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Monday Morning Open Thread

I'm sure there's stuff going on. I'm not interested enough to go find out what it is. Apathy is taking over. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

I like UConn (-3) and Under (129) tonight. Rush to take the other side.

Open Thread.

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    Apathy... (5.00 / 1) (#7)
    by kdog on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 12:59:37 PM EST
    I hear ya bro...sick and tired of how slow the wheels of change roll, or how they get stuck in neutral...reverse even.  Sh*t, powers that be slashing her tires!

    And I don't pay half as much attention as some of you lot...I don't know how or why we do it to ourselves, sometimes I think the apolitical pay no attention crowd has it right.  Ignorance is bliss.

    But seeing the Prisoners of 2nd Ave. w/ the stupendous Jimmy Vivino in a packed little club Saturday lifted my spirits big time...lots of Traffic, lots of The Band, some Buffalo Springfield...and the greatest live version of the Moody Blues "Question" I ever heard.

    The lyrics seemed poignant as ever...check 'em out y'all.

    And the Mutts win their first series, Knicks in the playoffs for the first time in 7 years...god save the opiates that are music, sports, and ummm...opiates:)

    GOP Proposes Obamacare For Seniors (5.00 / 0) (#8)
    by Dan the Man on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 02:03:27 PM EST
    The GOP proposes privatizing Medicare.  What is really interesting is that this is really nothing more than Obama's exchanges applied to seniors.  As I've argued before, this plan was inevitable once progressives started supporting health care exchanges instead of a medicare for all or medicare for more people.  And progressive have no good arguments why exchanges for seniors are horrible if they also argue exchanges for non-seniors are awesome.  Love to see how Ezra Klein's going to argued against Ryan's exchanges for seniors.

    Forbes link

    "The proposal would do away with (for everyone presently under 55 years of age) the current single payer government system for senior medical care and replace it with a program whereby seniors would choose private health insurance coverage from a menu of approved private health insurers. The government would subsidize the program by giving seniors a voucher to be used in purchasing coverage, the amount of such payment to be defined according to need.

    Does any of this sound familiar?

    While the terminology may be different, it seems particularly reasonable to assume that the word 'menu' is code for 'health care exchange'.  And while the word 'voucher' plays well with the GOP base, it is really no different from the subsidies the ACA will pay to those under 65 who purchase health insurance."

    Good grief. (5.00 / 2) (#28)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 04:35:14 PM EST
    A policy with a $5,000 deductible from Kaiser here in GA costs $1000 per person starting at age 60. The cost of a private policy is going to be sky high for most retired people. I'm sure the "vouchers" won't nearly cover the price of this insurance.

    Parent
    That's (5.00 / 1) (#30)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 04:36:45 PM EST
    $1,000 per month I should clarify and so a couple would be paying $24,000 per year for insurance and that's before anything else.

    Parent
    I think (none / 0) (#40)
    by chrisvee on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 05:43:23 PM EST
    we need to legalize the sale of human organs.  Then we can all put away a nice little nest egg funded by selling off parts of ourselves while we're young so that we can afford to pay for insurance on our remaining parts during our golden years.

    Parent
    Ah, evidently Josh Marshall escapes from (5.00 / 2) (#38)
    by MO Blue on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 05:35:10 PM EST
    his kidnappers when Republicans go after Medicare.

    Also Josh Marshall lays it out here: this is not "reform", it is the eradication of Medicare, nothing less. Old people have a very serious health issue (impending death) and throwing them into an insurance pool destroys the pool and virtually insures that anyone without big bucks in the bank will not be able to afford decent care. You can't put old, sick, dying people into "the market." The market will "rationally" kill them. digby link


    Parent
    Gotta Love JMM's explanation why Obamacare's good (5.00 / 3) (#46)
    by Dan the Man on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 06:55:38 PM EST
    for non-seniors but not for seniors.  Here's his explanation.

    "Now, you might say, how is it that the President's health care reform has managed to ban insurers from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions? Well, good question. But there's a straightforward answer. Most younger and working age people don't have chronic health problems. So if you can make sure that everybody is in the health care system -- that's what the mandate is about -- you have enough revenues from premiums to offset the very high costs of the relatively small number with chronic conditions. But the same approach won't work with seniors. Because, again, as a group old people just aren't healthy enough. There are complicated health care economics ways of explaining it. But do the math. It's obvious."

