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Thursday Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 09:46:16 AM EST
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Lots of off-line activity for me today means an open thread for you. In the news today.

Several members of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court said in interviews that they want to know why the administration believed secretly listening in on telephone calls and reading e-mails of U.S. citizens without court authorization was legal. Some of the judges said they are particularly concerned that information gleaned from the president's eavesdropping program may have been improperly used to gain authorized wiretaps from their court.

Check out the Martini Republic's Christmas Time Magazine cover, particularly the top right.

< Ohio's Pending Patriot Act | Could Bush's Warrantless Surveillance Taint Current Cases? >

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    Thursday Open Thread | 59 comments (59 topical)
    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#1)
    by Edger on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 10:35:33 AM EST
    To Dr. Cocktail and the others at Martini Republic: Thanks for your sense of prescient ;-) humor! Heh! To TL, TChris, Last Night, Ditto - and everyone who comments here - Merry Christmas! I'm glad I found Talkleft this year. To Mr's Bush, Cheney, Scooter, Rove, Wolfowitz, and all the PNACkulheads - here's a song for you: Blue Christmas :-) Have a great season, all...

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#2)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 10:46:36 AM EST
    For Our Democratic Friends: "Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, our best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. We also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2006, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. And without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee. By accepting these greetings you are accepting these terms: This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for herself or himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher." For Our Republican Friends: Here's wishing all of You a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#3)
    by kdog on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 10:53:34 AM EST
    From our friends at the Onion, in the spirit of the season. Rove leaks Santa's secret identity

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#4)
    by Dadler on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 11:05:46 AM EST
    The NYPD would've been better served, as would the public, had they spied on the politicians and videotaped them. Joking, of course. But only very, very, VERY slightly.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#5)
    by jen on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 11:52:23 AM EST
    Happy Winter Solstice(unless you live in the southern hemisphere) Merry Christmas Happy Hanukah Happy Kwanzaa Happy Boxing Day Here's Hopping You Recovered Somewhat From That Huge Gorum Wall of Water Day Happy New Year - I pray it's a hell of a lot better than the last.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 12:25:21 PM EST
    Sarcastic Un(funny)named one--- What lame RNC funded site did you copy and paste that from (because there is no way you thought of that one on your own)? To all in the reality based community "Happy Baby Jebus Day to you all!" and praise be to Alvis. And "BOB". And the FSM for letting truth win out in Dover, PA.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#8)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 12:33:56 PM EST
    ShermBuck--- Received by email this AM, reproduced here for you. Smile, my friend, it's good for you.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#7)
    by glanton on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 12:35:01 PM EST
    ShermBuck Gotta love Talking Points. Like voting Republican, they're much easier than thinking. Here is one of the places where that drivel is circulating.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#9)
    by kdog on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 12:39:51 PM EST
    Dadler....Not even slightly kidding, I think you're right. We need 24 hour surveillance, wiretaps, email interception, sneak and peak searches, etc. on all White House and Senate staff. To be "safe", of course.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#10)
    by Edger on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 12:41:43 PM EST
    places where that drivel is circulating Glanton, There are no misspellin's, way too many polysyllabic words, and more than one complex multilayered concept in that drivel for it to have been written by a "troo" wingnut. The two "witty gals" at Elephant in my Coffee must have contracted the writing out to a liberals arts major. Probably one of the few times either one of them has been truly scr**ded this year. ;-)

