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Wednesday Morning Open Thread

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Open Thread.

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    Cutting energy assistance to the poor... (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by Anne on Wed Feb 09, 2011 at 03:56:08 PM EST
    what a great way for Obama to show how serious he is about spending...

    President Obama's proposed 2012 budget will cut several billion dollars from the government's energy assistance fund for poor people, officials briefed on the subject told National Journal.

    It's the biggest domestic spending cut disclosed so far, and one that will likely generate the most heat from the president's traditional political allies. That would satisfy the White House, which has a vested interest in convincing Americans that it is serious about budget discipline.

    The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, would see funding drop by about $3 billion from an authorized 2009 total of $5.1 billion. The proposed cut will not touch the program's emergency reserve fund, about $590 million, which can be used during particularly harsh cold snaps or extended heat spells, three officials told National Journal.

    David Dayen notes in his post about this today:

    This is all a game at some level, but notice how the White House hopes this will play out: they want those "irresponsible" Democrats to scream at them. Then they can "prove" to some mythical voter that he's not really "one of them" and that he proposes serious solutions to serious problems. Solutions like letting poor people freeze. But at the end of the day, proposing things like this will force more budget cuts, especially when you have the nutters on the right who want to eliminate $500 billion in a year.

    The Administration says this lowers LIHEAP assistance to where it was in 2008. But that was before an economic crisis and an increase in poverty. Simply put, more people need this service now. They also intimate this is a subsidy for dirty energy companies, as most heating gets derived from coal-fired power plants. This is a bizarre kind of statement, which assumes that there's no way to move away from coal and make sure Americans don't freeze in their homes at the same time.

    Words fail me.

    Perpetual disgust (5.00 / 2) (#10)
    by waldenpond on Wed Feb 09, 2011 at 04:25:22 PM EST
    I know it's weird, but when I see continual proof that Dems are as corrupt as Repubs, I just shake my head and laugh in disgust.  Individuals can donate to energy programs, but if people vote Obama into office again, why bother.

    I was considering deciding between Ds and Gs when I vote.  It's looking like I just need to check off the G box.

    Parent

    Well, it seems, unfortunately, (5.00 / 2) (#11)
    by Zorba on Wed Feb 09, 2011 at 04:51:53 PM EST
    as if he mainly wants to help the already obscenely wealthy.  Perhaps Hugo Chavez will increase his subsidized Venezuelan heating oil for poor Americans to make up for this.  The Venezuelan-owned CITGO has been doing this for six years now.  

    Parent
    I can't help but believe (5.00 / 1) (#24)
    by ruffian on Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 10:39:07 AM EST
    that if it were put to people as a question 'would you rather pay a few more dollars a year in taxes or see drastic cuts like this: [list the cuts]' a majority would sign up for the tax increase. I see the same thing at the state level here in FL.

    I think it is a massive failure of leadership to explain the idea of the common good.

    Parent

    People want (none / 0) (#27)
    by CoralGables on Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 11:14:45 AM EST
    Less taxes and less spending (as long as the less spending only hurts the other guy).

    To get re-elected, you need to spend more and cut taxes to make sure everyone is happy.

    To steal and obliterate the meaning of a line from Arlo Guthrie in explaining the The Significance of the Pickle..."But that's America"


    Parent

    maybe he's hoping (none / 0) (#9)
    by CST on Wed Feb 09, 2011 at 04:01:54 PM EST
    that by failing to spend money on alternative energy - global warming will speed up.

    Honestly though, this is gross.

    "Let them burn money"

    Parent

    Those "irresponsible" Dems (none / 0) (#13)
    by BackFromOhio on Wed Feb 09, 2011 at 06:03:56 PM EST
    should line up some Tea Party and other Repups to oppose.

    Parent
    I think both political parties (none / 0) (#19)
    by Politalkix on Wed Feb 09, 2011 at 10:46:42 PM EST
    have decided that they would like to appeal to same groups of people on economic issues.
    Some bones may only be thrown here and there on social issues to keep the base of their respective parties excited. Republicans will ofcourse be able to play this game better than Democrats.


    Parent
    Gripe of the Day.... (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by kdog on Wed Feb 09, 2011 at 03:59:18 PM EST
    Automated Attendant Phone Systems...gotta be the worst invention of the last 20 years.

