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Sunday Night Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Sun Sep 27, 2009 at 07:12:48 PM EST
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Here's an open thread for those of you online, all topics welcome.

If you're watching TV, there's the season premiere of Desperate Housewives and Brothers and Sisters. For movies, the IFC channel is replaying the depressing but good film Drugstore Cowboy with Matt Dillon and Kelly Lynch. There's also a new Food Network Challenge.

A Roman Polanski update:

Poland and France intend to make a joint appeal to Switzerland and the United States to have Polanski released from his detention, Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski told the Polish news agency PAP. Sikorski said he and French counterpart Bernard Kouchner also plan to ask Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to offer Polanski clemency.

There are new security camera tapes of the minutes before the OKC bombing -- at surrounding buildings. The man who obtained them thinks they were edited.

What's on your mind tonight?

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    Sunday Night Open Thread | 48 comments (48 topical)

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    Off to see Cyrano at outdoor stage in (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by oculus on Sun Sep 27, 2009 at 07:18:18 PM EST
    the Park.  

    Sigh of relief! AHHHHH! (5.00 / 3) (#2)
    by ChiTownDenny on Sun Sep 27, 2009 at 07:29:04 PM EST
    I have an engineer from my hi-rise who will stay in my home during my trip overseas.  My dogwalker will come daily as well.  Two sets of eyes on my babies.  YEAH!  

    Fantastic! (5.00 / 3) (#3)
    by nycstray on Sun Sep 27, 2009 at 07:37:23 PM EST
    It's so much better for the owner if they can find someone to stay in their home. Good for the pets also  ;)

    I'm thinking of having the high schooler downstairs take care of my cats when I go west for a few weeks (I know her parents will also stay on top of the kitty care) and just bring the dog with me. She won't kennel well and I just don't trust leaving her with a hired walker/feeder. She's happiest with me and should be fine on a plane. And she'll love California and be a darn good excuse when I need a break from my family . . .uh, I mean long walk. {grin}

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    LOL! (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by ChiTownDenny on Sun Sep 27, 2009 at 07:39:39 PM EST
    Yup.  I've used "need to take the dogs out" excuse often.

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    Hmmmm, never needed that. (5.00 / 1) (#35)
    by Fabian on Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 04:40:07 AM EST
    When I fled our ice storm, I ended up in a major snow storm in Cleveland instead.  I really did need to take the dog out in feet of snow and bitter cold, three times a day.  He didn't care, those furry feet and dense coat kept him toasty.  He didn't care for the feet washing I needed to do to get the salt off afterward!

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    My parents used to have Doxies (none / 0) (#7)
    by nycstray on Sun Sep 27, 2009 at 07:53:15 PM EST
    so I could only go so far taking their dogs. They have a Beagle now, but I'm thinking my Dal can go a few miles more, lol!~ A short walk is a power walk 2 miles . . . I could easily do 10 or so where my parents live. I'll have to introduce her to the cows though :)

    You must be so relieved! I know my stress went down quite a bit when I realized I had 2 teens in the building with responsible parents. One (parent) is a closer friend of mine and I have taken care of her cat for years, but I know she's busy with work and I have 5 vs her one, so I'll do the other family if possible. Just knowing someone in the building is taking care of them (and my friend will prob check in) makes all the difference.

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    10 mis? (none / 0) (#8)
    by ChiTownDenny on Sun Sep 27, 2009 at 07:58:32 PM EST
    You and your Dal are rock stars!  We're winded after 10 blocks.  :)

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    It's actually funny I ended up w/a Dal (none / 0) (#9)
    by nycstray on Sun Sep 27, 2009 at 08:07:10 PM EST
    I'm a fast walker and can walk the city with ease. I just love to get into a grove while walking, and my Dal can keep a perfect pace with me. And she is most definitely an accidental pet. I always had a pack of dogs that were 'mine' at the shelter and would walk them individually Am and PM. She joined my pack and decided I was hers . . . it took a couple weeks for me to see what she and everyone else saw, lol!~  Nice thing is, she doesn't like high humidity or those blasted wind chills that make ya scream :)

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    Your Dal sounds sweet. (none / 0) (#10)
    by ChiTownDenny on Sun Sep 27, 2009 at 08:10:11 PM EST


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    She is :) (5.00 / 2) (#11)
    by nycstray on Sun Sep 27, 2009 at 08:17:32 PM EST
    we're a team

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    Ken Burns' new documentary (5.00 / 1) (#13)
    by caseyOR on Sun Sep 27, 2009 at 09:10:11 PM EST
    on the National Parks starts tonight on PBS. Series runs every night this week.

