home

Tuesday Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Tue Nov 27, 2007 at 11:59:38 AM EST
Tags: (all tags)
Share This: Digg! StumbleUpon del.icio.us reddit reddit

If there's news today, I won't see it until later. Here's a place for you to fill us in.

Some items:
  • Text of the Israel-Palestinean peace talk agreement.
  • Raw Story's part two of the Don Siegelman investigation and prosecution.

< Time, Klein and FISA | Oppose the Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act >

  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


    • Display: Sort:
    Tuesday Open Thread | 37 comments (37 topical)

    Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment

    Then And Now (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by squeaky on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 01:29:03 AM EST
    Nov. 26, 2007 | During the past six years, leading Republicans in Congress have prioritized allegiance to a Republican president above all other governmental and constitutional concerns. But there was a time when U.S. lawmakers, regardless of party affiliation, actually voted the way of their conscience. There was a time when a president could not break the law or ignore a summons from Congress with impunity. Indeed, by the height of Richard Nixon's Watergate scandal, a number of congressmen -- including Republicans staunchly loyal to their party -- acted to uphold the law and make Nixon accountable.

    A good read, and so true.

    From "Inside Iraq" (5.00 / 0) (#4)
    by Edger on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 02:07:11 AM EST
    False Sovereignty:
    ...an American squad from the United State Army (about ten to twelve) We don't have the right to ask them why they came to the school. The soldiers spread in different spots of the school walking towards the back yard which is used as a soccer field. Most of the students were in their classes when the squad came, but still there were many students in the yard who were terrified to see the American soldiers with their guns. One of the students was upset to see the soldiers and he threw a stone and hit one of them. Three soldiers surrounded him kicking him with their boots for some minutes on different parts of his body.

    Later, a teacher of English said that the captain of the squad told him "next time if students throw stones, we will use our machine guns not the boots". I really hated myself hearing that news as I am a teacher myself. What shall I do if I were there? What shall I tell my students? How can I behave? What excuses will I give for that incident? My brain stops thinking from now on .

    In 2003 I thought we were getting democracy and freedom, but what happened at that school does not tell the story of freedom .

    "Inside Iraq" is a blog updated by Iraqi journalists working for McClatchy Newspapers. They are based in Baghdad and outlying provinces.

    heh (1.00 / 1) (#14)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 01:16:26 PM EST
    "Inside Iraq" is a blog updated by Iraqi journalists working for McClatchy Newspapers. They are based in Baghdad and outlying provinces.

    Yes, locally based stringers in the midst of a war would never make anything up..

    A great moment in journalism it wasn't. At 6:58 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Tuesday, Aug. 14, Agence France Presse distributed a photograph by Wissam al-Okaili, an AFP stringer, of an elderly Iraqi woman holding two cartridges in one hand. The caption that accompanied the photo read: "An elderly Iraqi woman shows two bullets which she said hit her house following an early coalition forces raid in the predominantly Shiite Baghdad suburb of Sadr City."

    I used the word "cartridges." The caption writer used the word "bullets." Let me explain the difference for the benefit of the photo editors at AFP. A cartridge consists of three elements: the bullet (the pointy thing at one end); the propellant that forces the bullet through the barrel of the gun when the trigger is pulled; and the casing, in which the bullet and the propellant are held together until the cartridge is fired. But once the cartridge is fired, the bullet and the casing go their separate ways.

    Link

    Parent

    Of course they wouldn't. (none / 0) (#18)
    by Edger on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 01:23:37 PM EST
    It's all just a TV show with pretty fireworks. The millions dead and melted, and all the poisoned, burned, maimed and mutilated kids kids all get up off the ground and go home at the end of their shifts.

    You didn't know?

    Want some popcorn?

    Parent

    Republican Entertainment TV (5.00 / 1) (#19)
    by squeaky on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 01:27:47 PM EST
    Not a war at all. All fake, all the time.  Just so we are distracted enough not to notice BushCo pillaging the treasury.