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#11)
    by soccerdad on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 12:48:56 PM EST
    Unconfirmed Sources has obtained a final copy of the test. To pass the test members of the party will be required to answer "True" to every question. Below you will find excerpts from the test. You know you are a Republican When: You believe in smaller government, but support that largest government expansion in 30 years. You believe in fiscal responsibility, but support the largest budget deficit in history. You believe in personal responsibility, except when you become the President or a cabinet level appointee. You believe in the rights of the individual, expect when they want an abortion. You believe in states rights, except when a state wants to allow gay marriage. You believe in basic freedoms and civil liberties, but those bastards at the ACLU have gone too far. You believe that the sun shined out of Ronald Regan's ass, even when he was selling arms to Arab terrorists to fight an illegal war in South America. You believe that what is good for big business is good for America even when big business sends your job to China. You believe in protecting the environment except when it means actually doing some thing about it. You believe in the fighting men and women of the US Military, as long you aren't one of them. You believe in avenging the deaths of innocent Americans killed on 9-11, even if you have to invade a county that wasn't behind the 9-11 attack to do it. You believe that America is a safer place, even though most Arab countries now hate us and our allies hate us too. Republican Party members can expect to get a copy of the test, an unsigned loyalty oath, and a return envelope in the mail soon. The Republican Party leadership hopes to have the party fully tested, approved, sanitized and unified by Election Day. link

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#12)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 01:03:19 PM EST
    Good one soc, this could go on all day! A quick google of "democrat test" gave me this, excerpt to follow...
    So, how do you know if you really [are a democrat]? 1. You believe that the AIDS virus is spread by a lack of Federal funding. 3. You believe that guns, in the hands of law-abiding Americans are more of a threat than U.S. nuclear weapons technology, in the hands of Chinese communists. 6. You believe that gender roles are artificial but being homosexual is natural. 7. You are against capital punishment but support abortion on demand. 8. You believe that businesses create oppression and governments create prosperity. 10. You believe that self-esteem is more important than actually doing something to earn it. 12. You believe the NRA is bad, because it supports certain parts of the Constitution, while the ACLU is good, because it supports certain parts of the constitution. 15. You believe that standardized tests are racist, but racial quotas and set-asides are not. 17. You believe that the only reason socialism hasn't worked anywhere it's been tried, is because the right people haven't been in charge. 19. You believe that homosexual parades displaying drag, transvestites and beastiality should be constitutionally protected and manger scenes at Christmas should be illegal.
    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#13)
    by Patrick on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 01:15:18 PM EST
    Liberal test

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#14)
    by kdog on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 01:24:13 PM EST
    The NYC Transit strike is over, the workers voted to go back to work while negotiations continue. IMO, Thanks to the states 10,000 lb. hammer known as the taylor law, they were extorted into submission, all while the MTA was breaking the taylor law themselves by demanding pension cutbacks, which the taylor law states can only be done by vote of the state legislature. My hope is the MTA negotiates in good faith this time around, since the workers showed they are willing to strike to defend their working/lower middle class lifestyle.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#15)
    by kdog on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 01:32:28 PM EST
    Jim..one of the best wishes I got all season. May your first stud hand of the new year be rolled up Aces. And may the new year bring us all legalized poker across this great land! And a banner Canadian reefer crop!

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#16)
    by kdog on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 01:46:06 PM EST
    Regarding you know you're a Repub/Dems list...I read a great quote today that I think applies... “It’s part of the American character to be hypocritical,” From this month's cardplayer magazine

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#17)
    by Edger on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 01:48:10 PM EST
    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Jim. Best to you and yours! :-)

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#18)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 02:35:30 PM EST
    edger - You too, and may all our disagreements be fun. kdog - Thanks. And I enjoyed the CP magazine article. There may be another reason. Foxwoods and Atlantic City... When CO made casinos in certain "historic" towns legal, the police magically started raiding the well known "private" clubs. That the casinos had a maximum bet of $5.00 and the clubs played much larger games and thus were not competition to the casinos didn't seem to matter. Of course any connection was denied.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#19)
    by kdog on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 03:24:42 PM EST
    Wouldn't put it past the casinos Jim, probably a combo of all the factors in the article. The local papers putting the clubs on the front pages broke the camels back. It is such an easy score for the law as well. Tens of thousands of dollars...easy as pie. The prohibition of poker is one of the lamer laws on the books, and there are plenty.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#20)
    by glanton on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 03:24:45 PM EST
    I'd like to join the general, apolitical red-blooded American shoutout for a Merry Christmas and one helluva Happy New Year. Even in Boston, as they deal with Johnny Damon's defection to the Evil Empire, may they find something to smile about....

