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Tuesday: Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Tue May 03, 2005 at 05:39:59 AM EST
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Court isn't my favorite place to be at 8:00 a.m., but that's life in the legal trenches. The site's back to normal, about 150 of you have registered to comment so far, so let's hear what you have to say.

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    Tuesday: Open Thread | 32 comments (32 topical)
    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#1)
    by Johnny on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:39 PM EST
    I have worked the last 8 days, and have averaged 13 hours a day... What should I buy with my overtime? I am debating between a PSP, a camping trip to Canada, and gambling. What have I given up for this? No intimate nights with my wife, and my daughter who is 4, questions my right to be her daddy. So to all those who think working all the time is a sign of a "good work ethic", I hope you do not have a family...

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#2)
    by Linkmeister on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:39 PM EST
    Not to say court's better, but I'm gonna be in the ophthalmologist's chair at 0845, which means leaving the house at 0745. I hope your commute is shorter.

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:39 PM EST
    Johnny - LOL I can only imagine under the circumstances that PSP stands for "Personal Service Provider" : 0 Try to carve out some time for the kid if you possibly can. It goes by so quick. Use the $$ to buy your wife something she'll like to remind her that you care!

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:39 PM EST
    Day 113 of the President's Silence Kristoff is on top of the Darfur situation. Wish I could say the same about some of his other work...

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#5)
    by ppjakajim on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:39 PM EST
    GregZ - Darfur is bad. But what pressing national interest does it represent? Would you send your son to fight and maybe die there? A no fly zone sounds good, but have you looked at the logistics? War should be reserved for things important to those fighting them. Genocide is horrible, and if I could stop it I would do so in a heartbeat, but the US is not the policeman of the world. And if you think so, I am sure you fully support the war in Iraq.

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#6)
    by The Heretik on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:39 PM EST
    Agreed. Darfur does need more attention. Lots more attention. Corrente is doing great work on that.

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#7)
    by krazycory on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:40 PM EST
    i see that the feds are cutting money to the states that refuse to sign the no child left behind act does anyone know whats in this act that is creating such an uproar? i'm guessing there is more to this proposal than just testing kids

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#8)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:40 PM EST
    Johnny I don't know if you have a thoroughbred track near you, but I suggest taking your daughter to the track. Nice spring weather starting, there is no better place to enjoy it. Kids love the horses, and I have fond memories of my old man taking me out to Aqueduct or Belomont for a day at the races. He'd have me pick one, and he'd pair it up with his pick for some exacta boxes. And if we made a nice score, we'd hit Red Lobster on the way home. This way you can enjoy the thrill of some gambling action, and spend some quality time with the kid. Just remember my old man's golden rule of gambling..."Don't bet what you can't afford to lose." It has served me well.

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:40 PM EST
    "Todo Fuera! Todo Fuera!" "Ecuador's been "dollarized," which is why everyone is flat broke and in a bad mood and why Quechua women in bowler hats were screaming into the cameras, "TODO FUERA! TODO FUERA !" -- Everybody out! -- in front of the Presidential Palace." Arbeit Macht Frei

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#10)
    by mpower1952 on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:40 PM EST
    krazycory- there are many problems with NCLB. One of the rules says that special ed kids must be tested and must pass a standardized test. These kids are at so many levels and have so many levels of ultimate ability that a standard test is ridiculous. But a school will be labeled failing if they can't get them to pass. NCLB is a plan to discredit public schools and pave the way for public acceptance of charter schools (for profit) and of course federal money being given to private (christian) schools. BTW- NCLB is based on the 'Texas Miracle'. When Bush was Tx Gov., the Houston schools supposedly used this system to become a model for school excellence. They had 100% graduation rates for high school. They had test score increases every year in every grade. Problem was they cheated. In the lower grades, the teachers would only teach to the test. High Schools 'disappeared' any kids who dropped out or could not pass the tests. The whole 'miracle' was a fraud and it was known before Bush was selected. Yet our crack media ignored the facts.

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:40 PM EST
    kdog, I like your idea. Sounds like a fun outing for both. As for working all the time . . . if you read BOP News or Daily Kos, you might have noticed Stirling Newberry's recent diary about the coming economic meltdown. One of his recommendations is to work all the hours you can now--and save every penny you can. Not very enjoyable, but if things get as bad as they easily could, we'll need all those pennies.

