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Sunday Morning Open Thread

67 years ago today, the Japanese Empire carried out a surprise attack on the US military installations at Pearl Harbor. The next day, President Franklin Delano Rooosevelt delivered an address to Congress, asking for a declaration of war against Japan.

This is an Open Thread.

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    On that subject: I met a fascinating (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by ThatOneVoter on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 11:27:49 AM EST
    Hiroshima survivor back in the 90's---Kaoru Iwamoto, 9 dan go player. He was 93 when I met him, and still very strong. I didn't do too well at a 4 stone handicap.
    He was actually playing for the Honinbo title in August of 1945, in Hiroshima. The police chief told the players they should move outside of the city, since Hiroshima was a prime target for attack. He was actually playing a game when the bomb went off.
    Because of the horrors he saw afterwards, he was deeply devoted to promoting international understandin by teaching go.
    He was in Seattle at a go center that his money built.

    Has anybody seen the art exhibit by (none / 0) (#62)
    by FoxholeAtheist on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 07:57:52 PM EST
    Hiroshima survivors, regular folks, not professional artists? It was traveling around museums in North America 10-15 years ago. It was profoundly moving and completely unforgettable.

    Parent
    Did some shopping. (5.00 / 2) (#4)
    by Fabian on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 12:06:59 PM EST
    It's back to the sporting goods store!

    I was looking for hats (unisex, I share with my small sons) and gloves (for small hands).  Cheap, cute, cr@p.  Too thin, too slick, no grips on the palms, too big.  My sons are using the gloves I bought last year - adult stretch knit with rubber grip beads on the palms.  I bought them for me.  They turned out to work for them, although they are large.

    But when I look, I see a huge selection of useless stuff.  I was actually over at the Carhartt display drooling over heavy, warm, useful things that are never going to fit me or my kids.  I know I'm supposed to be ecstatic over the latest fashions, but I'm a sucker for anything that actually does the job.  Unfortunately, finding these things is a lot more difficult than I think it should be.

    There may be a reason for that.  It snowed a bit and today it is cold and windy.  As I was driving through a shopping center, I saw a woman walking to a store.  Her outfit - a cute beret, a jacket that only came down to her waist and made for looks, not warmth, a pair of tight jeans andhigh boots with three inch heels that made it difficult to walk on anything but smooth, dry surfaces.  No scarf, no gloves.  She looked and acted like she was cold.  

    For irony, I once visited Houston, TX for Thanksgiving and saw more people in fur coats in a few days than I ever did years in the frozen north.  

    I'd like fashion more if it actually made sense.

    At my college ... (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by The Poster Formerly Known as cookiebear on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 12:28:19 PM EST
    We have Canadians wearing flip flops while the kids from Corpus Christi are bundled up in down coats.

    Meanwhile, I hate cold weather so much that I refuse to wear a coat. I'm certain if my denial is strong enough, winter will just go away. Give me 100+ temps! I like to be roasted to the bone.

    Parent

    One parent (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by Fabian on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 01:02:22 PM EST
    said their high school son called for a ride home.

    Why?  Because he was cold and might get frost bite if he walked home.  Why was he cold?  He couldn't be bothered to wear more than a hooded sweatshirt when he left home.

    I said my response would be that if he got frost bite I'd drive him to the emergency room.  I hate rewarding stupidity.

    Parent

    Coats suck (none / 0) (#22)
    by The Poster Formerly Known as cookiebear on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 01:35:16 PM EST
    I would happily dance around a bonfire of my coats, if I thought it would make any difference in the weather.

    Parent
    I spend about thrity minutes (5.00 / 1) (#28)
    by Fabian on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 01:44:27 PM EST
    every day waiting for the bus.  Once winter gets serious, I become familiar with winter wear's failings.  The kids only wait half as long, but they don't have the same body mass.

    The only thing that has tempted me to get a cell phone is freezing while waiting twenty minutes for a bus and wondering WTH it is.  A quick call to transportation would tell me, but we can't go home or they might miss the bus.


    Parent

    I can almost Xmas shop in flip flops (5.00 / 3) (#14)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 01:06:03 PM EST
    down here :)

    Parent
    Reminds me of the letters (5.00 / 2) (#29)
    by oculus on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 01:48:26 PM EST
    (anybody remember letters?) I used to get from my mother-in-law when I lived in Michigan and she lived on the FL gulf coast.  Lovely, sunny weather, perfect for shelling.  

