(Taken during a recent stop in Duluth, where the seagulls own Canal Park and leave lots of little grayish-white markers to prove it.)
Good — yawn — morning, Firepuppers. Did anyone make the coffee yet? I could use some.
I'm subbing for Christy today, and damn, I hate getting up early on the weekends. I especially hate listening to the self-appointed (or Murdoch-appointed, or Welch-appointed) arbiters of consensus reality known as the Sabbath Gasbags. But somebody's gotta do it!
Today looks like an extra-special load of bird poop over at NBC's Meet the Press: Tim Russert has John McCain for the full hour! Kneepad Alerts have been issued.
As for This Week With George Stephanopoulos: Damned if I know who he's got on. He apparently doesn't post that info on his website. Prick. [UPDATE: Thanks to Noonan and Chinois, who both steered me to this link showing that Barack Obama's today's guest. But Stephanopoulos is still a prick. Nyahh.]
At least on the website for Face the Nation, Bob Schieffer tells you straight up what to expect. Guests today: Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Nebraska, Foreign Relations Committee; Jeanne Cummings, Politico.com (aka Drudge Rules Our World); Michel McQueen Martin, National Public Radio. Topics: War And Politics. And he keeps his transmittal of consensus reality to a trim half-hour.
Would that the same could be said of Wolf Blitzer. His Late Edition on CNN is two mind- and ass-numbing hours of yuck. The topic for today: Benchmarks! Woo-hooo! (Of course, the fact that Bush can either game or blow off the 'benchmarks' won't be discussed much, but hey.) The guests: Sen. Mitch McConnell, (R-Kentucky) Senate Minority Leader (who looks like my grandma); Sen. Barbara Boxer, (D-California), Senate Foreign Relations Committee (who doesn't look like my grandma); Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R-South Carolina), Senate Armed Services Committee (who looks like a used-car salesman); Barham Salih, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister (who is here on Bush's behalf to beg Congress not to set a timetable to pull the US out of Iraq, even though his own parliament's about to vote on a bill that does just that); Max Cleland, (D) Former Georgia Senator; Ed Henry, CNN White House Correspondent; John King, CNN Chief National Correspondent; Dana Bash, CNN Congressional Correspondent; and Drew Barrymore, Actress, UN Ambassador Against Hunger.
Last and probably least, we have Fox News Sunday. Rudy Giuliani will be on, trying to finesse his support of abortion rights in a party whose base thinks that birth control is evil. But this is FOX (aka RNC TV), and Rudy is This Election Cycle's Anointed One From The GOP, just as Bush was in the 2000 cycle, so he will be protected from any seriously tough questions. Hey, if the rest of the national corporate press is going to studiously ignore his screwing over that Iowa farmer and supporter, don't expect anyone on Fox to bring it up.
So have at it, Firepuppies! Enjoy!
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zedapalooza!
are we observing national sleep-in day?
Well, I lasted through about 2 minutes of McCain and felt that uncomfortable gagging sensation. It almost looked like he and Timmeh were going to go into a clinch and a lip lock… For me it’s going to be BBC America and Robin Hood.
Jayt, did you let them know downstairs that Phoenix Woman dragged herself out of bed early?
an for all the little people who helped get me this zed, I’d like to thank….
Happy Mothr’s Day to all mothers here.
On the bright side — still no Lieberman (unless that’s why Stephie’s site is blank.)
Marion in Savannah @ 3
Jayt, did you let them know downstairs that Phoenix Woman dragged herself out of bed early?
yep.
don’t know to make that into a linky, unfortunately.
Phoenix Woman-
Just a note. Your pictures with your posts never fully appear for me on the screen. only about 1/8 of it does.
Im going to say ‘zed’ because this is probably as close as I’ll ever get.
McCain? Is he still running?
Looks like Stephanopoulos will feature Barack Obama today: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics…..amp;page=1
ABC’s “This Week,” … — Guests: Sen. Barack Obama, Illinois Democrat; Brooke Shields, actress.
Great minds, hey Chinois?
I’m really looking forward to seeing Cleland on CNN. He’s “out-Graveled” Gravel for the past year or two when it comes to his feelings about the war and how our vets are being (mis) treated. He’s not afraid to ruffle feathers and let his feelings known.
Good morning PW, I’ve got a pot of freshly ground organic coffee here for you. Just made it.
Heh. There is a chance that Dubya will serve in Iraq.
Oh, Kathryn in MA, wouldn’t that just be poetic justice?!
cathy @ 8
Same here.
I’m shocked, shocked I tell you to find out that billions of dollars of Iraqi oil is missing.
Now let’s think about all the equipment needed to steal oil, not to mention gaining access to the oil fields themselves, and oh yeah, who do you sell it to?
Smells like some version of an inside job.
cathy @ 8
When the page is done downloading, right click on the picture and select “show image”. That might do it.
Slate has an illustrated guide to “Bushies Behaving Badly“
jayt @ 7
yep.
don’t know to make that into a linky, unfortunately.
jayt, I’ll ‘talk’ you thru it if you want. It’s not hard and you’ll use it all the time. I promise.
BTW ~ Happy Mother’s Day everyone. I always give my mom props on my birthday. She did all the work! *wink
Kitt @ 9
No, he’s not but he hasn’t gotten the memo yet.
noonan, how’d the meet and greet go yesterday?
STTP in Ohio @ 17
Some of it perhaps, but a part is certainly various Iraqies seeking to finance either themselves or the insurgency or both. In Nigeria, they’re very good at taping into the pipelines. I’m not sure, but I don’t think it’s that hard to do.
Lindy-
Show image isn’t clickable.
Lindy @ 22
Good, thanks for asking! Small crowd, but people I didn’t already know personally remembered my name from the last election. My opponent was there, as was our State Senator (Dem and up for election this year). Lots of good vibes. Naturally, no media, they’ll just take a press release from my opponent and run it as news.
I’m giving Rudy a pass on the Iowa farmer fiasco. We’ve created a system that forces our candidates to raise huge amounts of money. It’s the system that’s wrong. It forces our candidates to cater to the rich and to corps.(and we know how that’s working out). So, on this one issue, I’m not condemning him. On other issues, I hope he gets decimated.
Have people seen the latest weekly update from Media Matters? I thought it was exceptionally good.
Noonan @ 25
Haven’t you heard? The press is in India.
Kathryn in MA @ 14
Heh. There is a chance that Dubya will serve in Iraq.
I’m not finding the subject of recruitment funny at the moment. My son’s step-brother just enlisted – when he asked my son his opinion, Nick told him he thought it was a stupid decision. Those two had a falling out.
