I’m back!

dez

ola

Now that is some fiddle playin’.

Heh, that’s why ya came in second…! ;-)

My 5 was meant for ya…! ;-)

Digg it… now back to the Movie Blues Brothers

Tip the Canoe, and Tyler too?

Good evening all.. It’s been raining all day so I have been playing water songs.

still watching the lakers vs jazz game

dugg

The Yankton rez got parcled up by the Feds. So it has private lands mixed in tribal properties within the original reservation boundaries.

you all aren’t in danger of any flooding, are you?

Hello!

good grief. shameful but not surprising.

the indigenous get treated like shit the world over

Dr. (pause) Dick and I were still talking about downstairs…! ;-)

I am never in that danger in my house on the hill, but I sure hope my neighbors aren’t up against the floods again. I’ll walk down to the river and know more in the morning.

Enjoyed the music, ES!

Buckets Of Rain

Yeah, I watched the rain decide to go north and soak all of OK and ARK. We were very much hoping it would come south to us. We need it and you guys don’t.

I posted a comment for you downstairs about the Yankton case.

Wonderful.. it’s tough trying to guess what you all might enjoy..)

Are you in Texas or Florida, gdp?

I’m traveling and can’t get to a TV – who’s winning, lakers or jazz?

OK. As much fun as I am having here (the most I have had all week), I must head to bed, I have student presentations at 8am and have to at least pretend that I am awake for the process.

I believe the judge will have a decision on the judgement in the Cobell Case in June.

Aloha, DD!

g’nite dr *pause* dick

You know it’ll be appealed immediately anyways… It’s headed to Scotus, either way…!

i read it. thanks for the info and boa noite

And SCROTUM doesn’t like giving back whitemen’s money since they stole it fair and square.

sleep well firepups

lakers won by 10

pain free sleep wishes tex

boa noite, tex

EPU’d

Lemme try this again!
Onward Christian Soldiers!

McCain to make religious prosecution a “key” for his fall campaign.

So when will he call for a boycott of the Olympics until the Chines allow the free practice of Christianity and the Falun Gong? Or allow the Tibetans to practice their traditions without Chinese interference (such as selecting the Panjit Lama)?

Will he really crack down on the Saudis for their sex trading of minors (unlike Bush who exempted them from the list of those to be sanctioned for allowing this trade) and their banning of Christianity and Judaiism?

What about Israels restrictions on the proslytizing Mormons and fundamentalists…how can they ever get Hagee’s 144,000 Jewish converts if Israel doesn’t allow conversion of Jews in the homeland? No conversion…no “rapture”…which may be why the Israeli’s sorta prevent it! Who needs “nukes” when you’ve got the “radioactive Jesus”?!!!

But “religious freedom” does sort of insulate him from the questions which arise from him asserting to be a “Baptist” but refusing to undertake the “adult Baptism” that all “born agains” regard as mandatory to being a real Baptist. McCain, for some reason, hasn’t had his “revelation” yet.

But I’m sure he’ll conveniently opt to be dunked in this campaign…and say it’s no different from waterboarding.

Buenos Noches a todos!

got it in the news box, thanks c’ape

yay, thanks wobbly.

Thus perpetuating the woeful legacy…! 8-(

Texas, between Austin and San Antonio.

boa noite AZ Matt

lakers up 2-0. now off to utah

kobe recieved his mvp trophy before the game..was way cool

When I was Baptized at the ripe old age of seven yrs, the preacher held me underwater so long I bit his arm to make him let go of me.

g’nite azmatt

is there a place worse than hell where they can go?

Maybe, this time the Baptists would heed Molly Ivans’ sage advice… “Shoulda held’em under longer…!” *g*

Nice fiddling there ES…

FYI on Friday at 1:20 PM many changes and a general stepping out in a dramatic way as Mars cruises into fiery Leo after much too long in watery Cancer. Dust off your chapeau and your dancing shoes.

Hooorahhhh! I was dunked about 9…and I spewed like a fountain when the water went up my nose. Snot went into the baptismal pool…but it didn’t stop the Preacher Man from dipping another five kids into the pool. The third to last kid told me he was so scared he pissed in the pool!

I came up for air decided anti authoritarian forevermore.. I don’t think the gimmick worked on me..)

