Biden got a puppy from a “breeder’s kennel?” WTF? WTF’s wrong with the SPCA, Humane Society or local animal control. A breeder? [long list of expletives]

I’m not really thrilled with the choice either. Just don’t like German Shepherds.

Tamm came off as pretty credible on Rachel’s show, but he does need to learn not to close his eyes while talking. I hope that his going public will encourage more whistle-blowers to come out.

Not to go against the grain but my dog came from a breeder. I wasn’t thinking politically. I just wanted a puppy from someone who had a history of producing healthy, good-natured dogs.

Got no problem with shepherds. Been around ‘em all my life. The purebreds have some health issues as they get older, though. Hip problems, etc. Oh, well, their dog, their choice of where to get one. I am disappointed though. Cannot see getting an animal from a breeder when there are so many in need of homes already.

Mine too. Wife’s idea. politics aside, shelling out that kind of money for a dog when you can get one from a shelter is, in my view nuts. never again.

Says a lot about the reputation Rachel is building when she has the first “get” on Tamm. :-) Would have thought he might go with Amy Goodman….will be interesting to see where he turns up next.

It looks like blue dog Blanch Lincoln will draw Rove’s protege as an opponent in 2010.
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpoi…..ling_s.php

They never struck me as dog types. As I typed that I realized that’s kinda stupid. How can you tell if someone’s a dog type from stump speeches? I dunno. Anyway………. They have an empty nest, right? When that happens to me, I want it empty. As in competely empty. No kids. No pets.

Ah, it’s just me solai. I’m an extremist in some things. I’m a rescuer of critters and that colours my thinking.

I’d just waste away without a critter to share my home with.

I like my nest lined with kittens, you can never have too many.

Bush’s shoe thrower beaten in custody.

Jiminny cricket who could’ve thought! Beate? Never.

PS I do hope they saved the video of the beating so that W can get off while being whipped by Kundura.

Well, you might wanna pull back on that not having to shell out money for a shelter dog idea. My last (who appeared to have been a pure-bred Old English Sheepdog) came from the local animal shelter. When I took him in to the vet for shots, turned out he had heart worms…..multiple hundreds of dollars later after treatment (which he survived), he turned out not to have been so inexpensive after all. Tho’ it was an investment that repaid me with many years of love.

Ihave had a couple of cats but have never been successful in going out and finding one. The ones I have had found me.

That just makes you the better person.

Got a few gorgeous feral kittehs here in da hood. Can’t get anywhere near these little devils but they sure are cute.

mine are all rescues

I love itteh bitteh kitteh committehs

Our two little kittens from a shelter give loads of joy but they were not cheap…. those damn shelters get every damn nickel they can. By the time we had done shots and other stuff the cost was a dime or two short of $500.

True. And my dachshund has been worth the money and more.

I put out just over $2500 from January through June on Min and Yang and lost both of them. Do it again in a heartbeat.

Pets? Really? That’s the focus this morning? I’m sure some people will think this is a nasty remark, but with everything going on in the world pets are the big topic for discussion here this morning. No wonder few people take Internet political sites very seriously.

I absolutely hated cats my whole life. Always had a dog. Then we got a kitty a few years ago. It’s really cool.

LOL

We also go exclusively to breeders. Had two shelter dogs die on us due to lack of or improper medical care in their early lives. Losing them after they’ve weaseled their way into your heart is too painful. With a breeder at least you know proper medical care has been rendered. Have two older labs now and Pupzilla — five months old.

Some of us actually have lives.

We have a local kitteh rescue network, through the vets — so it’s easy to find kittens that need a home– without having to undergo the Human Society’s top level security clearance.

Feel free to go elsewhere, LD.

Gee we’re friends. What’s hot on your burner besides chatty commenters?

I’m sure some people will think this is a nasty remark ….

I wouldn’t say “nasty.” If you bring up something more serious, I’m sure people will discuss it. BT almost always has a light story on the list. Today was a puppy story.

Ouch.

Yo Satan there is plenty of time to discuss the gummint crapshit… most of which would be unbearable without the kittens to dissipate the anger.

Ouch. Now I was nice. And ya know what happens sometimes when you’re nice to snotty commenters? They shit on you. We’ll see.

Can ya tell I don’t like trolls? *g*

Apologies. I just got frustrated by seeing al Zaidi got beaten. All the people who care what’s going on, and they still beat the hell out of him. It’s just not right.