    Parent
    Not a problem. (none / 0) (#43)
    by Fabian on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 03:47:02 PM EST
    I can handle cold weather better than hot.  When it's broiling in the summer, it's beautiful and green out - and you go out for as long as you can stand it.  Sure it looks wonderful from inside, but looks aren't everything.  It's easier to be cooped up in the winter, when it gets dark early and there's no garden to tend or weeds to pull.

    (Plus in the winter I can make extended errand runs with my grocery shopping.  The meat doesn't spoil and the ice cream doesn't melt!)

    Parent

    Hah! Same here!W (5.00 / 1) (#53)
    by gyrfalcon on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 07:26:55 PM EST
    What does get me down about winter, though, is the short daylight, especially up here in the frozen north.  But give me cold over too hot any day.


    Parent
    I love Carhartt anything on a man (5.00 / 1) (#13)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 01:04:21 PM EST
    Thinking about getting my husband one of the green barn jackets for him to wear in his shop during the colder months here.  Nothing sexier than a man in Carhartt to me, don't know why.  My son wears those stretch gloves too.  He has itty bitty tiny hands and they are the only thing that really works that isn't an insulting to a nine year old mitten.  They aren't often needed here, more this winter than any since we've moved here though.

    Parent
    For as much as parents (5.00 / 1) (#16)
    by Fabian on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 01:21:19 PM EST
    apparently spend on their kids, I would think there would be a market for quality gear for kids.  

    OTOH, one look at Pottery Barn For Kids causes that idea to vanish.  An entire store devoted to over priced furniture my kids would reduce to kindling before they outgrew it.

    Parent

    IKEA has some cool kids furniture (5.00 / 2) (#17)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 01:26:50 PM EST
    and ideas.  I have a Pottery Barn bookcase in Josh's room, not special, just expensive.

    Parent
    It's beautiful and indestructible. Lovely thing. Comfortable, too.

    Parent
    Heh! (5.00 / 1) (#25)
    by Fabian on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 01:37:52 PM EST
    The kids have hand me downs.  Furniture from their father's childhood, even.  Saved us a bundle since a steel frame bunk bed costs a bundle.

    My son's "craft table" is an adjustable drafting table.  We didn't buy it for him!  It's very well made and he's unlikely to damage it.  (Don't ask about the dining room table.  It's been...enhanced.)

    Parent

    I love enhanced furniture (5.00 / 2) (#46)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 05:06:02 PM EST
    My dining room table is an enhanced Oak Express :).  I have new furniture yes, but I love to paint and be creative and my house just as much salvaged in it as it has new.  I'm now painting a garage sale nightstand for my bedroom. MacKenzie-Childs is amazing inspiration if you have the time and a steady hand.  I find their older ideas a little more appealing than their newest ones.

    Parent
    MT, Carhartt on a woman is not too shabby either! (5.00 / 1) (#61)
    by FoxholeAtheist on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 07:53:54 PM EST
    Fabian, imo Carhartt is sexy and very stylin'... (5.00 / 1) (#60)
    by FoxholeAtheist on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 07:51:01 PM EST
    highly functional and high quality too of course.

    You know the woman you described: walking to a store and freezing her butt in the high boots and cute, impractical outfit? That was me! Kidding (sort of).

    Parent

    I understand the temptation. (5.00 / 1) (#68)
    by Fabian on Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 05:56:05 AM EST
    The "Wow! This will look great!" factor is hard to resist, especially for people who really love dressing up.

    I've done everything from barn chores, to waiting for mass transit, to walking and biking in the winter.  There's the chi-chi stuff for going to church and school.  Then there's the stuff that you wear when you don't want to worry about frostbite, turned ankles or the salt ruining your suede.  Once I had kids, I had to do everything I did before only now I had to do it with a kid.

    Parent

    Carhart doesn't fit? (none / 0) (#33)
    by gyrfalcon on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 02:01:20 PM EST
    Why not?  Around here, anyway, they're loaded with women's and children's Carhart stuff.  I've never even tried any on because I don't need anything of that kind now, but I wish I did.

    Parent
    Seen any "XS" on the racks? (none / 0) (#44)
    by Fabian on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 03:49:45 PM EST
    I'd have to order direct from Carhartt.  No bargain hunting the clearance racks!  

    I tried on some gloves.  My hands swam in all of them.  

    Parent

    Carhartt bargains... (5.00 / 1) (#45)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 04:42:20 PM EST
    ...here.

    http://www.sierratradingpost.com/Carhartt.html

    The whole site is one big clearance rack.