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#21)
    by Edger on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 03:35:09 PM EST
    And the bizarro story of the week award goes to:
    A criminal suspect on the run ended up being mauled to death by a caged tiger, South African police say. The man took refuge in the Bengal tiger's cage at the Bloemfontein Zoo. A visitor to the zoo on Sunday noticed a body covered in bite marks in the cage. "The man was involved in a robbery and was chased by security guards," police spokeswoman Elsa Gerber told the South African Broadcasting Corporation. "He had nowhere else to go, so he jumped over the zoo fence," she added. More...
    You thought you were having a rough day?

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#22)
    by jimcee on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 03:57:13 PM EST
    The best of holidays, which ever it is you observe and a safe, happy and healthy New Year to all here. And special thanks to Ms Merritt for her graciousness in allowing all to correspond on her site. Happy 'whatever works for you'!

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#23)
    by jimcee on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 04:05:09 PM EST
    Kdog, I get the feeling that Mr Toussaint and his highly paid staff realized that not only had they p*issed off New Yorkers to the inth degree but that they would also have to forego thier fine restaurant food and comfy beds in thier pre-war 3 bedroom rent controlled apartments for bolona sandwiches and a cot in a 6'x10' cell at Riker's Island. No Joe Hills in that union just a bunch of spoiled children. Wimps.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#24)
    by Sailor on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 04:31:04 PM EST
    uhh actually, jimcee "54 percent of New Yorkers think what the union wants is fair" bloomberg caved, that's why the transit strike is currently on hold. If you actually followed the story you'd find that the union and the city were basically agreed, and then the city threw in 3x increase in benefit contribution at the last moment.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#25)
    by jimcee on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 05:51:52 PM EST
    Sailor, Having worked for a very famous polling firm as a telephone pollster I'm really sceptical regarding polls. Also having read the piece you suggested it contained no internals or for that matter how many people were interviewed. For all I can tell from the article it could have been a poll of 11 like-minded people around a coffee table. I truely believe that Toussaint et al saw the real chance of ending up in the hoosgow that they backed down quickly. Perhaps I haven't been following the Strike as close as you have but I have a hard time seeing Toussaint and his cronies lowering themselves to a Riker's dining experience. As I said, there are no Joe Hill's in that crowd. Just a bunch of soft-*ssed p*ssies that talk a big game until they have to answer to the law. Yup, the TWU roughing up those poor smucks for thier lunch money....nice image for a union to have....as I said.... There ain't no Joe Hill's in that crowd. Not much pride either.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#26)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 06:59:55 PM EST
    Darkly - I have never been in "general." Is it east of the sun and west of the moon?

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#27)
    by kdog on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 07:13:36 PM EST
    Tough talk jimcee, you think it was easy for the workers to forego that last paycheck before Christmas and every day out means more docked paychecks. There's an old saying, "you can't fight city hall". The taylor law had 'em by the balls, while the MTA was breaking the same law. Real equal. The times are changing back!

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#28)
    by jimcee on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 08:04:03 PM EST
    Kdog, The times haven't changed that much. Obviously the TWU strikers did see the results of their child-like tantrum and thier own results financially were a serious determining factor. Overpaid and whiners to boot doesn't sell well to the folks who depend on safe and relatively on-time service that brings them to thier lesser paid positions. I'm sure that you would say f*ck them if they are so pitiful that they can't score one of those sh*tty jobs that the MTA offers. Not to beat Joe Hill to death (sarcasim intended) but show me a real hero that has been on the forefront of the TWU NYC strike. You have too much invested in a shabby union as an example of the 'man subjecating the proles'. When in reality it is the upper proles pissing on the lesser proles. But again that is the socialist system that you advocate on a regular basis. If working for the MTA is so bad why don't the workers leave for the private sector instead of striking? These questions are not rhetorical by the way....

