ES!

Hiya ES. Good evening friends.

Hello Betsy. How are you?

John McCain and the Formaldehydes

You could actually distinguish between them…? ;-)

When are are the Dem leadership going to get a clue and start trying to make the Rethugs look like the obstructionist that they are.

When are we going to impeach this merry band of village idiots. We only have 10 months left to tell the world we don’t believe in the unitary executive. Come on the freaking Constitution needs you!

Howdy, Ma’am!

Well some potential good news from Louisiana. My unscientific poll of low information voters who have voted for Bush and Nader in the past shows that they like Obama. Who woulda thunk it. If he gets the nod I hope it holds up for the general.

I am doing well, thank you.

Anyone hungry?

A Golden Oldie, indeed!

Evening Eureka!
Some musical taste you have!

great msAnna

The Dem leadership just gave the Bush Crime Family a get out of jail free card in the form of the FISA bill. There will be no impeachment. Ever.

Not cutting the mustard, for example, the Hillary viral video, where the star great band of the moment falls to earth when their lead guitarist, Hillary, decides to run for president.
it’s too tired, sorry it’s too late, and I’m too tired to find it for you on you tube.

Hey, was that one of those whatcha’macallit record machines…? ;-)

As I watched John McCain and the Formaldehydes perform a victory eulogy in what looked to be a coat-room in a Virgina funeral parlor last night

can’t.stop.laughing

ES - that is perfectly deadly. Beautiful.

[and thanks so much for your heads-up on radioactive coal - you learned me]

This morning I was lying in bed listening to Stephanie Miller on Air America. She referred to McCain and his cronies at last nights victory speech as the “Cast from Cacoon.” I laughed for five minutes.

OMG, Pat Buchanan, said about McCain’s speech today: “It looked like they emptied the local hospice” about the folks around McCain. What do you think?

ES, since you asked what’s on my mind, I will share. I am immensely proud that Cassie searched for and found an LGBT valentine to put up on her post for today. Between some of the writers and commenters here and one of the hosts at Head ON Radio, she’s SO open minded and inclusive. SO amazing!

Sometimes I actually agree with Pat Buchanan. It scares me when it happens though.

WOW! Very cool. I saw McCain’s speech and was struck my how low key, low energy and high-fear it was.

Without Social Security.. we are all going to be cutting mustard till the end of days.. ANd old John is the very type of feller we will need to be cussin’ in our fading memories when the time comes.

Kirk, The video last night just floored me. (can’t you tell?) And the coal .. the coal burning has got to stop!

TexBetsy, you have much to be proud about.

Hurrah for Cassie - AND you!

If McCain chooses Ted Stevens as a running mate, it might help McCain to look younger….

TexB - I loved her post.. You have so much to be proud of in darling Cassie.

I think Pat Buchanan can kiss my ass. (Hm, where did I put that curare? Metaphorically speaking.) What a thing to say! How uncomplimentary to people in hospice care, how crass and unfeeling. Those are terminally ill people and they really don’t deserve to be compared to GOP fiends, scoundrels and thugs.

Kirk — Did you see that my son ALSO wrote about prejudice against gays and how he was one of only two kids in his class who are not scared of gays, gay marriage, etc.

I have an old Barbara Jordan story that has been on my mind since you had a chat on her several evens ago which I read but didn’t attend. I’m 68 now and Barbara Jordan was always a role model for me although I had never met her and some thought it was a bit unusual in those day since I am not African-American. My daughter knew my devotion to her from the time she was tiny. When she was at Ut-Austin,, I strongly encouraged her to take a graduate class from Barbara. It never happened but she managed to get over to a symposium she did.

Katie went up to her at the end, bent over to speak to her to thank her and then told her about how much of a role model she had been to me and then to Katie. With this, Katie started crying at the enormity of the event. At this point, Barbara started crying, grabbed her in her arms and they both cried and rocked for a while, Katie bending over her wheelchair. Neat story, huh? I weep a little every time I think about it. That happened just before she died.

Oh Rain, thank you for sharing that story!

Tears in Heaven.

flowers and cookies for all my friends. Happy Valentine’s day.

I’m forbidden there, Betsy… :(

Okay, remember you asked. I was reconsidering my very strong reservations about Senator Obama, due to his speech on ‘free trade’ today, when up pops yet another diary at dKos offering to assault anybody who did’t get with the Obama program.