If you go by their values, I would say the Haight. On the other hand, the residents there would hate us forever.

Spiderpaws in da house! thanks for the heads up.

…untie your aprons lassies

Too funny! I had never witnessed the ceremony, so the whole thing took me by surprise.. was in a pool high behind and above the alter in the chapel..

Is that a good thing spidey? I’m hoping so because i just got contacted by one of the places i put my application in. A local hospital, so i’m likely setting up an interview. Very nervous time for many, and not just on the election front either…

i don’t think their punishment should punish others *g*

hey spidey – what do the stars say about may?

Hope the interview wont mess up your vacation!

Clinton met with undecided superdelegates at Democratic Party headquarters Wednesday. She said, “We talked a lot about Florida and Michigan,” two states that she won but don’t have any delegates to count toward her total because their early primaries violated party rules. “I continue to emphasize and stress that we cannot disenfranchise those voters.”

I have an idea…Obama says to the Supers from Florida and Michigan…

“Look at the numbers. You can play a big role here for party unity. I’ll meet you halfway. The Supers from your state commit to me…and I’ll encourage my delegates on the Rules Committee to accept ALL the delegations with the appropriate fair division of delegates.”

Per cin apes linky:

In the speech, McCain also excoriated human trafficking — “slavery by another name” — which he said exists “in places like Thailand, Kuwait and Venezuela” as well as the United States.

And Iraq. *ahem*

That’s wonderful, I’m so glad to hear it.

Well that’s next week. I have the next two days off and tuesday off next week too. So if they want to set it up ASAP i’m good to go in. I just won’t be back in town until late evening on may 19th, but up until the 15th i can go in for said interview. ^^ By the time i return from that, i might have my answer on whether i’m hired or not though…

I just want the vacation like nothing else right now though. *flails* I need this time off with my friends or i’ll go insane.

boa noite pups

have a bit of reading to do

Aloha, wobbs, and any I missed…!

boa noite, wobbs

Still considering scorched earth tactics, is she?

Just came back to say goodnight. Been off doing a bit of orchid work. See youz guys tomorrow.

g’nite gnome

It’s got to be about money now. What else could it really be?

nite Gnome, I’d love to see photos of orchids if you have any to post.

An unstoppable will to power?

Great photos here.

PHOTOS: Chile Volcano Erupts With Ash, Lava, Lightning

I think I have some in my facebook album. You can check tonight. I will put some in there tomorrow if there aren’t any.

Did Bill actually cry, last nite? He certainly looked a bit peaked…!

Thanks Eureka.
That’s fascinating!

The first photo looks like something out of a sci-fi flick.

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

I didn’t see that. I was avoiding election coverage last night. If he did, maybe it was the visions of interns fading from view.

aloha ct

Ah. Right – cover my debt and I won’t make a circus out of the convention?

I thought his face said it all last night. But I’ve known that face for over thirty years.

Didn’t Bubba lose a governors race? The family’s only loss before this one?

yes, he lost it, then regained it.

I think he lost it because he allowed Vietnamese boat people a home in AR, but I could be wrong about that.

Yes, he lost his first bid for re-election, I believe. Then came back in the next election. He also may have lost a race for a congressional seat before he ran for governor, I’m not sure about that one.

Here’s something interesting for people who like to dig through document. 8000 pages concerning the Pentagon’s analyst program.

http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/milanalysts/

According to Wikipedia, he did in fact lose a House race in 1974.

Mich. Dems settle on delegate-seating plan to bring to DNC

LANSING, Mich. (AP) – Michigan Democratic leaders on Wednesday settled on a plan to give presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton 69 delegates and Barack Obama 59 as a way to get the state’s delegates seated at the national convention.

Clinton won the Jan. 15 Michigan primary and was to get 73 pledged delegates under state party rules, while Obama was to get 55. The state also has 29 superdelegates.

The state party’s executive committee voted Wednesday to ask the national party’s Rules and Bylaws Committee to approve the 69-59 delegate split when it meets May 31. The plan would allow the state’s 157 delegates and superdelegates to be seated at the convention.

That sounds like something the Obama campaign should get behind, to put that issue to rest. He can afford a net loss of ten delegates to his lead.

