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Lots of tasty tidbits to share this morning:
-- The Agonist has the latest news on Iraq and Afghanistan. Lots of linky goodness here. Oliver Willis has the skinny on soldiers who dare to have opinions. And dammit, Balloon Juice made me laugh so hard that I spewed my coffee. (Warning: divest yourself of all liquids prior to clicking this link. I'm serious.)
-- Juan Cole links to a report on the tens of thousands of folks who participated in peace rallies here in the US yesterday. Of course, it's a link to reporting in a British paper. (I know we had a lot of readers who participated in marches in Boston, SanFran, Chicago and elsewhere yesterday. If you have pictures you'd like to share, link them up in the comments or send a few to me and I'll try and find space to put them up today.)
-- C&L has a great clip from Bill Maher on the idiocy of GOP fear tactics.
-- Crooked Timber on what the meaning of "wide stance" is in the context of free speech versus...um...just having a wide stance in a bathroom stall for...um...yeah, well, just read the article. (Why is it that every time I think about this topic, Mr. Hanky The Christmas Poo comes to mind? Bracing myself for the nutty and corny jokes...)
-- As Patrick at Making Light points out, the Nation dug into the vast, mysterious origins of wingnutty e-mail spam...that Teresa dug into two years ago, along with Buzzflash. I'm just saying...although giving this reporting some wider circulation is a good thing, because election season is coming up again and I'm going to send this to every relative that sends me wingnut spam.
-- Andrew Sullivan has a post on torture worth a read. Especially in the context of the discussion that we had earlier in the week with Stephen Grey at the Film Salon on the upcoming FRONTLINE/World documentary "Extraordinary Rendition." Still waiting for those answers from AG nominee Mukasey...
-- Wolcott on "The New Nepotism."
-- TBogg does some nifty "five brothers blogging." (No connection to Wolcott and nepotism. Why do you ask?)
-- Jamo at Media Matters on the Drudge Mini-Me Wannabe.
-- Skippy has the funniest headline of the week. Mwahahahaha...
-- Duncan on the increasing nastiness of foreclosures. Calculated Risk on the impact in California -- the MercuryNews has more. And some comparisons to the 1980s which are not exactly reassuring, to say the least.
-- File this one under "the stupid...it makes me snicker."
(Photo of breakfast in bed via northpolemama.)
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well, hey!
Christy!
Hey OldCoastie! How are you this morn? Did you get more rain? Been thinking about you. ;->
Good morning all. Great Springsteen video “Last to Die“.
it’s damp and sprinkly here… helping quite a bit… I was looking forward to a night of sleep without worry last night, but I think the stress of it caught up with me… gaw! fire nightmares all night long!
maybe tonight will be better… I think all of us will have a little ptsd…
Since small victories can also mean a lot, there should be a concerted effort to get Kaus fired. His slimey tabloid journalism is unacceptable and his personal attacks on Democratic candidates in 2004 and today put in himn in the same league as Ann Coulter.
The disgusting little creep is nothing but political disinformation. Calling him the drudge mini me is perfect.
OldCoastie @ 5
It reframes the way you think about everything. And takes a long time to go away.
glenn greenwald has a post up on “A bizarre, unsolicited email from Gen. Petraeus’ spokesman,” which would be funny if it weren’t so scarey.
glenn also posted the complete email - which is helpful because while i always enjoy glenn’s posts, nothing could make his point better than the actual letter. wow.
OldCoastie @ 5
I wouldn’t be surprised. Do take care. I would think just the ongoing cleanup and coping with the aftermath would be awful. We’re thinking of you.
Remember those Sunni militias/insurgents/terrorists we were fighting about a year ago — you know, the ones that magically transformed into Sunni tribesmen who were fighting al Qaeda in the last six months?
