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Tuesday Morning Open Thread

In the Olympics, the curling action continues.

This is an Open Thread.

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    I read that Pluschenko awarded himself a (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by Angel on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 12:43:03 PM EST
    Platinum Medal from the Vancouver Olympics....it's on his website apparently.  The guy can't accept the fact that he lost the gold medal.  Sad....

    Really is sad (5.00 / 1) (#7)
    by ruffian on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 12:58:37 PM EST
    I'm sure it is disappointing to lose, but it's not as if he was really robbed. If he had been a little cleaner, or moved one of his jumps to later in the program, he would have won. He's not hurting anyone but himself with all the carrying-on.

    Parent
    Frank Carroll's comment in (none / 0) (#26)
    by oculus on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 02:52:36 PM EST
    this NYT article was selected as quote of the day yesterday:

    Last week, viewers had a front seat for Evan Lysacek's sob session after the men's short program, in which he skated cleanly to set up his gold medal performance two days later.

    "I kept wanting to say, `Stop it, just stop it,' " his coach, Frank Carroll, said. "I'm very stoic in a way, very disciplined, and I think, when the ski jumpers, when they win, they don't start to cry. Let's put it this way: I don't like figure skaters to cry."

     [Emphasis added.]


    Parent
    There's no crying in figure skating! (5.00 / 1) (#32)
    by ruffian on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 03:21:44 PM EST
    to paraphrase Tom Hanks in 'A League of Their Own'.

    I don't mind crying as an emotional release right after the performance, but to still be whining about it days later is a whole other thing.

    Parent

    I saw that, and laughed when I read it. (none / 0) (#30)
    by Angel on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 03:15:49 PM EST
    I understand what he's saying, but I sympathize with the skaters.  The crying is because of all the emotions they've held in for so long...it's a release for them. I don't ming the crying so long as it doesn't get out of hand.

    Parent
    Please (none / 0) (#49)
    by gyrfalcon on Wed Feb 24, 2010 at 12:16:44 AM EST
    Lysacek is by far the most unaffected, natural, good-natured, un-full-of-himself "star" of anything I think I've ever seen.  The guy is an open book, and he's carried himself absolutely perfectly through all the crap from that bad boy Plushenko.  Who should grow the hell up, IMHO.

    Parent
    "Curling action." That's funny! (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 12:43:48 PM EST


    Indeed, close to an (none / 0) (#46)
    by weltec2 on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 07:28:03 PM EST
    oxymoron. The whole purpose of this activity is to demonstrate that in spite of my level of intoxication, I still have more control of my motor skills than my equally drunk friend. And THIS is an Olympic sport.

    Parent
    I love (5.00 / 1) (#20)
    by CST on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 02:00:08 PM EST
    hearing from old/lost friends.

    I just got an e-mail from someone I hadn't heard from in 4 years.  And he kind of left town abruptly, so no one knew if/when we'd ever hear from him again.

    Doing well professionally, married, happy, etc...  That just made my day.

    really exciting article (5.00 / 1) (#37)
    by CST on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 03:55:42 PM EST
    about skin cancer treatment.

    One can only hope that this application is expandable.

    Very exciting stuff, thanks CST. (none / 0) (#38)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 04:23:42 PM EST
    OMG James Lentz is a terrible (5.00 / 1) (#41)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 05:14:13 PM EST
    spokesperson for Toyota.  I find myself wanting to herd up a bunch of pitchforks and pay him a visit.  Horrible actor, not sorry at all either....brings up "accidents" and generalizes the deaths that Toyota willfully caused in that group of accidents....Grrrrrr

    You can't make this ---- up. (5.00 / 1) (#44)
    by lentinel on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 06:32:11 PM EST
    A headline in today's Times.

    Gates Calls Europe Anti-War Mood Danger to Peace

    Orwell is alive and well.

    The Early Daze, parts 2 & 3 are up (none / 0) (#1)
    by Dadler on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 12:33:38 PM EST
    Great stuff Dadler! (none / 0) (#5)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 12:48:53 PM EST
    thank you (none / 0) (#6)
    by Dadler on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 12:50:07 PM EST
    don't know how long i'll keep posting the stuff, but it's still going.

