Hey, if you haven’t done anything wrong, or ever said anything embarrassing, you have nothing to fear. /s

Actually, I do feel safer. If they are all busy listening to phone sex then they aren’t getting up to any real trouble.

Guess I’m totally fucked then. 8-P

Glenzilla also had some excellent coverage of this evesdropping today: http://www.salon.com/opinion/g…..index.html

Another “TRUTH” comes out about this whole FISA wire tap program…

Phone sex:

Can you feel me now?

How about now?

Actually, the NSA thinks that the way you find a needle in a haystack is to add more hay.

as I said on the previous thread, all standard operating procedure. Tytpical Rethug privacy standards at work. I’m frankly a little surprised they haven’t managed to put Orwell’s two directional TV screens into everybody’s house yet.

Rethuglicanism: be poor, live under socialist statism, government corrupt and broke, no services, an official state propaganda channel, and ubiquitous spyin’.

phone sex – my taxes are going to voyeurs? forking perverts in that white van. i’m glad i cut them sumbitches off of snacks. i hope karma pays them back with permanent impotence.

Funny, I just sat down at the ‘puter and the last time I looked at FDL was 4:48 this morning, had a long day of work, so my husband say’s to me, did you hear the NSA news, and I said no and he just told me this story.
And, here we are.
Woo Hoo. Sex, Lies and Videotape. Oh, yeah and stocks.
My daughter just told me she finally looked at her 401 k today.
Yup. Not pretty.
How are my FDL friends doing tonight?

rofl

pillow talk or coded message to sleeper cell, you never know!!

Isn’t just cheaper for them (NSA) to call a 900 number?

Unless one defines “real trouble” as missing actual terrorism threats while listening to sexy conversations.

You’d think that would occur to the reptilian minds but based on some of the comments I read elsewhere today, the reich wingers just want to go after the whistleblowers.

Digg is now open Pups!

Being a visible member of a left-wing anti-imperial peace group I just figured they’d listen whenever they wanted. I rarely use the phone so they’re just wasting our tax dollars. Do a lot of emailing but they’re wasting their time there too. I prefer little notes and whispered conspiratorial conversations.

Nice.

Doin fine and getin better every day!

I thought their strategy was to look under the street lamp 2 blocks away because the light is better.

Very good. I like that. Might gonna hafta use that otherwheres.

Can’t these guys afford to pay for Porn?

Ecan asked I answered below..what would I do

Again
The largest part of the solution…while the toxic pile is dealt with..is public policy.
Economist readily admit there is a limit to what cutting rates, dumping gazillions of taxpayer money into the laps of corporate gamblers can do, Coordinated rate cuts, huge capital injections do not enable the consumer who are tapped out. Last time;
Balance of payment for oil need to be reversed to keep that capital here.
Investment ax credits and other tools need to be implemented to get the green jobs going (Obama says 5 million new jobs). Read Earth:The Sequel The list of venture capital and R&D in place to invest in this new bubble.
Implement single payer health care so every one gets the medical and dental treatment to stay healthy. It is good for business and for people’s budgets.
Disposable income must be freed up in consumer budgets, Look at the models in northern Europe.
Under these and other collaborative public and private efforts a stronger economic model will form a need based rather than a greed based economy.
We may be able to control the climate so future generations will survive.
It is all relative

I’m sure Jay Rockefeller and Jane Harman will write a sternly worded letter or two.

Tried & true. All the drunks who lose wallets have used that method.

Well we all know what a sterling job they have done at that finding terrorists before they can act in the past.

You ARE Mean Suz!! These poor guys were just Doing their JOB! Just as the prezident and Darth told them to. I wonder If this is one of those things that BushCo held over the heads of Congress to get THEIR way!!
Also how many trade secrets were intercepted??

Had something buggin’ me all evening. Where did mr acquire a taste for cornbread?

he and his colleagues were listening to the conversations of military officers in Iraq who were talking with their spouses or girlfriends in the United States.

So our own troops in Iraq need to be spied on because Bush thinks that they are disloyal?
Dana Perino should have a great day explaining this away.

No snark, I hope.
How we’re doing depends on what’s important, I guess.
Yep?

Apparently this comes as news to Jello Jay.

The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Jay Rockefeller (D-
WV), called the allegations “extremely disturbing” and said the
committee has begun its own examination.

