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Open thread 8/11
- By Phillip Brownlee
- Posted Aug. 11, 2007 at 1:05 a.m.
- Filed under Open thread
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103 Comments
In the beginning there was nothing to disturb the peace and calm of pure being.
And then we came along….
In the beginning a singularity erupted sending a Universe of time, space, and matter into violent construction and eventually curious minds into motion, perhaps to ponder, in part, the engineering of the Hummingbird or its delicate purpose.
Ed Friedemann
After the beginning, there was the bush, then there was no more.
The end!
A month after immigration restructuring failed in Congress, the Bush administration yesterday mapped a broad campaign to tighten border security and to pressure employers to fire illegal immigrant workers.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/10/AR2007081001113.html?hpid=topnews
This is a smoke screen. The administration will at some point say that these actions prove that they’re serious on border control and try to re-start their failed attempt to allow amnesty. Except for those on the extreme left and businesses who use illegal workers, amnesty is a non-starter with the American public.
“those on the extreme left and businesses who use illegal workers”
What strange bedfellows.
The number one source that needs and advocates cheap labor? The Farming Community. Everybody concentrates on Meatpacking plants and construction trades, but look towards a farm fields and see all kind of illegal immigrants working in unbearable, slave like conditions, living in dirt floor shacks and getting paid next to nothing.
At least in the packing plants and construction trades, they get paid a living wage.
There is no question that the Israelis will stage some of their major “terrorist” attacks on America, but here an Israel terrorist splinter-group just jumped the gun. The AIPAC/PANC members only meeting in October will decide the “when and where these attacks will occur.”
Haaretz:
“Israeli Web site causes N.Y. to up counterterrorism precautions
By Haaretz Service and News Agencies
New York authorities were taking extra counterterrorism precautions Friday in response to what they said was an unsubstantiated report on an Israeli Web site regarding a radiological threat to the city.”
The link…http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/892166.html
There’s an election coming up. Is it possible bushco pulled their head out long enough to see how badly they’ve screwed up from every side and angle? Is it a coincidence?
And, of course, blame those “terrorists” attacks on the mythical “al-Qaeda.”
Joe! You’re right! I have a lot of friends and contacts in the construction business. The ones who play by the rules are being killed by the construction companies that hire illegals.
Farming is a sticky issue, but they’ve put themselves in a bad situation by utilizing cheap illegal labor rather than automating and using available technology.
It’s difficult having an “election” during “Martial Law.”
We need to reopen the state mental institutions. That would go a long way towards solving the homeless problem. The theory that people with severe and persistant mental illness can make it with community support services has been proven ineffective. The answer is not building a 24 hour homeless shelter, but actually giving the mentally ill a place to live and get the help they need.
How is letting someone starve on the streets better than locking them up in an institution?When someone is paranoid and delusional, they’re not going to take their medications or seek help on their own..the way it is now, families can’t even intervene if the mentally ill or the drug and alcohol affected person doesn’t want help.
This is why the homeless proplem has gotten so much worse in the last 15 yrs. You can hand out bottles of water, set up a huge buffet every night, give away free clothes, haircuts, etc. and it will do nothing to really help the homeless with their underlying problem. All the bandaids just make living on the streets an alternative to getting real help.
I do agree with you Mary, the problem needs more than intermittent monitoring for some. But I also don’t want to see Larned become the model again. Community based services are fine for those who can live out there- but the staffing needs are great, and they hire such poor quality workers- you get what you pay for at barely 7-8 bucks an hour though. This goes for disabled too.
Mary! You’re right! But you have to remember that many mental institutions were closed during the 70’s, due in large part of investigation of these institutions revealed deplorable conditions.
Plus, once you are committed to a mental institution, you are stripped from voting in elections. Democrats don’t like that. They rather have them out on the streets, so they can hand out packs of cigarettes to the homeless and tell them to vote for Albert Gore.
That is the reason why Democrats want to give felons, people in prison, mental patients, legal residents, illegal immigrants and even young teenagers the right to vote.
If you assume that the Bushco bunch doesn’t know exactually what they’re doing, the their plan is working.
They don’t mind the heat as long as the funding for what they want is still there.
Then
“The Dixie Chicks return to the stage with the Eagles.After releasing the most critically acclaimed album of their career, sitting through months of press coverage, exposing their lives to a documentary film crew and sweeping the Grammy Awards, the Dixie Chicks finally did what they had been hungering to do after working nonstop for over two years — rest.They’ve been in such seclusion that even their manager has had difficulty tracking them down, but it has been excruciatingly painful for the fans during this long wait.
