Saturday Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 11:53:34 AM EST
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South Carolinans head to the polls. Bob Bennett signs on to defend Megaupload. Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

< US to Expand Drug War Along Northern Border | Newt Gingrich Wins South Carolina Primary >

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Saturday Open Thread | 63 comments (63 topical)

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Know Your Candidates, (5.00 / 2) (#1)
by KeysDan on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 12:44:24 PM EST

A Guide for South Carolinians, Positions on jobs:

Romney: Job cremator; Gingrich: BJ creator; Ron Paul: "job-berwocky;" Santorum: Job? see Book of.

I simply can't help myself, (5.00 / 2) (#3)
by Zorba on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 01:51:24 PM EST

But every time I read about, look at, or listen to Newt Gingrich, there are two things I think about. One is the "She's a Witch!" bit from Monty Python and the Holy Grail:

Sir Bedevere: What makes you think she's a witch?
Peasant 3: Well, she turned me into a newt!
Sir Bedevere: A newt?
Peasant 3: [meekly after a long pause] ... I got better.
Crowd: [shouts] Burn her anyway!

And the other is God May Forgive You (But I Won't) sung by Iris DeMent. I think of it as Newt's ex-wives' lament.

You say that you're born again
cleansed of your former sins
You want me to say "I forgive and forget"
But you've done too much to me
Don't you be touching me,
go back and touch all those women you've made.

his rant at John King (none / 0) (#5)
by Capt Howdy on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 02:43:01 PM EST

and most particularly the "despicable" line made me think of Daffy Duck. which is funny because later I heard Gene Robinson say the same thing.

but Romney doenst make a very good Bugs Bunny. more like Elmer Fudd. shhhhh Im hunting Newts!

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Hahahaha! (none / 0) (#8)
by Zorba on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 02:47:51 PM EST

It's all too weird for words. Daffy Duck versus Elmer Fudd.

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: which sort of fits with Romneys (5.00 / 1) (#12)
by Capt Howdy on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 02:53:53 PM EST

"zany" line. when Newt gets going he does sort explode all over the set just like Daffy.

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Let me give kudos to the Toyota extended warranty (5.00 / 1) (#61)
by ruffian on Mon Jan 23, 2012 at 12:08:23 PM EST

people and service manager. They came through for me and are going to cover my engine replacement. My faith is restored. That east wind you are feeling is a huge sigh of relief coming from Orlando.

Well, some of it might be Newt Gingrich campaigning in FL.

Newt's getting heckled hard in Florida (5.00 / 1) (#62)
by Militarytracy on Mon Jan 23, 2012 at 01:47:01 PM EST

For trying to tell a crowd he's a "Reagan Republican". He isn't handling it well. Apparently he only has great comebacks when he has rehearsed them in front of the mirror all day :)

: Pretty easy to heap scorn upon John King (5.00 / 1) (#63)
by ruffian on Mon Jan 23, 2012 at 01:57:31 PM EST

A little harder on voters you are trying to woo

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Two big questions for tonight (none / 0) (#2)
by CoralGables on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 01:30:20 PM EST

How much will Gingrich win by?
Will Santorum finish fourth?

I say Newt by double digits. (none / 0) (#7)
by Capt Howdy on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 02:47:28 PM EST

maybe.

and if Santorum finishes behind Stephen Colbert/Herman Cain will be drop out?

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I think Ricky (none / 0) (#9)
by Capt Howdy on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 02:49:01 PM EST

may have a better showing than that. maybe. he was actually very good in the last debate.

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: You are right again (none / 0) (#34)
by MKS on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 07:34:21 PM EST

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Courtesy of my brother: (none / 0) (#4)
by oculus on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 02:42:51 PM EST

Today's favorite topic - "The Redemption of Newt Gingrich: Spiritual reconciliation does not mean political exoneration." Gingrich's repentance -- let's assume it is sincere -- removes obstacles to his entrance to heaven, not to the White House(Ramesh Ponnuru, writing in the National Review)

I guess we have all seen this (none / 0) (#6)
by Capt Howdy on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 02:45:59 PM EST

its the kind of thing that IMO could backfire badly and end up helping Newt.

A pair of phony emails claiming Newt Gingrich pressured his ex-wife into having an abortion made the rounds Friday
"A source close to Marianne Gingrich tells CNN that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich forced her to abort a pregnancy conceived during the affair that preceded her marriage to Gingrich," the counterfeit email read.
Hours later, another message -- designed to seem like it came from the Gingrich campaign -- claimed the former House speaker owned up to the abortion story.