“We have requested all relevant information from the Bush
Administration,” Rockefeller said Thursday. “The Committee will take
whatever action is necessary.”

I wonder if the donations he got from the Telcos are assuaging his conscience tonight. What a fucking tool. Whatever action was necessary was not passing that crap-ass-tastic piece of legislation you so blithely pushed against the will of the American people.

your tax dollars at work!

No taxation without representation!

Hey, if they were really doing their jobs, they would have done something about that greatest threat to our national security sitting in the Oval Office.

A lot of shoulds, but no analysis of HOW the political pressures will shape up to make it happen.

For example, a single payer medicial plan? Surely you jest. There is so little political pressure for this and so much against it, it ain’t gonna happen.

My Q to you is not what should happen, but how we can get it to happen. I don’t see that the circumstances are auspicious.

lol. when he and i got together, i used to always make it (practically every night)

The Brits have a new ‘Counter Terrorism’ bill before Parliament…

The all-seeing state is about to end privacy as we know it
Plans for a vast central database of our emails, phone calls and texts will see everyone monitored as a potential suspect

What’s not mentioned in that article is the fact that Scotland Yard can arrest anybody for up to 42 days… Without charges…! WTF?

Argh… can you fix that third graf into a blockquote too Ian? Miss “edit”. :(

Don’t have a Cow man !

coming soon to a police department near you?

forkers (spitting)

JHFC, Rockefeller needs to exile himself somewhere far, far away in shame. And come out and say this crap? What a piece o’ shit.

Evenin’ all. I have an intuition that Obama is going to use his newly-purchased 30 minutes of prime time on October 29th — anniversary of the previous great market crash — to show clearly, calmly, and with a certain je ne sais quois, precisely how the Keating 5 led directly to the current market crash. And that will be The End of The Ballad of John and Sarah.

chinese already hacked that shit.

coming soon to a police department statenear you?

There, all fixed.

wow and to think the whole habeas corpus is one of the few things we did adopt from england

No Snark I’m fine and Obama is doing better than I thought he would a year ago how about you?

No Bill of Rights in UK.

Oh, wait a minute. None in US anymore either. Can hold US citizen indefinitely without charges. Just let that silly SCOTUS try to stop us.

Did they catch anyone talking a broccoli or eggplant? Those are the real bad ones.

lurk is working on it for you jo fish

The Brits have been tracking lots of terror cells … thousands of suspects, according to reports.

It’ll be interesting to see how this bill does … Brown is not a NeoCon, right ?

McCow!!!

lol, some indie p0rn chick hotlinked that image from my server. If i didn’t have to register to comment I’d call her hotlinks houlihan.

OT:

Ian,
Last I check(A few minutes ago), the Japanese stock market was down 10%.

Agreed…! We do act in similar fashion, and in sync…! ;-)

I’m fine too. Working on a temp job. Made a little money today. Taking my kid tomorrow for oral surgery, so I’ll play nursey all weekend.
I actually lurked a bit, on the job — don’t tell.
I really appreciate your response, now I don’t feel like chopped liver here. :)

completely disgusting!

Good evening firepups.

What in the hell are these people so afraid of? Absolute police state. I never thought I’d live to see the day that Great Britain would make Hitler proud.

That was Minnesota during the Rethug orgy.

i think it may already be here

ROFL … hotlinks … Excellent !

Or perhaps a concrete, rational plan for the economy. Would have the same effect. Plus a gratuitous stab at the Keating 5 scandal.

Yep. And proud of it, too.

((demi)) sorry didn’t see you. much love

Wobbly — I saw your comment about a friend calling you up in tears because her husband was laid off.
We have to lift each other up. Her being in tears isn’t going to help him feel good, at all.
Lot’s of people don’t have jobs. We’re in this together. Tell her to be supportive.

used a cast iron skillet to make it (cornbread that is)

Chris Floyd wrote this a couple of years ago…

With each passing day, it becomes more evident that the main purpose behind Bush’s illegal, warrantless domestic spying program is not collecting intelligence on terrorists and would-be terrorists – a task for which the government’s existing draconian powers of surveillance were more than sufficient. As many people have noted, Bush already possessed the legal right to order the immediate surveillance of any person in the country, subject to the sole restraint of having to seek approval from the secret FISA court within 72 hours. Given the established record of this court’s near-total acquiescence to thousands of such requests over the years, it is simply impossible to believe that it would not grant its ex post facto approval to any surveillance ordered by Bush which had even the most tenuous connection to a potential terrorist threat.