Well, you’ll all be glad to know that they are officially morphing again, into “Concerned Local Citizens” groups. And not less a brilliant journalist that Judith Miller’s old partner, Michael Gordon, has annointed them “neighborhood watch groups”
At this rate of metamorphosis, Anbar will be Lidsville by next November’s election…
Lindsay Grahamcracker repeating over and over, “Iran is killing our kids in Iraq”…
hope he’s the next one on Larry Flynt’s list…
Morning Christy, morning all!
In the dept. of the weird down here in OC, may I note that it rained the weekend before the fires, and drizzled yesterday although today looks like it’s clearing up (and hopefully I can finish the outdoors painting that was put on hold two weeks ago)…!
Off to check the balloon linky since a chuckle sounds good right now…
OldCoastie @ 11
HRC says “ya know.” Dodd says “here.” Both very annoying & a little speech training would cure it.
Wow..Lindsay Graham saying that Waterboarding is definitely torture and definitely illegal.
solai @ 15
but he’ll still support Mukasey
Ok, I missed Dodd on Meet the Punkinhead.
Other than the “here” speech tic, was it good?
Ooops. Dodd on wrong side of hedge fund taxation. Guess he needs the donations.
OMG! Safire just said on MTP that he thinks Hillary will pick Rahm Emmanuel for VP. This gives us an additional reason to hope Hillary doesn’t get the nomination. OTOH, Safire thinks Rudy Guiliani would choose Condi as a running mate. We’re doooommed!
Ann in AZ @ 19
…or at least we would be, if Safire had gotten anything right the last 20 or so years….
I think Safire is just talking out his ass… he doesn’t know anything… Rahm’s a dumbshit and I don’t think Hillary wants a dumbshit on her ticket.
leinie @ 17
Mediocre. Most of what he says sounds reasonable. But Timmeh keeps hitting him up on his changing position on Iraq. Dodd’s answer is that his words reflected what was known at the time, not what we learned subsequently. I understand that, but it sounds like excuses from today’s perspective. Besides, he’s not actually right, since many knew at the time he was making those statements (SH has WMDs, U.S. is safer with him gone) that they weren’t true and that future evidence would reveal that.
solai @ 15
Actually, I’m not surprised about this, but the problem is that when the chips are down, he folds like a pleated skirt!
leinie @ 17
You can watch it in its entirety (except for commercials) anytime after, I think it is, noon or maybe as late as 6:00 PM today on the MTP website.
OldCoastie @ 21
Russert did point out that they didn’t get along when she was first lady.
eCAHNomics @ 18
This has been the #1 reason I’ve been hesitant about supporting Dodd. His long, close ties to hedge funds and big banking interests. He repeatedly said he understands the business, I think he understands it a bit too much, “after 25 years on the committee” (as he repeatedly said). Yes, I’d much rather have him than Hillary, but I don’t like the ties he has with corporate banks.
Thanks, Ann and eCAHNomics. (I just love the Lake.)
So it was hammering on Iraq, and no attention to the Constitution?
noonan @ 26
could we have dodd for the constitution, edwards for domestic economics, and i don’t know who (kucinich? carter?) for foreign policy?
Rejecting Mukasey is so important. If he’s confirmed America is telling the world that we’re okay with torture. Right now we can, at least, defend ourselves by blaming Bush and saying that Congress passed a law banning torture but Bush sidestepped it. That might be feeble but not nearly as damaging as if Mukasey is okayed.
7 Yrs ago when The U.S.A was the champion of human rights, did you ever imagine we would be having this conversation?
leinie @ 27
A couple of refs. But Timmeh even managed to tar him on that, pointing out he used his filibuster threat in a fundraising letter. His answer was somewhat apologetic, but I thought he should have just come out & ask why he shouldn’t raise money from those who agree with a principled stand.
Last word from this house concerning Larry Craig. I swear!
-but-
WHO do you know, WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND, would willingly, intentionally pick up a piece of toilet paper from a bathroom floor in the airport?!
pullleeeeeeze!
if i were his judge, he’d have to plead insanity and a wide, vacant gap between the ears.
selise @ 28
Richardson for foreign policy.