I invited the clown to bring it on. My site’s easy to find. So….

Here’s my question:

‘Why do such a high percentage of Obama supporters act like assholes?

Really, inquiring minds wanna know.

My son went to CloseUp in Washington DC last spring, along with some other kids from his HS. They were there the same week as kids from Florida, Montana and Hawaii. I was totally surprised that he was one of only two or three out of a hundred kids in the program who would openly support liberal issues like ending the war and gay marriage. He wasn’t hassled for his beliefs by the other kids, though.

Well we almost fell off the sofa, what can we say?

Cool, I’m making Fudge for my Sweetie, tomorrow…!

Ouch! FORBIDDEN?

Thanks for the hat tip.

What for?

-G

rain - thank you so much, for sharing..

I can’t answer your question directly, but I’d ask you this: How many diary’s are put up there per day, by just anybody - anybody at all?

As for the asshole quotient, seems like a split to me.

Well I was only the third pup to digg this one! I guess I am slipping in my old age :>)

Tex, I haven’t yet yet see that - but as he is your son, I am not surprised.

You done good, Tex - as have your son and Cassie.

non-forbidden valentine cake

Is that corruption mill going to run for reelection?

-G

Kirk I linked to it in 26.

I don’t know, but I blame much of it on youth and the rest on folks who are new to political activism in general.. Nothing more infuriating than discovering the truth we hold to be self evident these days.

I see that marital aids are legal in Texas once again.

-G

Howie’s latest at DWT is rather disturbing:

REACTIONARY “DEMOCRATS” USING ANTI-SEMITISM AND HOMOPHOBIA TO STIR UP DIVISIVENESS IN MEMPHIS.

Sorry about shouting, but it’s worth a full read.

indeed.

Last night I was typing almost exact wording as yours on FDL simulataneously on a different blog.. Anyway, my thoughts combined with yours.. inspired this post..)

Huzzah.

Thanks.

-G

That’s enough to piss off the pope.

Cohen just brought a resolution to the House floor today commemorating the NAACP’s 99th anniversary…! That is total BS…

Feeling a little formal tonight?

This time, I won’t tell you what to do with that plastic.

dunno, sorry
On the same topic I have seen some really nasty diaries over at Kos written about Obama. So at least in those diaries, it is understandable but not all of us are obnoxious just like not all of Hillary’s supporters are obnoxious.

I lived in Memphis years and years ago. Looks like it hasn’t changed much.

No need, I am already digging it out.
I never fail to be amazed just how low some people will go in this country.
You would think nothing would surprise me anymore but that is just fucking ignorant.

Oops - forgot to change out of my posting prom handle.

But…if it helps…I’m blogging in sweats.

(too c-c-cold for pj’s)

Busted - you get a chance to watch the Floyd piece yet?

Won’t need a young Prezident with a nuclear war all the neocons will go to heaven

ES… should have started out by saying that this may be one of your best ever. But damn if Howie’s post just pissed me off so much that I forgot my manners.

I just picked it up this afternoon,today is Granny’s birthday, I will wait till later.

He sez he is. I predict he will end up not running - for one reason or another.

Done deal.

hey big brother - i left you a message downstairs

Is that the Rapture…? ;-)

Yeah and tell the world we didn’t mean to do it ‘the devil made us do it’ s grnandmother would have said. Is there a plan to get out of the soup with the other nations?

RBG - Agreed.. My whistle is nowhere near finished steamin’. And thanks!

Preferably, because of being frog marched out…!

Looks like the lake is gaining a wider following. In todays Harper’s magazine once again Scott Horton has opined a fine article:
Treating the Constitution as a Doormat

He links to Dodd’s defense of the constitution, quotes Glenn Greenwald and at the end he has linked to the FDL petition to try and stop the FISA bill in the house….
http://harpers.org/archive/2008/02/hbc-90002382

I guess we are having some impact on all things FISA and I am glad we are getting more recoginition for all of the great work our FireDogLake writers and supporters are doing to protect our basic rights as citizens and of our constitution that has stood the test of several hundred years as is. And it dam well needs no changing just to protect some dam corporations who broke the law at the behest of this lawless administration..
If you haven’t yet be sure to sign the petition @ http://action.firedoglake.com/.....estoreFISA
Lets keep working on this until we defeat those who would destroy our constitution in name of greed and power!!

