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Friday Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 12:04:22 PM EST
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Will Mitt Romney pick Condoleezza Rice as his running mate?

It's a jail day for me, which means an open thread for you. All topics welcome.

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    Friday Open Thread | 151 comments (151 topical)

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    You mean the Soviet Union expert... (5.00 / 6) (#2)
    by unitron on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 12:32:07 PM EST
    ...who didn't foresee the collapse of the Soviet Union?

    Don't forget the August 2011 memo that wasn't (5.00 / 4) (#4)
    by Angel on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 12:48:14 PM EST
    important.  

    Parent
    Or hanging out at Ferragamo and Spamalot (5.00 / 4) (#8)
    by scribe on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 01:01:40 PM EST
    and blowing off numerous foreign countries' offers of help when Katrina was drowning NOLA.

    Gotta stimulate the economy with $500 shoes and Broadway tickets.

    Parent

    Her testimony would make for some (5.00 / 2) (#14)
    by nycstray on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 01:20:56 PM EST
    great campaign ads . . .

    Parent
    Well, Condi was right (5.00 / 2) (#73)
    by KeysDan on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:46:23 PM EST
    about that August 200l memo being historical, after all.  

    Parent
    Duh - that should have been 2001 memo. (none / 0) (#56)
    by Angel on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:20:01 PM EST


    Parent
    She was the most (5.00 / 4) (#109)
    by gyrfalcon on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 11:07:59 PM EST
    excruciatingly conventional of conventional "Russia experts."  I never once heard the slightest insight or interesting observation on Russia back when she was regularly on Koppel and other shows to talk about the subject.  She just regurgitated the conventional wisdom of the largely very conservative "Russia expert" establishment.

    They were all shown to be totally wrong in their analysis of Russia and particularly Gorbachev, but I've never heard/read of a single one of them owning up to their failure to see what was going on.

    Parent

    Condi? (5.00 / 3) (#3)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 12:47:18 PM EST
    Naw, it's just something Mitt is throwing out there to change the conversation away from the SEC/Bain thing.

    Reasons why she will not be picked:

    1. Pro-choice.
    2. African American.
    3. Woman--he's not going to go with another woman after what happened with Sarah Palin.
    4. Her ties to George W. Bush. If Romney is politically smart (not sure that he is) he would be wise to stay as far away from anything or anyone associated with George W. Bush.


    Please (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by friendofinnocence on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 01:13:51 PM EST
    Please don't compare Rice to Palin.  Palin was a novice and Rice has the experience and credentials.

    Parent
    Yeah, the experience and (5.00 / 9) (#28)
    by Anne on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 02:01:37 PM EST
    credentials that enabled evil, all without batting an eye; just what the country needs.

    Parent
    Anne, I wish (5.00 / 3) (#29)
    by Zorba on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 02:04:07 PM EST
    I could give you much more than a "5" rating for that comment.  Spot on!

    Parent
    I haven't agreed with you for months... (5.00 / 4) (#69)
    by magster on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:38:10 PM EST
    but "5" is insufficient.

    All Condi has is credentials. But she lacks morals, good judgment, and her track record is abysmal at the cost of thousthousands of lives. She should be in a cell in the Hague.

    Parent

    She's pretty widely considered (5.00 / 3) (#110)
    by gyrfalcon on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 11:11:06 PM EST
    to have been the absolute worst National Security Adviser in the entire history of the job.  She apparently was clueless about what her role was supposed to be.

    Cheney, for example, is an evil bastard, but he knew exactly what he was doing and why.  Not so Ms. Rice.


    Parent

    She was not (5.00 / 3) (#120)
    by NYShooter on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 11:56:45 PM EST
    "...clueless about what her role was supposed to be."

    Her role was the exact same role that "Bundini" Brown held vis-a-vis Muhammad Ali. And that was to squat in his corner, feed him bon bons, and tell him how great he was.

    And, in that role, she was perfection personified. She was so good, in fact, that we gave her a pass when, in one of her countless attempts at defending her growth interrupted, intellectually challenged, Boss, she referred to him as "my husband" George Bush.  

    I mean, c'mon man, give credit where credit is due. She was the best!


    Parent

    We may not agree on matters relating to (4.50 / 8) (#83)
    by Anne on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 05:12:58 PM EST
    Obama, but I think we have much in common when it comes to our contempt for Republican BS, and Romney in particular.

    I mean, come on - the names being floated: Condi, Kelly Ayotte, Marco Rubio, Paul Ryan, Chris Christie?  Just typing those names makes me feel like I need to call in a decontamination crew...my skin is crawling.

    Parent

    Agreed. (5.00 / 2) (#75)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:49:34 PM EST
    Bullseye, Anne! You nailed it succinctly and directly.

    Parent
    You got it, Ga6th (5.00 / 1) (#13)
    by christinep on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 01:20:41 PM EST
    The method used to start the Condi talk was Drudge...says it all.

    Just heard that Romney is going on all three network news programs tonight.  Damage control is getting serious now, especially after a number of Repubs are reported as calling for  or suggesting that it would be wise for Romney to release his tax returns for a number of years.  Ultimately, he has to release more to mitigate the situation and keep everyone's imaginations from assuming the worst.  The burden--with the SEC filings as presumptive evidence--most definitely has shifted to Romney.

    As you spotted yesterday, the drip drip will continue...echoing louder with each passing day.  And, as to things waiting in the weeds, a CNN article notes that one of the worrisome Bain investments might be a company whose purpose was disposing of aborted fetuses...are you thinking of Romney's base likely reaction on that one....

    Parent

    You know what I just don't get? Romney's (5.00 / 4) (#35)
    by Anne on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 02:27:04 PM EST
    known for forever he was running for president; didn't he have people going over his financials with a fine-tooth comb looking for problems, gaming how they would deal with things that look bad but aren't illegal, making sure any loose ends could be tied up before he had to go public?

    Or is this a case of entitlement-based hubris that led him to believe he could dissemble and delay and change the subject and it would all eventually just fade away?

    Has he not seen this issue come up in every election, with every candidate who has run for office?  Did he think there was a special exception for someone who's got more money than God?

    I can't believe anyone would vote for this plastic-not-fantastic pod person...

    Parent

    Yep, my sentiments as well (5.00 / 4) (#38)
    by christinep on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 02:50:01 PM EST
    I've had mouth agape when considering what must be the arrogance of it all.  Then, I recall a comment my Dad once made about a smart magna cum laude man who lived up the block...Dad, who had to leave high school very early to work in the PA mines & relished self-teaching, learning all his life, noted that the "educated" man seemed to live more by his titles than common awareness and mused:  "For a smart man, he sure is dumb."

    If Romney is smart, he just out-smarted & outsourced himself.  Maybe the acquisitiveness that he excelled in became a mind-deadening avarice.