    Gotta love how someone can start a paragraph with "there's a straightforward answer" and end with "There are complicated health care economics ways of explaining it. But do the math. It's obvious."

    Anyway, here is the obvious answer.  Health insurance companies are rip-offs.  They earn a huge profit and have huge "administrative costs".  Medicare doesn't have those.  Since the elderly are going to have much higher health care bills than non-seniors, Medicare is much cheaper for seniors.

    For non-seniors, a medicare for all would also be much cheaper.  But since most of us non-seniors have gotten used to paying a lot for health insurance, we don't notice as much.  But the same problems that make Medicare cheaper for seniors - huge profits and administrative costs - would also make a Medicare for Non-Seniors cheaper for the rest of us non-seniors.

    Parent

    I've read that TPM got the big (none / 0) (#57)
    by MO Blue on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 09:33:12 PM EST
    Internet ad buy for the launch of Obama's reelection campaign. Even Dkos, is not quite as big.

    Parent
    Other than the fact (none / 0) (#81)
    by CST on Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 09:45:25 AM EST
    That medicare would also be better than Obamacare for everyone else too - there's nothing that he said that isn't true, except for maybe the "complicated" part.  It's pretty simple.  Younger, healthy people subsidize the rest of the market.  That's how the insurance industry works.

    You're both right.  He's right as to why Obamacare works better for non-seniors vs. seniors.  You're right as to why Medicare works better for everyone than Obamacare.  But they are not mutually exclusive ideas.

    Parent

    My prediction (none / 0) (#11)
    by MO Blue on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 02:33:31 PM EST
    Seniors, who under the current Medicare system, have 80% of their medical expenses covered will now pay 80% out of pocket for actual medical care after they use the voucher to purchase overpriced private insurance with ever increasing premiums. After a few years, they will be lucky to purchase a policy with a $25,000 deductible.

    Parent
    But, hey, as long (5.00 / 1) (#20)
    by Zorba on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 03:19:19 PM EST
    as the private insurance companies do well, who cares about the old people, right?  (/snark)

    Parent
    Republicans (none / 0) (#58)
    by Politalkix on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 09:42:45 PM EST
    Old people voted for Republicans in 2008, more heavily in 2010. Now the Republicans are coming up with a plan that is going to change Medicare totally. If old people vote for Republicans again in 2012, it will be clear that Republicans have a better handle on what old people want than people in this blog.


    Parent
    Agreed. And, (none / 0) (#19)
    by KeysDan on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 03:15:25 PM EST
    have we heard any Democratic law maker, leader, anyone, whatever,  speak out about this right off the bat?  After all it has been previewed for a while.   Nip it in the bud, give it a chuckle,  not on my watch,  predict it DOA, this is too costly, this is silly, let's rally the tea party, keep the federal government's hands off my Medicare,  let's get serious and move on?  

    Parent
    Vouchers for faith healers too? (none / 0) (#23)
    by observed on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 03:53:58 PM EST
    A lot of people are going to have to die before the RepubloDemocrats start trying to protect citizens from predators, instead of feeding the elderly to the sharks.

    Parent
    Don't expect (none / 0) (#92)
    by cal1942 on Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 12:28:04 PM EST
    Republicans to react even if there are dead bodies stacked up in the streets.

    Their objectives have nothing to do with the public good or the public interest.  Their objectives support only powerful individuals.  Their aim is a dominant unchecked, unchallenged, unfettered aristocracy.  Everyone else is simply labor (the cheaper the better) to support the aristocracy.

    Once that's understood, nothing they do, no matter how appalling, is surprising.


    Parent

    I'm never surprised by Republicans. (none / 0) (#94)
    by observed on Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 01:20:32 PM EST
    They're talking about restricting the right to vote to property owners again.


    Parent
    Sure (none / 0) (#100)
    by cal1942 on Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 02:37:50 PM EST
    And after that restricting to a certain AMOUNT of property.

    Parent
    I hope the GOP knows exactly (none / 0) (#69)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 08:18:21 AM EST
    where they can put this idea too :)  And they can put it there themselves or the baby boomers can forcefully put it there for them :)

    Parent
    HA (5.00 / 1) (#43)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 05:53:10 PM EST
    That's (none / 0) (#45)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 06:55:30 PM EST
    rich coming from the Nader/Obama contention.

