Tuesday Night Open Thread

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Blog Related
Posted on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 07:33:42 PM EST
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After Snowe's play, and Obama and Reid's slobber job over her, how's the Federalist Public Option sound to you now? Cuz it is looking to me like the choices now from the Senate will be Snowe's Trigger vs. Schumer's Opt Out. I strongly prefer the Federalist Option.

I asked for crime stories from our readers and got nuthin. As punishment, I am subjecting you to an Anna Nicole Smith story:

Anna Nicole Smith was ill, confused and isolated in a hotel room with a cornucopia of prescription drugs in the days before her death, an investigator testified Tuesday in a criminal case stemming from the celebrity model's overdose death. [. . .] The testimony was presented in a preliminary hearing involving charges that Smith's former lawyer-boyfriend Howard K. Stern and two California doctors conspired to illegally provide Smith with controlled substances before her drug-overdose death at age 39.

Until I get some better leads from our readers, I'll be going wall to wall Anna on you . . .

In other news, the Yankees won their series against the Twins on Sunday. Game 1 of their series with the Angels is Friday in the Bronx.

This is an Open Thread.

< Tuesday Afternoon Open Thread | Frontline's Afghanistan Report >

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Tuesday Night Open Thread | 55 comments (55 topical)

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Anything but Anna Nicole (5.00 / 1) (#1)
by ruffian on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 07:51:53 PM EST

How about Rifqa Bary? She is our local legal story, a 17 yr old runaway, originally from Sri Lanka, but living in Ohio with her family until recently. In a nutshell,

The teenager has been in Orlando since mid-July when she boarded a Greyhound bus and left Ohio. She arrived in Orlando and took up residence with husband and wife pastors she met through a prayer group on the Internet social networking site Facebook.
Rifqa said she ran away from her Muslim family because she feared they would harm or kill her because she converted to Christianity.
Her family has said her fears are unfounded.

The local judge ruled today that she she should go back to Ohio when her immigration status is cleared up. She will be placed in foster care there, I supposed until they make sure her parents aren't going to kill her. My take on it after watching it unfold is that Rifqa is a bit of a diva.

Has it made it nationwide?

Is there no state juvenile court procedure (none / 0) (#3)
by oculus on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 07:55:45 PM EST

of a kid this age to request emancipation?


Hmmm, I have not heard that discussed at all (none / 0) (#9)
by ruffian on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 08:01:40 PM EST

Perhaps because her FL residency status is murky? Perhaps she would have to request it in Ohio.


Espec. since that is where her parents (none / 0) (#12)
by oculus on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 08:03:40 PM EST

reside.


Immigration status (none / 0) (#15)
by Inspector Gadget on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 08:09:07 PM EST

can a non-citizen of the country get emanicipated in our courts?


If she is subject to protective custody, which (none / 0) (#17)
by oculus on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 08:10:32 PM EST

requires jurisdiction of the juvenile court (at least in CA), she should also be able to invoke the court's jurisdiction to petition for emancipation.


: Fox has been carrying this for weeks. (none / 0) (#25)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 08:41:47 PM EST

I can't figure out why the court wouldn't pay attention to what a 17 year old wantedsince she will be an adult in a few months.

Yes, it certainly has (none / 0) (#5)
by Inspector Gadget on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 07:57:46 PM EST

After seeing all the people involved, I'm pretty sure her parents can be trusted to keep her alive.


: Me too (none / 0) (#13)
by ruffian on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 08:03:46 PM EST

They seem more embarrassed than anything else.

I have read about this (none / 0) (#11)
by Steve M on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 08:02:36 PM EST

it is something of a cause celebre for the wingers who believe that honor killings are a dime a dozen among Muslims.

From everything I have seen, the Ohio authorities don't seem to have uncovered any evidence to substantiate the girl's claims at all. However, if she's going into foster care that suggests they may not feel the case is closed. Seems like an altogether moot point if she's 17 and all.


Indeed (none / 0) (#26)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 08:49:27 PM EST

I mean honor killings are never done by esteemed members of the community.

Indeed, they hardly ever happen.

Of course that isn't what the far Right Wing Boston Globe reports.


The plural of anecdote (5.00 / 1) (#29)
by Steve M on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 08:54:00 PM EST

appears to be prejudice.


: Facts be facts (none / 0) (#31)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 08:55:46 PM EST

I concur... (none / 0) (#34)
by kdog on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 09:33:28 PM EST

this screams attention mongeritis, but of course ya gotta investigate it. The immigration sh*t ain't cool, whats that got to do with this?

