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Friday Open Thread

I'm glad the weekend is almost here, but I have a lot of work to do so it will be tonight before I stop in again.

Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

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    Google Self-Driving Car... (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by ScottW714 on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 09:06:47 AM EST
    ...gets pulled over.

    I like the idea, but damn:

    The officer in Mountain View, California, noticed traffic backing up behind the prototype vehicle, which was traveling 24 mph in a 35 mph zone, the force said.

    Hey Google, we don't need vehicles making traffic worse.

    But the real question, when does the first cop over-react, taser, beat, and shoot an autonomous vehicle for non-compliance ?

    PIC


    Depends.... (5.00 / 1) (#72)
    by ruffian on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 02:14:45 PM EST
    But the real question, when does the first cop over-react, taser, beat, and shoot an autonomous vehicle for non-compliance ?

    ...on the color of the car

    Parent

    Red cars are trouble makers (5.00 / 1) (#88)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 03:17:27 PM EST
    Way off topic (5.00 / 1) (#165)
    by MO Blue on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 08:01:53 AM EST
    What do you think the chances are for this happening?

    The conservative Republican governor of Alabama, a Deep South state where "Obamacare" is often reviled, said Thursday that his administration is mulling an expansion of the state's Medicaid program under the federal health care law.

    Gov. Robert Bentley, a dermatologist turned governor, emphasized that he was in the exploratory stages -- and said funding the state's share of costs could be a stumbling block -- but his comments were the strongest to date about the possible acceptance of expansion dollars in the deeply red, high-poverty state.


    Parent
    Okay, this is funny as heck to me (none / 0) (#7)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 09:21:56 AM EST
    Each film of someone being tased to death has a deja vu feel too. It seems like it's always three really fat officers standing calmly around someone on the ground that they are tasing to death. What in the hell is up with that?

    If they weren't so fat and breathless would they/could they come up with some different solutions? Something less physically, mentally, and emotionally detached. They look like little kids who aren't fully emotionally developed yet setting a cat on fire.

    Parent

    Funny... (5.00 / 1) (#34)
    by ScottW714 on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 11:19:37 AM EST
    ...I thinking more like Office Space when they take to the printer.

    Here is the actual pic of the officer and car.

    I can just see cops yelling 'Get the F out of the car !!", guns drawn and moving closer, when they realize no one is there, they take out their batons just to teach it a lesson it won't soon forget.

    Parent

    I was thinking exactly the same thing (none / 0) (#10)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 09:28:27 AM EST
    Watching the Linwood Lambert video.   A bunch of fat rather dim looking cops standing in a circle all tasing a man laying on the sidewalk.  Always looking sort of bored and lackadaisical.   Like, ho hum, another day at the office.  You expect one to be eating a doughnut.

    Parent
    Yup (none / 0) (#11)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 09:29:25 AM EST
    I Am Curious... (none / 0) (#53)
    by ScottW714 on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 12:44:43 PM EST
    ...if getting pulled over was logic built into the car's program or if a human had to intervene and pull over for the police.

    They say there is a person in that car, but where, I don't see anything that resembles a person or a place for a person to fit.  

    Parent

    The streets of Delaware are safe once again :-) (5.00 / 1) (#18)
    by MO Blue on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 09:55:33 AM EST
    Rogue Emu Captured After 60 Days On The Run In Delaware

    An emu on the run for more than 60 days has prompted lockdowns at two elementary schools in Delaware.

    The runaway emu was spotted Monday near Spring Meadow Elementary School and Old State Elementary School, leading to a "soft lockdown" at both schools. Officials sent a letter alerting parents and saying students remained inside while normal activity continued.

    Delaware Department of Agriculture spokesman Daniel Shortridge says no one is sure who owns the bird. Over the last week, authorities have received a growing number of calls from people who have spotted the bird or come close to hitting it.
    Link



    Thank god (5.00 / 1) (#21)
    by jbindc on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 10:25:44 AM EST
    Delaware isn't THAT far away.  Who knows what this rogue emu could have had planned?

    :)

    Parent

    I (5.00 / 1) (#22)
    by FlJoe on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 10:29:10 AM EST
    suspect ties to terrorism, that emu should be shipped straight to gitmo.

    Parent
    I know that this story sounds funny, but ... (none / 0) (#36)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 11:26:49 AM EST
    ... while emus are normally docile and inquisitive creatures, they can become aggressive birds when startled or angered. A grown emu will weigh up to 150 pounds and stand at nearly 6 feet tall so given that size, a child would be no match for it in an aggressive confrontation, hence the school lockdown.

    Why anyone would want an emu for a pet, I'll never know, because they need lots of room, can run up to 40 mph and can leap up to five feet from a standing position. Most likely, the bird escaped from a farm. Emus are raised in captivity for their eggs, meat and hide. At least it wasn't its Australian cousin the cassowary, which is an unpredictable and temperamental big bird, and has been known to attack and seriously injure humans when provoked.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    You know Donald (5.00 / 2) (#116)
    by MO Blue on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 06:22:25 PM EST
    sometimes too much information can ruin a good joke.

    Parent
    Oh, really? (none / 0) (#148)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 01:59:38 AM EST
    As long as people don't start raising (none / 0) (#46)
    by jondee on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 12:06:54 PM EST
    cassowaries..

    Cassowaries are to emus what poorly-raised pit bulls are to golden retrievers..

    Parent

    A few years back a friend started raising them (none / 0) (#87)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 03:15:07 PM EST
    he was kicked in the ribs by one...evidently they are very territorial at some point... one broke and 5 cracked ribs later he liquidated his holdings..

    Parent
    A win for religious liberty (5.00 / 1) (#104)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 04:24:02 PM EST

    Pastafarian wins the religious right to wear spaghetti colander in MA state ID picture

    A member of the atheist spoof religion Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster has won the right to wear a spaghetti colander on her head in her driver's license photo, according to the American Humanist Association.



    I love it.. (5.00 / 1) (#147)
    by jondee on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 01:36:11 AM EST
    Trump performs a demolition on Carson while convincing the fundamentalists that he's demonic for doing so, thereby creating deep, disorienting fissures in the wingnut coalition..

    Cracking the cracked, as it were..

    I'm really starting to warm up to Donald's narcissistic, scorched earth "if I can't have it, no one will" schtick..

    Welcome (none / 0) (#153)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 05:16:59 AM EST
    to the club that Howdy and I are already members of. Perhaps MT too.

    Parent
    Donald asks the central question (none / 0) (#1)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 08:14:04 AM EST
    HOW STUPID ARE THESE PEOPLE???

    Washington (CNN)Donald Trump on Thursday told Iowa's voters that those who support Ben Carson are "stupid" to believe the "crap" that is his life story, part of a stunning 95-minute tirade that included his most aggressive attack yet on his closest competitor.



    Trump (none / 0) (#2)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 08:22:29 AM EST
    apparently does not understand that evangelicals are very gullible people.

    Parent
    Oh (5.00 / 3) (#3)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 08:32:16 AM EST
    My guess is Donald has a solid working grasp of "gullible"

    Parent
    Haha (none / 0) (#4)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 09:01:13 AM EST
    yeah, you're right. However this rant is apparently all over the news. It's kind of funny because Trump does have a point when it comes to Carson.

    Parent
    It's dead on (none / 0) (#6)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 09:13:30 AM EST
    And hilarious.  The irony of the gullibility of Donalds own supporters notwithstanding.  
    It's also smart.
    He just called Iowa republicans stupid.  And he is correct.   They are totally stupid.  They consistently for decades have chosen the stupidest candidate in the field.  Buchanan, Huckabee, Santorum.  He seems to agree with what I said weeks ago.   Carson will will Iowa.   So what.   They are idiots.

    It's actually really refreshing to hear a republican candidate say so.

    Parent

    This (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by CST on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 09:26:29 AM EST
    "It's actually really refreshing to hear a republican candidate say so."

    Is the entire Donald Trump appeal to someone who doesn't hate Mexicans.

    Parent

    Exactly (none / 0) (#12)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 09:31:09 AM EST
    IMO this is for the Donald supporters who are not stupid hicks.   The ones smart enough to know Carson supporters are stupid hicks.

    Parent
    Yeah (5.00 / 1) (#9)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 09:27:43 AM EST
    He promises you, he knows more about ISIS than the Generals do.