    Parent
    Liked Part II.... (none / 0) (#9)
    by kdog on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 01:02:37 PM EST
    a lot my good man, waiting for some more down time for Part III....such good writing deserves full reader attention, not my usual workplace skim while talking to a customer and entering an order multi-task.

    The more I read the more I'm convinced you've got a true gift Dadler...keep 'em comin'!

    Parent

    TY (none / 0) (#23)
    by Dadler on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 02:36:03 PM EST
    3 will make you laugh.  

    Parent
    Indeed it did... (none / 0) (#53)
    by kdog on Wed Feb 24, 2010 at 08:30:40 AM EST
    keep posting that linkage brother!  Mikey likes it.

    Parent
    Now Im trying to get (none / 0) (#15)
    by jondee on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 01:23:51 PM EST
    the phrase "elf p*rn" out of my mind..A Pandora's box that should forever remain closed..:)

    Parent
    you have the phrase (none / 0) (#24)
    by Dadler on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 02:36:27 PM EST
    i have the actual image.  far too much for the conscious mind to bear.

    Parent
    Might make a good title.. (none / 0) (#36)
    by jondee on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 03:30:51 PM EST
    Elves..little men in tights..engaged in pornographic acts..you know da drill!

    Parent
    Great now you gave me a title (none / 0) (#40)
    by Socraticsilence on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 05:11:32 PM EST
    "Pandora's Box" I mean c'mon.

    Parent
    Speaking of curling (none / 0) (#4)
    by jbindc on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 12:46:31 PM EST
    An Olympic fashion slide show of things seen so far...

    Who won the ice dancing? (none / 0) (#8)
    by ruffian on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 01:00:43 PM EST
    I started watching, but NBC cut to an interview with Michael Phelps, the noted winter sports expert.

    The Canadians - Virtue and Moir (none / 0) (#10)
    by Anne on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 01:04:41 PM EST
    They skated a beautiful routine, they really did, and absolutely deserved the win.

    Americans - not Belbin & Agosto - won silver and the Russians (hated, hated, hated their costumes) won bronze.

    Parent

    The Russians (none / 0) (#11)
    by lilburro on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 01:11:27 PM EST
    as far as I can tell, should not have won - their costumes incorporated ropes and for as far as I could tell every one of their holds and otherwise special moves the ropes were used.  It was flat out ridiculous.  But I guess since it isn't banned (for now) they get the bronze...stealing it from super fierce Tanith Belbin!

    Parent
    thanks! I'll look for the (none / 0) (#12)
    by ruffian on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 01:17:09 PM EST
    performances on-line later when I get home.

    The costumes really are getting a little out of control and taking away from the presentation, IMHO.

    Parent

    Right (none / 0) (#47)
    by weltec2 on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 07:40:35 PM EST
    trying to out do Lady Gaga. Seriously, there need to be strict guidelines if this is to be based on athleticism rather than simply costume design.

    Parent
    Davis and White could have easily won (none / 0) (#28)
    by bridget on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 02:59:24 PM EST
    the Gold because the Phantom of the Opera program was skated with amazing speed, difficulty and passion. Yet the judges went with the Canadian routine. Virtue and Moir have a very elegant style and the program was great but 110.42 points was way over the top.

    But I am almost glad that the Canadians won because learning from the pairs event in 2002 Canada's flags would have ceretainly flown on half-mast had they won only the Silver and the second week of the Olys would have been occupied with getting them the second Gold with the help of the US and Canadian press (something Evgeni Plushenko and no other deserving Russian or foreign skater ever had, sadly).

    Tanith and Benjamin were fabulous and seemed really happy with their skate despite the disappointing 4th placement. They are one of the most charming and likeable ice dance teams I have ever seen. Ice dance has always been packed with high drama couples which in the good old days made it the most entertaining discipline on the ice ;-)

    Parent

    I wondered about the music selection (none / 0) (#39)
    by Cream City on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 04:49:37 PM EST
    by the Americans, as originality matters, and that was not the first time that we heard the Phantom of the Opera in these skating routines.  It may even have been the third time.  And it is so bombastic, while the Canadians' music was understated -- and that, I think, put the focus more where it mattered.


