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Thursday Morning Open Thread

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Blog Related
Posted on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 08:32:06 AM EST
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Great tennis match underway between Serena Williams and Elena Dementieva in the womens semifinal at Wimbledon. Dementieva won the first set in a tie break and Williams up a break in the second. Well worth watching.

Serena wins the 2nd 7-5. Can Dementieva hold together emotionally? In the past she simply has not been mentally tough enough. We'll see.

Serena Williams wins, taking the 3rd set 8-6. Tremendous match.

This is an Open Thread.

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    Thursday Morning Open Thread | 62 comments (62 topical)

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    Happy birthday Thurgood Marshall (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by andgarden on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 09:10:49 AM EST


    Living with a Republican now (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by lilburro on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 09:26:08 AM EST
    means that I end up watching a lot of Fox News...any advice on how to cope with this??  Of course it also motivates me to keep up on certain issues that aren't as dear to my heart as others (cap and trade, for ex.).

    Amazing how a disproved or fake story in the news cycle will go away but then be regurgitated - for ex. "traitor Nancy Pelosi said the CIA lied!"  Crazy.

    Perhaps... (5.00 / 1) (#7)
    by desertswine on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 09:28:39 AM EST
    you can throw a brick through your tv set.

    Parent
    accidental like... (5.00 / 1) (#52)
    by Fabian on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 04:16:21 PM EST
    Oh, dear.  I missed that fly I was aiming at!

    Or get some choice DVDs from the library - they have a wide variety of educational and documentary programs.  We've been doing that since we have no broadcast/cable anymore.  The Cirque de Soleil series is a hit with my eight year old.  

    Parent

    I think what I need (5.00 / 1) (#61)
    by lilburro on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 06:14:52 PM EST
    are earplugs and those fake eyeballs you put on to pretend you're watching.  I don't mind the sensory deprivation, I guess I could meditate.

    Parent
    Enjoy the unintentional comedy... (5.00 / 1) (#14)
    by kdog on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 09:43:19 AM EST
    better to laugh than to cry lilburro...think of all of Fox News programming as satire and its quite brilliant actually:)

    Parent
    hahaha (none / 0) (#15)
    by lilburro on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 09:45:40 AM EST
    yes you're right!

    Parent
    I've been married to a Republican (5.00 / 1) (#17)
    by Anne on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 10:00:39 AM EST
    for almost 30 years - at least he is registered that way; on issue after issue he takes more of a Democratic view, but will generally still feel obligated to defend the (R) I happen to be railing against at any particular moment.  He's not very political, is not a news or politics junkie, so there is no Fox News watching in our house - never has been - and that probably helps our relationship!

    Perhaps you could insist on equal time for something non-Fox; trouble is, so much of what we once might have at least nominally felt had a more liberal slant is now maybe just as bad as Fox - there may be less yelling ON the TV on the other networks, but if the yelling I have been doing AT the TV is any indication, they aren't doing a better job.

    Hang in there!

    Parent

    Laugh out loud (5.00 / 2) (#28)
    by gyrfalcon on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 11:52:45 AM EST
    at the TV-- repeatedly.  Fox's primary modus operandi in both their "news" and the ranting heads is to leave key stuff out, which is a much more insidious way of slanting things than the actual bloviating and lying.  They report X fact, which is true, but leave out the inconvenient Y fact that's also true.  When you catch them doing that, which they do all the time, point those out to your GOP co-habitant.

    Parent
    I will watch for that (none / 0) (#62)
    by lilburro on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 06:19:27 PM EST
    technique.  

    I never paid Fox any attention before but now that it's in front of me I'm sort of sucked into its obnoxious world.  I don't really like the political shows anyway - I will watch Rachel Maddow.  At least she isn't constantly screaming.  I think Sean Hannity is the loudest man on TV (Chris Matthews is second although I think Fox is louder in general).  And the Huckabee show is sooo creepy.

    Parent

    The answer is to ignore it (none / 0) (#5)
    by andgarden on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 09:27:16 AM EST


    Parent
    Wireless headphones. (5.00 / 1) (#18)
    by oculus on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 10:02:36 AM EST


    Parent
    This is what my friend is trying (none / 0) (#27)
    by nycstray on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 11:28:44 AM EST
    she's been spending more time at her parents (Dad had health emergency) and she was basically begging the universe to get Fox to stop the other day, lol!~ She say's it's blaring everywhere when she's there and she can't escape.

    Parent
    I wish I could (none / 0) (#11)
    by lilburro on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 09:34:16 AM EST
    I just find it disturbing.