    Parent
    As part of the Obama contingent (none / 0) (#53)
    by AngryBlackGuy on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 08:57:13 PM EST
    You guys can have Nader and we were never aligned.

    Parent
    As (none / 0) (#66)
    by Ga6thDem on Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 06:17:34 AM EST
    far as The Nation is concerned they are aligned. They were Obama supporters full tilt in 2008 and Nader supporters in 2000.

    Parent
    As a caster of a proud (none / 0) (#73)
    by kdog on Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 09:09:12 AM EST
    vote for Nader, I got no problem with that deal:)

    Parent
    Feel the Hillary love (none / 0) (#63)
    by sj on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 11:51:29 PM EST
    Hillary voters ate it up with a spoon -- deciding that an awakened and enraged Clinton with cold cream on her face and curlers in her hair is far scarier to third-world despots than an ex-Illinois state senator.

    Clearly he thinks she walks on water.

    Parent

    Nuclear Dump (5.00 / 0) (#50)
    by mmc9431 on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 08:16:44 PM EST
    Japan is dumping over three million gallons of radio active water back into the ocean. Not to worry though. They assure us that it will have no impact! They haven't been right about anything yet, so I take very little comfort in their assurances.

    How can we possibly continue to promote nuclear energy when we don't have the knowledge to control it or even how to dispose of the waste?

    We can promote nuclear energy (5.00 / 1) (#51)
    by MO Blue on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 08:37:08 PM EST
    because business wants those big government subsidizes they will get for nuclear energy programs.

    Parent
    Can't do that. (5.00 / 1) (#52)
    by lentinel on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 08:39:13 PM EST
    I'm sure there's stuff going on. I'm not interested enough to go find out what it is. Apathy is taking over.

    Obama has said that "it is up to us".

    You must be under the impression that it is up to him.
    No.
    It is up to us.

    There is no time for apathy.
    There is no time for down time.

    It is up to us.

    We must put our shoulders to the wheel, our noses to the grindstone and put our best foot forward.

    The future lies not before us, but behind us in the dustbin of forgotten tomorrows.

    We must work.
    We must sacrifice.

    It is up to us.
    And to all, a g'night.


    Maine Gov. LePage's political stunt may (5.00 / 0) (#82)
    by MO Blue on Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 09:49:13 AM EST
    prove costly.  

    The US Department of labor has sent a request for reimbursement saying if Governor LePage of Maine is going to remove the mural from the state Labor Department he has to give back the money used to create it.

    The department said Monday that LePage violated the terms of a federal grant that paid for most of the mural's $60,000 cost when he removed the artwork from state offices last month.  
    ...
    The mural was created in large part with a federal grant that provided 63 percent of the cost of art work. Gilbert's letter said the state must return 63 percent of the current fair market value of the mural, which could now be higher than the $60,000 it cost to create it. link



    Debbie Wasserman Schultz (5.00 / 0) (#113)
    by CoralGables on Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 05:00:20 PM EST
    President Obama has tapped Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) to replace Tim Kaine as chairman of the Democratic National Committee. She is top notch and very smart.

    And (none / 0) (#114)
    by CoralGables on Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 05:02:04 PM EST
    a proud Gator

    Parent
    saw that (none / 0) (#115)
    by Capt Howdy on Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 05:03:10 PM EST
    not bad.  all things considered.

    Parent
    KSM trial (none / 0) (#1)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 12:30:12 PM EST
    .
    by military commission.  Thank God that Obama thought of this rather than the Eeeeevil Booooooosh.

    .

    I'm not sure invoking a diety... (none / 0) (#2)
    by Dadler on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 12:31:45 PM EST
    ...is the best way to start things.  

    Parent
    On a scale of 1-10, (none / 0) (#3)
    by oculus on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 12:33:31 PM EST
    With 1 being the least, where does apathy rank compared to tepid?

    Apathy 1 (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 12:39:56 PM EST
    Tepid 3.

    Parent
    I'll see your apathy ... (none / 0) (#22)
    by Robot Porter on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 03:51:00 PM EST
    a raise you a stack of indifference!

    Parent
    I like your thinking (none / 0) (#4)
    by TJBuff on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 12:36:57 PM EST


    HOOSIERS, circa 2011 (none / 0) (#6)
    by Dadler on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 12:41:29 PM EST
    Milan H.S., whom the movie was loosely based on, didn't win the state title until their second try in as many years.  