    Parent
    I guarantee you (none / 0) (#43)
    by bridget on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 06:08:09 PM EST
    had the Canadians skated to Phantom they would have won the Gold, too. With the new judging system the ISU has more control over who wins and loses than ever ... and since nobody knows anymore what the judges are doing ... it was just a matter of time for the Canadians to win. But to put them on the top step first time out, now that was a first in the history of ice dance.

    The music selection was fine in both cases as long  the choreography and the skating emphasized every note. And Meryl's and Charlie's Phantom did that. Bombastic? I don't think so. Romantic and passion, yes. They impressed even Canadian Wilson who brought up that particular subject right after their performance. Besides, Speed is what puts you on the top in ice dance.

    Understated music in ice skating puts the focus where it mattered? That is totally new to me.

     

    Parent

    No need to be bombastic back (none / 0) (#45)
    by Cream City on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 06:56:10 PM EST
    as I guarantee that it's just my opinion.

    Parent
    Just trying to explain to you how figure (none / 0) (#59)
    by bridget on Mon Mar 01, 2010 at 05:14:58 PM EST
    skating works.

    Bombastic rocks on the ice and that is my opinion.

    No reason to get so worked up about all this, Cream, honey.

    Ignore all in case you are Canadian. I never discuss figure skating with Canadians on blogs. But What a relief they received Gold in Dance (deserved or not) and in Ice Hockey. Let the winter games come to a smooth conclusion.

    Here is a bombastic Oh Canada to You!  

    Parent

    Yeah, I had to change the channel when he came (none / 0) (#19)
    by Angel on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 01:53:35 PM EST
    on.  I don't like watching him in street clothes but am fine seeing him in the water.  lol  Why can't they show us the sports instead of all the yakkety-yak they subject us to?  Arrghhhhhh

    Parent
    I don't know (none / 0) (#22)
    by lilburro on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 02:32:06 PM EST
    but every night I feel like I'm watching Oprah instead of the Olympics.

    Parent
    I think Oprah may be better, but I don't really (none / 0) (#25)
    by Angel on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 02:50:04 PM EST
    know.  I just think that all this talk talk talk is ridiculous.  They could be showing us sporting competitions...duh....isn't that what the Olympics is about?  I seriously quit watching the Olympics many, many years ago when they focused more on "stories" than sports, and now it's celebrity talk and show and tell.  I'll watch if that's what hubby has on the TV and wants to watch, but if I'm in charge of the remote and it's a celebrity show and tell then I'm changing channels and finding something else.  

    Parent
    answer = dvr (none / 0) (#27)
    by CST on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 02:57:59 PM EST
    I have barely watched any live olympics because I can't stand the announcers and constant commercials.  If you have a dvr - it's worth it, as long as you avoid the news beforehand.  I skip over all the "stories" and just watch the sports.  Although they don't stop yapping during the events either, but at least then you have something to watch.

    I have been really enjoying the events this year though.  I can't remember the time I watched this much of the winter olympics.  Thanks dvr!

    Parent

    I've taped a few segments but unfortunately I tape (none / 0) (#29)
    by Angel on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 03:12:56 PM EST
    the evening shows I like and watch them on the weekends, so there ends up being a conflict with the recorder and I can't record two programs at once.  I've been happy with whatever I could find on the internet to watch - so far anyway.  

    Parent
    yea (none / 0) (#33)
    by CST on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 03:23:46 PM EST
    most of the evening shows I tape are on Thursday on NBC - so no conflict there for now.

    Other than that I don't watch a whole lot of new shows, so it's not a big conflict for me.  I did have to postpone project runway.  But luckily they re-play that show fairly frequently.

    Parent

    Just completely breaks the mood (none / 0) (#34)
    by ruffian on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 03:28:50 PM EST
    Just about all of the competitions take multiple segments to show. I don't mind switching between the skating and ski jumping in progress...but to jump out of the sports altogether into some interview, especially of someone not even in the sport, is a killer for me.