This undeniable reality leaves us with only one logical conclusion: Bush’s secret spy program is designed for activities not covered by FISA’s copious security blanket. It is now apparent that these activities include using the vast powers of federal, state and local governments to spy on the Bush Administration’s perceived political “enemies” – a vast group, given that the Bushist definition of an “enemy” is anyone who opposes any of their policies.

I hope your kid is OK. Enjoy the weekend I’m through worrying about Obama winning! Instead I worry about what kind of President he would be.

non- spoiler alert: Oliver Stone on Colbert … and he brought teh snark !

good advice

This is a goldmine. Just think of all the future blackmail possibilities. Well, at least Beau has been warned.

Thanx Lurk! yew made my nite…

I’m now workin’ on learnin’ to talk without any “g’s” at the end of mah werds… ‘preciate cha!

That’s the traditional southern way. I use either that or a Pyrex pie dish.

you betcha

Our comments crossed. Didn’t see yours.
Love too.
I’m working for a company which helps “transition” people who have just gotten laid off.
I’m playing nice girl, Pollyanna. It’s challenging to look in these folks eyes and see the desperation. They say, yeah, you’ve got a job, you’re fine, and I tell them, oh, this is just for a week, I’m filling in for someone on vacation. I’m grateful to be here, and we’re all going to be okay. I just have to believe that. We might have to make some shifts in our lifestyles, I know I already have. But, it feels good to be in a position to help.

Don’t ferget ta wink !

(bows) Konnichiwa, demi

I’m now workin’ on learnin’ to talk without any “g’s” at the end of mah werds

Comes real easy fer some of us. We jes’ talk like we was raised up.

… atta girl Demi !

Good evening ‘pups.

Mr. Solai manages a car dealership. How scared do you think I am? He’s the major wage-earner in this household and the overhead can’t be met on my salary (unless we give up food, clothes, gasoline, the kids…..)

Yeah, Petro.

He was so good at it we weren’t sure that it was satire at first.

You have to wonder what kind of a person would want the job, I think. But, I’m pretty certain the country will be in better shape with him as opposed to the Other One.
:)
My kid’s never been “under”, so that’s always a concern, but, I’m sure he’ll be fine and I’ll be making soup, jello and pudding all weekend.
Thank you, sweets.

What kind of cars even the Japanese cars are getting hurt bad.

Dayum, yuz raized up like that tew? Shit-fire I knowed theres a reazin I liked hangin’ ’round here.

Hows ’bout that 47 car?

She knows that. She had held it together for him but needed to let it out. Your right, we have to support one another. Mr and I went over tonight and let them know that we would help them any way we can. They have some saved up and he seems to be somewhat optimistic that it will work out.

He blew Stephen away as well … including the punch line …

Don’t ya mean ‘Chopped Liver’…! ;-)

Where are we goin’ an’ why am I in this here handbasket?

Time to leap into the arms of Morpheus.

Be good to yourselves, and all other living things.

Namaste

I always forget to watch. tcm has had some funny movies on tonight starting with Jour De Fete, the visual pun fest Mr. Hulot’s Holiday and Mon Oncle.

gotta go for now bye

This is incredibly revealing. The sexual aspect is important only because it shows the depravity of the neo-cons. They were illegally spying on Colonels, and Red Cross workers. This means they were likely spying on our Congress kritters, journalists, other government officials, and obviously any critics of their criminal policies.

I can only guess what information they had about Pat Tillman. I believe they used Blackwater or perhaps some other secret group to carry out assassinations. I think we might discover that much of the violence in Irak has been done to keep perpetual war. Blackwater has been smuggling weapons to terrorists.

Yep. Okie hill country from a long line of Ozark hillbillies.

lol so do I. sometimes i really miss cornbread

Night!

You! I have to tell you that every time I see an “older” dude with a ponytail and a peace sign, I think of you. Fondly, of course.
Kiss the tigers for me. We can’t have too much lovin’ right about now.

for demi @ 61

Can we impeach someone already?

((( wb )))

Always great to have someone’s shoulder to cry on … clears up the emotions and gives a fresh perspective …

g’nite sd and things (and any other leaving sleepy pup i may have missed)

there is nothing like helping folks to put stuff in perspective

The video will be up on comedy central’s site tomorrow … worth watching.