    Parent
    Spend more time in bed (none / 0) (#8)
    by MO Blue on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 09:31:08 AM EST


    Parent
    LOL...very, very funny! (none / 0) (#16)
    by oldpro on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 09:50:14 AM EST
    AND...a good solution.  Temporarily.

    Parent
    Dont the latest (none / 0) (#10)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 09:32:56 AM EST
    cable ratings show that FOX has all of the top 10 spots? They are a beast that probably needs to be tamed but it's probably not going to happen anytime soon.

    Parent
    Yes (none / 0) (#13)
    by jbindc on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 09:38:50 AM EST
    they beat CNN, CNN Headline, and MSNBC combined.  Guess all those youngsters that fainted at rallies aren't glued to Olbermann, Maddow, and Matthews any more.

    Parent
    Jobs (5.00 / 1) (#25)
    by jbindc on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 11:03:01 AM EST
    Joblessness hits a 26 year high - 9.5%

    The scarier statistic?

    If laid-off workers who have given up looking for new jobs or have settled for part-time work are included, the unemployment rate would have been 16.5 percent in June, the highest on records dating to 1994.
    The higher these unemployment (5.00 / 2) (#31)
    by Anne on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 12:42:08 PM EST
    rates go, the harder I think is HAS to be to continue to make the argument for an employer-based health insurance system.  

    1.  The worse the economy gets, more employers are eliminating plans altogether, or getting new plans that cover less and have higher co-pays and deductibles, resulting in more people being under-insured or uninsured.

    2.  Employees who lose their jobs cannot afford the full cost of COBRA coverage - assuming they qualify for it - so more people are choosing to drop coverage in order to be able to keep paying rent or mortgage, put food on the table, etc.

    3.  Employer-offered health insurance handcuffs people to their jobs.  This is neither creative, flexible nor beneficial to anyone.

    It's long past time to consider a better model, but Obama seems stuck on this one.  

    Parent
    Now that's just crazy talk! (none / 0) (#33)
    by jbindc on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 01:00:59 PM EST
    <snark>

    Parent
    Yes. Terrific. (none / 0) (#1)
    by oldpro on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 08:47:49 AM EST
    Back on serve...

    Serena's last ace (none / 0) (#3)
    by andgarden on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 09:25:13 AM EST
    looked out to me.

    American soldier (none / 0) (#6)
    by jbindc on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 09:27:41 AM EST
    captured in Afghanistan

    BULLETIN -- U.S: American soldier captured in Afghanistan -- AP/Kabul: "Insurgents have captured an American soldier in eastern Afghanistan, the U.S. military said Thursday. Spokeswoman Capt. Elizabeth Mathias said the soldier went missing Tuesday. 'We are using all of our resources to find him and provide for his safe return,' Mathias said. Mathias did not provide details on the soldier, the location where he was captured or the circumstances. 'We are not providing further details to protect the soldier's well-being,' she said. An Afghan police official said the soldier went missing during the day Tuesday in the Mullakheil area of eastern Paktika province. Gen. Nabi Mullakheil said there is an American base in the area. The news broke as thousands of U.S. Marines launched a major anti-Taliban offensive in southern Afghanistan. The missing soldier was not part of that operation. Zabiullah Mujaheed, a spokesman for the Taliban, could not confirm that the soldier was with any of their forces. A myriad of insurgent groups operate in eastern Afghanistan, and the Taliban is only one of them."

    TALIBAN CLAIM -- AFP: "A commander of the Taliban's hardline Haqqani faction claimed Thursday that his militia had captured a US soldier in Afghanistan whom the military said had been missing for three days. 'One of our commanders named Mawlawi Sangin has captured a coalition soldier along with his three Afghan guards in Yousuf Khail district of Paktika province,' the commander, named only Bahram, told AFP."

    On ABC's "Good Morning America," ABC's Martha Raddatz notes that it's very unusual for a U.S. soldier to be alone.



    One of (none / 0) (#9)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 09:31:23 AM EST
    my family member's nephew has just gotten back from Afghanistan. He says it is a disaster waiting to implode there. I dont know what the answer is but the US doesnt control much of the country and apparently sending more troops isnt going to work at this late date according to him.

    Parent
    Bet this isn't the last (none / 0) (#12)
    by jbindc on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 09:37:36 AM EST
    or worst (unfortunately) we see about this.

    Parent
    Bill Bennett criticizes (none / 0) (#19)
    by oculus on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 10:30:47 AM EST
    Gov. Sanford for being too revelatory.  See Huff Post.  

    He's talking himself (5.00 / 0) (#29)
    by gyrfalcon on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 11:54:33 AM EST
    out of office.  Too much information!

    Parent
    I think he wants to be ousted (5.00 / 0) (#30)
    by oculus on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 11:56:56 AM EST
    from office.  Self-flagellation

    Parent
    For a good robust laugh, see Cheers (none / 0) (#20)
    by oculus on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 10:49:00 AM EST
    and Jeers today at DK.  Excerpts from submissions to "bad fiction" contest.

    And Meteor Blades (5.00 / 0) (#21)
    by lilburro on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 10:53:15 AM EST
    has a nice post on housework.

    Parent
    Interesting and infuriating. I saw (5.00 / 1) (#23)
    by oculus on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 10:57:35 AM EST
    the subject line but didn't really think his post would be about housework.

    Parent
    Madoff (none / 0) (#22)
    by Inspector Gadget on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 10:55:18 AM EST
    story could get really interesting....

    BTD, if you are going to live blog (none / 0) (#24)
    by oculus on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 10:59:03 AM EST
    tennis, shouldn't you include fashion critique?

    These women are great athletes (5.00 / 1) (#26)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 11:17:27 AM EST
    I know you are kidding but I want to explain my approach.

    Parent
    Williams v Williams... (none / 0) (#49)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 02:57:45 PM EST
    ...in the Finals.

    USA! USA!! USA!!!

    /obligitory Holiday patriotism

    Parent

    How is this kosher? (none / 0) (#32)
    by kdog on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 12:44:14 PM EST
    Charging accused traffic law violators a 25 buck fee to fight the charges in court?  Link

    I thought you were innocent until proven guilty, now you gotta pay a fee for the right to face your accuser and have them prove the charges against you?  Thats f*cked up, shame on you Massachusetts...it sure is getting expensive with all this nickel and dime sh*t in the land of the free.

    I guess (none / 0) (#34)
    by jbindc on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 01:09:25 PM EST
    Because you can't sue someone without paying a fee, and depending on the jurisdiction, you have to pay a fee to get a motion on the court's docket.  This is essentially the same thing - you are bringing a motion before the court.

    Parent
    But... (none / 0) (#36)
    by kdog on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 01:17:56 PM EST
    the accused aren't trying to sue anybody, or bring a motion, the state is bringing the motion...charges of a traffic violation...or am I missing something.  For sure I don't speak legal-ese:)

    I do speak street...we call this a shakedown.

    Parent

    Actually (none / 0) (#43)
    by jbindc on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 01:36:24 PM EST
    The person who got the ticket is "bringing the motion".  The state has already declared you guilty by issuing you the ticket. You,as the ticket receiver, in essence, are bringing a motion for reconsideration.

    Parent
    I see... (none / 0) (#44)
    by kdog on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 01:39:43 PM EST
    every ticket I ever got had a plead guilty box you check off and send the check, or a plead not-guilty box and you show up on your court date with the ticket...but its been awhile (knock on wood).

    I didn't know police officers could find you guilty on the spot...now I gotta ask how is that kosher?

    Parent

    Bad example (none / 0) (#45)
    by jbindc on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 02:00:02 PM EST
    Let me try this again, because after thinking about it, I think this was a bad example, and I am apparently talking out of my rear here since I have never had a ticket and don't know what I'm talking about.

    I guess the big lesson here is - don't speed if you can't afford to get a ticket and can't pay the court costs to fight it.

    Parent

    Of course... (none / 0) (#46)
    by kdog on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 02:31:03 PM EST
    ya can't beat city hall, every knucklehead knows that:)...this one just struck me as particularly ballsy on the part of the state.  Police do issue erroneous tickets on occasion...know you have to pay to fix a John Law f*ck-up?  

    Remember, technically the legislative wizards who dream up new ways to squeeze blood out of us stones work for us.  We need a new lesson, don't run for state legislature if ya can't show Lady Liberty a little common decency:)

    Parent

    Many states (none / 0) (#38)
    by Steve M on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 01:20:31 PM EST
    charge you a fee to file an answer to the complaint, if someone decides to sue you.  I agree that it seems completely unfair, but I guess they figure that as long as they allow truly poor people to get waivers, anything goes where raising revenue is concerned.

    Parent
    That's civil suits though right? (5.00 / 1) (#42)
    by kdog on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 01:29:02 PM EST
    isn't traffic court technically criminal court?  I understand the justice system is expensive and they are gonna have to charge for certain things in the civil courts...but I'd draw a firm line at criminal defendants...even for misdemeanors and traffic violations.  It is punishment before a conviction...the state is punishing people who have the gaul to excercise their constitutional rights and fight a charge against them.