    I'm Not A Lawyer (aka INAL), but re. Polanski (5.00 / 3) (#19)
    by FoxholeAtheist on Sun Sep 27, 2009 at 10:30:52 PM EST
    FWIW, Polanski was originally indicted on 6 counts with a maximum sentence of life in prison (some sources say 50 years).

    Here is a LINK to the original document detailing all 6 counts, in order. (The caps are per the document.)

    • FURNISHING A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE TO A MINOR [quaaludes and alcohol, to a child of thirteen]
    • LEWD OR LASCIVIOUS ACT UPON A CHILD
    • UNLAWFUL SEXUAL INTERCOURSE
    • RAPE BY USE OF DRUGS
    • PERVERSION [oral copulation]
    • SODOMY OF A PERSON

    Five charges were dismissed under the terms of his plea bargain, and Polanski pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of engaging in unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor.

    Can we at least say, highly unsavory - without fear of recriminations.

    Polanski (5.00 / 1) (#33)
    by Fabian on Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 04:33:33 AM EST
    was getting a very sweet deal.  The judge was out of line, but it sounds like Polanski would have been better off sticking with the plea deal than going to trial.

    Fleeing the country - there's just no excuse for it.  

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    A thought and a query (Hillary/Polanski/Obama) (5.00 / 1) (#20)
    by FoxholeAtheist on Sun Sep 27, 2009 at 10:43:39 PM EST
    Great, SOS Hillary Clinton is now in the thoroughly unenviable position of having the Foreign Ministers of Poland and France ask her to offer clemency to Roman Polanski.

    Sincere question: I have no knowledge about this, but could Obama pardon Polanski if he were asked?

    Can Clinton offer clemency (5.00 / 1) (#22)
    by nycstray on Sun Sep 27, 2009 at 10:47:31 PM EST
    independent of Obama?

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    That's a good question. (5.00 / 2) (#23)
    by FoxholeAtheist on Sun Sep 27, 2009 at 11:06:17 PM EST
    If Hillary is asked to give Polanski clemency, I sure as hell hope that Obama has to be involved in an official capacity.

    This could be one HUGE catch-22 for Hillary; considering her history of fighting for the welfare of women and girls, versus the international pressure to let Polanski off the hook.

    No doubt, the CDS crowd will have quite a ball with this. It may be the next health care diversion de jour, with the added bonus of grilling Hillary.  

    Parent

    DOJ handles executive clemency (5.00 / 1) (#31)
    by oldpro on Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 12:01:52 AM EST
    requests as I recall...but wouldn't someone have to be convicted of a crime first?

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    Nixon? (none / 0) (#34)
    by Fabian on Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 04:35:13 AM EST
    Wasn't that a preemptive pardon?  Very special circumstances, to be sure.

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    Quite right. Good point. n/t (5.00 / 1) (#47)
    by oldpro on Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 11:46:47 AM EST


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    Polanski pleaded guilty to violation (5.00 / 3) (#32)
    by oculus on Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 02:32:22 AM EST
    of California Penal Code and he failed to appear for sentencing in a California trial court.  No, the federal government cannot offer him clemency.  

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    Yup (5.00 / 2) (#39)
    by jbindc on Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 08:31:39 AM EST
    The president has no powers to grant clemency (or pardon) someone who is not under federal jurisdiction.

