Thursday Night Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Media
Posted on Thu Jul 07, 2011 at 07:49:47 PM EST
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Big Brother is back tonight on CBS for Season 13. There will only be 8 new houseguests, as the rest will be retreads from prior seasons. Please don't let it be Rachel or Enzo, but of course, who else would they pick but the most annoying people of seasons past? Those are the best picks for ratings. Hate, like guilt, sells in America. (Update: CBS is so clever. They picked the hated Rachel to return, but also brought Jeff and Jordan back, probably the nicest and most easy-going contestants I've seen on the show. Looks like it will be a great season. There's two really annoying new male contestants, and one overly chirpy soccer mom-type, but the rest of the group seems fine.)

We had the fiercest thunderstorm a few hours ago, right at rush hour. All the bushes in my backyard are lying on their side. The local news had a field day, tornado sirens were going off and they had to keep reassuring viewers there were no funnel clouds. The emergency broadcast system interrupted with flash flood warnings, and driving home must have been a nightmare. Glad I got home before it started. Were any of you out and about?

For those of you not watching Big Brother, and I assume that's all of you reading this, here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

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Thursday Night Open Thread | 38 comments (38 topical)

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Please let me say how amazingly wonderful (5.00 / 8) (#7)
by jeffinalabama on Thu Jul 07, 2011 at 09:00:08 PM EST

people on this site are. I haven't met any face to face, but will this weekend. People here are willing to drop what they are doing to help out another TL member.

I hope to meet all of you at one time or another.

This isn't simply a blog, Jeralyn, it's a community. Thanks for letting me squat here.

Thanks, Jeff (5.00 / 1) (#17)
by Jeralyn on Thu Jul 07, 2011 at 10:20:37 PM EST

I love that TL has fostered a little community. I agree we have a great group of commenters --with a lot of variety of views and life experiences. It's really pretty fascinating when you think about it, how people who don't know each other in real life (or even the real names of those they are conversing with) log on here almost every day and feel comfortable sharing aspects of their lives and their thoughts with each other.

That's great you will be meeting some for real this weekend. I must of missed it, where will you all be?

It's a caring group of people who assemble here, so I'm not surprised they have reached out to help. And thanks for choosing TL to visit and comment -- there are a lot of sites out there to choose from, and I'm flattered. While I do spend a fair amount of time trying to keep the place civil so that it's like a conversation you would have in someone's living room, it only works because so many of you are willing to go along.


Awwwww...shucks (turning red) (none / 0) (#20)
by jeffinalabama on Thu Jul 07, 2011 at 10:39:30 PM EST

Jeralyn, tis place is fantastic. Because banks don't open till 9 here and I want to withdraw a lot more than the ATM will allow, CoralGables volunteered to either meet my ex mother in law and son, or pay their motel reservation until I get there. He will be paid back in spades, and I hope a few meals.

You've created a community, not just a blog.

If any of you come to Auburn, Al., in the next two months, let me know. If I get the trashman job, it's for the forseeable future.

Jeralyn, do you date older guys? (Kidding, maybe...you could write a prenup I couldn't understand! And if I'm younger but beat up, any problems? ;-)

What a fantastic site.


Jeff, so the gov't is letting (none / 0) (#37)
by caseyOR on Fri Jul 08, 2011 at 05:08:56 PM EST

your son into the country, eh? What gret news. I have been absent for awhile(computer died, sprained my ankle and fractured a bone in my foot), so seeing this makes for a delightful return.

Right now I am making use of my public library's computers. Tomorrow I am buying a new laptop, and will return to a more consistent online life.

As for the foot/ankle-- I am wearing an "air cast." It is a giant (nearly up to my knee) hard plastic boot that looks very much like the boots worn by the storm troopers in Star Wars. Not the most pleasing of summer foot wear, but we do what we have to do.


