Hey Suzanne!

We are liveblogging the senate health care vote with David Dayen.

so ya want us to go over there instead of hang here for my thread teddy?

should i tell everyone to go there?

Scheduled for 1am eastern…? Right…? ;-)

hey ct

That must be one of the least expensive music videos ever. “Hey, everyone bring your old Christmas cards tomorrow and we’ll make a music video. I think there might even be beer in the fridge.”

hey cujo — i liked the song. sorry

Don’t tell me how it ends. I hate to spoil the surprise.

Suzanne!

hey ce — how’s ohio tonight?

I like the song, too, and there’s nothing wrong with using ingenuity in lieu of money. It just tickles my funny bone, particularly since this is the time of year when everyone’s supposed to be going into debt to give everyone things they won’t remember two months from now.

Just a bit snowy, pretty nippy at 26, and generally great! I baked again (what a miracle!) and spent most of the day in bed. Oh my!

oh
ok
thanks cujo — i guess this thread is gonna be a quiet one with everyone doing the news desk live blog

whatcha bake? windy and rainy 51 here — cold comes in tomorrow afternoon and brings snow down to the 1,000 ft level. no snow on the beach.

I was half way up the mtn when they called our vehicle with this news…

…MAUNA KEA SUMMIT ROAD CONDITIONS
Road status: Closed

They had a bunch of snow fall…! *sigh* I had a big cut in my pay…! *g*

Hey Suz!
Coolness (chilliness, really) abounds!

crap ct… that sucks

hey newton — how’s the bay area tonight?

What did you bake?
I’m off to the midwest tomorrow. I’m planning on making a my special spaghetti sauce for everyone. The secret ingredient is anchovy paste! Seriously.

We can be in two places at once! Actually no surprises over there so far.

Well, one thing is for sure in the Bay Area – I’m not watching the fucking Senate.

Martha’s cocoa bottom coconut bars again, to take to fam Christmas in PA. We will leave on Wednesday, stay in north Phila., and then see my folks on the 26th. Will have MsCE and Jack with us.

hey spocko — how ya doing? how goes the teabagger investigation?

*sigh*

I’m staying put for now, anyway.

Hey Suz, CE, everyone

They still have to pay me for a late cancellation…! We’re just hoping we would make it to the Base Camp so we’d get the free meal…! Rats…! ;-)

Hey spocko,
My secret ingredient is a dash of balsamic vinegar (the good stuff) into the red sauce. Really!

I suppose so. I knew how this thing was going to turn out last June, and had a pretty good idea last January. We get boned the same whether I watch it happen or not.

It’s been looking mighty cold back east lately.

hey margot — you bundled up?

spocko, that sounds good.
You ever have baccala? My ex-inlaws made it one year, um…I’ll stick with posole, turkey, etc.

free food is among my favorite meals!

A wonderful, snowy lite day here. Just lovely!

No, not really. We have snow but it’s not that cold. Are you bundled up there?

tis a damp cold tonight… feels colder than the thermometer says it is. gotten 1.12 inches so far today

Well it appears there is Cloture.

Very sorry, Suzanne, for the distracting first comment. All is over, over there. Vote was 60-40, no surprises.

Reid’s manager’s amendment just passed the cloture vote, 60 to 39.

hey kelly — how’s denver tonight

Hiya Margot!
Nice enough to see all the holiday lights!

hey auduboner — how ya doing?

It’s hard to imagine that Hawaii has to worry about snow conditions. Still, I’ve seen some pictures of some lovely snowfalls up there.

whores whose votes are bought and paid for

It’s been like this out here, in stark contrast to last year.

Sorry about zedding last nite and essentially running… The excessive lightning we’ve had played havoc with the already shitty wifi I rely upon…! ;-)

Well, there’s an hour of entertaining CSPAN programming I can delete from the DVR. ;-)

Freakishly warm! Until Tuesday, then we hit brrrrrr territory again.