Florida may be harder to resolve.

I still would rather see the party rules fully enforced, but don’t want it to be an issue in those states in the general election.

I certainly don’t envy the people trying to play King Solomon wrt Michigan and Florida.

Thankless job, that.

I thought it didn’t matter, that O man has enough of a lead in votes and delegates, regardless?

I just want to take on McCain now… and quit spending money on the indisputable s.

I agree 100%.

Since MI and FL lost their attempt to get in early, it should be settled in some manner once and for all, and quickly, imo.

I’ve been to the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley a few times. last time there was to see Pierre Bensusan.

Let’s just get it behind us in any way that won’t jeopardize the current outcome.

I thought about ya as soon as i read the location. Sounds like a folk music lovers paradise.

Agreed.. and settling outside the rules will nullify th whole “let the votes count” meme to some degree.

Someone has an interesting McCain Scandals list and that doesn’t even include Minister Hagee.

it’s long been a funky old coffee-house warehouse space in the Berkeley flats, but they’re going upscale now, moving to the downtown “arts district”.

FINALLY. I still say they should cut out the super delegates here in MI though. Ban them from being seated officially. It was THEIR bright idea to move the primary up after the agreement had been made not to, and negated all the efforts of the regular voters and delegates.

The elites will get their seats! This isn’t the Green party. /s

Oh, this is just too good. Al-Zawahiri endores McCain.