Then the recruiter got involved. Sent my son several threatening text messages (which I’ve now seen), showed up at my son’s apartment (where his other step-brother went out to the guy’s car, said “what’s up, and the recruiter said “I forgot my gun, I’ll be right back”).
So my son Nick hustles over to my place, and I call for a squad car to make a report. Nick’s cell phone rings – he says it’s the recruiter, and I listen in as the guy is screaming (at my son) “I’m gonna blow your fucking head off!”). By that time, the phone was in *my* hand, and when I finally spoke, he dared me to call the cops “over to (my) crib”. I obliged him on that one.
The only question now is whether or not to swear out a complaint.
With the single exception of Obama on Steph’s show it looks like a typically bleak Sunday bobblehead lineup.
Got my cuppa (have one of those Saeco one-cup-at-a-timers)
Do you think that Iraq will now be W’s distraction from all the crap happening in his government? Frank Rich has a great one today:
Yet, on the boobleheads it’s either Iraq or whether Fred Thompson gets in on the GOP bloodbath coming in 08.
Our country is literally crumbling all around us and these idiots can’t smell the smoke because their collective noses are jammed up Rove’s and Drudge’s ___.
Oh, keepers of the flame…where art thou?
jayt @ 29
There is no question in my mind what I would do.
jayt @ 29
Might be best to talk to a lawyer first. You don’t know if there is some clause in the Patriot Act or some executive descision that allows the recruiter to get away with his outrageous behavior.
Hey, does anyone have a good egg casserole recipe that doesn’t involve putting in the fridge overnight? My wife made one request for this morning, and I can’t find our recipe anywhere. Something that involves shredded ham would be outstanding.
jayt @ 29
I’m not finding the subject of recruitment funny at the moment. My son’s step-brother just enlisted – when he asked my son his opinion, Nick told him he thought it was a stupid decision. Those two had a falling out.
Then the recruiter got involved. Sent my son several threatening text messages (which I’ve now seen), showed up at my son’s apartment (where his other step-brother went out to the guy’s car, said “what’s up, and the recruiter said “I forgot my gun, I’ll be right back”).
So my son Nick hustles over to my place, and I call for a squad car to make a report. Nick’s cell phone rings – he says it’s the recruiter, and I listen in as the guy is screaming (at my son) “I’m gonna blow your fucking head off!”). By that time, the phone was in *my* hand, and when I finally spoke, he dared me to call the cops “over to (my) crib”. I obliged him on that one.
question now is whether or not to swear out a complaint.
OMG…definitely file a complaint. This is not someone stable enough to be representing our military, let alone have a gun. Definitely, file a complaint and contact the media.
noen @ 23
It probably isn’t hard to do, but part of my point is “hot oil” isn’t like a “hot TV”; you can’t just take it anywhere since it must be processed. So, someone at some refinery somewhere must know something.
Noonan @ 33
Umm, Noonan, this isn’t looking good for you. Her only request? And you can’t find the recipe? So, does that mean you may not have all the ingredients? Dude, buy flowers quick.
Must be that “hot oil” that’s causing the refinery problems — you know, all that maintenance and stuff responsible for gas prices.
jayt, can I ask…Are you afraid of government reprisal? Is that why you’re hesitating?
Ok, y’all here it is! Straight from the horse’s ass! John McCain on MTP Just now! I swear!
noen @ 32
I am a lawyer. I’ve been around the criminal system long enough to know what’s just talk, and when to take it seriously. It is, in Indiana, behavior such as this would qualify as the crime of Intimidation, a D Felony. (the lowest of Indiana felonies)
Problem is, from talking to people who know this recruiter, it’s 50-50 as to whether that’d shut him down, or just send him totally off the deep end.
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I told my son to get a shotgun, barricade his doors at night, and to just try to hang on til tomorrow, when I will personally go talk to the detective and prosecutor’s office.
There is no way McCain said dick. You must have heard wrong.
Well, she’s in a good mood so far, and I explained things to her. I think I found something I can use.
Damn PW….Sabbath Gasbags!
I just spewed perfectly good coffee….
Oh Great. Just call him Dubya 3!
and the police did send someone over to have a little talk with the guy Friday night, and it’s been quiet since then, as far as I know.
cathy @ 41
Maybe he meant “my Dick, Cheney”.
Can I respectfully say that I don’t agree with this advice. What if the worst happens and your son (in self-defense) kills a man. This is not something I would want my son to go through. Not to mention, the legal problems that would ensue.
Jayt, definetly file a complaint before it gets further out of control
cathy @ 41
No, no, no I didn’t. I have a dvr and played it back over and over. In fact, I had to play it over and over just to transcribe the above.
Last week it was Richard Perle; today L. Paul Bremer gets the WaPo inkspace today in his op-ed No More Mr. Punching Bag: What We Got Right in Iraq. It’s a hoot, but definitely check out the comments for the lacerating barbs! Enjoy the anger!
Well. we may not have Joe Lieberman to kick around this morning, but we do have David Broder.
Shorter Broder: Paper trails bad. Elections should be decided by 5 wise men in D.C.
P.S. Be sure to check out the comments section.
As usual with WaPo op-ed pieces, the comment section is far more illuminating than the piece itself.
OT. Today’s Boston Globe has a very interesting article based on Rose Kennedy’s private papers. Well worth the time to read, believe me.
bellesouth @ 49
Well, I won’t get to hear it for another two hours. I’ll see if they remove it by then.
bellesouth @ 49
Did Steph blink or stammer when he next spoke?
jayt at 29
Then the recruiter got involved. Sent my son several threatening text messages (which I’ve now seen), showed up at my son’s apartment (where his other step-brother went out to the guy’s car, said “what’s up, and the recruiter said “I forgot my gun, I’ll be right back”).
So my son Nick hustles over to my place, and I call for a squad car to make a report. Nick’s cell phone rings – he says it’s the recruiter, and I listen in as the guy is screaming (at my son) “I’m gonna blow your fucking head off!”). By that time, the phone was in *my* hand, and when I finally spoke, he dared me to call the cops “over to (my) crib”. I obliged him on that one.
The only question now is whether or not to swear out a complaint.
oh, please do it……..i am not one to condone lookin’ for a fight, but this is wrong on so many levels……..the recruiter calling on your son’s cell phone is evidence, what reason would he have to do that except to harass? please nail him to the wall.
years ago, a recruiter signed my sister after a few beers…….when she changed her mind he told her she couldn’t—my dad told her to fight it, volunteer army, time of peace……..she didn’t go…….was a hassle, but it is beyond contempt what some of them do.
knew someone married to a recruiter, he was as slimy as they come, wished there was something i could have done about him, there wasn’t…….
but you can.
maybe there are parameters involved in the family that would make it difficult, i don’t know that, only you know that, but i would think about filing charges. maybe the step-brother was manipulated and needs to think twice, sounds like the recruiter is one of those aggressive types that can influence a young man into not thinking straight.