Well, if you’ve been waiting for the Chicks to end their hiatus — even temporarily — you’re in luck.Thankfully, the trio has developed the itch to perform again.
The Dixie Chicks are preparing to rock the stage in October for a very limited engagement in a double-billing with the legendary Eagles.On October 18 and 20, 2007, the Eagles and the Dixie Chicks will be headlining a series of concerts to christen the all-new Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles for the grandest of grand opening celebrations.”
One of the best concerts I’ve ever seen, next to the Rolling Stones. Those ladies are such fabulous musicians..they really give you your money’s worth. I’m so glad they’re back! HA! Clear Channel lost…and The Chicks rule!It just proves that when you have real talent, you don’t need the fasicist country radio industry to stay on top.
It’s ironic that they were so chastised for opposing the so-called Iraq war. Insight?
See, told you Joe, you’re not a liberal. Only a neocon would come up with that kind of crazy post. Tell me, what percentage of Democrats WANT to give the vote to prison inmates, illegal immigrants…etc.
I would say those with mental illness and the homeless certainly have not lost the right to vote, just as the elderly or physically infirm have not lost the right to vote. You can’t strip that away from them if they wish to vote.
The instituition can be run more like group homes…it’s a new century and mental health treatment isn’t what it was in the 50’s, 60’s, or 70’s.With the advance of psychotropic medications and therapy, many with severe mental illness can lead a quality life. We need to use the old model with the new technology…requiring people to get treatment rather than allowing them to langish in their illness or addiction. The problem is that there isn’t any monsy in it for healthcare providers and it’s a huge expense for the state, so you won’t find too many in the government or the medical community supporting any change in the way we treat people with those problems. It doesn’t cost much to let them live on the streets, eat at The Lord’s Diner everyday, and take advantage of all the handouts and food pantries, except in terms of ruined lives. The state is just fine with that.
I meant “money, not “monsy”.
I agree with you Mary! Your idea is the correct action we should take.
AsI recall, and my memory is not so good these days– A federal judge ruled you cannot hold mentally people against their will, especially if they are found to not be a danger to themselves and others (particularly in a ative way, not just passibely rotting away on the street_ ANd the institutions were opened up, and the homeless people increase dramatically.
Activists attempt to bomb doctors car. Cite the “Hell” of his practice.
http://www.laweekly.com/news/news/monkey-madness-at-ucla/16986/
Dixie Chicks.
Spit.
I see Ed has his tinfoil hat firmly in place this morning . . .
Yes, Mary, our treatment of the mentally ill is despicable. The jails and prisons have significant numbers of persons who are frankly mentally ill because we don’t have anywhere else to put them.
I understand we closed the old asylums. And perhaps for good reason – they were hell holes. But I don’t think turning the mentally ill out on the streets to fend for themselves, as has often been the result, has done them any favors.
I don’t have a ready solution. Mary, you probably have more insight than I have. Just remember, as LJ noted earlier, the legal hurdle we must overcome is that before a person can be held against their will, a court must find that they are a danger to themselves or others.
Dixie Chicks.
Spit.
Posted by: GSheridan | August 11, 2007 at 11:04 AM——————————
Boy. Real class act there, GSheridan.
Sheridan doesn’t like anything or anyone who doesn’t agree with her RW views.
I agree.
Dixie Chicks.
Spit.
Nice.
Instead of a rational, reasoned sentence or paragraph or two about “why ________ disagrees with the ‘Dixie Chicks’,” let’s just “spit.”
Nice.
Hud–
That seems inconsistent with your post on the Iraq thread.
Dixie Chicks said what you said, just sooner, when it mattered.
Re the stupid U.S. temperature flap — an email from Jim Hansen, explaining the uncorrected GHCN data problem.
It also has a graph comparing the old vs corrected U.S. data.
http://www.columbia.edu/~jeh1/distro_LightUpstairs_70810.pdf
“The effect on global temperature (Figure 2) was of order one-thousandth of a degree, so the corrected and uncorrected curves are indistinguishable……. as we note in that [2001] paper, the 1934 and 1998 temperature are practically the same, the difference being much smaller than the uncertainty.”
“That is the reason why Democrats want to give felons, people in prison, mental patients, legal residents, illegal immigrants and even young teenagers the right to vote.”