    Had numerous run-ins with these blasted machines today...lost in the maze, outright hung up on, the grating computer voice.  Finally lost it and unloaded a profanity-filled tirade at UPS's automated jerk causing numerous heads to pop in my cube.  In case you're wondering, automated voice recognition can't register "Give me a human agent you motherf8ckin' c*cks*cker!"

    Note to companies that use this crap...the ten bucks an hour you're saving on a receptionist is costing you ten times that in lost business/customer aggravation with your company.

    End of rant...have a good night humans, machines go to hell!

    A friend revealed he got so frustrated (none / 0) (#12)
    by oculus on Wed Feb 09, 2011 at 05:51:26 PM EST
    with an airline he helled a string of profanity. And, low and behold, a human voice came on the line.

    Parent
    You remind (none / 0) (#21)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 07:44:39 AM EST
    me of my husband. He hates, hates, hates these things and Bank of America has it set up so that there is NO option to speak with a customer service rep so he thew the phone down in frustration and cursed at the phone. Anyway, I don't know which is worse: these systems or the call centers in India where you get a person but can't understand what they are telling you.

    Parent
    You sound like me yelling at (none / 0) (#23)
    by ruffian on Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 10:27:06 AM EST
    a stupid Roomba that kept slamming itself into a corner - "Clean you motherf***, CLEAN!"

    That didn't help either.

    Parent

    They need to program these... (none / 0) (#25)
    by kdog on Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 10:41:28 AM EST
    blasted automatons to understand when we humans mean business...lol.

    Ever read Vonnegut's "Player Piano"? We might be needing a similar human revolt.

    Parent

    that's right. We made you, we can destroy you! (none / 0) (#26)
    by ruffian on Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 10:43:54 AM EST
    for the time being anyway....

    Haven't read 'Player Piano' for many years. I will have to see if I have it. My brother and I both were on a Vonnegut binge a long time ago and perhaps they were all his copies. Such great stuff there.

    Parent

    Fifty individuals involved in 32 high-profile (none / 0) (#1)
    by beefeater on Wed Feb 09, 2011 at 01:15:28 PM EST
    terrorism plots involving al Qaeda-like ideology in the past decade were U.S. citizens at the time of their arrests, according to a study by the New York State Intelligence Center. Most were natural-born.

    http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/janet-napolitano-warns-terror-threat-heightened-sept-11/story?id=1287 4207

    I wonder when Nappy will be called on by CAIR to apologize to the perpetually offended community.


    A candidate for the Darwin Award (none / 0) (#2)
    by Harry Saxon on Wed Feb 09, 2011 at 02:46:23 PM EST

    DELANO, Calif. -- A Central California man who was at a cockfight died after being stabbed in the leg by a bird that had a knife attached to its own limb, officials confirmed Monday.

    Jose Luis Ochoa, 35, of Lamont, was declared dead at a hospital about two hours after he was injured in neighboring Tulare County on Jan. 30, the Kern County coroner said.

    An autopsy concluded Ochoa died of an accidental "sharp force injury" to his right calf.

    Sheriff's spokesman Ray Pruitt said it was unclear if a delay in seeking medical attention contributed to Ochoa's death.

    "I have never seen this type of incident," Sgt. Martin King, a 24-year veteran of the sheriff's department, told the Bakersfield Californian.

    Click or Fresno Bee Me

    Darn, I thought from your header (none / 0) (#3)
    by Towanda on Wed Feb 09, 2011 at 02:53:42 PM EST
    that this would be a wonderful example of interthreaduality, and that Lindsay Lohan was a candidate for the Darwin Award, since her record suggests that she cannot learn from her mistakes.

    Parent
    No, it identifies a certain kind of (none / 0) (#7)
    by Harry Saxon on Wed Feb 09, 2011 at 03:59:12 PM EST
    unnatural selection at work.

    A Chronicle of Enterprising Demises

    Honoring those who improve the species...by
    accidentally removing themselves from it!


    Click or Darwin Award Me


    Parent

    I have the answer to the health care debate (none / 0) (#4)
    by jbindc on Wed Feb 09, 2011 at 03:30:04 PM EST
    Do-It-Yourself Health Care!

    You can now get an app that allows you to perform your own ultrasound! (Yes, it SAYS it's for a medical practitioner to use, but come on - this is the first step).

    Jeralyn - you've got mail. (none / 0) (#5)
    by Anne on Wed Feb 09, 2011 at 03:48:31 PM EST
    Last time it disappeared in the ether, so thought I would give you a head's up here.

