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Thursday Night Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 06:54:25 PM EST
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After a long afternoon at the jail, it's another barbecue night here, along with belatedly watching the latest "Weeds." What are you up to?

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

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    Thursday Night Open Thread | 98 comments (98 topical)

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    For the 2nd time this week... (5.00 / 4) (#36)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 09:56:17 PM EST
    ...I went up to the pool (15th floor, killer views of the entire Front Range and downtown) on a rare non-rainy afternoon expecting it to be packed with lay-abouts, vagrants and yahoo's.  Much to my surprise, it was deserted except for the ladybugs.  Got my laps in and a good dose of sunshine without any distraction or bother.

    Good times, lofty times.

     

    Sounds wonderful (none / 0) (#43)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 10:28:04 PM EST


    Parent
    Layabouts, vagrants, and yahoos... (none / 0) (#73)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 08:39:42 AM EST
    peace and quiet is cool...but that sounds like a good crowd Mile, my kinda people!

    Parent
    I don't mind a little pool partying... (5.00 / 1) (#80)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 09:19:44 AM EST
    ...and it's always nice to interact with my neighbors, but when the yahoo's do things like break glass in the pool and it gets shut down, that tends to peeve me a bit.  

    After all, we pay a pretty penny in HOA fees to maintain the pool, and I like to be able to get some of my $'s worth out of it.  


    Parent

    I see... (none / 0) (#82)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 09:27:08 AM EST
    breaking glass by the pool ain't cool...excessive yahoo-ism:)

    Parent
    Ah... (none / 0) (#84)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 09:44:44 AM EST
    ...not by the pool, my friend--in the pool.  So it has to be drained and cleaned by city ordinance before it can be used again.  

    Excess yahooism indeed.

    Parent

    All in moderation... (none / 0) (#85)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 09:47:55 AM EST
    or so a wise man once said...yahoo-ism is no exception:)

    Parent
    Has anyone else watched (5.00 / 1) (#38)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 10:09:12 PM EST
    the Ted Kennedy HBO special?  I watched it last night after DVRing it for a special quiet moment.  I cried like a baby thinking he's almost gone to us.  How did I get this politically mushy.  He has never been perfect....but who is, and who will replace him?  He often seems  fearlessly willing to talk about things that everyone else fears to even acknowledge.

    I watched it a few nights ago, (5.00 / 2) (#52)
    by brodie on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 10:45:23 PM EST
    knowing it would be refreshingly different from the usual hostile hit job on the Kennedys of the type that has been so common on teevee in recent times.

    Glad I tuned in.  Numerous pieces of film, including home movies, I hadn't seen before.  I wasn't aware of the timeline of his plane crash in 64 -- he and fellow senator Birch Bayh got on the plane in June after earlier that day having voted for the historic Civil Rts Bill, and I didn't know he'd had to campaign for his first full term laid out on a hospital bed.  I'd never seen tape of his 62 debate with the feistily aggressive Eddie McCormack.

    Wasn't aware he'd gone on the Dick Cavett Show for a chat in the early 70s (wish I could find the whole interview on youtube though ...)

    It was a bit difficult watching again some of the seemingly endless family tragedies -- assassinations, plane crashes, his own car crash, the cousin's trial, etc.  But after all he's been through, it's hard not to admire him for hanging in there and fighting the good fight.  
     

    Parent

    I loved all the film footage (5.00 / 1) (#55)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 10:54:08 PM EST
    I thought it was soooo well done in images. Man he has had some bad hair days though as he has aged....good lord.  I was sitting in bed giggling to myself that perhaps that is why they really call him the lion of the senate :)

    Parent
    There was (none / 0) (#91)
    by CST on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 10:24:27 AM EST
    a long series in the Globe recently about Ted.  Something like 8 parts long.  It was a really interesting read, especially since I only know him in the context of recent years.  He will be sorely missed in MA, for his reliable senate votes and his impressive record in constituent services.  John Kerry seems to be stepping up a bit lately which is a nice change for him, but he will never match Ted.  Especially his record on civil rights and health care legislation.  You know he is not doing too hot if he is not in D.C.  He would've loved this opportunity right now, and he would've been so valuable at herding Dems.

    Parent
    last week I was walking down to Clark Park in (5.00 / 1) (#41)
    by jes on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 10:14:15 PM EST
    Philly - and there is some folks that always leave some books, for garbage mostly, on the streets. So they had some edition of the Koran that I picked up and that mostly can't get beyond a chapter or two - but the next day I picked up a book called Centennial by James Michener and am now about 2/3 of the way through.

    I don't know what to say except Michener was right about America. Thirty six million years and untold heartache.

    But, damn, I'd like to see Colorado.

    You know... (5.00 / 1) (#42)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 10:24:44 PM EST
    ...I have yet to read that.  I'll have to put it on my list.  

    I've lived in Colorado nearly half my life and it never gets old.  If only we had an ocean or even a large lake...

    /off to check those West Coast global climate change forecasts  

    Parent

    platte, south & north can also be an ocean (none / 0) (#48)
    by jes on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 10:35:36 PM EST
    it's from about 1974 and a bit dated but it really hurts how tribal we are then and now.

    Parent
    Read Centennial as a teen in Illinois (5.00 / 1) (#64)
    by ruffian on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 11:43:15 PM EST
    and it was one of the influences that brought me too Colorado later. I was on a heavy Michener roll for a while... looking back now I see that his writing really fed my interests in many things- history and travel most prominently. When I go someplace new I always imagine what it was like through the ages.

    Anyway, glad you discovered Centennial. I think it was my favorite Michener.

    Parent

    I love Michener's writing (none / 0) (#47)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 10:34:25 PM EST


    Parent
    this is my first intro to him (none / 0) (#49)
    by jes on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 10:37:43 PM EST
    I hear Hawiia is his best, but damn I'd bet you could do Alabama justice if you put your mind to it Mz MT.

    Parent
    He does so much research before (none / 0) (#53)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 10:46:19 PM EST
    he writes.  Researching Alabama could be beneficial to me living here and attempting to conquer certain factions here.  My fave so far has been Texas, but I'm born out of the West and I could literally taste the book.  I haven't read Poland yet.  That's the next Michener I want to read.  I wasn't interested at all when it first came out but my husband's family is Czech/Polish and now I'm curious.

    Parent
    Dang! (none / 0) (#56)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 10:57:17 PM EST
    I've haven't read that either.  

    /bad Polack

    Parent

    More Michener (none / 0) (#60)
    by caseyOR on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 11:07:26 PM EST
    He has also written other epic novels entitled Texas, Alaska, Chesapeake and Caribbean.And, of course, Hawaii.

    His first novel, Tales of the South Pacific, was the basis for the play South Pacific.

    To call him prolific almost seems like an understatement.

    Parent

    My favorite is Iberia, which (none / 0) (#65)
    by oculus on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 12:02:57 AM EST
    is also non-fiction.

    Parent
    it is the change in the time span that hooked me (none / 0) (#57)
    by jes on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 10:59:14 PM EST
    in the Centennial book. We've been here 200-400 years and won't really make any big impact - unless we change. And people like you are the meat and potatoes (heh, one of his characters names) that can divert the stream.

    Parent
    Meat and potatoes? (5.00 / 2) (#61)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 11:13:46 PM EST
    I'm not certain we can divert as much as we need to.  We are capable of so much if we want to.  I saw that here in Enterprise AL after the tornado hit the H.S.  Lots of grief, dead kids, and the hospitals were full of seriously injured people, but people pulled together and cleaned up the whole town together and took care of each other. I think about that as well as the Sheehan protest in Crawford when thousands of people showed up in support that weekend. Yet we can't seem to get it together to save the planet for future inhabitation and America in general often has the emotional maturity of a 13 year old.

    Parent
    its our history (none / 0) (#62)
    by jes on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 11:22:45 PM EST
    we adapt, our we die out. They say a species live time is 70k years and then we are gone. If we can't make it another species will.

    Parent
    Michener and Kent State (none / 0) (#58)
    by caseyOR on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 11:01:02 PM EST
    Michener's book, Kent State: What Happened and Why, was one of the first books written about the events at Kent State.

    For those who don't know, on May 4, 1970, Ohio National Guard members opened fire on students at Kent State University. Four students were killed. This was at the height of protests against the war in Vietnam. It was a shocking event.

    Parent

    I haven't read this one either (none / 0) (#59)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 11:02:39 PM EST


    Parent
    Kent State (none / 0) (#71)
    by daring grace on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 06:53:24 AM EST
    Yes.

    I read everything I could find about that at the time and Michener's account was the best in bringing out background on events and the people involved. He really brought a novelist's narrative voice to telling the story.

    Others IIRC were more accurate about certain factual aspects, but I think his was published fairly quickly after the episode and that might account for that.

    The reaction of the country at large to that and the shooting at Jackson State around the same time still chills my blood when I think about it.

    Parent

    That famous picture... (none / 0) (#72)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 08:37:27 AM EST
    ...still chokes me up whenever I see it.  Truly a tragic event and I remember that day more so than I do the moon landing.  

    Man's inhumanity toward his fellow man magnified by the fact it carried out by young Americans on their peers and countrymen.  

    Parent

    It's More Memorable to Me Too (none / 0) (#88)
    by daring grace on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 10:05:42 AM EST
    I was in ninth grade, early May tra la la, and then this news came down that 'soldiers' shot students who were demonstrating at some college in Ohio and four were dead.

    I remember a couple friends and I standing at our lockers at the end of the day feeling...strange. Now I look back and see it as the culmination of a growing sense of alienation from 'America' that started the summer I turned 13 and sat on my parents' bed watching the Dem convention in Chicago and the police rioting on the streets.

    With that experience of profound disconnect from the 'Land of the Free etc' so young you wouldn't think the more recent anti-constitutional infamies of the gov't would shock me, would you? But I guess I got lulled even through things COINTELPRO and Iran Contra etc. and all the other benchmarks since.

    ::SIGH::

    Parent

    Coming Home (5.00 / 4) (#63)
    by ruffian on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 11:35:59 PM EST
    Early morning London, getting ready for my flight home. I've had a fabulous trip but it will be great to be home.  I'll write more about it on my real computer later, but just one tip- For some real lively conversation,  tell a Glasgow cabbie you spent a day in Edinburgh.

    Been reading TL nearly every day on my iPhone. Train travel is great for that. Didn't comment, so as not to emerge from my vacation cocoon too much, but I've appreciated the Sotomayor commentary. Kind of glad I missed watching that.

    And I see the Dems dropped card check. Sigh. Yeah, it will be great to be home.

    Loved Edinburgh (none / 0) (#66)
    by Inspector Gadget on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 12:18:15 AM EST
    We decked my then 1.5 year old daughter in full tartan, took her to the castle and watched busloads of tourists go nuts trying to get photos of her. Missed the tattoo, though.

    Trains were so unbelievably boring. Took one all the way from Glasgow to London and thought we'd never get there.

    It was my first travel abroad...great memories. Looking forward to hearing more about your experience.


    Parent

    Must have been adorable (none / 0) (#67)
    by ruffian on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 01:08:36 AM EST
    For older girls, I was laughing at what my friend calls the tart-in-plaid outfits. Little strapless plaid woolen numbers for the girls. Itchy, I would think!

    I also rode the train from London to Glasgow, but broke it up with a side trip to a little town near Manchester that broke it up a bit. My dad traced our ancestors to Burnley in the mid 1800s, and the neighborhood where they lived happened to be right near the train station an historical society office, so I had a nice visit with the local folks there.

    Flew back from Glasgow to London- nice hour and 10 minute flight with a real chicken salad! Amazing.  

    Parent

    I have heard and read the train trip (none / 0) (#94)
    by oculus on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 12:44:26 PM EST
    from London to Edinburgh is very scenic.  Didn't try it though.  I loved Edinburgh--last August for the Fringe and International Festivals.  Who cares if it rains.  

    Parent
    Safe travels (none / 0) (#75)
    by Jeralyn on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 08:43:42 AM EST
    And look forward to your return. Thanks for reading TL while journeying.

    Parent
    Thank you so much (none / 0) (#97)
    by ruffian on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 01:34:47 PM EST
    Delayed at Dulles at the moment. Keeping an eye open for Congresscritters to lobby for single-payer health care.

    Parent
    Another facet of sexism. (5.00 / 1) (#74)
    by Fabian on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 08:41:45 AM EST
    This is a story about someone I once worked with at the hospital.  She decided to pursue a career as a firefighter and went for it with steady determination.  She succeeded and and found a position in the city.

    When next I saw her, she was back working at the hospital again.  Oh.  What happened?  

    She was the only woman at the station.  There had been others, but they never lasted.  She did have to put up with the usual juvenile cr@p from the men.  The kind of stuff that told her that she might be part of the team, but she wasn't "one of the guys".  She dealt with it with as much grace as anyone could.  Part of the job, unfortunately.  

    On one of her 36 hour shifts, one of the men attempted to rape her.   Violently.  She fought him off through a combination of luck and resourcefulness.  Charges were pressed, there was a trial and a conviction.

    And she left.

    It wasn't the harassment.  It wasn't the assault.  It might have been the three other female firefighters who had been raped at that station, by the same man - the ones who had left.  They hadn't reported the rapes, but contacted her privately when the papers covered her story.  What might have finally done it was that her coworkers came to her privately and told her they were sorry and offered moral support.  They also asked her not to tell anyone they had said this.

    Those unbelievable cowards didn't have the courage to break ranks and support her openly.  They'd watch each others' backs, but not hers.  

    What an awful story... (5.00 / 2) (#77)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 08:49:24 AM EST
    she should bankrupt that city...heinously insane Fabian.

    Parent
    It was. (5.00 / 2) (#90)
    by Fabian on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 10:15:09 AM EST
    Sometimes the choice is to pursue a civil suit and give up any chance of working in a particular job (troublemaker!), or stay with the job and deal with all the cr@p.

    She honestly wanted the job.  She didn't want to change the world, she just wanted the d@mned job.

    Parent

    DC Police Chief..... (5.00 / 0) (#76)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 08:47:24 AM EST
    is cranky because the people are fighting back...cry me a river Chief, two can play the technology game.

     

    Consumption (5.00 / 0) (#93)
    by Jlvngstn on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 10:41:11 AM EST
    PCE was 62% of GDP in 1982.
    PCE is 71% of GDP in 2007.

    Almost a 10% differential and a higher GDP.  We are not returning to 70% any time soon, especially in light of UE.  Despite the reduction in new claims, nearly 1 in 6 Americans are under or unemployed.  I simply do not get the FOMC report the other day.....

    Some House Dems (2.00 / 0) (#81)
    by jbindc on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 09:20:18 AM EST
    are not happy with the health-care reform bill that was unveiled this week, and they are not being shy about expressing their disapproval.

    All this happened yesterday:

    House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) kicked off the day by pulling back on the highly controversial surtax, saying she might be open to reducing the special tax on the wealthy. Democrats have proposed an extra levy on individuals who make more than $280,000 and couples who make more than $350,000 to raise $544 billion.

    Later Thursday, Arkansas Rep. Mike Ross, a key negotiator for the Democrats' 52-member Blue Dog Coalition, blasted away at his party's bill, saying, "There's no way [party leaders] can pass the current bill on the House floor" unless they make major changes.

    And then a collection of Democrats on the Energy and Commerce Committee criticized the bill within earshot of their chairman, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), a principal author.

    All this bickering came on the heels of complaints from a group of first-year Democrats, led by Colorado Rep. Jared Polis, who sent Pelosi a letter complaining the surtax would impose an onerous burden on small businesses.

    "This process is fluid," a senior leadership aide said Thursday. "Things continue to change minute to minute. But the one thing that remains the same is that we will pass health care reform."



    Heaven forbid that we tax (5.00 / 1) (#83)
    by MO Blue on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 09:37:29 AM EST
    the wealthy. Just cut the Medicare and Medicaid budgets some more, reduce the number of uninsured that will be covered and tax people's health benefits. Much better to penalize people for being old or poor and increase the cost of healthcare through taxing benefits than have rich people pay a penny more in taxes.

    BTW, this this is pure sarcasm in case anyone wonders.

    Parent

    Well, I am listening to the end of the (none / 0) (#1)
    by oculus on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 07:00:34 PM EST
    senate judicial commitee hrg.  Sen. Whitehouse is speaking very cogently on Heller/Maloney and "unseemly lobbying."  Excellent.

    Frank Bruni has a (none / 0) (#2)
    by andgarden on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 07:01:00 PM EST
    touching excerpt from/adaptation of his upcoming autobiography.

    Also, can someone explain what the point of electing so many red state Democrats last year was?

    Don't understand your question, andgarden (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by caseyOR on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 07:07:01 PM EST
    I followed your link, but still don't understand. Please help with this.

    Parent
    Voting against an appropriations bill (5.00 / 2) (#4)
    by andgarden on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 07:10:23 PM EST
    means that you have serious reservations. But we apparently have some Democrats who are willing to run for the exits like terrified animals.

    I don't know exactly what the issue was here, but I'm putting my money on either a defense spending cut, or a restoration of controversial family planning funds (read, abortion).

    Parent

    And I think it was the latter (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by andgarden on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 07:11:17 PM EST
    based on what little I heard of the debate today.

    Parent
    F 22s or funding for DC abortions and (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by oculus on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 07:12:01 PM EST
    birth control?

    Parent
    One or the other would do it (5.00 / 3) (#8)
    by andgarden on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 07:13:53 PM EST
    And we should have enough party discipline to prevent this kind of defection.

    Parent
    Well, sometimes (5.00 / 2) (#39)
    by dk on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 10:12:12 PM EST
    defecting from the party disciplinarians is a good thing.  For example, I certainly hope that enough members of the Progressive Caucus vote against the lousy healthcare bill making its way through committees to sink it.

    Parent
    How? Bull whip? (none / 0) (#9)
    by oculus on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 07:17:28 PM EST


    Parent
    How 'bout the House and Senate Whips? (5.00 / 2) (#24)
    by shoephone on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 09:00:07 PM EST
    Or aren't they expected to fulfill their job descriptions anymore?

    Parent
    Willingness (5.00 / 2) (#45)
    by cal1942 on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 10:31:56 PM EST
    to exhume the bodies. Sponsoring a primary opponent.  Support for pet local bill.  Bigger office (some people are remarkably petty and sell out really cheap).  Invitation to White House events (some people are remarkably petty and sell out really cheap). Inclusion in junket(s) (some people are remarkably petty and sell out really cheap). Introduction to new contributors.  Blackmailing current contributors. Backdoor support of ads attacking office holder in home district.

    Parent
    Common purpose (none / 0) (#11)
    by andgarden on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 07:22:39 PM EST


    Parent
    I think we need to put them all (none / 0) (#28)
    by coigue on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 09:16:07 PM EST
    together for a week so they can all agree on what that is.

    Because you are right...dems are too willing to squirm out, and the leadership needs some more cohesion.

    Parent

    Dem leadership (5.00 / 0) (#86)
    by MO Blue on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 09:52:49 AM EST
    Isn't that an oxymoron?

    Parent
    But does it need to be??? (none / 0) (#87)
    by coigue on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 10:04:09 AM EST
    We are definitely NOT a minority party any longer. It's time we acted up to the task.

    Parent
    Does it need to be? (none / 0) (#89)
    by MO Blue on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 10:08:48 AM EST
    No.

    Has it chosen to be? From all indications to date, yes.

    Parent

    sigh (none / 0) (#92)
    by coigue on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 10:27:45 AM EST
    but you know who is being a leader right now?

    Denis Kucinich.

    Parent

    Another example of our Dem (5.00 / 1) (#95)
    by MO Blue on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 01:30:37 PM EST
    leadership in action:

    Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) slammed the Democratic National Committee (DNC) on Thursday for running ads designed to pressure centrist Democrats into supporting the president's healthcare plan, calling the effort a "waste of money."
Reid's comments sent his staff into damage control mode, as they sought to clarify his remarks, but also reflect a growing frustration among those centrists who have been reluctant to back a government-run health insurance plan at the center of President Obama's healthcare proposal. Liberals have been urging centrists to support such a plan for months, using various television and radio campaigns to try to force their hand. This week a wing of the DNC announced it would run television ads in states represented by centrist senators.
    Reid slammed the DNC for targeting Democrats instead of Republicans or special interest groups that traditionally oppose Democratic policies.
"I think it's a waste of money," Reid said when asked about the ads. "Democrats running ads against Democrats?" C&L

    Parent

    I really despise Harry Reid. (5.00 / 1) (#96)
    by coigue on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 01:33:29 PM EST
    Deeply.

    Parent
    maybe so we can put the GOP (none / 0) (#26)
    by coigue on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 09:13:43 PM EST
    committe meetings in the basement and have the power turned off???

    So we can stick our tongues out at them???

    So we could attract Arlen Spector???

    Any of these choices ringing a bell?

    Parent

    You forgot (none / 0) (#46)
    by cal1942 on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 10:33:38 PM EST
    calling the Capitol Police to get you kicked out of a meeting room.

    Parent
    yah (5.00 / 1) (#51)
    by coigue on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 10:44:37 PM EST
    important stuff like that.

    Parent
    C-span has all four days of Sotomayor (none / 0) (#7)
    by oculus on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 07:13:20 PM EST
    confirmation hrgs. available.  Got for it.  Also, some of her speeches.

    Listening to a cardinal singing (none / 0) (#10)
    by SOS on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 07:18:00 PM EST
    and the wind blowing.

    Some kind of avian skirmish (none / 0) (#12)
    by Fabian on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 07:33:23 PM EST
    is taking place this summer.

    Neither the crows or the Cooper's hawks are dominant this year.  They alternated the previous years.  Last year was the hawks' turn.  The hawk family would call back and forth every dawn and dusk.

    A northern flicker has been calling, but I haven't sighted it yet.

    Parent

    Hummingbird wars here (5.00 / 3) (#21)
    by ap in avl on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 08:33:20 PM EST
    Two males almost chest-butted themselves onto my lap this afternoon.  And neither of them is a match for the dominant female who seems to be controlling access to the feeder with an iron fist.  

    Parent
    Momma hummers rule! (5.00 / 1) (#27)
    by Fabian on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 09:15:52 PM EST
    Visited my brother last weekend.  He had a busy feeder and I kept an eye on it.  Despite appearances, the Other Woman only managed to feed if the dominant female was absent.  Otherwise, she tried to sneak in only to be driven off the millisecond she was close enough to feed.

    The males skirmish, but lack the tenacity of the territorial nesting females.

    Parent

    Momma has a tough job (5.00 / 2) (#35)
    by ap in avl on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 09:52:34 PM EST
    Has to raise those babies all by herself while the boys display and bluster.  Guess she's earned the right to feed as much as she wants.

    Good luck spotting your flicker - one of my favorites!

    Parent

    Madam Boxer throws the (none / 0) (#13)
    by Wile ECoyote on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 07:43:09 PM EST
    race card.

    Boxer played the race card? (5.00 / 0) (#15)
    by Anne on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 07:55:05 PM EST
    Really?  Because it seemed to me, from that short clip, that the witness was locked and loaded for Boxer and could not wait to accuse her of being racist.  It almost seemed scripted for Mr. Devore's political ad.

    Parent
    I'm with Anne on this one (none / 0) (#18)
    by caseyOR on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 08:02:54 PM EST
    That man was primed to accuse Boxer of racism. He couldn't wait to get his accusations out. Set up.

    Parent
    And Madame boxer helped. (none / 0) (#19)
    by Wile ECoyote on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 08:21:35 PM EST
    It seemed to me he was stunned race brought up for an energy hearing.  

    Parent
    Why would he have been stunned? (5.00 / 4) (#20)
    by Anne on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 08:31:24 PM EST
    Via Think Progress:

    Alford, whose organization has received at least $275,000 from ExxonMobil, spoke on behalf of the "black community" in his opening statement. As Boxer noted, it seems "relevant" that other organizations with "a deep understanding" of the "black community," such as NAACP and 100 Black Men of Atlanta see the threat of global warming and the opportunity in a clean energy future.

    His outrage seems manufactured.

    Parent

    I agree (5.00 / 0) (#22)
    by Carolyn in Baltimore on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 08:33:26 PM EST
    I thought he was very disingenious.

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    The well edited clip is too (none / 0) (#50)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 10:37:50 PM EST


    Parent
    This type of clip is going to end up (5.00 / 3) (#23)
    by Inspector Gadget on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 08:46:24 PM EST
    creating a "sky is falling" scenario that sets the country back decades.

    I will be as outraged as anyone when real situations of racism occur, but this one needs all the edits restored so we can see it in its complete, full context and original form.