http://www.juancole.com/2008/0…..-bomb.html

The Edwards Imperative: Because Compromising To Change Hasn’t Worked
Edwards should be Democratic nominee because he is the most progressive and electable of the top three candidate and the only one who understands that entrenched interests like the telecoms, banks, credit card issuers, health insurers and oil companies aren’t voluntarily going to make some sort of “bipartisan happy consensus” that costs them billions of dollars and a ton of power, whether doing so saves millions of lives, trillions of dollars and makes the country prosperous and safe or not.
Just is not happening.
And anyone who thinks it is (hello Mr. Obama) is both living in a fantasy land and certainly is suffering from amnesia, because nothing, nothing in the last 30 years, indicates that megacorporations are giving up any power, even a small amount, without a fight to the death.
Strike you as over the top? Why then, for example, did oil companies insist on continued subsidies when they were making record profits? When was the last time health insurance companies were okay with any expansion of universal health care, unless as with the Medicare drug benefit, it was going to make them even more money? And let’s all remember the record industry, who think that they own music you bought, and that you’re only renting it and can neither give it away, sell it or even, much of the time, copy it for your own use.
The filthy rich haven’t become richer than any time in US history because they were willing to give any sucker an even break, and only a sucker would expect folks like Scaife, Mellon and Murdoch to “compromise” when they’ve been winning by not giving an inch.
We could go through policy positions and compare the candidates, one to an another, and the end result would show that Edwards is slightly more progressive than Clinton and Obama: a slightly better Iraq plan, a health care plan that is about equivalent to Clinton’s and better than Obama’s, a much better rapport with labor, and so on.
But that’s not what this nomination battle is about. All three candidates are offering basically progressive policies, minus the big promise to definitely get out of Iraq post-haste.
And the question isn’t even, really, do you believe them, though for the record I have real doubts about Clinton and Obama. However others don’t, and that’s fine–in most respects its a gut-check thing, all of them have checkered pasts with some votes that are less than sterling, so in every case each of us has to decide, “Do I really believe this candidate this time?”
Instead we need to ask, while taking them at face value, does their plan to actually push through a progressive plan make sense?
Clinton says that she’s got the experience to make it work. Even granting that being the first lady allows her to take credit, the fact is that the Clinton years saw the Democrats lose both the House and the Senate and saw Bill Clinton put through many bills that were, to put it kindly, essentially conservative in nature. And Hilary Clinton’s one big moment in the sun, healthcare reform, ended with her being given a resounding drubbing by the health insurance lobby. She was never given such an important policy position again by her husband. Voting for Clinton is taking on an old scarred fighter with a bad win/loss record. And all of this is before we get to Mark Penn, the union-buster, being her chief right hand man.
Then there’s Barack “Consensus” Obama. It’s hard to even take this seriously. In 2007 the Republicans in Congress killed, through technical filibusters, almost twice as many bills as any Congress ever has. For the last 7 years, George “I won the vote that matters 5-4″ Bush has ruled the country by running rough-shod over the opposition party, giving them essentially nothing. There has been no consensus-driven voting or decision-making in the US in 7 years, and there wasn’t that much in the 90s either. Oh sure, I understand that Obama and many Americans would like to go back to the land of consensus-driven politics, where there’s a center and where everyone works for what is best for America by splitting the difference. It’s a pretty picture. But there’s no middle left.
There’s no room for splitting the difference between torturing and not torturing. There’s no room for splitting the difference between selling illegal wars based on lies and not selling illegal wars based on lies. There’s no room to split the difference between respecting the constitution and not respecting the constitution.
There’s no middle left and anyone who thinks that the vast majority of Republican Senators will respond to good will is living in a world of denial. Nothing, absolutely nothing, in Republican behaviour in the last 7 years indicates that will happen. Just as nothing in the behaviour of oil companies and health insurers indicates they’re interested in “compromise” when not compromising has done so very very well for them and taken them from victory to victory.
Which leaves us with John Edwards: who wants to kick ass, take names, and help the middle class stop getting reamed out by credit card companies, banks, oil companies, Wall Street and all the other invertebrates whose existence is based on sucking blood from ordinary people while denying they have any responsibility for how pale and weak the middle class has become.
Can he do it? Many Democrats, used to having their teeth kicked in for years by Republican bullies, say no. They reason that without 60 votes, they’ll still have to compromise with Republicans and so they want a Compromiser-In-Chief sitting in the White House.
But compromise, tried for damn near 20 years, has gotten us nothing but our teeth kicked in, our lunch money stolen and thousands of soldiers and probably a million Iraqis dead. And strangely, despite not having 60 votes at any point during their period of rule, the Republicans got through most of what they wanted.
So perhaps the key to getting Republican votes isn’t to come forwards sniveling on ones’ knees asking what the price for the votes is. I suggest the key is to have a President aggressively make the case that the American people want health care, want lower oil prices, want fairer credit card policies — a presidnet who is willing to go the wall over it.
That’s what John Edwards is offering. What Obama and Clinton are offering is, in effect, nothing more than what has already been tried and failed. Clinton’s experience amounted to, at best a tie, and more realistically, to a decade where the right wing got much of what it wanted. Obama’s “compromising” is exactly what Daschle, Reid and Pelosi have tried to do, leading to spectacular failure and ending in a Democratic majority Congress which Republicans like more than either Democrats or Independents.
It’s time for a new approach, and amongst the three front runners in the Democratic field, that means Edwards. As with FDR, if his approach works, he will be both the most loved and most hated man in America, and some will wring their hands about how divisive that is. But if “unpleasantness” is what is needed to stop going to war illegally, to end the shredding of the Constitution and to end the destruction of the Middle Class, so be it. An unwillingness to really fight means that those who will, the Republicans, will walk all over those who won’t.
The time for the failed politics of compromise is over.
Now it’s time for John Edwards.
Ian Welsh December 31, 2007 – 4:11pm

super-dels are fragile heuristics especially all audacious

big brother, please remember in the future to limit cut and paste comments to 250 words or less and include a link. even for stuff from here on the lake. it really does help the servers when you do it that way.

thanks

That’s hysterical!

Now it’s time for John Edwards.

Exactly, but … Edwards has shut his campaign down and is now even farther behind than Hillary.

That said, however, Edwards would be my first choice for VP, AG, or chair of the SEC.

Even though the kabuki is really quite ferocious.

Any speculation on why John didn’t endorse? I wonder if it had to do with the fact he and EE were divided? And will it diminish his chances at placement in the next administration. (if the next administration isn’t Cheney)

When am I going to learn to take the pain meds when the pain starts instead of tossing and turning for an hour and a half first? Ergh!

That would be my guess. EE is very into the healthcare stuff, and as Krugman has been pointing out: (1) Hillary’s plan is better and (2) Obama has been hitting her with bogus right-wing talking points. I can understand EE being pissed.

Then again, John could be interested in a cabinet position or even VP, and he hasn’t been able to tell when his value will be highest.

hi Betsy
fighting it again?

I think Edwards time was about then…December of 2007.