: 18 months ago, I was walking across (none / 0) (#38)
by Anne on Fri Jul 08, 2011 at 10:00:45 PM EST

from the kitchen through the foyer, planning to go out to get something out of the garage refrigerator, and my left foot slipped inside the clog-style shoe I was wearing, turned sideways and it was as if my ankle was trying to kiss the floor. It happened on a Saturday, I had a houseful of people coming the next day, and I didn't have time to get an X-ray (and didn't want to have someone tell me I had to get off my feet right then and there), so I sort of limped around, and put ice on it until I could see the ortho doc on Tuesday. By the time I got to the doctor's office, the whole side of my foot and much of the top was black & blue, so I suspected I might have broken something. Turns out it was the 5th metatarsal, and I had sprained the ankle pretty bad, too.
After the doctor ruled out anything more serious, into a "boot" I went, and other than showering or bed, I wore that thing for the better part of three months. At least it was fall/winter, so I didn't have heat and humidity to deal with (just the worry that I could slip on snow or ice and re-injure myself)! The bone only ever healed about halfway, but the ortho doc - who happened to have done the same thing, and had the same half-healed result to his own foot - told me that while it was up to me whether to have surgery to put screws in the bone, it would be his advice to just let it be. And be careful/mindful of it in terms of what kinds of shoes I wore.
It's been fine, really - the occasional achiness from time to time, but otherwise fine.
The boot had a built in air-cast feature that I could pump up and release air from as needed, and I have to say that in those first weeks, my foot felt so much better in the boot that I was, at times, tempted to wear it to bed!
I hope you heal quickly, and don't have to sweat it out in the boot for too long...

Any problems (none / 0) (#1)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Jul 07, 2011 at 07:53:26 PM EST

from this afternoon's storm, J? Aside from getting soaked on the way home from work, nothing bad here that I've found yet. Although the cable box/TV keeps going off. Had a nice view of a funnel cloud try to start to rotate from the balcony.

Got to love monsoon season!

Oh... (none / 0) (#3)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Jul 07, 2011 at 08:04:43 PM EST

watching a new episode of Burn Notice and then Suits. Have you seen that--it is about lawyers and all.


Haven't watched Suits yet (none / 0) (#10)
by Jeralyn on Thu Jul 07, 2011 at 09:48:13 PM EST

is it any good?


Haven't watched it either (none / 0) (#12)
by andgarden on Thu Jul 07, 2011 at 09:48:58 PM EST

Burn Notice is back to being fun, though.


I'm enjoying it. (none / 0) (#13)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Jul 07, 2011 at 09:58:29 PM EST

Of course, I tend to like new shows over reruns, so I watch a lot of USA and TNT shows in the Summer. Burn Notice, In Plain Sight, Covert Ops and the like.


Don't mean to pry... (none / 0) (#18)
by shoephone on Thu Jul 07, 2011 at 10:31:02 PM EST

but I've been wondering how your health is these days.


Good days... (5.00 / 2) (#21)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Jul 07, 2011 at 10:43:00 PM EST

bad days. In some cases, good hours and bad ones within a day. Still adjusting meds and dealing with the side effects of them. Work is still quite taxing and not quite ready to travel anywhere via air because of the fear of infections and whatnot. Missing the family reunion this weekend out because of that.

But, the bottom line is I'm still kicking and that's what counts.

Thanks for asking!


Sheesh, that's a lot to deal with (none / 0) (#24)
by shoephone on Thu Jul 07, 2011 at 10:55:09 PM EST

And I've always heard that the risk of infection is one of the biggest concerns. I'm so sorry you have to miss your family reunion, but here's hoping for next year!


The real pressure... (none / 0) (#25)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Jul 07, 2011 at 11:07:06 PM EST

is that Mom finally sold her condo in Edmonds and got one on Mercer Island, so she's really pushing for me to come out and see it. Will have to break down sooner or later!

I'll live without the reunion for now. Way too hot and humid out in Maryland right now for me anyway--even with the blue crabs, pit beef and Tasty Kakes.


: I'm not far from either Mercer Is. or Edmonds (none / 0) (#26)
by shoephone on Fri Jul 08, 2011 at 12:29:36 AM EST

It rained today~

Covert Affairs is (none / 0) (#22)
by Jeralyn on Thu Jul 07, 2011 at 10:46:35 PM EST

really pretty good. I really like the cast.


