Roberts, and George Will;….”

Shoot me now.

Keith Olbermann will be profiled on CBS Sunday Morning this morning, for those of us who love to drool over him. :-)

I wonder what Condi’s talking point is today?

old coastie, is that offer of coffee still good? I got left behind in the last thread while haring off to read jeralyn.

would have preferred folks like Scooter to have morals and do the right thing, not just for himself or his wife and kids, but for all of us. that’s why we have prisons (altho far too many people are in them for crimes of far less impact). I will shed no tears when he goes to prison. and I will wait dry-eyed for the next conviction (there should be MANY).

ccmask @ 19

I wonder what Condi’s talking point is today?

“No one could have anticipated Cheney’s sabre-rattling tour abroad.”

ccmask @
19

I wonder what Condi’s talking point is today?

It won’t be this;

http://welcome-to-pottersville…..ummer.html

ccmask @ 19

I wonder what Condi’s talking point is today?

“Peter McKay and I are just good friends!”

Had topost this part of a piece from the WaPo this AM, article http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..v=hcmodule
“Chimpanzees living in the West African savannah have been observed fashioning deadly spears from sticks and using the tools to hunt small mammals — the first routine production of deadly weapons ever observed in animals other than humans.

The multistep spearmaking practice, documented by researchers in Senegal who spent years gaining the chimpanzees’ trust, adds credence to the idea that human forebears fashioned similar tools millions of years ago.”

All hail the war machine,
long may it wave,
it started with monkeys
and ends in the grave…

Just more evidence that Peace = Civilized Culture… and War equals the lack of it.

I wonder if Carlisle group has looked into trading in these monkey-spears.

JEP-
Uhoh. Planet of the apes?

DB @ 1: The glee, I think, is much more about someone in the admin. perhaps finally being held accountable for some part of the 6 years of willful malfeasance (from dictionary.com, #1: malfeasance: the performance by a public official of an act that is legally unjustified, harmful, or contrary to law; wrongdoing (used esp. of an act in violation of a public trust). Compare misfeasance (def. 2), nonfeasance.) So the guilty verdict is what we await and will celebrate, not the incarceration of a human being.

Morning everyone! I have been over-the-top swamped with work, so haven’t been here much.
But this photo reminds me of when I was lecturing in Germany a couple of years ago, I stayed with a colleague just outside of Leipzig for a couple of days. There were five young owls who sat on branches of the cherry tree in front of his house they whole time I was there. They were just learning to fly. It was amazing seeing those 12 eyes follow one all around the yard as one walked beneath them.

Oh, and did I mention that I got my very first brand new car yesterday? :) Prior to yesterday, I’d always gotten a used one. And yes, I did have a slight West Wing twinge as we were driving home…but only for a minute or two.

CNN – Cheney’s plane experienced minor electrical problem on way back from Singapore

TiredFed @
7

mornin y’all. coffee’s on. anyone like a little hazelnut?

Southern pecan dripping out of the maker here as I peck away, to go with some sort of apple sweet bread we picked up at the grocery store yesterday afternoon as our ongoing hurricane of snow, ice, rain, thunder and god only knows what else was winding up. It’s now pouring rain on the 2 or so inches of snow we got last night. Good to be home and inside.

And Redd, we’ve got a Great Horned owl that serenades us with his (her?) basso hoots in the wee wee hours of the morning down here in our river valley. It’s a wonderful, lonely sound to hear when turning over along about 3 a.m. before going back to sleep for a few hours.

Lindy @ 20

old coastie, is that offer of coffee still good? I got left behind in the last thread while haring off to read jeralyn.

hold out yer cup… nice, hot and strong!

Noonan @ 13

I wonder if Carter is going to push for Gore to run today.

I read Carter’s pushing him hard.

Vaguely OT, but after I read that yesterday morning I sent a few bucks to the draft Gore site and for good measure a few to firepup central.

Like even the vague possibility of Gore’s candidacy, you all give me hope for some semblance of American justice.

Christy Hardin Smith @ 29

Oh, and did I mention that I got my very first brand new car yesterday? :) Prior to yesterday, I’d always gotten a used one. And yes, I did have a slight West Wing twinge as we were driving home…but only for a minute or two.

congratulations! that’s always big fun (and a bit nervewracking)

twolf1 @ 30

CNN – Cheney’s plane experienced minor electrical problem on way back from Singapore

No word on whether it was Cheney plugging his pacemaker into one of the power outlets…

Oooh, nice Christy. I never had a new car either. Someday…of course, having a company car, although used, is okay :))

OldCoastie @ 32

Lindy @ 20

old coastie, is that offer of coffee still good? I got left behind in the last thread while haring off to read jeralyn.

hold out yer cup… nice, hot and strong!

Thank you kindly.

Hooray for the new car!!

I just finished watching the movie The Day the Earth Stood Still for the first time. What a good movie that was.

JEP @ 25

Had topost this part of a piece from the WaPo this AM, article http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..v=hcmodule
“Chimpanzees living in the West African savannah have been observed fashioning deadly spears from sticks and using the tools to hunt small mammals — the first routine production of deadly weapons ever observed in animals other than humans.

The multistep spearmaking practice, documented by researchers in Senegal who spent years gaining the chimpanzees’ trust, adds credence to the idea that human forebears fashioned similar tools millions of years ago.”

All hail the war machine,
long may it wave,
it started with monkeys
and ends in the grave…

Just more evidence that Peace = Civilized Culture… and War equals the lack of it.

I wonder if Carlisle group has looked into trading in these monkey-spears.

I love this story but… there is something not quite right with it. Most of the African chimps I know of live in forests not savannas (and much of Senegal is very dry). Secondly, chimps are mostly vegetarians (except insects and stuff like that). Thirdly, if any of this is true (and considering how WRONG the Washington Post is on many matters these days (and often volitionally true), it is about sustenance(food) – not oil (fuel) or religion – as in our current tragic military misadventures.

Christy, congratulations on the car. What did you get, if I may ask?

watertiger @ 35

twolf1 @ 30

CNN – Cheney’s plane experienced minor electrical problem on way back from Singapore

No word on whether it was Cheney plugging his pacemaker into one of the power outlets…

you funny, watertiger

Millineryman @ 8

When Gov. Rendell was mayor of Philly he had the nickname Slick Eddie. I’m just saying ya know.

It wasn’t “Slick Eddie”, it was Fast Eddie

Considering classical mythology, I can see why Christy likes owls and they seem to like her…

Christy Hardin Smith @ 29

Oh, and did I mention that I got my very first brand new car yesterday? :) Prior to yesterday, I’d always gotten a used one. And yes, I did have a slight West Wing twinge as we were driving home…but only for a minute or two.

What type? We are having to replace our 14 year old Toyota one of these years. I just don’t feel I can let it go unless it really breaks down.

TiredFed @ 16

…As Joe Wilson pointed out, Al Capone was a heck of a tax cheat!

Hey TiredFed — so you were online when the good Ambassador was? Me too. His responses were so human and real, I was even more impressed w/him, as if that were possible.

You make an excellent point about the SAO’s illegally showing Valerie’s W-2s to a reporter. Yet another incriminating detail, well researched. I really do have to finish my copy of Marcy’s AOD today; I figure that tomorrow I’ll be glued to the liveblog once more! :)

… and in other nooz, I finally figgered out enough about how to get past the WaPo’s buggered-up comment-posting engine to get my most recent comment onto Deborah Howell’s mindbendingly stupid and biased justification for their publishing Victorial ToeSuck’s transparent attempt at water-muddying and jury-tampering. Vide the first couple entries atop http://tinyurl.com/2xw6t3 — though none of my invective will be news around HERE. :)
————
So, where’s that coffee at? Hold the hazel, fuggedabowt the decaf — pour me my jumpstart, please! :)

I meant to say volitionally UNtrue – at 40. Preview, Preview, Preview…..

JohnW @ 43

Millineryman @ 8

When Gov. Rendell was mayor of Philly he had the nickname Slick Eddie. I’m just saying ya know.

It wasn’t “Slick Eddie”, it was Fast Eddie

My mistake, he’s gotten the Slick Eddie name as govenor .

Richmond @ 40

JEP @ 25

Had topost this part of a piece from the WaPo this AM, article http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..v=hcmodule
“Chimpanzees living in the West African savannah have been observed fashioning deadly spears from sticks and using the tools to hunt small mammals — the first routine production of deadly weapons ever observed in animals other than humans.

The multistep spearmaking practice, documented by researchers in Senegal who spent years gaining the chimpanzees’ trust, adds credence to the idea that human forebears fashioned similar tools millions of years ago.”

All hail the war machine,
long may it wave,
it started with monkeys
and ends in the grave…

Just more evidence that Peace = Civilized Culture… and War equals the lack of it.

I wonder if Carlisle group has looked into trading in these monkey-spears.

I love this story but… there is something not quite right with it. Most of the African chimps I know of live in forests not savannas (and much of Senegal is very dry). Secondly, chimps are mostly vegetarians (except insects and stuff like that). Thirdly, if any of this is true (and considering how WRONG the Washington Post is on many matters these days (and often volitionally true), it is about sustenance(food) – not oil (fuel) or religion – as in our current tragic military misadventures.

Have you read any of Jane Goodale’s work on Chimps? They do live in Savanahs. She found that not only do they hunt for meat, but they are extremely patriarchal and capable of murder. Not so long ago I saw a video on a PBS nature program of a group of Chimps hunting a single male, at the end they beat it to death, hooting and hollering. On the other hand, Bobos (sp?) which are now thought to be just as close to humans in terms of dna are a matriarchal and cooperative and live exclusively in the forest. Just as smart as Chimps.

Well, just heard Timmeh begin a question to Levin with: as you know if just one Democrat crosses the asile and joins the Republicans you lose the majority, you lose your committee chairmanship….

Then a thread of questioning about Democrat Lieberman.

Factcheck?

“As you know” = here’s what the WH spinmachine told me to ask you and here’s the info they gave me. I assume it’s gospel because of, you know, that ol’ Timmeh the Toolman thingy.

leolabeth @
33

Noonan @ 13

I wonder if Carter is going to push for Gore to run today.

I read Carter’s pushing him hard.

Vaguely OT, but after I read that yesterday morning I sent a few bucks to the draft Gore site and for good measure a few to firepup central.

Like even the vague possibility of Gore’s candidacy, you all give me hope for some semblance of American justice.

