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Evening Open Thread

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Blog Related
Posted on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:15:28 PM EST
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By Big Tent Democrat

Now you have a place where you can post your unrelated thoughts. Frankly, I am fed up with all the off topic commenting in my posts at least. J may not mind. I know I do. Stop it.

This is an Open thread.

Update (TL): I'll be posting new items later this evening. Big Tent says he'll be back tomorrow.

Update: Thread now closed.

< How To Look At Polls - Part II | Senate Passes Bill Extending Immigration Laws to Mariana Islands >

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    Evening Open Thread | 235 comments (235 topical)
    Mark Penn (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by Key on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:18:42 PM EST
    Anyone else kind of upset at Hillary's apparent inability to get rid of him once and for all?

    I hope Hillary wins even though it isn't looking too good right now.  But I also hope that if she does win, the big buffoon is nowhere to be seen in a Clinton administration.

    The longer she keeps him around, the harder it seems to be for her to get rid of him.

    Ugh.

    It was funny (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by Edgar08 on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:27:26 PM EST
    After he made his comment about Richardson's endorsement there was actually about 3 Obama supporters on Dailykos who had the temerity to point out, "you know he's right, the endorsement would have done more good before Texas."

    I must have slept in the day he started eating live kittens on national TV.

    [ Parent ]

    Having seen what the last campaign upheaval (none / 0) (#110)
    by Cream City on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:45:59 PM EST
    did, coming right before my state's primary -- Wisconsin -- I actually am one who is fine with not too much more upheaval in the Clinton campaign now.  Ease Penn out after Penn, as it were.  But not now.  The campaign never got it together for Wisconsin, and you may recall what happened. . . .

    Btw, I'll say again, as I noted last week, that anyone who thinks that primary was a predictor of how Obama would do in the general election in Wisconsin ought to look at the loss by our AA state high court justice and the racist campaign against him.  And it worked here in the red red red county, Waukesha, that had the votes to put his woefully unprepared opponent onto our state high court.

    Waukesha went big for Obama.  Uh huh.  Best evidence of the crossover games here, but it will go 99% for McCain in the general election -- and that could turn this state, the closest of all states in 2004, red.  I think the only hope of not losing Wisconsin is Clinton.

    [ Parent ]

    Perhaps (none / 0) (#128)
    by MKS on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:04:32 PM EST
    What about this poll?

    [ Parent ]
    St. Norb's polls of Wisconsin can be good (5.00 / 1) (#170)
    by Cream City on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:43:04 PM EST
    or not.  Unfortunately, not transparent.  So without knowing more about methdology, it's an iffy one.

    See if we see a poll done by Holbrook at UWM.

    [ Parent ]

    within the margin of error- (none / 0) (#158)
    by kenosharick on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:32:48 PM EST
    and that is before the "swiftboaters" send $10-20m just in Wis. on rev. wright commercials painting Barck as anti-American. He will not win Wis.

    [ Parent ]
    This argument is so lame (none / 0) (#186)
    by Deadalus on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:05:21 PM EST
    Barack can't win because he's bi-racial.  That's what it boils down to.  Despite the fact that polls this far out historically are insignificant and totally inadequate in predicting elections.

    Furthermore, macro-trends tend to determine elections and regardless of the mud (which gets slung every year, mind you, and will be slung at Hillary as well), the Republicans have the worst set of circumstances possible from a historical perspective.

    And if you think Barack's amazing victory in Wisconsin was the result of cross-over meddling, you're nuts.  That margin was too wide for any Republican mischief to have pulled off.  

    [ Parent ]
    Not so (none / 0) (#204)
    by Virginian on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:19:16 PM EST
    the Republicans have the worst set of circumstances possible from a historical perspective.

    They have a very real shot at winning

    [ Parent ]

    Doubtful (none / 0) (#207)
    by Deadalus on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:22:10 PM EST
    But Hillary doesn't do any better in head-to-heads at this point.  As  "electability" is the argument of the week from camp Hillary, I'm sure we'll hear plenty about it in the coming weeks.  

    [ Parent ]
    Let's see (5.00 / 3) (#2)
    by andgarden on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:20:14 PM EST
    perfect weather here in DC.

    Oh, I negotiated my cable bill way down today--and I got more services. So, go me.

    Yikes.... (5.00 / 2) (#4)
    by Stellaaa on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:27:19 PM EST
    were you talking about your cable bill on the other posts?  

    [ Parent ]
    no (5.00 / 1) (#14)
    by andgarden on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:37:46 PM EST
    just what was on my mind.

    [ Parent ]
    The thread opening (5.00 / 1) (#47)
    by Stellaaa on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:06:37 PM EST
    sounded like me when my kids would bug me when I got home from work and had to make them do homework etc and cook  I would throw them in the tv room with  junk food and say, here, go at it.  Enough with all of you.  

    Confessions of mommie dearest.  Maybe that is why both my kids still like me and on their own chose Hillary and they don;t hate women of a certain age.  

    [ Parent ]

    We have similar philosophies (none / 0) (#130)
    by stillife on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:05:10 PM EST
    and guess what? My kids, ages 22 and 18, are also Clinton supporters.