Kitt, he was on MTP. He was saying “I have an obligation to do what my dick …” like he was going to use another word, but what word would that be except dick. What word would one be trying to say and then stop themselves to say “conscience” “knowledge”?
close tags?
Can I respectfully say that I don’t agree with this advice. What if the worst happens and your son (in self-defense) kills a man. This is not something I would want my son to go through. Not to mention, the legal problems that would ensue.
The recruiter told my son’s room-mate that there’s a contract out on Nick. Not from him, supposedly, but from the goddamned step-brother. These guys aren’t going to knock on the door and ask whether they can come in.
And yes, I did have a long talk with Nick as to whether he could live with it if he had to shoot in self-defense. Indiana has strong laws in that area too. I’ve always viewed them as being *too* strong, damn near a copy of Florida’s shoot-first crap, but at the moment I don’t hate them so much.
OT ~ FDL PSA…Sunday School:
How to make a ‘Hotlink’. Also called an ‘Embedded link’.
1) In the comment box type “LINKY” (it really can be anything you want to make ‘hot’, with or with out the quotes).
Next either:
2a) From the address bar at the top of an open window, highlight the URL and copy it using ‘Ctrl C’ or right click over the highlight ‘Copy’ [ex: my other open window at this moment is C&L]
OR
2b) Put your cursor over another Hotlink you want and using your right mouse button, ‘copy shortcut’ [ex: from the Blogroll on the left side of FDL we’ll use Wonkette]
3) Back at the comment window, highlight “LINKY”
4) Click on the ‘LINK’ button directly above the comment window and a message box will appear at the top.
5) ‘Paste’ [Ctrl ‘V” or right click ‘Paste’] the URL/shortcut into the first message box and click ‘OK’
6) The next message box should read “LINKY” already but change it if you want then click ‘OK’
7) You should have a Hotlink: LINKY-C&L or LINKY-Wonkette.
Everything on the internets has a URL [also known as a ‘Permalink’] and anything with a URL can be linked. Every comment here has a number on the right side and that number is it’s unique Permalink/URL, no two are the same. ever! Here’s your original comment:
“I don’t know how to linky…”
Hope this helps…use it in good health.
Good morning!
If I announced on my website (I don’t have one), but if I kidnapped soldiers and held them hostage and announced on my website that I was holding them hostage, wouldn’t the location of the origin of my website be able to be tracked by a techi immediately? I don’t understand how Al-Qaeda in Iraq or whoever they are can post things like that on a website and not be immediately located. Am I wrong about this? How does that happen?
STUPIDITY REIGNS SUPREME…OR DOES IT?
What do we know about stupidity, Frank Zappa said it has to be the basic building block of the Universe due to the fact there is so much of it. What can we do about it and how it can effect our lives.
There are degrees of stupidity and we have deliberate acts of stupidity, therein we leave stupidity behind and get into the realm of criminal acts which is where most of the world operates today, including the present administration.
Without morality or ethics, human behavior leaves the domain of civilization and the boundaries of the rule of law.
So from an objective point of view we can view our country as having lost it’s constitutional bearings, it’s moral turpitude and ethical standards in favor of PROFIT and corporate greed. That has precipitated the undoing of democracy in favor of the rule by a political Cabal. Kindness, peace and virtue have little value in the competitive corporate world.
Several generations have been educated in a system that encourages cheating. So our education system fosters criminal behavior when they matriculate the business or government environment…
[Mod Note; Edited by Mod for length. To help keep the FDL servers running smoothly and to avoid any copyright issues, please do not post entire articles — include a link instead. Thank you. ]
Kitt @ 9
Yes. And the blond woman is still dead.
LS @ 60
There are ways around it. Different software and servers that hide your identity.
fox, on mother’s day? rudy doesn’t do subtle…
retirin’ in five @ 37
You just had to get me goin’ on this.
As I have commented before, the US should go into the refining business immediately. This would stop the gaming of supply and demand of refined oil which is the main cause of the intentional supply bottlenecks that drive up prices.
The supply of crude oil is at a 5 year high. What’s happening with oil is no different than what Enron did with electricity in California a few years ago. It’s reprehensible and Congress should put a stop to it at once.
I think most of us agree we need to do a better job of conservation and developing alternative fuels. That said, we shouldn’t be held hostage by the oil companies ability to game the system.
bellesouth @ 56
Right. I got that. Except I forgot that he was on MTP instead of Stephanapppp show. So then, my question changes to, did Russert blink or stammer when next he spoke.
jayt 40
Problem is, from talking to people who know this recruiter, it’s 50-50 as to whether that’d shut him down, or just send him totally off the deep end.
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I told my son to get a shotgun, barricade his doors at night, and to just try to hang on til tomorrow, when I will personally go talk to the detective and prosecutor’s office.
well, looks like the recruiter finally messed with/pushed around/threatened the wrong young man……just like one who messed with my sister with my dad at her back…..best wishes for your resolution of this ugly situation,
jayt @ 29
I’m not finding the subject of recruitment funny at the moment. My son’s step-brother just enlisted – when he asked my son his opinion, Nick told him he thought it was a stupid decision. Those two had a falling out.
Then the recruiter got involved. Sent my son several threatening text messages (which I’ve now seen), showed up at my son’s apartment (where his other step-brother went out to the guy’s car, said “what’s up, and the recruiter said “I forgot my gun, I’ll be right back”).
So my son Nick hustles over to my place, and I call for a squad car to make a report. Nick’s cell phone rings – he says it’s the recruiter, and I listen in as the guy is screaming (at my son) “I’m gonna blow your fucking head off!”). By that time, the phone was in *my* hand, and when I finally spoke, he dared me to call the cops “over to (my) crib”. I obliged him on that one.
The only question now is whether or not to swear out a complaint.
Yes.
And write out a full account, find a post office that’s open today, and mail it to yourself (certified) so you have a date-stamped record.
And if your congresscritter isn’t useless, contacting their constituent service aide (home office) and the constituent services aide of your Senators.
Sic ‘em on the homicidal recruiter.
Hope you smash the bastard(s).
jayt @ 29
I’m not finding the subject of recruitment funny at the moment. My son’s step-brother just enlisted – when he asked my son his opinion, Nick told him he thought it was a stupid decision. Those two had a falling out.
Then the recruiter got involved. Sent my son several threatening text messages (which I’ve now seen), showed up at my son’s apartment (where his other step-brother went out to the guy’s car, said “what’s up, and the recruiter said “I forgot my gun, I’ll be right back”).
