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Monday Morning Open Thread

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Blog Related
Posted on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 08:40:09 AM EST
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It's cold in New York. I'm going to Florida today. J is not available today. Hopefully, TChris will be.

Corrente is organizing house party discussions on health care. Health care geeks are encouraged to add their thoughts to the discussion.

From the TalkLeft diaries, lilburro is still on the torture beat, discussing Biden's statements on prosecutions. Dalton Hoffine, like me, does not think much of "experience" in politics. Jacob Freeze finds some humor in the "oversight" of the TARP bailout.

This is an Open Thread.

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    Monday Morning Open Thread | 61 comments (61 topical)

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    NYers are wimps :) (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by CST on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 09:55:05 AM EST
    I'm glad to see snow finally!

    The roads are terrible though, made the mistake of travelling to the fair city of NY this weekend, spent 6 hours on the bus each way b/c of weather and accidents.

    Who you callin' a wimp:) (none / 0) (#6)
    by kdog on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 10:11:27 AM EST
    I was out in this sh*t playing football yesterday, my feet are still thawing out.  

    It was the rain yesterday that got me...once you're soaked through your clothes you're finished.  I'll take 17 degrees and dry over 38 and wet anyday.

    Parent

    Cold in Orlando today (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by ruffian on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 10:10:17 AM EST
    Only getting up to 60 degrees!  Brrrrr......;-)

    Hey, I did my time in cold climates. I can take a lot of cold.  But it is nice to be away from it.

    Maybe you'll need a sweater (5.00 / 3) (#7)
    by andgarden on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 10:16:47 AM EST
    my heart bleeds!

    Parent
    I wore my fleece jacket to work (5.00 / 2) (#17)
    by ruffian on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 10:51:01 AM EST
    OK, so I have become a bit of a weather-wimp.

    Parent
    Right now (5.00 / 1) (#61)
    by cal1942 on Tue Dec 23, 2008 at 02:31:56 AM EST
    where I am 60 degrees would be short sleeve weather.

    Parent
    And those grey December skies? (none / 0) (#10)
    by Fabian on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 10:42:21 AM EST
    - I bet they are just killing you! ;)

    Sunny but cold today.  Cold enough that I really am hoping my Smartwool shipment shows up today.  I could sure use it!

    But no snow, no ice.  Counting my blessings.

    Parent

    It's 73 (none / 0) (#19)
    by CoralGables on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 11:13:32 AM EST
    three hours south of you and that is projected to rise to a balmy 79 for Christmas. Global Warming can be hell on long distance running...but not so bad for a winter tan.

    Parent
    Same here, and (none / 0) (#45)
    by KeysDan on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 02:29:10 PM EST
    not a cloud in the sky.

    Parent
    You should hear people in Hawaii (none / 0) (#20)
    by ThatOneVoter on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 11:13:45 AM EST
    complain when the temperature gets below 65---brr!!!

    Parent
    apparently (5.00 / 2) (#12)
    by lilburro on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 10:43:25 AM EST
    the petition BTD asked us to sign at Democrats.com has been seen by Eric Holder.  Because each signee's name went directly to his email, one by one. (hehee)

    Here is the buhdydharma dkos diary with Holder's reaction...  

    That is wonderful (none / 0) (#14)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 10:45:38 AM EST
    Could there really be justice for all?

    Parent
    Rove's IT guru dies in mysterious plane crash ... (5.00 / 1) (#43)
    by cymro on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 02:22:27 PM EST
    ... before he could testify about the 2004 election fraud in Ohio:

    I don't usually reveal sources, but I think this is incredibly important. Michael Connell died in a plane crash last night. He was a key witness in the Ohio election fraud case that I have been reporting on. More importantly, however, he had information that he was ready to share.

    You see, Mike Connell set-up the alternate email and communications system for the White House. He was responsible for creating the system that hosted the infamous GWB43.com accounts that Karl Rove and others used. When asked by Congress to provide these emails, the White House said that they were destroyed. But in reality, what Connell is alleged to have done is move these files to other servers after having allegedly scrubbed the files from all "known" Karl Rove accounts.