    I was a weird hybrid of permissive and strict.  When they would ask me irritating questions, I would always say, "How the h** should I know?"  My son, at the age of 10, did an excellent Forrest Gump impression saying, "My mom always said to me, 'How the h** should I know?'"

    Somebody should get a research grant and do a study.

    Maybe I'm a bad mom, but I have two good kids.  :)

    [ Parent ]

    Bad mom club (none / 0) (#140)
    by Stellaaa on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:15:17 PM EST
    We had a bad mom club.  It was great.  Man, the level of micromanagement that was expected and is expected in raising kids--I don't have the stomach for it.  

    [ Parent ]
    No wonder many of them are so infantile (5.00 / 1) (#144)
    by MarkL on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:18:05 PM EST
    at 18.

    [ Parent ]
    it's ridiculous (5.00 / 2) (#160)
    by stillife on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:33:42 PM EST
    and it's probably gotten worse in the 15 years or so since my kids were little.  I raised my kids in the super-liberal, diverse neighborhood of Park Slope, Brooklyn, where parents would say "Maggie doesn't feel like sharing right now" when their kid was being a brat.  My favorite anecdote from back then was when I took my son to a kids' shoe store.  A 2-year-old was pitching a fit and his mom was trying to "reason" with him, saying, "What is the issue here, Elliott?" Needless to say, more screams ensued.  

    Like I said, I was not a strict parent. Never hit my kids, I'm not an authoritarian, but I believe that parents should guide the children and not the other way around.

    Which one reason why I have contempt for those silly politicians who say they are supporting Obama b/c their kids told them too.  B**, please!  I went to peace marches in the 60's.  I lived thru the Dem Convention in '68, though I was very young.  The most important lesson I've learned in life is to think for yourself and distrust authority.  I hope I've passed that on to my kids.

    [ Parent ]

    My moment of losing it (none / 0) (#169)
    by Stellaaa on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:41:34 PM EST
    I was PTA president in a public school that was what shall I say, in transition.   One of the new moms thought that recess was a real mess and her son was not getting picked to play in any of the teams by the other kids.  She thought we should have structured recess.  I lost it.  I went off:  your son has and will have every advantage in life and you now want to stack it for him in recess?  The whole idea of recess is that kids get to have 10 minutes of free from adult structure time.  

    I always thought it was fine for a kid to fail a class, they learn that it's not the end of the world and that it happens to all of us.  

    [ Parent ]

    A schoolteacher friend of mine (none / 0) (#178)
    by Kathy on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:58:15 PM EST
    had to deal with a parent who wanted the school resources officer to interview other kids she thought were stealing her kid's fried okra at lunch.  When my friend balked, the woman said she would pay for a private detective.

    I kid you not.

    Hey, them thar flashing ads for books.  Do you guys ever click through on them?  I'm just curious.  I really enjoyed that Linda Fairstein that was advertised a week or so ago.

    [ Parent ]

    Another Park Sloper (none / 0) (#172)
    by honora on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:51:02 PM EST
    I was ready to say something mean to MarkL for dissing Stillife and Stellaaa, then Stillife said that she raise her family in Park Slope.  I lived on Carroll Street from birth until 13--it is still my 'spiritual home'. The Brooklyn Dodgers left the month that I was born, I still take it personally.

     This thread makes me sooo homesick, first TJ moving to Brooklyn, now this.  I have to go compose myself.

    [ Parent ]

    That's so funny! (none / 0) (#190)
    by gyrfalcon on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:08:16 PM EST
    Saw a similar scene in an ice cream place once, where the mom was reading off the list of 20-plus ice cream flavors and asking the toddler which one he wanted.  All the toddler could do in the face of too much information was start to scream and wail.  Poor guy.  He just wanted some ice cream!

    Man, you remember how our generation was supposed to have been raised by such "permissive" parents.  LOL!

    [ Parent ]

    Every time we try and drop Sprint (5.00 / 3) (#9)
    by TeresaInSnow2 on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:33:54 PM EST
    as our cell phone provider they connect us with a "retention specialist" who makes us an offer we can't refuse.

    [ Parent ]
    does that come with (5.00 / 4) (#25)
    by scribe on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:52:51 PM EST
    or without the horse's head in your bed?

    [ Parent ]
    Cleaned out two garden beds (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by suisser on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:35:38 PM EST
    planted lettuce. Showed my 10 year-old daughter the "How Dare Hilary" video.  Tried, really, really hard to believe that I still belong in the Democratic Party, didn't work out so well. Sigh...

    [ Parent ]
    Since you're talking tv (5.00 / 1) (#15)
    by MMW on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:42:16 PM EST
    Why is it every show I absolutely love gets cancelled or is in danger of being cancelled?

    I loved Firefly, cancelled.
    I loved the very very short lived Mr. Sterling, cancelled.
    I loved Arrested Development, cancelled.

    Now I love The Reaper and I'm the only person watching it. Such an interesting cast and storylines. Bad enough I could not watch it for almost three weeks (I had to DVR it)
    because it was on at the same time as my greatest addiction LOST.