OldCoastie @ 21
Plus Rahm is also from Illinois. Ludicracy to put together a one state slate.
I’m not certain why I even need to say this, but William Safire has long been the launderer of GOP-planted target rumors designed to stir dissent in the opposition. He’s like Robert Novak witha better vocabulary. Believe him at your own risk…you are better served considering why he says something and who it helps if it is true than actually listening to him.
Good Morning, friends:
I’m going to heed egregious’ advice from last night and take care of myself by asking for whatever thoughts and prayers you can send, after your morning rituals for our SoCal folk (all blessings to you from me). I am apparently having a recurrence of my retinal detachment, early stage, and am leaving momentarily for the eye doc’s. I expect that whatever happens, my activity will be re-restricted and my reading stopped again, so I may only be popping in occasionally for awhile.
I have seen the energy that flows from our friendship and have asked for it for my patients many times. Today, I just need a few seconds’ worth, for healing and for a bit of strength. I’m a pretty good patient, for a nurse, but if surgery is needed again it means another 6 weeks totaling 9 weeks away from life generally and my work especially (the hardest part).
I’ll comment here or let somebody know the outcome, and will thank you most tenderly for your thoughts.
namaste
zen
solai @ 32
Would you guys rather have them Prez., or in the cabinet, or in the Senate. Any would suit me.
Gosh, the more I hear about Ford’s opinions, the more I respect him. Too bad he didn’t come out with all that while he was alive & it might have done some good.
eCAHNomics @ 30
I thought the point that Tim was pressing was whether this was a principled stand or a politically calculated stand to gain our votes and our money. What Tim didn’t ask is whether we care, or whether it’s more important for a major candidate to take a stand publicly on the issue.
zen at 35 — Big, gentle hugs, sweetie. Hope you feel better soon and that surgery isn’t required…
((((((zennurse))))))
Christy Hardin Smith @ 34
Hmmm. split the dems, and propel a 3rd party candidate?
blessings, zen - hope all goes well…
Hi
The Mercury News has stopped shipping papers to my area of the San Joaquin Valley. If you stop by the link please add a little protest for me. I still like to read paper/print on Sunday for sure and there are a lot of commuters that are going to be disappointed this morning when the show up at favorite newsstand.
Thanks All
jo6pac
(((zennurse)))
will upload some more audio files for you. won’t help your eye, but will make me feel better. hugs and here’s hoping you don’t require another operation.
What Safire doesn’t know about the D party would fill the whole outdoors. Ditto what he doesn’t know about the voting public.
solai @ 32
or Biden on foreign policy.
I don’t know what Sully’s complaining about. This was the world he wanted.
“Buyer’s Remorse” I guess.
Good, clean fun:
http://www.kamazutra.be/corde
Click off the popup. It’s harmless. Ponder too long and you’ll miss the beginning.
The kid in me is gonna find a coupla friends and try this out.
David at 47 — That would be a fabu post…I know it’s been done elsewhere, but your take would be awfully interesting, in case you needed some incentive…
DiFi acted just like the good little Bush Bot…telling us that Boosh was great about coming to Calif and everything the Feds did were excellent…(paraphrasing, but you get the gist)…She is an abomination, how can California recall her, she is doing all this now because she won’t run again…Harvey Milk was right about her.
OldCoastie @ 11
It’s either him or Miss McConnell(as Howie calls him). It has to be. I can’t think of anyone else, unless it’s someone who there has been no rumors about.
or as the good Roger Ailes calls him
William Safliar
Duncan Hunter blaming environmentalists for the fires.
Hey Duncan! How about we cough up some cash for some goats? They are pretty environmental…
David Ehrenstein @ 47
yes. but far preferable to those who want to buy and second round.