Romney (5.00 / 1) (#13)
by CoralGables on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 02:59:59 PM EST

is crawling into the mud now, in both SC and FL.

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Romney has a problem (none / 0) (#14)
by Capt Howdy on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 03:07:05 PM EST

any Newt win today is going to give him enormous momentum but if he should win by, say, double digits - as I actually think he will - it will be a Newtnami.
which will give him a hundred million bucks worth of free media and millions to spend on paid media in FL.
and if he happens win in FL Romney is in serious trouble. not only from Newt but from the establishment who will realize he is 1 and 4 and the one was basically his home state.

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: oops (none / 0) (#16)
by Capt Howdy on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 03:09:50 PM EST

1 and 3. 1 of 4

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: just a lil birdie here (none / 0) (#47)
by Amiss on Sun Jan 22, 2012 at 02:14:17 AM EST

is telling you that Newt will win in Florida, too.

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The things laywers say ;-) (none / 0) (#10)
by Edger on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 02:50:20 PM EST

There are, unsurprisingly, sites on the internet dedicated to documenting "interesting" package instructions.

e.g. Dumb Warning Labels - Brought to you by an overly litigious society!

Here are a few choice ones...

"Beware! To touch these wires is instant death. Anyone found doing so will be prosecuted."
-- On a sign at a railroad station.
"Warning: do not use if you have prostate problems."
-- On a box of Midol PMS relief tablets.
"Caution: Remove infant before folding for storage."
-- On a portable stroller.
"Not dishwasher safe."
-- On a remote control for a TV.
"Do not dangle the mouse by its cable or throw the mouse at co-workers."
-- From a manual for an SGI computer.
"Do not put in mouth."
-- On a box of bottle rockets.

And one apparently about two-party systems....

"May be harmful if swallowed."
-- On a shipment of hammers.

FYI, It wasn't me. I was on the other side of time at the time in question, your honor.

I actually had a (5.00 / 5) (#17)
by Zorba on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 03:11:43 PM EST

car sun-screen that said "Do not drive with sun-screen in place." Well, duh. Who the he!! would drive if they can't see out the window?
OTOH, we have people voting in this country who may not be quite that dumb, but who aren't far from it. Be afraid, be very afraid.
Mr. Zorba has been saying for a long time that nobody should be allowed to vote who cannot pass the citizenship test that immigrants need to pass to become citizens. My response has been that nobody should be able to run for elective office who cannot pass this test.

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Zorba ain't kidding (5.00 / 2) (#20)
by Peter G on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 03:55:29 PM EST

We had one of those sunscreens also. My wife's absolute favorite among idiot warnings.

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this will always be (5.00 / 2) (#21)
by Capt Howdy on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 04:03:03 PM EST

my favorite warning label

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Amazingly, at least to me, (5.00 / 1) (#37)
by Peter G on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 07:51:37 PM EST

that tag is not a hoax.

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Love it! (none / 0) (#23)
by Zorba on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 04:25:09 PM EST

Hahahaha!

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heh! (none / 0) (#24)
by Edger on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 04:29:52 PM EST

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I wonder (none / 0) (#26)
by Edger on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 04:46:16 PM EST

what year that is from... ;-)

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had that image for years (none / 0) (#27)
by Capt Howdy on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 04:50:59 PM EST

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The (5.00 / 0) (#28)
by Edger on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 04:56:36 PM EST

Ford years? ;-)

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: heh (5.00 / 2) (#29)
by Capt Howdy on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 05:01:48 PM EST

Bush years actually

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I remember that! (none / 0) (#42)
by sj on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 09:19:52 PM EST

Thanks the reminder :)

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Yes. (none / 0) (#22)
by Zorba on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 04:23:06 PM EST

I mean....really? Really?? Mr. Z and I laughed at that warning for quite awhile. ;-)

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And nobody (none / 0) (#18)
by Edger on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 03:14:37 PM EST

who spells lawyers laywers, eether. ;-)

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: Edger, sweetie (5.00 / 1) (#19)
by Zorba on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 03:34:37 PM EST

I really hesitate to point this out, but it's "either," not "eether," too. LOL! This site does not allow any editing. What can I say? Our fingers outrace our brains! I've done it many times! Stay strong, my friend! Namaste.