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#29)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 08:54:31 PM EST
    Bush in front of all these "Protecting the Homeland" backdrops is eerily reminiscent of Hitler in front of all those "Protecting the Fatherland" backdrops. Sieg heil! La plus ca change ...

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#30)
    by Che's Lounge on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 09:51:14 PM EST
    DA, You are too kind. I'll take the trip, but I'll only take medical stuff and some baseballs.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#31)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Dec 22, 2005 at 11:15:43 PM EST
    PPJ, I was paraphrasing your assertion that in general, you don't shoot hippies, which I take as one of your rare truthful statements. I spiced it up as a dangling participle for your holiday enjoyment, since such a unique forthrightness should be celebrated the proper way. Che: I think you could get a waiver for a trip, as long as you bring back a few boxes of those famous Cuban cigars for Lush Bimbaugh to enjoy when he goes on the air to tell us leftists what evil folks we are ;) TTFN, Whizzy.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#32)
    by roy on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 06:16:41 AM EST
    I will be silent for a few days, visiting family. So, everyone have a Merry Christmas. Or Happy Hanukkah. Cool Kwanza. Have a nice day. Whatever. To those with whom I vehemently disagree: thanks! That's why commenting here is fun.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#33)
    by kdog on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 07:10:51 AM EST
    I'm sure that you would say f*ck them
    I would say no such thing. To all the working class people hurt by the strike, I would say... 1) Blame the mis-managing, fiscally clueless, lying, incompetent MTA management. 2) If it bugs you that TWU workers make more money than you, you should think of organizing and improving your own wages and benefits. Not dragging transit workers down to the pathetic wages/benefits paid in most of the blue collar private sector. Is this the same fight of Joe Hill or Jimmy Hoffa? Of course not. Things were much worse back then. This strike is about not giving up the hard earned gains won by the labor heroes of the past.
    If working for the MTA is so bad why don't the workers leave for the private sector instead of striking?
    They don't have to. That is the only choice non-union workers have. Union workers have the power to improve their working conditions without having to quit.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#34)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 07:56:41 AM EST
    Darkly – Hmmm, shall we return again to those days of yore? I mean you do want to be in context, don’t you?
    Posted by fatalbert June 26, 2005 03:18 PM What Bush and his lot hope this creates in the heartland: "Hey Wilma, them enviromentalist is all terrist, theys jus like Osama. Biily-Bob, Jo-Jon, the res' you boys go get tha guns. We gots us some hippies jus down the road." PPJ, PPJ, Where are you PPJ? Come save us from the enviro-terrorists with your tiger kung fu.
    So what do we have here? I thought it was an attempt to do a sarcastically funny put down by fatalbert. Now how did I respond? With an attempt to do a sarcastically funny retort. Note the smiley at the end.
    Posted by PPJ aka Jim June 26, 2005 11:48 PM Fat albert - There are many I would save. You aint one of'em. And we don't shoot hippies... No sport in it. But we might make an exception in your case. ;-)
    So Darkly, let us review. fatablbert is asking to be saved, but I tell him he isn’t one I would save. I then tell him I don’t shoot hippies. Besides, I don’t have a gun. He and his boys have the guns. What do I have? “…tiger kung fu.” But being the nice guy that I am, I relent and agree to come save him…. And since I have no gun, I will use my “tiger kung fu!” Now, who brought up gun violence? In case you still haven’t caught on, re-read fatalbert’s comment. You wrote:
    PPJ, I was paraphrasing your assertion that in general, you don't shoot hippies, which I take as one of your rare truthful statements.
    No, you were trying to raise a question in support of edger who did write the following which is why I gave him a single shot .22 pistol for Christmas. And, at the same time re-assert your previous comments that I had threatened gun violence. So what did edger write?
    This may get me kicked off this site, and I'll probably regret saying this later, but here goes... Jim... you know how to use a gun? Bullets are cheap, and plentiful, you can get lots of 'em almost anywhere if you are out of 'em... You only need one, though...
    Now, who brought up gun violence? In case you still haven’t kept up, re-read edger’s comment. Darkly, I know you. You love to pick around the edges, but have no real argument to state your position. You remind me of guys who used to sit in meetings and make a big deal if someone made a $1000 mistake in a sales forecast of $40 million yet could never explain whether or not the forecast was correct within 15%. You also like to repeat things that are not true until your version is the only one remembered. Won’t work with me, Darkly.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#35)
    by soccerdad on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 08:00:41 AM EST
    You also like to repeat things that are not true until your version is the only one remembered.
    How hypocritical is this; from the head honcho of hypocrisy