    Exactly which Generals Donald. Can I get some names you lunatic?

    I admire his use of pathological. He says it a little bit like a cheerleader. He says Ben Carson is pathological and points to the crowd, and in their heads they say liar....pathological...liar. And there is no cure ;)

    I gotta give it to the Donald, he sure can dish it out.

    Parent

    One con man (none / 0) (#14)
    by MO Blue on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 09:44:25 AM EST
    Pited against another. Who will be able to dupe the most rubes? If they weren't leading the polls for president, this would be highly amusing.

    Parent
    Have to admit (5.00 / 3) (#16)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 09:49:39 AM EST
    Stating first the I don't believe either will be president, if I HAD to pick one I would not even have to think about it.

    It would be Donald by a mile.

    Carson really creeps me out and the personality cult around him is frightening.   The man is deranged and deluded.   Donald is no prize either but, the pyramids .....

    Parent

    Hands Down Donald Too... (5.00 / 1) (#37)
    by ScottW714 on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 11:34:34 AM EST
    ...at least he has entertainment value.  If the ship is going to go down, I'd rather listen to a lunatic blame everyone else in Jersey-esque tirade, that just might include telling a head of an agency You're Fired, than have to bear witness one more murder fable used to prove something some people find redeemable.

    Plus the idea of this hanging in the WH just plain freaks me out.

    Parent

    and, China's secret involvement in Syria (none / 0) (#25)
    by NYShooter on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 10:54:38 AM EST
    don't believe me? Well, go see Armstrong Williams, Ben's National Security advisor, he's got confidential connections in the CIA who told them all about this "top secret," clandestine involvement.

    I gotta admit, I never knew our CIA divulged America's top secret intelligence information to candidates.

    Parent

    Gen (ret) Robert Dees, (none / 0) (#51)
    by KeysDan on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 12:30:05 PM EST
    is listed in Wiki, as Ben Carson's main national security adviser. The retired officer is on the inspirational speech circuit and is on the staff of Liberty University.  Dees argues in one of his books (2014) that the greatest threat to America is not Russia or China, but rather, our decline of spiritual infrastructure.  Dees links national security to spiritual values.  

    Not clear if General Dees is Carson's source, as he said in the debate, "you know, the Chinese are there, as well as Russia."  Carson, today, that he never made the assertion that China is fighting in Syria. Despite what he said, or what it might have sounded like. And, he is surprised that his intelligence is greater than that of the government.

     

    Parent

    Well, I watched the interview, and, (none / 0) (#68)
    by NYShooter on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 01:52:00 PM EST
    Carson was talking about the M.E, especially, Syria. He talked in a way, with a little grin & twinkle in his eye, like he had information the people gathered there didn't. He said, oh yeah, Russia is there, mmm........China is there, mmmm.......
    That's when the reporters started yelling out questions......."China?"

    And, then he doubled down on the Chinese presence again, and stated that they've been there since...... and, he stated a year, (I don't remember which one.) But, it was a long time ago.

    Now, here's the thing, I think there is truly "something wrong" with Mr./Dr. Carson. He talked about a meeting this many years ago, and, besides China, Putin was there too. As more reporters were yelling out questions ( you got to remember, he's saying things NO ONE has heard, including foreign service reporters.

    Naturally, he didn't have (or wasn't saying) any answers, but, that's when he stated that Armstrong Williams would be his mouthpiece for any questions on foreign affairs.

    After he left the podium, naturally, the buzz in the group of reporters was about this Putin meeting.....and, China. Then a reporter came on the air, obviously, having checked the date of that supposed Putin/China meeting, and, informed us that Putin would have been 16 years old if there was a meeting, and, if China & Putin were there.

    Parent

    He also said-- (5.00 / 1) (#92)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 03:46:47 PM EST

    It sounds like the opening to a joke: A young Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Russian President Vladimir Putin walk into a Soviet-era Moscow university ...

    But it's a claim that was made with a straight face by Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson -- on national television, three times.

    First, on the Oct. 5, 2015, edition of the Fox News show Hannity, Carson said Putin's "relationships go way, way, way, way back, you know? 1968 at Patrice Lumumba University -- that's when Putin first got to know the Ali Khamenei, and also Mahmoud Abbas

    Yes.  Something wrong with him.  He is batsh!t crazy.

    Parent

    O.K. good, you picked more, (none / 0) (#114)
    by NYShooter on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 05:41:30 PM EST
    I forgot about the Khamenei/Abbas thing.

    Parent
    He is (none / 0) (#121)
    by FlJoe on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 06:37:46 PM EST
    sounding more and more like a common wing nut of the Alex Jones/Glen Beck variety. He picks up on some "fact" off the internet and no amount of proof or even simple logic will knock him off it.

    This guy is amazingly intellectually stunted if you ask me, he has such a strong sense of infallibility that he can not even question his own ideas, no matter what crackpot source they rose from.

    What's batguano goofy is his poll numbers, especially his favorabilities across the board.

    Parent

    Those favor ability numbers (none / 0) (#122)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 06:43:20 PM EST
    Are among republicans.  So, at least there is that.

    Parent
    I (none / 0) (#129)
    by FlJoe on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 07:22:21 PM EST
    think it spreads into independents and his unfavorables are  smaller then  all the rest of the Republicans even among Dems.

    He has the best spread of anybody in general electorate polls. He is actually the only one who is clearly above water although his positive is only tied with Hillary.


    Parent

    Yeah (none / 0) (#130)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 07:36:07 PM EST
    I don't buy that.  I mean I buy pollsters may be getting that result but IMO the idea that Hillary would not beat him by 15 points is completely ridiculous.

    You have mentioned you work in this field so you know well all that's been written lately about the problems with and reliability of polls.   I can't think of a single result in years that better illustrates this problem.

    And add the fact that most people barely knows who he is.  We are not normal.   Most people just see him in a sound bite and think he is Brother Rodgers.  When the start finding out what he says and thinks.......

    Parent

    I (none / 0) (#132)
    by FlJoe on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 08:35:54 PM EST
    Fav/unfav are interesting but they actually don't actually translate that much into votes and they are highly influenced by the media.I agree  head to head polls this far out are useless.

    Indeed polling these days is suspect on many levels but it's still about the only tool there is to measure the electorate.

    Certainly I expect Carson's numbers to go south soon when the truth comes out. What really bothers me is it took so long for the truth to dribble out.


    Parent

    First of all, (none / 0) (#138)
    by NYShooter on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 09:39:14 PM EST
    those polls, any polls, mean absolutely nothing at this point in time. There are so many variables that have to be considered, and the definitions of whose being polled keeps morphing constantly..... The polls are meaningless.

    For instance, "His favorability numbers are, XYZ. Who is being polled? Republicans? The general public? Define, "Independent." The data is so fractured, the sub-strata's are so small, and, so ill-defined, they confuse more than illuminate.

    Like I said before, as a business man I think I can do a better job of analyzing the existing data, and, coming up with some reasonable outcomes by just using good, realistic common sense, and, of course, as Leroy Jethro Gibbs likes to use, his "gut."

    Time now for some smart "role playing," and, good, appropriate, "game theory."


    Parent

    I (none / 0) (#161)
    by FlJoe on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 07:34:43 AM EST
    disagree, if you concentrate on the trendlines of the aggregates rather then the top lines of the individual polls you can glean important information.  
    Who is being polled? Republicans? The general public? Define, "Independent." The data is so fractured, the sub-strata's are so small, and, so ill-defined, they confuse more than illuminate.
    all good questions. Reputable pollsters work hard to sample(or weight) to match the population, good analysts can make sense`of the cross-tabs.

    As a businessman your existing data consists of hard, verifiable numbers. For better or worse the only existing data available to political scientists/analysts/pundits is the polls which by their nature produce softer, less verifiable numbers, but that doesn't mean you can't apply "realistic common sense" and a shot of "gut" feeling to them.

    Parent

    Actually JFK was briefed on our (none / 0) (#56)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 01:13:18 PM EST
    capabilities... But he still made a bunch of false charges.

    Parent
    Trump is lookiing more and more (5.00 / 1) (#42)
    by jondee on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 11:54:39 AM EST
    like Captain Ahab: going out in a blaze of glory and willing to take the whole wingnut crew of the Pequod with him..

