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Wednesday Night Open Thread

The TL Kid and I are eating pizza and watching the 2 hour American Idol where last night's 54 will be whittled down to a final 36. I'm not quite sure that 36 is a final number, I always thought it was 12 or 8, but since I usually don't start watching until the final four or so, don't go by what I say.

Here's an open thread -- all topics welcome.

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    Ex-Sen Domenici got a GJ Subpoena (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by scribe on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 08:20:31 PM EST
    for records relative to the investigation of the US Attorneys firings, particularly as it relates to Iglesias.

    Interestinger and interestinger.

    Quite interesting and definitely (none / 0) (#11)
    by oculus on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 08:56:51 PM EST
    worth an FP post tomorrow.

    Parent
    No love for Top Chef? (5.00 / 2) (#2)
    by lobary on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 08:21:41 PM EST
    Aw C'mon Jeralyn!

    Top Chef > American Idol.

    Indeed (none / 0) (#3)
    by andgarden on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 08:31:55 PM EST
    30 minutes to go.

    Parent
    Yup (none / 0) (#4)
    by NJDem on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 08:37:41 PM EST
    it's Stephan's to loose.

    Parent
    I'm pulling for Carla (none / 0) (#5)
    by andgarden on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 08:43:02 PM EST
    But you're probably right.

    Parent
    There's Stefan (5.00 / 1) (#7)
    by lobary on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 08:48:37 PM EST
    and then there's everyone else. I'd love to see Carla knock him out but the producers need to keep the hateful Euro around for the finale. I'm not sure Carla will make it that far.

    I miss Arianne. She should've stayed in Leah's place.

    Parent

    My sentiments (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by NJDem on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 08:51:48 PM EST
    exactly.

    And of course I was rooting for the Jersey girl--I don't get how they got rid of her and kept people who did equally bad and never won a challenge...

    Parent

    Whoops (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by lobary on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 08:53:18 PM EST
    that should read "hateable Euro." Sorry Stefan.

    Parent
    I like Carla, but I've got (5.00 / 1) (#14)
    by Anne on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 09:03:58 PM EST
    kind of a soft spot for Hosea - I just like him.

    Parent
    AP Extortion (5.00 / 1) (#31)
    by squeaky on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 11:16:15 PM EST
    Looks like Shepard Fairey will come out unharmed for appropriating an AP photographers image of Obama for his poster.

    "The Associated Press has determined that the photograph used in the poster is an AP photo and that its use required permission," the AP's director of media relations, Paul Colford, said in a statement. "AP safeguards its assets and looks at these events on a case-by-case basis. We have reached out to Mr. Fairey's attorney and are in discussions. We hope for an amicable solution."

    link

    But Fairey has instead sued AP:

    In a pre-emptive strike, the street artist Shepard Fairey filed a lawsuit on Monday against The Associated Press, asking a federal judge to declare that he is protected from copyright infringement claims in his use of a news photograph as the basis for a now ubiquitous campaign poster image of President Obama.

    And the real kicker is that it turns out that AP does not even own the copyright.

    Further complicating the dispute, Mr. Garcia [the photographer] contends that he, not The Associated Press, owns the copyright for the photo, according to his contract with the The A.P. at the time.

    And if that is not enough to stop AP from suing Fairey this certainly is not going to look good in court:

    "I don't condone people taking things, just because they can, off the Internet," Mr. Garcia said. "But in this case I think it's a very unique situation."

    He added, "If you put all the legal stuff away, I'm so proud of the photograph and that Fairey did what he did artistically with it, and the effect it's had."

    NYT

    Sounds like AP was not only out of bounds on Fair Use but tried to extort money from Fairey. I do not think that they or Garcia will be suing Fairey anytime soon.

    Sounds like Fairey and Garcia (none / 0) (#32)
    by oculus on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 11:34:25 PM EST
    have already reached an agreement.  

    Parent
    Agreement? (none / 0) (#39)
    by squeaky on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 11:44:31 PM EST
    He never was in disagreement with Fairey. Garcia never made a peep about the poster as far as I know. AP started threatening a few weeks and Anthony Falzone, executive director of the Fair Use Project at Stanford University and a lecturer at the Stanford Law School stepped in to defend Fairey.