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#36)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 08:04:20 AM EST
    kdog - Problem is, government employee unions have a monopoly. When the MTA went on strike, there was no competition. Now, if you believe in negotiation, tell me what there is to negotiate? Simply put, there should be no government unions. Now you might have a “bargaining” unit to raise issues to an arbitrator, but no ability to strike for any reason. Those that do should be fired.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#37)
    by kdog on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 08:33:25 AM EST
    Jim...But it is only the threat of a strike that gives workers any bargaining power. A mediator or "bargaining unit" sounds nice, but what will stop management from simply refusing to negotiate in good faith, as MTA management did in this case. That is what I hate about the taylor law, it gives management a straight flush before the workers get a card. And the thing that bugs me the most about this whole mess, no one is discussing how utterly ineffective and incompetent MTA management is. If management was running the trains, judging by their track record, the 8:15AM into the city would leave at 4:00PM. Why is management's abysmal fiscal, managerial, and disciplinary performance not being discussed? Seems to me there is a lot of kick the dog, blame the little guy going on.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#38)
    by kdog on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 08:42:59 AM EST
    I should add, there are some provisions of the taylor law that protect workers. For example, no changes can be made to city workers pension plans by management, only the state legislature can do that. The MTA conveniently ignored those provisions.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#39)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 08:54:53 AM EST
    Dark, thanks for the snark. In Linus' inimitable words, "Of all the Charlie Browns of the world, you're the Charlie Browniest."

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#40)
    by Edger on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 09:03:49 AM EST
    BAGHDAD, Iraq - Large demonstrations broke out across the country Friday to denounce parliamentary elections that protesters called rigged in favor of the main religious Shiite coalition. More... Iraq has made incredible political progress -- from tyranny, to liberation, to national elections, to the writing of a constitution, in the space of two-and-a-half years. --George W. Bush

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#41)
    by soccerdad on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 09:19:01 AM EST
    "I hate to say, 'Game over,'" says Wayne White, who led the State Department's intelligence effort on Iraq until last spring. "But we've lost it." There is no mechanism for the Sunnis now to restore a modicum of balance in Iraq, and the Shiite religious parties have no incentive to make significant concessions either to the Sunnis or to the resistance, White says
    link