    Why do you think BushCo won't allow photographing open coffins of the dead soldiers?

    Parent

    They're all empty of course. (5.00 / 1) (#20)
    by Edger on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 01:33:38 PM EST
    Just for the show. Can't photograph empty coffins. It would disappoint the wingnut base too much.

    Parent
    You two remind me of Mack and Muff.. (1.00 / 1) (#23)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 04:49:04 PM EST
    No one is saying that we haven't done some things that are unacceptable. It's just that the facts are also that the use of Iraqi stringers has led to some problems with the truth, as I illustrated.

    This is a war of images and beliefs as much as anything, and when the press, if I can call some of them "press" is caught making things up, their veracity should be called into question. Sorry, but that's just the way things work.

    Parent

    And You Remind Me Of (5.00 / 0) (#29)
    by squeaky on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 07:44:48 PM EST
    Humpty Dumpty.

    Parent
    In case you haven't noticed, (1.00 / 0) (#39)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Nov 29, 2007 at 10:32:39 AM EST
    this isn't a court of law.

    And if you can't see the connection I suggest glasses. Or a class in logic.

    Parent

    The side of effects of counting eggs (1.00 / 0) (#6)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 09:04:48 AM EST
    instead of chickens are well known but often ignored.

    New poll shows Clinton trails top 2008 Republicans

    Washington Post

    Another Bushie... (none / 0) (#1)
    by desertswine on Tue Nov 27, 2007 at 04:52:17 PM EST
    down the toilet.

    Everson fired from Red Cross ceo position.

    Streisand endores Hillary Clinton. (none / 0) (#2)
    by oculus on Tue Nov 27, 2007 at 10:46:32 PM EST


    Well, the race is over (1.00 / 0) (#5)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 09:00:17 AM EST
    Anyone who can sing like she used to be able to has got to know more about how to be President than anyone else.

    Yes sir. No doubt. Believe it.


    Parent

    Well, if you want to (none / 0) (#13)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 01:06:35 PM EST
    vote based on a Texas Ranger, be my guest.

    Or is female show hosts more your cup of tea??

    Parent

    Would Ranger Walker (none / 0) (#31)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Nov 29, 2007 at 06:31:55 AM EST
    fib to us??

    Parent
    If you believe in fairy tales... (none / 0) (#38)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Nov 29, 2007 at 10:25:10 AM EST


    Parent
    Laffer at you?? (none / 0) (#43)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Nov 30, 2007 at 06:18:33 PM EST

    Yeah. Most tims.

    Parent

    The drones are coming, the drones are coming!!! (none / 0) (#7)
    by kdog on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 09:08:07 AM EST
    Beware, residents of Miami and Houston.  Begun, the drone war has.  Link

    Only one (5.00 / 0) (#8)
    by Edger on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 09:41:04 AM EST
    small step away, now.

    Parent
    Keep your eyes on the skies... (5.00 / 1) (#9)
    by kdog on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 09:49:10 AM EST
    If these bastard machines ever come to my skies, I hope they fly them low enough to be in slingshot range.  

    Parent
    They won't need to be that low, I don't think... (none / 0) (#10)
    by Edger on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 09:55:25 AM EST
    Robinson is a crip. He joined the Air Force to get away from gang life, but that didn't last long.

    "I was guilty of drug trafficking in the military, and I was guilty of setting up a gang atmosphere," Robinson said.

    Robinson and Leyden said the military trained them to become even more lethal.

    "Give me 50 caliber rifle, I can take down a 747 tomorrow over any major city in the United States," Leyden said.



    Parent
    So I guess we don't need (1.00 / 1) (#24)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 04:51:31 PM EST
    those Air Force fighter jets....

    These two guys are full of beans. Now quit trembling and come out from under the bed.

    Parent

    Don't worry Kdog (none / 0) (#15)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 01:20:05 PM EST
    I will protect you!

