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Thursday Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Thu Oct 06, 2005 at 11:18:36 AM EST
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It's the lull before the storm. I'm going to take advantage of it and work. Chatter on.

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    Thursday Open Thread | 49 comments (49 topical)
    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#1)
    by peacrevol on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    Swatted around some small ball this morning with finally some cool weather for a change. Hooray for cool fronts.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#2)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    The main topic of concern in my area...home heating costs. This article predicts a 41% increase in costs over last year. And some, like the Farmers Almanac, are predicting a harsh winter. Working poor, the elderly on fixed incomes...how will they afford it? Does our govt. have any ideas? Or is this problem too real for them to worry about?

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#3)
    by peacrevol on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    Firewood. Burning fires for those with fireplaces can reduce heating costs by quite a bit. But of course, in Texas we dont need to heat our homes very much. I dont think our government has any ideas on energy cost increases. Naturally there are govt incentives for people to install solar panels to provide power to the home, but only the rich can afford that anyway. We are experiencing inflation as is evidenced by higher energy prices and higher gasoline prices which will soon lead to higher prices for goods and commodities. Soon after, workers will demand higher wages and inflation is going to get a little out of hand. Not to sound like an economist or anything, but the signs are definately there. Times are likely to get tough before long due to price changes, no jobs, and the lag time between price increases and wage increases.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#5)
    by peacrevol on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    I dont know about a depression, but I would not be surprised to see the same sort of problems we had during the 1970s and 1980s. I think it's sort of the same situation that has happened backwards. Then it was Vietnam, "oil shortages", and the savings and loan crisis. While not exactly the same, the corporate frauds, hurricanes and other natural disasters of our day sort of come together to make up the S&L crisis of our time, in that business trust is sort of on the downturn. So what we have now is Iraq, decreasing business trust, and problems with oil. Same as the seventies and eighties. But I think we have taken enough preventative measures to keep a 1930s style depression from happening. But I think we may be in for another recession. We definately will see some rising inflationary pressures sooner than a lot of people think. They're already starting. As far as heating the home goes, I am definately not qualified. I dont even know anybody that has a boiler. The coldest average temps we get here are probably in the 40s and that's only for about a month or two. It's the summers that suck here. 103 degrees just about a week ago. whew....sure hope that's over with.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#7)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    What worries me is the reliance on credit like never before. The working class, struggling with the increased cost of everything without the increase in wages to offset it, has turned to the credit card as provider. Charge the gasoline, charge the food...a recipe for disaster.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#8)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    I meant to add, the reliance on credit, and the dangers that poses, is what seperates the current situation from the recessions of the 70's and 80's.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#9)
    by peacrevol on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    Actually it's not a whole lot different. The S&L crisis was created by lenders not matching the terms of their inflows with the terms of their outflows. ie, taking in money from 30-year notes at 3-5% and paying out at about 5-7%. Credit cards protect themselves from interest rate risk with variable rates. When inflation hits and interest rates go up, so will credit card interest rates. The problem they'll have is that the only recourse they have for people who dont pay their bill is to damage their credit. If the rates get too high for people to be able to pay their bills and still have money to eat, they'll lose money from people not paying bills and will make bad reports on peoples' credit history. So in a roundabout way, it is similar in that it's tied to interest rates. But the main difference is that it's credit card companies and not banks. The problem is, spending would be reduced exponetially if credit card companies started to go out of business. That would slow recovery from a recession.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#10)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    "Working poor, the elderly on fixed incomes...how will they afford it? Does our govt. have any ideas?" Not for nothing, but this just about defines the difference between the left and right for me. The left wants gvt to "fix" this problem for it's citizens, and the right believes that given the opportunity the citizens will not only figure out how to fix this problem for themselves, but will be better off for doing it. Cest la vie.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    Yep SUO, The Right is only all too willing to let them freeze to death. That's the biggest difference between left and right.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#12)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    I purposely did not say "fix", but asked if our govt. had any ideas of how to prevent our poor, our sick, and our old from freezing to death, or having to choose between heat and food. Our govt. seems to have loads of ideas for waging war and helping big business. What about grandma?

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#13)
    by peacrevol on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    kdog makes a good point. While they're worried about things in the ME and whether or not Mark McGuire was juicing up, poverty here at home is a real issue that they hardly deal with. Perhaps if they allocated their resources less to places outside the country, less to baseball players (who for some crazy reason they had a hearing about who was doing steroids and what to do about it thanks to that b*tch Canseco), and more to the poverty in our own cities we could arrive at a happy medium that both parties could agree to and that would help our poor, elderly, and disabled.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#14)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    Maybe grandma should just buy a winter place in FL? (joke, of course) Whether the word "fix" is used or not, the broader point remains.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#15)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    And the broader point is? The "left" says...how can we help? Is there anything we can do? The "right" says...f*ck em! No money in it for me. Or is it simply once everyone who can't afford heat freezes to death, the problem is solved. And there will be more oil for the rest of us! The poor, the old...they are a waste of resources anyway since they aren't "productive". SUO, you can't be that cold-hearted in real life, are you buddy?