     

    Parent

    He Has to Know... (none / 0) (#44)
    by ScottW714 on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 12:02:41 PM EST
    ...that if republicans don't win, he's going to be scapegoat numero uno for a long time.

    Parent
    He's too much of a megalomaniac (none / 0) (#47)
    by jondee on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 12:09:28 PM EST
    who's never wrong to care that much.

    Parent
    Donald is exactly where he wants to be (none / 0) (#59)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 01:27:43 PM EST
    The lead story on every website and newscast on earth.   Carson is bumbling and mumbling about the politics of personal destruction.
    He is not equipped for this he is not up to this.   He has never been challenged or contradicted in his life.  If you want to bet on a winner in this the smart money would be Donald.

    I'm curious what the conventional wisdom will be when Carson wins Iowa and Donald wins NH.  And the we go south.

    Ahab could be the nominee.    

    Parent

    Maybe that:s his plan (none / 0) (#60)
    by jbindc on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 01:31:34 PM EST
    This is a game to him and this is his exit strategy.

    Parent
    What exit strategy? (none / 0) (#61)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 01:33:31 PM EST
    What part of he wants the nomination do people not understand?
    Seriously.

    His "exit strategy" is the general election?

    Parent

    No, he really doesn't (none / 0) (#63)
    by jbindc on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 01:35:06 PM EST
    Or rather, he doesn't want to be president.  He would be too restricted.

    Parent
    I could not possibly (none / 0) (#66)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 01:38:50 PM EST
    Disagree more.

    Parent
    I'm with you (none / 0) (#67)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 01:41:12 PM EST
    He plans to be President

    Parent
    IMO (none / 0) (#69)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 01:55:54 PM EST
    Laugh all you want.  He could be a formidable opponent to Hillary.

    IMO he will not win.  But he has at least as good if not better chance than any other republican candidate.  

    For one thing he will redefine dirty politics.  He will go places no other candidate would go.   And when a Clinton is involved, that's saying a lot.

    Parent

    Nah (none / 0) (#70)
    by jbindc on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 02:06:54 PM EST
    There's a reality show brewing somewhere.  

    He and NBC have already kissed and made up.

    Parent

    I look forward to your explanation (none / 0) (#94)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 03:50:40 PM EST
    Of how you were right when he is the general election candidate.

    Parent
    And I look fotward (none / 0) (#124)
    by jbindc on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 06:59:53 PM EST
    To your mea culpa when he is not.  A nce you kept telling us how Romney would never be the nominee because hecwas a Mormon.

    Parent
    I haven't said he will be (none / 0) (#126)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 07:05:47 PM EST
    Yet
    Getting close tho.  

    For the record I didn't say Mitt would not be the nominee because he was a Mormon.   That was a factor.   But I said he would not be the nominee because the crazy right wing would not accept another milquetoast establishment candidate.
    I said the same of McCain in fact.
    I said the same of Jeb.
    I was just ahead of the curve.

    Parent

    You might say ahead of the curve (5.00 / 2) (#133)
    by CoralGables on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 08:51:41 PM EST
    Others might say 0 for 2.

    Parent
    Neither (none / 0) (#84)
    by TrevorBolder on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 02:56:32 PM EST
    One will be the Republican nominee.

    Whichever one drops out first, their supporters will NEVER swing to the other.

    Still going with Rubio over Cruz, with Christie as a outside chance.

    Bush supporters and donors will go to Rubio, and if it comes down to Rubio Cruz, every Republican Senator will campaign for Rubio in their state primary.

    Rubio Clinton, would make for a interesting contrast.

    Parent

    Christie (none / 0) (#85)
    by CST on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 03:02:25 PM EST
    Didn't even make it on the main debate stage last time.  I think that's wishful thinking at best.

    Parent
    They (none / 0) (#86)
    by TrevorBolder on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 03:10:09 PM EST
    Haven't cast a vote yet, I keep Christie in the mix  because he is a very effective retail politician, and he owned the kiddie debate, and did well in the prior debates.
    Think he will do well in NH also.

     Here's some welcome news for Gov. Chris Christie after being being bumped off the main stage for next week's Republican presidential debate in Milwaukee: His support in the first primary state of New Hampshire quadrupled since September, according to a new poll.

    A poll conducted for Boston public radio station WBUR gave Christie 8 percent among likely Republican primary voters, good enough for fifth place.

    Only U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, tied with Christie in eighth place with 2 percent in September, did better in November, rising to 11 percent and third place. The figures include both those voters who said they definitely supported a candidate and those who were undecided but leaning toward someone.

    Parent

    Do you pay (none / 0) (#93)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 03:48:44 PM EST
    For that conventional wisdom?

    Like a newsletter or something?

    Parent

    Nah (none / 0) (#105)
    by TrevorBolder on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 04:29:55 PM EST
    Just incisive logical reasoning

    Parent
    ... that still has you insisting that Hillary Clinton committed a crime with her emails?

    Parent
    Yet (none / 0) (#154)
    by TrevorBolder on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 05:29:47 AM EST
    To be determined.
    Actually, by looking at the statutes applicable, yes, most likely she has already committed a crime.
    Her staff is in greater peril it seems.
    But the probability of this  Justice Department prosecuting is minimal, for now.

    18 USC 1001 has become a focus in the FBI probe, . There are more obvious violations of 18 USC 793 and 18 USC 1924.

    Parent

    According (none / 0) (#156)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 05:47:23 AM EST
    to the latest from the FBI that would be a big no. However, as I have stated before that is not going to stop the wingnut welfare brigade from shopping this garbage. This is just yet another opportunity for carnival barkers to fleece the rubes. Your statement shows it can be a lucrative business.

    Parent
    I haven't seen it (none / 0) (#157)
    by TrevorBolder on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 06:00:39 AM EST
    to the latest from the FBI that would be a big no.

    All I have seen recently is the expansion of the probe, actually interviewing individuals to discover the source information that was placed in e mails.

    Parent

    BTD (none / 0) (#158)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 06:03:09 AM EST
    did a post on it on this very blog. The stuff the IG was saying was highly classified was ruled not classified. The IG that people like you have been touting was pretty much exposed as a hack.

    Yeah, the Clinton Rules. A big deal is made out of nothing and when it is exposed for being nothing it's crickets.

    Parent

    Actually (none / 0) (#159)
    by TrevorBolder on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 06:35:35 AM EST
    That report was for only the 2 highest classified e mails...ONLY,

    And to boot, that report was debunked by Clapper, he said the e mails have not been reduced in classification, they are under review.

    There are still 400 classified e mails that were sen, received and stored on the private e mail server. Which is a crime.

    Which is why the FBI is following up on the emails, determining what the source material for the information in the e mail was.

    If the source material was classified, the e mail would then classified also , at its origin.

    Parent

    Moving (none / 0) (#160)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 06:50:30 AM EST
    the goal posts yet again? Those were the same emails the wingnut welfare brigade was touting. Look just accept there is nothing there. I know this is your only hope but move on. You're not doing anything but reeking desperation.

    And the FBI ranks over Clapper. It's just cubicle warrior kind of stuff.

    Parent

    Contrast (none / 0) (#110)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 05:15:07 PM EST
    Yeah, it would be funny. You'd have a young guy trying to convince people to buy into old failed ideology. Most people will see it as the GOP trying to put a young face on the ancient GOP platform. Oh, yeah, Rubio thinks women should be birthing slaves.

    Parent
    Rubio sounds good (none / 0) (#142)
    by MKS on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 10:52:05 PM EST
    for as long as his memorized soundbites last....

    The more he talks and runs out of sound bite, the less good he sounds.....In any extended comments, he sounds like the callow, young airhead that he is....

    Parent

    In 2014, they elected Joni Ernst to Congress. (none / 0) (#57)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 01:15:01 PM EST
    And so now, we have a U.S. senator who subscribes to the "Agenda 21" conspiracy theory, by which a two-decade-old non-binding United Nations initiative to promote sustainable growth and green technologies becomes a secret plan to severely restrict our water usage, invalidate our zoning regulations and curtail our population growth. In Joni's world, one can only hope that James Bond will somehow find a way to thwart SPECTRE's evil plan for world domination.