    Parent

    That's a ton better! (5.00 / 1) (#47)
    by Fabian on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 05:06:07 PM EST
    Meijer has a small Carhartt section, and the usual sizes are L to XXL.  It's a good selection of working apparel if you happen to be at least average height for an adult male.

    It's strange to walk from "Cheap seasonal women's fashion" to "Sturdy men's working clothes".  It makes you realize just how flimsy the transient fashion wear is.

    Parent

    Not being... (5.00 / 1) (#48)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 05:35:44 PM EST
    ...a big shopper of women's clothes, I don't think I really realize that.  :)  I can imagine it is probably true though.

    I'm usually just so thrilled to find someplace that has clothes in my size to notice much else.

    Parent

    It's really bad (5.00 / 1) (#55)
    by gyrfalcon on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 07:36:49 PM EST
    though not quite as bad as it used to be.  But try finding women's sweatpants, for instance, with pockets.  Can't have that!  Makes the hips look bigger!  Or shirts, even flannel workshirts, with, ahem, breast pockets.  Oh, no, Mr. Bill!!!

    It's really quite maddening.  At least we can get slacks, but we're still only slightly removed from the idea that women must be decorative at all costs, and never, never, never actually practical.

    I haven't checked it out, but I bet Carhart's women's flannel shirts have pockets.

    Parent

    Er, no, but (5.00 / 1) (#54)
    by gyrfalcon on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 07:32:34 PM EST
    I haven't been looking for XS.  I'm mostly an M occasionally ranging into L on smaller-made stuff.

    Not sure where you are, but out here, Carhart is the state uniform, like Jeeps, Ford pick-ups and Subarus are the state cars, so it's abundant.

    That said, I haven't seen a lot of farm women in the  XS category, so I'm sure you're right that it's a pretty small part of their production.  But kids shouldn't be a problem.  Farm kids get just as cold and do as many outdoor chores as the adults do, and Carhart has lots of stuff for them.

    For the non-farm folk, there's always L.L. Bean, which is where most of my clothes came from before I moved to the actual countryside.  Pretty sure they do XS.

    Parent

    Definite fan of LL Beans (none / 0) (#67)
    by Fabian on Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 05:46:30 AM EST
    I wish the mall were closer so I could track their sales.  They lean towards recreational wear more than work gear.  But their kids stuff is on the more cute than practical side.  The down parkas for the kids are getting second, third and fourth looks from me.  I can potentially get four years of wear out of one between two kids.

    Parent
    When will the BCS rankings be (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by oculus on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 12:17:15 PM EST
    posted.  (I'm really getting into this!)

    I read it would be 7 pm CST. (5.00 / 1) (#9)
    by Angel on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 12:37:27 PM EST
    But, but, but. Hasn't (none / 0) (#41)
    by oculus on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 03:39:24 PM EST
    been posted on ESPN website yet.  And ESPN is showing, get this:  rodeo and women's soccer!

    Parent
    Per LAT: (none / 0) (#50)
    by oculus on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 05:56:13 PM EST
    The BCS standings will be released this evening at approximately 5:20 Pacific time.


    Parent
    Just sayin' ....

    Parent
    You can get some clues now (none / 0) (#15)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 01:19:21 PM EST
    The Coaches Poll was released and Oklahoma is 1, 1 point ahead of Florida  who is 73 points ahead of Texas at 3 (before Florida was 4th in the Coaches poll, so a big gain for Florida. Plus margin of points matters in the polls.)

    The Harris poll will likely follow the AP poll, which has Florida a comfortable 1 over Oklahoma  with Texas at 3. (Again another gain for Florida.)

    In terms of the two different polls, Florida will have a big advantage over Texas. their only hope is with the computers.

    In terms of that third component - the computers - the Sagarin ELO-Chess rating (which removes margin of victory from the equation, which Sagarin hates BTW) Florida moved from 6 to 4. Behind Texas Tech STILL. the way this component works is the top ranked ELO-CHESS team gets 25, the second 24 and so on. there are 5 other computer ranking considered.

    For the record, in the computer ranking the actual computer experts say is the best - PREDICTOR, Florida is easily the top rated team.

    Right now, it looks like Florida-Oklahoma, barring something outrageous with the other 5 computer polls.

    Parent

    Very thorough. Thanks. (none / 0) (#18)
    by oculus on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 01:28:10 PM EST
    Lucky Gator coaches tredding on the field, thus Gators being deprived of a likely touchdown, will not probably make a difference.  