Hey Suzanne: Good actually. I heard back from the person in charge of booking the LA Tea party event. She asked, “Who do you work for where are you and what does LLAP stand for?” :-)

I wrote her a long letter and I cced the reporter/blogger who triggered my investigation, Brad Friedman. I also cced the group that does all sorts of great research on PR front groups. The Center for Media and Democracy. They created SourceWatch which is a great resource. I had knows the old director, John Stauber, for years. The new director did a great thing with my cc. She said to the person in charge of booking the LA Tea party event.”Thanks for doing this research Spocko. Nicole, I’m very interesting in what information you can provide to him.”

What was great about that is that it gave me credibility from a real group. I will also provide the data I find out to SourceWatch and use CMD as my expert source when I drop this story on the local media.

I wish some third party would step up to the plate and start running on mass against the blue dogs. I really can’t stomach voting for them anymore, nor can I stomach not voting.

Hey Kelly! Where are you in the country again? I forgot.
Editted. Never mind. I just saw. I’m on my way to a state east of you. I’m sure it will be nice and warm. :-)

I come from the land of fog, southeastern PA and Wilmington DE. Not here in the land of Cleveland, though! Your photos are wonderful. Many thanks!

sweet!

steph heads to ks tue — they are gonna spend christmas with her friend’s family

Some people still have difficulty imagining that Hawaii does get snow…! For some strange reason…! ;-)

folks think of balmy beaches with palms waving in the breeze — not having to wear longjohns and snowboots when they think of hawaii. have yet to see a tv ad for hawaii that showed skiing instead of surfing.

Denvah!

@Suz 52 She’ll beat the cold & snow creeping over there then. But then she’ll have it THERE instead of HERE!

Chris, my neighborhood is one of those blue collar union ones (so I hear from canvassers during past elections anyway) and in the past, almost every house has been decorated. This year, not so much.

You’re welcome. SE PA? I grew up in the Lehigh Valley. It wasn’t quite so foggy there, and it got wintry on occasion. The three winters I spent at University Park about cured my longing for snow, though.

every time she whines about the cold i ask her what the temp is at the college she wants to go to in wyoming (wicked evil laugh)

I’m also lining up “local concerned citizens” who can be included in the story. I have some one in LA, San Diego, and Portland. I’ll need to line up some in Texas and Florida too.

One thing that I found out is that people who are organizing this by getting the permits are not the people paying for the buses. I’m going to get the 990s from all the groups, but the ones that info lags behind the actual spending and the money being donated. I might just call some of them up and ask them, “Did you pay for the Bus rental? Who did?”

Pretty pictures, Cujo. Grumpy tonight?

Once a cop, always a cop.

;>)

Margot,
I’m not surprised. The 60 Minutes show tonight, showing Wilmington Ohio, made me weep. We, here in Cleveland Heights, are still employed. There, not at all.

hey db — how’s canada tonight? i stocked up on brain bleach in case you showed up

Why did you spend your day in bed, Christine? Just being a lazy bum? (Which is perfectly legit.)

Ya mean like this…? ;-)

Now why would you need that, Suzanne?

;>)

Chadds Ford, until I was 16. Then Wilmington, DE until Newark University of Delaware. Moved to Cleveland 1981. Rare fog here…

doesn’t get air play up here in snowbird country dood

http://www.fauxfire.com
enjoy…

*innocent look*

hey nahant — how ya doing tonight?

Jammin’ Christmas tune, Suz.

Which college in Wyoming? My former brother-in-law went to the University of Wyoming at Laramie in the early ’70s. They have some gnarly winters. Great location in the warmer months, though.

Total bum, needed to catch up on sleep! When the house is cold, and our old house is so chilly, we make tea, get the paper, and totally read for hours in bed. Hey, we have an empty nest!

Kelly, I can not believe the donkies lost by one point to the dreaded enemy… Da Raiduhs’…!

Yes, I’m grumpy. I posted that article here also, but I think comments have expired.

The other think I found out from my LA contact is that LA has a 510 million dollar deficit and the city attorney just asked the city council to get money from the Jackson estate for the security at the Michael Jackson Memorial service. That is great news because it is something I can draw a parallel with. “Why should the city provide these services for free when we have to lay off teachers? Sure it’s great to have a nice send off for Michael Jackson, but he was the King of Pop, not the President of the US.
It’s also not like his family is going to be losing money from his estate in the future. They can afford to pay for private security, we can’t.”