There are some that want this to go to the Convention floor fight (Republicans, and the few odd Edwards and Gore die-hards) but that simply isn’t going to happen short of Obama getting caught with Rev. Wright in bed together. And I think I pointed out to that post that Edwards record in the Senate as a member of Lieberman’s centrist New Democratic Coalition was hardly one that was progressive, nor was his association as an advisor to the lobbyists of a corporation heavily involved in the sub-prime and off-shore tax sheltering markets very defensible given the looming crises. I didn’t make a lot of friends on this site for pointing these things out.

I think the reality is that Obama will be the nominee. He’s a lot more progressive than some think. He’s rejected affiliation with the DLC from the time he was a State Senator, opposed NAFTA, and actually took a stand against Iraq when he was running for Senate. And contrary to what some have said THAT was not a low risk proposition for Statewide Office in Illinois at the time (Fall 2002)…Bush’s support was up in the 80% range and people were still widely drinking the kool-ade. He could have easily have played duck-and-cover.

yeah, kinda. i do this to myself you know.

…he hasn’t been able to tell when his value will be highest.

Great point. This race hasn’t had time for perspective.

Hey Man, did you get my reply to your e-mail?

Please let me know. Thanks!

got it!
see my reply

Wouldn’t that have been either a) before his delegates started declaring themselves for Obama or Clinton (i.e right after his announcement of suspending his campaign), or b) right before the North Carolina vote (although many people in NC state that Edwards has very little influence over local political decisions any more as he doesn’t participate in NC party building or outreach)?

If Edwards really has any influence on working class votes anymore he will one last shot to show it in West Virginia, Hillary wouldn’t need him there, obviously…but if he can declare for and campaigns for Obama and it brings Obama into contention then perhaps he may deserve some consideration as having some real impact on working class voters. I’d like to see it, though.

What, no Robin Flower? What about Nancy Vogel?

Time for this pup to jump in the kennel.. Good night Dawgs.

In time, my dear, in time..)

night ES

nite eureka

I would take my insomnia over your situation anytime.

yeah, i think i would too

Here’s an interesting article about the impact of Republicans on the races in North Carolina and Indiana and whether that means much in the General Election,

Very High Turnout in NC and Indiana

Extract ALL the Republican crossover from these two Democratic Primaries and the number of votes cast are much higher than the number Kerry got in the 2004 Presidential Election.

I’d like to point out another little item missed. TRUE 20-25% of Clinton voters said that they wouldn’t support Obama in the General election in the exit polls. But if many of these were the Republican Crossovers then these individuals may have voted for McCain in any case….and this is true whether or not they were part of “Operation Chaos”. They could genuinely believe that since McCain had won the nomination they’d vote for preference #2 (Clinton) in the Democratic race.

So let’s do some math. 10% of those voting in the Democratic race identified as “Republican”. Almost all voted for Clinton. Clinton won by 50% (which means she had 40% Dem and “true” independents+10% Rep). Thus 20% of her support were Republicans.

Now lemme see ~ 20-25% of her supporters say that they will defect to McCain , or not vote if Obama gets the nomination. Hmmm! So almost all Democrats and Independants will either vote for, or consider Obama (or if some of that group defects it’s balanced by an equal number of defecting Republicans from McCain’s side that actually voted in the primary).

Now re-read the article above…and think if the Republicans have a big problem on their hands!

According to John Zogby

My understanding is that probably today, but certainly within 48 hours, about 30 super-delegates will endorse Mr Obama. That should give him further momentum.

FYI

Business

May 7, 2008, 7:49PM
Some oil companies reportedly settling MTBE suits

By DAVID GLOVIN
Bloomberg News

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ConocoPhillips, Shell, Marathon, Chevron and BP are among about a dozen oil companies that will pay $423 million to settle lawsuits brought by water suppliers in 17 states over contamination from the gasoline additive MTBE.

The suits claim the oil companies contaminated wells and underground aquifers across the country by adding methyl tertiary butyl ether, or MTBE, to gasoline as a way to reduce air pollution. They claim the oil companies hid information showing MTBE would cause “massive” contamination.