    Parent
    Just reading between the lines. (none / 0) (#58)
    by oculus on Thu Feb 12, 2009 at 09:45:11 AM EST
    Yes, I Got Your Point (none / 0) (#60)
    by squeaky on Thu Feb 12, 2009 at 11:42:32 AM EST
    It is hilarious, imo, and quite sad in a way, that AP went after Fairey without even checking with the Manny Garcia, the photographer. My guess is that they looked at the contract they had with Garcia and decided to bluff in hopes that Fairey would want this to go away.

    Had Fairey been less had either less principal regarding his aesthetic position, or had neither the resources nor the noteriety to retain a top notch lawyer who specializes in Fair Use law, AP would have prevailed with their unethical bluff.

    Shame on them.  

    Parent

    I am confident the lawyers are pro (none / 0) (#61)
    by oculus on Thu Feb 12, 2009 at 01:47:44 PM EST
    bono.

    Parent
    Yes (none / 0) (#62)
    by squeaky on Thu Feb 12, 2009 at 01:58:49 PM EST
    Due to Fairey's notoriety, no doubt.

    Parent
    It's 'Damages' night (none / 0) (#6)
    by ruffian on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 08:48:13 PM EST
    I'm so hooked on that show. 13 minutes to go!

    Never watched the show but (OT) (none / 0) (#9)
    by lobary on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 08:52:01 PM EST
    I have read Barry Werth's book by the same name. It's a fantastic read, right up there with with A Civil Action. Highly recommended.

    Parent
    Wow, thanks for the recommendation (none / 0) (#12)
    by ruffian on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 08:57:21 PM EST
    Loved 'A Civil Action'. if it is anywhere near as good as that I will be happy!

    Parent
    It is. (none / 0) (#13)
    by lobary on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 08:58:43 PM EST
    If you liked A Civil Action, you'll love this book. It centers around a tragic medmal case.

    Parent
    I'm up to date with it (none / 0) (#23)
    by Jeralyn on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 10:17:24 PM EST
    you can catch it on On Demand in HD the day after the show airs. I liked it better last season.

    Parent
    I did like it better (none / 0) (#56)
    by ruffian on Thu Feb 12, 2009 at 08:28:30 AM EST
    last year too so far.  Ellen's character is just annoying this year. She seems to have lost a few IQ points along with about 30 pounds. Hard to watch.

    Parent
    You people make me so glad (none / 0) (#15)
    by weltec2 on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 09:28:02 PM EST
    that I do not own a television. Heh...

    I was thinking the same thing as I (none / 0) (#16)
    by oculus on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 09:46:42 PM EST
    listen to Performance Today on NPR.  Lengthy intro to Debussy's saxaphone concerto (originally for piano and saxaphone).  Seems a U.S. woman's doctor told her to learn the saxaphone as a health remedy.  She sent Debussy money to compose a piece for her but he didn't until she showed up in Paris a couple years later.

    Parent
    Wow (none / 0) (#34)
    by gyrfalcon on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 11:36:39 PM EST
    Debussy wrote a saxophone concerto?  I had no idea.  Is it any good?

    I recently rediscovered my recording of Tchaikovsky's 1st symphony, subtitled "Winter Dreams," a pretty terrific tone poem to listen to out here in the snowy wilds of Vermont.  Just a fantastic, mature piece, and a mystery why it's so seldom performed.

    Parent

    I think there is good reason (none / 0) (#37)
    by oculus on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 11:40:53 PM EST
    why I hadn't heard the Debussy piece before.

    Parent
    Heh (none / 0) (#41)
    by gyrfalcon on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 11:50:08 PM EST
    "Get out!" he composed....

    Good to know.  I won't try to seek it out.

    Parent

    Try "Performance Today" (none / 0) (#59)
    by oculus on Thu Feb 12, 2009 at 09:47:44 AM EST
    on NPR.  (I wouldn't spend any money on this one.)

    Fred Childs did point out there aren't many professional classical saxaphonists out there.  

    Parent

    But, will you watch if William Ayers (none / 0) (#17)
    by oculus on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 09:48:06 PM EST
    persuades Sarah Palin to join him in hosting a talk show?  See Huffington Post.