I'm enjoying Suits; it's very in keeping (none / 0) (#30)
by Anne on Fri Jul 08, 2011 at 07:10:55 AM EST

with the USA Newtwork's "characters welcome" tag line - it's really more about the characters than whether the setting - in this case, a law firm - is true to life.

I also watch "Royal Pains" on USA - it's just a fun show - and so what if the main character, a concierge doctor in the Hamptons, is sometimes a cross between House and McGyver?

"White Collar" is another USA show I like.

Try 'em - I think you'll have fun watching.


: IT is funny (none / 0) (#31)
by nyjets on Fri Jul 08, 2011 at 07:52:34 AM EST

WHile I do not like all of USA programing, (I disliked Monk and I just can not get into Burn Notice), they do have some good/ great programs (I love White Collar. ANd Covert Affairs has gone froma solid show to very good this season ).
ANd I read somewhere that every show they have made has lasted. So far, every series has at least 2 seasons. That is darn impressive.

how are you feeling (none / 0) (#2)
by The Addams Family on Thu Jul 07, 2011 at 08:00:24 PM EST

1 day post-dentist? fine i hope

: not yet (5.00 / 1) (#14)
by Jeralyn on Thu Jul 07, 2011 at 09:59:12 PM EST

still in pain all day today, it's just starting to ease up. Tomorrow I should be back to normal. Thanks for asking!

We had a bad storm here too (none / 0) (#4)
by ruffian on Thu Jul 07, 2011 at 08:22:08 PM EST

Got home and an ornamental grass plant is knocked over. That has never happened.

It is still raining and my dog is going stir crazy looking for trouble indoors.

I loaded up my netflix summer Q with the Helen Mirren Prime Suspect series, and also DVDs of old Dick Cavett shows. So I am watching a 1973 Cavett show with Marlon Brando. Brando analyzing Cavett's behavior as role playing, kind of half charming, half menacing. Does not want to talk about movies. 'The Godfather' is rated one of the best films ever, Brando won the Oscar, and he has no interest in talking about it. Just not a big deal to him. Very interested and eloquent talking about Native Americans though, and oppression of minorities in general.

Anyway it is just odd being in that old mindset when they talk about 'current' events like the troubles in Northern Ireland and movies, knowing now what has happened since.

: Hint in Prime Suspect (none / 0) (#5)
by ruffian on Thu Jul 07, 2011 at 08:24:28 PM EST

When a young Ciaran Hines or David Thewlis show up the mystery is pretty much solved. On the other hand a very young Ralph Fiennes was a red herring - he was in two scenes and never seen again!

The conservatives on the Court (none / 0) (#6)
by andgarden on Thu Jul 07, 2011 at 08:33:27 PM EST

conduct foreign policy by a 5-4 vote. Oh, and there's a new Burn Notice on now.

: I'm not gonna lie (none / 0) (#8)
by CST on Thu Jul 07, 2011 at 09:13:10 PM EST

sometimes it is very hard to have non-evil thoughts (hopes?) about the supreme court.
So... an attempt here: I really really hope that Scalia (or anyone on that "5") decides to take an early, healthy retirement.
And I'm sure I'll try really hard to have nice things to say about him should he suddenly drop dead.

Dark humor (none / 0) (#9)
by lilburro on Thu Jul 07, 2011 at 09:37:43 PM EST

from Nate Silver:

Hence Ms. Pelosi, a former member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and its current co-chairs, Representatives Raúl M. Grijalva of Arizona and Keith Ellison of Minnesota, are big players in the negotiation. If they were to whip votes against a deal, it would have a lot of trouble passing.
True, the Congressional Progressive Caucus is not known to be as disciplined as other constituencies in the Congress. And the White House would be working the other end of the phones, trying to cajole or threaten them into a yea vote.

OK, I guess that's not humorous...

Remember during the health bill when Rep. Pelosi's maneuvering was seen by some as being done in coordination with the WH? I often did not get that feeling then, and I am definitely not getting it now.

Silver is full of it (5.00 / 1) (#11)
by andgarden on Thu Jul 07, 2011 at 09:48:34 PM EST

Nobody believes, and nobody should believe, that the Democratic caucus will do anything but fold.