*heh* Did ya see the price list…? ;-)

For some reason, I always assumed Cleveland would be foggy, what with that little lake nearby.

thanks rat — glad ya liked it

a bible college oh crap.. i’ve forgotten the name… jordon bible college maybe?

*rubbing hands together gleefully*

hanging in.. how about you Suz? Getting used to your new appliances yet??

When I think of Hawaii now, I think of McCain.

i don’t ski so i don’t know if that is good bad or rippoff

Oddly enough, not. I even forget we live on the lake.

huge sigh — not yet. i’m still having trouble gagging — gonna have him adjust it tomorrow

hey loohoo — how’s socal tonight?

*gasp* Why on earth would you make that correlation…? Granted, Miz Palin showed up recently, but, she at least exemplified the Isles’ feelings for McInsane… She blacked his name out…! ;-)

Good for you!

Around here, it’s difficult to forget. Even if you don’t see the water all that much, its effects are generally noticeable.

Thanks, love!

This is the only bible college I could find in Wyoming… without trying too hard (I assume there might be more). It’s in LaGrange, WY. Right on the border with Nebraska.

Frontier School of the Bible

ct — didn’t ya see that loohoo used the strike-through on mccain’s name?

I think everybody’s grumpy, Cujo. Sorry time of year to be so down, huh? Let’s watch Suz’ video again and forget the whole freaking thing.

that’s the one — thanks rat — she has a lot of friends that have gone there and a lot who attend now. she is still debating with herself about if she wants to go or not.

Our water bill has always freaked me out — and I became the shower power overseer — 3 minutes tops. No lawn watering, no excess in dish washing. Mother misery.

Yeah, then the Great White Dope saw a non-haole and quit that vacation pronto.

;>)

I was going to guess mining engineering. Shows what I know …

Not me, I’m happy go lucky.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

((SuZ))

the mood i’m in tonight, i sure wish i cudda found a christmas version of this

We’ve had water shortages, too, believe it or not. Fresh water is always hard to come by, I think. If we could just strictly use the other stuff to water lawns, etc., we’d probably be better off. Unfortunately, there’s only one incoming pipe from the water co.

The city of LA paying for the MJ funeral/memorial was a big deal. People were really pissed off, and rightly so. Pisses me off when San Diego bought the ballpark for the Padres too. Just so wrong! Then they went further and agreed to buy unsold tickets so the Padres could be on TV. (Could have been Chargers, I’m sports impaired.)

Like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5bWwWBKddg

Why do you want to gag? *G*

hey emerson — i love that song — a favorite of mine — thank you dood

That was really a great post. I was just over there reading it.
Well said. I especially like this part.

have these people ever in their lives been poor?

Having been really poor I remember what it was like. Counting pennies.

I work for health care for all not just because it is good for these “others” out there, but because I know, “there but for the grace of God” go I.
Elisabeth Warren’s research showing all the people WITH good insurance that still ended up bankrupt was eye opening.

People who are disconnected with the poor who think that had great insurance and then had to file bankruptcy have been radicalized.

The fact that Obama didn’t use these people effectively is tragic.
Biden collected the stories. I didn’t see them media trained and out there talking to the people in the media. Wendell Potter the from Insurance company exec did a lot of great work talking to people about what the industry was doing, but was we didn’t see were lots of person stories WHY we MUST have protection from the insurance company insanity.

Thanks for this — you are lovely.

A little cloudy…hoping for some more rain!

Yes, and typically this isn’t my favorite time of year, anyway. There’s not much sunlight out here, even on clear days. Ah, well, the solstice is tomorrow, so the worst of that is over for another year.

still getting used to the upper plate — it triggers my gag reflex when i try to talk so i have another appt tomorrow with the dentist to fix it

yay — the sun starts marching north. the only good thing when it heads south is i get to see the actual sunset instead of it setting further north

I remember it, of course. I remember my parents’ marriage ending, and the stress that led up to it. That time ended for me, thankfully, but it continues for lots of people. The one thing I didn’t like about that essay was that I used the word “poor” so much. Nowadays, you can be quite a bit above the FPL and still have these same difficulties. PaulaT noted that at the copy of the article I posted here. Marcy wrote an article that sort of said that the other day.