    Larisa Alexandrovna

    This story has been reported elsewhere: Raw Story,
    Daily Telegraph, WSJ MarketWatch

    Yeah, I Saw That (none / 0) (#44)
    by squeaky on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 02:23:55 PM EST
    Pretty creepy.  

    Parent
    Here's another discussion of this (none / 0) (#62)
    by cymro on Wed Dec 24, 2008 at 04:04:11 PM EST
    truthout

    Parent
    Damn Cold in NY.... (none / 0) (#1)
    by kdog on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 08:58:25 AM EST
    I hope the NYPD has a heart and lets the homeless hang out in the train stations.  

    This is no time to follow orders and chase them out into the cold.

    Scale down the Inauguration IMO (none / 0) (#2)
    by Saul on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 09:00:04 AM EST
    Based on how the economy is I feel Obama should not have a fancy party for his Inauguration like all the other presidents have had.  How much money is actually  spent on these all night parties anyway?  Is it taxpayer's money?  Anyway I think Obama should rule by example and show just how different he will  be and he can start with scaling down the inauguration expenses, especially when we are practically in a depression.

    Not (none / 0) (#21)
    by JThomas on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 11:39:35 AM EST
    taxpayer funds...privately funded.
    I believe that the inaugauration committee is sticking to the standard menu on this celebration..the basics with one official ball.
    The rest is all outside of their control. I agree that anything that is beyond the basics should be cut out...tough times in America..but all these other balls are not put on by that committee,I believe.

    As far as people coming to see it, not sure how you would tell citizens not to come..would seem undemocratic to me.

    Hope it is not a blizzard for all those folks traveling from afar to see history.

    Parent

    I'll be in FL after the New York (none / 0) (#3)
    by andgarden on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 09:47:41 AM EST
    for a little while, but today is a day I'd sure like to be there. Burrrrr.

    It's chilly this morning (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 10:40:37 AM EST
    in lower Alabama. I think we may have hit freezing last night, not sure how long the cold snap will hang on.  I haven't checked the weather report yet.  Spoke to a friend in Port Richey this a.m. and it is "cold" there too, but cold in Florida is not the same as cold in New York.

    Parent
    15 And Windy in NYC (5.00 / 1) (#9)
    by squeaky on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 10:42:12 AM EST
    Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

    Parent
    What's your wind chill? (none / 0) (#13)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 10:43:48 AM EST


    Parent
    Feels Like 1 Degree (none / 0) (#15)
    by squeaky on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 10:47:42 AM EST


    Parent
    It's warmed up! (none / 0) (#22)
    by nycstray on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 11:39:44 AM EST
    it was below zero when I walked the dog in the wee hours. The wind was nasty overnight.

    Parent
    Windy Last Night (none / 0) (#23)
    by squeaky on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 12:15:57 PM EST
    I'll say....

    I ran home from my local pub, it was soooooo f'ing windy and freezing. The sun helps, it is warming up....

    Parent

    Yeah, I'll take the dog out around (none / 0) (#27)
    by nycstray on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 01:01:39 PM EST
    3 as it should be the warmest part of the day and we can both catch a bit of sun. I've had her almost blow into a fence in heavy winds before,  so last night I was trying to get her out between heavy gusts, lol!~ And then there was the ice issue. Wasn't it just close to 70 like a week ago?!

    My trusty computer weather thingy says it's now 21 out . . .

    Parent

    Yes (none / 0) (#30)
    by squeaky on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 01:10:41 PM EST
    The ice+wind made running home last night... um... interesting.

    I had sneakers on, so it was more skating/running.

    Parent

    I got those things you strap (none / 0) (#34)
    by nycstray on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 01:36:34 PM EST
    on to your shoes for ice. They def help. Still wouldn't run or even go at a power walker pace, but my tail bone has been much happier the past couple winters  ;)

    Parent
    You are a good woman NYCstray..... (none / 0) (#33)
    by vml68 on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 01:31:21 PM EST
    With last nights weather my pup had to settle for 1 minute outdoors to do his business. There was absolutely no question of a walk.