    And, hey, Butler's the team who's been here before. I think experience will play a factor, and enough of one to get the Bulldogs a national title.

    But, as BTD does, I also like the under.

    "And David put his hand in his bag, and took there a stone, and slang it..."


    Ever notice that the team (none / 0) (#14)
    by jondee on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 02:49:15 PM EST
    coach Gene Hackman's team beats in the championship game is racially integrated? In Indiana in the early fifties? I don't think so..

    Parent
    In northern Indiana (none / 0) (#16)
    by christinep on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 02:59:03 PM EST
    two big powerhouses were integrated. I think (from the stories of Hoosier basketball via friends, etc.) that the long-time powers of East Chicago Washington and Gary Roosevelt were those teams.

    Parent
    In the early fifties? (none / 0) (#18)
    by jondee on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 03:13:48 PM EST
    I'd be shocked if that were true.

    Parent
    Wouldn't surprise me (none / 0) (#29)
    by brodie on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 04:36:10 PM EST
    if the filmmakers were a little off in some aspects of their history.  It's Hollywood, they were making a movie not a documentary, and in movie-making, unless the filmmaker is going to be a stickler for the accuracy of depicting period as opposed to creating just an entertainment, the standard default rule is to hire extras from diverse backgrounds.

    For those keeping score at home, the 1980s by my count featured at least two Gene Hackman starring major movies (this one and Mississippi Burning) both of which were a little shaky in some of the historical depictions.

    Parent

    and he's still one of my (none / 0) (#31)
    by jondee on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 04:41:49 PM EST
    favorite actors..

    Parent
    Me too (none / 0) (#47)
    by christinep on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 07:15:31 PM EST
    And, you are right about the 50s. I got ahead of myself more than a wee bit.

    Parent
    In SE Iowa in that era there were no (none / 0) (#55)
    by oculus on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 09:17:56 PM EST
    minorities to integrate.  Still aren't, according to statistics released during 08 primaries.

    Parent
    Excluding... (none / 0) (#59)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 09:44:49 PM EST
    ...the correctional facility in Fort Madison, of course.  

    Parent
    zombie frog legs (none / 0) (#9)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 02:08:41 PM EST
    If I correctly processed NPR (none / 0) (#10)
    by oculus on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 02:12:25 PM EST
    re the final NCAA men's basketball game, both contenders have previously been penalized by NCAA, including striking previous victories. How does a serious fan and gambler make a decision here?

    This won't help much (none / 0) (#12)
    by CoralGables on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 02:34:00 PM EST
    since 2000, Butler has been to the tournament 8 times making it to the Championship game once.

    since 2000, Connecticut has been to the tournament 9 times making it to the Championship game once.

    Parent

    "NCAA penalty"... (none / 0) (#13)
    by kdog on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 02:36:54 PM EST
    could be over something as stupid as a "student athlete" (lol) getting a free tuna sandwich...f*ck the NCAA and their modern-day indentured servitude scam.

    Parent
    meanwhile (none / 0) (#15)
    by jondee on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 02:56:03 PM EST
    the head of the NCAA continues to be a seven-figga-n*gga (as some of our hip-hop friends would say)..

    Parent
    Lots of NCAA "officials".... (5.00 / 1) (#17)
    by kdog on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 03:13:05 PM EST
    making mad bank off the blood and sweat of kids who ain't even legally allowed to buy a beer.

    The best thing the kids could do tonight is pull a sit-in at midcourt and refuse to play until NCAA officials sign their paychecks over to them....now that would be must-see TV.

    Parent

    I think maybe we saw (none / 0) (#26)
    by brodie on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 04:26:14 PM EST
    the same HBO-Real Sports show (the current one) where a UMass team of a few yrs back almost decided to do just that -- stage a sit-down strike at midcourt and refuse to play the game.  In the end of course they got cold feet.  But a couple of people in the show interviewed said that the day that happens isn't far off if things re compensating players doesn't change.

    Recommend you catch the pretty good show if possible.  My major takeaway was the huge number of tens and even hundreds of millions of dollars at stake for individual schools, depending on whether it was NCAA basketball tournament time or football major bowl/BCS Championship Game.  