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Hey Edger, (5.00 / 1) (#41)
by DFLer on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 08:30:11 PM EST

that warning

"Not dishwasher safe."
-- On a remote control for a TV.

not so goofy...When I was bartending, the remote was so nasty, one night I just stuck it in the three rotating brushes glass washer. Well, it stopped working, duh! I then taped it to the out-fan of the coolers....and it recovered (eventually). I do admit that I was showing off when I gave the remote the plunge. At least the unit was clean.

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Midol (5.00 / 1) (#48)
by Amiss on Sun Jan 22, 2012 at 02:27:57 AM EST

At least from what I have been told is an excellent remedy for hangovers and I know several men that take it for that purpose. Just a lil FYI. Gonna show this to them, and I bet they will quit using it for hangovers! LOL.

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erm... of "town" :-) (none / 0) (#11)
by Edger on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 02:53:03 PM EST

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Regarding the Megaupload thang.... (none / 0) (#15)
by EL seattle on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 03:08:17 PM EST

Here's an interesting story about the realities of data storage in the clouds.

Sample passage:

There have always been two major concerns about cloud services in general, and cloud storage (Dropbox, Megaupload, SkyDrive, iCloud, and so on). The first is privacy: When you upload data to a third party, there's always the risk that they can look at the contents of your files. Some cloud providers securely encrypt data, but many don't. The second issue is data security and integrity: Does the third party keep a tight ship against hackers? What happens if a hard drive fails? What protections have the cloud provider put in place to mitigate against natural disasters, bankruptcy, or being shut down by the Feds?

As one of the feedback comments to that story says, "Cloud storage is just like local storage... You should have at least 3 backups of it, just in case of failure..."

I've spent all day (none / 0) (#49)
by Jeralyn on Sun Jan 22, 2012 at 04:16:09 AM EST

reading the NZ laws and treaties. I go back and forth from thinking they have a slam dunk case to thinking they have a good shot at winning.

The hearing is tomorrow, since NZ is a day ahead of us, and it's all I'll be reading, I'm sure. Thankfully, unlike joran vd sloot's article and peruvian laws, they are in English.

More tomoorrw. I'm surprised there's any room on my hard drive with everything I saved. Including the dockets and motions in 24 other copyright infringement cases in the EDVA.

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: I think they might have fairly solid case. (none / 0) (#50)
by EL seattle on Sun Jan 22, 2012 at 07:55:27 AM EST

Reading the PDF, it looks to me as though Megaupload might be in a sort of Catch-22 situation here.
Because there are "certain types of illicit content" that Megaupload was able to automatically and successfully identify and delete from their servers (General allegation 24 - PDF page 11), there's probably no technical reason (or technological reason) why Megaupload couldn't apply that same process to copyrighted material. But they didn't delete the copyrighted material, even though they "knew that they did not have license, permission, authorization, or other authority from owners of hundreds of thousands of copyrighted works to reproduce and distribute those works, including making them available over the Internet". (General allegation 26 - PDF page 12).
I think that the Catch-22 situation here is that if Megaupload hadn't worked to keep their servers clean of those other forms of illicit content, they'd probably be in prison already. Our culture has zero tolerance for certain forms of illicit content, and Megaupload has apparently worked quite diligently to keep their servers clean of that sort of toxic material. But by avoiding legal trouble by keeping their system clean of those other types of illicit content, Megaupload can't claim to be "helpless" when faced with the technical challenge of keeping their servers clear of unlicensed movies in the same file types. And that doesn't exactly help in their defense.
-
On a side note - I wonder how many unlicensed downloads of the "Lord of the Rings" movies have been made from Megaupload. The production of those films brought a lot of jobs and exposure to New Zealand, and there may be a lot of folks in NZ who might not be too sympathetic about unlicensed versions of those movies being available for free download from Megaupload.

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heh (none / 0) (#25)
by Capt Howdy on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 04:44:32 PM EST

just saw disgraced former congressman, lobbyist and Newt supporter Bob Livingston on teevee extolling the strengths of Newt.

"he has the ability to speak over the press, to speak over the people and to, uh, I mean speak over opponents and to the people blah blah. . . "

: I saw that too (none / 0) (#35)
by MKS on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 07:36:28 PM EST

Livingston is still mad all these years later, and he had to resign when he was in line for Speaker because of his own affair.....

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I think Romney without momentum (none / 0) (#30)
by observed on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 05:53:48 PM EST

is a nearly hopeless cause.
Republicans have been dying to give someone else a chance. Newt is as respectable as it gets, for a modern Republican. Maybe he'll get the nomination.