    (That's a very entertaining movie, BTW.)

    Parent

    Who is planning on (none / 0) (#13)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 09:41:04 AM EST
    Going to see Chi-raq?

    I might (5.00 / 1) (#15)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 09:46:11 AM EST
    I'm glad Wesley Snipes is getting real work again.   I like him.

    Parent
    Spike Lee and Samuel L Jackson (none / 0) (#17)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 09:54:24 AM EST
    Had a bit of a falling out over Jackie Brown and Django, but working together again. I can't miss it.

    Parent
    TGIF the 13th... (none / 0) (#19)
    by fishcamp on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 10:15:57 AM EST


    An odd (and rate date (none / 0) (#20)
    by jbindc on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 10:24:48 AM EST
    11/13/15

    Parent
    Want to come to my house for thanksgiving? (none / 0) (#24)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 10:53:22 AM EST
    Octopie! (5.00 / 1) (#98)
    by Peter G on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 04:01:05 PM EST
    Love it. One of our daughters made one of those for her sister's wedding reception (everyone had to bring a pie).

    Parent
    I don't get to use (none / 0) (#26)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 10:57:36 AM EST
    Ha! The Iron Dining Room! (5.00 / 1) (#76)
    by ruffian on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 02:20:58 PM EST
    Is it in the Red Keep?

    Parent
    Is that (none / 0) (#27)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 11:00:08 AM EST
    really your dining room? Absolutely Gothic!

    Parent
    No (none / 0) (#28)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 11:06:23 AM EST
    That is the fabulous and fabulously expensive H.R. Geiger dining set.

    I would debase myself instantly to own one.

    Parent

    But (none / 0) (#29)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 11:07:33 AM EST
    Can you imagine dusting it?

    Parent
    No (none / 0) (#32)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 11:14:29 AM EST
    I could not. And I would be he one tasked with dusting it.

    Parent
    Right There With You... (none / 0) (#39)
    by ScottW714 on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 11:39:40 AM EST
    ...that is awesome.  Dig the pie as well and I would not eat whatever the main course was.

    Check this out, guy turns flat into the flight deck on Star Trek, then loses it in a divorce.

    Parent

    Sad (none / 0) (#41)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 11:42:53 AM EST
    On so many levels

    Parent
    Where do they store the whips and chains? (none / 0) (#33)
    by Anne on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 11:17:41 AM EST
    And are the bolts for the restraints hidden?

    Parent
    Anne... (5.00 / 3) (#45)
    by ScottW714 on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 12:04:43 PM EST
    ...I can not relay how hard I am laughing right now at your new found admirer.

    Parent
    If I had seen that one coming, I'd (5.00 / 1) (#50)
    by Anne on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 12:16:17 PM EST
    probably not have made the comment.

    Jesus.

    Parent

    well . . . (none / 0) (#123)
    by zaitztheunconvicted on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 06:53:05 PM EST
    Now, that you inspired me to do a slight internet search for "    " and "          "

    my question is to know the type and the brand . . .

    So . . .  who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of my acquaintances? . . . The Shadow Knows!

    Oh me, oh my!

    Parent

    you could try (none / 0) (#43)
    by zaitztheunconvicted on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 11:59:42 AM EST
    Well,

    what an interesting question and one I love hearing!

    Of course, I am not sure what site violator rules there might be . . . though a certain Romanovich has some appeal . . .

    Could be the true Emperor of the Russians or the other one . . .

    Parent

    Ha ha (none / 0) (#52)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 12:35:02 PM EST
    you went there and guess who you have following you now?

    Parent
    Martha Stewart (none / 0) (#38)
    by jondee on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 11:38:11 AM EST
    would probably recommend an autumnal centerpiece with dried flowers and cork husks to lend a festive Thanksgiving feeling to the room..  

    Parent
    Don't sell Martha short (none / 0) (#40)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 11:40:57 AM EST
    It wouldn't surprise me if she owned one of those.  

    Parent
    re Ojai california (none / 0) (#48)
    by zaitztheunconvicted on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 12:13:24 PM EST
    A number of years ago, I was knocking on doors and chatting with people about high-speed internet service from the cable company in southern California and I was knocking on doors for some few weeks in Ojai

    and we get to talking and somehow I am invited in . . . and there are swords on the walls and other things . . .

    and this woman had some interest in medieval culture and history . . .

    and we discussed predestination and Judas Iscariot . . .

    Ojai has a lot of interesting characters . . . actors and actress, movie and tv writers, producers and directors, if I remember right . . .
    supposedly at least one coven of witches . . . certain new age groups . . . for several years there was Jennifer Moss the unclothed lady in public . . .

    Parent

    I just saw this on Facebook, (none / 0) (#31)
    by Anne on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 11:13:37 AM EST
    and tweaked my family a little by saying, "thought I'd try something new this Thanksgiving."

    That Turkoctopus is the stuff of nightmares.

    Parent

    My FB source (5.00 / 1) (#35)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 11:23:23 AM EST
    Which was the H.P.Lovecraft Society, which I of course follow, called it a Chuthurky

    Parent
    and chu-fly pie for dessert, then (5.00 / 1) (#100)
    by Peter G on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 04:05:58 PM EST
    I would guess.

    Parent
    some back story on the chuthurkey (5.00 / 1) (#131)
    by Peter G on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 08:07:23 PM EST
    radley balko for SCOTUS! (none / 0) (#23)
    by zaitztheunconvicted on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 10:42:36 AM EST
    the 6th amendment and forfeiture . . . (none / 0) (#30)
    by zaitztheunconvicted on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 11:09:26 AM EST
    do you folks tend to agree or disagree with the 89 decision about seizing tainted assets that would otherwise have been used to pay for a vigorous defense . . . and apparently there is a case in which the gov has seized untainted assets on the grounds that if they win a case, they are entitled to restitution or someone is entitled to restitution  . . .

    Forfeiture (none / 0) (#49)
    by Steve13209 on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 12:14:36 PM EST
    I really don't know how forfeiture laws can pass Constitutional muster...besides the money-grab aspect.

    Parent
    Defense Secretary, Ash Carter, (none / 0) (#54)
    by KeysDan on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 12:50:08 PM EST
    fired a  senior military assistant, the rising star, Lt. Gen Ron Lewis.  The General was summarily dismissed from his top advisory role on the basis of allegations of misconduct.  Sec. Carter referred the allegations to the DOD Inspector General for investigation after learning of the situation just this week.  

    There was no further definition given to the nature of the misconduct. Some reports suggest the allegations related to an improper relationship with an adult colleague.  Rachael Maddow also reported this firing in a segue to discussion of Carson's secret leaking of information.    

    I'm sure we'll find out soon enough. (none / 0) (#58)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 01:23:25 PM EST
    Sec. Carter doesn't appear to be the type of man who'd have someone keelhauled on a mercurial whim, so it probably had to have been a pretty serious transgression for him to summarily fire the guy like that.

    Parent
    Straight (none / 0) (#55)
    by FlJoe on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 12:52:01 PM EST
    from the Horse's mouth Bush was warned
    That morning of July 10, the head of the agency's Al Qaeda unit, Richard Blee, burst into Black's office. "And he says, `Chief, this is it. Roof's fallen in,'" recounts Black. "The information that we had compiled was absolutely compelling. It was multiple-sourced. And it was sort of the last straw." Black and his deputy rushed to the director's office to brief Tenet. All agreed an urgent meeting at the White House was needed............
    Tenet vividly recalls the White House meeting with Rice and her team. (George W. Bush was on a trip to Boston.) "Rich [Blee] started by saying, `There will be significant terrorist attacks against the United States in the coming weeks or months. The attacks will be spectacular. They may be multiple. Al Qaeda's intention is the destruction of the United States.'" [Condi said:] `What do you think we need to do?' Black responded by slamming his fist on the table, and saying, `We need to go on a wartime footing now!'"

    "What happened?" I ask Cofer Black. "Yeah. What did happen?" he replies. "To me it remains incomprehensible still. I mean, how is it that you could warn senior people so many times and nothing actually happened? It's kind of like The Twilight Zone."  

    my bold. Yep he sure kept us safe.


    Actually the meeting was on July 5th (none / 0) (#64)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 01:35:25 PM EST
    and it was chaired by Bush's NSA, Condi Rice, who used Tenet's info.