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#42)
    by Che's Lounge on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 11:00:16 AM EST
    Jim I remember that exchange. Fatalbert set up a fictitious humorous scenario and teased you with it. You responded by joking about shooting him. Fat albert - There are many I would save. You aint one of'em. Yes, I sensed the sarcasm right off, before reading the rest of your post.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#43)
    by peacrevol on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 11:11:19 AM EST
    Merry Christmas to all. May your bellies all be full with the food of the gods and your hearts full with content.....and may you not be passed by when kdog passes around the hooey.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#44)
    by kdog on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 11:24:22 AM EST
    All are welcome in my circle p...even my staunch republican brother-in-law who always mooches and never has his own stash. It's Christmas, after all.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#45)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 12:43:55 PM EST
    He and his boys have the guns. Then why do they need your tiger kung-fu to rescue them? In case you still haven’t kept up, re-read edger’s comment. Physician, heal thyself! Darkly, I know you. You also like to repeat things that are not true until your version is the only one remembered. Won’t work with me, Darkly. It's risible that you attribute a behavior to me when you have done the same thing here on many occasions, as any quick perusal of your post on TL would show any impartial observer. Here in this thread, you've posted something that is clearly untrue, so la-dee-dah! And since you like to tell me about yourself, I'll return the favor with interest: You are stirred up about edgers comment because: 1. You're an example of Freud's quote about a fear being an unexpressed wish. If edgers' remark still bothers you, you might want to look within yourself to understand why that is so. 2. You feel guilty because you were caught out making an eliminationist statement, and trying to say that it's okay to joke about shooting people by adding a smiley to the end of your 'jest' is transparent, arrant nonsense. 3. You like to whine, b****, cry, moan, and whimper when you get treated the way you treat others here. I like #3, YMMV Oh, and I should reinterate my position that I don't agree with edgers' original statement, as it would be a waste of a good bullet. TTFN, Whizzy.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#46)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 02:15:30 PM EST
    Well folks, I'm outa here until sometime next week. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year to one and all!

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#47)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 02:27:05 PM EST
    Che - No. That is not correct. And you don’t have to use memory. You can read my "Posted by JimakaPPJ December 23, 2005 08:56 AM" which is above your comment. And your comment is why Darkly's actions are deplorable. Darkly writes:
    Then why do they need your tiger kung-fu to rescue them?
    Ask fatalbert. It is his statement. I merely used what he said I had. "tiger kung fu" ;-) As for your psycho babble defense of edger's suggestion that I shoot myself... It is his comment, not mine. You can defend all you want, that doesn't change the fact that his suggestion was in extremely bad taste, as he acknowledged by writing:
    This may get me kicked off this site, and I'll probably regret saying this later, but here goes...
    Now, can you tell us why you defend what even the author didn't? Like I wrote Darkly, you are picker. Why you do that I don't know, and I don't care. “Picker" types can be responded to in one of three ways. One, you can ignore them. This facilities their other personality trait of making untrue claims as they pick, so that doesn't work well. Secondly you can respond with fact, but no comments which doesn't help the untrue claim bit. Thirdly you can respond with fact and pointed comments about what they are doing and why. As I wrote a while back, Darkly, you get no free passes. Number three for you. SD - I gather by the "who led...." that this person is now doing something else. Probably best for him and us. kdog - An arbitrator is not the same as a negotiator. Both sides present their case and a ruling, binding to both parties is issued. So yes, the workers have a way to push government. And MTA is part of government. BTW - Just cut the pot for house expenses, that way even your brother-in-law can't snivel.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#48)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 02:29:23 PM EST
    Che - No. That is not correct. And you don’t have to use memory. You can read my "Posted by JimakaPPJ December 23, 2005 08:56 AM" which is above your comment. And your comment is why Darkly's actions are deplorable. Darkly writes:
    Then why do they need your tiger kung-fu to rescue them?
    Ask fatalbert. It is his statement. I merely used what he said I had. "tiger kung fu" ;-) As for your psycho babble defense of edger's suggestion that I shoot myself... It is his comment, not mine. You can defend all you want, that doesn't change the fact that his suggestion was in extremely bad taste, as he acknowledged by writing:
    This may get me kicked off this site, and I'll probably regret saying this later, but here goes...
    Now, can you tell us why you defend what even the author didn't? Like I wrote Darkly, you are picker. Why you do that I don't know, and I don't care. “Picker" types can be responded to in one of three ways. One, you can ignore them. This facilities their other personality trait of making untrue claims as they pick, so that doesn't work well. Secondly you can respond with fact, but no comments which doesn't help the untrue claim bit. Thirdly you can respond with fact and pointed comments about what they are doing and why. As I wrote a while back, Darkly, you get no free passes. Number three for you. SD - I gather by the "who led...." that this person is now doing something else. Probably best for him and us. kdog - An arbitrator is not the same as a negotiator. Both sides present their case and a ruling, binding to both parties is issued. So yes, the workers have a way to push government. And MTA is part of government. BTW - Just cut the pot for house expenses, that way even your brother-in-law can't snivel.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#49)
    by soccerdad on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 02:35:15 PM EST
    SD - I gather by the "who led...." that this person is now doing something else. Probably best for him and us.
    as usual you have nothing. all snark no substance, and the sun comes up in the east