    Parent
    Greenwald on Newsweek's (none / 0) (#13)
    by ruffian on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 01:21:39 PM EST
    internal discussion of what they will call tertrorism, prompted by last week's 'tax protestor' attack.

    The most striking thing to me, is, as Greenwald calls it, Newsweek's stance of just being an innocent bystander of the media. Like they themselves have no say in how the media works. I saw the same thing in Norah O'Donnell's appearance on Bill Maher's show the other night. I know she is not there to answer for all of the media, but she is the NBC WH correspondent, for dogs sake, not some observer.

    tertrorism? (none / 0) (#14)
    by ruffian on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 01:22:23 PM EST
    I meant terrorism of course.

    Parent
    There's something deeply troubling to me (none / 0) (#16)
    by andgarden on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 01:24:06 PM EST
    about the New York Court of Appeals instructing the legislature to reexamine judicial salaries. There are several bothersome passages, but this one stands out because it seems perilously close to advocacy:

    The argument for a cost-of-living increase is not that, in some objective sense, New York Judges do not earn a living wage. Judges made no such argument when this litigation commenced in much better economic times and certainly do not press such a contention now. The claim is that, due to the lack of a cost-of-living increase for more than 11 years, judges no longer earn salaries that are appropriate given the significance of their position in our tri-partite form of government and the role they play in ensuring the rights of all members of society. That role has increased substantially since the last compensation adjustment. For instance, the Judiciary's workload has increased by 10% over the past four years alone. Since 2005, Family Court's workload has increased 16%, civil filings in Supreme Court have increased more than 14%, and the caseloads in the New York City Civil Courts and those city courts outside of New York City have risen by 13 and 17%, respectively. Moreover, state courts handle over 90% of the filings as compared to the less than 10% handled by our federal courts.


    Not close at all (none / 0) (#50)
    by gyrfalcon on Wed Feb 24, 2010 at 12:33:26 AM EST
    It's flat-out advocacy.  It's good advocacy, but it's advocacy.

    Parent
    What is funny (none / 0) (#17)
    by lilburro on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 01:39:13 PM EST
    about people with the most access to government officials is that they often act naive.  Example here with Ezra that I love:

    (1) The collective action problem: Even though passing a bill leaves all Democrats better off, voting for a bill leaves some Democrats worse off. There are members of the Democratic Party who desperately need a bill to pass, but also feel that they need to be able to vote against that bill. These people are probably going to lose their elections one way or the other, and virtually none of them seem willing to simply admit that and do an enormous amount of good for the American people before Democrats inevitably and predictably lose their unsustainably large majority.  [emphasis supplied]

    Um, duh.  And exactly what do you think they're planning to do when they do lose Ezra?  Not LOBBYING, oh the horror!

    Parents.... (none / 0) (#18)
    by kdog on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 01:45:08 PM EST
    do you know where your child's DNA is?  Could be at an undisclosed military location.

    Is the Big 12... (none / 0) (#21)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 02:31:57 PM EST
    ...on the endangered list?  With the Pac 10 and the Big 11 both focusing their expansion efforts on Big 12 member schools, it appears that could be the case.  

    The rumors are flying and schools like Colorado are being pretty tight-lipped about it, but it is no great secret that the Buffs are being courted by both the Pac 10 and the Big Eleven.  

    Oddest rumor so far--adding Miami to the Big 11.  

    Chicago case (none / 0) (#31)
    by blueaura on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 03:16:22 PM EST
    Hiya, just thought this might be of interest here on TL. A police officer in Chicago was tragically killed in a car accident while responding to a burglar alarm call. The police are now seeking to charge the burglars with murder (if/when they are caught).

    He [Supt. Weiss] said the department is checking with the Cook County state's attorney's office to see if felony murder charges could be lodged against the burglars who broke into a cell phone store in the 3100 block of North Clark Street. Haymaker was headed there when he crashed into a pole and a tree.

    http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/02/spin-out-crash-on-icy-ramp-kills-chicago-police-sergeant. html

    That is interesting... (5.00 / 1) (#35)
    by kdog on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 03:29:36 PM EST
    I hope the Cook County state attorney is more reasonable than Weiss...its tragic, but to try to pin a murder rap on the burglars is downright nuts.