    Parent

    Your dad (5.00 / 4) (#52)
    by Zorba on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:11:19 PM EST
    Sounds a whole like my dad.  No college degree (in fact, dropped out of high school to join the military during World War II, and later got his GED).  Blue-collar worker, who eventually worked his way up to a supervisory position in a steel fabrication plant.  But he was curious and learning, and questioning "conventional wisdom" all his life, and sent all his kids to college (and we all finished, most of us with advanced degrees).  He used to say the exact same thing about the "educated but dumb" person.  My dad had what amounted to a doctorate in "common sense," and it sounds like your dad did, too.  I miss my dad still.  Peace be with you, my sister.

    Parent
    Education doesn't equal intelligence. (5.00 / 3) (#59)
    by Angel on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:28:40 PM EST
    I've always believed that.  My father was a high school graduate who didn't have enough money to attend college, came from an extremely poor family with an alcoholic father and mother.  When he passed away we found his Mensa card among his belongings.  Finding it made me cry because he never told us about it.  

    Parent
    Angel, I know (5.00 / 3) (#68)
    by Zorba on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:38:05 PM EST
    what you are talking about, believe me.  Our dads didn't brag about anything.  They just "did."  And our country is poorer for the loss of people like your dad, my dad, and christinep's dad.

    Parent
    Thank you, Zorba (5.00 / 3) (#66)
    by christinep on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:36:51 PM EST
    Would that they could have met.   It sounds like your Dad, just as mine, engaged life full on from the grit of honest labor to the zest of daily discovery.  (My Dad would take  special pleasure in his bedtime reading of the Dictionary...often seeking out my sister & me to announce a new finding.). They could have laughed, traded stories....

    Parent
    If I didn't know any better, (5.00 / 2) (#71)
    by Zorba on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:42:35 PM EST
    I would almost say that your dad and my dad were the same person!  My dad used to read us stuff from the Encyclopedia, Scientific American, and all kinds of things!  I think our dads would have really liked each other.  

    Parent
    My grandfather was also self-educated and ... (5.00 / 3) (#60)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:32:01 PM EST
    ... rose to the rank of vice president at First Western Bank in California, even though he never had more than a high school diploma. After the Second World War, he became a successful businessman who was an industrial real estate broker in L.A. And my grandmother took over her father's general contracting business after he retired and ran it successfully for 25 years, even though she had to drop out of school after the 9th grade.

    Both of them always had highly inquisitive minds, though, and they were always interested in new things and constantly reading, reading, reading, even into their 90s -- and I think that's the key difference.

    Even the most highly educated people possessing doctorates will be soon stunted, if they fail to maintain those essential elements of curiosity and inquisitiveness in their lives.

    Parent

    Donald, your parents (5.00 / 3) (#82)
    by Zorba on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 04:47:52 PM EST
    sound a lot like my parents.  I truly believe that this country is missing something because we don't seem to be producing enough of the same type of people who have "highly inquisitive minds" and are "always interested in new things and constantly reading, reading, reading."
    Mr. Zorba's mother, too, came from a background with a father and mother who were not educated but hard-working, and she struggled to go to college, and eventually got her doctorate (when Mr. Zorba was in high school, and she was a widow with a kid to support).
    We desperately need more of these types of people in this country.

    Parent
    Mahalo for your kind remarks, even ... (5.00 / 2) (#86)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 05:27:53 PM EST
    ... though I was talking about my grandparents, and not my parents.

    I have an older female friend who is a member of the Hawaii legislature, who when widowed 25 years ago at age 38 decided to return to college at the University of Hawaii, when her eldest daughter graduated high school and left for college herself.

    Five years later, she graduated from the William S. Richardson School of Law at UH, and today has a thriving practice as a real estate and land use attorney, and is recognized for her expertise in environmental law. In the legislature, she is a big proponent of adult education programs, and is a walking example that one is never too old to learn something new or take on new challenges.

    Parent

    Sorry about that, Donald (5.00 / 1) (#87)
    by Zorba on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 05:40:22 PM EST
    But you got what I meant.  Somehow, this country seems to have lost that striving to learn more, educate ourselves, and encourage our kids to educate themselves, without incurring thousands of dollars of debt in the process.  I 'm not too sure that kids today could do what previous generations have done, given the costs of an education now.   In a way, I almost can't blame the current generation for wanting to try and "get theirs now, any way they can".   This is what the current times have called forth, and this is what we seem to be stuck with.

    Parent
    Agreed. (5.00 / 1) (#89)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 05:50:14 PM EST
    It's a shame, really, that the "Greatest Generation" was followed up by the "Greediest Generation," people who proceeded to pull up the drawbridge and set fire to the moat after they got theirs.

    Parent
    Yes (none / 0) (#90)
    by Zorba on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 06:14:42 PM EST
    And isn't that what we are facing now?  And it's not just the generation following the "Greatest Generation," but the subsequent generations.  It is what they have learned, from the media, from the politicians, from the way this country has been going.  It has been a constant drumbeat for a long time now in the the USA.  "Get yours, why you still can, and the he!! with everyone else."
    It is indeed a shame.

    Parent
    Agreed, Romney and his (5.00 / 1) (#65)
    by KeysDan on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:36:21 PM EST
    financials are puzzling.  It is known that he is very rich---and that in and of itself is not a problem for most Americans.  And, with the release of that one complete tax return, it is known that he pays a very low  tax rate, less than 15 percent.   And, he knew he was running for public office, for Pete's sake. So, what's up?   Most of the pundit class starts with--well it's all legal, but....   I think that is a premise that we should not start with after all this otherwise unnecessary secrecy.  In my view, financial privacy and interests are trumped by his candidacy for presidency.

    Parent
    Can you get two separate ratings for this? (5.00 / 2) (#79)
    by sj on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 04:19:16 PM EST
    A "5" for the observation.  A second "5" for the sly, not "plastic fantastic" reference.  Really?  No one else noticed?


    Parent
    My strong hunch is (5.00 / 3) (#111)
    by gyrfalcon on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 11:15:29 PM EST
    that he not only didn't have people going over them with fine-toothed combs but he's kept most of this stuff from his own campaign staff.  They've clearly been flummoxed and late to respond as each of these revelations comes out.

    This guy has such a massive sense of privilege and entitlement, he doesn't believe he has to account to anybody for anything-- not the public, not his own staff, and apparently not even the SEC.

    Parent

    Could be the arrogance (none / 0) (#70)
    by brodie on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:38:31 PM EST
    that comes with privilege for some, or it could be that fairly common human tendency seen in ambitious pols who know that hidden skeleton is their Achilles Heel that is standing in the way of their big goal, and so they contrive in their minds to set it aside for the moment hoping down the road, if it comes up in a big way, a successful way can be found to deal with it.