    Parent
    Gators scored a TD on that drive (5.00 / 1) (#24)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 01:37:45 PM EST
    despite Meyer's mistake.

    Parent
    Can you tell I was multi-tasking? (none / 0) (#27)
    by oculus on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 01:42:38 PM EST
    YOu would be an excellent sports columnist.  Kind of a T.J. Simer probably, but quite detailed and knowledgeable.

    Parent
    I am surprised (none / 0) (#36)
    by Steve M on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 02:45:51 PM EST
    that we have not had more Gator coverage this weekend.

    Since the Gators are my 2-year old's favorite team, she is quite excited, although I'm not sure she realizes it yet.

    Parent

    I see MSU is in the AP top 20. (none / 0) (#37)
    by oculus on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 02:47:37 PM EST
    But, who votes in the AP football poll?  I googled but came up empty.

    Parent
    The AP (none / 0) (#39)
    by CoralGables on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 02:55:46 PM EST
    should be sports writers around the country as they try to maneuver for what they want to see.

    e.g. Last week Texas received zero 1st place votes and this week received 6 votes while not playing a game.

    Parent

    Here's the early unofficial scoop (none / 0) (#38)
    by CoralGables on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 02:52:46 PM EST
    Orange Bowl - Virginia Tech vs Cincinnati (snore)
    Sugar Bowl - Alabama vs Utah
    Rose Bowl - Penn State vs USC

    and the only one in doubt...

    **Fiesta Bowl - Texas vs Ohio State or Boise State

    **there is a conflict on different sites as to whether Texas Tech might be eligible for the BCS (after OK & TX) in that some say only 2 teams per conference are eligible for BCS games while other sites say this isn't a factor if one of the conference teams is the in BCS Championship game. If the latter is true add a Texas Tech rematch as a possibility in Glendale, AZ.

    and the BCS Championship Game

    FLORIDA GATORS
    vs Oklahoma

    Parent

    ESPN is discussing BCS National (none / 0) (#56)
    by oculus on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 07:40:19 PM EST
    Championship Game:  Florida vs. Oklahoma.  But BCS hasn't posted yet.  Interesting.  

    Also, Urban Meyer was asked by Lou Holz about Tebow's speech after FL lost to Mississippi.  Is this on YouTube?  Got to catch up here.  Thanks.

    Parent

    Always willing... (5.00 / 1) (#58)
    by CoralGables on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 07:46:39 PM EST
    to forward all things Gator

    Tebow

    Parent

    Thanks. I found it too. (none / 0) (#59)
    by oculus on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 07:50:27 PM EST
    Touching.  Buck stops here.  We didn't play like Florida Gators.  I'm sorry.  Falls on sword.  Poignant.  

    Parent
    Reading FDR's speech taught (5.00 / 1) (#19)
    by oculus on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 01:29:51 PM EST
    me some history:  Japanese attached Pearl Harbor but also attached Midway et al shortly thereafter.  Didn't realize the time sequence and breadth of targets.

    There was a coordinated attack (5.00 / 2) (#20)
    by andgarden on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 01:33:00 PM EST
    Within a few days, they seized most of American and British controlled Asia, except India and the Philippines (which they took a bit later).

    If you've ever seen Empire of the Sun (Spielberg under appreciated masterpiece IMO), you'll remember that they marched into the international zone in Shanghai at about the same time.

    Parent

    Oh, fabulous movie! (5.00 / 1) (#32)
    by gyrfalcon on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 01:58:23 PM EST
    Really fantastic.  Masterpiece indeed, and makes you said Spielberg didn't do more of this kind of movie.

    I read the book after I saw the movie, I was so haunted by it, and the book is even better.

    Parent

    In the same vein (none / 0) (#34)
    by andgarden on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 02:01:53 PM EST
    as Saving Private Ryan. Spielberg shares my moribund fascination with WW II.

    Parent
    Saving Private Ryan is actually (5.00 / 1) (#57)
    by gyrfalcon on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 07:45:50 PM EST
    good?  I'm so allergic to heavily hyped films with Tom Hanks, I haven't seen it.

    WWII was truly the "Good War," so I think it will continue to generate great stories and great films long after the last person who lived through it is gone.  I can't even imagine what it was like even to live through those events at home.  The only movies you can make about Vietnam or Iraq, pretty much, are deeply depressing ones.