    Now LOST is off till the 24th and I have no idea if Reaper is on, or when it's on. (did I mention it started out on Tuesday nights, went to Wednesday then to Thursday, now I got no clue.)

    This sucks.

    [ Parent ]

    Tuesday Night (5.00 / 1) (#20)
    by katiebird on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:48:44 PM EST
    9/8

    [ Parent ]
    So it's still here? (none / 0) (#32)
    by MMW on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:54:23 PM EST
    And it's not on with LOST?

    I am so euphoric right now that it should depress me. I should get a life.

    I love the guy who plays the devil. He's good. And he acts exactly as I always imagined the devil would.

    THANK YOU.

    [ Parent ]

    Here is a (5.00 / 1) (#26)
    by 1jpb on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:53:29 PM EST
    synopsis.

    Now you have more free time.

    [ Parent ]

    that was brilliant (none / 0) (#59)
    by MMW on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:14:32 PM EST
    Just about sums up LOST.

    [ Parent ]
    Even more so for the occasional viewer like me n/t (none / 0) (#101)
    by 1jpb on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:39:51 PM EST



    [ Parent ]
    What? (5.00 / 1) (#30)
    by waldenpond on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:54:05 PM EST
    No Lost tonight?  cr@p...sigh..........

    [ Parent ]
    How come Trader Joe (5.00 / 2) (#38)
    by gyrfalcon on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:59:56 PM EST
    discontinues every product I fall in love with and incorporate as a staple in my diet?

    [ Parent ]
    Trader Joe (5.00 / 1) (#57)
    by stillife on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:13:02 PM EST
    is coming to my Brooklyn neighborhood at some unspecified date this year.  I can't wait!

    I haven't shopped there enough to be aware of the discontinued products, but I've had this problem at regular supermarkets.  My daughter and I always joke that whenever "they" find out we like a product - bam! It's discontinued.

    I have heard that TJ's products fluctuate a lot due to availability b/c they always try to get the cheapest price.

    [ Parent ]

    Don't get me started on TJ (none / 0) (#91)
    by Stellaaa on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:35:05 PM EST
     
    Coulombe sold the renamed Trader Joe's in 1979 to the family trust established by Theo Albrecht, and he retired in 1988.
    Business Week

    Albrecht, who is he?  German billionaire, owns largest Euro/sort of Wall martish chain that has put out of business loads of small shops.  I avoid TJ's.  Sorry, they are predatory.  

    [ Parent ]

    Oh, noes! (none / 0) (#100)
    by stillife on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:38:28 PM EST
    In my naivete, I thought it was a "nice" company.  Next thing you're gonna tell me is that he's a big contributor to Hope 527.  That would be the final straw!

    [ Parent ]
    It's a great parallel (none / 0) (#107)
    by Stellaaa on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:42:32 PM EST
    Just as creepy as big corporate others, but they put out a facade of "change", "hope" etc.  they are privately held, so many think it's owned by a hippie guy in LA.  Albrecht is in the top 20 of Forbes richest people.  They have great PR.  

    [ Parent ]
    Reminds me of Urban Outfitters (none / 0) (#124)
    by stillife on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:57:05 PM EST
    where my daughter shops.  Ex-hippie, turned Repug. Split with his former business partner under rather dubious circumstances, I believe.  She stayed true to the cause and he sold out.

    My daughter's a Kucinich-supporting, left-wing feminista, but she likes their clothes.  :(

    [ Parent ]

    Yes and no (none / 0) (#153)
    by facta non verba on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:24:11 PM EST
    The Albrecht brothers are indeed very wealthy billionaires, top 10. They own Aldi which operates in Europe and in the United States. German retailing is very price sensitive and the EDLP format that Aldi and Trader Joe's subscribe to in effect keeps prices low. Labour is minimal at both Aldi and TJs. Aldi stores are very small under 5,000 sq feet and generally carry only one brand (usually a private label) or distressed goods (products that for some reason did not meet manufacturers' quality control). Trader Joe's is a little different. It is also EDLP but the stores are much bigger, 25,000 to 50,000 square feet. TJs works with companies to make products that meet a very rigourous quality control.

    TJs and Aldi treat their employees well. They receive a raise after one month's service and benefits after 90 days including health and a 401(k). I wouldn't put the Albrechts in the company of Wal-Mart. They are much more progressive.

    [ Parent ]

    In the sense (none / 0) (#154)
    by Stellaaa on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:26:22 PM EST
    that they put the smaller shops out of business.  Yes, it's the Euro model, but still, large corporate and monolithic.  

    [ Parent ]
    TJ's employees (none / 0) (#201)
    by gyrfalcon on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:16:31 PM EST
    are unusually well paid, have first-rate benefits and are treated very well by management. It may be a big chain, but they do pretty much everything right by their customers, their employees and their suppliers, as far as I can see.

    I used to live within walking distance of where a TJ's moved in, and ended up buying about 80 percent of my groceries from them.

    Now I live a 6-hour round trip away from the nearest one, and I make the trip a couple times a year to stock up.

    [ Parent ]

    When TJ hit town here (none / 0) (#97)
    by Cream City on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:38:09 PM EST
    I was anticipating it, as a sister-in-law would bring all sorts of goodies from her town's TJ when she came to visit.  But I wanted more tips -- she is not always as adventurous as am I -- so I googled and came up with sites where TJers in other towns talked about the best buys.

    Try it and look especially for the discussion site for the original TJ's in San Francisco.  It's hilarious.  That must be a town full of frustrated novelists, as some of the posts went on for eons and veered off into philosophies of life and the like.

    [ Parent ]

    Original TJs is in Southern California (none / 0) (#102)
    by Stellaaa on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:39:55 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    Be adventurous! (none / 0) (#205)
    by gyrfalcon on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:20:10 PM EST
    The incredibly cool thing about TJ's is they happily refund your money for anything you try and don't happen to like.  Doesn't have to be damaged or spoiled or anything, just if it doesn't meet your taste.

    They also have somebody who cooks up stuff from their ingredients to give away generous free samples pretty much every day around lunchtime, and I've ended up buying lots of stuff I would never even have considered because it turned out to be so good.

    Best of all, I've found, all their products use good ingredients, so none of them are overloaded with spices and artificial flavorings to conceal a poor basic ingredient.

    TJ FOR PRESIDENT!!! (oops, sorry)

    [ Parent ]

    Ahh yes, TJ anticipation (none / 0) (#214)
    by Virginian on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:28:58 PM EST
    I know it well

    We moved from DC suburbs to Charlottesville, VA (grad school/med school) and have had to dedicate weekends to driving 2 hours north to stock up...but soon one will be opening an hour away......small victory

    [ Parent ]

    Have you been to the one on 14th street? (none / 0) (#116)
    by nycstray on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:49:38 PM EST
    I keep meaning to go for the wine specials  ;)

    Where in Brooklyn?

    [ Parent ]

    Yes I have (none / 0) (#132)
    by stillife on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:08:35 PM EST
    I live in Boerum Hill, near Atlantic Center.  My neighborhood is subway mecca - I'm near most of the subway lines.  It's not a big deal to go from my house to Union Square on the 4 train, but still it's a schlep carrying shopping bags.

    There will be no wine at the store in Brooklyn.  :(  Stupid New York blue laws.

    [ Parent ]

    P.S. (none / 0) (#133)
    by stillife on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:09:45 PM EST
    Probably in answer to your question, the new TJ's will be at Atlantic and Court which is an excellent location for me - I work on Court Street, so it's on the way home.  

    [ Parent ]
    Thanks, good to know. (none / 0) (#149)
    by nycstray on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:21:04 PM EST
    I'm over in Williamsburg, so 14th is a hop skip. Lucky you that it will be on your way home! I pop over that way on occasion. Prob more often this summer, so I'll have to keep an eye out for it.

    [ Parent ]
    10-4!!!! (none / 0) (#51)
    by andgarden on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:09:37 PM EST
    They had this amazing lemongrass chicken rice bowl that hasn't appeared in my TJ for more than a year. I still look for it. ::sniffle::

    [ Parent ]
    I looooove that soup (none / 0) (#92)
    by Cream City on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:35:20 PM EST
    and now you worry me.  I could get it at my TJ's until recently, but it wasn't there this week.

    Ditto my TJ's chicken shumai, mmmmm.

    I think I'm gonna have to hit my local Asian stores again.  Btw, if you have a Noodles nearby, I rec the Thai curry soup, too.  Spicier, though -- good for clearing sinuses in this hay fever season, achoooo.

    [ Parent ]

    Was it TJ brand? (none / 0) (#112)
    by nycstray on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:47:36 PM EST
    They said last summer/fall they would no longer use imported ingredients from China in their products. It was supposed to be phased out by the first of the year iirc.

    They were one of the few responsible companies during the pet food recall and stayed on top of things throught out the recalls etc.

    [ Parent ]

    Yeah, the Chinese (none / 0) (#195)
    by gyrfalcon on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:11:59 PM EST
    ingredient thing is probably what's going on.  Knowing TJ, though, they're likely to eventually come through with non-Chinese makers for the same or similar products if they were popular.  I'm sure that fabulous frozen vegetable tempura is from China, so that's probably gone too. (sob)

    [ Parent ]
    They were reacting to the customers (none / 0) (#209)
    by nycstray on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:23:24 PM EST
    which I like. There was a lot of concern about the imports. Some of us made the mistake of following the refusal lists on the FDA site. OY! We should really be supplying more of our base ingredients. And adopt regs closer to the EU.

    They may end up doing some local sourcing. I know that is encouraged here. And while it's more expensive, people are waking up and willing to adjust a bit when it comes to food. Especially if crap food is getting expensive.

    [ Parent ]

    But, TJs has the BEST (none / 0) (#217)
    by suisser on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:39:11 PM EST
    reusable grocery bags. They have turned me into a careless, non- pontificating user of myown bags.  Sort of becomes a non-issue when the bags work.
    They make it easy to "just do it".