    "At the special meeting on July 5 were the FBI, Secret Service, FAA, Customs, Coast Guard, and Immigration. We told them that we thought a spectacular al Qaeda terrorist attack was coming in the near future." That had been had been George Tenet's language. "We asked that they take special measures to increase security and surveillance. Thus, the White House did ensure that domestic law enforcement including the FAA knew that the CSG believed that a major al Qaeda attack was coming, and it could be in the U.S., and did ask that special measures be taken."

    Link

    And you might ask, how was that info developed??

    And the point is, while this big review was going on, there were still in effect, the lethal findings were still in effect. The second thing the administration decided to do is to initiate a process to look at those issues which had been on the table for a couple of years and get them decided.

    So, point five, that process which was initiated in the first week in February, uh, decided in principle, uh in the spring to add to the existing Clinton strategy and to increase CIA resources, for example, for covert action, five-fold, to go after Al Qaeda.

    snip

    And then changed the strategy from one of rollback with Al Qaeda over the course of five years, which it had been, to a new strategy that called for the rapid elimination of Al Qaeda. That is in fact the timeline.

    snip

    JIM ANGLE: You're saying that the Bush administration did not stop anything that the Clinton administration was doing while it was making these decisions, and by the end of the summer had increased money for covert action five-fold. Is that correct?

    CLARKE: All of that's correct.

    Clarke praises Bush.

    BTW - Given the hissy fit the Left threw over FISA and telephone number monitoring, what "war time footing" would you have agreed to???

    And BTW, can you explain this??

    Second point is that the Clinton administration had a strategy in place, effectively dating from 1998. And there were a number of issues on the table since 1998. And they remained on the table when that administration went out of office -- issues like aiding the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan, changing our Pakistan policy -- uh, changing our policy toward Uzbekistan.

    Two years had gone by,embassues had been bombed,the USS Cole attacked...and the issues had not been resolved.....

    Parent

    Fox News (none / 0) (#80)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 02:28:52 PM EST
    the most inaccurate source of news and a response from Immelda Rice aka Madam Mushroom Cloud. I'm sure that will work with the rubes who still believe there is something to their false Benghazi narrative. However don't count on anybody else buying it. Tenet has more credibility on this than the entire Bush Administration put together.

    Parent
    Transcripts of interviews (none / 0) (#89)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 03:29:51 PM EST
    dear GA...yet you choose not to believe them?

    BTW Clarke was Clinton's NSA. Bush kept him over to insure continuity.

    The following transcript documents a background briefing in early August 2002 by President Bush's former counterterrorism coordinator Richard A. Clarke to a handful of reporters, including Fox News' Jim Angle. In the conversation, cleared by the White House on Wednesday for distribution, Clarke describes the handover of intelligence from the Clinton administration to the Bush administration and the latter's decision to revise the U.S. approach to Al Qaeda. Clarke was named special adviser to the president for cyberspace security in October 2001. He resigned from his post in January 2003.

    Link

    Clarke had praised Bush before he was forced out and then gave a lot of negative interviews when he was selling his book. Rice had refused to testify to the 9/11 commission but changed her mind when Clarke started attacking.

    Condoleezza Rice, President Bush's national security adviser, spoke to reporters at the White House on Wednesday to discuss charges made by Richard A. Clarke, a former counterterrorism official, that the Bush administration did not take the threat of terrorism seriously enough. Rice also talked about why she has not publicly testified before the bipartisan commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Following are excerpts of the interview.

    Link

    So let me see. Fox just made it all up and even invented those other reporters.

    Really??? ROFLMAO

    Ga, you are a hoot!

    Parent

    More Fox News (none / 0) (#112)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 05:16:45 PM EST
    after I already laughed at you for citing them? You've as bad as Madame Mushroom Cloud. You don't know a good source from a bad source.

    Parent
    What don't you understand about (none / 0) (#144)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 12:42:11 AM EST
    these being transcripts of attended by multiple reporters???

    I think you do. You just want make false claims.

    Again.

    Parent

    So, this happened last night (none / 0) (#62)
    by jbindc on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 01:33:40 PM EST
    For that matter (5.00 / 1) (#65)
    by CST on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 01:36:14 PM EST
    I wonder if there were any colorblind players that day.  8% of all men are colorblind, according to that link.  Which suggests there is a decent chance at least one of them was.

    Parent
    Differnt Color Blindness... (5.00 / 1) (#71)
    by ScottW714 on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 02:14:03 PM EST
    ...the article seems to indicate if you are colorblind then the game would have been a problem.

    Everyone is colorblind to some degree, it's just a matter of what color combinations.  The idea that color blindness means they see black and white is wrong, they can't differentiate between certain color combinations.  But they can see the color when it stands alone.  If you were to ask them what color is that jersey, they be able to tell you, it just when they are all together they cannot distinguish between certain combinations.

    Here is a test that somewhat demonstrates it.

    I can't for the life of me remember where I can taken these tests, but I have taken them numerous times.  And always the same, there is one combination, even for the online version, that I cannot see anything on the card.

    Parent

    yea I think it's the red-green (none / 0) (#74)
    by CST on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 02:16:44 PM EST
    distinction that is most common, especially among men.  Which is what was the problem with the jerseys.

    Parent
    Check (5.00 / 1) (#91)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 03:33:05 PM EST
    My son is colorblind, he didn't say (none / 0) (#73)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 02:16:09 PM EST
    anything last night about the game. But he was mostly consumed with his iPhone, so who knows if he even looked at the tv...

    Parent
    kids today (none / 0) (#75)
    by CST on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 02:17:02 PM EST
    going to hell in a handbasket. (none / 0) (#79)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 02:28:33 PM EST
    It didn't look like an NFL game (none / 0) (#77)
    by McBain on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 02:24:20 PM EST
    Maybe I'm getting old but both team's uniforms looked ridiculous.

    Parent
    kids today (none / 0) (#78)
    by CST on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 02:25:05 PM EST
    I concur... (none / 0) (#81)
    by kdog on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 02:36:18 PM EST
    It looked like an Arena League game with those hideous uniforms.  The only thing more hideous was the Jets offensive & special teams performance.

    Aside from the Indiana Pacers rocking the Hickory High School uniforms and a couple other select few exceptions, the professional leagues need to stop being such whores for a little extra merchandising cash.  It's f*ckin' tacky.  

    Parent

    Well They Are Certainly Better... (none / 0) (#82)
    by ScottW714 on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 02:38:20 PM EST
    ...than the Bubble Bee throwbacks.

    Reminds me of the Blind Melon video.

    Parent

    I don't support a pro team..... (none / 0) (#90)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 03:31:46 PM EST
    I am a Titans fan.


    Parent
    Michael Bay Benghazi movie? (none / 0) (#83)
    by McBain on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 02:46:16 PM EST
    link

    I could maybe see a hard edge director doing something like Zero Dark 30 or United 93, but Michael Bay?  He's everything that's wrong with Hollywood.  Every shot will have that fake "magic hour" glow.  

    The Paris explosions ... frightening (none / 0) (#95)
    by christinep on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 03:57:38 PM EST
    This level of coordination, this coordinated massive killing in Paris, reaches another level of orchestrated & real fearful acts.  At night, several places in such a place as Paris--the mind reels wanting to put a face to it, an identity, a way to respond.

    MSNBC (none / 0) (#97)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 04:00:29 PM EST
    Is running a live feed from someone's Periscope account that has a border of animated hearts.

    A bit surreal.

    Parent

    the banner headline (none / 0) (#106)
    by The Addams Family on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 04:37:43 PM EST
    death toll (none / 0) (#107)
    by The Addams Family on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 04:47:33 PM EST
    now up to 60 & there are hostages, too

    Parent
    And trying to figure out (none / 0) (#109)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 05:03:51 PM EST
    Hiw to evacuate 80,000 people from a stadium

    Parent
    tweet allegedly from inside (none / 0) (#111)
    by The Addams Family on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 05:16:13 PM EST
    the Bataclan disco

    says he's on the 1st floor & seriously injured & that hostages are being slaughtered one by one

    Parent

    Swat has gone in (none / 0) (#113)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 05:35:52 PM EST
    Apparently

    Parent
    Now at least 118 dead (none / 0) (#125)
    by jbindc on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 07:02:54 PM EST
    Mostly (none / 0) (#127)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 07:07:05 PM EST
    From grenades.