    When I traveled mostly on back roads and through small towns in Europe as a small child in '55, and an older child in '62, the strong positive reaction of local folks to just encountering an American was striking and deeply moving.  I remember we visited the family of a colleague of my dad's in a very small village in Germany in 1962, and quite literally the entire town turned out to greet us and then hung around outside the home we were visiting while we were there, and then waved good-bye when we left.  And that was Germany, where at least some folks would have had every reason to resent us.

    Amazing that the Bush creature squandered all that fantastic good will in such short order.

    Parent

    It's not my favorite (none / 0) (#64)
    by andgarden on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 08:17:34 PM EST
    but many people like it.

    I wonder if he'll ever do a movie about the home front.

    Parent

    I haven't seen the movie, but what a (none / 0) (#21)
    by oculus on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 01:35:15 PM EST
    cast, plus, who knew Tom Stoppard was a writer on a Spielberg film?

    Parent
    And a young Christian Bale (5.00 / 1) (#26)
    by andgarden on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 01:39:56 PM EST
    Plus Ben Stiller!!! (5.00 / 1) (#30)
    by oculus on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 01:49:28 PM EST
    Empire of the Sun (none / 0) (#31)
    by cal1942 on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 01:54:52 PM EST
    Agree, a real masterwork. A must see.

    From an awards standpoint IMO Spielberg always has to overcome his box office success to be given reasonable consideration.

    There are probably other reasons and I'm likely wrong about that but IMO Spielberg has too frequently been under recognized.

    Parent

    As we await the latest BCS poll, (5.00 / 1) (#35)
    by oculus on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 02:39:52 PM EST
    more news from the world of opera.  Italian tenor yanked from opening night cast as Verdi's Don Carlo.  American tenor substituted. AP

    Italian tenor says:  so, I made a couple of mistakes.  It was a dress rehearsal.  What's the big deal?

    I'm waiting for the political dynasty police (5.00 / 2) (#49)
    by ruffian on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 05:49:13 PM EST
    to protest the possible Caroline Kennedy appointment to Hillary Clinton's (formerly RFK's) Senate seat.

    I have no problem with it myself, but surely those who thought another Clinton presidency was out of bounds will protest another Kennedy in the Senate.

    Why would they do that? (none / 0) (#52)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 07:09:05 PM EST
    After all, she is a Kennedy.

    Parent
    You know (none / 0) (#69)
    by CST on Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 10:21:31 AM EST
    I didn't love the idea of Bush Clinton Bush Clinton.  And I don't love the idea of Kennedy being given this seat.  At the same time, I would've much rather had Hillary than a lot of other people, and I feel that way about Caroline too.  Just because I assume she will be very left.  So while I don't really think it's fair, and there are other people who probably deserve it more (much more so than the Hillary nom since she was a senator first), I could still live with Caroline.

    Parent
    Battle By The Beach (5.00 / 1) (#51)
    by CoralGables on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 06:47:12 PM EST
    The online store for the Orange Bowl jumped the gun by posting merchandise for sale for the BCS games (since removed).


    The hats are out of the bag.

    Several hours before the final BCS standings of the year were released on Sunday, the Orange Bowl Committee website had merchandise for sale on its official website featuring the Florida Gators vs. the Oklahoma Sooners in the BCS title game.

    The Orange Bowl Committee, the host of this year's BCS championship game, have dubbed the matchup between Florida and Oklahoma the ''Battle by the Beach,'' according to official merchandise.



    An interesting op-ed in the Times (none / 0) (#1)
    by andgarden on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 11:23:55 AM EST
    about coalitions

    The New Deal coalition was a mass movement based on building a more just economic and political order, embracing Protestant evangelicals and Catholic immigrants, segregationists and integrationists, radical left-wingers and unionized working men from the steel belt, all holding their noses with one hand and pulling the lever with the other.

    I still find myself holding my nose more often than not. It's the nature of politics.

    Gen, Shinseki to head VA (none / 0) (#3)
    by ruffian on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 11:36:36 AM EST
    Kerry presumably remains in Senate after all. Good call all the way around, IMO.

    Interesting article on Cuba (none / 0) (#5)
    by andgarden on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 12:17:14 PM EST
    in the sunday magazine that I'm halfway through.

    Full Warning: Roger Cohen (none / 0) (#10)
    by andgarden on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 12:38:08 PM EST
    I didn't catch the byline in the first place.

    Parent
    Open Left (none / 0) (#11)
    by WS on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 12:55:10 PM EST
    complains about Obama's postpartisan talk.  Were they not listening to him during the primaries?  