    Parent
    LOL..... (none / 0) (#21)
    by kdog on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 01:43:23 PM EST
    Aluminum don't cut it anymore...I'm upgrading to a lead helmet:)

    Seriously though...unmanned surveillance drones used by police on citizens doesn't give you the heebie-jeebies in the slightest?  Honestly, I don't see the need for them, unless the state is up to something dubious.

    Parent

    kdog (none / 0) (#25)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 04:57:10 PM EST
    No need to make a lead helmet..just buy a toy helmet  Made In China.... :-)

    The unmanned aircraft will be used during SWAT team and tactical operations, especially when officers need video of a heavily armed suspect.

    The above doesn't bother me.


    Parent

    And our social security number... (5.00 / 1) (#34)
    by kdog on Thu Nov 29, 2007 at 09:14:29 AM EST
    is not to be used for identification purposes....it says so right on my card!

    Big brother will be taking aerial photos of your retirement compound with their drones in no time...just you wait.

    I can't wait for the first one to crash through somebodys living room window....that will be interesting.

    Parent

    Utter obedience has it's upside (5.00 / 1) (#37)
    by jondee on Thu Nov 29, 2007 at 09:32:22 AM EST


    Parent
    Good for Jesse. (none / 0) (#12)
    by masslib on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 12:15:10 PM EST
    Put some heat on the candidates.

    I would guess (none / 0) (#27)
    by Wile ECoyote on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 05:14:31 PM EST
    Sen. Edwards is the only one he could squeeze money out of thus far, so he gets an endorsement.

    Parent
    A Paradox (none / 0) (#16)
    by squeaky on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 01:22:18 PM EST
    Ashcroft also responded to questions from the audience. The first question came from a woman who asked if Ashcroft would be willing to be subjected to waterboarding.

    "The things that I can survive, if it were necessary to do them to me, I would do," he said.

    So all the Republicans who opine that waterboarding is not torture can submit to the process under questioning.

    Boy do we have a lot of questions....

    But the problem here is that they would say anything, to save their own skin, anything but the truth.

    Link (none / 0) (#17)
    by squeaky on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 01:23:26 PM EST
    Think Progress via HuffPo

    Parent
    Yesterday, I was stumbling around Home Depot, (none / 0) (#22)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 02:45:06 PM EST
    minding my own business, and some PH.D. dude from Cultural Logic, LLC engaged me in a converstaion about my thoughts on illegal immigration to help with his research.

    All I wanted to do was buy a new kitchen faucet and I end up spending 10 minutes feeling like I was on TL.

    Ah well, the new faucet works great.

    I live for that stuff..... (5.00 / 0) (#35)
    by kdog on Thu Nov 29, 2007 at 09:22:02 AM EST
    people asking my opinion on sh*t that is....you should hear the 30 minute theological debates I have with the Jehovahs who knock on my door.

    Parent
    See (none / 0) (#26)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 04:58:43 PM EST
    they can spot members of this highly intelligent blog anywhere....

    Well, most members..  ;-)

    Parent

    Dumb and dumber (none / 0) (#28)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 05:36:19 PM EST
    Why anyone would name a teddy bear after Mohammed is beyond belief. Obviously the teacher knows nothing of the actions of Mohammed.

    A British teacher has been charged with insulting religion and inciting hatred after allowing her class to name a teddy bear Mohammed.

    Link

    She probobly heard that (5.00 / 0) (#36)
    by jondee on Thu Nov 29, 2007 at 09:26:14 AM EST
    joke about the praying bear.

    But, you're right: our religious fanatics are (currently) slightly less dangerous than theirs.
    Signs and wonders in the Holy Land notwithstanding.

    Parent

    If you're gonna flog somebody..... (5.00 / 0) (#42)
    by kdog on Fri Nov 30, 2007 at 10:50:11 AM EST
    flog the kids...they named the damn bear.

    You'd think the islamo-nutjobs would be happy...the kids love Mohammed so much they names their teddy-bear after him.  Would they have preferred they named it Satan?

    Parent

    Tuesday Open Thread | 37 comments (37 topical)

    Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment