Great comentary from outside the Supreme Court yesterday regarding oral arguements in the Heller case.
“At that point, a reporter interjected: “the Mayor (DC Mayor Adrian M. Fenty) says the handgun ban and his initiatives have significantly lowered violent crime in the District. How do you answer that, Mr. Heller?”
The initial answer certainly wasn’t expected – Dick Heller laughed. Ruefully.
Pointing at the Mayor who was making his way across the plaza, surrounded by at least six DC police officers, Heller said, “the Mayor doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”
“He doesn’t walk on the street like an average citizen. Look at him; he travels with an army of police officers as bodyguards – to keep him safe. But he says that I don’t have the right to be a force of one to protect myself. Does he look like he thinks the streets are safe?”
ABORTION BILL PASSES HOUSE
A bill that anti-abortion lawmakers say will lead to tighter restrictions on late-term abortions passed the House yesterday. The bill requires women to receive more information about the fetus and the procedure before an abortion is performed. According to the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Lance Kinzer, R-Olathe, the legislation does not outlaw any legal procedure, including late-term abortions. In Kansas, a late-term abortion is one that involves a fetus determined to be 22 weeks or older.
The bill requires abortion providers to give a woman having a late-term abortion copies of documents stating the reason for the procedure and whether it’s needed to prevent substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function, as the law requires.
“Many times, women don’t know the justification for an abortion unless they seek their medical records,” said Kinzer. He also said women often are coerced by parents or others to undergo an abortion.
The bill also requires doctors, at least a half hour before any abortion, to allow a woman to view the ultrasound image of a fetus and the heartbeat sound if that type equipment is used, and to inform a woman at least 24 hours before any abortion about free counseling and free hospice services for fetuses or terminally ill newborns. Also, under the bill, the State Board of Healing Arts must revoke a physician’s license to practice if he is convicted of performing an illegal late-term abortion, unless two-thirds of the board decides the doctor poses no public threat.
The bill requires any minor seeking any abortion to provide proof of identification and residence. Any person accompanying a minor also must provide identification and sign a statement about their relationship and whom the father of the fetus might be. Kinzer said the bill also clarifies the steps a minor must take to get a judge to allow an abortion without notification of the girl’s parents. The bill allows any group of 10 citizens to file a lawsuit against the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to get information required by law about
abortions performed in the state. The bill also allows a woman who had
a late-term abortion, her husband if he’s the father, or parents if she’s a minor to file a lawsuit for monetary damages for violations of the law.
The most controversial part of the bill is a provision that allows a county attorney, for instance in Johnson County, to file an action in another county, say Sedgwick County, charging a doctor with violating the state abortion laws. Attorneys in the House disagree about whether a county attorney, elected to enforce the law in their county, can overcall another county attorney an file an action for a “crime” that occurs in another jurisdiction.
According to health department, 11,221 abortions were performed in 2006, of which 380 were late-term. In 2000, 12,323 abortions were performed, 639 of them late-term. Abortion opponents have complained that doctors filling out the required state paperwork simply recite the language of the statute in listing a reason, rather than providing a specific medical reason. Efforts to send the bill back to the Federal and State Affairs Committee failed, as did a move to replace its language with another bill that simply required doctors to report their diagnosis that specifies why an abortion is necessary for the woman’s life or health and specifically shows their findings concerning the gestational age of the fetus.
The House passed a measure this week to strengthen congressional ethics enforcement. For the first time ever, an outside board will be established made up of individuals who are not members of Congress to investigate Aleged ethics violations by representatives. Members of Congress should be held to a high ethical standard. Hopefully, this board will increase the openness and accountability of the ethics process in Congress for the American people. The independent Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) will consist of six members who will screen allegations of wrongdoing made against House Members and pass these concerns to the House Ethics Committee for further consideration and action.
Kansas has an independent ethics body, the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission (GEC). The commission is charged with administering, interpreting and enforcing the Kansas Campaign Finance Act and laws relating to conflict of interests, financial disclosure and the regulation of lobbying. These laws establish the public’s right to information about the financial affairs of Kansas’ state public officials, lobbyists and candidates for office. In addition, the GEC renders advisory opinions and can adopt rules and regulations under a less comprehensive conflict of interests law covering local government officials and employees. Kansas statutes, K.S.A. 25-4142 et seq. and K.S.A. 46-215 et seq. require candidates, lobbyists and state employees to file disclosure forms with the Secretary of State, which is a separate state agency and the public repository for such forms.