    Parent
    Yes and no (none / 0) (#47)
    by Steve M on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 02:49:16 PM EST
    Traffic tickets are "civil infractions," which means it's not quite criminal - no requirement of proof beyond a reasonable doubt and all that.  But I agree with you that the concept is the same.  If they need the money that badly, make the guilty people pay more once they're convicted.

    In Jersey they have some kind of scam where you can show up, pay a colossal fine that's like 3 times the normal amount, and you get no points on your license.  I don't know the details but look, we all know the traffic laws are about revenue as opposed to safety.

    Parent

    Thanks for clarifying... (none / 0) (#48)
    by kdog on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 02:54:39 PM EST
    thats some racket in Jersey...pay triple or the insurance company will get ya....they put mobsters in jail for stunts like that.

    In NY with the red light cameras, if you pay the fine you get no points, but try and fight it and you get hit with fine and points.

    We just keep eatin' it and eatin' it...hopefully one of these days we lose this taste we have developed for eating sh*t.

    Parent

    Hmmmm (none / 0) (#50)
    by squeaky on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 03:02:06 PM EST
    Clear nail polish on the license plate helps... um... stop the rust, etc..

    Parent
    Wouldn't a glossy polyurethane (none / 0) (#51)
    by nycstray on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 03:45:11 PM EST
    do the same? Seems to me you would be better off as they hold up to weather better than nail polish, and you can use a bigger brush for a more complete, um, rust coverage . . . {grin}

    Parent
    Maybe (none / 0) (#53)
    by squeaky on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 04:24:36 PM EST
    Although the fine built in brush is good for preventing small rust spots over specific letters and or numbers. No need to protect the whole plate, they are made in USA after all.

    Parent
    Nail polish won't do anything for you. (none / 0) (#57)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 05:19:27 PM EST
    Unless you use colored polish like paint to change some the numbers/letters on your plate.

    Just take your front plate off.

    Usually - in the rare occasion that you actually get stopped for no front plate - it's a "fix it" ticket, ie., put the plate back on, and have a police officer sign off on it. Then leave and take the plate back off.

    Having seen the picture on a red-light ticket my wife got, I'd also suggest always leaving your driver-side sunshade down. In my wife's case, it would have blocked much, if not all, of her face from the camera.

    And raise your seat up too.


    Parent

    Wrong (none / 0) (#59)
    by squeaky on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 05:40:43 PM EST
    It is all about glare and reflection.

    Parent
    Good luck with that. (none / 0) (#60)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 06:02:19 PM EST


    Parent
    Pres. Obama opines on Ricci majority (none / 0) (#35)
    by oculus on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 01:11:46 PM EST
    opinion today to AP.  But despite searching for a pasteable link, no can do.  It was on lower right side of TL but has disappeared.

    here (none / 0) (#37)
    by andgarden on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 01:19:49 PM EST
    you go.

    Parent
    Thanks. As an NYT devotee you'd (none / 0) (#39)
    by oculus on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 01:25:22 PM EST
    think I would have looked there first.

    Is this seriously weird, or is it just me?

    ''I've always believed that affirmative action was less of an issue or should be less of an issue than it has been made out to be in news reports.''


    Parent
    It doesn't mean anything (none / 0) (#40)
    by andgarden on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 01:26:15 PM EST
    And I found it in google news. Took me three seconds!

    Parent
    Ah. I was trying to do through (none / 0) (#41)
    by oculus on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 01:27:13 PM EST
    pasteable Newsday but didn't succeed.

    Parent
    One of my rat pets (none / 0) (#54)
    by Jen M on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 04:57:51 PM EST
    I blind :(  

    I finally took him to the vet after a week or so of worrying and trying to get him to eat and drink.  He can't walk straight or keep his balance either.

    sigh

    If the antibiotics don't help it may be tumors which means the joy juice.  

    I am bummed.

    Maybe (none / 0) (#56)
    by squeaky on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 05:18:00 PM EST
    toxoplasmosis

    It cycles between rats and cats, mostly.

    Parent

    hmmmm (none / 0) (#58)
    by Jen M on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 05:36:37 PM EST
    I guess the blood test would show that?

    I will ask the vet.

    Thanks!

    Parent

    foxnews teaser from 12-23-08 what recession? (none / 0) (#55)
    by Jlvngstn on Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 05:10:40 PM EST
    What recession? (none / 0) (#108)
    by Jlvngstn on Tue Dec 23, 2008 at 10:10:52 AM EST

    What Recession?
    E-commerce site Zappos.com enjoying best year ever

    bottom of page, Cavuto teaser.

    Thursday Morning Open Thread | 62 comments (62 topical)

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