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#12)
    by Mreddieb on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:40 PM EST
    Kdog You are so right. My dad used to take me to the Trotters in Yonkers N.Y. We had a great time. I jumped up an down screaming for my pick and my Dad stood quietly not making a sound. I'm sure he was jumping and screaming too "inside" for his Pick. Thanks for the memory KDOG

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#13)
    by Mreddieb on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:40 PM EST
    Talk left I don't mind signing in but is there some way to reduce siging in over and over?

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#14)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:40 PM EST
    Good stuff indeed Ed. The local authorities have been cracking down on underground cardrooms, and I'm not happy. I went to my local joint the other night, luckily I was running late because the place got raided. All the players got their stakes snatched by the state. Simple thievery. If a grown free man is willing to wager on the turn of a card, what business is it of the govt. Another item on my growing list of laws against freedom.

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#15)
    by Che's Lounge on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:40 PM EST
    Try dragging your butt out at 6:30 only to have your case canceled after you arrive. This after 3 hours of smelly bowel resection at 12:30 earlier the same morning. Insurance will pay be about $150 for all that. Meanwhile the CEO of this particular hospital just got a $320,000 bonus just for keeping the hospital in the black last year - by $150,000! Whats wrong with this picture?

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#16)
    by swingvote on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:40 PM EST
    Greetings at last. I have access to a PC system using Explorer and am able to login successfully using that, but the Mac system using Explorer still refuses to acknowledge the login, even though it clearly works.

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#17)
    by pigwiggle on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:40 PM EST
    “Arbeit Macht Frei” I’m convinced there is nothing to trivial to compare with the systematic consolidation and murder of the European Jews. Soup Nazi, parking Nazis, [inconvenienced by] Nazi, …

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#18)
    by Peter G on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:40 PM EST
    Just checking on my registration to comment

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#20)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:40 PM EST
    just wanted to pass along how easy it was to register. thanks.

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#21)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:41 PM EST
    Ed, the "remember me" button should keep you logged in. Some browsers have timers that log you out after a half hour or so of non usage. On my computers, using IE and Firefox, I stay logged in until I "sign out." When I click "sign on" my user name and password are there, so all I have to do is click once.

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#22)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:41 PM EST
    TL, I get booted everytime I exit tl.com. So if I go to my home page from here and click back, I must re-sign in (on both my PC at work and my Mac at home) Also, on my Mac running OSX, no Bold, Italic, etc., buttons show up.

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#23)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:41 PM EST
    Mfox, I just checked my Mac and the buttons are there and work in Safari but not in opera. Mike Ditto has a tech support thread for TalkLeft on his site where he will help any of you having problems.

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#24)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:41 PM EST
    For once a sane comment from PPJ (at 6.01 PM). There is a genocide going on in Sudan. The last thing they need is an American occupation on top on that.

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#25)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:41 PM EST
    PPJ.... US is not the policeman of the world True enough.... isn't that kinda sorta the UN's job? Just another example of how inept that organization is!

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#26)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:42 PM EST
    Speaking of horseracing, anybody got a Derby pick? I'm looking at the closer, Bandini. Bellamy Road looks like the goods, but I can't bet the favorite in the Derby, they rarely come through. And I don't like George Steinbrenner, who happens to own Bellamy Road.

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#27)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:42 PM EST
    registration? yes please...

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#28)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:42 PM EST
    Why settle for one? Camp and gamble in Canada, the dollars not that weak.