    Parent
    That was my opinion (none / 0) (#42)
    by blueaura on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 05:20:06 PM EST
    as well.

    Parent
    Not at all (none / 0) (#52)
    by jbindc on Wed Feb 24, 2010 at 08:27:23 AM EST
    It's an argument for felony-murder - a legal concept that has been around since the 12th century.  It's the same logic as if you rob a bank and someone in the bank dies from a heart attack because of fright - you can be charged with murder.

    In this case, prosecutors will have to decide if the accident meets the proximate cause test to determine if they have a case to bring the felony-murder charges.

    Parent

    A slippery slope... (5.00 / 2) (#54)
    by kdog on Wed Feb 24, 2010 at 08:43:53 AM EST
    to this laymen...if a cops slips on a banana peel on the way to break up a kegger and breaks his neck, is the person who bought the keg a murderer?

    Parent
    That's the proximate cause test (none / 0) (#55)
    by jbindc on Wed Feb 24, 2010 at 09:58:39 AM EST
    My guess is, though, that there won't be murder charges filed because the the connection isn't that strong, but I could be wrong.

    And, in answer to your question - it depends (always the correct answer to a basic set of facts like this). Did the person know the banana peel was there and was likely to cause someone harm?

    But yes, the general rule is that if you are going to commit a felony, and something happens to someone involved while you are committing that felony, there's a pretty good chance you could be liable for that harm too.  Moral of the story (I know you don't like to hear this) - obey the law.

    Parent

    You gotta be joking... (none / 0) (#56)
    by kdog on Wed Feb 24, 2010 at 10:13:40 AM EST
    did they know there was a banana peel?  lol

    Damn...you lawyers can tie your common sense up in knots when you bury your heads on law books.  A car accident ain't murder, slippin' on a banana peel ain't murder.

    Parent

    Well (none / 0) (#57)
    by jbindc on Wed Feb 24, 2010 at 10:35:59 AM EST
    The question would come down to:  but-for the fact that the cops were on a call because the burglary was taking place, would there have been an accident?  If the prosecution can show that no, there would have been no accident except for the fact that these cops were driving to bust a burglar, and thus the officer would not have been killed, then they may have a case for murder (in which case, yes, a car accident could be murder). As I said, I think it's going to be a tenuous connection because the defense could argue all kinds of things - was the driver reckless, was there bad weather, was the road in disrepair, was there some other factor (like another driver or bicyclist or pedestrian) that could have interfered in the path of the driver, was the police car defective, etc.?

    But as to your banana peel - yeah, if you throw one on the ground, you probably will be expected to know that someone could fall and get hurt.  You could, theoretically, at least be civilly liable.  It's all based on "foreseeability" - back to the bank robbing example.  It is foreseeable that someone who is a victim of a bank robbery may have a heart condition and may die of a heart attack if frightened by having a gun pointed in their face, so, yeah, the robbers are responsible for that death.

    It's just as wild as those cases where a burglar breaks into someone's homes and trips over something in the house and then successfully sues the homeowner.

    Parent

    I like your... (none / 0) (#58)
    by kdog on Wed Feb 24, 2010 at 10:41:10 AM EST
    burglar suing cuz he tripped during a robbery analogy...nail on the head my friend!

    Thats just as assinine as charging these burglars with murder.

    IMO, if cops and the state aren't willing to accept the risk of responding to calls without trumping up murder charges, they should find a less dangerous line of work.  Same for burglars who sue for injuries sustained during a burglary...do us all a favor and find another line of work.  No shame all around with these mental-giants...no shame!

    Parent

    Disenchantment (none / 0) (#48)
    by Politalkix on Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 09:54:48 PM EST
    happening in the other party also. link

    Heh (5.00 / 1) (#51)
    by gyrfalcon on Wed Feb 24, 2010 at 12:44:36 AM EST
    I said, I have to say, that he would find a way very early on to let the GOP leadership know he was an independent actor and no foot soldier in their war.

    Parent