I realize that Joe Williams posted this, but. . .
Proof? Something resembling proof?
P.S. Last I checked, “legal residents” could already vote (typo or what?)
P.P.S. pmom is correct, also: not even the institutionalized are denied the vote per se. This is nothing new, nor part of some Dem conspiracy.
P.S. “Tinfoil” aside, anyone wonder what tricks will be used to try to keep some version of the same dirtbags in power in ‘08?
It’s look like we’re going to get Republican Lite no matter what. . .
Rage,
You saw it up above: reverse accusations of Democratic “voter fraud,” to divert attention away from Republican election fraud such as we saw in the last two Presidential elections.
Republicans can’t run a country. But they can ratf*ck an election. It’s what you do when your policies are unpopular and the other guy gets more votes than you.
Rage–
All too true. The status-quoists in the media had Queen Hillary already nominated before the campaigns even started.
And look! She’s ahead. What a surprise . . .
That reminds me . . . must write note to Al Gore asking him to run.
He’s the only one who can save us from “I represent whatever you want me to represent” . . .
This [snip] was taken from a writer to a Middle East Newspaper, and you might find it interesting in understanding the Arabs mindset….
“You, as a paper supposedly standing for the interests of this region, owe it to yourself to distinguish between the violence unleashed by those who came to Iraq to “shock and awe” its people with their capacity for mass destruction, and those who had to take up arms to defend their country from occupation. The only way the resistance can secure the freedom of their country and the dignity of their people is to make the adventure costly for the occupation forces. One is a crime, the other a duty. Essentially cowards, the invaders can fight only with the support of their heavy weapons, bombers and security zones. That is why the Iraqi patriots have to shed so much of their blood to get the cowering “brave boys.”
What the resistance finds harder to fight — harder than enemy tanks, rockets and aircraft — is the propaganda. All know that the occupiers came to take control of oil and neutralize the challenges to Israel that the future might throw up in the region and that all those shibboleths about democracy were lies. At least you, as a paper, should know that. We, your people, have a right to expect from you fairness toward those who are fighting for the honor of us all — yours and ours. Kindly ensure that your reports and analyses do not repeat the propaganda of painting all those who stand up to Western aggression as evil forces.”
“Hillary” is the Israeli candidate, by far, in all the polls.
Ed – seriously, drop the Zionist conspiracy stuff, already. It’s getting old.
If it annoys gsheridan, then by all means keep it up Ed!
gsheridan
You should hang your pro-Zionist head in shame, of course you’d rather have your war-crimes referred to as “conspiracy theories” rather than the truth.
But after what you bastards did to Lebanon, that near-total destruction of their infrastructure and loss of civilian life, which any civilized people would never have done, it’s easy enough to see why you’re gun-ho to shut me down.
The whole world watched as you left-behind 4 million cluster-bombs, that resemble toys for children to pick-up and 44 children have been killed so far, according to Amnesty-International.
Man, you’ve got your nerve…..
What’s getting “old” is your act…
Dixie Twits.
KSGolfnut,
Still no answer to my earlier question. Once again, how’s that ‘choice’ of heterosexuality workin’ out for you? Was today difficult, given the fact that dudes, like, wear fewer clothes when it’s hot out?
Hope it hasn’t been difficult, today, for you to stand by your “decision” to be heterosexual.
No doubt CF2K has more than a waning interest in KSGOLFnut or he wouldn’t ask such questions.
Actually, a mature adult wouldn’t ask such questions, at least one that expects to get listened to or read on these Blogs again.
Walk on by CF2K – he’s a non factor
Here’s a nice takedown of Rudy’s phony 9-11 street cred. Turns out he WAS responsible for putting his “command bunker” in 7 WTC–even though he claims otherwise.
http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0732,barrett,77463,6.html/full
Among other things, the piece also debunks Giuliani’s claim to have helped prosecute the killers of Leon Klinghoffer, the man assassinated by the terrorists who took over the Achille Lauro.
If Republicans want to nominate another serial liar as President, that’s their business. Fortunately, Giuliani’s record is out there, and CF2K will do his small part to keep the real story out there.
Yes, indeed, inquiring minds want to know, GolfNut.
I’m a beer-drinker. When I go to the refrigerator, I ask myself ‘do I want a beer now or not?’
So if you choose to be hetro, do you often say to yourself, ‘I don’t think I want to have sex with another male today’ or not?
I too am curious how this choice thing is working out for you.