Oh…and pumpkinhead was really disgusting with Sen Dodd….it was gotcha gotcha gotcha to the billionth degree…..I wonder whose campaign button timmeh is hiding under his lapel
David Ehrenstein @ 47
I don’t give Sully much credit, but at least he’s able to admit his error. Small as it may be.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 34
I would go so far as to say that Safire has been the media mouthpiece for Republicans for decades. I never believe him, but I consider what he says with caution just in case. Even a broken clock is right twice a day. Sometimes old timers get a scoop. One just never do know, do one?
Thanks for the linkage! An excellent source for everything you ever wanted to know about wingnut email passalongs is My Right-Wing Dad.
((((ZENNURSE)))
Best thoughts.
Patrick at 58 — Mwahahahaha — what a great idea for a blog. You are more than welcome for the linkage, and I sadly have a feeling that I’m going to recognize far too many e-mails from relatives…
epu’d
Yes, rufous hummingbird is a west coast bird. Very aggressive, actually. Had one come right up in front of my face in a CA national park.
Only hummingbird in Peterson’s Eastern Bird of NA field guide is the ruby-throated.
noonan @ 26
Dodd’s voting record this year on tough “progressive” votes was near the bottom for the Dems. Dodd is what a New England
Republican was 40 tears ago. If he is elected president he would be tough on restoring the Constitution; not so good on other issues.
Franco @ 55
I can’t stand to watch him. If he played the same gotcha act with Republicans, it would be entertaining. But he coddles Republicans (and HoJo) and always beats up Democrats. Stefanopoulis does the same thing - only he is more gentle in his demeanor.
Steve-AR @ 62
Restoring the constitution would at least be a start.
selise @ 8
Yeah, the full letter was remarkable wasn’t it? Petty. Stupid, And replete with wingnuttery. Weird. Can you imagine Clark or Powell with a spokesman like that?
ot -
1) next week’s list of congressional committee hearings is up. the big one’s i expect christy to be especially interested in are tuesday’s, “House Judiciary Committee hearing on the Civil Rights division of the DOJ with John Tanner, and wednesday’s “Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on FISA”
2) i just uploaded three more items hugh sent me for his list of bush era scandals… he’s now up to 274.
Steve-AR @ 62
He has also moved to a sane position on the Iraq occupation. I don’t happen to share siun’s and other folks’ faith in Richardson’s position. But Dodd really has left the permanent occupation camp that the other candidates (I don’t really count Kucinich or Gravel) are in.
zennurse -
{{{Multiple these by 100}}}
P.S. -
Your “yellow mellow, etc” yesterday was priceless. ;-)
Nancy Pelosi may not know it, but we have many examples of Kommander Guy being amused by the Iraq Genocide. Remember, the “Where are the Weapons of Mass Destruction” skit. What is funnier than “Bring It ON!” From, May 1, 2003, we have this amusing joke (with a large amusing sign) “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED”.
Four and a half years later, David Brooks informs us that there will be many more years of very funny wars. Someone needs to tell the Bush Dog Pelosi, that The Decider Dictator is also amused about War with Iran. ThinkProgress has David Brooks,saying that King George Bush thinks Iran is a source of amusement and is a joke. When King George laughs, people get murdered. Brooks is also amused about the wars, and hopes they will continue for years.
zennurse @ 35
Hopefully a little laser work will get it fixed. You are right, the surgery is not much fun..lying face down for two weeks with a big air bubble inside the eye……..
Good stuff, Christy. And it’s good to see Wes Clarke; there, and enjoying it, too.
I think Clarke would have been (May YET be?) a worthy addition to the dem candidates.
Steve-AR @ 62
At this moment, restoring the Constitution is first and foremost.
dakine01 @ 72
I only caught the tail end of the show, couldn’t find the channel, from when teh pumpkin was doing the neeneer neeneer with the opinion poll onward.
I’m squarely in the restore the constitution camp and want to see checks and balances fully restored.