    [ Parent ]
    discontinues every product I fall in love with (none / 0) (#234)
    by BarnBabe on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 11:04:31 PM EST
    OK, not food related. But I am a blond. But I need to enhance it and every time I find the right shade of Light Ash Blond, they discontinue it and offer a new product. That ones drives me nuts. No Trader Joe's near here in PA, but I use to go there all the time in San Diego. Loved that store.

    [ Parent ]
    I thought (5.00 / 1) (#73)
    by cloudy on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:25:30 PM EST
    I was the only person who loved Firefly!  I think it had potential to be Whedon's best show.

    [ Parent ]
    I was never into Buffy (5.00 / 1) (#83)
    by Kathy on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:29:45 PM EST
    it was always Firefly for me.  I loved how sassy Kaylee was.

    [ Parent ]
    Buffy (none / 0) (#103)
    by cloudy on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:40:24 PM EST
    is my favorite show of all time.  I seriously went on a TV hiatus after it went off the air I was so depressed (except to watch other Joss shows).  But I do think Firefly had the potential to be better.  Joss needs a new show.  

    [ Parent ]
    I think Buffy started really well, cause I loved (none / 0) (#120)
    by MMW on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:53:59 PM EST
    it but by the end it was so much, allcrammed into an episode. I watched dutifully. I agree that Firefly would have been better though. Great premise, loved River, Kaylee was so naive and honest, such a contrast to a prostitute and mercenaries. Great Cast.

    [ Parent ]
    I bought the series on dvd (none / 0) (#106)
    by countme on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:41:44 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    me too and the movie "Serenity". (none / 0) (#127)
    by MMW on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:01:23 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    Ditto. I love the language the writers used. (5.00 / 1) (#129)
    by countme on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:04:35 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    Everything got all messed up (none / 0) (#27)
    by stillife on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:53:32 PM EST
    due to the writers' strike.  I'm pretty sure I heard that "Reaper" is coming back.  I'm impatiently waiting for "Supernatural" to come back (two more weeks!)  One of my favorite new shows, "Life", has been cancelled but I'm happy that "Friday Night Lights", which was on the chopping block, will be coming back next year.

    My problem is not so much with cancelled shows but the writers always kill off my favorite characters.  I still miss Boone on "LOST" and Lem on "The Shield".

    [ Parent ]

    Life got picked up for next year! (none / 0) (#187)
    by eleanora on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:05:23 PM EST
    I love that show too. Charlie, Dani and Ted are three of my favorite characters ever, so smart and non-cliche.

    They opted not to do more shows this season post-strike, but it'll be back in the fall. Unfortunately, they are moving it to the Friday night death slot, though :\

    [ Parent ]

    Oh, no you are not! (none / 0) (#29)
    by Kathy on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:54:01 PM EST
    I love Reaper!  It's back on April 22nd.  I love the Devil!  And the demons next door are a welcome addition to the show.  I have to know what page was torn out of the contract.  I think it's something to do with Andi and true love and how to release his soul.

    Also enjoying Canterbury's Law, which just got interesting so I'm sure they'll cut it soon (the law stuff is so crap, but I love Julianna Marguelese even though I can't spell her name)

    And of course Battlestar rocks (but I miss Firefly, too--only the crazy sister is a terminator on Sarah Connor Chronicles, so I'm not so sad anymore)

    I think that Lost is in reruns just to kill me.

    I am Kathy, and I am addicted to TV and I am not ashamed.

    [ Parent ]

    It's so nice I'm not the only one (none / 0) (#53)
    by MMW on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:10:37 PM EST
    Now just maybe it'll be on for a while. And I totally agree about the Devil and the demons next door. Not to mention Gladys at the DMV. I have a theory about the page, the devil is Sam's father.

    That's what I love about the show, it's original and fun. The total opposite of the wild mind numbing ride LOST takes me on (Though I think Lost has brought my intelligence up a few notches). Like Still up above, I hate that they kill off characters to bring more drama. Can't they find another way?

    I watch few other things diligently I must admit. Dirty Jobs and Mythbusters (usually the weekend shows). Torchwood too, just got into it a few weeks ago.

    And there's this new show on Wealth TV called Let's Shop, with Cheryll Gillespie, it is really fun.

    I'm a TV junkie too.


    [ Parent ]

    I loved Julianna Margulies on ER (none / 0) (#168)
    by Anne on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:41:13 PM EST
    and have been really liking Canterbury's Law because she's on it.

    Happened to see one of the old ER episodes recently - when Clooney was part of the cast.  Made me realize that the current (and maybe the last 3 or 4 seasons) season is just nothing like those earlier seasons.

    Hey - is anyone else shocked that Michael Johns got booted off American Idol tonight?  I thought for sure he would be one of the last three standing.  Really, I was taken aback by it.  Big mistake.

    [ Parent ]

    Florida gets weirder (5.00 / 2) (#3)
    by MichaelGale on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:22:39 PM EST
    by the day.

    Republican legislature passed a bill today that legislates you can now carry your guns to work. You have to keep them locked in your car but if you need it you can go get it.  