I shall bid ya’ll a fond adieu! Aloha Oe!!!

night all.

Let’s be carful about the age thing. My mother (79 this year) is older than McCain, and is a full on Obama supporter. It’s the age of the thinking, not the person we should focus on.

nite ctuttle
nite betsy

Giggling — but also sorta sad that it’s now a bad thing to be old. Right when I arrive there

g’nite ct
pain free sleep wishes tex

I wrote this about Sen. Toobz last month:

Sen. Stevens does not have six years of mental stability left in him. I’ve watched him drift in and out of acuity for years, but it is on the verge of getting out of hand.

g’nite ct - good dreams!

g’nite texb - wishing you pain-free sleep…and a lifetime of pride and joy in your son and Cassie.

thanks y’all. sleep well CT

i agree.. and McCain is thinking in the age of the Robber Barons. Evidently, with his pro torture vote today, he wouldn’t mind revisiting the dark ages as well.

I think anyone running for President who is old enough to have been collecting Social Security checks for many years does bring about questions about if they can actually fulfill the 4 year commitment - and much closer scrutiny of their VP pick.

Hi Nahant: Thanks for the link to that Scott Horton article, a masterpiece.

But based on the expression on the faces of his supporters last night, he’s not too old to cut the cheese.

Thanx…did respond bounced abarrow at sbcglobal dot net
try it.
[ModNote: Edited for safety.]

Hiya Suzanne.

i have seen some pretty damn sharp people that were in their eighties and nineties.
McCain wouldn’t have held a candle to them on his best day.

His admittance of being basically ignorant on economic issues sent a chill down my spine.
On top of being a flip flopping pro torture war monger, he doesn’t do fractions.
Good Grief.

Obama for President Edwards for Vice President 2008!

He;s thinking about securing the base of the party that he’s cast his lot with. Mr Integrity, Mr. Maverick is primarily concerned with one principle - he should be President - no matter what compromises that entails. This is the disurbing corrollary to the Clinton campaign.

It explains far too many of her votes - the use of force authorization against Iraq, the classifiaction of the Republican guards as a terrorist organization - need I go on? It’s the risiculous assumption that Democrats can look tough by agreeing with Republicans.
Look tough by standing up for what you believe in. People get it even when they disagree.

Dang…I sorry I gpt confused..I thought the idea was to make the whole world free so they could enjoy the rights we have…hmmm have to take em prisoner first I guess…go figure

I know exactly what you mean. You always have to wonder where that could lead.

I’m just saying that the age of the candidate does factor in - especially given the last of the Ray-gun years. Just as a young candidate has their lack of experience questioned, I also question whether an elderly candidate’s age has impaired their mental abilities and whether they are physically capable of performing the duties of the office for the 4 year term.

I said “resiculous” and i meant “resiculous”.

I still think humor does better than maligning wrt the age thingy…
Greg had this last night.
Brilliant!

I was merely pointing out Crazy train was never qualified to begin with.
I agree with everything you said.
*g*

Now it’s beddy bye time fer me, I’m whupped.
Nite y’all.

i wasn’t maligning - and i apologize if it was taken that way. i was just saying that it is one of the things i consider when looking at who to vote for to hold the office

Exactly. P 4/4 Tell me, do you remember this old song (TOTCTM)? Am curious if you do and still thought it might not be a good campaign diddy? I don’t think H or B should directly use it.. but some old PAC might have a ball with it and it’s far more tame than most. Plus it brings up a lot of old humorous memories in the older crowd (I would think).

g’nite busted

I’m not saying that McCain has squamous cells older than Obama, but there are more pertinent lines of attack.

I don’t remeber it - but I want to. Refresh my memory.

Not by me. Just leaning on you for the point. :-)

Believe me when I say I thought about Patricks argument before posting and hoped the question would come up.

This is the youtube I didn’t use of the song tonight.. Old folks singing it and having a grand time.

BILL CARLISLE - Too Old To Cut The Mustard

Well I am off to bed have to see the Doc tomorrow and it an early appointment.
Here is a little George Winston ear candy for a windy night here in the Bay area. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_HmDBJwMlo

Enjoy and good night to all those other sleepy firepups… see you the next late late late night @ the Lake :>)

My folks used to listen to old Radio Mystery Theater and other programs on Sunday nights after 60 minutes in Omaha NE, 1971 - 73. It’s where I learned the song.. everyone loved it, sang it out loud, young and old. I think Buck Owens used to play it frequently, but the song is older than Buck.