    Parent
    Would rather (5.00 / 1) (#47)
    by Radiowalla on Thu Feb 12, 2009 at 12:12:49 AM EST
    rip my eyeballs out.

    Parent
    Heh... (none / 0) (#19)
    by weltec2 on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 10:02:34 PM EST
    Some of us own televisions (none / 0) (#33)
    by gyrfalcon on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 11:34:44 PM EST
    but don't use them to watch this stuff.  I haven't watched "entertainment" television in more than 20 years.  I think "ER" was the last show I even tried to keep up with.

    But I've always been a news and politics junkie, so I need my fix from the dread talking heads on the Teebee.

    Parent

    I could pretty much live (none / 0) (#36)
    by andgarden on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 11:39:52 PM EST
    with Bravo, the networks, CNN, and C-CSPAN (1+2).

    I am a tech geek, though, so I'm always lusting after frivolous upgrades. (Time Warner NYC is now promising almost the entire expanded basic lineup in HD, which is a great improvement over anything imaginable just a few years ago.I still haven't upgraded to an HD set, though. Watch for the prices to crash in the next few months. . .)

    Parent

    Eh (none / 0) (#42)
    by gyrfalcon on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 11:55:56 PM EST
    I have no need to see Chris Matthews in HD. (Actually, I probably have a very strong aversion to the idea!)

    I do long for a la carte cable/satellite packages, though.  I have to go way up on the satellite tiers to get a reasonable news/public affairs line-up, and pay for all those blasted sports and home shopping and religous and kids' channels I never watch.  Drives me nuts.

    As a tech geek, you should try to switch to satellite, though.  I'm not particularly, so I may be wrong, but it seems to me there's a lot more to play with on the satellite then there was with cable.

    Do you have a DVR?  Mine comes with it, and I really like it a lot, though you still need an old-fashioned VCR for mobility.  It's also vastly easier to accidentally erase DVR stuff forever, which I did recently with a whole bunch of movies I had saved to watch at some point, dammit.

    Parent

    I'm of two minds about a la carte pricing (none / 0) (#45)
    by andgarden on Thu Feb 12, 2009 at 12:06:56 AM EST
    I would be delighted not to have to pay for ESPN and the various other sports channels, but then I'm sure the cable company would find a way to charge $100/month no matter what I actually wanted to watch (I include high speed internet in that price).

    As a tech geek, you should try to switch to satellite, though.  I'm not particularly, so I may be wrong, but it seems to me there's a lot more to play with on the satellite then there was with cable.
    Around the 2000 election, satellite was leagues better than what most cable operators offered. It was all digital when "digital cable" meant expanded basic plus a few premiums in digital. But cable fought back with a vengeance. In most places, the lineup is almost identical to what you'd get from either dish provider. In addition, you often get on demand features, which satellite simply can't match technically speaking. Also, when cable finally gets rid of all analog channels (that's already happening in many places) it will be able to offer just about every HD channel in existence, and even ones that don't yet exist. (For every analog channel removed, 3 HD or 9-12 SD digital channels can be substituted).

    Do you have a DVR?  Mine comes with it, and I really like it a lot, though you still need an old-fashioned VCR for mobility.  It's also vastly easier to accidentally erase DVR stuff forever, which I did recently with a whole bunch of movies I had saved to watch at some point, dammit.
    I do, but I don't get much use out of it. The best reason for having a DVR IMO is the pause button.

    Parent
    You're way more knowledgeable (none / 0) (#50)
    by gyrfalcon on Thu Feb 12, 2009 at 12:56:18 AM EST
    about all this than I am, no surprise.  I had the dread Comcast when I lived in the Boston suburbs, but DishTV is the only option out in the country for any kind of TV, so that's what I have now, and I like it much, much better.  My superb little local country telco offers decent DSL, so I get my Internet that way.

    On the DVR, pause is great, but so is rewind, if you half-listen to TV as much as I do.  "What did he just say?"  Easy to find out.

    Also the ability with satellite to record stuff without having to watch it, and to have it delete itself after however long you set it to do that, is terrific.  I record my local TV news, for example, every night, but it deletes automatically after a week so it doesn't fill up the disk.  Jon Stewart and Colbert delete after two weeks.  Etc.

    I really like the flexibility of it a lot, but the inability to take a tape out and watch it on another TV is very annoying.