It’s not the readers here that got me down.
Just more bad news.

Served with sauce.

well that is a horrid story, Bush should ask for his release

Piling on!!! But really. Lighten up for a bit, dev. It’ll do ya good. Otherwise Santa might take a dump in your stocking and wipe himself with the wrapping paper from whatever re-gifted presents you might receive. It takes longer than coal but he doesn’t have to make a few styops in DC, Alaska and Northern VA this year.

Ooops. Better take back my 39, then. Nevber mind that 39.

In today’s world it’s all bad news, all the time. A steady diet of that shit will drive any sane person bonkers. We’re a family here and our conversations reflect that.

Speakin’ of family anybody heard from katymine?

Cops out of control, reminds me of St Paul maybe worse. Just hope he can go home soon.

My apologies, too. A little short-tempered this morning. Shoe Guy is my hero.

It appears he’s Irak’s hero too. Maliki and his goons don’t need any more bad press. If al-Sadr were to give the word GZG would be history.

this is her treatment week, so she may or may not be up to commenting.

Anybody else struck by the thought that had shoe guy thrown shoes at Saddam, he would have been shot on the spot and at the same time, if someone did it here, wouldn’t the Secret Service shoot first and ask questions later? What’s the difference?

A steady diet of that shit will drive any sane person bonkers.

Ya know, it’s not all that bad.

I’m still laughing out loud every time I see that tape.

Yeah, know exactly what you mean. Neglected to mention the damage to the ol’ savings account the last year of his life. But once they’re in your heart, it’s a commitment to keep them healthy for as long as is medically possible. The real wrench is making the decision when it’s time to let them go……because you love them. I absolutely DO NOT think much of people who keep their animals alive when their quality of life has deteriorated.

I know. That’s why I asked. I’m not here a good portion of the day so it’s easy to miss her if she does.

Yes. Very disappointing. Our best baby, Sonny, was a rescued Aussie and I would not hesitate to approach a rescue dog operation or humane society if we were going to get another dog. I have a friend who volunteers as a dog trainer for the ASPCA in NC to help the dogs become more adoptable. Boneheaded move, there Mrs. B.

Was gonna say LOL but machine doesn’t like duplicate comments.

well, as you phrase it (correctly i think) there is no difference between the respone of Saddam’s goons and Secret Service. As for the actual response, i guess its one of degree. Instead of being shot on the spot he was dragged into custody and beaten up.

Missy went of natural causes at home at 22 1/2. With Yang I had a few hours notice and with Min I had 2 days. Sent my world into a tailspin. No matter how many times I go through it it never gets any easier to handle.

Where in NC, Toby?

I live daily with the question, “Should I get another dog or not?” If the arrow ever stays pointed to the “Yes” side, I’d love to get a rescue thru an individual/group that has real knowledge about the individual animal. Often times the breed-specific rescue groups are states away.

I think the reason he wasn’t shot on the spot is because of where the event was. It was inside the Green Zone and in a heavily guarded facility. You can bet that every journalist in the room was put through metal detectors, patted down and had all of their camera equipment thoroughly inspected. There was very little chance of any real weapon being on the spot. The agents who came out to the podium didn’t even appear to draw their guns when they came out because they knew there was virtually no chance of a real weapon.

In a less secure environment, I think they would have come out guns blazing.

The best pets I’ve ever had were the ones who “chose” me.

RE: Arne Duncan as Sec of Education–the story says that he has been advising Obama on Education during the campaign. Since Obama said at one point that he thought No Child Left Behind was a good program, I take it that Duncan also thinks it’s a good program and was advising him to keep it.

I found this website the other day. It discusses the right brain/left brain and the way that education is set up now to develop the left brain (analytical) at the expense of the right brain (creativity).

The authors note that if the creative side is not developed while young, the opportunity may be missed. They also point out the two sides help one another–something that NCLB seems to have forgotten.

While they didn’t mention NCLB by name, it’s what is happening in schools now with the teachers “teaching to the test” for the kids to remember facts instead of creative thinking. And with the diminished art and music instruction that stimulates the right (creative) side.

No matter how many times I go through it it never gets any easier to handle.

Nor how much advance notice/preparation you have either. That’s an amazing age for a cat!

And his Energy Czar.

I am praying obama changes all imperial or fascist titles;

Energy Czar= “head of the dept of energy”

“homeland security”=national security

etc

Didn’t Bushy breed his own pets…keeps the royal blood in the (crime) family.