Do you think he’ll hire Donna Brazile to run his campaign again?

Good luck with the new car Christy.

Lindy at 41 — I got a Honda CR-V. We were looking at their hybrids and at the CR-V, which has a great low emissions rating. I ended up with the CR-V, because we needed something a little bigger than the Civics they had available. My old car was, literally, falling apart, but I hadn’t had time to go out car shopping because the blog has been keeping me hopping the last few weeks. We took it out for a long drive last night after we bought it and I absolutely love it.

S.O.S. thanks. Peterr told me to dial it back on the footnotes, but I’m an ANALyst. love them weeds. Marcy’s book has more weeds than all of Marshfield! (former Bay Stater and Patriot here).

I hope Gore runs! The tabloid nature of the Hillary – Barack campaigns is getting on my last nerve, and worrying me that the Dems will once again blow it. And the amount of money that the two of them have raised so far is nauseating.

Gore is seasoned now, and I doubt he would hire Brazil again as his campaign manager. I think he would stay pretty clear of the DLC types this time.

ok, so how many of us are going to run out and shop for a new Honda now? I was sad when I had to give mine up (my wife bought her mid-life crisis convertible and I got her van – a necessity with 3 kids). I have had 3 hondas, all great cars. Good choice, Redd.

Woodhall Hollow @ 49

Richmond @ 40

JEP @ 25

Had topost this part of a piece from the WaPo this AM, article http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..v=hcmodule
“Chimpanzees living in the West African savannah have been observed fashioning deadly spears from sticks and using the tools to hunt small mammals — the first routine production of deadly weapons ever observed in animals other than humans.

The multistep spearmaking practice, documented by researchers in Senegal who spent years gaining the chimpanzees’ trust, adds credence to the idea that human forebears fashioned similar tools millions of years ago.”

All hail the war machine,
long may it wave,
it started with monkeys
and ends in the grave…

Just more evidence that Peace = Civilized Culture… and War equals the lack of it.

I wonder if Carlisle group has looked into trading in these monkey-spears.

I love this story but… there is something not quite right with it. Most of the African chimps I know of live in forests not savannas (and much of Senegal is very dry). Secondly, chimps are mostly vegetarians (except insects and stuff like that). Thirdly, if any of this is true (and considering how WRONG the Washington Post is on many matters these days (and often volitionally true), it is about sustenance(food) – not oil (fuel) or religion – as in our current tragic military misadventures.

Have you read any of Jane Goodale’s work on Chimps? They do live in Savanahs. She found that not only do they hunt for meat, but they are extremely patriarchal and capable of murder. Not so long ago I saw a video on a PBS nature program of a group of Chimps hunting a single male, at the end they beat it to death, hooting and hollering. On the other hand, Bobos (sp?) which are now thought to be just as close to humans in terms of dna are a matriarchal and cooperative and live exclusively in the forest. Just as smart as Chimps.

There is savanna and savanna. Much of Senegal savanna is VERY dry. And yes Chimps can be and sometimes are violent, but this case was about using a “spear” to catch a small mammal (a mouse? a rabbit?) i.e. not war. It is pretty hard to kill either with a spear – especially one of wood. The standard “tool” for this sort of small animal hunt in places I have worked is either a throwing stick (with a club-like end to it), a sling shot, or a trap.

re: Gore. accept no substitutes (is this trademarked?)

ccmask @ 39

I just finished watching the movie The Day the Earth Stood Still for the first time. What a good movie that was.

“Klaatu barada nikto!”

What took U so long? I saw it back in the early ’50s LOL

Woodhall Hollow @ 49

Richmond @ 40

JEP @ 25

Had topost this part of a piece from the WaPo this AM, article http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..v=hcmodule
“Chimpanzees living in the West African savannah have been observed fashioning deadly spears from sticks and using the tools to hunt small mammals — the first routine production of deadly weapons ever observed in animals other than humans…

I love this story but… there is something not quite right with it. Most of the African chimps I know of live in forests not savannas (and much of Senegal is very dry). Secondly, chimps are mostly vegetarians (except insects and stuff like that). Thirdly, if any of this is true (and considering how WRONG the Washington Post is on many matters these days (and often volitionally true), it is about sustenance(food) – not oil (fuel) or religion – as in our current tragic military misadventures.

Have you read any of Jane Goodale’s work on Chimps? They do live in Savanahs. She found that not only do they hunt for meat, but they are extremely patriarchal and capable of murder. Not so long ago I saw a video on a PBS nature program of a group of Chimps hunting a single male, at the end they beat it to death, hooting and hollering. On the other hand, Bobos (sp?) which are now thought to be just as close to humans in terms of dna are a matriarchal and cooperative and live exclusively in the forest. Just as smart as Chimps.

They’re Bonobos and I’d say they’re smarter than Chimpanzees. They solve social stress with sex rather than violence.

Because they’re closer us than to any other primate, some DNA and social scientists want both species under our genus: Homo.

Also Woodhall @ 49. Both Matrilineal and Patrilineal societies can be and have been militaristic. THe only main difference is how you trace your inheritance. Men mostly still run things, though in both cases, if the society is royal, the queen mother tends to have alot of power.

Woodhall Hollow @ 55

I hope Gore runs! The tabloid nature of the Hillary – Barack campaigns is getting on my last nerve, and worrying me that the Dems will once again blow it. And the amount of money that the two of them have raised so far is nauseating.

Gore is seasoned now, and I doubt he would hire Brazil again as his campaign manager. I think he would stay pretty clear of the DLC types this time.

I hate to sound negative, but I feel compelled to remind everyone that you’re talking about the guy who lost three debates to the stupidest person on the planet.

careful S.O.S, you are dating yourself. I saw The Day the Earth Stood Still on late-night in the 60s.

a friend just sent me this, made me
707

Meet The Press : For Idiots

Richmond;

I’m no chimp expert, but my point was more to the the effect that we seem to be natural born killers, and what we call “civilization” is an attempt at overcoming that nature in ourselves and as a species.

Your point about it being a matter of survival and sustenance only make my point more valid.

Hunting for food is sustencance, but turning those weapons against your own species is war. ANd that is what we have done so well.

Most of the pnackers and neocons consider sustenance and war all the same thing.

If we taught our children, starting in the home and right through their school and church educations, that there is a difference between daily sustenance and world dominance, something we call “culture”, we might see the kind of world most of us here at The Lake would prefer for our future generations.

But as long as our former presidents (H.W.) and military war machine can sell weapons of war and call it sustenance (free enterprise?), it will always be legitimized in the eyes of each new generation.

I watched “Lord of War” last night again, and it re-upped a lot of my disgust for the falsehoods we’ve been fed in the name of war-for-profit. And no one has seen that profit more than the Bush family and their no-bid book-cooking bubbas.

Thus my monkeyshines…

Riesz Fischer @ 51

leolabeth @
33

Noonan @ 13

I wonder if Carter is going to push for Gore to run today.

I read Carter’s pushing him hard.

Vaguely OT, but after I read that yesterday morning I sent a few bucks to the draft Gore site and for good measure a few to firepup central.

Like even the vague possibility of Gore’s candidacy, you all give me hope for some semblance of American justice.

Do you think he’ll hire Donna Brazile to run his campaign again?

AAAaarrrrgggh, shoot me now!

TiredFed at 56 — Our other car is also a Honda, and it has been wonderful for us. It was so funny last night — we took the CR-V out for a long drive after we bought it. I stopped to get us a couple of celebratory slurpees (The Peanut fell asleep in the back — a long day of price negotiations and paperwork will do that for you.) — ran into the store and four separate people came up to Mr. ReddHedd to talk about what a gorgeous vehicle it was. LOL

somebody wake egregious up. that was a very managed Al Gore. not the real thing. Gore unplugged is quite different.

TiredFed @ 63

careful S.O.S, you are dating yourself.

:) My Mom told me always to date nice people so I got it covered, TYVM TiredFed :)

Christy Hardin Smith @
53

Lindy at 41 — I got a Honda CR-V. We were looking at their hybrids and at the CR-V, which has a great low emissions rating. I ended up with the CR-V, because we needed something a little bigger than the Civics they had available. My old car was, literally, falling apart, but I hadn’t had time to go out car shopping because the blog has been keeping me hopping the last few weeks. We took it out for a long drive last night after we bought it and I absolutely love it.

Congratulations! I have a 6-week-old Civic Hybrid and love it to death. Enjoy your new wheels!

Oh, and I also apologize for my Governor. Sonny’s a jerk…

leolabeth @ 60

They’re Bonobos and I’d say they’re smarter than Chimpanzees. They solve social stress with sex rather than violence.

Because they’re closer us than to any other primate, some DNA and social scientists want both species under our genus: Homo.

I don’t know Bonobos, but smartness (or level on the evolutionary scale) has nothing to do with social violence. And, solving social stress with sex rather than violence, I am sure that Hitler, Bush, Rove and others, had as much sex as others. I don’t buy it; it sounds a bit old school Margaret Mead psycho-social for my taste.

what color (green I bet)? My next car will be a Honda. my youngest is 13, so it may be a few years.

What took U so long? I saw it back in the early ’50s

I’m not into science fiction. I never even saw Star wars or star trek. But I really enjoyed that one.

Here’s a good story:

A nappy worn by the US astronaut charged with plotting to kidnap a woman believed to be her romantic rival is being auctioned on eBay.

The starting bid for the NASA-issued nappy is $2,000 (1,026).

Lisa Nowak drove from Houston to Orlando – over 1,000 miles – wearing the nappy so that she wouldn’t have to stop for bathroom breaks.
http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/a….._page_id=2

leolabeth @ 60, thanks! I knew I had the name wrong for Bonobos, but I still have morning brain fog. Yes, they are a wonderful species and I love the way in which they use sex for peace-making purposes!

Chimps and Bonobos could not be more different in terms of the way in which they are organized socially.

And Richmond, I am not talking about matriarchal human societies (and yes, some like some American Indian Matriachies were warriorlike) but animals. And there is nothing warlike about the Bonobos. In fact they are so sexually promiscuous that there is no way to determine who the male parents are of any of the offspring. Thus, no male “ownership” of the females or the young.

TiredFed at 72 — I wanted green, but they didn’t have any on the lot. So I got Blue Pearl instead. Its the color that pops up on the Honda CR-V website, actually.

One of my many brothers has had Hondas and absolutely loves them.