Fourth Reich Rising – Bitter Pill to chew.If I was rich I’d be eccentricBut I’m poor so I’m just a fool
To set about to change the worldIt’s not what they teach in schoolThis world it’s not what it seems to beFrom the papers and on TVFreedom screams at the sacrificeSo you can fuel your SUV
As Brown & Root and the Carlyle GroupMake their money in the fog of warAnd the banks extend their creditWell we seen it all beforeWhen I was twelve I heard the taleOf slave labour in the ReichFinanced by David RockerfellaMorgan Stanley and the likeMy teacher she gave me TolkeinA backdrop for a questWhere the edge is clear and men know fearAs they stand at the abyssWhen petty peacetime squabblingsPaper trades of paper menAre forgot in the cold awarenessThat Evil walks again.And I read about the death campsAnd the slaughter of the JewsTried to comprehend the lossTwelve Million empty shoesThe tryranny, pure evilFor which the Wall Street bankers paidMy Grandfathers generation diedSo that profits could be madeAs the horror of the HolocaustWas played upon our screensNazi gold from the Dulles boysWas moving behind the scenesAnd the Reich of 45Took shape and began to feedIn a Homeland rich and fertilePloughed ready for their seedThe lies are still the sameThe stakes higher than beforeWhile the people look for terroristsAnd the press shout loud for warUnder a cloud of commerceThe Beast puts out a clawIt reaches for the Caspian oilLike Hitlers did beforeTheir motives never compromisedAll plans still working throughA master race in full controlOf everything you doThey grind mens bones for the bread of warThen feed it back to youEvery bombs a profit and as the money filters throughA little pill of feelgood,An empty meal to chewAs you graze the mall,from your virtual stallShop for God and CountryThey’ll bleed you till your blueAnd the Power behind the Fourth ReichIs the same as it was beforeWhen Prescott Bush sent off that cableMarch 19th, 1934.—–
I was listening to Todd and Tyler the other day on the way to work and they had a interesting debate about the Dixie Chicks and their Ban by Clear channel, a month or so ago Faith Hill and her Husband made disparaging remarks about the President and they wondered why their was no hillbilly outrage over that and if Clear Channel was going to be consistent then they should ban Faith and Tim also.
Tom–
Everybody’s outraged over Bush now.
The Dixie Chicks took the brunt of the attack because they had the temerity to speak the truth when everyone else was cowed into submission.
People aren’t mad about what the Chicks said. They’re mad about the fact that the Chicks didn’t REAFFIRM conventional wisdumb, like good status-quo celebrities are supposed to.
They can speak out against world hunger or some other “issue” that no one can really do anything about, just don’t speak out about the President when everybody has decided “my country, right or wrong.”
Dissidents, hell even independent THINKERS, must be silenced.
That’s the American way since Joe McCarthy . . .
Tom–
Everybody’s outraged over Bush now.
The Dixie Chicks took the brunt of the attack because they had the temerity to speak the truth when everyone else was cowed into submission.
People aren’t mad about what the Chicks said. They’re mad about the fact that the Chicks didn’t REAFFIRM conventional wisdumb, like good status-quo celebrities are supposed to.
They can speak out against world hunger or some other “issue” that no one can really do anything about, just don’t speak out about the President when everybody has decided “my country, right or wrong.”
Dissidents, hell even independent THINKERS, must be silenced.
That’s the American way since Joe McCarthy . . .
Tom Paine,
Indeed. It was telling that when Tim McGraw and Faith Hill slammed Bush over his ethnic cleansing of New Orleans during Katrina, Right Wing folks were silent. They knew. And they had no stomach for defending the miserable asshole one more time.
However, as has been demonstrated by the lowlife comments here, going after the Dixie Chicks continues to be a Wingut dogwhistle winner.
THE GREAT IOWA STRAW POLL RESULTS:
Romney.. 4516.. 32%Huckabee.. 2587.. 18%Brownback.. 2192.. 15%Tancredo.. 1961.. 14%Paul.. 1305.. 9%Tommy Thompson. 1039.. 7%Fred Thompson.. 203.. 1%Giuliani.. 183.. 1%Hunter.. 174.. 1%McCain.. 101.. 1%Cox.. 41.. 0%TOTAL VOTES 14302
I think the Dixie Chicks are some mighty damn courageous females (and I sure as hell don’t blame them for disavowing Augustus Stupidus when they were out of the country. Jesus. That’s just a no-brainer).