Steve-AR @ 62
I’ve been thinking about this and I think Steve Ar’s and noonan’s opinions bode well for Dodd’s ability to win the general election.
Lindy @ 64
Has Dodd said what his opinion on the hedge fund issue is? Is he like Schumer, sucking up to the hedge fund guys? Would he do anything different as President than he did in the Senate?
Damn the mclaughlin[sp?] dude on PBS talking about osama with the Bomb!
Ann in AZ @ 57
Don’t forget that Safire was the Trickster’s speechwriter. And IIRC, he was the one who coined the “nattering nabobs of negativity” line for Spiro T.
Joe Klein’s conscience @ 75
My impression was that he’d regulate it. I’ve not followed that debate so it’s pretty much greek to me.
Boston1775 @ 74
That is why I don’t fixate on particular policy issues…that comes from electing more progressives to Congress and having a Dem President who won’t veto everything. I want a President who will do the most damage to the Republican party. Edwards, Hillary, or Dodd..Obama would be at the bottom of the list.
selise @ 8
Drunk with power, this guy really believes that Bush is omnipotent and infallible. That colonel is forehead deep in the Koolaid… Nice flat top he’s got there.
New Christy upstairs Hans down?
noonan @ 26
I worked in risk management in subprime, ’till I had to quit 3 years ago to save the remnants of my moral sanity. There’s an old exemplar quote from Michael Lewis: “The firm made money, and the broker made money. Two out of three ain’t bad.”
Another generic saying that’s a fav among bankers: “The best things in life are FEE.”
zennurse @ 35
My thoughts of concern and healing go out to you, Zennurse.
Adie @ 9
Amen from the northwest Oldcoastie, the best to you and all who have come through this fire.
As I posted in the “Hans” thread above, I didn’t bring my camera, but bravenewfilms.org has a good write up & photo of the peace march myself & six friends attended in downtown L.A.:
Thousands March Against the War
msmolly @ 83
We have not conversed on this blog with each other but I have read many of your comments and I too wish you well.
Nothing but good thoughts going out to zennurse.
I saw one small mention of these marches on daily KOS…why weren’t ALL of the progressive blog sites pushing these marches and posting time and place information to these marches?
The progressive blogosphere can’t whine about low attendence and media attention to these marches if they don’t do EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER to promote and draw attention to them, before AND after!
I think there was a real “Failure To Communicate” here!
Barack Obama : Am I Black Enough For President
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mq5FxRpLgos
A view from New England. Not sure where.
http://www.tabblo.com/studio/stories/view/431626/
Some supporting feedback needed in that heckling has already begun. Membership is required to post.
selise @ 28
Chris Edwarter? Hee haaa hooo LOL
eCAHNomics @ 37
If you’re suckered into believing something a Republican says or has said, even if it’s after that person’s death, then you’re taking a big risk. They lie as a party policy to form a bigger picture. Piece together his irrelevant statement about Nixon with the statement about Bill Clinton (who is still living and very relevant) and you can easily see they’re planning to trash the Clinton marriage. Why, there’s already a book on the Clinton marriage on the book shelves.
I guess the Republicans still think they can sell the argument that Dems are immoral and Republicans are the party of “traditional family values”. Bizarre.
I got me some pictures at PhillyIMC
I just finished Andrew Sullivan’s piece on torture. He is way off the mark.
He is saying that the tactical decision to use torture led to erroneous and extreme confessions, which in turn led to paranoia which in turn led to more torture …and we start over.
That is nonsense. The Bush administration never cared about the intelligence. They only cared about control. Torture not only controls the victim, it controls the person who does the torture and, more importantly, the nation that tolerates torture.
Cheney has always to shred the Constitution, take our freedom and destroy the Republic (they started wire-tapping long before 9/11) . Its easier to do that when the citizens have already degraded themselves by accepting torture.
That’s why there is torture. Intelligence aint got nothing to do with it.