Nothing new on PACER this weekend. will be on pins and needles all day Monday. will check in at lunchtime. someone PLEASE let me know if anything happens?

TiredFed @ 68

somebody wake egregious up. that was a very managed Al Gore. not the real thing. Gore unplugged is quite different.

What are you talking about? I didn’t comment on Gore.

Are you referring to Riesz at 62?

Plus I understand the new Gore is different. I wish he wd run.

TiredFed @ 68

somebody wake egregious up. that was a very managed Al Gore. not the real thing. Gore unplugged is quite different.

Totally different. Which is why I think he will keep the Hillary type (DLC) professionals at arm’s length. He won’t allow himself to be rehearsed ever again. In fact that is one reason he has been so hesitant to get involved in electoral politics again; he doesn’t want to be muzzled.

Any guesses as to what other safe haven Dick has in mind?

In the wake of the visit, Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer said Australia had the capacity to send another 300 troops to Afghanistan after Mr Cheney declared free countries can’t turn their backs on countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq “or any other possible safe haven for terrorists”.

http://www.news.com.au/heralds…..61,00.html

JEP @ 65

Richmond;

I’m no chimp expert, but my point was more to the the effect that we seem to be natural born killers, and what we call “civilization” is an attempt at overcoming that nature in ourselves and as a species.

Your point about it being a matter of survival and sustenance only make my point more valid.

Hunting for food is sustencance, but turning those weapons against your own species is war. ANd that is what we have done so well.

Most of the pnackers and neocons consider sustenance and war all the same thing.

If we taught our children, starting in the home and right through their school and church educations, that there is a difference between daily sustenance and world dominance, something we call “culture”, we might see the kind of world most of us here at The Lake would prefer for our future generations.

But as long as our former presidents (H.W.) and military war machine can sell weapons of war and call it sustenance (free enterprise?), it will always be legitimized in the eyes of each new generation.

I watched “Lord of War” last night again, and it re-upped a lot of my disgust for the falsehoods we’ve been fed in the name of war-for-profit. And no one has seen that profit more than the Bush family and their no-bid book-cooking bubbas.

Thus my monkeyshines…

I am all for teaching (at home and in school – I do both) but I have problems here too, with this sort of thinking. I think checks and balances are far more effective – and that is what is out of whack here now. On survival: Americans spend probably 3X more time meeting our basic survival needs (housing, food, clothes, healthcare) than do Bushman. (I don’t have the exact stat here at hand). So survival a priori is not the issue, unless you are saying that because most Americans are having to work harder (longer) than we did 30 years ago, we are more prone to violence. If that is the case, than let is press for better pay, stronger unions, better access to top schools, better financed health care etc.

By the way I was with someone who is a long time friend of Barbara Bush a couple of days ago, who insists she was a terrific mother, taught all the right things, and still runs the family with an iron fist. (Makes one think!)

Pnackers is such a great name for a neo-con snack food, no?

eg. sorry. love ur handle but have you confused with someone else (whose handle starts with an e I think). [slinks off to do research and get more coffee – man I’m dyslexic today).

Richmond @ 71

leolabeth @ 60

They’re Bonobos and I’d say they’re smarter than Chimpanzees. They solve social stress with sex rather than violence.

Because they’re closer us than to any other primate, some DNA and social scientists want both species under our genus: Homo.

I don’t know Bonobos, but smartness (or level on the evolutionary scale) has nothing to do with social violence. And, solving social stress with sex rather than violence, I am sure that Hitler, Bush, Rove and others, had as much sex as others. I don’t buy it; it sounds a bit old school Margaret Mead psycho-social for my taste.

Old School Margaret Mead is fine by me, if dated and crazy-mad-un-PC. Get thee to a primate text post 1998 for good Bonobo science. They really are remarkable and a world apart from the Gombi Chimps Jane Goodall studied.

Woodhall Hollow @ 79

TiredFed @ 68

somebody wake egregious up. that was a very managed Al Gore. not the real thing. Gore unplugged is quite different.

Totally different. Which is why I think he will keep the Hillary type (DLC) professionals at arm’s length. He won’t allow himself to be rehearsed ever again. In fact that is one reason he has been so hesitant to get involved in electoral politics again; he doesn’t want to be muzzled.

Yeah, if he runs and actually lives up to his old nickname “A-Bomb Al” I will enthusiastically support him. I would love it if I turned out to be wrong on this, but I’ll have to see it to believe it.

Last time he totally let the wingnuts walk all over him.

TiredFed @ 83

eg. sorry. love ur handle but have you confused with someone else (whose handle starts with an e I think). [slinks off to do research and get more coffee – man I’m dyslexic today).

Worry not. We’re cool.

The world needs great men like…

egregious @ 86

TiredFed @ 83

eg. sorry. love ur handle but have you confused with someone else (whose handle starts with an e I think). [slinks off to do research and get more coffee – man I’m dyslexic today).

Worry not. We’re cool.

I think TiredFed thought I was egregious. I’ll take that as a compliment!

Morning everyone!

Incredible picture! -ahem- flying blind as to location, I’d guess the same as the other folks – Barred Owl. They have that nice clear “facial disc” pattern, and are one that often seems to like hunting in daytime. Pretty fella, unless you’re a mouse.

jeffreyw at 15. I might as well take a wild guess at what snagged your little woodpecker, as long as I can hide my boldness behind the fact that I’m only 1/4 way thru my 1st cuppa. It could have been a Cooper’s Hawk or Sharp-shinned Hawk. They specialize in dining on smaller birds, even up to Mourning Dove size. We love our hawks here, but were sorely vexed when our local Cooper’s snagged a nuthatch the other day. Why oh why couldn’t he have been satisfied to grab a starling instead?! boo hoo *sniffle*

TiredFed @ 72

… My youngest is 13, so it may be a few years.

I know whereof you speak. We bought a Volvo wagon (the van or SUV of its time) when elder daughter was in HS. It performed stalwartly thru both our kids’ four movings in/out of a nearby college, until younger kid drove it away, after graduating (Magna cum Laude) to CA, where the jobs were then…

Ya, there I go again, dating myself! :)

After we became empty-nesters, it became convertible-time for Daddy. I’m on my second red Mustang now, and though we try to use our Honda as much as possible to save on gas, there’s nuttin’ like a roadtrip in the summer with the top down. WooHoo!

When soccer-moms or -dads look enviously at me in parking-lots as they strap their babies into the back seats of their vans, I say “hang in there until your kiddos’re grown; you could be having this fun!” and we smile and go our separate ways.

I sure hope there’ll be fun to be had after their kids grow…

By the way I was with someone who is a long time friend of Barbara Bush a couple of days ago, who insists she was a terrific mother, taught all the right things, and still runs the family with an iron fist. (Makes one think!)

Women like Barbara Bush are not uncommon in powerful patriarchal families. I have lived and traveled in the middle east (the most patriarchal place I have ever seen) and I have seen this phenomenon repeatedly…in wealthy and powerful families only. In fact it seems as though the more powerful a man is in the “outer world” the more powerful the women are indoors. This changes in families in which the man has little power in the outer world; in those families the women have little or no autonomy–even within the family.

Christy, both of my sons have Honda Civics (one son has two), and they love them. We toodle around town in the wife’s Bug — the SUV having been permanently parked — and we’re content with that. She wants to get a Mini-Cooper next time out, and if I ever get the Explorer towed away, I’m pining for a MX-5 (Miata). It’s funny, every time I’ve ever gotten a new car, I’ve sat out on the porch and just stared at it for a while; did this many days in a row, until the new finally weared off.

As far as the Chimp/Bonobo thing goes, well we all know Chimps aren’t that intelligent (LOL). Fact is, it’s a hard world in the wild, and no matter how much the fundamentalists want to deny it, we’re just a few bits of DNA removed from everyone else in the animal kingdom; I don’t think any species is peaceful per se — they just do whatever works to survive. The biggest difference between us and those spear-chucking chimps is that we have a choice, or rather we know that we have a choice. People that choose to live peacefully get Nobel Prizes; people that choose to war and murder get elected president.

S.O.S. We have a red mustang, too! Only my WIFE bought it and I ended up with the van! Ha.

Sorry, late to the morning thread. Had to make an attempt to clear out the 12 inches of snow piled up outside. But it will take me all today and tomorrow to clear the 4′ wide x 3′ deep plowed ridge behind the car. WHY OH WHY do I have the biggest ridge on the street? Did I anger the plowing gods?

Anyway, in to warm up, dry the mittens, and go back and try again.

As for the new car — congratuations Christy. It is indeed a heady experience. I only had one in my life. My 17 yr old son totalled it in the first week. Did you know that if a car is totalled within 30 days, you get a brand new one without refinancing? yup. It is still a sore point between me and my youngest son to this day — almost 18 years later.

Christy, can you help me out here? I’ve searched FDL and my feeble brain for “accept no substitutes” and can’t find who says that about Al Gore.

Deacon Blues @ 92

Christy, both of my sons have Honda Civics (one son has two), and they love them. We toodle around town in the wife’s Bug — the SUV having been permanently parked — and we’re content with that. She wants to get a Mini-Cooper next time out, and if I ever get the Explorer towed away, I’m pining for a MX-5 (Miata). It’s funny, every time I’ve ever gotten a new car, I’ve sat out on the porch and just stared at it for a while; did this many days in a row, until the new finally weared off.

As far as the Chimp/Bonobo thing goes, well we all know Chimps aren’t that intelligent (LOL). Fact is, it’s a hard world in the wild, and no matter how much the fundamentalists want to deny it, we’re just a few bits of DNA removed from everyone else in the animal kingdom; I don’t think any species is peaceful per se — they just do whatever works to survive. The biggest difference between us and those spear-chucking chimps is that we have a choice, or rather we know that we have a choice. People that choose to live peacefully get Nobel Prizes; people that choose to war and murder get elected president.

Yup – that is my view on the simians. And, I’ll look into a Honda – thanks everyone.

Christy Hardin Smith @ 53

Lindy at 41 — I got a Honda CR-V. We were looking at their hybrids and at the CR-V, which has a great low emissions rating. I ended up with the CR-V, because we needed something a little bigger than the Civics they had available. My old car was, literally, falling apart, but I hadn’t had time to go out car shopping because the blog has been keeping me hopping the last few weeks. We took it out for a long drive last night after we bought it and I absolutely love it.

yeah! CRV’s are great!