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#16)
    by peacrevol on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    What the hell? This is just a tad rediculous.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#17)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    "SUO, you can't be that cold-hearted in real life, are you buddy?" Well, had I had said anything even remotely resembling what you invented, whole-cloth, in your little tirade, yes. But I didn't. Not even close. What I said was "and the right believes that given the opportunity the citizens will not only figure out how to fix this problem for themselves, but will be better off for doing it." "The "left" says...how can we help? Is there anything we can do?" Nope. The "left" (you) says...how can the gvt help? Is there anything the gvt can do?

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#18)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    Nice one pea. Freedom on the march...marching off the plane and back to the terminal.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#19)
    by peacrevol on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    the right believes that given the opportunity the citizens will not only figure out how to fix this problem for themselves, but will be better off for doing it."
    To me it appears that the position of the right does not consider the fact that sometimes these people cannot "fix it themselves". That's a major falacy of the right, that they will fix it themselves. Since they cant fix it themselves, society should fix it without govt, but it just doesnt seem to work that way. Perhaps that's why the govt should come up with a way to find middle ground, ie govt incentives.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#20)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    ...and to me it appears that the position of the left does not consider the fact that not everyone who has a "problem" can't "fix it themselves". That's a major falacy of the left, that none of the citizens, as a whole and/or individually, can fix it themselves. Although you are changing my comment slightly. I didn't say "everyone should fix it themselves," I said "the citizens will not only figure out how to fix this problem for themselves, but will be better off for doing it." "Citizens" meaning the culmulative citizens as well as each individual citizen.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#21)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    Ok sarc. Grandma Jane lives on a grand a month from her savings and social security. The rent is 500 a month. Heat is now 400 a month...last year it was 220 for heat and she squeaked by. You get the picture I'm painting...it's not at all far fetched. It's now February, the oil tank is empty and the money is spent. Explain how this citizen can... "given the opportunity the citizens will not only figure out how to fix this problem for themselves, but will be better off for doing it." Damn right I'm asking all levels of govt., which is part of "we" (We the People of the United States of America), what can they do. They claim to be occupying Iraq for my safety, I didn't ask them to do that. Jane needs heat before I need safety. Our country is better served by sending in Halliburton to heat Grandma Jane's house instead of occupying Iraq. Or better yet, use some of the billions spent there to get some scientists together to figure out how to generate heat for 5 dollars a day. At least that is how I would like them to use the money I give them to serve the people, I'm not asking for something for nothing. The threat of the least among us freezing to death this winter should be near the top on the govt.'s "to do" list. Certainly above waging war and foreign occupations. Can you dig it? I apologize, I don't believe you to be cold hearted. It is merely the philosophy you mentioned I find cold-hearted.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#22)
    by roger on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    For what we are spending in Iraq, we could actually afford socialized fuel AND health care. Actually, it would probably cost a lot less. Just sayin'

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#23)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    This powerful speech on July 21, 2005, by John Bonifaz, Esq. is CRUCIAL listening. • Hear how the Founders decided the issue of the War Powers (great historical background material). • Relive the heinous decision by the Rubberstamp Congress to unconstitutionally vest the war power in the Executive, and how it was predictably misused. • Hear how it is that Bush lied the country into war, and committed impeachable high crimes (and a range of felonies). Why Our Constitution Vests War Powers in the Congress Alone • Make a donation to the costs of hosting the stream. • Tell others about the availability of this crucial speech, and encourage your friends to educate themselves in the key issues behind America's demand that Bush be impeached, and as the Congress is failing to properly impeach him, for him to resign. Bush Must Resign.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#24)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    kdog, if you truly can't figure out some way for granny to get heat by private means and not by gvt intervention...well, you must be so locked in to your philosophy of helplessness that I don't know what to say. If there is a need, I believe the citizens will find a solution. You believe the gvt should do it. We're going in circles. btw, there is nothing more cold-hearted than a philosphy that leads the citizenry to believe that they are helpless.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#25)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    Sure there is SUO, It's the philosophy that holds that the weakest amongst us should be cast aside to fend for themselves, without a government saftey net. In other words, classical conservatism.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#26)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    btw, there is nothing more cold-hearted than a philosphy that leads the citizenry to believe that they are helpless.
    My philosophy leads them to believe no such thing. My philosophy recognizes the fact no one wants to feel intense cold. No one is going to sit on their arse and freeze to death waiting for the govt. Some will figure something out, some will be saved by the goodwill of fellow citizens, some will die. Small groups of concerned citizens (like DA 30 years ago) cannot match the resources of the govt. My philosophy recognizes the fact that govt. intervention can prevent even more from freezing to death. I'm guessing your philosophy views those deaths as an acceptable loss. We can do better. We have Medicaid, why not Heataid?