    Parent
    The worst-hit site, with hostages (none / 0) (#119)
    by Towanda on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 06:25:26 PM EST
    and more than a hundred fatalities -- the concert hall -- is a site that I know well, as we stayed in a hotel only four blocks away this summer.  The 11th arrondissement is the lovely, historic home, too, of the site of the attack on the former offices of Charlie Hebdo.

    This is so horrifying for the beautiful city and people of Paris, who made us so welcome. . . .

    Parent

    The Bataclan Concert Hall in Paris ... (none / 0) (#137)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 09:33:15 PM EST
    ... is a beautiful and intimate venue that was built in the 1860s. Here's what the interior looks like from the concert stage.

    The attack on the Bataclan took place during a heavy metal rock concert, which means that whoever planned this deliberately targeted adolescents and young adults. French authorities said that they expect the toll from this one site to be over 100 dead. That's just heartbreaking.

    My thoughts tonight are with the victims and their families.

    Parent

    The band playing last night was (none / 0) (#143)
    by Mr Natural on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 11:27:15 PM EST
    the Eagles of Death Metal.  

    Interesting group, not death metal by any means.  

    Gotta wonder if choosing the night they played didn't reveal someone's sick sense of irony and if choosing their concert doesn't tell us something about the age of the angry men.

    Parent

    I come from the AC/DC Highway to Hell era. (5.00 / 1) (#149)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 02:18:14 AM EST
    I guess I'm showing my age. I see the name "Death Metal" and I figure that it's, you know, death metal. But then I initially thought the same of the group "Death Cab for Cutie," who turned our to be just '00's equivalent of the Gin Blossoms.

    Anyway, EDM's manager confirmed to CNN that everyone in the band was okay, after earlier news reports erroneously claimed that one or two of the members had possibly been killed in the attack. I'm sure that's a huge relief for their families back home.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    Bataclan has another smaller club (none / 0) (#164)
    by fishcamp on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 07:53:08 AM EST
    In Geneva.  Back in the day we couldn't wait to get to those clubs and have fun.  The Paris Bataclan was very exciting, while the Geneva club was a more sedate jazz club.

    Parent
    Stay tuned (none / 0) (#145)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 12:48:34 AM EST
    Obama is importing you 100,000 or so.

    Parent
    This (5.00 / 1) (#155)
    by TrevorBolder on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 05:37:50 AM EST
    Will greatly complicate any relocation of Syrian refugees, Middle Eastern refugees  anywhere.

    It will also change the political winds in Europe.

    There really is no negotiating with ISIS, as far as I know they they have no ideology where they live peacefully alongside anyone.They  are   going about the process of getting a world consensus that they must be eradicated.

    Parent

    Well, I hope it change the political winds (none / 0) (#177)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 09:50:38 AM EST
    in Europe and here.

    The sad fact is that we have a very serious problem with radical islamists. Importing more "refugees" without proper vetting will just lay ourselves open to attacks and demands.

    This is how far we have fallen: an American mayor asks immigrants to America to become Americans and adopt American values, as all immigrants did in the past, and they're demanding his resignation.

    Link

    Parent

    Now if we could only farm out (none / 0) (#146)
    by jondee on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 01:02:59 AM EST
    a 1OO,OOO tea baggers to say, Antarctica, we might have the raw materials for a national revival..

    Parent
    ... in exchange for some emus.

    Parent
    Donald and jondee (none / 0) (#178)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 09:53:13 AM EST
    Thanks for showing us who you are.

    Neither of you accept political dissent.


    Parent
    grunting and howling (none / 0) (#181)
    by jondee on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 10:03:15 AM EST
    and bleating isn't dissent..

    It's just ratcheting up the already too prevalent irrationality.

    Parent

    ... I must plead guilty to the charge of having little personal tolerance for the sort of pervasive bigotry, ignorance and stupidity that you've been peddling with relentless regularity, both here and elsewhere.

    Good day.

    Parent

    The only bigotry (none / 0) (#186)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 10:21:55 AM EST
    around here is you two attacking anyone who dares disagree with you.

    And it is there for all to see.

    Parent

    The tea baggers (none / 0) (#198)
    by jondee on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 11:53:03 AM EST
    almost uniformly call for the further deregulation of everything; which ultimately amounts to the victimized asking, practically praying, to be victimized further..

    That's not only radically irrational, it's masochistic, irresponsible, and un-American. Calling what the Tea Party does - at the bidding of scorched earth libertarian billionaires - "dissent", tarnishes the legacy of all the truly great dissenters in American history like Thomas Paine, Fredrick Douglass, and Dorothy Day..

    Parent

    I just saw a video (none / 0) (#96)
    by lentinel on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 03:59:09 PM EST
    of a man flying with a jetpack over the Statue of Liberty in New York City.

    I was thinking that it would really be funny if Trump was elected, built his dumb wall, and all the Mexicans started flying over it with their jetpacks.

    Ooops.

    Link

    University of Missouri Football Coach (none / 0) (#99)
    by CoralGables on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 04:03:23 PM EST
    has submitted his resignation, effective at the end of the season.

    Too bad (none / 0) (#101)
    by Peter G on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 04:07:39 PM EST
    He should be their new Chancellor.

    Parent
    More info (none / 0) (#103)
    by MO Blue on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 04:14:44 PM EST
    Pinkel cited health issues as a reason for leaving. He was diagnosed lymphoma in May of this year.

    Pinkel will remain as the team's head coach through December 31 or until a new head coach is in place.
    Link



    Parent
    Oh boy (none / 0) (#102)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 04:11:28 PM EST

    Jansing: As a matter of fact Andrea, I got a look at three sets of papers the campaign is putting out to defend what he said and it's interesting...we were able to get them this morning. I'm quoting here "the Chinese are there," referring to Syria..."the Chinese are there, as well as the Russians," but now what they're saying in these papers that the media got it all wrong. That he never said the Chinese were physically there, but it was about their influence and about weapons that are sold.

    And they had documents, some of them that were translated from Chinese on Google translate that said there had been sales of military weapons to Syria so, they're trying to push back on it. he's talking about these documents. We still don't have a good sense on who his advisers are.



    "the Japanese are there," (none / 0) (#115)
    by KeysDan on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 06:15:44 PM EST
    by Carson's lights, if you count the white Toyota pick-ups.  And, the Chinese are there, to give more support to his "personal theory," given the ubiquitous iPhones.

     I still like his "personal theory" on the pyramids. But, did not realize there are personal theories on the pyramids.  Then again, Carson has a personal theory on gays, he "absolutely believes being gay is a choice. Prison proves it.  A lot of people go to prison straight and when they come out they are gay."  

     You would think his sidekick, Armstrong Williams, would have been able to do a better job of educating Carson on this personal theory.  

    Parent

    Armstrong (none / 0) (#117)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 06:23:58 PM EST
    Has started seeming a tiny bit embarrassed to be defending this stuff lately.   I hope he he highly paid.  He definitely earns it.

    Parent
    I would go with (none / 0) (#120)
    by KeysDan on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 06:33:58 PM EST
    flummoxed, rather than embarrassed.  Armstrong Williams is smoother, but no less bizarre than Carson.

    Parent
    Still (none / 0) (#118)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 06:24:53 PM EST
    My favorite part if that is they are relying on google translate

    Parent
    Wait a minute...... (none / 0) (#139)
    by NYShooter on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 09:50:12 PM EST
    Straight guys goes to prison where there are a lot of gays, comes out later, gay.

    Hm, I wonder if that works with ethnicities also?

    White guy goes to prison where there are a lot of blacks........

    Hey, we may be on to something here.

    Parent

    Ha (none / 0) (#140)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 09:56:29 PM EST
    I think the problem in prison is not so much there are lots of gays as much as there are no women.

    Yes, that is one of the most monumentally stupid things ever said.   Incredibly it's far from the most stupid thing Carson ever said.  

    Parent

    7.0 earthquake in Japan (none / 0) (#108)
    by The Addams Family on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 05:03:13 PM EST


    re war . . . (none / 0) (#128)
    by zaitztheunconvicted on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 07:10:57 PM EST
    OK, so,

    I got up and found out that this tv is on cnn and has been on cnn for the last half hour . . .