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#50)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 03:46:44 PM EST
    SD - That is what you call a "pithy" comment.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#51)
    by soccerdad on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 04:05:18 PM EST
    pithy means concise and full of meaning - that leaves you and your comment out

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#52)
    by Sailor on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 04:12:28 PM EST
    Boys, one more word out of you and I'm turning this car around!

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#54)
    by soccerdad on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 05:29:34 PM EST
    Boys, one more word out of you and I'm turning this car around!
    You dont like it dont read it.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#55)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 06:22:34 PM EST
    SD - Shame on you for picking on Sailor. Darkly – I see I have identified you well, and you certainly can’t take the heat. So, what does the “Picker” do? He picks. First he makes an obscure claim about wasting bandwidth. Maybe, maybe not. And if true, it is miniscule. Plus, it even isn’t his. So what his point? To pick and obscure. He then whines while he picks and makes a false claim:
    Yes, if someone agrees with me, it's deplorable.
    No, it is deplorable because your false claims have confused Che. But that was and is your intentions. And then another obscure “pick”. Something about a mistake about whose sides the boys were on. You know, when I read your comments I think I am in an alternate universe.
    "Hey Wilma, them enviromentalist is all terrist, theys jus like Osama. Biily-Bob, Jo-Jon, the res' you boys go get tha guns.
    So Darkly, let us review. fatablbert is asking to be saved, but I tell him he isn’t one I would save. I then tell him I don’t shoot hippies. Besides, I don’t have a gun. He and his boys have the guns. What do I have? “…tiger kung fu.”
    And he will do something like talk about spelling… BTW – Did I mention the typical picker trick of complaining about a $1000 error when they couldn’t say if a $40 million forecast was off by 15%? He attempts to hide his lack of knowledge by picking on some small detail, even when it has absolutely nothing to do with the task at hand. It never worked when I was around. The first person who tried it got to demonstrate their lack of ability to the whole group. Later they would get special assignments to allow them to prove to me they shouldn’t be fired. So keep on complaining Picker, I think we all know who you are and what you are doing. Your head games and obscure points have defined you. I give you another Christmas present. Your new name: “Picker Darkly.”

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#56)
    by soccerdad on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 06:26:37 PM EST
    PPj - ya lost this round. acussing DA of exactly what you do only demonstrates your lack of familiarity with reality. But you are always good for a laugh.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#57)
    by Sailor on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 06:58:33 PM EST
    Boys, I swear, and this time I mean it, if you don't stop this, I'm turnin' the car around!!! SUO, Merry Christmas to you and yours!

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#58)
    by Che's Lounge on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 07:24:44 PM EST
    I'm so confused.

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#59)
    by Sailor on Fri Dec 23, 2005 at 08:12:33 PM EST
    Che ... me too. But it doesn't seem to stop anyone else from posting;-)

    Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0) (#61)
    by Sailor on Sat Dec 24, 2005 at 03:14:11 PM EST
    DA, I was gonna say you can sit up front with me because I chucked those 2 over the side, but since it's a sailboat, we can sit in the cockpit while our 'chums' attract sharks;-)

    Thursday Open Thread | 59 comments (59 topical)