I just wish I could enjoy their music. Christ, that’s some majorly boring sh*t, imho.
Of course I was down Tulsa way and in Cain’s Ballroom last night enjoying the dulcet tones of the Queens of the Stone Age, so my standards my differ from yours. Cranked fully to eleven, believe you me.
The spirit of Elvis lives in Josh Homme, for any of youse who still enjoy a bit of rock’n roll. Great, great, GREAT songwriter. In art terms, he’s an important American songwriter. In Matrix speak, he’s the One. Rock lives. Guy’s like a god, I am near positive. This guy.
Guiliani, McCain, and Fred Thompson did not participate in the poll, so the voters reacted with a slam.
Brownback had a nice BBQ, as did Romney.
That’s the only explanation I can find for why Brownback came in #3.
A very worthless poll, I think.
For what it’s worth, there is nothing like hearing QOTSA pound out 3s & 7s and Little Sister while standing under a signed 4′x3′ photo portrait of Hank Williams. Hank loved it, btw.
That’s about as American as life gets.
GMC is the truck he drives and the “70″ is his IQ { actually it’s “65″ but he gets 5 points for seeing Forest Gump twice, 2 1/2 points for each time }.
Everybody duck, he’s playing the “Hitler Card.”
“This is a smoke screen. The administration will at some point say that these actions prove that they’re serious on border control and try to re-start their failed attempt to allow amnesty. Except for those on the extreme left and businesses who use illegal workers, amnesty is a non-starter with the American public.
“those on the extreme left and businesses who use illegal workers”"
Most Americans recognize that amnesty for the aliens already here is not only inevitable but desired. The fact is that many of them have lived here for decades, own homes and have children that were born here and are US citizens and, in many cases, speak little or no Spanish. The only issue is- and I agree- that before we start giving amnesty AGAIN (we already did once with the Simpson Mazzoli amnesty during Reagan’s term) that this time we are serious about cutting off anymore folks sneaking into the country AND sending the criminal aliens home after they get out of jail.
” think the Dixie Chicks are some mighty damn courageous females (and I sure as hell don’t blame them for disavowing Augustus Stupidus when they were out of the country. Jesus. That’s just a no-brainer).
I just wish I could enjoy their music. Christ, that’s some majorly boring sh*t, imho.”
The Dixie Chicks might be alot of things but they are not boring. They are one of the most talented country groups of the decade. You couldn’t think that unless you don’t like country music. I do like it and they are in my top 5 faves along with Sugarland and Lonestar. It is too bad that country radio allowed itself to become infected by neo facist politics and quit playing the chicks but since I have Sirius which still does play them, I don’t really care myself.
“I was listening to Todd and Tyler the other day on the way to work and they had a interesting debate about the Dixie Chicks and their Ban by Clear channel, a month or so ago Faith Hill and her Husband made disparaging remarks about the President and they wondered why their was no hillbilly outrage over that and if Clear Channel was going to be consistent then they should ban Faith and Tim also.”
Are you still listening to commercial radio? In the world of Sirius, XM, Ipod, MP3 that is like playing 45 RPM records on a Califone tubed record player! I have been a Sirius sub for 3 years now and I will never go back to “25 commericals an hour” radio again. If Sirius goes silent, I will buy an Ipod. And, yes, Sirius plays the Dixie Chicks “and all your favorite country artist” as they say.
I love Hank Williams. Heck, I even like some of his son’s stuff. And I think Merle Haggard is a demi-god, too.
The Dixie Chicks ain’t any of that, imho.
Gretchen Wilson, otoh, is. I LOVE the song Politically Uncorrect. And Merle has never sounded better (it’s a duet).
Sirius ain’t the problem with country music. Country music is the problem with country music.
By the way, Merle’s in the Cotillion Thursday night.
Be there or be square, Wichita.
“That is the reason why Democrats want to give felons, people in prison, mental patients, legal residents, illegal immigrants and even young teenagers the right to vote.”
Some of those people should have the right to vote. FELONS who have done their time and completed parole or probation should have the right to vote. Even Repukes like Gov Martinez in Florida have said that. Mental patients who have not been judged to be insane should have the right to vote. Just because you have depression doesn’t mean you cannot vote. Non citizens on the other hand should NOT be allowed to vote in any election- whether legal residents or not. Teenagers are another matter. Most teens work and pay taxes these days. I think we should gradually lower the age to 16 to vote and run for office by first opening local elections to teens. Especially school board elections which affect teens more than anything else. I believe that every school board should have a teen student on it so that the voice of the students is heard. Then we can gradually open up national elections to 16 year olds.