    "you," have stated you are against war as in against all war.

    For the first 300 years of Christianity, a very large portion of the Christians were pacifists . . . perhaps it was the vast majority . . . and the pacifism may have gone back to

    39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

    and

    52 Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.

    For 300 years the Christians prayed that either God would show the Romans the right way or that God would destroy the Romans, depending on which mood they might be in that day and how badly they were being tortured.  For 300 years there was plague, famine and civil war and those who persecuted the Christians died in quite bad ways .  . . and then there was a fellow named Constantine who claimed that he had had a vision or a dream with a strange sign and

    Whoops, Oh . . .

    and Constantine, after defeating the Romans in several battles in which he was badly outnumbered . . . had years of mostly peace.

    2 New GOP National Polls Today (none / 0) (#135)
    by CoralGables on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 09:13:29 PM EST
    Are not good news for the supposed emergence of Ben Carson into the lead:

    Reuters:
    Trump  34
    Carson 20
    Rubio  10
    Cruz    8
    Bush    6

    Ramussen:
    Trump  27
    Carson 20
    Rubio  16
    Cruz   13
    Bush    8

    I guess (none / 0) (#136)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 09:32:26 PM EST
    those pyramids full of grain took the wind out of his sails.

    Parent
    The latest (none / 0) (#152)
    by lentinel on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 04:48:32 AM EST
    news about the pyramid is that they dug into one of them and found no grain, but instead found a nice stash that some Pharaoh had planned to smoke in the next world.

    Parent
    And how will (none / 0) (#162)
    by jbindc on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 07:46:49 AM EST
    The Paris attacks change those polls?  I don't mean to be crass and talk politics and tragedy, but there is a Dem debate tonight.  How will the candidates address it, and will people react?  Will they be frightened enough to give the bluster of Trump et al a second look?  

    Parent
    IMO (none / 0) (#163)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 07:49:33 AM EST
    the attack plays to Hillary's strengths. It is going to hurt the GOP since they are seen as disastrous on foreign policy. They all come off as know nothings on foreign policy. Rand Paul was the only one in the last debate that knew that China was not part of the TPP.

    Parent
    AP poll (5.00 / 1) (#166)
    by TrevorBolder on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 08:19:30 AM EST
    Before the Paris murders

    More than 6 in 10 now reject Obama's handling of the threat posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, where Obama has been escalating the U.S. military's involvement in a bid to break a vexing stalemate. Support for his approach has followed a downward trajectory since the U.S. formed its coalition to fight the group in late 2014. Last September, Americans were roughly split, yet disapproval has jumped 8 percentage points just since January

    http://tinyurl.com/qf92yx4

    Numbers are the same for the Obama Foreign policy in general

    Parent

    I (none / 0) (#167)
    by FlJoe on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 08:30:52 AM EST
    am suprised his numbers are that high. He's doing too much, he's doing too little, it doesn't really matter, there is no sweet spot of just right in this situation, there are simply no good options in Syria.

    Parent
    As far (none / 0) (#169)
    by TrevorBolder on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 08:57:58 AM EST
    as Hillary goes, she is effectively running for the Obama 3rd term,
    And for that you look at direction of the country polling, which is far bleaker

    http://tinyurl.com/5hzc4c  Real Clear Politics

    People are looking for a change election

    Parent

    Aren't polls great (5.00 / 1) (#175)
    by MO Blue on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 09:35:27 AM EST
    <blockquotes>"Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Republicans in Congress are handling their job?"

    .

                                   Approve       Disapprove    Unsure          
                                              %                       %             %          
    10/29 -11/2/15

                                             12                     83.          4          

    9/17-21/15

                                               16                      76             8          
    8/20-25/15

                                                12               81             7     

    Source

    Parent

    Hillary (none / 0) (#170)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 09:00:02 AM EST
    is not running for Obama's third term. She is running for her first term. I know you guys don't like to think that women can make their own decisions but FYI women are fully capable of doing so.

    Parent
    I gather (none / 0) (#171)
    by TrevorBolder on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 09:08:17 AM EST
    That is your feelings on the matter

    But it still is effectively the Obama 3rd Term

    As McCain was running for the Bush 3rd term.

    Which is why it is very difficult for  the party in power for 8 years to win the Presidency a 3rd consecutive term.

    Right Track Wrong Track polling indicates the country is looking for a change, it is up to the candidates to best express the path of change.


    Parent

    There is a difference (5.00 / 1) (#173)
    by MKS on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 09:24:09 AM EST
    between Bush and Obama.

    Bush was asleep at the wheel during the greatest attack on the U.S. since Pearl Harbor.

    Bush invaded Iraq which had nothing to do with 9/11/.

    The economy under Bush was horrid....

    Obama beats that "performance" by a mile.

    And the GOP has nobody with any brains or experience....to challenge Hillary.

    Parent

    Not according Richard Clarke (none / 0) (#179)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 09:57:26 AM EST
    who was Clinton's NSA and kept around by Bush.

    See my comment #64 for the facts.


    Parent

    You (none / 0) (#184)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 10:11:59 AM EST
    haven't read Clarke's book obviously. He talks about George W. Bush disbanding the terrorism task force, treating Osama Bin Laden like a joke and Bush's obsession with going after Sadaam. That obsession is what led him to lie to the country after 9/11.

    Parent
    Defending Clarke?? (none / 0) (#191)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 11:07:31 AM EST
    Well, the question about him is was he lying when he defended Bush or was he lying when he attacked Bush??

    Can you really trust a man who is taking positions that butter his bread??

    Of course what he says in support of Bush is verifiable.

    Clinton did refuse to accept and arrest bin Ladin despite knowing what he was trying to do.

    There were issues that had been on the table for two years that Clinton had just let lay there.

    Bush did keep all the efforts started by Clinton going while increasing resources 500%.

    Bush, via is NSA, did call all the agencies together and  warn them. See the 7/5 meeting.

    His attacks are just blather that sound bad but are meaningless. Task forces are banded and disbanded regularly. Bush knew that bin Ladin had been marginalized and we shouldn't be wasting resources on him...that he would eventually be caught...that if we sent helicopters down the narrow Afghanistan valleys in the south we would be setting ducks for ground fire just as the Soviets had been.... And Bush had the company of all the world's major intelligence agencies..

    GEORGE TENET, FORMER CIA DIRECTOR: Let me say something very clearly to everybody. We believed he had weapons of mass destruction.

    O'REILLY: You believed it, why? Specifically you?

    TENET: I believed it going back to my time in the Clinton administration when we were concerned about Iraq. I believed on the basis of 10 years of following it, data that we'd seen, his deception, his denial, his thwarting of the U.N. I believed it in my core that he had it.

    Link

    And even Valerie Plame's husband admitted that Iraq had, as Bush noted, tried to purchase Uranium.

    The intelligence report indicated that former Nigerien Prime Minister Ibrahim Mayaki was unaware of any contracts that had been signed between Niger and any rogue states for the sale of yellowcake while he was Prime Minister (1997-1999) or Foreign Minister (1996-1997). Mayaki said that if there had been any such contract during his tenure, he would have been aware of it. Mayaki said, however, that in June 1999,(                    ) businessman, approached him and insisted that Mayaki meet with an Iraqi delegation to discuss "expanding commercial relations" between Niger and Iraq. The intelligence report said that Mayaki interpreted "expanding commercial relations" to mean that the delegation wanted to discuss uranium yellowcake sales. The intelligence report also said that "although the meeting took place, Mayaki let the matter drop due to the UN sanctions on Iraq."

    snip

    he CIA's DO gave the former ambassador's information a grade of "good," which means that it added to the IC's body of understanding on the issue....       The reports officer said that a "good" grade was merited because the information responded to at least some of the outstanding questions in the Intelligence Community, but did not provide substantial new information. He said he judged that the most important fact in the report was that the Nigerien officials admitted that the Iraqi delegation had traveled there in 1999, and that the Nigerien Prime Minister believed the Iraqis were interested in purchasing uranium, because this provided some confirmation of foreign government service reporting.

    link

    Facts, GA. Facts are so important.