    Bill did that in1991-2 by not fully disclosing to his campaign chiefs on the philandering stuff.  Eagleton didn't disclose to McG thinking his electroshock therapy wouldn't be a major hindrance to his VP candidacy so no need to bring it up.

    Parent

    Being all too familiar with (5.00 / 1) (#112)
    by gyrfalcon on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 11:20:45 PM EST
    the Mittster from living in Mass. when he was governor, I doubt very much he's hiding any disgraceful skeletons.  I think your first thought is the right one, an overweening sense of privilege and entitlement.

    Parent
    I was suggesting (none / 0) (#127)
    by brodie on Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 07:51:01 AM EST
    financial skeletons -- not paying fed income taxes for years or job killing management activity at Bain or the like, things in the economic realm he knows would be problematic if fully disclosed.  Some pols prefer to keep this info from top campaign staff initially to ensure they get on his team and not go with an opponent, later it becomes an exercise usually in disclosing only the bare minimum sufficient to survive the pressure for full disclosure.  

    Parent
    George W & Mmmitt (none / 0) (#123)
    by weltec2 on Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 03:13:41 AM EST
    Was George W guilty of insider trading before he was elected? Yes. Was he ever formally charged. No.

    These people know that the memory of the people is short. Smoke and a wave of the hand... and it all goes away.

    Parent

    Well, I think Mittens (5.00 / 2) (#33)
    by KeysDan on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 02:21:35 PM EST
    failed your 'wise test' of staying as far away from anything or anyone associated with W.  But, then, Money is people too, my friend-- Dick Cheney hosted a fund-raiser last night for Romney at this Wyoming residence.

    If I had an extra $30,000 I would have liked to have attended just to see the decor which I imagine would have been the handiwork of the interior designer of the Overlook Hotel out of the "Shining."  And, to enjoy the delicious quail and duck along with lively dinner conversations with Cheney's hunting friend, Harry Whittington.

    Parent

    Just a reminder about Deadeye Dick's (5.00 / 1) (#39)
    by scribe on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 02:50:06 PM EST
    quail huntin' prowess - algebraically presented for you.

    Was that really 6 plus years ago?  Remains true - Dick almost blew that other guy's head clean off.

    Parent

    It's a slow news week (none / 0) (#7)
    by jbindc on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 12:59:53 PM EST
    And the pundits have to throw something out there to justify their jobs.

    Parent
    You Forgot the Most Important Two: (none / 0) (#32)
    by ScottW714 on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 02:20:40 PM EST
    1. She has said numerous time she's not interested.
    2. The Romney Camp has said no way.


    Parent
    Condi probably knows some (5.00 / 2) (#5)
    by observed on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 12:50:10 PM EST
    nail ladies. She could help win their votes.

    Condi certainly (5.00 / 1) (#11)
    by fishcamp on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 01:14:44 PM EST
    needs help with her hairdo...

    Parent
    Let the (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by Wile ECoyote on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 01:18:30 PM EST
    sniping begin.  Going to be fun.  

    Parent
    Too many mushroom clouds (none / 0) (#17)
    by jeffinalabama on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 01:43:38 PM EST
    already.

    Parent
    True (none / 0) (#92)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 06:35:04 PM EST
    But the truth won't be over exposed.

    Parent
    True (none / 0) (#93)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 06:35:05 PM EST
    But the truth won't be over exposed.

    Parent
    but in this case your comment will! (5.00 / 1) (#99)
    by DFLer on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 07:47:40 PM EST
    snark

    Parent
    No (none / 0) (#37)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 02:49:16 PM EST
    she doesn't. Apparently you have forgotten that she was running around screaming about a "mushroom cloud" with her hair on fire.

    Parent
    I think Condi is smart enough... (5.00 / 3) (#6)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 12:59:25 PM EST
    to want no part of a losing ticket topped by a Madame Tussaud exhibit.

    Besides, doesn't she want Goodell's job?

    Anybody else amused... (5.00 / 1) (#15)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 01:34:46 PM EST
    by the attempted smear of OWS by the NYPD and the media blowing up all in their faces?  

    Hopefully we'll get answers to some questions raised by this attempted smear...How many samples are they tainting down at the crime lab?  And why is DNA being collected at OWS protest sites? Wouldn't that be a serious waste/misuse of limited city resources?  They wouldn't be trying to intimidate people excercising their first amendment rights, would they?

    On second thought, maybe the smear was a success...it was all over the ticker on Fox on Tuesday, saw it with my own eyes...the corrections/retractions are buried on the website.  6 months from now, what gets remembered?  

    How can OWS (none / 0) (#94)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 06:36:08 PM EST
    get any more smeared than what they did themselves?

    Parent
    OWS.. (none / 0) (#129)
    by jondee on Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 10:03:47 AM EST
    What you you need to remind yourself when you think about OWS Jim, is that these aren't those dirty peacecreeps who stabbed us in the back in 1968..

    I think you get a little confused about that sometimes.

    Parent

    Somewhat rhetorical question: (5.00 / 1) (#137)
    by jondee on Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 12:41:34 PM EST
    Why do some of these "Independents" get so incredibly touchy when people point fingers at Wall Street?

    Is it some pack-reflex, ie, protecting the alpha males and females, who let us feed after they've finish gorging themselves..? (this from the folks who often don't believe in evolution)

    Parent

    After years (none / 0) (#144)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 07:38:19 PM EST
    of personal attacks by jondee and his continual demonstration of an inability to debate the issues I am forced to note that discussing anything with him is not worthwhile. Simply put, he is incapable of a reasoned debate.

    Parent
    After years of you dodging (none / 0) (#149)
    by jondee on Mon Jul 16, 2012 at 03:53:44 PM EST
    ducking and diving over and around legimate questions and observable facts, or twisting them into Limbaugh-Ailes pretzals to fit the conservative talking point of the week, I'm still not letting you get away with it.

    Sorry, Jimmy.

    Parent

    Bad Hemingway impersonation for TL (5.00 / 4) (#19)
    by jeffinalabama on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 01:49:11 PM EST
    "Jeff had a chili dog Friday. And it was good."

    Congratulations, Jeff. (5.00 / 4) (#21)
    by caseyOR on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 01:50:53 PM EST
    Eating a chili dog is certainly a sign that you are on the road to recovery.

    Parent
    TY, Casey. (5.00 / 2) (#24)
    by jeffinalabama on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 01:52:51 PM EST
    It wasn't a life-changing chili dog, but it was a darned good one. I think it will be a long time before I can handle the foot long chili dog again, though...

    I might lose weight in spite of my love of food.

    Parent

    Give it some time... (none / 0) (#30)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 02:06:08 PM EST
    like a prizefighter getting into ring shape, ya gotta work your way towards that foot long, one day at a time.