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#29)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:42 PM EST
    "Posted by Jim: "Darfur is bad. But what pressing national interest does it represent?" Why don't you ask the USPNAC conspirators who took over the government? It's on their list: "(Iraq), Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Iran, Sudan, Somalia" (and H. F*cking Kissinger wants to partition Saudi Arabia). So, why is it on the list? OIL and precious minerals. "The country's oil reserves are estimated at between 600 million and 1.2 billion barrels with recoverable reserves estimated at greater than 800 million barrels. The country is also rich in natural gas with reserves estimated at 3 trillion cubic feet (tcf)." "War should be reserved for things important to those fighting them. Genocide is horrible, and if I could stop it I would do so in a heartbeat, but the US is not the policeman of the world." The US is a signatory on the Genocide convention. IF it is a genocide as you say, then the US has no option but to stop it, via UN and US means. That's the LAW. "And if you think so, I am sure you fully support the war in Iraq." Even Tony Blair's law lord found the invasion would be ILLEGAL under the UN treaty. There was no active genocide going on in the country. So your comment is specious. We now have evidence that Bush and Blair CONSPIRED to defraud their countries and legislatures, having already decided on war (undemocratically) in July 2002. Conyers Puts It to Bush Stopping genocide is in the national interest, because it is in the HUMAN interest, and that's why we have a Genocide treaty, which is law. Since you oppose acting based on specious claims of no national interest (as if every action has to be based on profit), you are lying when you rue genocide, and try to bait and switch the illegal Iraq invasion, or promote the various Bush dog and pony shows around the world, which have as their purpose PROFIT, and destruction of US reputation so the barriers on US tyranny come fully off, after the inevitable blowback. It's evil, through and through. Good luck at the court hearing on your complicity, when your time comes.

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#30)
    by ppjakajim on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:42 PM EST
    Paul in LA - Just a few thoughts. I live in the US, so the comments of an Enlish law lord are of interest, but of no particular importance to me. The fact that we have signed the Geneva convention does not obligate us to go to war. I think the way it works is the President asks Congress. Paul writes - "you are lying when you rue genocide, and try to bait and switch the illegal Iraq invasion" Paul according to mfox the other day you are very young man, so I am willing to forgive you for a certain amount of potty mouth. But you are pushing the envelope. Your lack of logic and information is astounding when you say invading to protect Dakiur would be legal, but invading Iraq is not.

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#31)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:42 PM EST
    Your idols disagree with you, PPJ. The President has the "unfettered" power to make war as he sees fit. Here is an excerpt from that document, as drafted by a bunch of Yale-grads who I'd wager have spent very little time in harms way (harm of any kind): "Several recent precedents stand out as particularly relevant to the situation at hand, where the conflict is with terrorists. The first and most relevant precedent is also the most recent: the military actions that President William J. Clinton ordered on August 20, 1998, against terrorist sites in Afghanistan and Sudan. The second is the strike on Iraqi Intelligence Headquarters that President Clinton ordered on June 26, 1993." Hmmm...so let's get this straight, Bush's right to make war against Iraq is based on precedent/action taken by Clinton in the Sudan. Laws and legality are only as good as the lawmakers and law enforcers. Since we have nothing but entitled, spoiled-rotten, wealthy bigots and racists running our land, what we get is garbage in, garbage out. Any discussion of legal/illegal is moot. Whoever has the most money writes whatever laws they please and does whatever the hell they wish (irregardless of it's effect on the lives of the disenfranchised). Perhaps you're so old, PPJ, that senility has clouded your judgement. Americans have bigger issues to resolve than the Sudan. Like exiting Iraq immediately, stopping the Culture War that the Corporatists have waged on Americans, and getting rid of the criminals in our capitol. The day I see pigs flying is the day I'll know that it has come to pass.

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#32)
    by BigTex on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:43 PM EST
    We should be going into Sudan. Part of the problem is getting the public's attention addressed to the situation. We found an escaped slave who would be willing to come give a presentation, however he wanted all expenses paid plus a $1,000 honorium. We could get the expenses paid, but not the honorarium, so no speaker. It's too bad, there would have been a good sized audience. Money corrupts I guess. Tampa - legally the President has the authority to order the troops into battle, but not to declare war, that's Congress's power. They passed the war powers act which means they can order the troops back after 6 months. No one knows if it is constitutional, though it almost came to a bioling point when the republuicans very wrongheadedly tried to force the issue with Kosovo. All it takes is a hostiel Congress to limit military action.

    Re: Tuesday: Open Thread (none / 0) (#33)
    by ppjakajim on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:43 PM EST
    ParrelellPaths - I ask again, would you go, or would you want your son to go? By what right should we expect our children to straighten out this situation if it kills them? Answer is... With no national interest involved, we shouldn't. We are not the world's policeman.

    Tuesday: Open Thread | 32 comments (32 topical)