    Parent
    My dog doesn't usually want to stay out (5.00 / 1) (#36)
    by nycstray on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 01:42:34 PM EST
    but she was downright frisky last night. I have a school across the street and they keep it snow and ice free, so we have a place where we can jog around a bit and never be too far from home. It also gets full afternoon sun, so it feels a bit warmer.  ;) Here's a pic of her getting ready to zoomie on ice in the park. I've learned to check the ice level in the park before I take her, lol!~

    Parent
    Awww (none / 0) (#38)
    by squeaky on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 01:45:59 PM EST
    Nice pic!  

    Parent
    Thanks! You should see that move (none / 0) (#39)
    by nycstray on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 01:48:52 PM EST
    indoors, lol!~  ;)

    Parent
    That's a great pic.... :-) (none / 0) (#40)
    by vml68 on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 02:03:30 PM EST
    I was reading an article yesterday about more and more people abandoning their pets due to the recession. It is terrible. I spent a couple of hours on pet finder yesterday looking for a suitable addition to the family. Though I don't know that they will want me to have a dog if I admit to not walking the one I already have! In my defense my boy is happiest on the bed or on the couch. The only time his feet touch the floor in the house is when he is running from the bed to the couch and vice versa or when he has to eat.

    Parent
    It has been bad for pets (none / 0) (#41)
    by nycstray on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 02:16:25 PM EST
    and I think it's getting worse. Groups are starting up to do long term fostering until families can settle and take their pets back.

    Not every dog wants a walk ;) Some are fine on less activity as long as their weight stays in check. My parents just recently adopted a beagle. They found one around 4yrs old that the rescue thought would be best with a retired couple who was home more and were looking for a lap type dog.  They walk her a bit, but not daily and my niece takes her out on occasion also. She's perfectly content to just be by my parents side all day :)

    Parent

    Less activity.... (none / 0) (#49)
    by vml68 on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 03:13:23 PM EST
    I guess I wasn't clear. He is extremely active BUT all his activity is concentrated above floor level! He plays on the bed and then there is usually a manic dash to the couch where he will play for a while followed by a leap across to the loveseat and then back to the bed. I would really love it if he was content to be by my side all day... :-)!
    He loves his walks but not if it is raining. The cold does not bother him (he has a really dense coat), it bothers me!

    Parent
    In Boston (none / 0) (#16)
    by CST on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 10:47:42 AM EST
    I believe I heard 1 this morning.

    But hey, at least we're still in the positives.


    Parent

    37 here in the Panhandle. (none / 0) (#59)
    by Amiss on Tue Dec 23, 2008 at 12:46:47 AM EST
    Will be below freezing by 6 am tho, same last nite, then by Christmas in the mid 70's during the day and 50's at nite.

    Parent
    I miss snow :( (none / 0) (#11)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 10:42:39 AM EST
    Joshua wants us to take him to snow this winter vacation.  He says that he can't remember snow, we moved here right before he turned four.

    Me too sometimes (5.00 / 1) (#60)
    by Amiss on Tue Dec 23, 2008 at 12:48:38 AM EST
    My hubby was raised in New Hampshire, the favorite place we have lived, and we have lived all over the US, is Maine tho. When he came home for lunch today, I told him that where we used to live got 42" of snow and that kinda quelled his wunderlust to go back for a few days at least.

    Parent
    Come to Vermont! (none / 0) (#51)
    by gyrfalcon on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 03:34:11 PM EST
    We've got lotsa lotsa snow, a good 3 feet on the ground already where I am and more in the mountains.

    Parent
    How can you call this.... (none / 0) (#24)
    by kdog on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 12:30:41 PM EST
    defending the Constitution from all threats foreign and domestic?  Link

    What did a couple tons of vegetation ever do to the Constitution?