    Parent

    No (none / 0) (#174)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 09:32:56 AM EST
    that is not "feelings" those are facts. The GOP has said that women should not be making decisions and women should not be in leadership positions.

    Right track wrong track don't seem to be very good indicators and as I recall they were wrong in 2004 and 2012 and there are a millions reasons behind those numbers. Some people would say we're on the wrong track because of too much involvement in the middle east while others would say not enough.

    The problem the GOP has is they still have not dealt with the Bush problem and until they do it is going to haunt the party. The GOP is basically campaigning to restore the Bush Agenda that collapsed the economy. If you don't think Hillary can cut the legs off any Republican on the economy you need to get out of the wingnut welfare news circuit. And on foreign policy? The candidates are complete know nothings spouting more wingnut welfare talking points.

    Parent

    Then again.... (1.00 / 1) (#180)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 09:58:45 AM EST
    The GOP has said that women should not be making decisions and women should not be in leadership positions.

    Democrats have said that people should be allowed to own slaves.

    Parent

    150 years (5.00 / 1) (#183)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 10:10:14 AM EST
    ago. The GOP is saying that today. If you have to bring up something from 150 years ago to make a point you lose the argument.

    Parent
    What's the time frame?? (none / 0) (#194)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 11:15:18 AM EST
    Oh, I know. It is the time frame you agree to.

    Well, let's shorten it.

    Let's look at the opposition to civil rights legislation by the Democrats in the 60's... I mean one of them was a KKK member.

    Parent

    So now (none / 0) (#195)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 11:29:50 AM EST
    you have to go back 50 years and as far as 10 years ago there were GOP members involved in the CCC. And more Republicans voted against Civil Rights than Dems silly. There's even a threat of the names of current Republicans affiliated with the KKK currently threatening to surface. I guess we shall see. It's obvious to most Americans that the GOP has a race problem. The fact that you deny it doesn't mean it isn't true.

    Parent
    Those long ago Democrats (5.00 / 1) (#201)
    by MO Blue on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 11:55:21 AM EST
    are now Republicans.

    Parent
    Have you (none / 0) (#188)
    by TrevorBolder on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 10:33:53 AM EST
    Looked at the list of women senators and governors?

    The GOP has said that women should not be making decisions and women should not be in leadership positions.

    So I gather you feel the same way about Democrats, as they have the same amount of women in both positions.

    Parent

    Leadership (none / 0) (#190)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 11:06:47 AM EST
    positions? They're the ones that are saying a woman should not be president. It used to be a woman couldn't be governor. It's not that they haven't advanced a little. It's just that they have not advanced to the 21st Century. And the unfortunate thing is outside of a few people like Susana Martinez they largely pick women who don't know how to lead like Sarah Palin. Trevor, the GOP is decades behind the curve on this issue but then they're decades or even centuries behind on a lot of things.

    Parent
    So the Repubs must (none / 0) (#193)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 11:09:39 AM EST
    not only pick women....they must pick women you agree with.

    Hmmmmm. Very interisng.......

    Parent

    No, (none / 0) (#196)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 11:32:45 AM EST
    not women I agree with however do you seriously think the majority of Americans think someone like Michele Bachmann has leadership qualities? The GOP has such a low opinion of women apparently they see someone who spouts conspiracy theories as leadership for women? Sarah Palin anyone? You're actually proving my point.

    Parent
    Hmmmm interesting (none / 0) (#200)
    by jondee on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 11:54:55 AM EST
    voters wanting candidates they agree with..

    It staggers the imagination.

    Parent

    it would help (none / 0) (#189)
    by zaitztheunconvicted on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 11:00:32 AM EST
    It would help the gop if the gop put forward a candidate who was not constantly creating problems for himself . . .

    Parent
    I (none / 0) (#182)
    by FlJoe on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 10:09:59 AM EST
     personally would answer "seriously wrong" track on any poll, yet I would never vote Republican, I am as desperate for change as anybody but I support Hillary over Bernie, I know many people here and elsewhere who feel the same way. It's impossible to assign any partisan or ideological  meaning to wrong/right track numbers.

    Parent
    Correct (none / 0) (#187)
    by TrevorBolder on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 10:28:41 AM EST
    There is 40 % of the country that will always vote Democrat, 40% that will always vote Republican, it is the 20% in the middle, and I would say they are looking for change also.

    Don't think Hillary will represent a significant a change from the Obama agenda, she served 4 years n the Administration

    And the Republicans can offer
    Trump Carson type change

    or a Rubio Christie type change

    Big differences between those

    Parent

    You are (none / 0) (#197)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 11:38:51 AM EST
    incorrect. According to Pew it is 48% D, 39% R and 13% I. The GOP must obtain almost all of the independent voters to win a general election. The Republican brand has become toxic to the majority of Americans due to the rise of the Tea Party and George W. Bush.

    And the GOP knows this. This is why they are trying to keep people from voting and trying to demoralize people because it will be the only way they win a Presidential election on their current platform.

    Parent

    Hopey changey, how's that workin' out? (none / 0) (#199)
    by Repack Rider on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 11:54:07 AM EST
    And the Republicans can offer
    Trump Carson type change

    Complete megalomaniac Jesus complex insanity backed by total inexperience in government.

    or a Rubio Christie type change

    Complete insanity coupled with sadism and hatred of the poors, the olds, and the browns and a big ol' heaping dose of Bridgegate corruption.

    Yuuuuge difference!

    Parent

    You (none / 0) (#202)
    by FlJoe on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 12:44:13 PM EST
    keep asserting that people are looking for a "change" with out citing any proof or even defining it.

    Virtually every American would like to change something, but those somethings are myriad, and in many, many cases ideological polar opposites.

    You keep referring to this "change" as some kind of monolithic force that will drive the American electorate into the arms of whichever snake-oil salesman(raw or polished) the GOP puts forward just for the sake of change. There is no such beast.

    Parent

    I hate (none / 0) (#168)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 08:46:48 AM EST
    to tell you but disapproval of Obama doing too much is not going to translate into approval of the GOP who wants to do more. The GOP is still embracing the disastrous Bush doctrine which formed ISIS. And also the Reagan doctrine which trained Osama Bin Laden.

    Parent
    Can't tell you (none / 0) (#172)
    by CoralGables on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 09:23:29 AM EST
    at what time Reuters handles their daily tracking poll, but their new one out this morning has Trump surging again yesterday. That could be Paris or it could just be his Iowa headlines.

    Either way, through yesterday the Reuters 5 day tracking poll has solidified Trump on top:

    Trump  42
    Carson 25
    Rubio  10
    Cruz    8
    Bush    6

    Parent

    Probalby (none / 0) (#176)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 09:41:55 AM EST
    a little of both. Republicans seem to like bluster at any time but especially when something happens.

    Parent
    They have discovered p0rn at the Knick (none / 0) (#141)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 13, 2015 at 10:02:05 PM EST
    Or invented it.  I guess.

    Amazing.

    a rape charge in Alabama (none / 0) (#192)
    by zaitztheunconvicted on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 11:08:49 AM EST
    I am reading the national news . . . there is the story of a football player in HS who was at a party.  A girl drank some alcohol and was placed in a bedroom. the guy went and had sex with her; she is or may have been unable to consent.

    He is charged with 1st degree rape.

    the defense is claiming that it was consensual and that other witnesses could observe alleged victim acting volitionally.

    Unless she was unconscious, it seems to me that 1st degree rape would be an improperly high degree . . .

    basically the state may be arguing they had sex and she was impaired and the defense is arguing they had sex and she was not impaired enough to not be consenting . . .  If she was conscious, the act is more of a mistake the a crime . . . unless we go to different forms of law than exist in the US.

    she would have to be impaired enough to not be consenting and the defendant know she was impaired enough to not be consenting, it seems to me, but I did not write the Alabama law . . .

    Well Fl Joe (none / 0) (#203)
    by TrevorBolder on Sat Nov 14, 2015 at 01:41:57 PM EST
    keep asserting that people are looking for a "change" with out citing any proof or even defining it

    Polling stating that people think the country is headed in the wrong direction.

    Well, I would take that as the person being polled would want to change the direction that the country is going.

    Yes , they do not go into specifics, but , I think it is safe to say that makes this a "change election"

    If 50% of the electorate are content with the countries direction, it would be tough for a challenger to win