    It's important to not sound too partisan but its also important to express pride in the Democratic Party and its ideas.

    I thought Hillary did it just right. She didn't sound too partisan and instead blaming Bush a lot but also didn't go out of her way to praise bipartisanship.  

    Digby (none / 0) (#40)
    by lilburro on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 03:17:38 PM EST
    wrote a post about this CQ article.  

    The article POV is the same as many other articles on the subject of intelligence - insiders complaining about how nobody understands them and everyone is being silly and Brennan is a hero.

    The press seems to believe that choosing someone to head national intelligence and the CIA is rocket science, when it's really a matter of making sure we do not promote any of Bush's cronies.  That's not so hard is it?  There's a whole list of people here who are most likely completely acceptable candidates for the two top intel jobs.

    Can I get some stories about them?  Anybody want to interview people who are interested in doing something other than covering Brennan & the big brass' @ss??


    Scale back the post inaugural celebration? (none / 0) (#42)
    by Saul on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 03:44:53 PM EST
    Maybe Obama and all those balls that are given after the inaugural  should be scaled back due to the economy situation.  I would.  I say rule by example.  You can't get after the big auto boys for coming down to DC on their private jets and lecture  them on their unwise expense and then turn around and have a full blown carnival party at the White House and those other parties that Congress throws that go on all night long.  Especially if the expense is out of tax payers money.  Even if it is not taxpayers money he should rule by example. He can easily do it.

    Good idea on the scaled back inaguration... (none / 0) (#63)
    by FoxholeAtheist on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 08:04:11 PM EST
    Remember, back when Reagan was inaugurated, Nancy wore a cloth coat (versus a fur coat) in deference to the state of the economy - supposedly. It was a big deal at the time. She got a lot of mileage out of it.

    Parent
    To BTD (none / 0) (#65)
    by NYShooter on Sun Dec 07, 2008 at 10:34:54 PM EST
    I think I found the Holy Grail; every critism you've ever had about the MSM, all wrapped up in one article:

    I think it's safe to say that during the primaries, not to mention all the years leading up to them, no major political commentator was more vitriolic, sexist, and consumed by CDS than The New York Time's own premier op-ed writer, Frank Rich. It's also safe to say that no major political commentator was more afflicted by "Obama Love" than the same Mr. Frank Rich. And to illustrate that point, immediately after the election, he wrote an op-ed piece so gushing, so fawning and worshipful, that had a twelve year old girl written it for her favorite Hollywood idol, it would have been an embarrassment to live down for years to come.

    So, it should come as no surprise to those of us who believe that to become a famous pundit one has to be both shameless and hypocritical. And, in today's column, Frankie baby come through in flying colors.

    In a column meant to focus on the economy, he first had to keep his Clinton Hating creds by taking a couple of disjointed shots at Hillary, before going on to denigrate JFK, educated folks, and Obama's judgement.

    As the most psychotically, and obsessively addicted Clinton Basher, he decries "our Clinton-fixated political culture," before tossing in, for good measure,  that "Hillary Clinton and Robert Gates were both wrong about the Iraq invasion,....."And this: "Those who fear an outbreak of Clintonian drama in the administration keep warning that Obama has hired a secretary of state he can't fire. If Truman could cashier Gen. Douglas MacArthur, then surely Obama could fire a brand-name cabinet member in the (unlikely) event she goes rogue. ."

    As to Obama's judgment in picking his economic team, the man who metaphorically fellated Obama every Sunday for months on end, had this to say:
    Lawrence Summers, "famous for never letting anyone forget his brilliance"

    Timothy Geithner," boy wonder president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, missing one crucial asset: experience outside academe and government, in the real world of business and finance."

    And: "Robert Rubin the Citi may never sleep, but he snored."

    Finally, and clueless as to his own  duplicity and hypocrisy, he actually says,  with a straight face, " No doubt the Pavlovian ovations for the Obama team are in part a reaction to our immediate political past."

    I guess we should start the impeachment process now, six weeks before these "losers" even take office.

    Condoleezza Rice Hosts Hillary Clinton for Dinner (none / 0) (#70)
    by squeaky on Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 04:37:06 PM EST
    Rice set the tone for tonight's dinner, the first face-to-face meeting since Clinton's nomination, yesterday on ABC News. 'I think she's going to be terrific,' Rice said. ...

    MSNBC via war & piece

    Looks like 'Hillary the polarizer' fiction is dead.