    Seems to me they should have passed it (none / 0) (#28)
    by nycstray on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 01:05:37 PM EST
    around instead of destroy it. Ya know, in the name of Peace in the ME  ;)

    Parent
    Benevolent occupiers... (none / 0) (#31)
    by kdog on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 01:13:56 PM EST
    my arse.

    Parent
    kdog, I think you ought to go see (none / 0) (#35)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 01:36:58 PM EST
    Tale of Despereaux.

    I swear the whole movie's an allegory about the drug war and the war on terror.

    Main part of the story is a kingdom that bans soup (no soup for you!). And the voiceover says something about how ridiculous it is to ban something that's part of nature, or some such.

    And then the main character, Despereax (a mouse) gets ostracized for not buying into the fear and cowering that all good mices must believe in.

    At least, that's how it came across to me...

    Parent

    And that brings us back to (5.00 / 1) (#42)
    by CoralGables on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 02:18:13 PM EST
    The Fightin Gators and one of those feel good stories. Kate DiCamillo, the author of "Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread", is a University of Florida graduate with an English Major who found herself wandering low end jobs after graduation not being successful as a book writer but knowing it's what she wanted to do.

    Thirty years old and working in a book warehouse in Minnesota, she submitted a manuscript for a childrens book soon to be known as "Because of Winn Dixie". Next thing you know she has movie deal contracts for three of her writings and pockets a Newbery Award.

    Parent

    Yes, I heard her on NPR this weekend... (none / 0) (#53)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 04:32:52 PM EST


    Parent
    Almost sounds similar.... (none / 0) (#37)
    by kdog on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 01:45:46 PM EST
    to the classic tale "The Emperor Wears No Clothes".

    Parent
    14, count 'em, 14 inches of snow (none / 0) (#25)
    by caseyOR on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 12:41:50 PM EST
    in downtown Portland yesterday and at least 4 more inches today. We have broken a 40 year old record. Massive drifting; cars stuck in snow drifts; I-84 closed; Hwy. 26 from Portland to the Oregon coast closed; temp right around 20 degrees; airplanes neither landing nor taking of.

    We are buried. Last week snow and ice shut down most of northwest Oregon; now it's record snowfall. We don't have the kind and numbers of snow removal equipment found in the midwest. Main streets will eventually get plowed, but side streets and residential areas must wait for it all to melt.

    Nobody is going anywhere.

    The worst? I only have enough coffee to make it through tomorrow.

    Hey, MT (none / 0) (#26)
    by caseyOR on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 12:44:29 PM EST
    bring Joshua on up to Oregon. We've got snow and the beach and snow at the beach. And many delightful snowy activities, sledding, skiiing, snowboarding,  at nearby Mt. Hood.

    We're gonna have a White Christmas!

    Parent

    I Just Finished Freezing (none / 0) (#52)
    by CDN Ctzn on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 04:05:07 PM EST
    my a@@ off shoveling out my mini-van and putting chains on it. I drove to Fred Meyers to break the cabin fever and the place was packed. On the way, you could barely tell the road from the snowbanks. Now my trees are snapping in half because of the snow and ice. They were fairly mature 8 yr. olds that will be hard to replace. Like I said yesterday, this isn't supposed to happen in Portland, at least not like this and to last this long. Whatever happened to the silver thaw?

    I tried to take my Schnauzer for a walk and she sunk out of site in the snow. This weather is tuff on a 14 year old dog. And then, when I threw her into the back yard this morning to pee, after plowing around and looking for a suitable spot, she finally settled on the patio. I guess its better than the living room carpet.

    Parent

    I'll never forget the look (none / 0) (#54)
    by nycstray on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 04:33:02 PM EST
    on my dog's face when I took her out and they hadn't plowed yet. The snow was about 23" and came right up under her tail. She finally spun around enough to clear some away and was able to do a slight squat  {grin}

    Sorry to hear about your trees. That really sucks.

    Parent

    Thanks for the Sympathy (none / 0) (#55)
    by CDN Ctzn on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 05:00:27 PM EST
    During the interim a load of Snow and Ice slid off the roof and demolished our Gazebo. Now, its looking like my favorite maple, a 15 ft. lace leaf beauty, will be the next to succumb.