So my son Nick hustles over to my place, and I call for a squad car to make a report. Nick’s cell phone rings – he says it’s the recruiter, and I listen in as the guy is screaming (at my son) “I’m gonna blow your fucking head off!”). By that time, the phone was in *my* hand, and when I finally spoke, he dared me to call the cops “over to (my) crib”. I obliged him on that one.
The only question now is whether or not to swear out a complaint.
Based on the scenario you described, by all means.
LS at 60, I answered you about being tracked at 63 but it got caught in moderation.
Sorry mods…just trying to be informative. You see my mom used it be my best ‘computer pupil’ and this is my first MomsDay without her. I guess I’m just trying to fill in that blank. No real chance of that.
LS @ 60
I know that seems like a possibility given some of what one sees on crime shows but the Internet is not like a GPS. The feed from a computer can be routed through routers/ISPs all over the world and mirrord/masked in ways that are very difficult to trace. One of the strengths of Al Qaeda seems to be its embrace of technology in ways our side seems not to have anticipated.
LS @ 60
Not everyone has an NSA.
Other benchmarks in the news today:
55 killed & 115 injured in 2 truck bombings; U.S. commander says surge not working, needs more troops; Iraq oil pirating funding insurgency, sourced to U.S. government report.
mornin’
STTP in Ohio @ 64
Gaming the system and holding the nation hostage is the whole point. We have two oil men with intimate ties with the Saudis at the head of our governemt. What else do you expect?
Excellent, Lou Costello.
Thanks.
Lou Costello @ 69
I’m so sorry that you’re going through that today Lou. I lost my mom 5 years ago 5/18, so I can relate. Now, I’m wondering what you wrote!:)
STTP in Ohio @ 64
Amen
Jane (nyc) @ 70
Thanks. I had been wondering about that for a couple of years, and that makes sense.
LS @ 75
Refresh (F5) you page and it now there at #63. And thanks for your thoughts.
Has anyone read this from todays Washington Post?
Pentagon Hopes to Expand Aid Program
Reads to me like a way to support the American arms industry.
Here’s a snippet:
With thanks to Lou Costello for his fabulous linkie instructions!
noen @ 73
To quote “Dr. Bones”:
“It’s worse than that Jim, he’s dead.”
We’re reaping the seeds sown by laissez-faire Conservatism. You can’t trust the government. Market forces are the answer to our problems. Oversight is a bad thing.
IIRC, either MoJo or TomPaine had an article about this last week – examples of how “Conservatism” has led to breakdowns at local levels of basic public services. This is where we can turn the tables on the Right. If the government won’t fix the potholes in the road, who will?
Wow, Phoenix Woman, you seem to have some unresolved issues w/ your Grandmother if you publicly state she looks like that UberWeasel Mitch McConnell. Ouch!
jayt
I was just getting ready to suggest contacting your congressional office (if they’re not rabidly pro-war) but I see Kirk just beat me to it. So I’ll second that. Most federal agencies listen when they get a congressional complaint….perhaps that will at least get the attention of the recruiter’s boss. And what about the congressional and senate committee chairs that look at military issues?
Your son is lucky to have you to guide and support him. The recruiting environment is really scary these days. The recruiters lied to my son, and he usually knows BS from non, but at first he believed them. Fortunately he ended up not going. The worst day of my life was when I thought he was going to the Army. Good luck.
Just saw this on TPM, looks like Rude Rudy is getting some MSM attention…
http://electioncentral.tpmcafe…..y_campaign
bellesouth @ 49
That is just…Manchcurian.
I don’t have access…what is his affect/demeanor? Lately he comes across as ‘Stepfordish’.
Noonan @ 79
Why Halliburton, of course.. Just give us a million bucks and a few undocumented workers and we’ll get that hole fixed in a couple of months
Fern @ 79
That just made my day ~ THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH.
jayt @ 29
I’m not finding the subject of recruitment funny at the moment. My son’s step-brother just enlisted – when he asked my son his opinion, Nick told him he thought it was a stupid decision. Those two had a falling out.
Then the recruiter got involved. Sent my son several threatening text messages (which I’ve now seen), showed up at my son’s apartment (where his other step-brother went out to the guy’s car, said “what’s up, and the recruiter said “I forgot my gun, I’ll be right back”).
So my son Nick hustles over to my place, and I call for a squad car to make a report. Nick’s cell phone rings – he says it’s the recruiter, and I listen in as the guy is screaming (at my son) “I’m gonna blow your fucking head off!”). By that time, the phone was in *my* hand, and when I finally spoke, he dared me to call the cops “over to (my) crib”. I obliged him on that one.
The only question now is whether or not to swear out a complaint.
That should not be a question. You swear out the complaint.
Jeebus, if they are putting this much pressure on recruiters, what must it be like for officers and troops in Iraq?
In other media news, last Thursday, on his visit to Baghdad, Cheyney spoke with Faux News:
“We didn’t get elected to worry about just the fate of the republican party. Our mission is to do everything we can to prevail…against one of the most evil opponents we’ve ever faced.”
He left out:
“As represented by those 11 assholes; REPUBLICAN assholes, who came to the White House and beat on my personal sockpuppet like he was a rented mule, then went out and bragged to NBC about it.”
“This kind of Terrrism simply can’t be tolerated. It tears at the very fabric of the country. We’re calling up the entire National Guard to protect America. As of 0800 hours tomorrow morning they will surround the White House, and the only republican congressmen allowed in will have to swear a blood oath to keep their pie-holes shut while we drag the GOP into the La-Brea-east-bullshit-and-bodyparts quagmire that we have created in Iraq, and then hold it’s head under until it stops struggling.
Thank you, and God bless ‘murka.
Vice President Richard Cheyney.”
Blank Kludge @ 84
possibly a devil’s brew of ED drugs, antidepressants, tranquilizers, and anti-alzheimers medications. You put enough mind-affecting drugs in a system, it’ll freeze up. I’ve watched it happen to better people than St. Mc!
HotFlash @ 87
its like this:
http://www.defensetech.org/archives/003467.html
you now have to get your CO’s permission to send an email to your wife, son, or mom. Geesh!
Alfred Kelgarries @ 88
Maybe he just knows in his heart-of-hearts that his campaign is circling the drain.
Or maybe he’s depressed because Chris Matthews has a new heartthrob.
I love the idea of contacting my congress – person; thanks for that suggestion. I just moved back to Indy right around Christmas, so mine would be Julia Carson (D) (dammit where’s *ilson46201 – I think they’re tight). Before I moved, it was the reprehensible Mike Pence (R). Anyway, that’s an excellent idea, and is now on my list of things to do tomorrow.
Noen@72
Gaming the system and holding the nation hostage is the whole point. We have two oil men with intimate ties with the Saudis at the head of our governemt. What else do you expect?