    My question is were you able to knock back a cold one with that dog or too soon for that?

    Parent

    no cold one, alas, k, (none / 0) (#58)
    by jeffinalabama on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:27:23 PM EST
    I don't know when i might do that again.

    Parent
    Didn't mean to rub it in... (5.00 / 1) (#61)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:32:17 PM EST
    sorry bro.

    Keep the faith, and if you want it, all in good time.

    Parent

    To tell you the truth, (none / 0) (#150)
    by jeffinalabama on Mon Jul 16, 2012 at 07:11:35 PM EST
    I don't miss them...I can't imagine having one now. It anything alcoholic.  I'm drinking some interesting teas, like Assam and gunpowder... health food store carries them in bulk, along with Irish Breakfast and Earl Grey, I'll be getting some of the others, too.

    I didn't know that there is a calendula tea.I love calendulas, so I'll start drying the leaves next year when I grow some.

    Did I mention I had coca leaf tea about 10 years ago? It opened up the lungs, gave energy, and cured within one day soroche (altitude sickness) compounded by smoking way too many cigarettes.

    Parent

    Jeff you need some chocolate gravy (none / 0) (#95)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 06:38:21 PM EST
    to boost your energy level and your spirits!

    Parent
    Mmmmmm, biscuits and chocolate (none / 0) (#151)
    by jeffinalabama on Mon Jul 16, 2012 at 07:12:17 PM EST
    gravy!

    Parent
    While we're talking food, Marion (5.00 / 3) (#36)
    by caseyOR on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 02:43:54 PM EST
    Cunnningham, cook and cookbook writer extraordinaire, died Wednesday. Marion was 90 and had been suffering from Alzheimer's.

    She was quite an American treasure. While my culinary interests are now international and wide-ranging, my first cookbooks were The Joy of Cooking and Marion's revised Fanny Farmer Cookbook. FF gave me a good grounding in traditional American cooking that has served me well.

    She was a contemporary of Julia Child and James Beard and a good friend to both. Like Julia's, Marion's journey to culinary stardom began in her 50s. I take encouragement from that fact as I struggle to find the next challenge and passion in my life.

    RIP, Marion.

    Parent

    My two Fannie Farmer cookbooks, (5.00 / 1) (#46)
    by Anne on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 02:58:54 PM EST
    the original and the Baking Book, have been, with the Joy of Cooking, and Mastering the Art of French Cooking, mainstay culinary reference books for me for decades.

    They are grease- and flour- and gravy- and berry- and lord-knows-what-else- stained, and some of the pages have been known to stick together.  The spines are cracked from use.  I think I love these books like they were members of my family...

    My own cooking experience was helped by coming from a long line of fearless cooks, but for those who didn't,  fearlessness in the kitchen was the gift Cunningham and Child gave to average people.  

    I think I might have to go home tonight and make something from Fannie Farmer for dinner; we'll raise a fork in tribute.

    Parent

    I've had to tape some pages back into (5.00 / 2) (#50)
    by caseyOR on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:07:50 PM EST
    my Fannie Farmer because the broken spine and constant use made them just fall right out.

    Now that peaches are in season I think I will make a batch of Peach Chutney from Fannie Farmer and think of Marion every time I eat some.

    And, for waffle lovers, cook up a batch of Marion's yeast-raised waffles some lazy Sunday morning (maybe for dinner), and relish the deliciousness.

    Parent

    Heh, same here (none / 0) (#114)
    by gyrfalcon on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 11:25:05 PM EST
    I think Fannie is one of the few books worth paying to have rebound, and I may do that someday with my mother's.

    Parent
    Oh, man (none / 0) (#63)
    by Zorba on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:34:11 PM EST
    You are talking about my original mainstays, too.  The only thing that I have been putting off trying is the cassoulet recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  But now that I can order some of the necessary ingredients online, I guess I may have no choice but to attempt it.  (We adore cassoulet, having eaten it in France, and it's really hard to get decent cassoulet in this country.  If anyone has a restaurant to recommend in the DC area that makes really good cassoulet, I'm all ears.)  

    Parent
    Love it! (5.00 / 1) (#43)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 02:54:02 PM EST
    Don't you know that chili dogs run off any bad luck that's heading your way on Friday the 13th. We all should be eating chili dogs today!

    Parent
    Hahaha! (5.00 / 1) (#64)
    by lilburro on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:34:27 PM EST
    Good news about Jeff and a Hemingway joke!  Good day.

    (Hemingway makes my eyes roll more often than not, I am sure I'm not alone on that.  It was nice seeing him in "Midnight in Paris" but it did reinforce for me that I find him unbearable)

    Parent

    And on the fifth day, God said: (5.00 / 4) (#76)
    by Mr Tuxedo on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:56:54 PM EST
    "Let Jeff have a chili dog." And God saw that it was good.

    Parent
    Next sentence (5.00 / 1) (#80)
    by Dadler on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 04:34:31 PM EST
    "It was not as good as drinking absinthe or shooting a hippo, but it was good nonetheless. Also, Jeff thought to himself that perhaps he would never shave again. Not even his ears."

    Chili Dog is your new nickname. Word.

    Peace out and get your healing on.

    Parent

    Since we already have a "kdog," we (5.00 / 3) (#84)
    by Anne on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 05:15:27 PM EST
    could go with "Chili D;" has kind of a nice ring to it!

    Parent
    Chili D. I like it. (5.00 / 3) (#104)
    by caseyOR on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 09:22:49 PM EST
    And it is an excellent pirate monicker. Now, when I want the attention of the crew I can just say, "Hey, dogs,"  and both of them will respond.

    Excellent.

    Parent

    And, for adventures on the high seas, (none / 0) (#105)
    by Anne on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 10:29:49 PM EST
    you could switch it up to "C. Dog," which seems pretty appropriate!

    Parent
    Next one (none / 0) (#106)
    by SuzieTampa on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 10:30:22 PM EST
    "But then he saw his new nurse."

    Parent
    I'm gonna make some chili (5.00 / 1) (#108)
    by nycstray on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 10:55:47 PM EST
    in your honor tomorrow. I may not be able to do the dog part myself, but Roxy! * will as I have some turkey dogs in the freezer for her training :)

    *after bath pic :)

    Parent

    I don't recall seeing this information before, but (5.00 / 1) (#128)
    by Angel on Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 08:51:39 AM EST
    why does Roxy! have the ! after her name?  

    She is a gorgeous dog, and that's a great pic in the sunshine and the gardens.  