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    Good (5.00 / 2) (#40)
    by MO Blue on Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 08:53:41 AM EST


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    I've been meaning to (5.00 / 3) (#21)
    by Lil on Sun Sep 27, 2009 at 10:44:42 PM EST
    wish you a HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY, Jeralyn.

    it's not until tomorrow (5.00 / 2) (#27)
    by Jeralyn on Sun Sep 27, 2009 at 11:48:10 PM EST
    So you aren't late at all. Thanks very much.

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    HAPPY BIRTHDAY (5.00 / 2) (#38)
    by Inspector Gadget on Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 08:28:44 AM EST
    It's now the 28th :)

    And, a milestone year, too -- what are you doing to celebrate?? TLKid throwing a party?

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    Happy Birthday, TL! (5.00 / 1) (#41)
    by scribe on Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 08:58:17 AM EST
    and many more!

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    Happy Birthday (5.00 / 1) (#42)
    by MO Blue on Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 09:07:42 AM EST
    Here's to a great day.

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    Happy Birthday, Jeralyn! (5.00 / 1) (#45)
    by ChiTownDenny on Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 11:24:51 AM EST


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    Then, since I'm not late... (5.00 / 1) (#52)
    by Lil on Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 01:16:14 PM EST
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY. You deserve it and I hope you are having a blast.

    Parent
    Polanski, why now? Here's AP inside story (5.00 / 1) (#29)
    by FoxholeAtheist on Sun Sep 27, 2009 at 11:54:18 PM EST
    LINK: The AP appears to have inadvertently published internal communications instead of finalized news copy on the Polanski arrest.

    Swiss arrest Polanski on US request in sex case:

    OK, can you do some more probing? New York will want to know

    frank's out today.

    i checked already, and so did zurich. they say the question is irrelevant. he answered me with the quote i used, about we knew when he was coming this time. he's been here many times in the past, we think.

    thx brad. aptn is aware, but unfortunately won't make it in time, but is hoping to catch tail end.

    i'm pushing out another writethru with some more background details before press conference.

    no surprise, new york is really hot on this.

    they particularly want to know why now. (has he never set foot in switzerland before?) sheila, theorizes that's because they're under intense pressure over ubs and want to throw the U.S. a bone, but can you check with justice department sources there?

    is frank around too, or are you alone?

    u can tell aptn press conf 1700 (15 gmt) in bern at the parliament

    i'll watch it live on internet

    Beg pardon, but WTF?

    Gee, and yesterday, I got all excoriated (none / 0) (#36)
    by scribe on Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 07:52:07 AM EST
    for deducing that the Swiss needed to throw a bone to the US government over the UBS tax issues.

    Seems like AP and professional reporters are thinking the same thing.

    Parent

    I mean, it's not like Germany does not have (none / 0) (#37)
    by scribe on Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 08:05:18 AM EST
    an extradition treaty with the US, and Polanski very openly spent months in the Berlin area filming a new movie earlier this year.  The topic of the movie is interesting - it's about a writer retained to ghostwrite the memoirs of a Brit politician closely resembling Tony Blair.  How closely?  So closely that the writer of the book and the movie was constantly worried about getting sued for libel by Tony Blair.  Why?

    Meanwhile Lang [the thinly-veiled Blair], like his real-life counterpart, has been accused by his enemies of war crimes. A leaked memorandum has revealed that he secretly approved the transfer of UK citizens to Guantanamo Bay to face interrogation and possible torture. One Richard Rycart, Lang's disillusioned and renegade former foreign secretary is loosely based on the late Robin Cook, who before and during his early days in office made much of his wish to adopt an "ethical" foreign policy. Now at the UN, Rycart is in a position to do his former boss serious damage. Unlike Blair, Lang thus appears in imminent threat of indictment at the International Criminal Court.

    The narrator tussles to reconcile his obligation to complete the ghosting job with its attendant abundant payment on the one hand and, on the other, the pressing need, as he sees it, to reveal Lang's true allegiances. The action really heats up when he contacts Rycart. The narrator comes under increasing jeopardy: romantically, politically, as well as physically.

    The movie is currently in post-production.  

    The movie is being co-produced as of February 2009 by the Babelsberg Studios near Berlin.[6] Harris was quoted as saying, "I want to be sure it's out before Tony Blair's own memoirs are published." [7]

    With the director in custody, how long do you think it will take for production to be completed?  If ever.