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#27)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    You're guessing wrong. Again. We really are going in circles.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#28)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    Philosophy of helplessness??? Actually its "philosophy of community," originally practiced by community churches and mutual aid societies, before THEY lobbied for government to take over a burden which had become -- and remains to this day -- too enormous for them to shoulder. I am at a loss to understand this line of thought. I've been told that it's because "such do-gooder programs raise taxes." Perhaps... but if the cost of helping tens of thousands in dire need is apportioned across a national tax base of 100's of millions, we're talking 100th's of a cent per year per taxpayer. But let's get really extravagant and say it was even $20. That's what a pizza costs here in California. Granted, conservatives are exceedingly greedy and stingy, but not to this degree, I don't think. So it must be something else. Maybe they feel that Granny does not deserve the help. Maybe she was promiscuous in her younger life... maybe she was a spendthrift with her grandchildren, or lost her life savings at the track. Whatever the case, conservatives generally do believe that people in tough situations have done something to deserve being there... that somehow, some way their situation is their own fault, and therefore their own problem. But these same people have no problem whatsoever with raiding the federal Treasury to provide a tax windfall to Daddy Bigbucks (a third-generation loafing free-rider on a trust fund himself), so that Buffy and Binky can get new Beemers. Sheesh. Heat for Granny? No way! Beemers for Buffy & Binky? All Day Long.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#29)
    by Che's Lounge on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    One B-2 bomber cancelled and this problem is gone. For five years.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#30)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    I really need to add: I've often heard it said that the military is overwhelmingly conservative. I say "true in part." If "conservative" meant only "shunning those in need," (as this purported conservative and many others advocate) then the argument is over. I'll speak from what I know. Retired Navy would NEVER let a fellow shipmate go without heat, food, shelter... or company, conversation and fellowship. Even if they weren't the best of buddies while aboard ship, and even if they'd never served on the same ship or even knew each other during their time of service. The Navy League is a community-at-work, and even upon a rumor of a shipmate in need, the care machine is put into motion. My understanding is that the Marines (a department of the Navy ;-) ) have something similar as well, and I would be very surprised if the other services don't too. If Americans valued their fellow citizens likewise, we might be a stronger nation for it.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#31)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    "Bush claimed God told him to invade Iraq, Afghanistan" link This is the reason why we have to keep religion out of government. Because Bush's God isn't my God or a lot of other people's God.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#32)
    by soccerdad on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    Sorry, couldn't pass this up from Max Sawicky IF ALL ELECTED REPUBLICAN OFFICIALS WERE GARROTED, THE NUMBER OF CRIMES WOULD DECREASE . . . although that would be an impossible, ridiculous, and morally reprehensible thing to do. But it is a fact

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#33)
    by Che's Lounge on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:44 PM EST
    Soc, As Bennett's fans would say: "Innnterrresting..."

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#34)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:45 PM EST
    Gov Schweitzer is answering questions at dkos about the coal to oil process. I mentioned it awhile ago here and PPJ was sure that tremendous water would be needed for the process. As I said before it does not seem to be the case.
    QUESTION: What about the environment? This takes lots of water and makes solid waste I hear. ANSWER: Water needs, traditionally an enormous hurdle, have been all but eliminated with the advent of a process that actually produces water with its excess hydrogen and oxygen. Plus, 40 years of coal development in the prairie of southeast Montana has taught us how to restore the land with responsible reclamation. And while solid wastes are a concern, it is certainly better to sequester these toxins, and sell or dispose of them in a controlled manner, than to release them into air and water as is done now. The rest is worth a read as this process has the potential of ending our dependence on imported oil and bring down the price to boot, that is if you trust the corporatons that will be setting those prices. Still it seems hopeful. dkos