Clybourne just opined it's all (none / 0) (#31)
by oculus on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 06:55:01 PM EST

about the money. If you rule the airways. You win.

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Clybourne (none / 0) (#32)
by Capt Howdy on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 07:03:08 PM EST

may be right about ruling the airwaves but there is more than one way to do that. in the next two weeks Newt is going to get millions and millions and millions of bucks worth of free media.

winning matters.

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Brokered convention (none / 0) (#36)
by MKS on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 07:37:32 PM EST

gives it to Jeb?

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I've wondered for many weeks now (none / 0) (#44)
by Towanda on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 09:48:50 PM EST

if that's the plan, after all of these yoohoos eat each other alive for our entertainment. I can see why Huntsman suspended to get out of this fray, too.

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: Huntsman turned on Lady Rothschild (5.00 / 1) (#46)
by MKS on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 10:21:18 PM EST

who was throwing a fundraiser for him the week he not only dropped out but endorsed Romney.
He could have run an independent campaign as part of the new party Lady Rothschild is trying to create.
That Huntsman endorsed Romney shows that he was running for 2016.

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Is anyone here having trouble (none / 0) (#33)
by Edger on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 07:06:11 PM EST

opening godaddy.com or any site hosted there? I can't open them right now....

Reports out of State College (none / 0) (#38)
by CoralGables on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 07:58:33 PM EST

say Joe Paterno has died

: Family Spokesman (none / 0) (#39)
by CoralGables on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 08:08:28 PM EST

now says, absolutely not true.
Translation... could be very close.

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: Divergent reports (none / 0) (#40)
by Zorba on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 08:18:28 PM EST

Spokesman says "No." CBS Sports says "Yes." In either case, he's not well and is close to death, if not there already.

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criminal law question (none / 0) (#43)
by desmoinesdem on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 09:27:54 PM EST

On Friday two men were sentenced in connection with the break-in at Congressman Leonard Boswell's Iowa farm home last July. They both pled guilty; one to first degree robbery, the other to aiding and abetting an attempted burglary.

Dewberry was sentenced to an indeterminate term not to exceed 25 years in prison. He must serve a minimum of 70-percent of that sentence before being eligible for parole. Rollins was sentenced to a term not to exceed 10 years in prison.

Does that mean Dewberry has to serve at least 70 percent of 25 years before being eligible for parole? Or that he has to serve at least 70 percent of some undetermined number less than 25 years before becoming eligible?

: The former (5.00 / 1) (#45)
by Peter G on Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 09:56:12 PM EST

A quick review of Iowa sentencing law reveals that the judge at sentencing sets the maximum term that the defendant may be required to serve (within the bounds of a statutory maximum for the offense of conviction). The prisoner's actual release date is determined later by the Parole Board. Parole eligibility for certain violent crimes, however, including robbery, does not arise until the prisoner has served 70% of the maximum term imposed by the judge. I didn't see, in the sections of the law that I glanced at, what the minimum period of parole ineligibility would be otherwise, such as for the co-defendant who was convicted only of aiding and abetting an attempted burglary and not of robbery. "Robbery" and "burglary" are often confused in common parlance, but legally "robbery" means taking property by force directly from a person. "Burglary," on the other hand, is entering a building with the intent to commit a crime inside (often theft, but not often robbery; burglars generally prefer to avoid confronting the victims).

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I sort of had it out today with a (none / 0) (#51)
by Militarytracy on Sun Jan 22, 2012 at 07:59:17 AM EST

local Conservative last night. It wasn't something that I planned, far from it. The conversation just steered in that direction, and I suppose the Republican primary has something to do with it. He was really furious though with my general take on life, he demanded to know why people like me refused to accept the reality that the majority of the country is like him.

I think saying that the majority of the country is made up of Conservatives is one hell of a stretch these days. I think it is more 50/50 but whatever. This person has a large education though and is a psychologist as well, and I still can't imagine why he is a Conservative. I realized later that the reason why he freaked out completely on me is because the party he thought represented him in the past has become utterly insane and even he knows this. Wow though, there sure must be some "more reality" based Conservatives out there just losing their minds like he did.

What does he want me to do about it though? Having a fit in front of me will do NOTHING. Conservatives should have reined in the crazy in the party a long long time ago. The guy is an atheist but he openly told me that he has gone along with the Christian crazy because that was what a majority of his country was and that was the reality he had to live with. Wow....just Wow. Well maybe he won't stand up to the Christian crazy, but I will. And go ahead and have a damned breakdown around my aura or whatever brought that on :) I think they all need to hit bottom and hit hard!