The Dixie Chicks have perfect-pitch and that is quite remarkable for a musicians ear.
Their harmony is right on the mark along with timing. The BG’s also had that rare quality.
Most young singers these days just yell, while making faces.
I try to keep my politics and music separate. I am in tune with both the music and politics of the Chicks but I also like Toby Keith, Montgomery Gentry and Sara Evans who are all well known to be Repukes.
Rage,
You saw it up above: reverse accusations of Democratic “voter fraud,” to divert attention away from Republican election fraud such as we saw in the last two Presidential elections.
Republicans can’t run a country. But they can ratf*ck an election. It’s what you do when your policies are unpopular and the other guy gets more votes than you.
Posted by: CF2K | August 11, 2007 at 02:43 PM
The Democrats commit equal amounts of voter fraud. Check the FL 2000 election where 65,000 NY voters also voted in FL. There were over 10,000 more Dems in that voting than Reps.
Not sure what Rep. fraud you are talking about, but every election recount in FL 2000 showed Bush winning. There were at least a dozen recounts by various pro-Dem. or neutral parties with little reason to give the nod to Rep.
As to 2004, Kerry was richer than Bush and had less personality. Not exactly the winning candidate for the Dem. Any number of better Dem. candidates would have beaten Bush if they had won the Dem. primary.
For those who think we can’t get someone worse than Bush, I hope you are right, but twice is a row has happened before so don’t say you weren’t warned.
My political party is nonaffiliated after seeing how badly the Dem. and Rep. have sold out our country. I am waiting for when enough of the sheeple see the light and kick out one of the groups from power.
THE GREAT IOWA STRAW POLL RESULTS:
….. are about as irrelevant as this blog
May the world rest in peace.
I usually need distance (time) between country music and my judgment (Gretchen Wilson being an exception). I am more a rock person by nature, and I absolutely love to indulge myself in thinking I can spot trends in rock’n roll waaay after producers, the guys who do it for a living, have already taken the trouble to invest bucks to do just that for me.
So I gotta say that listening to the Dixie Chicks to me is the same as listening to Toby Keith. I don’t see the time value in either of those exercises. I can’t tell you exactly what they do “wrong,” but to my tin ear (I am actually tone deaf, I think, lol, ahem) there is zero substantive difference between any of their tunes.
Artists like Gretchen Wilson, otoh, get my attention. And Josh Homme. In both cases you have artists who dropped out of formal education at an early age. In the old heartlander’s terms, they’ve both busted clean out of any epistemological hierarchy and ain’t listening to anybody (heartlander or MPS used to argue that at least in academics such rebellion results in the only real scientific discoveries; I argue that the same holds true in pop music).
Homme will likely go further because he’s determined not to listen to anybody and to do “rock” in his own brand-new way. Wilson, otoh, seems more determined to recreate the sound she grew up with, 70s country, rather than something brand new. Toby Keith would do either depending on whatever path leads him to the greatest “success” soonest. The faster that boy buys his idea of a dream ranch and makes enough to live whatever life he’s become accustomed to, the faster he’ll disappear as an American songwriter.
Sol,
Look on the bright side. In 2009, we will have a Democratic president. The thieving Republican party hacks are fast screwing themselves out of power.
Mr. DevVB, we rarely agree on anything, but on this point you are correct. The Republican establishment does NOT want to see Dr. Paul do well in ANY poll.
The GOP is going to try to silence Paul by any means necessary. It is just not in their self-interest to see him in the first tier – witness the debate coverage.
The rest of the Republican candidates are trying to develop an image of a tougher George W Bush, while Dr. Paul is trying to publicize common sense solutions for complex problems.
The GOP prefers sound bite tough guy routines – not intelligent thought.
Of course, some of the Democrats are guilty of the same posturing.
In all seriousness, good luck trying to sell Dr. Paul.
He (and you) have a long road ahead.
Need to defend your self in your own home. Calling 9-1-1 isn’t always fast enough.
http://www.kansas.com/213/story/145878.htmlMan dies after home robbers shoot through doorA 20-year-old Wichita man died Saturday after he was shot during a robbery on Volutsia.
Wichita police said the shooting occurred at about 6:30 a.m. Two men wearing blue bandannas over their faces apparently entered a house at 307 N. Volutsia and stole a purse.