Looks like responsible borrowers get to help pay for the subprime fiaso in another way. According to LowCards.com, despite short term interest rates being down, credit card companies are not in any hurry to lower their CC rates. Apparently banks are off-setting mortgage losses in their credit card departments. Even those without a balance or who rarely use their cards are experiencing rate increases.
Society again pays for the irresponsible actions of others……
The simple way to avoid the problem, American Way, is to pay off your credit card balance every month. Use them like a tired whore, take every discount and airline freebie, but Never give them a late fee or a dime’s worth of interest.
Agreed Door King. Always have cards with a grace period, no annual fee, and it’s easy to find one with a cash back feature. (I won’t advertise for the greedy bassturds by providing a name.) We’ve lived by this our entire married life. My above comment was all inclusive; although they are hitting up those of us who pay in full or rarely use their cards - you better believe everyone else is “enjoying” high rates on their balances.
By all means we must stop those silly ole Doctors who are just going around performing abortions of unsuspecting women without telling them why they are performing an abortion! Why those women must have been just walking down pass the clinic whistling a happy tune. When they Doctor comes out and offers them candy to come inside. surly these women must have misunderstood the Doctor, they thought when he said “abortion” he meant “adoption” of a puppy!
And of course they need to be shown the “ultrasound image of a fetus and the heartbeat sound if that type equipment is used“, Otherwise they must think that thing growing in their belly is a swallowed grapefruit seed.
There is a level of stupidity in this, but it is not on the part of the women! When the law is used like this, it end with the citizens no longer having any respect for the law. Compliance with the laws is voluntary, when the majority no longer respect the laws. There is not enough law enforcement within Sedgwick county or even within the entire state of Kansas to enforce any laws.
In days pasted, such attempts would be laugh at and the sponsor would go down as a wacko. But then at times it seem that one needs to be a wacko just to be elected to office.
Olathe sounds to be a good town, a good town to stay hundreds of miles away from! Sadly there is not a electric fence to keep them from invading the rest of the state.
This assumes women are stupid and need to be governed, that the people of Kansas are just this dumb that without the government we would be running off of cliffs!
“This assumes women are stupid and need to be governed, that the people of Kansas are just this dumb that without the government we would be running off of cliffs!”
Sorta like warning labels on cigarette packs?
Sorta like warning labels on gas pumps?
Sorta like warning labels on power tools?
Sorta like signing up for a subprime loan and not being smart enough to know what the adjustable rate means?
Yep, way too much government involvement in our lives.
On the brighter side of the subprime fiasco, my better half and I are looking at buying a second home. This one will be the final retirement home eventually. Somewhere warm, TBD. But we were researching prices and it seems now is an excellent time not just to buy an existing home - but to have one built!
According to the Bureaus of Labor Stats, construction labor costs are way down, and the National Association of Home Builders also reports costs are way down:
Insulation: -6% (and a tax break for energy)
Roofing: -11%
Land costs: -20%
Lumber: -18%
Drywall: -40%
Windows: -12%
Maybe she will finally get something brand “new” to live in!
A couple of my favorites: The warning on those sun screens that cover the entire windshield “ You should remove this devise before attempting to drive”. I read this on the box that a clothes iron came in, “Do not attempt to use this product while taking a bath”.
“Point downrange before firing” on weapons for the military.
I don’t recall seeing that label on an M16 or .45
at Edson Range, but I do recall a brute wearing a campaign hat threatening bodily harm for failure to do so. The message was literally beaten into you.
One night I was mopping and got some distance from the orange warning cone, a customer smarted off “I don’t see a warning cone… What ya go’n do if I fall?”. “If you are watching me mop and do not know the floor is wet…Laugh my axx off!” I replied.
Before bush goes on television today and tells us Iraq has made us safer
Personally, since 9/11 I’ve become very scared. Not from El Keeta, but from my fellow Americans. I’m worried I’m going to step out my door and Homeland Security is going to spirit me away for 2 years torturing me because some dolt says since I have long hair I have to be a radical and undoubtedly have a bomb hidden somewhere to go off sometime.
I’m afraid that I go to the store and some psuedo-John Wayne empties a clip into me because while I was scratching my keester he was sure I was reaching for an Uzi.
I’m afraid many of the people on this blog actually believe the drivel they spout.
I’m really afraid that America is a screwed up as they try to have us believe.
I’m expecting to see a public service announcement any day showing Bin Laden with his arm draped over Bush’s shoulder, proclaiming, “you’re doing a heck of a job, there, Bushie”
Linda I am watching him right now… :> It has got to be easy being a speech writer for Bush! You need not bother to stick to facts or reality, just make it up as you go! You know I can forgive Mc Cain for his misstatement about Al-Qaeda and them crossing over to Iran to train. The terms “Al-Qaeda”, “insurgents“, “terrorists” have become so interchanged that it must be hard to keep track without a score card!
ghotiphaze
Posted March 19, 2008 at 8:27 am | Permalink
Before bush goes on television today and tells us Iraq has made us safer
Personally, since 9/11 I’ve become very scared. Not from El Keeta, but from my fellow Americans. I’m worried I’m going to step out my door and Homeland Security is going to spirit me away for 2 years torturing me because some dolt says since I have long hair I have to be a radical and undoubtedly have a bomb hidden somewhere to go off sometime.
———————–
There’s a special now for ‘tin foil’ hats. You should pick a couple of those up.
Dog, I’ll wait and read the simple words he will undoubtedly trip over. I’ve heard them before and it’s too painful to actually watch and listen in real time. I admire your bravery!
Hee hee hee fish. Chris Rock said, given the dragging of James Byrd, the killing of Matthew Shepard, church burning, etc. That he wasnt afraid of Al Quaida. He was afraid of Al Cracker…
#
ghotiphaze
Posted March 19, 2008 at 8:37 am | Permalink
Reg, you’re one of the one’s I’m afraid of.
——————————
Yes, I have plans along with my organization of several million members to solidify our secret organization.
Soon we will have plans in place that will render any deviations from our policies or procedures practically useless.
The first step of the microchip implant is almost complete. It was quite difficult to get that secretly funded and implemented throughout the Medicaid clinics.
However, no one has suspected the reason for gas price increases has been the subversion tax secretly passed and signed into power was to fund our massive project.
Phase II will kick in when the microchip is added to flu vaccinations and those immunizations required for children.
Newer Television sets, flat screens and etc. have made our surveillance project much easier. The people from Taiwan and Korea have cooperated fully after a little under the table funding to implement the satellite and wireless based surveillance program. Cellphones have proven to be more problematic.
The underground facility in Montana will be our headquarters, with computer nodes , each, which can act independently is almost complete as well.
A stroke of genius by our extra-terrestrial alien born companion Zarkthros was implemented in our McDonald’s and Burger King child toy (microchip implantation) plan. It has been a huge success.
It really is amazing what one can do by manipulating the electrical impulses of the human body. Yes, I’m really proud of our microchip plan.
IMO, the longer this primary goes on, the more NECESSARY it is for both of the candidates to be on the ticket. The democrats are slowly being ripped apart by the prolonged primary. It is the nature of the beast for primaries to cause rifts in a party, but the primaries have never lasted this long. Since it has lasted this long, to present unity and goodwill for the democrats, they must decide to work together on the same ticket, they just must!! Otherwise, the democrats will lose in November. And I will pull ALL of my hair out!
No, reg, it isn’t any of that (wherever you stole it from). It’s being afraid that people with your thought processes actually is the norm for America, in which case Bin Laden would be doing us a favor for sinking so low as a society.
Okay, I am not economically savvy when it comes to the feds and mortgage rates. I can budget my own money, but nothing complex. But damn it, how in the world can the Feds be cutting interest rates, driving up inflation while doing so, and it not benefit mortgage rates positively. Ugh!
I think it keeps me on my toes and maybe even helps me try to put my best foot forward in public — that not knowing who is who and realizing any one of them could be…
“But damn it, how in the world can the Feds be cutting interest rates, driving up inflation while doing so, and it not benefit mortgage rates positively.”
Uh, because they are bailing out BANKS and LENDERS not people. They care about Bear Sterns. But about Joe Sterns? Eh, not so much.
There may be a few special situations in which a person can’t help but rack up some short-term debt, but the vast majority should be carrying NO credit card debt and should pay off the balance every month.
Clinton is in Michigan begging for the delegates to be seated.
She conveniently “forgets” that she signed a pledge to take her name off the ballot in Michigan. Everybody else took their name off the ballot except for her!
Now she wants the delegates to be seated, and she’s going on and on about “everyone’s right to vote–the vote gives voice to the voiceless.”
This is the person that wants us to trust her enough to be President.
On the subject of the rules of the primaries: I want the DNC to stick to the rules agreed to and the consequences everyone knew for breaking the rules. Why have rules if they mean nothing? Both Florida and Michigan need to straighten out the problems they created, and they need to accept the responsibility for breaking the rules.