Deacon at 92 — I hear you about the big hulking car. My old car (the one that will be dropped off at the dealership for trade-in today) is a big, hulking mini-van that guzzles gas. I mainly drive around town, so honestly I fill up maybe once a month on an average month, but still it was too big for us and too bulky. The CR-V is much smaller and gets better mileage for me — and I’ll still be able to bring my gardening purchases home in the back this spring and cart the stroller around and such.

Christy Hardin Smith @ 67

– ran into the store and four separate people came up to Mr. ReddHedd to talk about what a gorgeous vehicle it was. LOL

Hee hee. So you’re the talk of the town with yer new wheels! Love it! Mr Redd’s not gonna try to pry it away from you now, is he? Besides, they were probably admiring the gorgeous reddhedd behind the wheel, heh. Enjoy!

TiredFed @ 95

Christy, can you help me out here? I’ve searched FDL and my feeble brain for “accept no substitutes” and can’t find who says that about Al Gore.

Oklahoma? Eureka? Nate? Everyone intelligent?

TiredFed @ 95

Christy, can you help me out here? I’ve searched FDL and my feeble brain for “accept no substitutes” and can’t find who says that about Al Gore.

That’ll grow so fast, it’s gonna be like kleenex or xerox – no way to trace.

!AL GORE! !ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES!

egregious. the work you do in Russia is quite simply amazing. did not mean to attribute something to you that you had not said. one of our fellow commenters frequently says “accept no substitutes” in regards to Al Gore (and anyone who might be running in ‘08). your “name” popped into myhead. sorry about that.

Timmeh saying “who could have foreseen 9/11…”
in his roundtable conversation.

Oh, I dunno, Tim, maybe the people who should have been reading the intelligence instead of sayin’ Okay you covered your ass now….

Kearns Goodwin does offer some insights on the value of the interminable 2 year campaign in giving voters insight into leadership and temperament…a more important yardstick than dredging up a 30 yr old opinion. Good food for thought.

Tired—

We be cool. Love and hugs.

Thanks for the kind words about my Russian work.

Adie. Agreed. I’ve been on the receiving end of a few Hammer awards, so I know a little about our once and future President.

GrandmaJ at 94

Do you have any neighbors who could help? You worry me. Be careful hon.

watertiger @ 6

I do so hope Condi gives us her picks for tonight’s Oscars.

Because she’s just that relevant.

(wiping coffee off my laptop’s screen now)

Good morning, all. I’m happy that our big storm is turning out to be more of a minor event so far. I have a brunch for 15 people scheduled this afternoon, and I was worried that everyone would cancel. The storm seems to have stalled to the southwest of here, and we just have a little rain so far. Hooray – I am looking forward to salmon & dill eggs benedict with 14 of my friends!

Any update on Dick’s plane? When I was driving home from my gig last night, they had “breaking news” that Air force 2 had some minor difficulty and would be landing in Singapore. I know I shouldn’t be so cynicial, but I had to wonder if the “minor difficulty” was the fact that the jury hasn’t come back in Scooter’s trial yet.

Back to FDL sanity..I tried to watch Snuffalupagas with Condi, but just like Russert, he throws such softballs and lets her off the hook time after time it’s excruciating to watch. She has a new talking point concerning Iran, something to the effect of “Iran is in a bad club, the Chapter 7 Club and no country wants to be there.” She became so intensely animated when speaking about Iran.. I thought she would jump out of her seat. She seemed off her stride with the Iraq issue, probably because that adventure is over and Iran is the next one.

The Olbermann interview was just terrific. What an amazing contrast to the run of the mill talking heads.

that new CR-V is a VERY pretty car!

Christy (and Beel),
Thanks so much for posting the owl pic. I was hospitalized yesterday and woke up this morning to find that my partner had brought my laptop – AND, get this – wireless internet!!!!! Who knew???? I would have gone to the ER sooner – as it was, I was trying to hold out for the verdict.

When the verdict didn’t come in Friday afternoon, saner heads prevailed and I ended up in a hospital room hooked to iv’s and oxygen and looking out my one window onto a parking deck. But the staff is great and I’m getting good care and trying to make the best of it. So imagine how happy I was to get my laptop, power up, and find instant internet access. Of course, the first thing I did was hit your blog. You always make my day but today was more than I expected. The best blog team on the net and – an owl??? I’m one lucky girl. This room’s looking pretty good about now.

And I agree with the other posters, although I don’t have my Sibley (yet again, thanks for the birding ID website tip), that it may be a barred owl. When my health problems slowed me down a few years ago, and I couldn’t be my normally athletic self, I got out into the world with the internet (that’s how I found Jane’s site early on) and with a pair of binoculars looking out onto my backyard feeders. Later, when I was able , I took increasingly long walks through the woods, always with my bins and at a slower pace that not only allowed me to observe and learn to identify birds but helped me see everything in my world from a different and beautiful perspective. I’ve always been a nature lover and outdoors gal, but my health problems have given me the unexpected gift of a deeper appreciation of all the beautiful moments that we often walk right past – even in the woods – without observing. And in watching these incredible little creatures, I have seen so much more than birds.

So, I hope you can see how much this one post and this one photo meant to this one sick person sitting in a dreary hospital today. If you were to touch no other lives today (and I know you touch so many EVERY day), you’ve already done something special. It’s in keeping with the personal call to action you made in a recent post – a request that we each do what we can to make life better for those in need. It’s what you did for me, and you wouldn’t have known, so I had to tell you.

Sorry to be so long winded, but I’m on oxygen….. ; )

But seriously…..thanks

Hi egreg!

I’ve been enjoying reading all your comments the past week. You doin’ well?

Our birdies here are noticing the longer days. Titmice and Cardinals are singing! If we can just stand this nasty weather a little longer, spring’s around the corner.

SOS – Howell’s comments were an embarrassing admission for WaPo, but she seems about as dimly lit as Woodward (or as sleezy?!).

It was especially endearing to read they thought it was “successful” that they were able to make people think of Fitzgerald in another light – a mug shot. Brought to you by the crowd who thinks it was clever to coin the phrase “freedom fries” because the French wouldn’t be bullied into Iraq, or that things are going so swimmingly there that the British can leave – “Mission Accomplished Part Deux!” True believers of Bush’s “you are either with us or against us” prime directive, which they now apply even to members of our legal system being portrayed as criminals (and some US attorneys fired) for performing their JOBS.

ember @ 97

Christy Hardin Smith @ 53

Lindy at 41 — I got a Honda CR-V. We were looking at their hybrids and at the CR-V, which has a great low emissions rating. I ended up with the CR-V, because we needed something a little bigger than the Civics they had available. My old car was, literally, falling apart, but I hadn’t had time to go out car shopping because the blog has been keeping me hopping the last few weeks. We took it out for a long drive last night after we bought it and I absolutely love it.

yeah! CRV’s are great!

I have a CRV, too. My gas mileage is very good, and I really enjoy this vehicle. I drive a lot of miles, and this vehicle handles every type of weather very well. My only recommendation is to get the extended warranty Honda offers. I’ve had a few weird electrical issues that would have probably cost more to fix than the $900 I spent on the extra warranty… and I still have 35k miles left before the warranty expires. I’m a person who never buys and extra extended warranty on anything, but a friend told me that older Hondas often have electrical issues (and I plan on driving this until the wheels fall off).

Why do I hear so many people still claiming Gore lost those debates to W?

Looking back at those debates, wouldn’t most agree that Bush was lying through his teeth?

He “won” those debates with particularly ironic lines, like his condescending “the US shouldn’t be in the business of nation building.”

And Gore, fully aware of the hypocrisy of such a statement, could only roll his eyes for the media to criticize. Just think what Gore COULD have said at those moments, but the civilized man ruled him instead of his chimp.

So, like all retrospectives, just consider what occurred over the next 6 years, and stop to reconsider. Does cheating in a debate constitute winning it?

Just because Bush told the public what they wanted to hear, instead of the truth of the pnac war obsessions, would they still say Bush won those debates? Did Bush ever even MENTION Saddam in those debates, or WMD’s or mushroom clouds? If he had, do you think he would have ever been elected?

Even at the time, I didn’t agree with the Faux News-intiiated spin that W “beat” Al in those debates. But somehow, the idea stuck, and now, in retrospect, it becomes so much more profane, because if Bush actually WON those debates, he did it with deceit and obfuscation.

I really hope Al stays out of it, for all of us. The layers of campaign obligation and political (and I don’t mean financial) indebtedness that would come with a run for the top office would diminish, not increase his influence.

And I DO NOT say this because I am an Edwards supporter. Actually, I think all the Democratic candidates are worthy of the office, and I am particularly fond of Kucinich in terms of his common sense of reality.

But they’ll slice and dice one another up long before the R’s get to them, because it all started so early and so many “new” supporters are suddenly finding their candidates.

The thing about the Edwards campaign, Edwards’ support isn’t new, it isn’t a fad, it isn’t a fickle fan club, it is a group of very deliberate citizens, many who have been supporters for years, not months.

And most of us who support Edwards think very highly of Al Gore.

But my opinion is that Gore has risen up into a different, very rare level of influence, the kind of philanthropic place where non-elected people like Ghandi and Bono and Mairead Maguire find their real purpose and power. Gore can do much more with his rock concerts and world-wide events than he could as the U.S. President.

“she was a terrific mother, taught all the right things, and still runs the family with an iron fist.”

Anyone else see some Freudian slips showing in this description?

“Iron fisted” mommas don’t exactly provide what Freud suggested was condicive to healthy young male development.

Amy at 110 — Oh, do feel better. So glad that you enjoyed the picture this morning. :)

(((((Amy in Asheville)))))

Hey Adie, thanks, I’m holding on ok. As long as I don’t look at the “to do” list :o

the snow is coming down pretty good here (Balto area). gotta run and get my youngest from a sleepover before it turns to freezing rain. see y’all later.

In addition to the usual talking heads on TV, KPFK FM (90.7 in LA, streaming at http://www.kpfk.org) has a very impressive lineup from 11am to 2pm Pacific time.

Amy in Asheville – hugs to you. I hope you’ll be feeling better and back home very soon.

How cool is it that you have wireless internet in the hospital? Now, you can read great Libby-related cartoons like these. (Dontcha just love the drawings in the top cartoon there?)