    Parent
    CDN Ctzn (none / 0) (#56)
    by caseyOR on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 05:19:06 PM EST
    what part of town are you in? The west side is, as usual, a mess. I'm in NE, closer to Grant HS. So far, no trees or tree limbs have fallen. My car, my little Toyota, is buried halfway up. I don't think I'll be driving for awhile. Tomorrow though, I must venture forth on foot to replenish my supply of coffee. Snowed-in is one thing; no coffee is something else entirely.

    Probably not much consolation to you right now, but this is our worst winter storm since 1968. If it only happens every 40 years, I guess I can cope.

    As an aside, I put off buying new tire chains for too long. I just heard Mayer-elect Sam Adams on the TV telling me that everyone in town is sold out of tire chains.

    Oh, and more snow due on Wednesday, but temps up to 40 degrees on Saturday. Let's hope the melt-off is slow or we will be following this mess with flooding.

    Parent

    caseyOR (none / 0) (#58)
    by CDN Ctzn on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 05:33:10 PM EST
    I live up on the hill in Oregon City. I know that the closer you get to the Gorge, the colder and worse the weather is. The crazy thing about Portland is all the micro-climates. Glad to hear that the tree snapping thing hasn't occured there. Snow and ice are sliding off our roof even though it's still below freezing here. It obliterated the Gazebo in our back yard.

    Good Luck with the coffee. Alot of the stores, coffee shops and restaurants are closed on this side. Although, my Daughter lives near Stumptown on Division and walks for coffee, so it all depends on where you live.

    Parent

    Cold, gloomy, and rainy in (none / 0) (#29)
    by oculus on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 01:09:21 PM EST
    San Diego.  We are driving to Ensenada today.  I'm hoping the drug cartels don't work on rainy days.  Wish us well.

    Harvard linguist Carol Chomsky RIP (none / 0) (#32)
    by squeaky on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 01:18:44 PM EST
    WHEN Carol Chomsky arrived at a kibbutz in Israel with her husband, Noam, she wanted to drive a tractor or work as a mechanic.
    "The kibbutz wasn't quite ready for that," she once said. "It was way before there were even words for women's rights."

    Carol, who went on to become a prominent linguist and educator, didn't mind getting her hands dirty.

    "She could fix a car," said a sister-in-law, Judith Chomsky. "She was mechanical. I mean, she was the one who fixed everything at the house.

    "She was very athletic, and until she became ill, was fishing and water skiing and doing things people wouldn't normally associate with her. She played the accordion."

    Carol Chomsky, a Philadelphia native who was a nationally recognized authority on language acquisition with a special interest in how children learn to read, died of cancer Friday. She was 78 and lived in Lexington, Mass.

    more.....

    Bertrand Delanoe, (none / 0) (#46)
    by KeysDan on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 02:45:17 PM EST
    the Mayor of Paris, does not like the idea of Caroline Kennedy being appointed to the senate seat to be vacated by Mrs. Clinton. Mr. Delanoe's strong Napoleonic opinion on this matter was expressed in a letter to the editor in today's NYT.  Waiting for the reaction.  Maybe, we will have to re-name French Fries, once again.

    Letter is a fake (5.00 / 1) (#47)
    by nycstray on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 03:02:26 PM EST
    linky  :)

    Parent
    Looks like I did too, (5.00 / 1) (#50)
    by KeysDan on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 03:32:41 PM EST
    thanks for setting me straight.  

    Parent
    Mais, non! (5.00 / 1) (#48)
    by Radiowalla on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 03:03:49 PM EST
    It was a fake.  The NYTimes got punked.

    Voici la vérité

    Parent

    Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend, But (none / 0) (#57)
    by squeaky on Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 05:20:44 PM EST
    Diamonds Are Not Sarah Haskins' Best Friend

    And don't forget diamonds are forever just like roaches.

    via robot wisdom

    Monday Morning Open Thread | 61 comments (61 topical)

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