Aloha, SD and Things!

Anyone in particular, Anna?

Ciao TCU !

Ya know, hon, just because you haven’t physically made it to LA to teach Wobbly and me your techniques, doesn’t mean you don’t speak to me. When I do my calming breaths and relaxation, I hear your voice. Weird, huh?
(smooch)

Chevys!
We haven’t been hurt so far. Can’t explain that but he’s had no downturn. But now, fear is setting in. OTOH, we were with a friend tonight who manages a Hyundai dealership. This is a low-population area so you might be surprised at the low number of cars being sold. Anyway the Hyundai manager said that they sell approx. 70-80 per month. They’ve sold one since Saturday.

The Beach Boys wrote another great song about that (no, nothing to do with bombing).

“Wouldn’t it be Nice“…

Yes, it would.

You’re a good friend, Wobbs. You and your mister!

That was for Anna @94. Oooops!

ouch

boa noite sd

I’ll be there just as soon as I can … didn’t comment earlier ’cause I was watching TDS & Stephen.

((((( demi )))))

boa noite tcu

Ha! Let’s send that liver to SD for the kitties.

Yes! Did you see the look on Colbert’s face when he realized the snark was at hand? Hilarious.

we try to be good people. do unto others and the lot. besides, it is as you said, we have to support and help one another. gov’t sure isn’t going to help

Don’t go pulling her Leg … she has long, strong Nails … *g*

If they had just listened to stories about deals…this would not be a story….that is what they did, and that is what they hold over the heads of of the money legislators.

This is more BS, just like the missing blondes…Sex sells to the public like a juicy bone.

This is a leak or something to throw the bloodhounds off the trail of the culprits.

The story is that the government ripped off the entire country/world in collusion with those that controlled the market and threw it into the lap of the taxpayers.

So our own troops in Iraq need to be spied on because Bush thinks that they are disloyal?

There’s no evil intent. It’s totally benign and you shouldn’t worry your pretty head about it. We value and respect your privacy.

Unfortunately, in these perilous times it *is* necessary. No other way we can compile loyalty/patriotism scores for the XXXXXXXXXXXX (redacted).

wassit for? that dubya movie?

I have never seen Stephen caught off guard …

*sigh* Fall fell with a thud this week. Went out and bought a light for my bike today as it is still dark when I leave for work at 7:30. Got home and found out, I won’t be riding it to work tomorrow as it is supposed to snow tonight. 8-(

ok pups gonna call it a night. it’s actually chilly here tonight. perfect for a cup ofvtea, a few chapters and snuggles with the fuzzy kids

boa noite … peaceful dreams

What a duo!

Haven’t you heard the Neocon interpretation of the Golden Rule ?

Do unto others before they do unto you !

I’ve lost $20,000 in my 401K and I moved it into money markets, out of the stock market. Preservation of capital is paramount today.

Sorry to hear of your daughter’s loss. I suspect most of have been fleeced.

Pretty distressing.

g’nite wobbly

Night wobbs!

Yep … looks good, too bad no one can afford a thousand Bucks for a movie ticket …

early for snow?

Snow? Oh, what a short year we live.

eeek! that’s way too soon!!!

My husband moved his 401K money to bonds….are we safer??

G’nite wobbly and Mr Bits *g*

Already??? Seems it was 90 just the other day(:>((

as I said on the previous thread, all standard operating procedure. Tytpical Rethug privacy standards at work. I’m frankly a little surprised they haven’t managed to put Orwell’s two directional TV screens into everybody’s house yet.

Everyone still wonders what it was that provoked the upper echelon of the Justice Department to threaten to resign. We know it wasn’t the TSP, which is the subject of the current round of disclosures, but something much more shocking. I have conjectured that perhaps the government went through with the clipper chip, which would have allowed law-enforcement to turn on any phone at will and listen to what people within range were saying. But perhaps it was the video equivalent.

Aloha, Wobbs!

lol. I was raised by two DFH from Brasil so I didn’t stand a chance *g*

Yeah, it was lovely.

I can’t think of a movie lower down on my must see list :S

errarowrrrrr..
G’nite, pups. This mommy’s got to get up early.
Good night Suzanne. ‘Preciate the work you’re doing here. Brindle say’s roof to Token.
Sweet dreams to all. Let it all go for 6 – 8 hours. Lift it all up to the universe. Tomorrow’s another day.

That’s what ya get for living along the Front Range of the Rockies…!

We got frost Tuesday night but it’s going to be 68 – 74 every day of our Thanksgiving weekend …

Yeah. We don’t usually get any snow before the end of the month (usually right around Halloween). Probably won’t get much tonight, but enough to muck up the roads in the morning. It will all be gone by afternoon. Monday it is supposed to get back up into the 50s.

Aloha, Demi!

Wouldn’t it be funny if the one to get impeached was Palin as gov? Get the impeachment over before she becomes presinut.

Re: Perpetual War

It seems to me that much of the Bush Administrations policies with regard to the war(s) have been designed to perepetuate the war. Not getting Bin Laden, going to Iraq before Afghanistan was finished and insisting on staying in Iraq “until victory” top the list but there are many others.

To me it is more credible that they were hoping and planning for perpetual war than they actually thought we would be liberators and “oops we were wrong” it is just not as credible as perhaps they wanted this.

Why would they want this? Just ask Haliburton and the Carlyle group how much money has been made on this boondoggle. Answer: plenty.

Great show — we howled.

Not if my statement is any indication. Lost 5% of the value in the last quarter (which ended 9/30). Good thing I had no plans of ever retiring.

Ordinarily, if stocks drop bonds go up. If it’s T-bonds, the principal is safe, but we’re all hosed if we hit a steep inflationary episode from all these purported fixes.

G’nite Demi !

See ya soon !

g’nite demi – arf arf brindle

nite Demi sleep well

That’s right! Coming up for ya’ll! You going with a turkey or Indian fare…?

It’ll come back. And, she’s way younger than we are.
It can be distressing. But, all the more reason to find something to be positive about and work on that.

Being an academic means never having to want to retire …

I’ve been saying for the last couple of weeks that I never wanted to retire anyway.

Yup and we are not moving!!! Our “Snow” runs down the drain!!

Mary !

It’ll be fun to watch the NeoCons spin this one … popping Popcorn for tomorrow …

Both … why choose ? *g*

okay, off to bed to ready myself for perpetual work.

Do not live along the front range. That is on the other side of the divide about 100 miles east of here. We are deep into the mountains here among the Bitterroot, Garnet, Sapphire, and Mission ranges.

Night Demi. Sleep well.

Maybe all of us boomers will end up living together on communes. We can grow stuff, milk cows, roast sommores, go skinny dipping, and not have babies.

G’night Demi, Solai.

WooHoo … got any Moonshine medicinal recipes ?

CT! I’ve got my calming tea ready now, so, pulling in the claws – no worries — only purring.

That sounds like an improvement in some ways, Mary.

g’nite solai

G’nite Solai ! Managers are going to pull through, it’s the sales staff who really have to worry.

I never had a choice. I spent ten years on the academic contingent market with no retirement and have only been paying in for ten years. Had about 1.5 years salary in my account before things went south. Good thing I actually love my job.

Your are a well to do Wall street lady living in an upscale hood. The medical industry services are out of reach for most Americans. My friend with four kids pays $12,000.00 a year and is denied treatment.
Americans are sick of HMO that deny services they say are not covered.
Your opine is that we are not ready for it? You are flat out wrong.
California has a lot of support for this kind of legislation including nurses unions. We had our General Hospital Close and with it the services to the power income groups. Many Doctors and Dentist treat selectively turning away ill people. The Hippocratic oath is trash along with our civil liberties.
Housing, I have a web sit http://www.clih.net which I maintain out of the $900.00 disability income I live on and for which I am grateful and give back in an effort to convince the local powers that be, to allow us to us some County owned land as site for low cost housing. We have a housing consortium with 28 non profits with high need clients that are always looking for affordable housing, In this market it is increasingly difficult to achieve rental housing made more costly and scarce by those in foreclosure.
A lot can be done, There is the existing FHA Streamline refinance program that could save at risk homeowners if they knew they could lower there monthly 30%. HOLC MHA depression era homeowner loan corporation that kept many a homeowner in their homes. It is far better economics to allow debt service than foreclosure. You are an experienced wall streeter is that correct?
We have formed A Housing trust Fund locally to loan start up money to projects on a small scale.
There are a number of NP developers that work in public/private collaboration here. The Home Base NP of San Francisco has a draft plan to end chronic homelessness called “A Path to a Home”. 10 year plan to end homelessness. HUD has 350 such plans up and running so we are behind the curve there.
You have to start with public policy and getting pro progressives elected. Blue America has worked hard on that so send them so more of your fortune. Your scorn will not enhance a discussion to think out the answers. But go ahead a indulge yourself.
We have bankers on these local boards 80 representatives from local governments in the Central Coast tri county area. They have and a number of meetings with the homeless consultants that were hired by BOS.; Like all areas we have a housing authority that is in need of more section 8 funding that shares the rant coast for qualified on a competitive basis. I suggest you visit the Harvard University website for a lot of strategy. In the late 60’s a lot of work was done that gave us title 19 women’s equal funding in school sports programs. As an example of how things get done.
Healthcare my bet is 100 million Americans have next to none and millions will lose their homes from medical cost and the bankruptcy laws that make loan to own a reality.
And the list goes on and on. Best to start by lobbyoing local official at pulic meetingd, e-mails, phone calls and attend a lot of meetings. Try to collaborate. Get up in the morning and go to work on it. That how I do it. How do you do it?

Night.

We’ve talked…but can I do it all from my now paid for house in Cleveland Heights? Chickens? There are city ordinances about animals and laundry.

You too, with beautiful, soothing music in our heads and hearts.

purr, sip, hummmmm, You too!

My first husband practiced at that hospital in the e.r. He would be horrified to see the state of medicine and his country.

I wonder if the donations he got from the Telcos are assuaging his conscience tonight. What a fucking tool. Whatever action was necessary was not passing that crap-ass-tastic piece of legislation you so blithely pushed against the will of the American people.

Well I’m sure Jello Jay is pleased as punch that he got the donations before the market tanked.

BTW Wasn’t all the talk about denying the lawsuits to prevent the Telcomms from going bankrupt? Guess it didn’t matter.

Oh, man. I’m so sorry about that joke.

I came straight out of my doctorate into a tenure-track line. I keep forgetting about the folks who do the adjunct thing. I wonder when AAUP is going to do something about academic slave labor…

Heh, My Bad! ;-)

Isn’t that just the dumbest thing evah. Sacramento tried to tell people they couldn’t have vegie gardens in the front of their homes. The community got together and changed the ordinance.

Hi ww. I don’t think that’s what the clipper chip was about. IIRC it was a crypto system for voice and data with a built-in back door that would allow the USG (and nobody else other than the person you were caling) to decrypt the transmissions. AFAICT there was never anything about requiring the mic in the phone handset to be remotely accessible. In very very old analog phone systems I guess this would have been possible, but for obvious reasons domestic telephone sets always include a circuit that cuts the mic off from the phone network while the phone’s not in use. Maybe some modern phone models have some sort of back doors built in, but since most don’t, I guess you’d basically have to burglarize every home in the US to install a bug, in order to get the effect you’ve described.

Cell phones have a thing called Lawful Intercept built into the networks that allows remote monitoring of calls, but again I don’t know of any required functionality for turning on the mic in the cell phone for surreptitious remote listening. But they’re changing teh specs all the time, so really, who knows.

Time for me to head out as well. Have to cuddle kittehs and get my beauty sleep so I can thrill and amaze the young heathens tomorrow.

Per this article, tomorrow may see the start of a chain reaction of pay-outs on credit-default swaps of which there are $45T worth (notional value), of which, JP Morgan Chase holds $8T. For perspective, there are only $11T in U.S. mortgages, of which only 1% (i.e., $111B) are in default.

The author recommend that the government simply declare all CDSs null and void, which would to screw the people that paid banks for such insurance.

Sounds good to me Demi(:>))

iirc, all it takes is a warrant from a judge and the cell provider can flip that switch – the warrant usually covers the built in mic and the gps locating thang

Open up their minds, Dr.D. Sleep well tonight.

g’nite dr dick

“Children of Men” beginning.

Mr. CE is adjunct here too — but it has always been his preference to be Chief Curator, and not faculty. And our main concern was educating our children with his wonderful benefit of tuition waiver.

May open their eyes a bit. We are talking about systems of social stratification, with lots of juicy examples from the US.

I’ll give up my chalk when they pry it from my cold, dead fingers.

Well, somebody’s going to get screwed on this one wigwam.

Should it be us, or the folks who bought insurance that avoided all the insurance regulations? Personally I think it ought to be all those folks who sold the insurance while avoiding the insurance regulations (like, having reserves on hand to pay claims!)