You will note in my comment I ask for Congress to do something, not the White House. I am fully aware that Darth is the one that got us in this mess with his “energy task force” in the first place.
It is rarely discussed, but another benefit of ending this madness in Iraq would be lower oil prices. It’s probably costing us 50 cents to a dollar a gallon on top of the 275 million per day we already waste.
Yeah, I said waste. Any other conclusion re: this occupation is simply a neocon talking point.
Programming note: According to their schedule, Chimpy will be Live on CSPAN1 at noon eastern. Speaking at the Jamestown 400th Anniversary Celebration.
McCain snapped on the day his un-armed stroll through Baghdad streets hit the tubes. He’s been catching houseflys in a padded cell ever since.
Lou Costello @ 70
So sorry. You’re not alone. This makes 10 for me. A side ‘benefit’ is vistits during dreams.
She musta been quite the woman. And you’re proof she did a pretty good.
As mine would say “Cheerio!” …that was the way she exhibited grace under pressure. If she had known Monty Python, she’d ‘Look on the brightside of life.’
Mine was no student of computing, but she humored my obsessive ramblings and rants.
Peace.
I have to pass this post on to everyone. He’s a financial writer and so it was a surprising to read this there.
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/
Alfred Kelgarries @ 90
They hate us for our freedom.
bellesouth @ 56
My guess is he wanted to say “what my conscience dictates” but got his tongue wrapped around his eye teeth and couldn’t see to talk straight.
Broder is getting his behind kicked again and his nose rubbed in it for his latest guffaw column. The people who are posting comments are calling him out. So far he’s hiding, though. Be interesting to see what, if ever, he tries to defend himself with.
retirin’ in five @ 37
I was listening to Randi Rhodes a few days ago and she was talking about (and I’m still too asleep for anything exact here)how one of the things that have been in short supply in the iRack are spare parts for the meters on the oil pumps.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the phuquers ran backwards.
jayt, Keep us posted.
Lou Costello @ 70
{{{{{Lou Costello}}}}}
Not that this will help, but my mom died twenty years ago last Saturday and I still think about things I want to tell her.
dakine01 @ 102
“We gotta miss our mommas.” Billy Bob’s character in “Primary Colors”, 1998.
Blank Kludge @ 96
Thanks for your kind words. Actually I just started dreaming again for the first time since she pased in Oct. Something about busting open padlocks (there’s some symbolism for ya) and I’m feeling much better. She wasn’t computer-wise but all of her kids are and she was proud of that. I have to say that the best thing she ever did was break away from Faux Noise. She truly believed they were ‘fair and balanced’. But once she started to get the news from the net/blogs…aaaahhh, sunshine!
THANK YOU EVERYONE. The energy on this side is overwhelming…
So for your viewing pleasure: McCainBot!
Mom woulda laughed till she peed over this one!
good luck, jayt -
and apologies for my affontery in telling an attorney how to store and date evudence!
IANAL – glad that you are and can be there for your son!
Lou -
Karmic Koincidence Kaught my iEye.
;~>
On the Morning of Sept 11, 2001, my wife’s son Daniel, who was an engineer with the Port Authority of New York, joined a meeting of German engineeers at Windows on the World. He left behind a wife of his own and two young children. My heart goes out today to all the mothers in the US, Britain, Iraq and Afghanistan who have lost their soldiers and children to the conflict we have brought upon the world.
One of the things the 21st Century was supposed to bring, was that perhaps we had all grown up enough as a species to have tossed armed conflict into the dustbin of history. Yet those who have stolen the reigns of power still think the monetary profit is worth the price in the blood of mother’s children. I pray that one day there will be an end to this tragic war crime and that those who started it are brought to justice before the eyes of the world.
But for today, let us pray for the mothers, whose hearts have been plundered by this senseless waste of their children.
Namaste
Subway
For LS and Lou Costello and others:
I’m one of those who hasn’t quite mastered the buttons here at FDL. But Chris Clarke at Pandagon offered a quick and simple tutorial on writing out the code which I have found quite useful.
I’ve posted this link here a few times but it is one of those things, differnet things work for different people.
Kitt @ 99
When you’re a High Priest of Conventional Wisdom,
you don’t need to respond to criticism from no g** d**m f*****g dirty hippies.
twolf1 @ 94
Thanks, I’ll be sure to miss it.
Re: Moms who have “disappeared”. My mom and I had a conversation years ago about what happens after death. The bemoaned the fact that she never saw any kind of sign from her mother (who died fairly young). I am (I freely confess) a believer in “signs” of sorts. My mother and I shared one really intense thing as I grew up, it was the raising, nurturing, and loving of our beloved budgie (Peppy). He was a great buddy and comfort to me when I was 10 on, because my family traveled all over the world and a move to England at that time was difficult for me, so my parents got me Peppy. Well, five years ago, my mom died.
Last year, I was out at an outdoor event, and I turned around, and there was this darling green budgie – I picked him up, brought him home, and well, he’s just like Peppy!! I picked him up, and brought him home. Not only that, my ex-husband, who my mom loved, found one a month ago too!!
Ooooo…weeee….oooo.
{{{{{{{{{{Subway Serenade}}}}}}}}}}
For you and all your family.
dakine01 @ 110
THX for that…bookmarked for later distribution.
Lou Costello @ 115
Thanks!
Good morning from L.A.
Don’t know if it’s been posted already, but C&L has a link to Slate’s fun interactive guide detailing GOP scandals. Text version also available:
Bushies Behaving Badly
Happy Mother’s Day to all you Moms out there.
Good Morning…. another sunny WARM day in Phoenix …
PLEASE…. Soldiers ARE NOT kidnapped… IN WAR they are CAPTURED. Kidnapping is a civil crime and CAPTURED is military action which ALSO invokes the Geneva Convention protections.
Soldiers ARE NOT hostages but are prisoners of war. These terms are very important because it then comes under the Red Cross/Crescent review for care.
Third Geneva Convention
jayt @ 29
I’m not finding the subject of recruitment funny at the moment. My son’s step-brother just enlisted – when he asked my son his opinion, Nick told him he thought it was a stupid decision. Those two had a falling out.
Then the recruiter got involved. Sent my son several threatening text messages (which I’ve now seen), showed up at my son’s apartment (where his other step-brother went out to the guy’s car, said “what’s up, and the recruiter said “I forgot my gun, I’ll be right back”).
So my son Nick hustles over to my place, and I call for a squad car to make a report. Nick’s cell phone rings – he says it’s the recruiter, and I listen in as the guy is screaming (at my son) “I’m gonna blow your fucking head off!”). By that time, the phone was in *my* hand, and when I finally spoke, he dared me to call the cops “over to (my) crib”. I obliged him on that one.