    Parent

    Thanks! (5.00 / 1) (#131)
    by nycstray on Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 11:50:31 AM EST
    I added the ! because she lives life like it is an !  :) She's certainly not a subtle pup, lol!~

    Parent
    Condi Rice is a political hush puppy. (5.00 / 7) (#23)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 01:52:32 PM EST
    Floating her name out there is merely an attempt by the Republicans to distract the public and the media from Romney's ever-growing Bain controversy.

    Frankly, Romney's found himself in a bit of a political bind, thanks to successive investigative stories in Vanity Fair, the Washington Post and now the Boston Globe regarding the nature of business practices and continued ties with Bain Capital, post-Feb. 1999, long after Romney claimed to have "retired" from that firm.

    For years, he's been allowed to get away with having it both ways, but now that he's running for the presidency, someone's finally called him out on his double-talk. Indeed, how exactly can Romney be listed in numerous SEC filings, post-Feb. 1999, as "sole shareholder, chairman, chief executive officer and president" of Bain Capital and continue to draw millions of dollars in compensation, yet not be responsible for Bain Capital's business practices and behavior during that period?

    And now that the Romney campaign's come out with ads explicitly calling the president a liar, it's pretty apparent that the Obama campaign is drawing blood with its line of attack and that Romney is feeling increasingly boxed in by the Bain controversy. The polls are starting to show some significant separation between Obama and Romney not only nationally, but in key battleground states. This particular exchange could very well be the pivotal moment in the campaign.

    Further, if Romney is still resisting the growing number of calls from his Republican supporters to release more of his tax returns, even as he's getting hammered in the media over his business resume, that's a pretty good indication that there's obviously something in them that will badly undercut his previous statements and denials about his business dealings and practices, the sort of stuff which he definitely does not want the public to see and know.

    Therefore, I predict that Romney's going to be dropping a money bomb very shortly, in an effort to shout down and drown out the Democrats. If it doesn't work, he'll probably be a dead man walking by the time of the GOP convention, and the cash-flush Republican PACs will begin to turn their primary attention to the down-ticket races in Congress.

    Aloha.

    I get (none / 0) (#40)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 02:50:55 PM EST
    the impression that he may have "offically" retired but continues to collect on a "golden parachute" for doing absolutely nothing. This is political dynamite if true.

    Parent
    Romney claims he "retired"... (5.00 / 3) (#53)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:14:05 PM EST
    ...  in Feb. 1999 to move to Salt Lake City to take charge of running the 2002 Winter Olympics.

    But Massachusetts Democrats challenged his state residency when he returned to Boston in 2002 after the Olympics to run for governor, and Romney successfully argued to the MA Ballot Law Commission that he had maintained his status as a legal state resident, citing his state tax returns and continued involvement in several of Bain Capital's ongoing business initiatives, such as Staples Corp. and Marriot International.

    That 2002 testimony is coming back to bite him.

    Parent

    Just FYI (5.00 / 2) (#115)
    by gyrfalcon on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 11:30:52 PM EST
    the Romney testimony is significant, but the Mass. Ballot Law Commission is a total joke-- hacks appointed by the governor, which when Romney ran was a Republican. (ask me how I know...)

    Parent
    And it's getting worse. (5.00 / 1) (#74)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:46:55 PM EST
    Now the media has unearthed documents filed with the SEC from 1999 to 2001, which were signed by Romney as head of Bain Capital.

    The Romney campaign has hastily scheduled the candidate for interviews with five networks today. That's a clear sign of panic mode.

    Parent

    He said nothing new (5.00 / 1) (#116)
    by gyrfalcon on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 11:32:41 PM EST
    in those interviews.

    And FWIW, I have now heard/read numerous people familiar with the corporate world say that keeping his name/signature on this stuff after he ceased having any role would not be in the least unusual.

    At this point, I couldn't care less about being "fair" about it.  Hit him on it for all it's worth.

    Parent

    it also is a (2.00 / 1) (#126)
    by jbindc on Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 07:13:36 AM EST
    Distraction ftom having to talk about the dismal economy.

    Parent
    Agree on the Romney (none / 0) (#54)
    by brodie on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:14:10 PM EST
    attempts at diversion, and they also might continue stonewalling figuring these are the dog days of summer and no one except the punditariat is paying attention.

    And if the Ds are smart and continue hammering him, Romney will at least be forced into modified limited hangout mode, coughing up another year of taxes, but not much more, and maybe a semi-backtrack semi-mea culpa about the confusion over those Lost Years at Bain, enough to perhaps tamp down some of the media passion. A stall might work as the political chatterers get impatient for a new angle to speculate about -- like say more discussion of his VP pick.

    Frankly I'm skeptical Ds will be able to hold Romney to a full financial accounting.  Usually the Rs get away with the stonewall/MLH, unless it's Nixon.  Sunny, blessed Romney is a lot luckier and less obviously a crook than the dark, shifty eyed Trickster.

    In the end therefore he will ride this one out and have the mo going into his convention.  And it will not matter much come November.  He just strikes me as someone who rarely is denied what he wants, Teddy in 1994 and McCain being the exceptions.  

    Parent

    Do you mean Teddy in 1980? (5.00 / 1) (#57)
    by caseyOR on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:22:01 PM EST
    I'm pretty well-versed in Kennedy lore, but I can't figure what major desire Ted was denied in 1994.

    As to Mitt and Bain antics-- this could be an albatross around Mitt's neck if, and only if, Obama and the Dems really use it, and refuse to let up. Sadly, I have not seen that kind of determined and unrelenting attack-mode from Obama and the Dems. Well, except when Obama goes after his own base.

    Will Obama go after Mitt with the save zeal he displayed against Hillary? I don't know.He has been remarkably unwilling to maintain consistent attacks on the GOP.

    Parent

    I think brodie meant ... (5.00 / 1) (#67)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:38:01 PM EST
    ... that Romney's desires were thwarted by Ted in 1994.

    And I share your concerns about Democrats collectively being able to sustain this line of attack without tripping over themselves. We are a remarkably undisciplined party when it comes to messaging, and it shows.

    Parent

    Yep re Ted. (none / 0) (#77)
    by brodie on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 04:05:18 PM EST
    As to Ds, it's not just the lack of party discipline but the unwillingness of too many to engage aggressively in the political fight, lest they be tagged as a dirty or negative campaigner by the Beltway media.  

    Or if our pols do reluctantly decide to fight they bring wildly insufficient means with which to win -- usually a butterknife brought to a scheduled gunfight.

    Parent

    No, he's talking about (none / 0) (#117)
    by gyrfalcon on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 11:34:10 PM EST
    Romney's failure to unseat Ted in the Senate race in Mass. in '94.

    Parent
    As you're undoubtedly aware (none / 0) (#143)
    by NYShooter on Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 06:44:00 PM EST
    The election will come down to influencing a relatively small sliver of voters. Since each sides begins with approximately 40% of rock solid supporters "O's" emphases has to be on those few undecideds.  It should also be noted that his strategy would be wise to not only get a majority of the undecideds to vote for him, but also to dissuade some currently weak Romney leaners from voting altogether.