    NCAA execs raking in what must be rather easy 6-figure salaries, college big-time coaches making millions per year, schools shoveling in big bucks for big showings in the big sports, and there's the amateur "student-athlete" (cough cough) who's not allowed to share in the profits of his own labor -- now or for any time forever "in this or any universe" no matter how much the NCAA and others profit from re-use of his image in the future.  All because of a little clause in the contract the player signed at age 17, 18 almost certainly without advice of counsel.

    Pathetically unfair situation currently -- and knowing more about it puts a damper on current NCAA hoops action for sure ...

    Parent

    Yep... (none / 0) (#33)
    by kdog on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 05:02:30 PM EST
    caught part of that, couldn't remember where...it was "Real Sports".  I gotta check out the whole thing.

    Kemba is gonna sell mad video games...

    Parent

    Tomorrow's the real game (none / 0) (#21)
    by Democratic Cat on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 03:36:16 PM EST
    Texas A&M v. Notre Dame.  Who woulda thunk it?

    The TxA&M (none / 0) (#24)
    by brodie on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 04:01:41 PM EST
    I saw much of was interesting:  solid full-court press in the 2d half by the TX team exposed the glaring fact that Stanford had no natural point guard on the team to skillfully break it down.  There were numerous, at times back-to-back, occasions when Stanford couldn't even get the ball inbounds.  Stanford used all their timeouts but couldn't come up with a coach-designed play apparently to solve the puzzle.

    And with Notre Dame it was a question of a much better balanced team, and talented one on offense, taking it to a CT team that had apparently grown very one-dimensional during the season around their outstanding but human big girl in the middle.

    Defending champ CT, losing to ND, also reminded me a bit of the '73-4 UCLA Men's team which had a record-long winning streak broken during the season -- by Notre Dame, interestingly the last team to beat them a few yrs earlier -- then went on to the Final Four only to lose in the semis (to NCSt).  In both cases too the gaudy winning streak and news about that overshadowed the actual fact that both teams were too dependent on one superstar center (for UCLA, Bill Walton) and were rather ordinary at a couple of positions.

    Parent

    Agree completely (none / 0) (#32)
    by Democratic Cat on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 04:56:30 PM EST
    I like UConn, but they had nothing much else to go with Maya Moore. It isn't often that a single player can carry a team to the Championship, and Notre Dame is balanced and tough and deserved that victory.

    I have a soft spot in my heart for A&M given how they gutted out the victory against Baylor. I'm not sure who I'm going to root for tomorrow night.

    The Women's tournament has been just spectacular this year, and hardly anyone notices.

    Parent

    Braves 2, Brewers 1 (none / 0) (#25)
    by jeffinalabama on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 04:02:51 PM EST
    Three solo home runs. So far a good road trip for Atlanta... I think the worst they can do is .500.

    Orioles 5, Tigers 1; Orioles now 4-0. (5.00 / 0) (#44)
    by Anne on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 06:53:48 PM EST
    Best start since...wiat for it...1997.

    Last season we had to play 19 games before we won three of them.  Nineteen!

    It's been fun so far - swept the Rays in Tampa - and we'll ride that as long as it lasts!

    Parent

    Hope the Tigers (none / 0) (#91)
    by jbindc on Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 11:37:53 AM EST
    Can get their act together tonight and stop that train.

    Parent
    No game today. (none / 0) (#95)
    by Anne on Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 01:31:20 PM EST
    They pick up rhe series with Detroit on Wednesday.

    Parent
    Glad the Orioles are hot... (none / 0) (#96)
    by jeffinalabama on Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 01:42:19 PM EST
    they were my grandfather's team, and the first team  ever saw in spring training, down in Liberty City on spring break.

    Blue-collar team, and Weaver and Ripken, Sr. were blue collar managers.

    I loved Weaver's platoon, even though the players may not have liked it!

    Parent

    That stadium in a rundown (none / 0) (#111)
    by CoralGables on Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 04:47:53 PM EST
    section of Miami was (I believe) the first cantilever stadium built in this country. I saw several memorable games there with the then Single A Florida State League Miami Marlins.

    Parent
    And because I love Google Images (none / 0) (#112)
    by CoralGables on Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 04:55:34 PM EST
    An Outside View and an Aerial View of now no more Miami Stadium.