Five years later, where are we? The surge is working, who could doubt it? You put a cop on every corner of course crime would go down. But what now, there is still no end game and no exit strategy. There is catchphrase about staying till we win, but what will that take? A stable Iraq, an end to the violence but in reality those too are just catchphrases. Broad undefined statements that catch everything and nothing at the same time. Iraq is a tar baby, we are stick because of our own doing. Iraq is solely our fault and it is up to us to fix it. You can argue the point of whether it was our actions that brought about 9-11. In reality there is some credence to it, in our blindness and with out intent there is some credence. But no it is NOT solely our fault for 9-11, but the mess in Iraq IS. By now we have learned that and we must accept reasonability for it. Our President right or wrong led us to do something that was totally Un-American. But never the less WE are America and what is done in the name of the country is done by all her citizens whether we agree with it or not.
So how do we get out of Iraq, what is the reality of winning there? An easy answer to the question is not there. The stain upon on us for this can not be removed, that would in reality be the only win to be had.
We will stay there until that stain can be removed, until that bell can be un-rung until once again we are truly what being America is about. Else until this country who once stood for the best of all people dies a slow death from within. It was the ideals that made this country strong and worth a merciful God’s blessings. How does the killer of the child gain forgiveness? How does he make right what he did?
How do WE as Americans made right for this greatest mistake this country has ever made?
By ignoring it and saying it is a part of the war on terror, its not and never has been a part of the war on terror. To say such is more to hide the reality of what it was and to excuse the un-excusable actions.
To stay till we force fate to accept OUR version of it, sorry fate is not so easily guided in its course.
No amount of money nor cost in human lives will make it so, while there our enemy the ones whom stuck us are growing and gaining far more strength then they could have if Iraq had not have happened. And that is the cost of Iraq. A win or loss in Iraq will not change that as Iraq has nothing to do with the fight against terrorism. While the building was burning, we set the trash can on fire to try and put a fire out.
We can not just leave but to stay will cause far more harm to this country than to leave. WE are in the tar baby! Covered in tar and no real way to remove it we stand in place as there seem nothing else we can do.
So five years later that is where we are, the only hope is the world did finally forgive Germany and Japan for its deeds.
Only if you completely ignore the training of the Iraqi Security Forces we are doing there, the fact that the Iraqi Security Forces are constantly taking over more and more regions, and the fact that our role is becoming more of a support role and logistics role could you have the opinion you do.
You have to completely ignore all the things our troops are doing there to think we have no plan, no exit strategy, and are doing little more than playing cop.
You have become a product of the media fraud which is the Iraq war coverage. The only thing you see is every time a bomb blows up and kills someone.
American Way
Posted March 19, 2008 at 9:33 am | Permalink
“When the real Patriots were losing and freezing to death in Valley Forge, why didn’t they just quit?”
Hey Max, weren’t they going to quit? Until George promised them HUGE reenlistment bonuses (which had not been approved by Congress?).
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++=+
Yeah, they did it for the money. That’s why we have an all-volunteer force now fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Kosovo, and….
Didn’t you love the way Obama sacrificed his grandmother on national television? Never mind that the woman sacrificed to raise Barry, he the audacity of hopelessness (pun intended) to compare a comment she made in private to him with one made by the hateful Pastor.
Good going, slimebucket.
Now that Obama has totally interjected race as a dividing issue in the race - it will esclate. He just opened Pandora’s box. Let’s see who flies out first.
“How do WE as Americans made right for this greatest mistake this country has ever made?”
I don’t know if I’d go that far. This country has been “nation building” since day one.
And need I post a list of the congress men and women who voted FOR going into Iraq and have voted FOR continuing operations there? Or perhaps, the candidates who will continue this war?
Don’t like the war? Fine. Join the majority of us.
But let’s quit hiding behind one political party as the resolution to it. From our founding days, Americans have been adventurists - interferring in the internal affairs and invading other countries. Our young men and women have been dying for politicans from ALL parties and both congress and the presidency for centuries.
Why? Because they keep us divided into political parties so we can blame each other, instead of the politicians who actually ACTED.
We need a national review of the Wars Power Act, and the constitutional authority to send our men and women to mortal combat. We need to examine HOW we get to the point of no return. We need to enact standards, thresholds, and PUBLIC procedures for actions by our Congress and our President to FOLLOW before committing America to war. This includes any prelude to war (funding foreign opposition parties to overthrow or win, providing war materiels,) and clear agreement on intelligence estimates. This should review should happen NOW!