    With that in mind, what is the make-up of that target group? I hope it's not being elitist to believe they're a lower education, lower involvement, and lower socio-economic group. Therefore, I wonder how much of an impact it would make by exposing Romney's intricate, and complicated involvement in Bain during the time he claims he wasn't. I think it would mostly sail over the heads of the group we're trying to influence.

    But, the visceral, and graphic, images of plant closings, together with thousands of worker firings, could, and I believe, would, work wonders in actually getting voters to take action.

    If Obama could put together a campaign showing the difference between these two millionaires (Link) I think it could decide the election. It would highlight the idea that there's absolutely nothing wrong with becoming very rich, but there's a right way, and a wrong way, to do it.  

    Parent

    And, that is what Bain is all about (5.00 / 1) (#145)
    by christinep on Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 08:40:24 PM EST
    Was this guy (Romney) hurting workers, was he being fair, was he out for greed regardless of what happened to them & their neighbors....?  Why else to you think the argument has an Armageddon-like quality?  People--like my relatives in PA--are not dumb, despite their level of formal education or not--ultimately they know when they are being had.  So, was Romney finagling everyone & taking all the money to boot...people, formally educated or not, don't like it when they smell that kind of rodent.  That is what Bain--at its essence--is all about.

    Parent
    It IS elitist (none / 0) (#148)
    by jbindc on Mon Jul 16, 2012 at 07:26:24 AM EST
    There are many people who are undecided who are not "low information" or uneducated or lower socio-economics.  They are professional people who (many) supported Obama in 2008, but are now looking at him and thinking about at least looking at Romney and giving him a chance.  Or, more likely, not voting at all, as they are very unhappy with either choice.

    To assume that people who haven't drunk the kool-aid are not informed is extremely elitist.

    Parent

    Okay, that's enough politics for me today. (5.00 / 1) (#98)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 07:37:43 PM EST
    It's 5:30 p.m. on late and somewhat cloudy (and quite chilly) Friday afternoon in San Francisco, and we're headed out to meet our friends for drinks at someplace I've never been before, the Rogue Ales Public House -- it has a fun name, so it must be good -- over on Powell and Union, before going to dinner at my favorite family-style Italian restaurant, the Sausage Factory over in the Castro. Ciao!

    I was in the city for lunch (none / 0) (#103)
    by Dadler on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 08:31:21 PM EST
    You ain't kiddin', it was freezing. Isn't any better ten minutes down the peninsula at our house either. Mark Twain was right. Have fun eating and drinking and being merry. Peace.

    Parent
    Quote of the Day: (5.00 / 4) (#100)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 08:02:41 PM EST
    George H.W. Bush: "The rigidity of those pledges is something I don't like. The circumstances change and you can't be wedded to some formula by Grover Norquist. It's -- who the hell is Grover Norquist, anyway?" (Emphasis is mine.)

    That just cracked me up this AM (5.00 / 1) (#107)
    by nycstray on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 10:39:09 PM EST
    when I saw the quote :)

    Hope you enjoy your SF stay! I'm a few degrees warmer here, but D@mn if it doesn't feel a bit SF-ish here tonight. But I'll take it, great sleeping weather and no work tomorrow! :D

    Parent

    Zorba husband and Zorba son (5.00 / 2) (#101)
    by Zorba on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 08:03:15 PM EST
    just came back from the Bay, where they went out with our favorite captain, and brought home sea trout and striper.  It will be a late dinner, but good.  Sea trout tonight, and I am marinating the striper so Mr. Zorba can smoke it in the smoker tomorrow.  More sea trout is now in the freezer for later.
    And green beans and potatoes from our garden as sides.

    Utterly green with envy (5.00 / 2) (#118)
    by gyrfalcon on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 11:36:04 PM EST


    Parent
    Not meaning to rub it in, (5.00 / 1) (#119)
    by Zorba on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 11:54:00 PM EST
    But the trout was good.  Really, really good.  Nothing like absolutely fresh fish.

    Parent
    Once in my life (5.00 / 1) (#121)
    by gyrfalcon on Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 12:10:06 AM EST
    only once, I had grilled fresh caught lake trout.  I thought I was gonna die, and I'm not a big fan of fish.

    What they do to make those farmed trout in supermarkets I can't even imagine.  Tasteless at best, often bad-tasting.

    Parent

    The solution to your problem is to (5.00 / 4) (#122)
    by observed on Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 01:33:24 AM EST
    eat more tilapia.
    That will improve the taste of the trout.

    Parent
    My dad was (5.00 / 4) (#135)
    by sj on Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 12:12:41 PM EST
    a brook trout fisherman.  I have no doubt it was a challenge for him with 5 kids who wanted to wade in the streams and creeks where he was trying to fish.  Eventually a couple of my brothers joined him in his fishing, but my sister and I never got the bug and continued to plague their efforts.

    I didn't mind eating them, though.  And since we didn't contribute to the catching, the cleaning was up to us.  I got pretty efficient at it -- I wonder if I could do it now.  

    But boy, those were good meals.  A few potatoes baked in the camp fire and fish just dipped in flour with salt and pepper then grilled or fried.  Mom brought lemons, but she was pretty much the only one who liked them that way.

    It spoiled me for restaurant trout dishes, though.  It often looks right when you see it on the plate, but tasteless is the right description.

    Parent

    A male brook trout (5.00 / 2) (#136)
    by jondee on Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 12:29:42 PM EST
    from a wild stream, in his early-spring spawning colors, is an amazingly beautiful fish..

    I used to fish for them in some hidden streams tucked away in the Catskills..

    Parent

    I love to fish and have had some of my most (5.00 / 1) (#139)
    by Angel on Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 04:55:24 PM EST
    glorious experiences casting for trout on the Bitterroot in Montana.  Catch and release, of course.  And I love catching the big halibut and salmon in Alaska.  Nothing like being on the water with a fishing pole in my hand on a beautifully sunny day.

    Parent
    Stop!! (5.00 / 1) (#146)
    by gyrfalcon on Sun Jul 15, 2012 at 12:52:44 PM EST
    You're making me drool into my keyboard! (groan...)

    Parent
    Get a tablet (5.00 / 1) (#147)
    by Zorba on Sun Jul 15, 2012 at 01:12:10 PM EST
    Then you'll only drool onto your screen.       ;-)

    Parent
    Zorba, those stripers (5.00 / 2) (#140)
    by fishcamp on Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 05:01:00 PM EST
    were sent out to SF from Boston by train back in the 20's as smolts. Well smolts are baby salmon;  actually I don't know the word for baby striped bass.  Many migrated North and I caught one in Coos Bay, Oregon in 1948 while surf fishing for perch.  My dad was a traveling salesman and our family was camping by the ocean while dad was working.  Boy oh boy was he surprised when he got back to our camp and I had a 30lb. Striper.  I'd post a photo of it but I'm still struggling with how to do it on a Mac.  BTW if anybody wants to come out and catch and cook fresh fish I know where they live :)

    Parent
    No. (5.00 / 2) (#102)
    by Addison on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 08:11:43 PM EST
    No.