Anyway, that disconnect between the politicians and the chattering classes, and this reality that many of us live in really bothers me. The people I mentioned so far seem to have learned nothing.

Good to know. Of course the tea party rally wasn’t as huge. I’m guessing the 30 police at the event cost about 6,500 bucks, but I’m trying to confirm.

When I’m working my messages I need to be very clear to differentiate between our events and theirs. I want to make sure the taxpayers know they were used and if they want to still give Big Oil, Big Insurance and Big Tobacco these services for free they can, but the anti-tax tea partiers aren’t hurting for money whereas your city is.

I suspect it was the Chargers. The NFL had a blackout rule for a long time. Once in awhile Seattle would do the same thing. They then bought two stadiums. I’m less of a sports fan than I used to be.

Kevin Pollack

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_kZJJUc4mQ

nite zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

hahahaha 24th century and no cure for baldness

g’nite nahant, mz julie and tucker

That’s a beaut, db!

Ain’t life grand?!!

Money to be made if they make a Christmas 2009 version!

(and congrats on getting #100!)

aint it tho

…MAUNA KEA SUMMIT ROAD CONDITIONS
Road status: Closed

So where do you go, CT?

It’s really beautiful out tonight. Here, anyway.

This morning @ around 5 am the lightning that you guys were getting had come over here. It was so bright; it looked like headlights. No thunder, just bright, bright lightning.

thanks loohoo — didn’t think we would hit 10 earlier tonight

hey mauimom — long time no see here at late late nite — how ya been?

Water is one of the reasons I bought a place in Panama. (Which is now rented as of Jan. 1!)

woohoo loohoo!!!

Pretty poison indeed, Loo Hoo.

Another day in the frozen wastes beckons…’night, all.

;>)

Beautiful.

g’nite db

Eddie Izzard learning French.

That’s one thing there’s no lack of there.

Best luck. I know you have a good relationship with the good doc, so I’m sure it will all work out. Amazing how good our original bodies are, huh?

the cat is on the chair

he is a perfectionist when it comes to fit — i think he takes a great deal of pride in his work — he made the denture which took 3 or 4 fittings with molds before that last group of extractions.

Fine. As you can tell from the reference to 5 am, I am an early to bed, early to rise person.

Also, I’ve been the object of snotty comments on a couple of threads here.

Sheesh, I thought this was a nice place, and me, a long-time participants & supporter. I guess everyone’s on edge. I know I’m grumpy and blue.

everyone is grumpy and frustrated and pissed off — and on edge. i’m sorry you have had snotty comments directed your way mauimom.

I was above it when the Lightning first enveloped the Big Isle on Friday nite…! It was a spectacular site watching the lightning heads going off…! ;-)

Contact the Jon and Ken show on KFI Los Angeles. They’re a clearchannel station, right wing, but have a huge following. Before the local NPR station notched it up, I had to listen to KFI, and actually got to like Bill Handle. Don’t agree with him much, but at least he’s thinking.

With the President of Barundi. Or maybe he was in the tree with the monkey? Bilingualism is so confusing sometimes.

or with the mouse under the table?

Now I’m remembering. It was PetCo Park for the Padres. Lots of new skyscrapers were built nearby. (Really good prices now, I’m sure.)

I used to play with WangDangDoodle trying to hit the 100 mark. She always won…

i can only hit it if i’m not trying. every time i tried to hit the 100 or 200 or (gasp) the 300 i never timed it right

Have any of you been tracking the dust-up between Jane and the Kossacks?

– http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/12/20/817242/-Update-2:-Sorry-Miz-Jane-Hamsher.-No.-

– http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/12/20/817285/-On-Jane-Hamsher-and-Manufactured-Outrage-(UPDATED-X2)

– http://firedoglake.com/2009/12/20/welcome-kossaks/

It’s amazing stuff!

been following along. oh my just doesn’t cover it :)

how ya doing?