Get well soon. I’ll be thinking of you!

bookwoman @ 108

She has a new talking point concerning Iran, something to the effect of “Iran is in a bad club, the Chapter 7 Club and no country wants to be there.” She became so intensely animated when speaking about Iran.. I thought she would jump out of her seat. She seemed off her stride with the Iraq issue, probably because that adventure is over and Iran is the next one.

Ever notice that annoying quaver Condi gets in her voice when she’s trying to put somethin’ over on the world? Worse than ever this week. Groan. She may be incompetent, but she’s dangerous. What ever happened to scruples in gov’t? I’m sick of all these slick nitwits failing up on our dime, and trashing everyone else’s lives! ENOUGH!

Al. I’ll give you time to go pick up that Oscar. And then I want you on that campaign trail. Those kids are out there fussing again and making just an awful mess. We need grownups!
No substitutes!

egregious @ 118

Hey Adie, thanks, I’m holding on ok. As long as I don’t look at the “to do” list :o

Slap a big book down on the “to do” list, and go have fun today. Them’s orders! *g*

Amy~Hope you feel better soon!

JEP @
114

Why do I hear so many people still claiming Gore lost those debates to W?

Looking back at those debates, wouldn’t most agree that Bush was lying through his teeth?

He “won” those debates with particularly ironic lines, like his condescending “the US shouldn’t be in the business of nation building.”

And Gore, fully aware of the hypocrisy of such a statement, could only roll his eyes for the media to criticize. Just think what Gore COULD have said at those moments, but the civilized man ruled him instead of his chimp.

So, like all retrospectives, just consider what occurred over the next 6 years, and stop to reconsider. Does cheating in a debate constitute winning it?

Just because Bush told the public what they wanted to hear, instead of the truth of the pnac war obsessions, would they still say Bush won those debates? Did Bush ever even MENTION Saddam in those debates, or WMD’s or mushroom clouds? If he had, do you think he would have ever been elected?

Even at the time, I didn’t agree with the Faux News-intiiated spin that W “beat” Al in those debates. But somehow, the idea stuck, and now, in retrospect, it becomes so much more profane, because if Bush actually WON those debates, he did it with deceit and obfuscation.

[…]

Bush could have drooled on himself and still been declared the winner of those debates by the mainstream press, given its intense hatred of Gore.

Christy, once I get my scanner fired up I am going to send you an old photo I took of some baby owls (or owlets) under a tarp covering a haystack of baled hay. I saw the mother coming and going for days, so one day when she was gone I climbed up and crawled under in the dark. Once I got around a corner I could hear chirping so I fired up my Starflash camera, which resulted in the pic I will be sending.

(longtime lurker..first comment)

Quasi pimping
Check out the YearlyKos 2006 video I uploaded earlier this week.
You are all in it.
Google Video, or via NYBri DailyKos diary.
Watch, link to, embed, download…whatever you like.

Your trial coverage has set a new standard.
The YearlyKos FDL caucus was the best.

Mark

[Mod Note; A quick warning for people with slower connections. The excellent video linked above is 40 minutes long.]

When are they going to send condi to pasture? She is about as useless in the field of diplomacy as bush is in the (insert any presidential function here). Those 2 make a wonderful pair – the murderer in the WH and the murderess in high heels.

Carl Levin on Pumpkinhead’s show: He said HoJoe will not switch as long as senators vote their consciences (heh?) He also said we need a surge not in Iraq, but a surge of concern over veterans. Will hold hearings on Walter Reed next week. Pumpkinhead asked something like: Did Walter Reed happen because *your* committee had no oversight? Carl Levin: Achem. Yes, because the republikans were in charge. Also, Carl Levin: Cheney has zero credibility (yay!)
Byron York & MoDo up next on Hilary/Obama (oh goody!)No Andrea Mitchell this week.

Good Morning Firedogs !

slept in and woke up in EPU land – s’okay, I was dreaming of Al Gore giving his acceptance speech – sweeeet !

expecting to hear -

“Senator Levin, when did you stop beating your troops ?”

It’s a barred owl for sure.

watertiger @
24

ccmask @ 19

I wonder what Condi’s talking point is today?

“Peter McKay and I are just good friends!”

HA!

We can only hope and pray this is so, I can’t take another potatoe Pete moment farming at home to heal his broken heart with his borrowed dog again, once was more than enough in 2005. The coverage that rather sickening performance got was played way too often down here in his home Province. Although if they are a couple and then break up for some reason maybe then he could say Bush has his dog next time around like he did to his last ex (Yes this was intended to be quite pointed, I have real problems with this traitor to his country).

Amy in Aville, if you’re still around -

I’m an hour away & get over fairly frequently. Leave word here in the early mornings if I can lend a hand with anything.

JEP@114 said:
So, like all retrospectives, just consider what occurred over the next 6 years, and stop to reconsider. Does cheating in a debate constitute winning it?

Preznitial historian Doris Kearns mentioned Adlai Stevenson who said something like “In a political campaign it is important to not resort to tactics that make you unworthy of winning.”

TiredFed @ 16

Redd. in Marcy’s book (for those of you who havent read Anatomy of Deceit, it is well worth it), she mentions two “anonymous” SAOs showing a reporter Valerie’s W-2’s. This is clearly a violation of law (unless Valerie granted permission – haha). The Internal Revenue Code (with which I am intimately familiar) prohibits disclosure of tax information. A Fed can lose his/her job over it. Any idea if this incident is being pursued? As Joe Wilson pointed out, Al Capone was a heck of a tax cheat!

Yes – I’m about 1/2 way through and I was shocked by that revelation. In addition to outing a CIA agent they were using her tax return for political purposes??? As I recall, Nixon was using the IRS to audit anti-Nixon taxpayers.

I can imagine Fitzpatrick has a treasure trove of possible illegalities to address in the future.

Adie @ 89

Morning everyone!

jeffreyw at 15. I might as well take a wild guess at what snagged your little woodpecker, as long as I can hide my boldness behind the fact that I’m only 1/4 way thru my 1st cuppa. It could have been a Cooper’s Hawk or Sharp-shinned Hawk. They specialize in dining on smaller birds, even up to Mourning Dove size. We love our hawks here, but were sorely vexed when our local Cooper’s snagged a nuthatch the other day. Why oh why couldn’t he have been satisfied to grab a starling instead?! boo hoo *sniffle*

She shoots! She scores!

Checked with the Missus, she said it was crow sized. I flashed her some google pics and she said it was a Cooper’s for sure.

What’s your guess on the Libbey verdict, now that we know you have some talent in remote “seeing”. 8-)

Scotian, calling Belinda Stronach a dog was insulting, calling Condi a dog is insulting to dogs!

Woodhall Hollow @
91

By the way I was with someone who is a long time friend of Barbara Bush a couple of days ago, who insists she was a terrific mother, taught all the right things, and still runs the family with an iron fist. (Makes one think!)

Women like Barbara Bush are not uncommon in powerful patriarchal families. I have lived and traveled in the middle east (the most patriarchal place I have ever seen) and I have seen this phenomenon repeatedly…in wealthy and powerful families only. In fact it seems as though the more powerful a man is in the “outer world” the more powerful the women are indoors.

hm-m-m. a mom who “rules with an iron fist,” and yet encourages the little twit to blow up frogs…. an he’s too stoopid to figure out how to use tools…. those wretched, evil neocons…. This ought to have been a grade D movie, not the real world. *sigh*

Oh Crikey. Meet The Press. Pumpkinhead and company are comparing JFK and Mitt Romney in terms of religion. So far, they have not mentioned the crucial point: that JFK was 100% secular and believed in separation of Church and State, unlike most Repuglikans, even though they played a clip of JFK expressing his secularism.

Pardon the OT, but an inspiration just struck me: Instead of parodying the name of
Victoria Toensing
as
Victoria Toesuck (thus recognizing only Dick Morris),
why not honor her verbatim parroting and amplification of WH talking points by dubbing her
Victrola Toesuck
?? :)

Christy, egregious, LandoftheFree, ember, and all the rest of you firedogs: thanks for the warm thoughts, good wishes, and Scooter chuckles. You guys are great medicine!!

In fact, just as I hit the refresh button and saw your comments all the bells and whistles on my monitors went off. The nurse ran in here immediately and said it was just a computer glitch. I told her I preferred to think of it as a blogospheric firedoglake power surge. Before she called a psych consult I explained myself, showed her the comments, and after sitting in bed with me reading she agrees. She, too, was impressed by the good people on this site and the power of this medium to connect strangers in such profoundly compassionate ways. I think we have a new member.

Thanks again guys.
Oh, and congrats on the car, Christy…have had 3 Hondas myself….if this last one ever conks out I’m looking at the one you got…..but they’re so damn reliable it may be a few more years….

We put out some suet this year, which attracted a red-bellied woodpecker. The text says they are common in the Southeast, but I had never seen one, and it is a beautiful, sleek bird.

ccmask @ 19

I wonder what Condi’s talking point is today?

“No one questioned the patriotism of those opposed to the surge.”

Her first sentence on the air today.

TiredFed @
54

S.O.S. thanks. Peterr told me to dial it back on the footnotes, but I’m an ANALyst. love them weeds. Marcy’s book has more weeds than all of Marshfield! (former Bay Stater and Patriot here).

Don’t get me wrong – I love them footnotes and weeds, too – but everyone’s got to step back at some point and relax. Fridays and Saturdays were made for that.

:)

Hey Waccamaw, that’s so sweet!! Nice to know I have a fdl neighbor. I don’t think I’ll be needing anything but if you’re in town and would like to meet up I’d love to get together. How can I get my contact info to you?

jeffreyw @ 136

What’s your guess on the Libbey verdict, now that we know you have some talent in remote “seeing”. 8-)

Oh no ya don’t!?! Having served on several juries meownself, and having seen the shocked looks on some lawyerly types when some of said juries finally came out with verdict, I know my limits. NO way to tell(!), just as Christy says.

…but… says she warily, I do like some of the feelings Christy, Jane, Pach & Marcy have gotten about the “quality” of the libbyjury.
Would tend to nudge one twd trusting their judgement and commitment to make a carefully reasoned verdict. – i hope, i hope….

dang! it’s HARD! this waiting stuff, whew.

Be prepared for a new Republican talking point. In defense of Bush’s Iraq policies, and in order to thwart the Dem’s efforts to revoke the war authorization given to Bush prior to the Iraq invasion, the new meme is “micro manage”. Condi warned about this and then a representative from Texas used the same term on Meet the Press.