    She's pro-choice.

    This is just to change the topic from Bain.

    Anyone who gets wrapped up in the "VP Condi" thing is wasting their time.

    Turned my first copy in last night (5.00 / 3) (#130)
    by Militarytracy on Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 11:28:13 AM EST
    It was exciting, much learning...I was writing and knew my deadline but did not get the chance to look at the format asked for until after I hit send on my writing.  What a ginormous flubbyflopathon :)  I was not a journalism student?  Spent last night looking for images, I need images.  Reading reading reading copyright laws.  Okay, I need images that are MINE. Not many images out there for war on women, I finally found one to buy.  So I was sitting there thinking about all the images that I wish I had, with this digital reflex camera next to me and a daughter and a friend who are great amateur photographers.  I know, I'm slow sometimes.  I am going to have THE BEST TIME EVAH making some images!!!!

    Les Citoyens! de Celebrer! (5.00 / 2) (#132)
    by caseyOR on Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 11:58:36 AM EST
    Au jourd'hui est jour de la Bastille!

    My French is worse than rusty. Hopefully, you all get the message. Happy Bastille Day!.

    Break out the baguettes and brie. Pop open the champagne. Today we are free.

    I'm good with any day that (5.00 / 2) (#133)
    by Militarytracy on Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 12:03:04 PM EST
    says that I must have champagne :)

    Parent
    God I hate Ali Velshi (5.00 / 1) (#134)
    by Militarytracy on Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 12:08:37 PM EST
    God I hate Ali Velshi, did I mention by the way that I think Ali Velshi is a kind of plague?  He's a bane from the Bain place.  Yes, the guy on CNN that some people take economic advice and investing advice from just announced that the economy is thinking about taking another dive in his opinion.

    Gee, when did he come to that insightful conclusion?  This is the same guy who argued that we should all be excited about and buy facebook. And he told me that facebook was going to decide what I buy and what I do with my life.  I would base all my buying decisions off of what my friends do.  Has he seen my wall?  The only thing that happens is Conservatives show up to fight with me, and let me know that I make Jesus cry.

    Ali Velshi is stupider than (5.00 / 1) (#138)
    by observed on Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 02:14:40 PM EST
    any past, current, or future offshoots of the Russert gene tree.
    He's amazingly dumb.


    Parent
    It's a jail day for me... (none / 0) (#1)
    by unitron on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 12:30:29 PM EST
    Well, at least they're letting you serve out your sentence just on weekends.

    : - )

    Condie (none / 0) (#9)
    by friendofinnocence on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 01:12:08 PM EST
    Condie would be perfect, although she has said over and over she isn't interested.  I would love to see her debate Biden.  Because I'm just a guest here at "TalkLeft", I'll leave it at that.

    I've said it before and I'll say it again... (5.00 / 2) (#16)
    by jeffinalabama on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 01:42:10 PM EST
    the position of university Provost translates in most languages to "Dark Lord of the Sith."

    Parent
    A debate between Biden and Rice... (5.00 / 2) (#18)
    by jeffinalabama on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 01:46:26 PM EST
    "Nobody could have foreseen" too many events that most everyone in position to foresee, foresaw. Except her, Dick Cheney, and GW.

    Parent
    DIdn't you know that (5.00 / 3) (#25)
    by observed on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 01:58:48 PM EST
    Lord Palpatine was an accomplished piano player? His Brahms intermezzi are very sensitive.


    Parent
    Hey, no kidding, jeff (5.00 / 1) (#27)
    by Zorba on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 02:01:28 PM EST
    We know many people in academia (a lot of them very close friends), and Mr. Zorba has been involved in academia, too.  "Provost" is not the word that leaps immediately to mind as "friend of the faculty."  At least, as far as most of the faculty is concerned.   ;-)
    And congrats on the chili dog, my brother!  And may many more follow, my brother!

    Parent
    Funny (5.00 / 3) (#41)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 02:52:11 PM EST
    I think a debate with Biden and Condi would be great comedy. I would love to hear Condi make excuse after excuse for the Bush Administration.

    Parent
    And that lovely frown (5.00 / 2) (#113)
    by gyrfalcon on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 11:22:46 PM EST
    of hers that really makes her look like a Klingon.

    Parent
    DirecTV (none / 0) (#20)
    by ScottW714 on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 01:49:18 PM EST
    Viacom raised it's prices by 30% TO DirecTV and they are disputing it which leaves me without my favorite station, Comedy Central.  A blackout is occurring for about 20 stations.

    This really ticks me off, I am under contract with DirecTV for a certain station list for a certain price for a certain time period.  Now they are acting like it's my problem they can't get a deal worked out.

    I would say half my TV watching is Comedy Central, they are killing me.

    You're not the only one. (5.00 / 1) (#42)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 02:53:55 PM EST
    Our local cable provider Oceanic Time Warner has recently been making all sorts of changes out here, to the growing consternation of its customer base. They removed two of the four ESPN channels and Comedy Central from its standard cable package, so now if you want to see them, you have to upgrade to Oceanic TW's digital package, which is $20 more per month.

    And people are now in an big uproar because the other night, without a word, Oceanic TW yanked the local ABC affiliate KITV from its offerings and replaced it with the Hallmark Channel, due to its dispute with KITV's owners Hearst Television over -- you guessed it -- money.

    This was on the same night that KITV was hosting a pivotal debate for the Honolulu mayoral race, which has become a really heated local political campaign because of Mayor Peter Carlisle's continued plans to ram a $6 billion elevated heavy-rail network through, even in the face of mounting public opposition to the proposed project. As a result, nobody was able to see the debate, and people are angry.

    Mayor Carlisle's obstinacy and public a$$holery provoked former Democratic Gov. Ben Cayetano to throw his hat into the ring three months ago, and suddenly Carlisle finds himself in third place in a three-way race, 23 points down in the polls to front-runner Cayetano with only four weeks to go before the Aug. 11 non-partisan primary. And if Cayetano gets over 50% on Aug. 11, which is now a very distinct possibility, then the race is over, he's elected and there won't be a November run-off.