Johnny and Jane speaking of cats

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYtCebp32Kc

I’ve been very grumpy lately. Working on getting over it, it’s not going to change so I’d better.

Hopefully it was one of the newcomers, Maui.

I had to listen to KFI, and actually got to like Bill Handle. Don’t agree with him much, but at least he’s thinking.

On my trips to SD, I put up with Bill Handle until my man Leo “the tech guy” Laporte comes on. Leo rocks!

i’m trying but with little success.

Oh fucking my!

the dolly bit was a hoot — and i’m not gonna touch the petting line….

We had an energy audit last week. The Rep brought with him dye tablets to check the toilet valves. I imagine you could get them from your local water company or coop, as well as a special plastic bag with instructions on how to check the flow from your shower heads. If you run out of tint tablets, you can simply use laundry bluing. Another waster is letting the water run when you brush your teeth. Rinse your tooth brush before you begin, if you must, then turn off the water ’til you’re through. Every little thing help!

yup — interesting times we live in

I know. Where is our TRex? Would he be allowed to join in the conversation? Not saying as a headliner, but just as a commenter?

Dang. Fun ‘ol times.

hey skeptic — how ya been?

he showed up on the katymine thread and others. trex is always welcome here

Yes. I’m worried.

I’ve been pushing the notion of an alliance between libertarians and liberals since possibly before Jane did.

I used to read antiwar.com, and it was several months before I realized that they weren’t liberals. Also, I watched Bruce Fein on Bill Moyers and thought he was one of us, rather than a former member of the Reagan administration. Also, some issues of the American Conservative have to be read very carefully to see that they aren’t liberals.

What a freaking lousy holiday season, huh? My entire family has canceled gifts! I’m giving my girls tampons, shampoo, lotion, soaps, dental goodies and money.

IMHO, this is not problematic. I see it as waking some people up.

I’m such a non-techie that Leo isn’t someone I listen to much. I really like his manner though, he’s respectful of his audience. I’d call him up if I had a question, he’s very patient with the stupids like me!

Good one Mom :D

It’s official… 60-40…!

i’ve had many hard candy christmases. one year i pawned all my jewelry (not that i had a lot) so i could buy the girls a tree and gifts. was worth it and i don’t regret it — just saying i’ve been there.

hey sweetie — how ya doing

I’m such a non-techie that Leo isn’t someone I listen to much. I really like his manner though, he’s respectful of his audience.

I’m glad you said that. I’m a techie, but it’s exactly his gentleness that makes me like him so much.

I’ve noticed that about antiwar.com and some articles in the American Conservative.
Now if some of the libertarians I talk to could just be persuaded that taxation is not theft.

By a vote of 60-40, the Senate agreed to end debate on a major package of health care amendments–and by doing so, signaled that the Democratic caucus is unified, and ready to pass a far-reaching reform bill straight down party lines.

The Senate is now expected to hold more procedural votes on Tuesday and Wednesday before finally voting on the bill late Christmas eve.

As per TPM…

I’m good :D how are the keys? I tried calling you earlier today, but you didn’t answer :(

My younger son had to have boots, he is down to one pair of shoes and they got slush-filled. So that’s his present. Ah well.

Now if some of the libertarians I talk to could just be persuaded that taxation is not theft.

EXACTLY!!! I’ve gradually turned a few of them around. But, damn, it’s a long process.

My best tool is citing world statistics on productivity, quality of life, quality of healthcare, and things like that.

i got the txt but not the call :(

the keys work! yours, however, are still stuck in the ignition of your car. sorry about that babe. i’ll try (again) tomorrow and each day until i figure out where it went wrong

I REALLY need to invest in some boots! I have the same problem!! LOL

maybe santa? or the birthday fairy will send ya the $$$?

Jump start my car to take them out….the battery died probably because the car has been stagnant for so long…

Birthday fairy eh?