The settlement was filed Wednesday with U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin in New York, who is presiding over the 153 settled lawsuits brought by municipalities. The six oil companies and refineries that didn’t settle include Exxon Mobil Corp., the world’s biggest publicly traded oil company, according to Robert Gordon, a lawyer for the plaintiffs.

Edwards carries the aggressive progressive aganda. Sorta like Lyndon’s “A Chicken in Every Pot” philosophy. He needs to be leading that agenda for the next President. He can learn. He is a good front man. He brings the Southern liberals and the working class. Ian Welch spoke for him that is a good economic humanist backer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Edwards
In reviewing his academic and athletic (Football)background he has great empathy and mental capacity. Get out of Iraq, end poverty in America and other progessive goals like universal medical care http://www.johnedwards.com/issues/ I am not a political prognisticator but here is a person with great energy for sustainable enery policy, good on the Supreme Court appointments, reversed a bad policy on Iraq and apologized. He seems to have character and honesty. He could be a great emissary as he is an experienced and tough deal maker (we have no one that hasn’t given away the farm) A good veep and will go after the Corporate Oligarchy which is number one in my book. Oh and will create jobs.

Bush raises megabucks for the GOP
By Sam Youngman
Posted: 05/06/08 07:53 PM [ET]
President Bush’s approval ratings may be down, but they haven’t affected his ability to raise money for Republicans.

Bush is on pace to raise significantly more money in 2008 for the Republican campaign committees than he did in 2007, according to Republican officials. Through the first four months of 2008, Bush has already raised more than half of what he took in last year for GOP candidates.

Since 2007 was not an election year, it’s not surprising Bush would raise more money in a year in which Americans will pick his successor. Still, the early 2008 totals show Bush could be a fundraising force for the GOP this summer and fall, even if polls show a minority of Americans approve of his presidency.

In 2007, Bush raised a total of $66.6 million for the Republican National Committee (RNC), the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), the National Republican Congresssional Committee (NRCC) and individual Republican candidates.

Through April of this year, Bush has already attended events that have brought in $36.6 million for those committees and unnamed candidates.

The fundraising has some negatives, as it fuels attacks by Democrats on GOP candidates. For example, Democrats and liberal tax-exempt 527 organizations targeted Rep. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.) with ads last month after Bush attended a fundraiser for Connecticut Republicans.

Bush acknowledged the potential pitfall in a March press conference with presumptive Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (Ariz.). At the time, he said that there are parts of the country where his approval ratings and his presence might hurt a Republican candidate.

Still, the Democratic attacks haven’t kept Bush from being very much in demand.

OK. I think the meds have kicked in. Going to try to sleep some more.

Your political skills and experience far out weigh mine. I have other interests where I put my energy. If the Wikipedia statements are true regarding the corporate board he was not aware of their predatory lending practices. He has moved away from his support of war.
I agree Obama has earned the top spot and see John as a very good assistant in running the Executive Administration such as directing the DOJ fix of Rove’s mess. Directing HUD’s turn around, helping formulate and implement policy. Veep if he is asked. He showed in the debates an ability to debate with Obama. They are both respectors of persons.

The phrase Chicken In Every Pot has a pretty sordid history and isn’t something that should be attached to LBJ. It was used by the RNC in the Herbert Hoover campaign just on the eve of the Great Depression. It actually went “Vote Republicans for Prosperity! We gave you a chicken in every pot…and a car in every driveway, to boot!”

Generally it’s a phrase brought up to suggest the worst sort of pandering and demogoguery – and a willful avoidance of the hard economic issues facing the country.

OOPs..Was LBJ’s slogan “The Great Society”?

I won’t LOL, but the GOP was in debt last year…and have been involved in a major book-keeping embezzlement scandal that leaves them unaware of how much money they actually even have. Bush’s fundraising is likely to barely keep them from going under. McCain technically went broke before his last set of primaries that got him the nomination and he’s facing a FEC challenge about borrowing money under the promise that he’d accept public financing…when he didn’t…and surpassed the spending limits to win the nomination. Now he’s back asking for public money again ’cause he’s broke.

Meanwhile both Democratic candidates raised tens of millions more than Bush has…in fact Hillary claims (and we’ll have to take her word for it since you don’t report on a daily basis) she brought in over $10 million on the Internet in 48 hours.
Democratic candidates raise massive war chests