    Parent

    Wel, of course, it's Time-Warner Cable... (5.00 / 3) (#48)
    by unitron on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:04:53 PM EST
    The corporate motto is "be evil"

    Parent
    You got that right. (none / 0) (#62)
    by Angel on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:33:07 PM EST


    Parent
    Not to Side with the Devil... (none / 0) (#81)
    by ScottW714 on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 04:43:26 PM EST
    ...but of all those fockers, Time Warner is the one I least hated, maybe even liked.  But they are no longer an option.  Beyond this BS, DirecTV is pretty descent.

    Worse ever, TV Max.  They were in an apartment complex I moved into, one of the competition zones and I had no choice and the apartment people forgot to tell until after I signed the lease.  I had just bought a gigantic HDTV and not one HD channel and the is was more expensive than my former T Warner.

    Parent

    I have the (5.00 / 1) (#44)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 02:56:22 PM EST
    same problem. DirecTV should a least give us a price break for not having those stations because we are paying for something we are not getting.

    Oh, and my 11 year old is livid because he can't get Nick.


    Parent

    Sounds like (none / 0) (#22)
    by jeffinalabama on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 01:51:03 PM EST
    a possible way to get out of the contract. Might be worth a trip to small-claims court.

    Parent
    I'd say debit your remittance... (none / 0) (#26)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 02:01:27 PM EST
    for the shortage of programming, but I'm sure DirecTV covered their arse in the fine print, and they can afford more and better lawyers than you...you'd just cause yourself credit problems.  

    Ya just can't win...

    Parent

    I Have No Doubt (none / 0) (#31)
    by ScottW714 on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 02:17:37 PM EST
    Plus I like them, or rather, like the Presidential election, they are the lessor of two evils.

    And this year they are offering their NFL package for two bills, so beyond a moderate irritation, I'll stick around.  My issues with Comcast run far deeper.

    Parent

    I hear ya... (5.00 / 1) (#34)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 02:24:05 PM EST
    Viacom is probably the greater greed-monger here....they've had these disputes with several cable tv providers the last few years.

    A 30% hike?  The programming ain't 30% better imo.  Who do they think they are, asking for a huge raise for the same sh*t, a health insurance company?

    Parent

    overnight delivery (5.00 / 1) (#47)
    by unitron on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:02:12 PM EST
    "Who do they think they are, asking for a huge raise for the same sh*t, a health insurance company?"

    Tell the fedex guy to just leave my new keyboard behind the screen door.

    Parent

    It's not (none / 0) (#45)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 02:58:10 PM EST
    just Viacom. It's also Fox. When I had Dish Network they got in a fight with Fox. Of course, i could have cared less about that one since I don't watch Fox.

    Parent
    When I had Dish... (none / 0) (#49)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:07:45 PM EST
    they we're beefing with Viacom, too funny.

    Unfortunately I had to leave Dish, not because of the service, which I found satisfactory plus, but because of the trees in my yard.  They grew too tall and thick, f*cked with the signal.  And I like trees more than Dish;)

    Parent

    we were going to switch (5.00 / 1) (#125)
    by TeresaInPa on Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 06:27:39 AM EST
    from dish to direct tv, to get the new customer prices for a year.  But the guy came out and told us we would either have the receiver way out in the (five acre) yard or cut down a maple tree.  We are still with dish.

    Parent
    We left (none / 0) (#51)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:09:57 PM EST
    dish because they had terrible service. I told my husband if I ever think about getting them again to have my head examined.

    Parent
    Really? (5.00 / 1) (#55)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:15:05 PM EST
    I had a problem with a box once, I found the tech support staff more helpful and knowledgeable than most.  When we couldn't troubleshoot the thing and get it going, they sent a new one next day air no charge no questions asked.  And when the trees caused the signal problem they sent techs out asap to try and reposition it, though to no avail.

    My only complaint was when I cancelled, they wanted their dish back, and wanted me to uninstall it off the roof.  I told the guy, if you want it, you can send a tech to come and get it, off the roof.  It's still there;)  

    Parent

    The tech (none / 0) (#78)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 04:11:47 PM EST
    people were fine. It was just the "regular" customer service people. When we moved they said in order to keep us as customers they would not charge us a fee for moving the dish. Oh, wow/not. Then we had some other problems and they just kept giving up a load of bull and then the you have to get up on the roof and remove the dish thing was just the straw that broke the camel's back. I'm surprised they didn't send you a huge bill for the dish because they did that to us because we didn't send it back quick enough.

    Parent
    Dish are germs (none / 0) (#141)
    by fishcamp on Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 05:17:22 PM EST
    down here in the Keys.  They send reps down from Miami to scope out the situation but they are really casing the location.  Three Dish people on my street had stuff stolen by the instalers.  If my Direct TV bill goes up I will be very upset.  I love their six or eight screen for tennis and NFL.

    Parent
    TPM pointed out ... (none / 0) (#72)
    by magster on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 03:45:19 PM EST
    that Mitt vowed in the primaries to not have a VP that was pro-choice. Condi is a red herring.

    For any fan of the Hitler downfall parody videos.. (none / 0) (#85)
    by magster on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 05:20:08 PM EST
    .. this is an interesting article.

    Actually has the original clip which I was looking for for a while. This link was put in a Kos comment about "how long before someone posts a Mitt didn't leave Bain in 1999 after all" Hitler parody.

    F it.. I give up trying to register on the forums (none / 0) (#88)
    by firstfall on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 05:41:43 PM EST


    OMara Files Motion ... (none / 0) (#91)
    by heidelja on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 06:33:05 PM EST
    ...to disqualify Kenneth Lester here1 and here2.

    The Orlando Sentinel states... (none / 0) (#96)
    by heidelja on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 06:41:54 PM EST
    Under state law, a judge is generally required to step aside if one of the parties demonstrates that, based on a judge's actions, words or background, a reasonably prudent person would fear he could not get a fair trial. Lester will rule on the motion. Prosecutors said they will object to his disqualification.

    Zimmerman's attorneys say that Lester went too far when he wrote, "Under any definition, the defendant has flouted the system," a reference to Zimmerman making no effort to correct statements by his wife, Shellie, at an April 20 bond hearing that the couple was broke.

    I agree.

    Parent

    Flouted (none / 0) (#97)
    by Dadler on Fri Jul 13, 2012 at 07:27:14 PM EST
    All comes down to a word.  And that Lester will rule on the motion to recuse himself?  Um...

    Parent
    yes (none / 0) (#124)
    by TeresaInPa on Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 06:23:07 AM EST
    I agree also.  If I were GZ in that media rush to judgement, not knowing where or how my family was going to live, I am not sure how I would have reacted.  GZ made a mistake but the judge got way too bent out of shape.
    GZ may have thought of that money as for his defense, not necessarily for bail or living expenses etc....

    Parent
    Lester the arrester... (none / 0) (#142)
    by fishcamp on Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 06:41:41 PM EST


    Friday Open Thread | 151 comments (151 topical)

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