The only question now is whether or not to swear out a complaint.
Yes, with the police and with the recruiter’s commander. Were you able to save the calls? Haven’t read all the comments yet so maybe you already answered this. This needs to go in a letter to the editor too.
Re: my post 113. Couple of dings, sorry. I can’t see my screen very well so I didn’t edit it well, because of the intense sunlight coming in the window!! If you read it, just ignore the repetitions or whatever. Thanks.
solai @ 101
jayt, Keep us posted.
Thank you all for the comments and suggestions as I’m sitting here thinking this through. I’m about 3/4 scared to death that to attack this guy will set him off on a consequences-be-damned rampage (the guy dared both my son and me to call the cops – told my son specifically that he *wasn’t* afraid of those consequences).
I think I’m gonna go full bore at him. Have my son swear out the complaint, contact his military superiors, contact my congresswoman, and see whether the local TV stations are interested in going out and shine some bright lights in his face right in his recruiting office. Newspaper too. Bright, bright lights for this SOB.
jayt
my .02 – That’s such a shocking incident that you and Nick should, for now, just keep breathing and stay in your bodies (as opposed to being isolated in your own emotional minds) – stay close to your friends and keep talking.
The law is on your side – the only question is how to deal with the Recruiter – who obviously has an anger management/poor boundary control issue (possible PTSD from a tour in Iraq?)
With some space, you may be able to expand your view of the incident and construct a response plan that includes ‘escalation’ options from the least forceful (a chat with the detective,) up through a complaint to the Recruiter’s Commanding Officer or your Congressional Rep, and topping-out at a criminal complaint to the DA – then you’ll be able to hold open room for compassion for the Recruiter, too, if he can recognize that he’s coming un-glued.
The Recruiter needs help – he needs to be professionally evaluated on the gun threat alone, and imvho, Nick’s friend should be given the opportunity to reconsider his decision in light of the ‘coaching’ he got from the imbalanced Recruiter, too.
just my .02, hope you don’t mind,
radio
Geneva Convention?
but that’s so Old Europe and quaint…
What possible use would the Pentagon have for the Geneva Conventions?
Arent they just another “goddamn piece of paper”
Subway Serenade @ 109
The best thing we can do for all of them…and all of us and all there are to come for that matter, is don’t let them get away with it. I’m not talking about 19 guys with box cutters and some diabetic in a cave. Stay informed and be ready. We can start here: John Edwards!
jayt @ 121
Thank you all for the comments and suggestions as I’m sitting here thinking this through. I’m about 3/4 scared to death that to attack this guy will set him off on a consequences-be-damned rampage (the guy dared both my son and me to call the cops – told my son specifically that he *wasn’t* afraid of those consequences).
I think I’m gonna go full bore at him. Have my son swear out the complaint, contact his military superiors, contact my congresswoman, and see whether the local TV stations are interested in going out and shine some bright lights in his face right in his recruiting office. Newspaper too. Bright, bright lights for this SOB.
That man is not “well”…I’d be scared too!!!!
jayt @ 121
Thank you all for the comments and suggestions as I’m sitting here thinking this through. I’m about 3/4 scared to death that to attack this guy will set him off on a consequences-be-damned rampage (the guy dared both my son and me to call the cops – told my son specifically that he *wasn’t* afraid of those consequences).
I think I’m gonna go full bore at him. Have my son swear out the complaint, contact his military superiors, contact my congresswoman, and see whether the local TV stations are interested in going out and shine some bright lights in his face right in his recruiting office. Newspaper too. Bright, bright lights for this SOB.
Good. That’s what I’ve been thinking you should do as I’ve read the comments this morning.
jayt @ 2
Yup. ;-p
So what’s shakin’?
Is Noonan still here? How did his breakfast turn out?
kirk murphy @ 123
Yep you are right… BushCo and Abu have made this true but for those of us who have family members who served, WANT the protections.
Rule #1 in language framing is NOT repeating their words. Reframe it….
“American soldiers were captured on the battlefield and are being held prisoners”
Phoenix Woman @ 126
Oh, nuttin’ much. heh.
Re: The recruiter. It might be wise to try to quietly find out if there are any other “victims” of his behavior. It is better to approach this in a dispersed fashion (i.e., so that his rage is not focused on one accuser) than to attempt to deal with him alone. His behavior is dangerous. Clearly, he has huge problems that are plaguing him.
Happy Mother’s Day to all!!
jayt, I was just thinking yesterday that we have not heard recruiting numbers lately. These people are under intense pressure, and no doubt they are all loose cannons, so to speak.
Publicity is needed on this one, for sure. WRT permission to write mothers and wives, etc. I guess that must be good for teh morale.
Clusterf*ck has certainly clusterf*cked us all.
jayt, if it possible to ascertain the recruiting office’s unit – and then complain to the head of their chain of command (the Pentagon-based military officer) as well as the DOD civilian official nominally responsible for recrutining – that will lodge your action closest to the people who feel the heat from Congress and media…
and farthest from the lower echelons who have at best failed to “notice” and at worst inculcated the recruiter’s aggression and corruption.
jayt @ 121
Thank you all for the comments and suggestions as I’m sitting here thinking this through. I’m about 3/4 scared to death that to attack this guy will set him off on a consequences-be-damned rampage (the guy dared both my son and me to call the cops – told my son specifically that he *wasn’t* afraid of those consequences).
I think I’m gonna go full bore at him. Have my son swear out the complaint, contact his military superiors, contact my congresswoman, and see whether the local TV stations are interested in going out and shine some bright lights in his face right in his recruiting office. Newspaper too. Bright, bright lights for this SOB.
Just please do be careful. The wheels grind slowly. If you recall seeing the stories about the woman recruiter who went all crazy homophobic on the gay kid that she had approached first. I think I saw last week that she had finally been reassigned. Don’t know what punishments she was given however other than loss of recruiter position. And it seems to have taken a couple of months just for that.
Lindy @ 18
Either that, or use Firefox (which is free for the downloading) as a web browser: Everything works fine there, including the latest Java updates that MSIE-based browsers can’t handle.
Lou Costello @ 70
Lou, sorry about your mom, guy.
Looks like the new WaPo ‘comments policy’ has closed D.Broder off from further reply.
I hope uninformed citizens look at the comments on this one. Truly a masterpiece of mangling facts, outcomes, etc.
Doesn’t he believe in democracy at all?
katymine @ 128
Katymine, completely agreed. I believe everyone deserves the Geneva convention: I want US armed forces memebers to have that protection.
Jayt@ 2
My thoughts are with you. I hope and pray all works out.
Lou, Thanks for the linky instruction and your thoughts shared with us this morning.
To all who have lost their mothers, I mourn your loss. This site is remarkable for its compassion and caring.