    Well this is Florida and we might (5.00 / 3) (#6)
    by Florida Resident on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:27:56 PM EST
    want to do some hunting after work.

    [ Parent ]
    gators? (5.00 / 1) (#7)
    by Stellaaa on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:28:54 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    Depends, Is it Football season? (5.00 / 1) (#123)
    by Florida Resident on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:56:48 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    Florida too (5.00 / 2) (#17)
    by MichaelGale on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:45:40 PM EST
    but I detest that now I have to buy another gun so I will be protected as the Legislature states.

    One for home, now one for work. Oh...and one for the second car to go to the grocery store.

    [ Parent ]

    Wow (5.00 / 1) (#39)
    by Lora on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:02:08 PM EST
    You have to keep them locked in your car but if you need it you can go get it.
     

    That's gonna help....how?

    [ Parent ]

    Seems like another opportunity (none / 0) (#21)
    by nycstray on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:49:04 PM EST
    to get your gun stolen. Cars are frequently broken into around me. It seems to be the thing to do around here and has been going on for years. Hate to think those cars had guns in them . . .

    [ Parent ]
    Three things thieves look for (5.00 / 1) (#44)
    by Fabian on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:05:05 PM EST
    Cash
    Drugs
    Guns

    I'd expect guns to be a specialty item because they ought to be harder to fence than a laptop or electronics - but entire private arsenals or historical collections have been targeted.

    [ Parent ]

    I don't know what they are going for (none / 0) (#108)
    by nycstray on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:43:02 PM EST
    around here. Nobody in NYC leaves cash in their cars, or anything else for that matter. Not even for 10 minutes. And I live in a pretty safe/nice area. It's just habit. If you leave it the car, prepare to lose it, lol!~ Funny thing is though, my friend and others leave supplies in the back of their trucks, no problem. I wonder if some of the glass I see is just window breaking for the sake of being a punk a$$?

    [ Parent ]
    What about those who use Public transit (none / 0) (#90)
    by ding7777 on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:34:43 PM EST
    to commute?  

    Or if you were a car pooler, would you want someone leaving his gun in your car?

    [ Parent ]

    When I was working sometimes I had to be out in (none / 0) (#126)
    by Florida Resident on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:59:30 PM EST
    the swamps late at night, and sometimes I had to go to some very dangerous places out in the middle of nowhere.  And yes I was armed so I had a gun lock system in the trunk for when I was in the clinic.

    [ Parent ]
    Just got a call from HRC (5.00 / 2) (#12)
    by stillife on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:37:15 PM EST
    and I upped my monthly contribution.  The guy who called said we have to get a Democrat in office in November, no "matter who he or she is".  I wish I still felt that way, but maybe by then, if my candidate doesn't get the nom I'll learn to stop worrying and love Obama.  

    However, I can't wait for the Democratic Party to come begging for money so I can reject them.  ;)

    How to (5.00 / 2) (#64)
    by Molly Pitcher on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:16:55 PM EST
    stop worrying and learn to love the atomic bomb?

    [ Parent ]
    Heh (5.00 / 1) (#66)
    by stillife on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:20:41 PM EST
    Exactly.

    [ Parent ]
    Any comments on Carter's ME trip? (5.00 / 1) (#23)
    by Manuel on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:50:27 PM EST
    I appreciate Obama's willingness to meet with any foreign leaders.  However, here again, Obama is  trying to split the difference.  Is there any issue where he will take a stand without caveats?
    Links for articles on Carter in Middle East (none / 0) (#232)
    by jawbone on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 10:55:21 PM EST
    Googled for news reports on Carter in ME--seems Rice has warned him against meeting with Hamas. I wasn't aware Carter was in the ME, so thanks for the heads up.

    I notice MSNBC wonders if it will be problem for Obama--bcz Carter has hinted he will support Obama?

    [ Parent ]

    Joan Walsh is so cool (5.00 / 2) (#37)
    by bjorn on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 06:59:26 PM EST
    She was on David Gregory today.  I think she is the best "guest commentator" on the news these days.  She is so informed, objective, and positive.  She never trys to spin anything or anyone!  Salon must be really happy to have her over there.

    Have you read those letters? (none / 0) (#42)
    by Stellaaa on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:02:57 PM EST
    Many it's like hyenas attacking her.  

    [ Parent ]
    I did...... (5.00 / 1) (#82)
    by michitucky on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:29:24 PM EST
    Some of the most vile, slimy pieces of crapola I've read in some time.  Salon, like so many other sites, USED to be a place you could count on for civil discourse......No longer civil!!!

    The personal attacks were so over the top......

    [ Parent ]

    Another great newswoman, of the (none / 0) (#119)
    by hairspray on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:53:22 PM EST
    Nation Magazine is also fantastic.  Unfortunately the cable pundits don't question her often enough.  I can't remember her name because it is Dutch I believe and loooong.

    [ Parent ]
    Katrina Vandenheuvel (5.00 / 1) (#142)
    by litigatormom on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:16:20 PM EST
    Yeah, she's ver good. But why have her on when you can do another segment with *ucker Carlson and Pat Buchanan?