    Parent

    Charlie Ergen, the Dish Network proprietor (none / 0) (#53)
    by andgarden on Thu Feb 12, 2009 at 01:15:47 AM EST
    is an SOB, an opportunist and a relentless cost controller. He WILL turn off a channel if some provider doesn't meet his price. As between Dish and DirectTV, I think you made the right call.

    Comcast (Philadelphia company, so I have to be nice) is not as horrible as it used to be, largely because of competition from people like Charlie. His national rate card was just brutal for Comcast.

    Parent

    When I bought the house (5.00 / 1) (#57)
    by gyrfalcon on Thu Feb 12, 2009 at 09:39:35 AM EST
    the DishTV receiving equipment outside was still there, and there was a pile of junked DirectTV stuff in the barn, so I took the hint and kept the Dish.

    I'm not at all happy about the pricing and the tier structure, but for people with my interests, it's always terrible whether it's cable or satellite.

    But the DishTV tech support is absolutely first-rate, smart and knowledgeable and patient and resourceful-- and based in the U.S. so I can understand what they're saying.  The reception is crystal clear and without interruption except for when there's a really heavy rain storm passing by to the south of me a couple of times a summer.

    I disliked Comcast when I was using it back in Boston, but I will NEVER forget what they did to me when I was disengaging to move-- long story of either incompetence or flat-out lies, causing me big bucks on the TV side and a critical loss of email on their Internet side.  I hate their guts.

    Parent

    I have to watch (none / 0) (#48)
    by weltec2 on Thu Feb 12, 2009 at 12:17:44 AM EST
    my blood pressure. I too am a news junkie, but I get it all on-line.

    BTW, know who else doesn't own a teevee? Rachel Maddow. She gets it all on-line.

    Parent

    Not a recommendation (none / 0) (#51)
    by gyrfalcon on Thu Feb 12, 2009 at 12:56:51 AM EST
    for the practice, in my book, I'm afraid.

    Parent
    No, not a recommendation, but... (none / 0) (#55)
    by weltec2 on Thu Feb 12, 2009 at 04:46:31 AM EST
    I was just thinking that I was in pretty good company... most of the time anyway.

    Parent
    This link may have been (none / 0) (#18)
    by 1jpb on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 09:53:25 PM EST
    of some value in the earlier post about FDR.

    It was nice to see someone take a full hour to demonstrate that Amity (quasi leader of anti-FDR folks) has cherry picked the historical record.

    P.S.

    BTD, how about unbanning me from your posts?


    Send him an email. He will probably (5.00 / 1) (#21)
    by Teresa on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 10:11:33 PM EST
    give you amnesty. :) You just can't get mad when we discuss that Obama isn't perfect! But we are on the same side now.

    Parent
    I meant you and me. BTD was always on (5.00 / 1) (#22)
    by Teresa on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 10:12:38 PM EST
    the same side as you, just not as dazzled.

    Parent
    I was looking (5.00 / 1) (#24)
    by 1jpb on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 10:18:06 PM EST
    for his email earlier today.

    I didn't see it w/ his profile.

    I did find the generic talkleft email, maybe I should use that.  I'm sure my note would be forwarded.

    Parent

    Click on his user id. He has it there. (none / 0) (#25)
    by Teresa on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 10:19:05 PM EST
    I'll be glad to forward your email to him (none / 0) (#29)
    by Jeralyn on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 10:32:44 PM EST
    but you can also write him yourself. His email address is in his user profile.

    Parent
    That's odd. I was banned (none / 0) (#30)
    by Cream City on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 11:09:39 PM EST
    if only for a few hours -- because I wasn't being dazzled by Obama.  I guess I wasn't dazzled too soon?  (Note that I did credit him as I could.  I just don't do dazzling.)

    It's a minefield at times.:-)

    Parent

    It's like the guys who fought (none / 0) (#35)
    by gyrfalcon on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 11:39:43 PM EST
    in the Spanish Civil War-- banned for being "premature anti-fascists."

    For the younger folks here-- yes, they actually branded these folks with that, took away their passports, forbade them to serve in the military in WWII and took away their voting rights for a while.

    It's apparently worse to be right too soon than to be wrong all along.