Krall Christmas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWtfDgHICYA

it was deader than a doornail when i tried to start it friday after losing my car keys. that reminds me, i gotta pay the AAA bill.

in case anyone hasn’t figured it out, charlie is my daughter stephanie, formerly known as baby girl

i do believe i do i do
i do believe i do i do

her voice is so smooth….. thanks emerson

Hmmmm….looks like I may need a new battery then…

Never a dull moment, eh…? ;-)

Hi charlieholms! Your mom’s a great lady, but you already know that. *g*

steph, i’ll have aaa start it and then we will know if it needs a battery or not.

*sorta laughing* nope

i’ve said for years that my life would make a great forking soap opera

Baby girl is what I’ve succumb too?

Krutman’s calling for majority rule in the Senate: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/21/opinion/21krugman.html?_r=1&src=twt&twt=NytimesKrugman

well it was how i referred to ya — it was jen the soon to be bride and baby girl.

Oof… That’s gotta hurt…! *g*

I know…she is basically the bestest person EVER! Our life is defiantly a Soap Opera LOL

Hey, g’nite all.

Ya….ya that was a burn on the good ole ego….rats

g’nite wigwam

…Our life is defiantly a Soap Opera…

Defiantly so…! ;-)

…ducking from your Mom’s lQQk…!

time for me to head out myself. thanks for all the conversation and music tonight

g’nite all.

I missed this. The first article seems to be written by one of those rigid sorts who don’t read things very carefully, partly thanks to their rigid view of the world, and then decide that nothing is worth having anything to do with those other people, even if it’s only a conversation.

Heck, I was rooting for Joe Lieberman to vote against cloture today. I despise the guy, but there are times when you hope that people do the right thing for the wrong reason.

The second article is pretty close to my point of view. I don’t dislike Jane – if anything I admire the woman, but there have been times I found her opinions irritating, and the Caroline Kennedy article was one. Even so, this author was able to get past his preconceived notions to arrive at the truth.

Third article is what I like about Jane – I don’t think I’ll ever have to tell her to get over herself.

So, other than some fool criticizing Jane for something she didn’t do, what’s the problem?

GOOD NIGHT THREAD!!! ( my mom told me to say good night….hope I did ok :))

I tend to need to do that often too!

*laughing* she does take after me yanno

Aloha, M’dear…! *g*

Not so long ago, that was “the nuclear option”, to be avoided at all costs. Times have changed.

:D

Goodnight, Suzanne and Baby Girl.

What kind of a car do you have? Mine (a 2001 Acrua) has roadside service. I’m thinking a lot of people have AAA when they don’t need it. Plus it’s a right wing organization.

Far as I can tell.

CHARLIE!!

Congrats on #200!

Super special!

Its a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix

Good. This is a problem that must be fixed.

Thanks :D

Night, babygirl!

Should have said Suz!

Thanks for the tip. One of the things that I want to make clear is that the teabaggers may be party of the community but they hate taxes and they love small government. These small gov no taxes people use services and don’t pay. Now we can say, “our city is so flush that we will absorb the cost of these Corp sponsored front groups who are using some members of the community for their media opp.” or you our city can say, “you got you media hit, we treated you like a real grass roots group, you are not. We want the money we spent on you. Please send the check to…” this is going to be sent to the city attornies and the media.

Until the rain which occurred last week and a couple of weeks before, we hadn’t seen real rain since February. Real drought on Maui.

Our water saving trick: save the water that runs while the shower “heats up,” and use it for flushing toilets.

So late, I don’t know if anyone’s reading any more . . .

This year, other than a couple of gifts to each of our kids, we’re giving donations [in the donee's name] to worthwhile organizations: Days End Farm Horse Rescue (MD), the Three Cups of Tea group [educating girls in Afghanistan), the Marcy Fund (woo hoo), Maui Food Bank, and others.

Stockings, however, are going to have lots of little [if inexpensive] “goodies.”

Also, since Maui has to “import” all its trees, and since we didn’t get our asses in gear early enough, all trees are gone. I’m using an old sheet & “drawing” a tree, then putting it up and pinning a bunch of the needlepoint ornaments on it.

i like that idea mauimom — let the little ones draw the tree on the sheet and then pin all the ornaments and garland on it :)