Me, I am the richest man on earth. My mother in law lives a block away, my 80 year old mother lives 5 blocks away and remains vital, while my wifes greatgrandmother is a force at 79. Thus my
richness and compassion for those who mourn.
Happy Mothers Day to all!
Arrrgh — I can’t connect today! At all. I’ve been trying to post comments for what seems like forever. I apologize for the radio silence — will try a different connection and see if that works.
Lou Costello @ 115
De nada. Just sharing the info wealth as it were.
Phoenix Woman @ 140
Colonel Bat Guano’s revenge.
LS @ 113
My boss is a Phd in Artificial Intelligence with a Neuroscience background and some Quantum Physics (yes he’s a bright guy but you’d never know to meet him…until he starts to talk. He once talked for six minutes straight and as far as i can tell it was all one sentence.) There are these weird phenomena called Bell’s and Leggett’s Inequalities; they basically say that the world doesn’t exist physically unless our minds are somehow interacting with it. Recent experiments have confirmed the validity of Leggett’s stuff, and even found that neutrons in the big CERN particle collider “vanish” spontaneously because they aren’t being observed. Anyway, he says that the big names in AI have for a decade at least been saying consciousness is probably a quantum entanglement process at the level of spacetime or higher.
Bottom line on all this: it isn’t the least bit unscientific to think that our consciousnesses survive the “death” process, nor is religion required to explain it (although we may have developed religions for the very job of trying to do so…) Some day, possibly not that far in the future, some bright boy is going to crack the mind/brain interface and if my boss is right, science is going to have a quantum jump as a result every bit as big as the one from darwin.
Ah, now all my messages are appearing in one big glop.
Jayt: !!!! But yeah, while it’s scary, I agree: Being passive only delays Nutball Guy’s eventual blow-up — it doesn’t prevent it.
Good morning. I woke up to a ridiculous discussion about Giuliani’s abortion views being confusing (CNN) and the rather more pleasant story that the RNC’s annual fundraising gala yielded only $10.5 million for their party, versus $38 million in 2004. What? It’s not cool to be a rethug Pioneer or Cowboy or whatever their fundraising tiers are, anymore?
Djinn’s right; McCain’s done for. He’s about half-senile, already, and as “Free and Democratic Iraq” is finally recognized as the worst-ever chaos-theory petrie dish it is, all those McCain tongue-massages of george bush’s prostate gland are going finish him off, politically speaking.
Veritas78 @ 50
The whole Poop opinion section today is sickening……but the above in particular. On a Mother’s day when so many mothers, and children, are grieving, because of ALL that mr. smug ass punching bag got right.
Obscene.
Watching Stephanopoulous. Seems less combative with Obama than he was with Edwards.
LS @ 131
Excellent idea. This guy has probably done this before…his MO. He’s brainwashed to kill ‘hadji’ and anyone who doesn’t hate ‘those 9ll killers’ as much as they do ’should be shot/deported/tortured’. That’s all he knows: True Lies! Be careful…strength in numbers.
jayt
I think I’m gonna go full bore at him. Have my son swear out the complaint, contact his military superiors, contact my congresswoman, and see whether the local TV stations are interested in going out and shine some bright lights in his face right in his recruiting office. Newspaper too. Bright, bright lights for this SOB.
you being a lawyer,you should especially know that there is a reason for bringing in the police, and having him brought up on charges and prosecuted…..that’s what they’re all there for…..
and yeah, it is possible he is a kook who can cause physical harm, but chances are he’s a tough talkin’ salesman bully who needs called out and taken out of commision……imagine how many young kids he has ’strong-armed’ into the military…….
glad you are going full-steam on this……like i said earlier, he finally picked on the wrong kid…..or the right one, to end his tactics.
good luck to you.
Speaking of McCain’s age. No one talks about Ron Paul being older than McCain. He just wears the years better.
jayt our local Veterans for Peace have been helping youth with military recruiters.
We have a community close to Phoenix which as been targeted even into middle school. These Vets have spoke at the schools and going with the kids helping them deal with the recruiters, assisting with the legalities of their enlistment contracts.
If you have a Vets for Peace group near you, contact them and see what services they provide. Also, Phoenix Nova M radio show About Face will be on at 11am MST (don’t do daylight savings) which is hosted by our local Vets for Peace. They discuss this issue every week. I am sure they would love to hear about your issue. Call in number is 800-989-1480
Listen online:
Phoenix Nova M Radio
Blub @ 144
Hmmm. Here in SF, KQED’s pledge drive is open-ended.
IIRC, the last few drives were fixed-length.
Drive-time pledge breaks are definitely longer, and this AM’s “dollar-for-dollar” grant was not fully met.
Wonder how many more pledge drives before KQED tells NPR National News to stick Tomlinson’s hires and send the neo-cons and neo-libs back to wingnut welfare?
Guess neo-cons and neo-libs just aren’t so popular anymore.
good morning Phoenix Woman and Firepups -
thank you for helping us all out this morning PW – I who never sleep in but just now dragged my ass out of bed – yin and yang indeed :)
hey jayt,
these folks have a recruiter abuses page on their site – ya might find helpful info
btw- google consistently shows approx. 325 recruiter abuse cases a year – wonder what the percentage is
quaker house
Chris Matthews shows a clip from Love, Actually where the Britsh Prime Minister addresses the US President at a joint press conference as a “bully”.
Chris Matthews got all chocked up. Matthews loves symbols of power, compelling speechmaking, cod pieces, fast cars…
choked up
o/t just for a sec
hey speaking of fast cars – are there any F1 gearheads here ? (lurking) just watched my first podium since Schumacher’s retirement and learned about Lewis Hamilton – good gaia !
guys, this is serious. Pakistan is a NUKULAR POWER with MISSILS!
http://cernigsnewshog.blogspot…..aster.html
I see Ms Phoenix Woman suffers from the same sort of potty mouth as I prior to the consumption of COFFEE!
I was actually watching Book TV – there was panel discussing religion at the LA Book Festival. Someone (a heckler/agitator) got taken out.
Now Don Cheadle & John Pendergast are on presently discussing Darfur and the book ‘Not On Our Watch’.
Phoenix Woman @ 140
Happy Mother’s Day, Phoenix Woman.
My Ghod….did anyone else feel the earth move?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…..513/cheney
Blub @ 145
On abortion, Rudy’s tried out more positions than a Great Dane trying to bang a chihuahua.
(don’t know who came up with that first, but I’ve just been WAITING for a chance to use it…. : ) )
Noonan @ 12
Wow. Good for him!
By the way: New Mother’s Day thread goodness up top, complete with lilacs! (Don’t sneeze!)