I wonder who dreams up the spin phrases for this bunch of criminals. They are shameless.

Adie @ 138

… hm-m-m. a mom who “rules with an iron fist,” and yet encourages the little twit to blow up frogs…. …

Not to mention not reining in W when he took to shooting BB-guns at his sibs “just for fun,” or the rather odd (to say the least) coping/grieving mechanisms she employed after the death of her 3-year-old daughter. Why should we wonder why W turned out to be a sociopath?
————
PS, here’s to a speedy recovery, Adie!

bookwoman @ 147

Be prepared for a new Republican talking point. In defense of Bush’s Iraq policies, and in order to thwart the Dem’s efforts to revoke the war authorization given to Bush prior to the Iraq invasion, the new meme is “micro manage”. Condi warned about this and then a representative from Texas used the same term on Meet the Press.

I wonder who dreams up the spin phrases for this bunch of criminals. They are shameless.

Here is how it’s done.

I have been thinking for a while now that the thing that galvanized Dick Cheney into action over the Wilson op-ed was not what Wilson said but the position held by his wife.
These people (neocons) make long plans and Cheney would have already known the strategy they were going to use to get us to attack Iran. So someone (Ms. Wilson) working on Iran’s WMD in real time, married to a creditable person willing and able to speak out in the most public way, had to be neutralized or their plans would fail.
So he outed Ms. Wilson, to protect their neocon agenda, not to get even with Joe Wilson.
If Joe Wilson hadn’t been married to V. Plame, Cheney wouldn’t have bothered with him.

Speaking of tax audits, I had one once, and while we were sitting in my kitchen going over my meager books with the new agent (I was her “first”), George HW Bush was on NPR being interviewed about the incredible increase in tax audits of people making less than $50,000 a year. As we sat there, he said “We aren’t trying to put an IRS agent at every kitchen table in America!”

She (the auditor) laughed out loud, huge belly laughs, at the irony of that moment. And then, with eyes still teared-up from her laughter, she proceeded to carelessly count a business loan as income, which really screwed my books up, and took three years to sort out where and how the error was made. In between, I folded up my home improvement business and decided entrepreneurship had more pitfalls than benefits under a corporate President.

Also, it made me believe in lawyers again. If I had started with one instead of ending with one, it would have never been an issue. It might have cost me more at first, but in the end, not having a lawyer with me gave the auditor unlimited and unfair authority.

I will never forget that cosmic kitchen table moment, it gives even me an ironic chuckle now and then.

I wonder how many others had a similar experience during Bush 1? And is it still going on, just how many millionaires and billionaires got audited under W, compared to average earners?

masaccio @ 142

We put out some suet this year, which attracted a red-bellied woodpecker. The text says they are common in the Southeast, but I had never seen one, and it is a beautiful, sleek bird.

They are absolutey gorgeous birds, agreed! “Ours” are resident year-round. You’ll get used to their sorta musical, chuckily little trilling call. Now that you’ve got them coming to your suet, I’ll bet you’ll begin to notice them a lot more. Oh, and they also probably would come to oil sunflower seed. Ours even hang (awkwardly *g*) on our tube feeders to get the seed. But they prefer a platform feeder like a tree stump, or open-topped thing – any height. Ours are very tame, & even hang around to “talk” to us when we fill the feeders. Fun!

Mui @ 129..

Did you also hear Carl Levin say that Lieberman is a DEM? ARRRGGGGGHHH! It never ends. (Otherwise not a bad interview)

bookwoman @ 147

Be prepared for a new Republican talking point. In defense of Bush’s Iraq policies, and in order to thwart the Dem’s efforts to revoke the war authorization given to Bush prior to the Iraq invasion, the new meme is “micro manage”. Condi warned about this and then a representative from Texas used the same term on Meet the Press.

I wonder who dreams up the spin phrases for this bunch of criminals. They are shameless.

I saw a great cartoon regarding that micro management. (linked by one of yesterday’s posts.)
On Meet the Press, pumkinhead&Co single out Brownback as the only Repug not supporting troop surge. Somebody corrects and says Hagel too. Maureen Dowd almost makes McCain look like he’s coming unglued. She asks him question. He answers something along the lines of “if we fail, they’re coming to get us.”
hmm, I am looking over my shoulder for “them.”/ snark
Byron York seems to have a “thing” for Rudy Giuliani.
They are playing up the Hollywood Barack/Hillary thing as well.

HotFlash @ 149

… Here is how it’s done.

HotFlash, I say that the Repukes’ secret technique is Synchronized Policy Contingency (SPC) — [799] — and I’se stickin’ to it!! ROTFL & tnx!

I seem to remember that there was a sealed indictment in the Libby case.

I asked about this at Kos the other day, and wondered if anyone here has any more ideas.

I haven’t heard anything more about “Sealed VS Sealed”.
Is there anyone out there that has?

It makes me wonder, if there is one, who do you think it is for?
Is Fitzgerald waiting for a Libby conviction to have it unsealed?

And, who do you think it’s for???????????

bookwoman @ 153

Mui @ 129..

Did you also hear Carl Levin say that Lieberman is a DEM? ARRRGGGGGHHH! It never ends. (Otherwise not a bad interview)

Not out right. Just implied: he’ll never leave the dem party. tricky, tricky.
We all know of course Liarman4Liarman is the only party that guy is in.

you know carter is endorsing al gore for president

time we started a draft gore campaign I think…he’ll run but we need to ceasar him

John @
131

It’s a barred owl for sure.

Well! all rightie! ;->

Tannen @ 156

I seem to remember that there was a sealed indictment in the Libby case.

I asked about this at Kos the other day, and wondered if anyone here has any more ideas.

I haven’t heard anything more about “Sealed VS Sealed”.
Is there anyone out there that has?

It makes me wonder, if there is one, who do you think it is for?
Is Fitzgerald waiting for a Libby conviction to have it unsealed?

And, who do you think it’s for???????????

it looks pretty clear sealed vs sealed is darth cheney

the thing is, I do believe that indictment is tossed unless libby is convicted

Oh, yeah, Hotflash @ 149! A new toy!

Amy @ 7:52 -

Any store(s) or other places that wouldn’t mind your leaving their name here where I could pick up a message? Still a little hinkey about posting e-mail addy due to increased Libby traffic *g*. Have met one other Laker in person & it was great fun.

Has hospital given you a release date yet? Total hoot to hear Mission has wireless.

I wonder who dreams up the spin phrases for this bunch of criminals…

Rove

Flipped off Condi on Snuffy’s show just in time to catch the last of Edwards on Face. Hmmm. Sounding solid. Need to go to the CBS website later to see the whole interview. Also Schieffer’s comments.

“Sunshine” and food for thought today from Jimmy Carter. Senator Levin on MTP, also Kearns-Goodwin. The above-mentioned Edwards.

“Thunderclouds” and obfuscation from Concubinaleeza. And SNL–a funny bit about Wolfie and the Anna Nicole coverage…but it should have targeted their sibling network MSNBC instead.

perris @ 158

you know carter is endorsing al gore for president

time we started a draft gore campaign I think…he’ll run but we need to ceasar him

Draft Gore campaign already started.

you guys should click on over to think progress, carter unleashes against cheney, pretty good too…check it out

Mui @ 157

Not out right. Just implied

If you get a chance to hear Levin again…[I think this show repeats Sunday around 11PM EST]…he actually said Lieberman’s a Democrat. As a CT resident who worked so very hard for Lamont this is a travesty, but the misconception is so widespread nobody pays attention any more. I do think Levin was being very careful when he said all who vote on reauthorization should use their conscience..I took that as a warning to LIEberman.

My bet is on it being a barred owl. Now whether it hoots, “Who cooks for you?”, or “Who cooks for you all?” depends on whether it’s a “southern” barred : )

perris @ 160

…it looks pretty clear sealed vs sealed is darth cheney…

IANAL so would someone pls explain why the “sealed vs sealed” terminology? Would it be because that’s symbolic of something to be disclosed later, like “Government vs. (please Gawd) Shooter”?

Richmond @ 40

I love this story but… there is something not quite right with it. Most of the African chimps I know of live in forests not savannas (and much of Senegal is very dry). Secondly, chimps are mostly vegetarians (except insects and stuff like that). Thirdly, if any of this is true (and considering how WRONG the Washington Post is on many matters these days (and often volitionally true), it is about sustenance(food) – not oil (fuel) or religion – as in our current tragic military misadventures.

You’re right that chimps get most of their diet from plant foods, insects, and the like…but male chimps in both the more closed rainforest and in the more open Gombe preserve have been observed bringing down colobus monkeys and other small mammals. That meat supply makes up only a small proportion of the calorie intake, but it is there. Chimps in different environments also use different hunting tactics, with rainforest chimps using more cooperative methods.

{{{{{{Amy}}}}}}

More hugs from cyberspace ;->

Since you’ve got computer handy, tell someone you’d get better a whole lot faster if you could have this:
(a little pricey, but worth every penny!)

http://www.onlinenaturemall.co…..148892.htm

bookwoman @ 167

Mui @ 157

Not out right. Just implied

If you get a chance to hear Levin again…[I think this show repeats Sunday around 11PM EST]…he actually said Lieberman’s a Democrat. As a CT resident who worked so very hard for Lamont this is a travesty, but the misconception is so widespread nobody pays attention any more. I do think Levin was being very careful when he said all who vote on reauthorization should use their conscience..I took that as a warning to LIEberman.

Hey, hey I know. I am a CT Lamont supporter as well.

Perris @ 160,

Do you think Fitz will go public with this after the Libby verdict.

Supposedly, he’s only going to make a statement from the court house steps (no reporter interviews).

I think that could mean a continuation of Fitz’s search for the truth.

Edwards interview was more than anything else just plain honest. He’s not going to make promises or false claims just to get elected, and that was the gist of it. He also put Sheiffer in his place by suggesting the only people in all his travels who ask him about the Hillary/Obama psuedo-fued are reporters, the averagfe citizens could care less about it, they want to know about Iraq and other reality based issues.

Classy guy, and sincerely charming, so if you want to trash him, you better be ready to look like the scoundrel. Edwards quite naturally comes across as a boy-next-door that even iron fisted mothers would want to defend from all those naysayers..

S.O.S. in MA @ 155

HotFlash @ 149

… Here is how it’s done.

HotFlash, I say that the Repukes’ secret technique is Synchronized Policy Contingency (SPC) — [799] — and I’se stickin’ to it!! ROTFL & tnx!