    Parent

    The Abraham Lincoln Brigade (none / 0) (#38)
    by andgarden on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 11:41:03 PM EST
    Now there was an eclectic group.

    Parent
    You betcha! (5.00 / 1) (#40)
    by gyrfalcon on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 11:48:57 PM EST
    My late uncle fought and was subsequently very involved in their now greatly diminished veterans' groups.

    Some years ago, on his urging, I went to a small screening of a documentary on them, and found the room consumed with a passionate argument between the Trotskyites and the anarchists about some point of contention I couldn't even begin to follow.

    I was tickled and somewhat encouraged that these old guys were still so animated by such ideological battles.

    When my uncle was quite old and living in elderly housing in NY, his building had a gas line explosion very early one morning and everybody had to be evacuated.  My uncle, still in his pajamas on the street, promptly scribbled up a notice of a tenants' organizing meeting, got it copied at a Xerox place nearby and got busy handing it out to all the other old folks in their pajamas milling around outside.

    His spirit was incredible.  He never, ever gave in or gave up to his dying day.  We could use some of that in the Congress these days.

    Parent

    My Grandfather was in the Abraham (5.00 / 1) (#54)
    by tigercourse on Thu Feb 12, 2009 at 01:37:35 AM EST
    Lincoln Brigade. He was also a labor organizer, farmer, engineer (went to cooper union), factory worker and anyting and everything else. Died far too young from cancer most likely caused by the chemicals in the factories where he worked.

    Whenever I'm having an overly capitalist moment, I try to think of him.

    Parent

    I believe I've seen that documentary (none / 0) (#43)
    by andgarden on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 11:56:35 PM EST
    Did it feature a story about an old rable-rouser with a New York accent pulling down a Swastika flag from a German ship docked in New York in the mid-30s?

    Parent
    Yes! (5.00 / 1) (#44)
    by gyrfalcon on Thu Feb 12, 2009 at 12:02:43 AM EST
    Although I suppose all docs on the subject would probably feature him, and there have been a few.  I think this one may have been called "The Good Fight."

    Can't for the life of me remember the guy's name, but he was a biggie in the vets' group and only died a couple of years ago, I think.

    BTW, if you haven't seen it, do watch the movie "Reds" for a really great sense of what the communist movement in this country was about in the '20s and '30s.  It has the distinction, among many other things, of being virtually the only movie Jack Nicholson didn't overact in, and it makes you weep for his potential as an actor.  Warren Beatty directed and acted and did a fabulous job with both, and the part that takes place in this country is very true to the flavor of the times, according to my family members who were alive then and a part of it all.  (Yes, yes, I'm a "red diaper baby" and proud as hell of it!)

    My uncle was a consultant on the film, as he was on many similar, but even got mentioned in the credits for once-- under one of his many aliases!

    Parent

    heh (5.00 / 1) (#46)
    by andgarden on Thu Feb 12, 2009 at 12:10:00 AM EST
    That's the one. I couldn't remember the title.

    See if you can get hold of a copy of Seeing Red It's out of print and hard to find, but very much up your alley.

    Parent

    Sounds like the old Socialists (none / 0) (#49)
    by Cream City on Thu Feb 12, 2009 at 12:22:24 AM EST
    in my city, gathering for years to play sheepshead (or for those who really were old-country, ska) but really to resuscitate arguments going on for half a century here.  I got to witness that in the last years of enough of them to make it matter.  And yes, they were ready to be at the barricades in a minute, wild-eyed (and wild-haired) to the end.

    Parent
    Same idea (none / 0) (#52)
    by gyrfalcon on Thu Feb 12, 2009 at 12:57:55 AM EST
    Great folks, cared passionately their whole lives.

    Parent
    Schumer wants (none / 0) (#20)
    by andgarden on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 10:07:15 PM EST
    Preet Bharara to be the next U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York. Thoughts?

    Looks good. Taxes pd. by (5.00 / 3) (#26)
    by oculus on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 10:21:25 PM EST
    entire extended family?

    Parent
    heh (5.00 / 1) (#27)
    by andgarden on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 10:22:56 PM EST
    Even (5.00 / 1) (#28)
    by NJDem on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 10:24:39 PM EST
    on things they didn't know were taxable?  

    Can't be too sure these days :)

    Parent