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#35)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:45 PM EST
    "Plus, 40 years of coal development in the prairie of southeast Montana has taught us how to restore the land with responsible reclamation." Yeah, sure. The coal industry in the Appalachians has destroyed hundreds of rivers, and the damage continues. No reclamation, when the valleys are filled in with coal tailings. Also, the statement by the governor intentionally avoids acknowledging that large amounts of water are still used, and the 'return' water is not at all the same as the mineral and microorganism rich water that went in. • Bush's ENRON pals took the grannies' retirement, and sent them back to work. • Bush broke the hearts of the grannies with his evil war, killing their grandchidren. • Bush murdered tens of thousands of Iraqi grannies who never did anything wrong in their lives. • Bush tried to blow away the grannies' social security, so they could eat a more varied diet, of cat food. • Bush blew away their heating oil money while he let the price of oil and gas spiral out of control, and his cronies in the industry making record profits. • Bush diddled and fiddled while grannies were dehydrating to death. • Bush is objectively bad for grannies. Ruining people's lives, and especially their grandparents and children -- the Bush Republican party. The people who call up granny and steal her money. Compassionate Conservatism is date rape.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#36)
    by peacrevol on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:45 PM EST
    ...and to me it appears that the position of the left does not consider the fact that not everyone who has a "problem" can't "fix it themselves". That's a major falacy of the left, that none of the citizens, as a whole and/or individually, can fix it themselves.
    The position of the right is that we should assume that somebody out there will help them, just in the name of saving tax money I suppose. What if kdog's hypothetical Grandma Jane had a son that was working two jobs that provide an income of $1750 per month and he has a wife who has just had a baby and another son who is 4 years old. They cant pay their own electric bill. How are they going to help Grandma Jane? What if that's the only family she has left? The left errs on the side of compassion, while the right errs on the side of capitalism. That's the difference. If the govt was in a bind financially and was not wasting tax dollars and resources on a bunch of crap they didnt need to be doing, then the conservative position might hold up. As it is, it makes no sense.
    My understanding is that the Marines (a department of the Navy ;-) ) have something similar as well, and I would be very surprised if the other services don't too.
    Yeah we have the Marine Corps League. Pretty much the same thing I'm assuming (dont know much about it really, or the navy league for that matter: just know they exist)

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#37)
    by peacrevol on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:45 PM EST
    the Marines (a department of the Navy ;-) )
    Here's health to you and to our Corps, which we are proud to serve. In many a strife we've fought for life and never lost our nerve. If the Army and the Navy ever look on heaven's scenes, they will find the streets are guarded by United States Marines. ooh-rah

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#38)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:45 PM EST
    peavrevol - When you are anguishing over the cost of utilities, how about stopping and thinking about the Left's positions that have done nothing but created shortages and increased prices. No nukes No off shore drilling No new dams Tear down existing dams No new refineries No ANWAR No coal powered electric generation Repeat after me. Blame the rich. Blame the rich.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#39)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:45 PM EST
    Squeaky - Don't misquote. What I said was that it would be great if it works. Got any technical info? I would love to have it. I would also like to see the cost/sell ratio. i.e. If oil falls back to $40 bucks, will the process compete? And if it won't, how will you keep it going? Subsidies? How much? Tax oil to a level it is same price? Squeak, there are a lot of problems, a lot of issues. Let's see some facts besides overhead statements that this is wonderful.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#40)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:46 PM EST
    squeaky, you should be aware that misquoting someone shows a lack of intellectual rigor and an inability to play by the rules. An example of misquoting, so you know what to avoid, can be found here. Be careful out there!

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#41)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:46 PM EST
    "Some will figure something out, some will be saved by the goodwill of fellow citizens, some will die. My philosophy recognizes the fact that govt. intervention can prevent even more from freezing to death." Kdog, see, this just kills me. How can you point out how often the gvt fails miserably (Iraq, WOT, War on Drugs, FEMA, crime, maintaining levies, evacuating, death sentance, free speech, privacy, etc., etc., etc., and then say "but we should put the lives of the weakest among us in the gvt's hands because the gvt will do it better?"