As they left the house, police said, the robbers shot through the door, striking the victim in the back.
He was taken to Wesley Medical Center where he later died. Police had no suspects in custody.
Ron Paul is part of the “Blame America First Crowd.” No one in their right mind would believe the stuff he says about 911 and how America caused it.
Ron Paul never read the 911 report or he would never make such statements.
Ron Paul is a closet, far-left Liberal and has little credibility.
Max,
I saw that on the news tonight. The criminals stole the victim’s cell phone, so they had no way to call 911 anyway.
In the 06 session, the Legislature passed a “stand your ground” law. The victims of this crime had every right to fight back. I wonder if they had firearms in the home? Quite possibly not – that’s not a wealthy neighborhood, and they looked very, very young.
Best weapon for home defense is a shotgun.
Can get a Mossburg 12 gauge for under $200.
Max,
The spread would tear up the paint.
A solid service revolver, loaded with Glaser safety slugs, is my preference. Unlike automatics, there’s very few moving parts to jam up, so you can keep them in the nightstand for years without “drawer lint” gumming up the works. And Glaser’s are nice, for the simple reason that they won’t go through perps and injure innocent bystanders (spouses, kids), and the nervously-fired misses won’t go through walls, either.
Glaser’s are good. It’s nice that we have many options of shotguns, revolvers, pistols. One can be found to meet the preferences of all.
I find the revolver/pistol debate interesting.
Revolvers are less complex, perhaps more reliable, but modern pistols are also very reliable, user friendly, and offer more capacity then revolvers.
Read a news report the other day about someone who scared off 6 intruders into his home, and he defended himself with a shotgun.
Would be very difficult to shoot all 6 (since most shotguns hold 4 or 5), but the deterrent of the sound of loading a shell with a pump shotgun, is sometimes all it takes.
Max,
Yes, modern autos are more reliable, but that’s only if they’re properly maintained. You and I both know, though, that most household firearms aren’t kept in top condition, and in fact most owners don’t even think about them. They’re just “there” until needed. And in a home-invasion, six shots should be enough.
I usually need distance (time) between country music and my judgment (Gretchen Wilson being an exception). I am more a rock person by nature, and I absolutely love to indulge myself in thinking I can spot trends in rock’n roll waaay after producers, the guys who do it for a living, have already taken the trouble to invest bucks to do just that for me.
I like rock and have for years. The problem is that no good new rock is being made because everybody under 30 is into rap now. So there will be no more Eagles, Alman Brothers or CCR. Same with funk and R&B. The only new rock being made is by the likes of Korn and Mary Manson and that heavy Satanic stuff I cannot get into. The only new music being made these days that I can listen to and not puke is country.
I prefer the higher capacity just in case.
You hear too many stories about people getting killed as they reload a six-shooter, and sometimes 2 mags for a pistol aren’t enough.
I know a woman who was homebound with her husband in the LA riots. For days, they stayed in the house with their guns loaded and ready. But with several rioters running around with guns, even a husband and wife team each shooting may not be enough.
Nice couple, both were good target shooters. She was a big enough gal, she actually shot the Desert Eagle 50.
At 6 lbs, that’s a little too much for a handgun for me. I’ll stick with my 9’s and 40’s and have a nice balance of capacity and firepower.
Heading out to look at the stars again.
Perseids meteor shower is very active tonight. Peaking tomorrow night.
Kev,
There’s a lot to explore in the blues scene. Old artists are still recording, and younger ones are looking back to America’s home-grown musical roots.
If you don’t know where to start, Alligator Records has a fantastic catalog, and their website has MP3 downloads from many of their featured artists.
Speaking of traditional American music, there’s a bluegrass band on KPTS right now, with a guy playing an upright bass made from an old gas tank.
At least it’s not a “fender.”
::giggle::
Perseids meteor shower is just starting to get good. Peaks tomorrow night, but we have seen some great ones in last hour.
Look NNE. Although they are supposed to be eminating out of Perseus (sp), and below Cassiopeia (the W), we have seen them traveling south to north too.
Green tails as well as yellow. Different composition of comet dust I suppose.
This is a good year. New moon, sky is dark.
Peeeeeeerfect.
This has been a public service announcement to the blog.
Go outside and look North east!!!!
Sol,
Look on the bright side. In 2009, we will have a Democratic president. The thieving Republican party hacks are fast screwing themselves out of power.