    Parent
    That's the place! (none / 0) (#118)
    by jeffinalabama on Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 06:32:11 PM EST
    Every seat was primo.

    Parent
    assisted suicide (none / 0) (#27)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 04:34:32 PM EST
    Healthy woman of 84 chooses to die by assisted suicide... just because she feared old age

    The assisted suicide of a woman who wanted to escape old age has reignited the debate about euthanasia.

    Nan Maitland, 84, a right-to-die campaigner, was not terminally ill but suffered from arthritis and said her life consisted of `more pain than pleasure'.

    if only governments would get the hell out of our lives, get their religion off our bodies and allow this to happen.  


    I love how they (5.00 / 0) (#62)
    by sj on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 11:45:46 PM EST
    call her a "healthy woman of 84" and then caption the picture by saying she had long been suffering from crippling arthritis.

    Apparently chronic pain is the new healthy.

    Parent

    I'm with you brother... (none / 0) (#34)
    by kdog on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 05:12:37 PM EST
    Suicide parlors are a little creepy of course, but if we aren't allowed to buy the medical grade sh*t to do it ourselves at home an assist is necessary if that's how you wanna go.  

    It's a must file under inalienable right...creepy, sad, or otherwise.

    Parent

    hey dog, (none / 0) (#36)
    by jondee on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 05:20:00 PM EST
    speaking of medical grade sh*t, have you read Keith's book yet?

    Parent
    Not yet... (none / 0) (#68)
    by kdog on Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 08:03:46 AM EST
    but its on the long list...I've read other bios on the man though...err, the god amongst men.

    Parent
    I'm very hard pressed (none / 0) (#99)
    by jondee on Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 02:35:24 PM EST
    to fight off the urge to relate an anecdote or two from the book, but I wont spoil it for you..

    Suffice it to say though, if you're a certain slightly slef-absorbed lead singer for a famous band, it's not a good idea to call Charlie Watts at five in the morning and say "I want my drummer dowh here right now!"

    Parent

    "My drummer?"... (none / 0) (#102)
    by kdog on Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 03:07:22 PM EST
    tell me Charlie arrived at noon and clocked him.

    If anything Mick is Charlie's singer! When they first got started Charlie was the most accomplished musician in the local scene of the lot.

    Parent

    alright since you said tell me (none / 0) (#104)
    by jondee on Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 03:18:17 PM EST
    I'll tell you that he showed up at the door twenty minutes later dressed impeccably, shoved Keith out of the way, walked over and clocked Jagger with his "drummer's right hook", knocking him onto a table covered with platters of salmon and almost out an open window. Keith says "I had to grab him because he was wearing my favorite jacket." :)

    Parent
    And that's why they (none / 0) (#107)
    by brodie on Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 04:20:56 PM EST
    were billed as The Bad Boys of Rock.

    I mean, did you ever hear of Ringo cold-cocking Paul?

    Parent

    As near as I can tell (none / 0) (#119)
    by sj on Wed Apr 06, 2011 at 12:54:15 AM EST
    Charlie Watts always dresses impeccably.

    Parent
    It is an education, that's for sure (none / 0) (#105)
    by ruffian on Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 03:40:01 PM EST
    Loved it!

    Parent
    first time I've gotten (none / 0) (#106)
    by jondee on Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 03:45:06 PM EST
    a contact buzz from a book, I think :)

    Parent
    I think sometimes (none / 0) (#37)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 05:30:34 PM EST
    people just want to be done.  I had an uncle who offed himself.  his children disowned him.  to me, that was the sad part.  not the part that he was in his 80s, his wife of 60+ years had just died and he wanted to be done.

    I understood.

    Parent

    Exactly right... (none / 0) (#67)
    by kdog on Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 07:58:54 AM EST
    my father wanted to end his ride on his terms too...he used copious amounts of booze.  Didn't wanna leave a mess.  Painful way to go man...and painful to watch.

    It would have been nice for him to have had the option to go to the pharmacy for a quicker less painful more dignified way.  

    The road to hell is littered with attempts to protect the frail sensibilities of onlookers...or something like that.

    Parent

    Whom shall we blame for this woman's (none / 0) (#39)
    by oculus on Mon Apr 04, 2011 at 05:43:11 PM EST
    ferocious outburst?  Will she sue the social worker who tackled her?  
    Woman at National Gallery attacks Gauguin painting