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#42)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:46 PM EST
    ppj-You are imagining things again. Hallucinations are often a sign that your dementia is in its late stage.
    and PPJ was sure that tremendous water would be needed for the process. As I said before it does not seem to be the case.
    I was not quoting you. If you said something different please provide your earlier quote regarding water use and provide the link. As you regularly lie, deflect posts with non sequiturs, or rarely if ever read links supporting arguments, your credibility is extremely low here. Sure you may have said
    that it would be great if it works.
    But only after pointing out that the process is horrible for the environment and there is no way that this can be cost effective. DA- I think your diagnoses is spot on and the prognosis looks very bad for our giggling friend.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#43)
    by peacrevol on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:47 PM EST
    "but we should put the lives of the weakest among us in the gvt's hands because the gvt will do it better?"
    That's a very good point. But we as a society should be making it a point to help those who really need the help. It is no question that our govt is inefficient and doesnt help much. But they have financial resources that should be redirected and allocated in a way that is going to help its own people. The point of the govt is to help its people help themselves, which to me, means govt subsidies, incentives, etc.
    done nothing but created shortages and increased prices. No nukes
    ???? Nuclear weapons created shortages and increased prices? How? The left is concerned about damaging the earth beyond repair. That's why they want to cut down on these sorts of things, and I agree with the left that we need to be conscious of the things we emit into the atmosphere. But, we can only cut back on these things if an alternative exists. The argument is not to stop drilling, stop using fossil fuels, etc. and that's all. The argument is to stop doing all these things and start using alternative sources. Now let's consider the position of the right...put in those environmentally damaging energy production companies. Dont worry about the environment. They're making us money and they'll take it upon themselves to clean up their messes. To hell with the environment. It's not our fault and not our problem. We'll just wait until it's an obvious, unavoidable problem, then we'll blame the energy companies after the fact. Whatever the situation, retrospective conservatives, such as yourself, fold your arms when a problem arises and says..."see it's the fault of the left. They didnt want us to build new dams. They didnt want us to......" and all the while, people are freezing to death. Repeat after me...blame everyone and let it be their problem and not society's problem. I dont always agree with the positions of the left, and I dont always disagree with the positions of the right. It only seems to me, however, that the left is more conscious of the responsibilities of society. The right just wants to sit back and say "I told you so".

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#44)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:47 PM EST
    "But we as a society should be making it a point to help those who really need the help." We are in complete agreement here. We just differ on how to help them. kodg, the left, and you perhaps, think the gvt should do it. I don't. I've actually got a great idea for kdog for helping the grannies, but I think he's not with us today.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#45)
    by peacrevol on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:47 PM EST
    I've actually got a great idea for kdog for helping the grannies, but I think he's not with us today.
    Awe man, dont be stingy just b/c kdog's not here. We like ideas around here.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#46)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:47 PM EST
    Fair enough, for kdog (who better have a doctor's slip to excuse his absence): kdog, I have an idea for you. This is an example of what I've been talking about when I say "given the opportunity the citizens will not only figure out how to fix this problem for themselves, but will be better off for doing it." You are really concerned about grandma getting enough heat this winter. Here's my suggestion - you do something about it. No, really, I'm not slamming you, I'm serious. You see a need, so, instead of saying "this is bad and the gvt/someone else should do something about it," you do something about it. Start a charity fund. Raise some money. Help out. Probably a bunch of folks from this thread who would help you. You're a guitar-playing song-writer, right? So write a song about it. Get some bands to play it. Build the momentum. Hell, put together a benefit event. Call it Heat Aid. Imagine all your fave bands on stage at the Garden belting out "Kdog's Granny-Warming Rag" and raising money for granny's heating bill. Think of the possibilities. You'll be better off for it because you're helping people who need help, doing something you care about, making a difference, and you'll have ditched forever that wage-slave job that you complain about. The bands will be better off because they have done something good and got good PR. The grannies will be better off because they'll have heat. All it takes is one person who cares enough. That could be you, kdog, if you care enough. Do you?

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#47)
    by peacrevol on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:47 PM EST
    Good idea sarc. While he's doing that, I'll lobby our govt officials for some money or incentives to help him do this thing. They'll probably tell me to to f*** off, but hey...Cant gripe if you dont try, right? aight...I'm headed to H-town to watch the 'Stros wrap up their series w/ the Bravos, hopefully. Peace out (pun intended)

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#49)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:47 PM EST
    DA-OK the prognosis is getting grim, because PPJ's prediction that someone in the near future would be missing from the ends of the threads here is coming true, only not in regards to the person PPJ thought it would be. How did I do?

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#51)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:47 PM EST
    DA-I tried but I couldn't. I will work on it. Perhaps if I hurl myself into the concrete wall out back a few more times I'll get it. Maybe if I force myself to read the NY Post nad the Moonie Times every day for two years I can do it. Nah easier to hurl myself (head first) into that wall. Can bear the idea of all that reading.... maybe it is starting to work.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#53)
    by Edger on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:48 PM EST
    DA: ..that you find it hard to get there means you don't have the ability to be a cheerleader.. Careful DA... you're almost "right" there.. ;-)

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#54)
    by Edger on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:48 PM EST
    There is a road, no simple highway, Between the dawn and the dark of night, And if you go no one may follow, That path is for your steps alone. ... You who choose to lead must follow, But if you fall you fall alone... --Grateful Dead


    Thursday Open Thread | 49 comments (49 topical)