    [ Parent ]
    Uh oh (5.00 / 7) (#49)
    by Kathy on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:08:41 PM EST
    Cheney says Rev Wright's rantings left him "stunned."  Said he was "appalled."  LINK

    (wonder if he'll tell him to go f himself?)

    Does anyone else find it a tad alarming when a walking abattoir for the constitution calls someone else appalling?  I mean, how low does that bar have to be?  The man shot his best friend in the face for less.

    You are on a roll today. (5.00 / 3) (#52)
    by Stellaaa on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:10:20 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    I am just waiting for 30 Rock (5.00 / 2) (#84)
    by Kathy on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:31:23 PM EST
    and I've been so bored all day and I'm terrified Jeralyn will put up a big notice, "KATHY, YOU PATHETIC GOOBER, YOU HAVE POSTED NINE THOUSAND TIMES TODAY, YOU ARE SUSPENDED!"

    [ Parent ]
    Thanks for reminding me re Tina Fey (none / 0) (#104)
    by Cream City on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:40:59 PM EST
    tonight, finally, the first new episodes since the writer's strike, so I read.  I love 30 Rock (as I did Studio, but there's another good show gone).

    [ Parent ]
    Actually (5.00 / 1) (#62)
    by stillife on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:16:03 PM EST
    I heard it was Cheney's girlfriend who was the shooter.  Not that it makes much difference!

    [ Parent ]
    Reason #6 to Vote for Hillary (5.00 / 1) (#143)
    by litigatormom on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:17:34 PM EST
    on a recent Letterman Top Ten List: "My vice-president will never shoot someone in the face."

    [ Parent ]
    Buckshot (none / 0) (#189)
    by Deadalus on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:07:56 PM EST
    That was my fave.  It never gets old

    [ Parent ]
    That was one of our more 'interesting' (none / 0) (#223)
    by nycstray on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:50:32 PM EST
    news reports, lol!~ Yeah, I shouldn't laugh, but lets get real here . .

    Wasn't he on a canned hunt? I know he was here recently hunting upstate. That was amusing as far as the pre-arrival news reports . . .

    [ Parent ]

    Oh! (5.00 / 1) (#94)
    by Marco21 on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:35:54 PM EST
    And to the people in the Obama copying Hillary over the Olympics thread who claims Europeans don't know or care about Chicago - are you f-ing kidding me?

    I cannot tell you how many people I've met or work with who've come from all over Europe, Japan, Korea, the UK, Australia, etc. to live in my fine city.

    Take that BS back and yes, I've traveled in Europe.

    And I apologize for my typos (none / 0) (#98)
    by Marco21 on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:38:18 PM EST
    and crap. I mean "claim" and surely other mistakes abound. I type too quickly and not goodz enuff.

    [ Parent ]
    Actually...I agree with you on Chicago (none / 0) (#99)
    by Stellaaa on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:38:20 PM EST
    Euros love it and know it.  

    [ Parent ]
    hey, that was me! (none / 0) (#105)
    by Kathy on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:41:29 PM EST
    and I lived there off and on.  Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands (Friesland), etc.  I was in Australia and Singapore when Devil in the White City was big and most of them had never heard of Chicago.  They were fascinated by this exotic, small American town.

    Americans abroad tend to work for international companies or hang out with furriners who are more American-friendly, but I stand by my statement that most of the great unwashed could not find Chicago on a map.  

    [ Parent ]

    Can most Americans find it on a map? (none / 0) (#118)
    by leis on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:53:02 PM EST
    That's snark. I'm new at posting but not lurking.

    [ Parent ]
    Kathy... (none / 0) (#156)
    by Marco21 on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:26:51 PM EST
    you are so off my potential best friend forever list unless you take that back.

    (shakes fist in air)

    And I agree with whoever it was who claimed most Americans couldn't find it on a map. Sometimes I sadden myself when watching the news and a map pops up of a place I thought was completely located somewhere else.

    Damn me.

    [ Parent ]

    aw, put your fist down! (none / 0) (#176)
    by Kathy on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:56:09 PM EST
    I've been known to skip a bath or two. And I'm proud of it!

    I'm talking Hindeloopen, not Milan.  The idea of the ultra-sophisticated European is about as widespread as the idea of the backward American.  Not all of them sip bordeaux and talk culture.  No one whines about the Black Stockings burning books when they speak of beautiful, diverse Amsterdam.

    Hey, I wonder how many people here know where Puerto Rico is on the map!

    [ Parent ]

    Can I get there (none / 0) (#184)
    by waldenpond on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:04:21 PM EST
    with Mapquest?

    [ Parent ]
    Ha. In several countries I've visited (none / 0) (#125)
    by Cream City on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 07:58:02 PM EST
    and in talking/emailing with Europeans, when they ask where I'm from, I only get blank looks at the answer.  Then I say my city is near Chicago -- and they all know right away what and where I mean.  And almost every one of them knows someone from their city and country who went to school in Chicago, lived in Chicago, moved to Chicago. . . .