Absolutely. Now if the Dems can only come up with a Total Monitored Projection (TMP)#127 they can wipe the floor with them.

perris @ 158

you know carter is endorsing al gore for president

time we started a draft gore campaign I think…he’ll run but we need to ceasar him

Oh, perris. I am not happy with that verb.

Tannen @ 172

Perris @ 160,

Do you think Fitz will go public with this after the Libby verdict.

Supposedly, he’s only going to make a statement from the court house steps (no reporter interviews).

I think that could mean a continuation of Fitz’s search for the truth.

I think he goes public with the indictment if he gets a conviction against libby, I think the indictment is rescinded if libby walks

fits will be marketed as a loose cannon if libby walks and that will stick among the wing nuts and corporate media so any additional indictments won’t get traction

he needs at least one, possibly two convictions to go forward as far as I can see

more rides on this conviction then libby, this might be the single most important event regarding the impeachment of this administration.

what the hell ?!?!? my fdl done broke – my screen shows y’all’s comments, but no boxes, no outlines, almost like the rss feed – anyone else get this on refresh ?!?!?

HotFlash @ 175

perris @ 158

you know carter is endorsing al gore for president

time we started a draft gore campaign I think…he’ll run but we need to ceasar him

Oh, perris. I am not happy with that verb.

ya, it doesn’t quite work…will stop using it, I agree

bookwoman@167 my comment is in moderation. I agree with you.

Aside from that. Chris Matthews and Co. are going hogwild over Hillary/Obama. I am getting very tiiiiired of thiiis, *snoooze*.
Why do these conservative types like Tweety and Pumpkinhead cover the Dem primary so much? Going over, & oooverrrr Hilary’s refusal to apologize for her vote for the war. Is it because they don’t want to cover the crazy arses who are running in the Repug primary?

cbl @ 178

what the hell ?!?!? my fdl done broke – my screen shows y’all’s comments, but no boxes, no outlines, almost like the rss feed – anyone else get this on refresh ?!?!?

I hard refreshed, browser is still fine…try closing all windows and coming back, if that doesn’t work you might have to restart your computer…if that doesn’t work you might have to clear your cookies

LandOfTheFree @ 107

Any update on Dick’s plane? When I was driving home from my gig last night, they had “breaking news” that Air force 2 had some minor difficulty and would be landing in Singapore. I know I shouldn’t be so cynicial, but I had to wonder if the “minor difficulty” was the fact that the jury hasn’t come back in Scooter’s trial yet.

Interesting connection. Wouldn’t it be a scream if Big Time ended up wandering the globe in Air Force 2 until his term was up, like some latter-day Flying Dutchman? (Or, more appropriately perhaps, like the Philly garbage barge?)

Adie @ 106

GrandmaJ at 94

Do you have any neighbors who could help? You worry me. Be careful hon.

Thank you for your concern. Being a bit grumpy, I was wondering why my kids did not call to find out how I was doing? But they are busy too, and live a long way away.

Actually I live on a cul-de-sac populated by single women. And all 5 of us aged from 50 to 72 were out shoveling. I had gotten the steps and the left part of the driveway and was viewing this terrible ridge, when some guy on a four wheeler with a shovel on front came by and he plowed all of our driveways. Cost me $10 which I can ill afford, but it is all done now.

And thanks for asking. People here are the best. I was trying to explain the ‘blogs’ at yet another dem meeting where people just did not know what was happening on the blogs. She is running again in two years and getting a head start. I mentioned that this blog in particular are highlighting candidates, but she is running for the MN senate, so probably wouldn’t be a good fit, but she can learn alot I told her.

She gave me her email address and I will be sending her more link information in the next couple of days.

Amy at 141 a blogospheric firedoglake power surge

lol!

Hope you get to feelin’ better and out of that old hospital soonest.

Mornin’, FirePups. Wow, plumb tuckered out, slept in for a change.

My nine-year-old says barred owl or a great gray owl well out of its range. He noted the light colored feathers under the facial disk when suggesting the latter.

I suspect that if global warming continues apace, we may well see many more birds out of range everywhere. Have seen more egrets here in Michigan this summer than ever before, for example.

Christy — hope you will enjoy your CR-V as much as I’ve enjoyed mine. Bought mine in 1998 when my daughter was 4; she was able to jump up in back seat by herself at the time, worked out great. Runs like a champ and the real-time 4WD has been wonderful in sloppy Michigan winter weather. Almost hate to have to get something else, but it’s 9.5 years old now, should trade up while I can still realize optimum resale. I don’t know if another CR-V will work; now that there are 2 kids and they are older, I need something in which I can throw not only golf clubs and scooters but bicycles and a couple extra friends. Probably going to move up to the Pilot. The CR-V was third in a line of Hondas, starting with a CRX and a Civic, don’t think I even want to think about anything else.

perris @ 158

you know carter is endorsing al gore for president

time we started a draft gore campaign I think…he’ll run but we need to ceasar him

Oh please yes! Something like Gore/Clark would be the ticket.

Parris @ 177

I agree with you whole-heartedly.

I think Fitz’s reputation of building conspiracy charges begins from the bottom up.

So with a Libby conviction, maybe the sealed indictment is for Rove.

Building up to the top.

Just thinking.

EvilDrPuma @ 170

Richmond @ 40

I love this story but… there is something not quite right with it. Most of the African chimps I know of live in forests not savannas (and much of Senegal is very dry). Secondly, chimps are mostly vegetarians (except insects and stuff like that). Thirdly, if any of this is true (and considering how WRONG the Washington Post is on many matters these days (and often volitionally true), it is about sustenance(food) – not oil (fuel) or religion – as in our current tragic military misadventures.

You’re right that chimps get most of their diet from plant foods, insects, and the like…but male chimps in both the more closed rainforest and in the more open Gombe preserve have been observed bringing down colobus monkeys and other small mammals. That meat supply makes up only a small proportion of the calorie intake, but it is there. Chimps in different environments also use different hunting tactics, with rainforest chimps using more cooperative methods.

Thanks DrEvil for the qualification/correction. My Dr degree is from the upper end of the evolutionary chart.

Tannen @ 187

Parris @ 177

I agree with you whole-heartedly.

I think Fitz’s reputation of building conspiracy charges begins from the bottom up.

So with a Libby conviction, maybe the sealed indictment is for Rove.

Building up to the top.

Just thinking.

I don’t think it’s for rove I’m pretty sure rove flipped against cheney

perris @
179

…ya, it doesn’t quite work…will stop using it, I agree

Aah the pleasures of a classical education… if not Caesar (yeesh, makes me break out in hives too), howzabout Cincinnatus? http://tinyurl.com/2v6fsm :) History tells us he was far from the corridors of power, laboring out in his fields behind a copy of Final Cut Pro, working on editing his second Oscar-winning documentary, this one about the fall of Rome… :)

perris @ 189

Tannen @ 187

Parris @ 177

I agree with you whole-heartedly.

I think Fitz’s reputation of building conspiracy charges begins from the bottom up.

So with a Libby conviction, maybe the sealed indictment is for Rove.

Building up to the top.

Just thinking.

I don’t think it’s for rove I’m pretty sure rove flipped against cheney

Oh,,,,HOW I HOPE YOU’RE RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!

bookwoman @ 167

Mui @ 157

Not out right. Just implied

If you get a chance to hear Levin again…[I think this show repeats Sunday around 11PM EST]…he actually said Lieberman’s a Democrat. As a CT resident who worked so very hard for Lamont this is a travesty, but the misconception is so widespread nobody pays attention any more. I do think Levin was being very careful when he said all who vote on reauthorization should use their conscience..I took that as a warning to LIEberman.

I thought there was a message to HoJoe implied in there as well. I thought it was more an appeal for HoJoe to *respect* Dems who vote their conscience. Getting HoJoe’s vote is probably pretty hopeless.

And now our ReddHedd
Has a brand new thread
and I got the zed :)

going to the casino all. catch L8ter

So sorry, Perris (not parris)

Well, I hope you people like your Hondas, you’ll be driving them forever. We still have a 94 Del Sol still humming along. Although we only use it for fun being you can’t fit 2 people plus a purse in it.

I am not going to be pleased with Democrats and certainly Republicans who attack Senator Clinton for what her husband may or may not have done. Needless to say, HRC’s relationship with Former President Clinton is NONE of my business. Or anyone’s business. I oppose Senator Clinton for her refusal to accept responsibility for being a Democratic enabler of George Bushs’ lying us into the Iraq war. And I am disgusted that HRC does not have a comprehensive plan for peace in the Middleast. And I dislike intensly the Senator’s seemingly arrogant attitude that perhaps she has somehow ‘locked up’ the nomination. And I find her rather ruthless approach to politics off-putting. But I resent when someone, anyone, attacks her on a personal basis. And I will come to the Senator’s defense whenever I sense this happening.

Gore/Clark in 2008!

Richmond @ 188

Thanks DrEvil for the qualification/correction. My Dr degree is from the upper end of the evolutionary chart.

Mine too (archaeology, Iron Age and Roman NW Europe and Britain; political economy, animal bones). I have taught human origins several times, though, including a primate behavior unit. I make the students write a short essay comparing their own observations of some specified area human behavior to chimps in the Jane Goodall/NGS videos. They tend to get the point…

Dan Rather on Tweety this morning: Gore will run if Hillary gets in trouble. Gore doesn’t want to run against Hillary. (why not?)

On Fox News Sunday…Chris Wallace said that Doug Feith called him this week to complain about last week’s coverage.
Feith says he stands by his statement that no one from his office ever said there was an operational relationship between Iraq and Al Qaeda. Feith stands by his statement — despite documentary proof (in the Weekly Standard) that his statement is false. Who are you going to believe? Me or your lying eyes?

theExile @ 137

Scotian, calling Belinda Stronach a dog was insulting, calling Condi a dog is insulting to dogs!

My parents think the same thing, they have a kennel. I was almost more pointed though in making a comment instead about how she went to water the shrub but I decided that was a bit too nasty…

TiredFed @
16

Redd. in Marcy’s book (for those of you who havent read Anatomy of Deceit, it is well worth it), she mentions two “anonymous” SAOs showing a reporter Valerie’s W-2’s. This is clearly a violation of law (unless Valerie granted permission – haha). The Internal Revenue Code (with which I am intimately familiar) prohibits disclosure of tax information. A Fed can lose his/her job over it. Any idea if this incident is being pursued? As Joe Wilson pointed out, Al Capone was a heck of a tax cheat!