Sh*t 17, close enough, let her do what she wants. Reading the bible in court is a little scary, kinda screams a brainwashing, or maybe the reverse double brainwashing...but what are ya gonna do?


Fairly big story (none / 0) (#42)
by gyrfalcon on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 11:54:53 PM EST

on Fox. Persecution of Christians again, doncha know.

Gotta say there's something not right with that family dynamic, though, if the girl would run away so publicly like that and accuse them of wanting to kill her, even if it's not true.


: Don't be too quick to judge (none / 0) (#53)
by Inspector Gadget on Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 08:27:26 AM EST

Teenage girls have a drama level uniquely their own. I find the idea that she moved to Florida to live with a minister and his wife, whom she met over the internet, far more disturbing.

Don't think Smith's story will excite the (4.00 / 1) (#2)
by oculus on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 07:53:57 PM EST

interest Michael Jackson's did.

Meanwhile, Paul Anka wants partial credit for Jackson's poshumously released new song.

Navy will permit women to serve on submarines!!

Obama appoints first gay to head U.S. Marshals Service!

Obama backs off on penalizing tax scofflaws.

Did you forget the snark tag? (5.00 / 1) (#7)
by Inspector Gadget on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 07:59:31 PM EST

Anna Nicole ignited many more hours of coverage than Michael Jackson did. I am amazed at how soon the MJ story concluded.


Really? Recently? (none / 0) (#8)
by oculus on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 08:00:23 PM EST

Perhaps the MJ coverage (none / 0) (#14)
by Inspector Gadget on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 08:07:47 PM EST

is getting more time in CA. I would say we didn't get much coverage at all...especially compared to the non-stop Anna Nicole coverage for months after her death.


When I google (TM) Los Angeles Times, (none / 0) (#18)
by oculus on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 08:11:50 PM EST

the first thing that pops up below LAT home page is about Michael Jackson's death.


Glad I don't live in LA (none / 0) (#20)
by Inspector Gadget on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 08:16:16 PM EST

then :)


Me too. (none / 0) (#23)
by oculus on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 08:20:24 PM EST

: Did you realize how mean that was before (none / 0) (#56)
by Inspector Gadget on Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 11:18:13 AM EST

or after you hit "POST"?

Over a couple (none / 0) (#43)
by gyrfalcon on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 11:56:47 PM EST

months after her death. Not so much since then.


Links for Oculus (none / 0) (#28)
by Peter G on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 08:53:32 PM EST

Paul Anka co-author of 18-yr-old "new" MJ song

Navy ok's women on subs

Out lesbian to be new US Marshal for D.Minn.

Tax scofflaws? Can't figure that one out, Oc.


Oh, thanks for doing my homework. (none / 0) (#36)
by oculus on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 09:41:42 PM EST

here's a new one: Maria Shriver talks on cell phone while driving: Newsday

Illegal in CA.


Tax link: (none / 0) (#38)
by oculus on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 09:51:08 PM EST

San Jose Mercury News


Is that about scofflaws? (none / 0) (#44)
by gyrfalcon on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 11:58:47 PM EST

I thought it was about a legal loophole. FYI, no other Western country, at least, attempts to tax profits made overseas. I don't like it, but the companies have a legitimate point, seems to me, about global competitiveness.


: Nope. I had only read the headline and (none / 0) (#55)
by oculus on Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 10:11:55 AM EST

thought it had to do with off shore accounts.

Angels pray for rain to thwart (none / 0) (#4)
by oculus on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 07:56:52 PM EST

Yankees' plans for a three guy starting rotation.

: Angels may regret and kinda get (none / 0) (#22)
by nycstray on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 08:18:42 PM EST

what they pray for. Cold wet rainy, but not enough so to call the games ;)

ROMAN POLANSKI "in a bad way" (none / 0) (#6)
by oculus on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 07:59:17 PM EST

after three weeks in custody. Mirror. UK.

Really? What does National Enquirer say? (none / 0) (#19)
by cymro on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 08:14:10 PM EST

You should probably confirm that story by checking it against the other tabloids, which are equally reliable ;-)


O.K. I'm going with "depressed." (none / 0) (#21)
by oculus on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 08:17:57 PM EST

Google News


: Yes, life is cruel. (none / 0) (#27)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 08:51:51 PM EST

"They're basically prisoners in their own country," said Peter Zeidenberg, a former federal prosecutor and now a partner at DLA Piper. "They're going to be spending the rest of their lives scrutinizing the extradition treaties of every place they want to travel."