Posted by: Tom | August 11, 2007 at 10:39 PM
You assume too much. While it is likely, it depends on too many factors to make an accurate call.
The first two factors are the 2 candidates. While a Clinton Romney campaign seems to be what some in the press are looking for, dark horses have pulled off upsets and I believe the 2 candidates will have the biggest impact on the election results.
Economic impact, war in Iraq situation, etc. will play smaller roles, but if the 2 candidates appear to be to clones of each other, then these could tip the scale.
For the people upset with the economy starting to tank, it is way overdue. We have not had a major recession in way too many years. There are a natural cycle, and when the Fed interrupts the cycle, it just means the big one is going to much bigger than it would have been naturally.
I would also point out that the election will be decided by around 12 states, not all 50. The big states have convinced the smaller states that the Electoral College helps them when all it does is make the other 38 states voices’ meaningless in the vast majority of presidential elections.
“I know a woman who was homebound with her husband in the LA riots. For days, they stayed in the house with their guns loaded and ready. But with several rioters running around with guns, even a husband and wife team each shooting may not be enough.”
More than enough. If you ever study the psychology of mobs, you will find that people in a mob or gang generally act because they believe that there is “safety in numbers”. By shooting only the first few of a mob, the rest will almost always retreat quickly and leave their “friends” bleeding to death on the ground. You can easily repel an attack even by 20 people with a 6 shot gun because if you shoot 2 of them, none of the other 18 of them is going to step up and volunteer to take the other 4 bullets.
“For the people upset with the economy starting to tank, it is way overdue. We have not had a major recession in way too many years. There are a natural cycle, and when the Fed interrupts the cycle, it just means the big one is going to much bigger than it would have been naturally. ”
The economy is not tanking. Nowhere even near that point. Some sectors of the economy such as housing and manufacturing are hurting a bit which may slow down the economy just a bit but we are still going like gangbusters and will be at least the rest of this year. Next year I am less optimistic about.
Yeah, but if your wrong Kev, you’ll be busy reloading while the other 18 are still shooting at you.
Max,
Buy a couple speed-loaders. They change out almost as fast as a clip.
Compared to an 18 rd 9mm mag OR a 15 rd 40 S&W mag, and a revolver, you’d be reloading twice before I ran out once.
Of course, Max, you can’t reload if you’re dead.
A .22 short well-aimed is enough to do the job.
Yep, big bad max the GUN NUT!
Kev–
I tend to agree with your appraisal of the music scene.
Every once in awhile though, the general rule is broken. Van Morrison came out with a new album “Down the Road” that was as good as anything he did in his so-called prime.
“Hey, Mr. DJ” and “The Beauty of Days Gone By” were as good as any of the old ones.
Until Jerry Garcia died, The Grateful Dead continued to put out new albums that rivalled their greatest. “Black Muddy River” recorded in the late ’90’s is as good a song as they ever wrote.
There are a few interesting (relatively)new bands out there: Son Volt and Yonder Mountain String Band are two that come to mind.
True Capn, and I can get 20 rds of .22 short in my rifle.
So-called assault rifles are not much different, are they?
Hell, if we’re going assault rifle, I want one of those nifty BAR’s with 600 or so rounds per minute firing rate.
Me too Tom, but don’t know where a civilian can buy one of those.
Only semi-autos can be bought legally.
Max–
Agreed. I never supported the so-called “assault weapon” ban. The distinction between an assault weapon and a semi-auto hunting rifle is just cosmetic.
Military style weapons LOOK real scary, but they’re not really different from a comfortable looking hunting rifle with a wood stock.
Does a “flash suppressor” make a gun a lot more dangerous or lethal? I don’t think so.
I’m no expert, but that’s how it seems to me.
And the bayonet too.
Bayonet lugs were sawed off to make certain “assault rifles” legal in the 90’s.
Man, how much more dangerous is that gun with a knife on it!
Purely cosmetic.
A good shot with a deer rifle can do as much if not more damage then someone with an assault rifle.
I like all kinds of music, the Dixie Chicks tend to fall into the pop/country catagory, it can go either way, just like a lot of the country stars today. But, theh Chicks are really great musicians, and that’s where their talent really stands out.My favorite country writer by far is Gretchen Peters, and she has a new CD out.I LOVE Gretchen Wilson…I think she’s going to be the next really big country star. She can do great rock, also. She’s everything that a country singer should be, in my opinion.
Good site! I’ll stay reading! Keep improving!