Amen! I don’t think there was a single week of my 8 1/2 year tenure in the Office of Chief Counsel of the IRS when there wasn’t some reminder of the sanctity of taxpayer information. Someone should send a copy of the book to TIGTA (Treasury’s Inspector General for Tax Administration), with a Post-It on the relevant page and the relevant passage highlighted.

EvilDrPuma @ 182

LandOfTheFree @ 107

Any update on Dick’s plane? When I was driving home from my gig last night, they had “breaking news” that Air force 2 had some minor difficulty and would be landing in Singapore. I know I shouldn’t be so cynicial, but I had to wonder if the “minor difficulty” was the fact that the jury hasn’t come back in Scooter’s trial yet.

Interesting connection. Wouldn’t it be a scream if Big Time ended up wandering the globe in Air Force 2 until his term was up, like some latter-day Flying Dutchman? (Or, more appropriately perhaps, like the Philly garbage barge?)

Or like “The Man Without a Country.” When I went to school in Amerika, we had to watch that once a year all through elementary school and were made to feel the main character’s fate (shuttling between England and the US on a boat but not allowed to go ashore in either place) was worse than death. I like the “garbage” analogy, I’ll always think of Air Force 2 as a flying garbage barge, until there is a new VP.

“the thing is, I do believe that indictment is tossed unless libby is convicted…”

Libby’s trial opened a can of legal worms that, regardless of the Libby verdict, culd still, quite easily, be used as evidence against others involved in the conspiracy.

If a witness testifies in Libby’s trial and their testimony goes on record unrefuted, it can be entered as evidence in another related trial.

So just because Libby might walk (s’cuse me, “limp”) away from this, it doesn’t mean the evidence and testimony disappears. And since so much of it points at Cheney as “the man”, then don’t discount an indictment, regardless of the Libby verdict.

But if Libby gets indicted it may loosen his tongue a bit, making it easier to get the rest of the weasel pack. But Libby doesn’t have to be convicted for others to be indicted.

EvilDrPuma @ 198

Richmond @ 188

Thanks DrEvil for the qualification/correction. My Dr degree is from the upper end of the evolutionary chart.

Mine too (archaeology, Iron Age and Roman NW Europe and Britain; political economy, animal bones). I have taught human origins several times, though, including a primate behavior unit. I make the students write a short essay comparing their own observations of some specified area human behavior to chimps in the Jane Goodall/NGS videos. They tend to get the point…

Interesting – our fields cross in some aspects – but I am working south of you and in later C.E. It would be fun to talk at some point.

Richmond @ 205

EvilDrPuma @ 198

Richmond @ 188

Thanks DrEvil for the qualification/correction. My Dr degree is from the upper end of the evolutionary chart.

Mine too (archaeology, Iron Age and Roman NW Europe and Britain; political economy, animal bones). I have taught human origins several times, though, including a primate behavior unit. I make the students write a short essay comparing their own observations of some specified area human behavior to chimps in the Jane Goodall/NGS videos. They tend to get the point…

Interesting – our fields cross in some aspects – but I am working south of you and in later C.E. It would be fun to talk at some point.

How much later?

JEP @ 204

“the thing is, I do believe that indictment is tossed unless libby is convicted…”

Libby’s trial opened a can of legal worms that, regardless of the Libby verdict, culd still, quite easily, be used as evidence against others involved in the conspiracy.

If a witness testifies in Libby’s trial and their testimony goes on record unrefuted, it can be entered as evidence in another related trial.

So just because Libby might walk (s’cuse me, “limp”) away from this, it doesn’t mean the evidence and testimony disappears. And since so much of it points at Cheney as “the man”, then don’t discount an indictment, regardless of the Libby verdict.

But if Libby gets indicted it may loosen his tongue a bit, making it easier to get the rest of the weasel pack. But Libby doesn’t have to be convicted for others to be indicted.

I do hope you’re right, I just don’t think fitz would get support enought to go forward unless he wins this one

I hope I’m wrong

heading up through coneticut everyone, se all soon

Richmond @
28

Morning everyone! I have been over-the-top swamped with work, so haven’t been here much.
But this photo reminds me of when I was lecturing in Germany a couple of years ago, I stayed with a colleague just outside of Leipzig for a couple of days. There were five young owls who sat on branches of the cherry tree in front of his house they whole time I was there. They were just learning to fly. It was amazing seeing those 12 eyes follow one all around the yard as one walked beneath them.

Christy Hardin Smith @
29

Oh, and did I mention that I got my very first brand new car yesterday? :) Prior to yesterday, I’d always gotten a used one. And yes, I did have a slight West Wing twinge as we were driving home…but only for a minute or two.

Speaking of “West Wing” moments I always say “Mrs Landingham??” whenever the wind blows the door open!

Fresh thread for everyone.

While wilderness canoeing in Canada, at noon an an overcast day, my friend and I came to a stop to enjoy the view. A large shadow came through the forest and burst into the open to lite upon a dead tree stump six foot high. The small river we were on wound around that stump. As we approaced the bird, we were sure it was a barred owl. Once we were directly underneath it, the bird could care less, we retrieved our field guide, and stopped to take a picture. One thing we noticed was it’s beautiful yellow eyes, which didn’t match the barred owl’s description in the guide. That’s because it was a GREAT GREY OWL. So I believe your original assumption was correct. Mainly because I’m looking at that owl’s picture behind me right now!

The owl in the picture sure looks big enough to be a great grey. The largest owl in North America. Can anyone zoom in to see if it has yellow eyes? The trees also look northwoods to me. More later….

perris @ 166

you guys should click on over to think progress, carter unleashes against cheney, pretty good too…check it out

perris, I’ve always trusted Jimmy Carter…not to lie to us, to look for a peaceful resolution in any conflict, to try to do the right thing. He is a prime example of a man of integrity in public life.

EvilDrPuma @ 206

Richmond @ 205

EvilDrPuma @ 198

Richmond @ 188

Thanks DrEvil for the qualification/correction. My Dr degree is from the upper end of the evolutionary chart.

Mine too (archaeology, Iron Age and Roman NW Europe and Britain; political economy, animal bones). I have taught human origins several times, though, including a primate behavior unit. I make the students write a short essay comparing their own observations of some specified area human behavior to chimps in the Jane Goodall/NGS videos. They tend to get the point…

Interesting – our fields cross in some aspects – but I am working south of you and in later C.E. It would be fun to talk at some point.

How much later?

12-19th – but also ethnographic

Back to Gore and the debates for a minute: Remember how he got made fun of at the time by the MSM for talking about needing a “lock box” for social security? He’s been prescient about a whole lot more than global warming. (Preaching to the choir here, but just sayin’…)

theExile @
203

EvilDrPuma @ 182

Or like “The Man Without a Country.”

AYYYY! aHEMMM… I resemblademarked that tawkin-pint hours, no, days ago.
Wheh yew been, whilst I be twiddlin’ me thumbs alla dis thyme?! jus’ sayin’ I got other stuff t’do y’no.

Throw in a vote for FDL Peabody award & I’ll share. *g*

http://www.firedoglake.com/200…..ent-515137

Though it’s a little late for Christy’s call for time passing entertainment ideas, and since this went around a while back and some of you may have seen it already, I still love this “Bush in Free Fall” game. It’s better than a lava lamp and safer than nail biting. Check it out at: http://www.yeeguy.com/freefall/

Hey Waccamaw – just back from some tests, probably in for a few more days. Try me here: http://homepage.mac.com/parris…..lbum2.html There’s a link at the bottom of the page where you can send me an email. Sorry you’ll have to scroll through some pics first, but if you look you’ll see me in one of them – I’m in the orange tshirt. Oh, and I’m also the one hanging out with the drag queen in the lobster suit.

Adie – Thanks so much for the link. I was so excited when I saw the software, almost indulged and then realized it wouldn’t run on my Mac. Anyone know of any gooding birding software for the Mac? Adie has me Jonesing for some now. Otherwise, what will I do until – and obsess about after – the Libby verdict ; )

Millineryman @
52

Good luck with the new car Christy.

Let us know when you start flipping through the Flying Magazines.

ccmask @
19

I wonder what Condi’s talking point is today?

Flexibility was Condi’s main talking point.

Iraq was flexible, as was Palestine, Iran, Shooter, Israel, and Laura.

Amy in Asheville @
215

Anyone know of any gooding birding software for the Mac? Adie has me Jonesing for some now. Otherwise, what will I do until – and obsess about after – the Libby verdict ; )

Wait! Wait! Lookee what I just found after poking around a bit.

Supposedly, a Mac-based version of the same software I mentioned before is slated to come out in March.

http://www.onlinenaturemall.co…..148914.htm

Adie,

You’re the best….I’m on it.
Thanks for the tip.
I’ll be looking for you in future posts – always enjoy your comments.

Good midday,
Night time is the right time,
Late to bed, late to rise
Makes a man late for church
They don’t know that
All you have to do
Is breathe in and breathe out
Owls are good, so are turtles
That is god all wrapped up in a squirrels nutshell

If Libby is convicted they should send him to UMRK, the Utility Muffin Research Kitchen and put him on the assembly line placing green rosettas on muffin tops.

This is on CNN for you birdwatchers I didn’t read every comment so if this repetition-oops
http://ebird.org/content/

50something @
213

Back to Gore and the debates for a minute: Remember how he got made fun of at the time by the MSM for talking about needing a “lock box” for social security? He’s been prescient about a whole lot more than global warming. (Preaching to the choir here, but just sayin’…)

Gore would be the one who could electrify this country….Think Gore/Obama…wow

It’s definitely a barred owl. Great gray owls are quite a bit larger, and with different facial patterns; also, they are most commonly seen in more open areas (meadows, etc.). This looks like a northeastern or northcentral forest from the picture, which is ideal habitat for barred owls. Spotteds look similar to barreds from the back, but they’re found in Pacific NW coniferous forests, so all signs point to barred. Great picture!

how about a barred owl?

short-eareds don’t live in the woods, i think.

Well, one thing for sure, Mrs. Owl knows who he is, & he better hop to it & find dinner, or she’s not gonna lay any eggs, no sir, no how.

Yeah? Who you lookin’ at?! You try courting in the Feb. snow without dinner.