I think that he's correct (none / 0) (#53)
by Towanda on Sun Jan 22, 2012 at 01:08:52 PM EST

that the majority of the public is conservative on many issues. Some just call themselves Democrats. Big tent and all that.

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: Yes, I see where you are coming from (none / 0) (#54)
by Militarytracy on Sun Jan 22, 2012 at 03:09:42 PM EST

There is what used to be considered Conservative though and what is now Conservative platform and values. For instance, I'm good with Obama going into Afghanistan, I'm good that said kill Osama...don't take him into custody, I'm even good that hunts down Al Qaeda with drones and kills them. These are all very very hawkish Conservatives values....but they aren't...not now. I'm still a socialist bleeding heart down here :)....and bat$hit crazy wanting to save everything and the whales while I murder babies in the womb :). It's all jacked up and he sold his very soul for crazy elements of his base and only now realizes that it was never necessary and his party is fractured and hopeless and soulless at this point now because so many of them sold out. He's an atheist for No God's sake :)

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Watching sports news this morning (none / 0) (#52)
by Militarytracy on Sun Jan 22, 2012 at 10:26:26 AM EST

They say that New York opened up a can of "Git Right" on the Packers :) Just funny

I hate (none / 0) (#55)
by CST on Sun Jan 22, 2012 at 04:57:32 PM EST

Close football games. This can't be healthy.

holy mother (none / 0) (#56)
by CST on Sun Jan 22, 2012 at 05:11:10 PM EST

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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I missed it (none / 0) (#57)
by Militarytracy on Mon Jan 23, 2012 at 08:58:26 AM EST

I don't usually watch football, but this damned Tebow hatred I harbor caused me to start watching. And then New York did so well last week I wanted to see this game. We were driving home, I was driving home really cuz the pilot had margaritas and the military will take away his whole life if he even drives after ONE margarita...but anyhow, his phone beeped and a friend texted him that it was tied at 19 secs. I missed the whooooole thing.

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that (none / 0) (#58)
by CST on Mon Jan 23, 2012 at 09:04:47 AM EST

was a good game, but the heart palpatations I was experienving were for the Pats-Ravens game.

If you told me on Saturday that Brady would throw 2 picks, we'd lose another turnover on a fumble, and that Flacco would outplay Brady I would have told you the Ravens were going to the Superbowl. But somehow, someway, the Pats managed to pull away with the win anyway thanks to a huge play in the endzone with 22 seconds left by the defense - and a missed field goal (plus general solid play by the defense).

Brady didn't throw for a single touchdown pass, although he did manage to slam dunk it in once.

But yea, the Giants/SF game was pretty good too :)

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Ravens fan in mourning for what (none / 0) (#59)
by Anne on Mon Jan 23, 2012 at 09:21:15 AM EST

should have been, but I have to say that, contrary to the Pats finding a way to win, it was the Ravens who found a way to lose. Sorry, I know you're relishing the victory, and I know a win is a win is a win, but the Ravens outplayed the Pats in all phases of the game.

Not unlike the Ravens' win against the Texans. Maybe karma is a bitch after all.

Anyway, I will happily be rooting for the Giants, who it's hard to argue are not about as hot as it gets, and will, I believe, deny the Pats revenge for the 2007 loss.

I'd say, "good luck," but I'm too feeling too shallow this morning to say it, much less say it and mean it.

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: it's both (none / 0) (#60)
by CST on Mon Jan 23, 2012 at 09:33:22 AM EST

I thought the Ravens outplayed the Pats to some degree, but the Pats came up big when it mattered. And at the end of the day they got the points they needed and stopped the Ravens when they needed.
Yes, Evans dropped the ball in the endzone, but let's not forget that that's because Moore forced it out, it's not like he was sitting by himself and dropped it - it's no different from the other turnovers in that regard. And then the missed field goal - but again that wasn't for the win, so you never know what happens in overtime, but I was feeling pretty good going into it.
I think it was just a close, hard fought game all around, but the Pats D earned that drop in the endzone as much as anyone. Fair enough on the rooting for the Giants, honestly I don't know how I'd feel if we'd lost that game. I will gladly admit I was hoping the Texans would pull out that other win since frankly the Ravens are terrifying. Although so are the Giants. Should be another nail-biter.

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Saturday Open Thread | 63 comments (63 topical)

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