    [ Parent ]
    Everyone has a different experience (none / 0) (#150)
    by Kathy on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:21:41 PM EST
    I guess.  I was living far from the major cities where my bad foreign language skills mixed with "fixin' to" and "y'all" made for comical evenings.  Most of the folks I met reminded me a lot of your average middle-American who doesn't travel much and likes it fine the way it is at home.

    [ Parent ]
    I am embarrassed that (none / 0) (#166)
    by waldenpond on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:39:08 PM EST
    when I travel, people have heard of where I'm from..... Humboldt County, California.

    [ Parent ]
    Did they ever comment on you 'accent'? (none / 0) (#188)
    by nycstray on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:07:26 PM EST
    When I was in Ireland, they (hotel staff) asked me where I was from (CA) and when I told them they said that explained my cute accent. I just nodded and smiled. As a Native Californian, I never knew we had accents, lol!~

    Humbolt's lovely. I'll be moving close to that area, but prob can't go as far north as I would like. I need to be a reasonable distance to my parents.

    [ Parent ]

    No discussion on my accent (none / 0) (#206)
    by waldenpond on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:21:57 PM EST
    No never a reference to my accent.  No one really wanted to know exactly where it was either.  Nope...... Usually people just wanted to know if I had brought any "Humboldt County Homegrown" with me.  :)

    [ Parent ]
    lol!~ yeah, there is that 'history' there! :) (none / 0) (#216)
    by nycstray on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:38:47 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    Absolutely true (none / 0) (#177)
    by ruffian on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:57:30 PM EST
    Chicago probably has immigrants and their descendants from more European countries than NYC.  Whoever said that was really ignorant.

    [ Parent ]
    I've gone from fist shakin' (none / 0) (#185)
    by Kathy on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:05:21 PM EST
    to ignorant!

    Hey, lookit, I LIVED in a lot of foreign countries with individuals who had no idea where Chicago was on the map.  They knew New York, LA and San Francisco, but that was about it.  And EVERY state in America has folks of European descent.  I mean--come on.  That's hardly propping up your argument.  There are more people living in Boston who claim Irish heritage than there are actual Irish people in Ireland.  Fins go to Minnesota and don't understand the language the old folks are speaking because it's so antiquated.  Over 160 different languages are spoken in NYC.  

    I'm talking about my own personal experience living in very small towns, which are much like very small towns in America in that they are cut off from the central cities.  My neighbors had never travelled more than 100 miles from their house (farmers).  There are many, many people who are still cut off in Europe, just as many are in America.

    (though, I will admit that a lot of them knew Atlanta from Gone With the Wind!)

    [ Parent ]

    Whassup with Brian Williams? (5.00 / 3) (#147)
    by jawbone on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:20:37 PM EST
    Yesterday he spoke of Firgos Square and the pulling down of the Saddam Hussein statue as if it were a genuinely Iraqi inspired action. Richard Engler did not correct him or indicate in any way the Potemkin Village aspect of the scene, altho' he did note that, sadly, the square is now blocked off.

    Tonight, Williams again talked about pulling down the statue, with video of the event (the close up version, not the longshots which showed how few people were there), asking of Gen. Petraeus how it felt that on that historic day the only decisions were whether to put a US flag on the head of the statue and whether or not to assist the Iraqis in achieving the pull down of the statue. He noted with sadness that the square was now off limits to Iraqis. (His inclusion of the information from Engler does indicate he is capable of absorbing new facts.)

    Huh, Williams!???! You don't know it was a psy-ops creation? You don't know about the BBC wideangle video showing how few people were there? How the US broadcasters showed only the tight shots instead to try make it look like huge "ebullient" crowds celebrating freedom, the better to propagandize the public???

    This is disgusting.

    War's Iconic Image a PSYOPS Creation
    By Janine Jackson

    The July 3 [2004] L.A. Times finally put to some sort of definitive rest the notion that it was ebullient Iraqis who pulled down the Saddam Hussein statue in Baghdad's Firdos Square in April of last year. The statue pulldown is described in an internal Army study, the Times reported, as one of many psychological operations maneuvers employed by the military. It was a Marine colonel who decided to topple the statue, and "it was a quick thinking Army psychological operations team that made it appear to be a spontaneous Iraqi undertaking."

    Link to FAIR article.

    What is going on that a major news anchor can lie on air about something which should be well known to any well-informed news person? What is he doing? Getting the drums of war tuned up? He did go to the Iran done it line, and got Gen. Pet to spout his anti-Iran talking points.

    The MCM does not appear to have learned much since they botched their reporting in the runup to the Iraq Invasion. Damn. What's a news consumer to do about this crap?

    Brian Williams (none / 0) (#163)
    by litigatormom on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:35:55 PM EST
    is a tool. He likes to listen to Rush Limbaugh.  Need I say more?

    [ Parent ]
    But, has he no shame? (none / 0) (#167)
    by jawbone on Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 08:40:37 PM EST
    Has he no concern for his credibility?

    Altho' probably only usn's fixated on learning as much as we can about politics and the war know just how wrong Brian Williams was these two nights.

    It does seem, tho', he might be ginning up some Get Your War On feeling...? Which is scary.

    [ Parent ]

    Didn't someone just say (none / 0) (