Hey, I’ve had three tomato plants and herbs so close to the sidewalk that neighbors trim my plants!

‘young heathens’ eh? LOL! Aloha!

(If I may be so bold:) Everybody be sure to treat yourselves and your loved ones most excellently now. The remainder of the Presidential term is going to be a bit of a trial, methinks, particularly in the US.

This undeniable reality leaves us with only one logical conclusion: Bush’s secret spy program is designed for activities not covered by FISA’s copious security blanket. It is now apparent that these activities include using the vast powers of federal, state and local governments to spy on the Bush Administration’s perceived political “enemies” – a vast group, given that the Bushist definition of an “enemy” is anyone who opposes any of their policies.

And it’s an even bigger group now.

Good for you, Dr.D.

I’m covering probability with my undergrads right now. It culminates with two lessons:

1. Casinos are a license to print money for the casino owner; and,
2. Powerball is NOT a retirement plan.

wee bit more than 3 months left. they can fork up a lot in 3 months…

Faulty memory on my part. So, I’m still curious what could have so shocked that pack of wingers, who were not particularly upset at the TSP and torture, that they’d threaten to resign en mass.

iirc, marcy brought up that during the barton/angler book salon.

The author recommend that the government simply declare all CDSs null and void, which would to screw the people that paid banks for such insurance.

Huh, that’s what I said too, about a month ago. Locate the source of the problem, isolate it, and remove it from the equation. Done. Next?

Great movie!! Several of the scenes are a single shoot. In other words they are shot with out redoing a scene at least that is what our movie major told us. But you can tell when you see blood on the lens of the camera and the scene just keeps going and going… Watch for it!!

wigwam, here’s the link to that salon

but but but its unamerican to have the rich and/or powerful held accountable for their actions (/s)

Well, somebody’s going to get screwed on this one wigwam.

No doubt about that. But I’m not sure who “us” is in this case. Does my retirement fund own more equity in sellers of CDSs, or in buyers of CDSs? Unfortunately (and perhaps ineptly), I haven’t the foggiest notion.

Dugg

those spy guys are so easily entertained

Hey we do that daily around this house. That is how wee brought up the kids who are doing the same in their households. It sure does make life a little better with all this crap happening!!

Someone at ew’s place (plunger?) had an interesting theory a couple days ago that on or around 9/11/2001 they actually implemented some form of martial law or continuity of government — perhaps NSPD-51, perhaps something else — and as a result have been relying on military authority rather than civilian authority since then. Interesting issues arise as to the circumstances under which a return to civilian/Constitutional order could and should be effected.

very interesting…… Obama must of made a big Ad buy here in AZ….. practically every break is running one and on multiple channels……

Yes. It’s a subversion of the natural order of things.

… going for the jugular …

I think we should “privatize” government sex spying. Just keep those spies supplied with plenty of commercial pornography and maybe they’ll leave the soldiers and their partners alone.

Joking around when Elmore and I are talking on the phone….. one of us says… “those NSA guys just don’t get paid enough”…….. well that is going to stop…. how about…… “hey NSA guys…… been getting enough phone sex these days?”

hey, nahant. I’m back home and on my old rickety computer. I will be shopping for a new one soon!

Jeebus, I wonder how much they listened in on Paris Hilton’s calls …

Once you go Mac, you don’t go back … *g*

The govt cannot cover the notional value of any sizeable fraction of the CDSs that exist. But, it can easily buy up the $110B (face value) of mortgages that are in default, which should vaporize the CDSs base on those properties, of which there might be $500B notional value. And in such a case neither the buyer nor the seller gets screwed. But of course the taxpayers have over paid for those mortgages by a factor of say two. Still, the taxpayers are out only about $55B, which is less than the cost of five months of occupying Iraq, which seems like a bargain at this point.

Good let me know what you are thinking about. I will go over your configuration and let you know what I think and maybe suggest some things to make it better so you get more bang for your buck!! Do you still have my addy still??

NOoooo … Ari Fleisher on Larry King … why isn’t Rachel on ?

Ari: I think Sarah Palin has been a powerful messenger for John McCain … she’s moving voters …

Now now Petro don’t get me going /s

Funny you should mention that. Earlier this evening, someone posted the White House statement regarding the post-election transition to the administration and there were a whole lot of wierd and slightly sour notes in that text. I wondered what was up. This hypothesis would somewhat account for it.