Last night McCain said that in his youth he thought all glory was “self-glory.” He claims that he eventually learned better. But how could that be true when he’s obviously eager and willing to abandon everything principle in which he ever professed to believe in order to be crowned? His mention - and dismissal - of this character flaw is an interesting collision of self-awareness and self-delusion.

Nite nahant, take good care!

nite nahant
good thoughts

g’nite nahant - fingers and toes crossed for a good appt

I have to wonder, what exactly is self glory?

I think he must mean individual Kobe Bryant - type glory - as opposed to common or collective glory. But, come to think of it, should glory be something we’re aiming for at all?

I’m confused. Will someone fill me in? I’ve been at all-day workshops two days in a row, and I seem to have conflicting information about where we stand on the FISA fiasco.

[*] Yesterday, one of my Senators (Inouye] voted for Telcom immunity.

[*] Today, everyone seems to be talking like the Senate has already voted to approve the SSCI version of the Senate FISA bill, without any significant amendments, giving Bush everything he wanted. If true, I am VASTLY disappointed by our venal, corrupt Democratic Senate that could not even muster 41 votes to kill the bill. Is this true?

[*] If so, the center of action now shifts back to the House, which apparently tried today to get a 15-day extension on the existing PAA, but that was rejected. The PAA is set to expire on Saturday, right?

[*] If the House does NOTHING, that leaves the RESTORE bill on the table, which would have to be reconciled with the Senate bill, right?

[*] Bush was fear-mongering today, and was at his despicable worst.

So is our last best hope to persuade the House to do NOTHING new about FISA, and make them reconcile (and probably allow PAA to expire?)

Bob in HI
Puzzled in “Paradise”

Antiwar.com has a fine article by Justin Raimondo on the resurgence of the neocons, of whom he disapproves:

Like vampires risen from the dead each night, these creatures who shun the light and feast on pain and suffering, are refreshed and ready to take wing again. What they seek is what makes them feel alive and energizes them to want more, and that is war. They are the War Party, and they are Democrats and Republicans. They are columnists and publishers and academics, as well as politicians and publicists. They don’t have much of a mass base: they prefer to work in the shadows, manipulating rather than inspiring. By such Machiavellian means have they managed to stay viable, in spite of the disasters they have wrought through the years – giving them more scope for fresh disasters yet to be imagined.

I believe the answer to all your questions is “yes”.

I wouldn’t think so, not for the sake of glory itself. Sounds a bit to much like a combination of fire and brimstone along with some Reagan-esque Hollywood thrown in for good measure.

Like vampires risen from the dead each night, these creatures who shun the light and feast on pain and suffering, are refreshed and ready to take wing again.

Over the weekend, Ambassador Wilson joined Book Salon and mentioned jokingly that he keeps wooden stakes in his pocket in case he runs into any of them.

You may have seen this…apology but there is no link yo an e-mail

Today, in hearings on Capitol Hill, I confronted Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on her role in the lies, exaggerations, and misdirection that led us into the Iraq war.

During my questioning, Secretary Rice falsely stated that she never saw intelligence casting doubt on the Bush Administration claims that Saddam possessed weapons of mass destruction. This unbelievable statement is flatly contradicted by numerous government reports and CIA testimonials. (To watch the video of my exchange with Secretary Rice, click here.)

Secretary Rice’s responses demonstrate once and for all that we need aggressive oversight over this out of control Administration. Unfortunately, the Bush Administration has ignored the constitutional right of Congress to provide such oversight.

It is time Congress took aggressive action to assert our rights on behalf of the American people.

The House of Representatives must immediately hold former White House Counsel Harriet Miers and White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten in contempt of Congress for their failure to respond to congressional subpoenas.

I have been aggressively lobbying Members of Congress to support a vote on contempt, and I am thrilled to report that Speaker Pelosi told me directly that she agrees it is well past time to vote on contempt. I am anticipating that the House will shortly vote on resolutions of both civil and criminal contempt for both Miers and Bolten.

No one should be immune from accountability and the rule of law.

Not Harriet Miers or Josh Bolten.