One of the reporters who actually work the Middle East was describing security procedures yesterday and he mentioned all the ones you listed and more.

‘Homeland’ security was perfect for nitwit Bush..so Hitler like.

Compare al-Ziedi with Raygun’s would be assassin. Both taken down by the surrounding crowd rather than by gunfire. The story that blows my mind is the Iranian woman who was acid blinded by a spurned lover and now wants his eyes removed. I’m sorry, that’s just barbaric.

fascinating website, I read the names of the colors

here is some good news

google says it is commited to net neutrality and reports othwise were incorrect

whew

I got Missy from my vet at age 19. Quite the story. As an inducement (which was totally unnecessary) he said he’d treat her at no cost for the rest of her life. He didn’t expect her to live more than a year. When I got Feurae from him week before last the first thing he said was, “No lifetime guarantee with this one” with a big grin on his face.

agreed, those names are so fascist

Arne Duncan does not look like a good choice to me. hope i am wrong and that this is not another disappointing choice.

His choices just make me wonder what his plans are and how he’s going to implement them. I don’t think the country can take much more of this center-right shit.

In a less secure environment, I think they would have come out guns blazing.

am not disagreeing, but doesn’t it seem obvious that would make everyone present less safe?

I followed the instructions.

to selise at 69.

morning SD. i’m going to ask a teacher friend of mine about duncan. for now though, here’s what palast says:

It’s not just Klein’s and Duncan’s empty credentials which scare me: it’s the ill philosophy behind the Bush-brand education theories they promote. “Teach-to-the-test” (which goes under such pre-packaged teaching brands as “Success for All”) forces teachers to limit classroom time to pounding in rote low-end skills, easily measured on standardized tests. The transparent purpose is to create the future class of worker-drones. Add in some computer training and — voila! — millions trained on the cheap to function, not think. Analytical thinking skills, creative skills, questioning skills will be left to the privileged at the Laboratory School and Phillips Andover Academy.

Saved that site for a closer look later. I’m definitely left brain dominate.

Selise–I lose the hope that I had a month ago with every appointment. Obama looks more DLC every day.

Couldn’t agree more. This teaching to the test model we have here in FL is really a burr under my saddle. The results are clearly evident when one talks to recent high school grads.

How many economies have to go down the toilet before the free marketeers ride off into the sunset, never to be seen again?

oops. here’s the link.

new post upstairs…

Tamm (paraphrase from above) it bothers me that some say this is the past, and we’re not strong enough as a country, and people don’t trust the justice system.

Wow. I wrote the same to the congress critters. Seems it’s congress and the executive branch (and not We the People) that don’t want the judges to make decisions on illegal wiretapping.

Yep, but that just strikes me as their mentality.

mid to long term k-12 education is such an important part of what we need to change. i HATE the teach to the test approach.

Yes, translates so nicely into the Heimat–a word Hitler distorted with facist zeal. And the security part: Sicherheitsdienst.

I sure hoped he would at least throw us a bone on Education an appoint a progressive to this spot. Somebody like Doug Christensen would have been such a wonderful choice, he was endorsed by cutting edge educator’s groups and known for his innovative approaches to education. His STARS program in Nebraska was held up a positive model for the Nation in lieu of NCLB.

So do I. And you don’t imagine prep schools are doing the same thing.

There’s something segregationist about Teach to test. Or maybe I am not coming up with the right words. But it brings to mind “separate, but not equal” or voting tests of yore, and more things. Of course, they could all have a good laugh about it with Karl rove at Choate.

Nonplussed–I like what I read on Doug Christensen. It’s awesome that he sees passion returning to classrooms when the teachers are doing the assessing.

I opened the DIGG and commented there.

Yesterday bmaz in his article gave us the address for sending a contribution to Thomas Tamm’s legal defense fund. I’m giving up book buying for a couple of months, paying for freedom for those I love rather than baubles, and making other budget adjustments to balance the $100 check I just mailed.

Instead of being the defendant in this case he should be the Judge handing down the stiffest sentences for this law-breaking SOB administration.

Here’s the address. Can you spare a dime?

Thomas Tamm Legal Defense Fund
Bank of Georgetown
5236 44th Street
Washington, D.C. 20015

I sent mine ATTENTION: Paul F. Kemp, Attorney (info by bmaz)