LOL … I was bracing myself for your response … *g*

Ari: I think Sarah Palin has been a powerful messenger for John McCain … she’s moving voters …

Yeah right to Obama!

FISA was a cover up. So we will not get to know all the data thievery. Don’t want to hurt the telecoms unless they stand up for the constitution. Then Bushco hammers them. Remember the guy taht McNoShame voted for 90% of the votes in ther senate. Fasicism…ain’t it grand. See our fearless leaders parade their wealth in ostentatious displays of opulence and grand waste (of our money).

Nancy has hinted about this once or twice since the Dems swept to power in ‘06 … will the rest of us ever find out ?

Paul Begala almost went giddy with such a great set up …

Some one has to stand up for Mr Gates!! Besides he is giving away his fortune to charities… And what is Stevie doing with HIS fortune??

Yes, UNIX is a decent operating system. Although not perfect, it is far superior to the worst operating system ever, VISTA. LINUX has also become as good as or better than Bill Gates computers. Linus Torvalds has a blog.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10…..ks.html?hp

Brooks article on the transition of the gooper party to anti-intellectualism and the dire consequences. Worth a read.

OMG … India’s main Stock Exchange opened 1000+ points down …

Paul would be slathering at such a comment!!

going to check right now, nahant

I honor Bill Gates’ generosity … wish he would do more for autism but he has done a lot of great work around the world …

I remember my senior english teacher in high school saying “I hope you never have to live through a depression- but if you do- you’ll survive.

May be about to test that hypothesis.

Paul is smacking them around and enjoying every minute of it …

rachael is on msnbc – not cnn

WOW…. channel surfing….. lead in on local Phoenix Faux…… “nastiness on the campaign trail and it is Cindy McCain dishing out the smack”…..

He knocked it outta the park… “Bush must love poor people… He’s made so many of them…!” ;-)

late late nite upstairs

Wouldn’t happen to have a cite handy, would ya?

Frank I like Vista very much!! I have been running it for almost a year with very few issues which I fixed quickly.. This whole Vista crap is nothing but propaganda. some people don’t like the fact that when you are doing something that will change the Os in a possible detrimental way. It is just Security! Besides with Unix you can wipe out the Os WITH A SIMPLE REM *.* command AT THE ROOT AND BLOW THE WHOLE INSTALLATION!!

Yep, went there and saw Tweety …. they should run her twice nightly against Larry …

Thanks, Suzanne.

Can’t disagree with that sentiment Petro! I wish BushCo hadn’t cut the budget so drastically for basic research and medicine!! Rethugs just wanting toi keep all the money for themselves!!

Another advantage to that approach (if you want to consider it that), is the govt may be the only entity with the power to work around the stickier legal issues involved in the origination and slicing and dicing of mortgages. These issues are surely headed toward tying up the courts for some time.

Ultimately, there may be no rational alternative.

Govt could even elect to be a power for good with respect to the borrowers.

Yup. Here it is: http://firedoglake.com/2008/10…..nt-1675872

If the government buys all slices of a given mortgage, the owners of the derivative get paid off on a pro-rated basis. Their money is safe and they got their interest payments.

Oh, thank you very very much! Reading now…

live free or die!

that REMark is simply incorrect ;)

A whole bunch of our political ideas (contract between Government and citizen, e.g.) comes from there. And that stems from a long history of individual rights based largely on property rights.

But, we’re both black on the spying map GG linked to.

Best Taibbi line from his latest article

http://www.rollingstone.com/po….._of_rove/3

The reason Rove continues to survive is the same reason that Johnnie Cochran was called a genius for keeping a double-murderer on the golf course — because this generation of Americans has become so steeped in greed and social Darwinism that it can no longer distinguish between cheating and achieving, between enterprise and crime, and can’t bring itself to criticize winners any more than it knows how to be nice to losers. He survives because an increasing number of Americans secretly agree with Rove’s vision of rules, laws and “the truth” as quaint, faintly embarrassing rituals that only a sucker would let hold him back.

Eavesdropping can be done when cell phones are turned off…

goggle… FBI cell off…

The EU Human Rights Convention negates the need for individual member countries to have their own Bill of Rights as the EU HRC overrides these and is obligatory for all members as is access to EU judicial process if and when all avenues within a member country is exhausted.