: Yeah (none / 0) (#16)
by lilburro on Thu Jul 07, 2011 at 10:07:16 PM EST

June 25 - "Pelosi Demands Seat At Debt Talks." Yeah, that's leverage! I know that the Biden led talks had Clyburn and Van Hollen but a fat lot of good that did as what Cantor rejected was a GOP dream plan, period.
I just find it funny for all his number crunching that Silver can just casually drop in something like "oh, btw, the WH will be strongly lobbying all Dem reps regardless..." That will probably affect voting. Just guessing.

Hopping mad about this: (none / 0) (#15)
by andgarden on Thu Jul 07, 2011 at 10:02:29 PM EST

<quote>Lawmakers voted in favor of the amendment, which was introduced by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), by a margin of 248-175 as part of the fiscal year 2012 defense appropriations bill. The amendment would prohibit the use of Pentagon funds in contravention to the Defense of Marriage Act, which prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages.</quote>

link.

Rumblings that Grassley (none / 0) (#19)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Jul 07, 2011 at 10:37:03 PM EST

is saying that the 14th amendment may be legit. Perhaps a trail balloon for a way out? Of course, if that old goat tweeted it, who knows what the heck he meant.

On the other hand, the young turks of the TeaParty faction seem to have their sights set on impeachment over it...

To the surprise of nobody, Bachmann falls all over herself to be the first one to sign the Family Leaders (and BFF Bob Vander Plaats) pro-marriage pledge.

No one ever said (none / 0) (#23)
by CoralGables on Thu Jul 07, 2011 at 10:48:58 PM EST

The Florida Department of Corrections is packed with mathematical experts. After recalculating time for good behavior and time already spent, Casey Anthony will now likely be released Sunday July 17 according the the Orlando Sentinel. Perhaps they thought a year was 364 days.

: I tend to think the release date (none / 0) (#28)
by ruffian on Fri Jul 08, 2011 at 06:55:17 AM EST

has more to do with when they think they can sneak her out quietly than any math. Probably that Sunday morning at 3 am.

Thunderstorm caused a 1 hr. and 15 min. (none / 0) (#27)
by oculus on Fri Jul 08, 2011 at 01:37:05 AM EST

delay in taking off from JFK. Then the movie fizzled. But that's o.k., as I'd already seen "Jane Eyre"! Finished "Children and Fire" by Ursula Hegi.

for kdog: (none / 0) (#29)
by Dr Molly on Fri Jul 08, 2011 at 06:56:57 AM EST

cash vs. plastic

: Ya definitely.... (none / 0) (#32)
by kdog on Fri Jul 08, 2011 at 08:26:41 AM EST

watch what ya spend more when you must physically peel notes off your roll to pay the bill...ya feel it.
I can see buying/eating less, but not necessarily healthier. The cheap food is often the unhealthy stuff...see orange juice vs. orange "drink", lean ground sirloin vs. ground chuck, American Cheese vs. Cheese "Food" Slices, etc.

Gunwalker (none / 0) (#33)
by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Fri Jul 08, 2011 at 08:33:39 AM EST

.

More gunwalker guns in the hands of baddies.

Summer started this weekend (none / 0) (#34)
by CST on Fri Jul 08, 2011 at 03:03:54 PM EST

with a bang. And not the good kind.

I have a sinking feeling we're in for a long, bloody summer.

Not to worry, rest of Boston, you only have to worry if you live in a place with semi-affordable housing and like to bring your kids to the local parks.

My sister was driving down that street at the time that the man was shot yesterday. I may not be personally feeling the economic crunch at home, but the odds of me being hit by a stray bullet increase with every social program that gets cut.

In the 90's we had this 2 year Boston miracle where no one under the age of 18 was killed. You know what else we had at that time? A good economy and SUMMER JOBS.

: One thing this economy... (none / 0) (#35)
by kdog on Fri Jul 08, 2011 at 03:27:26 PM EST

is a boom for is gang recruitment...and eventually prison population.
I've got that same sinking feeling.

Juan Cole on "Anthony Case Index": (none / 0) (#36)
by oculus on Fri Jul 08, 2011 at 03:41:48 PM EST