    Rep Christopher Lee (none / 0) (#14)
    by CoralGables on Wed Feb 09, 2011 at 06:06:37 PM EST
    resigns quickly.

    I really didn't think this was a resignation issue. Maybe there's more yet to come out.

    Cam Newton Saga Update (none / 0) (#15)
    by CoralGables on Wed Feb 09, 2011 at 06:34:45 PM EST
    From the Birmingham News:

    Auburn University says it has spent approximately $170,000 in attorney fees on the Cam Newton case during the past 4 months.

    Auburn Senior Associate Athletics Director Scott Carr said Tuesday the fees started in mid-October and have all gone to Lightfoot, Franklin, White LLC, the university's Birmingham-based legal counsel.



    Too bad... (none / 0) (#16)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Wed Feb 09, 2011 at 07:32:30 PM EST
    ...they could have used that money to sign Cyrus Kouandjio.  It's not cheap to fax your LOI in these days...

    Parent
    The first (none / 0) (#17)
    by CoralGables on Wed Feb 09, 2011 at 09:17:57 PM EST
    major commitment of his life lasted three days. With a little work he should be able to improve on that mark.

    Parent
    I'd have been happy to see him (none / 0) (#22)
    by jeffinalabama on Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 09:39:19 AM EST
    at Auburn, but his brother is already at Alabama, so I can understand his reasons.

    Parent
    For oculus: Clay Mathews the Third (none / 0) (#18)
    by Towanda on Wed Feb 09, 2011 at 09:35:20 PM EST
    is a guest of Leno's tonight, so I read, and "Leno asked Matthews about a key play in the third quarter of the game with the Packers leading the Pittsburgh Steelers, 21-17. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw a pass that was batted down by Matthews.  Asked by Leno what he told Roethlisberger, Matthews said. . . ."  Tune in to see.

    If only he had been the one to strip off his shirt and belly-slide in the snow! at the welcome-home celebration as the biggest team around came back to the smallest town in the NFL yesterday, and in subzero cold, with the wind chill.  A friend went up there for the fun, which must have been something to see.  The "Return to Titletown" of the team and the Lombardi Trophy at Lambeau Field was sold out, all 50,000-plus seats in a town of 100,000 -- snowy seats shoveled out by 500 volunteers for the crowd that waited hours in the inhuman cold temperatures.  He also said that a favorite sign was the one renaming Lambeau as "Mr. Rodgers' Neighborhood."

    But Donald Driver got the biggest cheer of all, and deservedly so -- the Packer fan friend says that Driver is respected as much by the town as by the team for his quiet leadership.  Interesting.

    Fun. How is "my man" Woodson doing? (none / 0) (#20)
    by oculus on Wed Feb 09, 2011 at 10:58:38 PM EST
    Looks like it's happening (none / 0) (#28)
    by ruffian on Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 12:03:43 PM EST
    Egyptian Army steps in

    Gen. Hassan al-Roueini, military commander for the Cairo area, told thousands of protesters in central Tahrir Square, "All your demands will be met today." Some in the crowd held up their hands in V-for-victory signs, shouting "the people want the end of the regime" and "Allahu akbar," or "God is great," a victory cry used by secular and religious people alike.


    Wondering if the crowds will stay home (none / 0) (#29)
    by oculus on Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 12:10:31 PM EST
    if:  (1)Mubarak resigns and (2) he hands the country over to Suleiman.

    Parent
    It is my understanding that the protesters (none / 0) (#31)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 12:26:28 PM EST
    don't want Suleiman.  CNN says he will have "a role" but the military is taking over.  Who is that exactly?  Every military has a commander calling the shots.  It isn't as if a military is a democracy fer fricks sake.

    Parent
    If Mubarak hadn't had the backing of (none / 0) (#32)
    by oculus on Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 12:44:26 PM EST
    "the military," he wouldn't have been Pres. for 30 years.  

    Parent
    My husband still isn't answering his phone (none / 0) (#33)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 12:54:40 PM EST
    this is a coup :)

    Parent
    Ha. (none / 0) (#34)
    by oculus on Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 01:03:18 PM EST
    I hate stuff like this (none / 0) (#30)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 12:24:19 PM EST
    Can't get through to my husband either.  Not that that would accomplish or change anything either though.  It is going to be what it is.  Who decided to pull this off at this time and why?  CNN says that the military will be taking over but it isn't a coup....what a bunch of $hit that is.  They rename everything these days in order to avoid truthiness :)

    Parent