And especially not Condoleezza Rice, George W. Bush or Dick Cheney.

It is time to defend the Constitution and our rights as a co-equal branch of government.

I will continue to take on the Bush Administration for their outrageous abuses just as I confronted Condoleezza Rice today and Attorney General Mukasey last week. (Click here to see my questioning of Mukasey.)

With your help we will hold these top Bush officials in contempt and continue our efforts to hold impeachment hearings for Vice President Dick Cheney.

Thank you, as always, for your great support.

Yours truly,

Congressman Robert Wexler

Mary I am wondering …are you in state government? Why leave Los Osos a place you liked?

Here’s a really old idea.

no problem

Hopefully it will be new again.

Whenever he talks, I like the way ‘no you can’t’ McCain kind of grabs the lecturn with both hands, and his elbows up. He looks like a crabby half gone and very very old, and did I mention cranky, little man with a walker trying to get to other side of the bed.

I’ve noticed this several times. I hope he keeps doint that.

As I understand, the House has their competing bill, which they call RESTORE. It’s a pretty good bill, i.e., no immunity/amnesty and no blanket warrants. The standard procedure is to have a conference to reconcile the two bills.

To get the rush factor off the table, House leadership proposed a PAA extension, which Bush doesn’t want; he wants to “hold their feet to the fire.”

As their first trick, the GOP offered the Senate bill as a substitute motion, which would have replaced the RESTORE Act with the Senate bill, and Bush would have a total victory. That attempt failed. But then the House also voted down the PAA extension. That’s as far as I know.

There has been a fair amount of comotion, but bmaz and EW thinks it’s all kabuki:

< ..the House is putting on what appears to be a better showing than the Senate, but I have no doubt that it is all kabuki and the deal is done. I am pretty much positive that Pelosi, Hoyer and Boehner have their skids all greased and did so in conjunction with Hanoi Harry and the Senate Stumblebums. It is good to keep in mind that ALL of the representatives are up for election (only a third, give or take a few, of the Senate), so they have a vested interest in putting on a show. When the curtain closes, the final act will have been the same though.<br /> …
Remember, we thought there was at least a fighting chance in the Senate, and then all those eloquent and moving words by Chris Dodd, all followed by a whopping 29 Senators having the one ethical bone in their bodies to protect the constitution. Depressing. There is no way the House is going to squelch this after the Senate did that./blockquote>

Wigwam..you posted a real gem… and the Vamps have to infect more victims using their super power (Great powerful Wagnerian music)

Also, maybe it is the TV that does it. But why do all these politicians look so old and beat up. I guess we need to give ‘less jobs more war’ McCain a break becase he went through hell earlier in life. But actually, he looks better than the old farts and fartettes standing around him.

Sleep deprivation? Chronic stress from chasing after campaign contributions? To damn much money for high class booze and all them cocktail weenies. They look really fricken old. When I found out most of these coots were younger than like 75, I was astonished.

Is it the TV? Seriously -anyone else have the same impression I do?

And.. to be honest, the old Republicans seem to look worse. But I admit prejudice.

It’s not so much that McCain is old, it’s that he’s EVIL.

“Four More Years” is all we need to say, over and over.
Americans will get it.

They may be right about the Kabuki. I received an e-mail from my Congressman today on this, and while he wrote that he wanted to explain his position, he never really did. He just recounted the recent history.

I hope I’m wrong. This has been a pretty lousy week for democracy.

The winner gets the accolades…how else can competition work?

Soul-killing hypocrisy is my bet.

Or they are truly the undead, sent to suck whatever life-affirming principles are left to us.

Bob, check Christy’s posts from the last couple of days, and here as well. Hope Inouye enjoys his biscuit.

Also, I strongly recommend this Scott Horton article: http://harpers.org/archive/2008/02/hbc-90002382 (h/t Nahant)

It’s not so much that McCain is old, it’s that he’s EVIL.

hot tea spew alert!

hee-hee/ow
good one!/snif

tea drinking huh? is that in sympathy with the coffee fetcher’s strike against colbert?

Anyone know that House leadership strategy? Maybe I shouldn’t waste time with that -time probably better spent just contacting them. I am in Lady Pelosi’s district. I’be writing and e-mailing and a phone call. I will have to remember to very extra civil and gracious, and high class, perhaps the Dame will deign to recognize my petition.

Hope vampires.