Alfred Kelgarries 143,
I totally agree. I read that some experiments were done in Japan related to this, and whenever the scientists attempted to “pay attention” or shift their attention to the quantum energy they were observing, the pattern changed or it disappeared. I have experienced many of those “non-coincidents” in my life. I think we experience them frequently, but don’t realize it unless we pay attention.
new thread. And I aced it. Let’s go praise our Mamas.
oddmommy @ 162
Oddmommy, you BAD! Come sit by me. ;-)
Alfred, that’s fascinating.
If there are linkies (for the non-particle physics crowd), that would be great.
Alfred Kelgarries@143
Done.
OT, more or less-
Pat Lang has read Bremer’s self-serving piece in today’s WaPo; he is not pleased, & pulls no punches. An excellent read:
The Axis of Ineptitude
STTP in Ohio @ 17
“billions of dollars of Iraqi oil is missing”
From Joshua Holland at alternet:
“While the Oil Ministry, famously, was one of the few structures the invading forces protected from looters in the first days of the war, the bureaucracy’s human assets weren’t so lucky. With a stroke of the pen, Coalition Provisional Authority boss L. Paul Bremer fired hundreds of ministry personnel, ostensibly as part of the program of “de-Baathification.” But, as Antonia Juhasz, author of “The Bush Agenda,” told me, “it wasn’t an indication that they were a party to Saddam Hussein’s crimes … they were fired because they could have stood in the way of the economic transformation.” Some fraction were certainly hard-core Baathists, but they were all veterans of the country’s oil sector; they knew the industry, they knew what the norms in neighboring countries were and they had no loyalty to the occupation forces. Some had to go.
LS @ 164
there is a really amazing bit of hard science that came out about three years ago. It worked like this: a random number generator was built on a chip to randomly output 1 and 0, several thousand times a second, and send this value to a storage device for later interrogation. About a thousand of these things were mass produced and scattered across the country starting in 2000. But when the results were analyzed, the random walk expected did not materialize. instead, there were long periods of 1 and long periods of 0 which didn’t correlate to proper randomness, something was affecting the chip’s outputs. Then the researchers noticed correlations: lots of 0’s for hours and hours just BEFORE 9-11, then random 0 and 1’s. Same thing before other disasters. The real shocker was the se asian tsunami, for by then the chips had been distributed worldwide and were networked over the internet. for about four hours before the earthquake that caused that tsunami, the chips were all sending out lots and lots of 1’s. As soon as the tsunami hit, they went random or starting doing all 0’s.
This was mainstream and the research is still under way. I’m going to hunt for a link…
kirk murphy @ 167
Check this out Kirk:
http://videobomb.com/posts/show/900
Subway Serenade @ 168
neat stuff, but still external. we need to be able to record thoughts as words and images, and send information back which will turn into words and images (like Teh Matrix). It’ll happen tho…
Alfred 171,
Wow, I just love this stuff!!! More, more!!
Marie Roget @ 169
I saw that. There are a very small number of people, even in this administration, who deserve a special (as opposed to merely a general) place in the very hot place. Bremer, and Mike Brown, top my list… for being lethally incompetent and corrupt, resulting in mass murder on a Biblical scale.
Phoenix Woman @ 166
‘twould be an honor, Ms. PW!
oceanbreeze @ 43
I stole that from Calvin Trillin. :-)
Alfred Kelgarries @ 173
Coming soon to a computer near you. Typing is so 20th century. Brain Wave Control Interface
Nevermind the repeat. FDL acting funny.
What if intelligence IS artificial.
Alfred Kelgarries @ 171
We need to accept the randomness of your binary random number generators right from the start, don’t we?
That IS “hard” science.
;)
Tweety needs to do time — in the REAL prison.
Tweety’s one of those smug South Boston creeps who would never raise a hand against anyone black or gay himself but would gladly hold a basher’s coat while they kicked the shit out of whatever “lesser” mortal roused their ire by breathing.
LS @ 180
This explains A LOT: The Meaning of Life
“Why are we here, what’s life all about?
Is God really real, or is there some doubt?
Well tonight we’re going to sort it all out,
For tonight it’s the Meaning of Life.
What’s the point of all this hoax?
Is it the chicken and egg time, are we just yolks?
Or perhaps we’re just one of God’s little jokes,
Well a c’est the Meaning of Life.
Is life just a game where we make up the rules
While we’re searching for something to say
Or are we just simply spiralling coils
Of self-replicating DNA?
(nay nay nay nay nay nay)
In this life, what is our fate?
Is there Heaven and Hell? Do we reincarnate?
Is mankind evolving, or is it too late?
Well tonight here’s the Meaning of Life.
For millions this life is a sad vale of tears
Sitting round with rien, nothing to say
While the scientists say we’re just simply spiralling coils
Of self-replicating DNA.
(nay nay nay nay nay nay)
So just why, why are we here?
And just what, what, what, what do we fear?
Well e soir, for a change, it will all be made clear,
For this is the Meaning of Life – c’est le sens de la vie -
This is the Meaning of Life”
mulligatawny @ 170
EPU’d on another thread as well, It was reported at the time early in the invasion of Iraq (about the time Basra was being taken) that a pipeline of some considerable dimmension was being installed from Kuwait into Iran “to provide water” which didn’t make sense at the time. IIRC it was 16, (maybe 20)” diameter. This information was in The Irish Times and would probably be in the Guardian as well. Funny now that this issue arrises, liquids in pipes can flow either direction and the size would assure large quantities – water into Iraq, irrational; oil out, most rational. Also IIRC it was Halliburton doing the work and the island where the port was had not been fully stabilized. If Kuwaitis were trans-shipping all this time, who would know?
EPU’d again I see. All the best……
I forget – what this EPU thingie, again?
Lou Costello @ 184
This series looks REALLY interesting. I’m going to listen to the whole thing.
Define: EPU’d
LS @ 188
He has added a 29th: http://www.jamesjtraitz.com/
I can’t seem to edit my YouTube playlist. DRAT!
Lou Costello @ 189
Thanks Lou!
Sometimes I’m underwhelmed by acronyms.
IANAL or IOKIYAR, etc…you can Google anything!
Lou Costello @ 192
Actually I did hit The Google on one of the internets and found this as well.
ITMFA has been one of my favs.
David Ehrenstein @ 183
It’s funny, too, to see him having these hetero man-crushes on people like McCain or Rudy. He’s got “bottom” written all over him.
I’m not finding the subject of recruitment funny at the moment. My son’s step-brother just enlisted – when he asked my son his …..
The only question now is whether or not to swear out a complaint.
**********
YES, swear out a complaint, immediately. The recruiter has amply demonstrated his lack of fitness to carry a weapon. NOW!
Tweety’s the classic Bottom-who-thinks-he’s-a-Top.”