    How much incentive do you think HRC has to intercede on Polanski's behalf, given that the movie he's currently working on concerns a close copy of Blair, and she and Obama have already threatened the UK to shut down intelligence cooperation with the UK government over the thought of releasing torture information in the Binyam Mohammed case proceeding in the UK courts?  You do remember that bigfooting to start the Obama administration, don't you?


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    Now that's a conspiracy theory. (none / 0) (#48)
    by oculus on Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 11:48:31 AM EST


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    The problem is, (none / 0) (#51)
    by scribe on Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 12:40:06 PM EST
    it does make sense.

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    Jacob's comments in this thread (5.00 / 5) (#30)
    by Jeralyn on Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 12:00:32 AM EST
    about BTD have been deleted by me. BTD is traveling and not around to respond. Having read through the other comments Jacob posted today, I've had enough. He's in time out for personal attacks.

    So long Lucy. (5.00 / 1) (#49)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 11:50:59 AM EST
    Lucy Vodden, who provided the inspiration for the Beatles' classic song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," has died after a long battle with lupus. She was 46.

    Link

    Julien Lennon's kindness (none / 0) (#53)
    by Cream City on Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 02:14:23 PM EST
    is a nice subtext in that story.  He apparently grew up well amid such celebrity.

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    Mad Men, of course (none / 0) (#5)
    by andgarden on Sun Sep 27, 2009 at 07:41:10 PM EST


    trying to figure out (none / 0) (#15)
    by lilburro on Sun Sep 27, 2009 at 09:29:09 PM EST
    this blood on the face and neck pain thing...

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    No spoilers! (none / 0) (#16)
    by andgarden on Sun Sep 27, 2009 at 09:30:02 PM EST


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    Fair enough, fair enough n/t (none / 0) (#17)
    by lilburro on Sun Sep 27, 2009 at 09:50:30 PM EST


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    Not sure I'll get to it tonight. . . (none / 0) (#18)
    by andgarden on Sun Sep 27, 2009 at 10:12:11 PM EST
    DVRs--when they work--really allow you to take control of the TV.

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    Please explain the fascination w/this series. (none / 0) (#46)
    by oculus on Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 11:45:47 AM EST
    Does anyone who was "of age" in 1960 watch it religiously?  

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    Amazing Race (none / 0) (#6)
    by dk on Sun Sep 27, 2009 at 07:52:51 PM EST
    Tonight is the season premiere. It's great so far!

    "Obama Needs To Be Inpeached" (none / 0) (#12)
    by aeguy on Sun Sep 27, 2009 at 09:08:18 PM EST
    Caution: Profane Language

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCvkatCGNFY

    Honduran Coup (none / 0) (#43)
    by peon on Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 09:20:05 AM EST
    Why so little interest in the ongoing coup in Honduras? The left blogs have been remiss in not carrying the story on this. Are we waiting for the corporate news? The difference in tone and amount of coverage on this news event and the Iran election unrest speaks volumes about the state of our media. Here is a link to the latest atrocity:    http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumi val=4265

    I have!! (none / 0) (#44)
    by DancingOpossum on Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 10:18:39 AM EST
    I have, peon, but even a lot of "liberal" blogs are buying the line that this was not a coup but a lawful act blessed by the Honduran constitution and Zelaya is a nutty criminal. Fortunately there are other sources of news and footage on-the-ground which make it quite clear that this was, in fact, an illegal military coup:

    http://narcosphere.narconews.com/thefield/3465/honduras-coup-leader-micheletti-decrees-45-day-suspen sion-constitution

    Zelaya is a nut (none / 0) (#50)
    by jondee on Mon Sep 28, 2009 at 12:00:56 PM EST
    Chavez is a nut; Aristide was a nut; Nader and Ron Paul are nuts.

    Pretty much, the more money that is donated to you by U.S corporations the more likely you are to be a far-sighted, clear-thinking, political force to be reckoned with.

    Parent

    Sunday Night Open Thread | 48 comments (48 topical)

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