Wexler presented the 200,000 impeachment petitions to congress. Could he be starting the fight with Condi?

united the fetchers shall never be decaffienated!

(but may be lightly roasted)

Thursday..tommorow on a table outside her office a competitor will be gathering signatues as well. Her name escapes me at the moment.

Obama vs. Clinton. For me, it’s a difficult problem. Because there’s nothing worse than a bad hire. And people can fool you.
I think there’s a lot to like in each of these candidates. If I sincerely believed Obama could accomplish a lot more, beyond being elected, it would be difficult not to support him. There’s no question that he’s inspired an important portion of the electorate and it seems probable that he could carry that into the general election.
But it’s also undeniably true that our current problems are serious, perilous and in need of immediate triage. When Hillary says she’s ready “on day one,” although it’s a slogan, I tend to believe it’s an accurate slogan. I also tell myself not to let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

bigbrother, that is a great letter and really god news. yay!

really good news, too

(preview is my friend)

You’ve expressed my feelings pretty well. Thanks!

There is hpe. Or rather, Bufffy.

I would be more excited about a dozen or so more primary wins like Donna Edwards than choice between HRC and Obama. I guess that is too much to hope for in seats with incumbants, but there will ba a lot of primaries for open GOP seats this year.

Don’t know how much I can help. This article sums up my impression of Obama. I’m less than ecstatic about Clinton, but she’s competent and a realist. Under the circumstances, that gives her a leg up on just about all the remaining competition.

Effective, and yet stylish.

Hope she doesn’t start throwing the buildings around a flying of off the handle. Those eyes have powers. Maybe eyes turn red and chimpy’s voice comes out.

Imagine..

If Obama stood up tomorrow and made an argument for impeachment. Millions would rise up and support him.

If Hillary did the same thing.. the Republicans would just say Clinton did it too.. and to a large degree they would be right.

Freddie Prinze notwithstanding, SMG is perfect. Don’t argue with me.

In so many ways, Obama is a blank slate. This is good and bad. He cantake advantage of people’s hopes and fear. or he can fulfilll them.

I put my money down. Let it ride.

Which part of kidnapping and torturing people, illegal eavesdropping, getting us into an unprovoked and ruinous war, and trying to turn the DoJ into a party apparatus is Clinton guilty of?

As for Obama, he’ll only stand up and do that about the time he’s certain everyone will rise up anyway.

It’s really up to his ardent supporters to make him do right, if and when elected. It’s dwindling but there is enough wiggle room for we the people to take it back.

The Clintons have a vested legacy interest in never looking within and admitting or apologizing for where we are… From Iraq to NAFTA, FISA, etc..

Not a fan of either, but I can muster a little hope for Obama.

decaffeinated

sheesh. typos are ok -

but not the ones that me look stoopider…

Mary (yes, The Mary).. posted these links last week.

Outsourcing Torture
The Secret History of America’s “Extraordinary Rendition” Program
by Jane Mayer

Extraordinary Rendition: Not Just for Republicans!

no spelling police down here in the comments, kirk. they remain focused on the front pagers at the top of the posts but don’t tend to look down here below the fold.

I’m with you all the way here.

I know where the Clintos and the DLC stand: Pre-emptive surrender, er compromise. Obama offers aprticipation - go to his website (too much wine and vodka to link) and catch the theme - what can you do? If he lives up to it, we have a real chance for something new. If not - we can experience a new kind of disappointment.

Unless we were going to elect really clean clear folks like Kucinich or Dodd.. we need someone new who has not yet voted for war, nasty trade agreements, or taken well over 100 million in mysterious funds for a library.. to name a few small examples.

Honestly.. we need a hundred more Donna Edwards to step up..and we need them yesterday.

Cujo - I apologize for not having a FISA link/answer to your question at my fingertips. WIll try to have it handy upon seeing you again. I am hitting a wall here and have to Cut Mustard in the morning.

P 4/4.. Por favor, ask your Mom about the song and tell me what her reaction was like..)

G’ nite all fabulous firedogs

nite eureka

Sleep well. I don’t think that song is on her radar, but I’ll ask.

g’nite es

g’nite pups - off to wax the forking floor (mutter mutter grumble and curse)

The coyotes are yippin’. Time for bed.