    "paid for by...." is a red flag. Haven't we had to deal with enough false claiming of prejudice over the past year and a half?

    Parent

    sounds like he called him on his bull (5.00 / 1) (#30)
    by coigue on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 09:22:08 PM EST
    She should NOT allow this person to speak for all blacks, because she knows the community, apparently, better than he does.

    Parent
    Prove that (2.00 / 0) (#68)
    by Wile ECoyote on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 05:21:48 AM EST


    Parent
    So you think blacks all (1.00 / 1) (#70)
    by Wile ECoyote on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 05:30:56 AM EST
    have to think the same?  

    Parent
    You think the Exxon guy (none / 0) (#78)
    by coigue on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 09:14:20 AM EST
    speaks for the African-American "Community", when Boxer cited two organizations that disagreed?

    This guy claimed that there was a single thought on the issue. One that benefitted his oil pals. Boxer merely used facts to disuade him of that false notion.

    Parent

    To me is was (none / 0) (#98)
    by Wile ECoyote on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 03:53:57 PM EST
    Madame Boxer saying hey see, some blacks agree with me too!  

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    Hahaha (5.00 / 2) (#37)
    by TheRealFrank on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 09:57:00 PM EST
    Yeah, he's from an organization that has the word "black" in it's name, later claimed to speak for the African American community because "I'm African American", and he was stunned, stunned I tell you!, that Boxer quoted other AA organizations.

    The whole thing seems to have been a big setup by the climate change denier crowd. This guy was obviously looking for the opportunity to play the race card, and it was utterly disingenuous.


    Parent

    Boxer knows her stuff (5.00 / 1) (#54)
    by coigue on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 10:46:41 PM EST
    and her constituents.

    Parent
    Did she? (5.00 / 1) (#17)
    by Inspector Gadget on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 08:02:15 PM EST
    I couldn't figure out what the entire exchange was supposed to be about. I think I would have liked to see the meeting from the very beginning before making a judgment.


    Parent
    ha ha (none / 0) (#29)
    by coigue on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 09:20:47 PM EST
    people aren't buying it!

    Parent
    "progressives" (2.00 / 0) (#69)
    by Wile ECoyote on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 05:22:47 AM EST
    aren't.  Big difference.

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    nice slogan (none / 0) (#79)
    by coigue on Fri Jul 17, 2009 at 09:16:06 AM EST
    reflects exactly the depth of your knowledge of the issue of which you are speaking.

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    AP analysis of Senate judiciary (none / 0) (#16)
    by oculus on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 07:58:32 PM EST
    committee hrg. re Sotomayor nomination.  Query:  has the GOP "drawn a line in the sand" re Obama's next nomination to SCOTUS?  

    AP

    Is it possible the Padres might beat (none / 0) (#25)
    by oculus on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 09:05:30 PM EST
    the Rockies tonight?  Short answer:  probably not.  Aaron Cook is pitching for the Rockies.

    You seem to have... (none / 0) (#31)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 09:34:58 PM EST
    ...more than in Aaron that I do.

    Bases loaded, no outs--we can use a timely hit.  

    Parent

    More faith, that is. n/t (none / 0) (#32)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 09:35:58 PM EST


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    How about the Padres pitcher walks the (none / 0) (#33)
    by oculus on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 09:44:08 PM EST
    Rockies runner with the bases loaded?  Awkk.

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    Hey... (none / 0) (#34)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 09:48:11 PM EST
    ...we'll definately take that kind act of charity!  Especially on the road.

    Parent
    Bombs Explode in Jakarta Hotels (none / 0) (#40)
    by CommonGroundPolitics on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 10:13:49 PM EST
    Looks like there are some problems again in Jakarta - Ritz Carlton and Marriott targeted.

    http://www.commongroundpolitics.net/discussion/showthread.php?t=47253

    please put your links in url format (none / 0) (#44)
    by Jeralyn on Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 10:30:20 PM EST
    long ones skew the site. Use the link button at the top of your comment box. thanks.

    Parent
    Will do. (none / 0) (#99)
    by CommonGroundPolitics on Sat Aug 01, 2009 at 10:56:11 AM EST
    Thanks & noted!

    Parent
    Thursday Night Open Thread | 98 comments (98 topical)

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