Well (none / 0) (#10)
by Ga6thDem on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 08:01:46 PM EST

with the depressing take on HCR I think I'll just take my leave. I still think failure to pass anything would be better than this turkey that roasting in the Senate right now.

Clinton and Gates (none / 0) (#24)
by Emma on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 08:27:54 PM EST

pushing a middle approach to Afghanistan:

Now, as President Obama leads yet another debate on whether to deploy tens of thousands of additional troops there, the secretary of state and the secretary of defense will once again constitute a critical voting bloc, the likely leaders of an argument for a middle ground between a huge influx of soldiers and a narrow focus aimed at killing terrorists from Al Qaeda, according to several administration officials.

Link.

Nothing like mixing politics with (none / 0) (#30)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 08:54:11 PM EST

national defense.

I mean it has worked so well in the past.


shrug (5.00 / 1) (#32)
by Emma on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 09:14:22 PM EST

I didn't see any evidence that was the case.


And what do you think Obama has (none / 0) (#35)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 09:37:30 PM EST

been doing?


: I don't know (none / 0) (#37)
by Emma on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 09:45:12 PM EST

I really don't. I don't know what the strategy in Afghanistan "should" be, so I have no metric by which to guage other people's actions.

Quite an extraordinary (none / 0) (#45)
by gyrfalcon on Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 12:01:10 AM EST

degree of cooperation and mutual respect between SoS and SecDef with these two. As far as I know, it's pretty much unprecedented in recent history at any rate.


Trying to uncover a crime story of my own... (none / 0) (#33)
by kdog on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 09:19:12 PM EST

accompanied my moms to a wake tonight in Jersey, my dad's aunt (grandfather's sister-in-law) passed at 94 quietly in her sleep. Never met or don't remember meeting most of these distant cousins and great uncles/aunts. Anyway...the crime story...my grandfather spelled our last name differently than his four brothers, and the family legend has always been he changed the spelling to dodge the law man or the tax man or something. He never said boo to any of his sons about it, very mysterious. Obviously this kinda thing appeals to my sensibilities and illicits great family pride, so I start to talking to all the old-timers in attendance to get the real dope. Nobody would spill the beans (more family pride:), but I did get confirmation he changed it when he enlisted for WWII. The curiousity is killin' me, but then again maybe I don't wanna know. Maybe its as simple as they got the spelling wrong and grandpa couldn't be bothered.

Nah...the legend lives on!

You must have been the life of the party! (none / 0) (#39)
by oculus on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 09:52:04 PM EST

But such a good son. Kudos.


Its my pleasure... (5.00 / 1) (#40)
by kdog on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 10:23:51 PM EST

I love the stories...gotta get 'em down pat to pass 'em on too.


One of my mother's three brothers either (none / 0) (#41)
by oculus on Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 10:30:22 PM EST

added or dropped an "n" at the end of their last name. Never found out why though.


Was he a... (none / 0) (#51)
by kdog on Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 07:52:59 AM EST

WWII vet? Probably a hectic time when paperwork wasn't a priority, or I like ruffian's theory about being underage.


: Yes. (none / 0) (#54)
by oculus on Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 10:09:39 AM EST

Um, Kdog (none / 0) (#46)
by gyrfalcon on Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 12:02:39 AM EST

not to be a pedant or anything, but "illicit" means "outside the law." The word you want is elicit.


: Thanks G... (none / 0) (#49)
by kdog on Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 07:47:59 AM EST

I do that thing all the time...think one word and type a similar sounding word.

Was he too young to enlist? (none / 0) (#47)
by ruffian on Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 06:47:14 AM EST

Perhaps he changed it for that reason, and claimed lost birth recored. My dad had that problem too, and had to do something off the record....not sure what. Then his acne was so bad the wouldn't take him anyway ;-)


I'll add...this was toward the end of the war (none / 0) (#48)
by ruffian on Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 06:47:56 AM EST

Not sure if bad acne would have kept anyone out in 1942.


The plot thickens.... (none / 0) (#50)
by kdog on Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 07:49:55 AM EST

that's a good theory...gotta talk to moms about how hold he was when he signed up.


: If you know the year of his birth (none / 0) (#52)
by ruffian on Wed Oct 14, 2009 at 08:01:22 AM EST

you might be able to deduce from there. My dad was born in May of '28. I think it was early '45 when he was trying to enlist. He was almost 17.