Good night all.

nite suzanne
nite patrick

i’m off as well

From the first link [emphasis added]:

Scheuer claimed that “there was a legal process” undergirding these early renditions. Every suspect who was apprehended, he said, had been convicted in absentia. Before a suspect was captured, a dossier was prepared containing the equivalent of a rap sheet. The C.I.A.’s legal counsel signed off on every proposed operation. Scheuer said that this system prevented innocent people from being subjected to rendition. “Langley would never let us proceed unless there was substance,” he said. Moreover, Scheuer emphasized, renditions were pursued out of expedience—“not out of thinking it was the best policy.”

I derive no hope from Obama. If you seriously think that the people around him are the sorts of people who will keep him on the straight and narrow, think again. Personality cults don’t work that way.

Economist (and major number cruncher) James Hamilton keeps an eye on oil supply. He has a very interesting post up on some creative GIS work a couple of people have done over the Saudi oil fields.

Morning people…

good morning, biodun

(and good night…)

Bonne nuit, kirk…

Hey Eureka,

I respect this blog a great deal.

I have had it with the bashing of the old. First it was Fred Thompson, now McCain. I despise McCain but not because he is old. You know the real reasons, I don’t have to recite them.

Well, misogyny, racism, homophobia, etc are off the table for liberals, but it appears ageism, (disrespect for the old) still makes some of us feel good.

We are now well into the 21 st century. It’s time to give up bashing groups who are not like you in some way.

Joel Mael

And when you think “old”, think Sen. Byrd, certainly the most eloquent and perhaps the strongest voice against allowing Bush to invade Iraq.

That’s what I call old!

Unless I am misinformed McCain willingly bombed unseen helpless civiians in another war of aggression. I assume in his own mind he used the Nuremburg defense, just following legal orders. I think if we captured a North Korean pilot who had napalmed us we would execute instead of imprison.

But we must not speak of our ‘war heroes’ that way.

Joel Mael

McCain aint that old dagnabbit!

From Eschaton the other day:

Probability of Death

Rather gruesome topic, but a commenter points us to this actuarial life table. Indeed a 72 year old man has a much higher probability of death (3.5% over the year) than does a 60 year old woman (.8%) or 46 year old man (.4%).

-Atrios 15:02

Consider also that McCain, in order to make the GOP’s nutcase base finally fall into line, will have to pick a genuine psychopath as his running mate. So if he croaked in the midst of another chorus of “Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran”, then we’d have somebody in charge who really DID plan on Apocalypse Now.

Funny thing, I always thought that age discrimination was just as ugly as any other kind. My bad.

There’s a difference between age discrimination and remembering the sight of a senile warmongering Reagan holding the briefcase with the launch codes.

And again, with McCain being older than even Reagan at the time Reagan won the White House, there’s a 3.5% probability that he’ll just up and croak, without help from an assassin’s bullet — and that probability will only increase with time. Consider also that McCain, in order to pacify the hardcore nutjob conservatives, will have to pick as his running mate someone even nuttier than he is. How does “President John Cornyn” sound?

I am so glad you spoke to this. I was too tired to make a noise this morning, but the age snark has been quite longstanding here. Also the fat thing. As we know, some folks really respect, honor the aged. I think that is quite important actually because just by having lived, they have seen and experienced and survived alot. That doesn’t make them nice, of course. But since we all acknowledge that life is hard, it does mean that they have navigated alot of the world’s past.

I see the agist insults on par with the white bitch view; mean and intolerable.

Good morning, PW, and thanks for the stats as well as reminding some folks about Reagan. I would never suggest in a blanket statement that 72 years of age is a point in time which should disqualify one from running or serving as president. But I stand by my own judgment of McCain as an individual. He’s too old.

As for Senator Byrd, heck yes, He’s too old too cut the presidential mustard. I sure hope he can stick around the Senate for a while.

Discussing the problems of an aging president is different than what a lot of the posters here are doing. I repeat, age discrimination is as ugly as any other discrimination.

If the shoe doesn’t fit and you are simply discussing the problems of an aging person in the White House then the remark wasn’t addressed to you.

And a doddering Reagan was not more frightening the Bush/Cheney and that has nothing to do with age.

Whatever else I think about John McCain, and what I think ain’t pretty, I respect his service to his country and would bash the hell out of him for his ideas not his age. He doesn’t seem to be senile, he seems to be a war-mongering Republican to me.