But regardless, we will go to war again (I suspect straightforward capture of oil fields). American people will change their minds, public opinion will change, and politicans will become weak kneed in their resolve.
So unless we only go to war with a popular vote of the people, we will be down this road again.
That is the problem of both the legislature and the voters in those two states. The legislators set the primary dates with full knowledge of the rules and the consequences for breaking those rules. They were even reminded several times.
The rules were set and agreed to unanimously by a group that included Florida and Michigan representation.
I don’t know about the state of Michigan but Florida set their primary date seven months before it happened. The voters should have done something then to ensure their votes would count.
Until WE THE PEOPLE accept our responsibilities we will continue to get what we deserve in and from our elected officials.
They know they are elected by a tiny number of WE THE PEOPLE and they hope we don’t pay careful attention once they get the job.
ksfarmgrrl
Posted March 19, 2008 at 9:38 am | Permalink
max = scroll over territory
ksfarmgrrl, I don’t get it. Are you having a lovers quarrel with Max today? Or is there something wrong with his posts that I am not seeing? Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed? Are wheat prices down?
Komrade
Posted March 19, 2008 at 9:49 am | Permalink
Didn’t you love the way Obama sacrificed his grandmother on national television? Never mind that the woman sacrificed to raise Barry, he the audacity of hopelessness (pun intended) to compare a comment she made in private to him with one made by the hateful Pastor.
Good going, slimebucket.
Now that Obama has totally interjected race as a dividing issue in the race - it will esclate. He just opened Pandora’s box. Let’s see who flies out first.
==================================================
1) Obama has been playing the race card from day one. Don’t let the press fool you on that.
2) ANGER. Obama used the word ANGER 10 Times in that speech yesterday. You don’t attend a radical extremist church for 20 years, and not buy in to the Anger and Hate.
3) Obama’s so filled with Hate and Anger that he’ll throw his grandmother and anyone else under that bus in order to get elected.
4) Obama is a very smooth car salesman, talking a line that can easily deceive someone who only listens to what sounds good. The devil is in the details.
5) Obama is full of fluff and hyperbole. Hope, Change, Uniting America. No specifics and no details, just Hope, and Change, and Uniting America.
6) Obama is hiding the details of HOW.
7) Obama is a car salesman speaking eloquent bullshit.
And maybe Amway can tell us again how younger workers should pay for this debt while he should not. He paid into Social Security and Medicare and is expecting to get some back - or as Pink Floyd said - “Keep your hands off of my stack!”
Republicans always show what good citizens they are when you discuss THEIR money. LOL :)
It’s best to just fire at will, and let the voters sort it out in November.
If McCain keeps his mouth shut, if there is no Independent candidate to screw-up the election (the only way Clinton I won), then the Dems will continue to devour their own - with our help.
The Dem’s can’t help but be divisive, they are caught between Barock and a Hard Place.
Max’s “truth” is just more silly rhetoric. As usual.
Here’s an article about the whole Rezko business, from the Chicago Sun-Times. I don’t see too much there, other than a possible conflict of interest when Obama worked at a law firm representing a Rezko company. But here it is (and it’s not new), dig in:
Well, Parkay, if you’re anywhere within ear or eyeshot today - I just watched the video you cited yesterday. Someone (maybe the Deity???) restored that video to its original viability - so the semi-viable Songbird watched it.
The audio wasn’t pristine, so I didn’t hear the part about Dr. Tiller “performing abortions up until the moment of birth.” I did, however, hear him express very definite moral concerns about certain acts. I did, however, pick up on the fact that the “interviewer” seemed fixated on Mr. Obama - and not the morality/immorality of abortion.
I also heard the co-ed ask Dr. Tiller whom he would be voting for - as if that’s any of anyone’s business - any more than asking the twit when she had her last menstrual period.
I’m afraid that, if the purpose of this video is to demonize Dr. Tiller, it probably failed. I must attest that one’s ongoing concerns about abortion - certainly late-term abortion - won’t be affected either way by this offering.
I still have grave concerns about very definite areas of this debate; I remain wholly unconvinced that I have the overweening right to say, “Because …….. happened to me - emotionally - six months after the abortion - it WILL and HAS happened to every other woman.”
What right have I to do this? Were I to do this, women would have the right to be cruel to me in return. “I wasn’t an idiot; I didn’t sleep with my own rapist,” they could say. “What sort of authority are YOU?”
When it comes to late-term procedures - and the issue of fetal viability, however, I believe the moral dimensions transcend anyone’s beliefs, feelings or experiences.
Jews Now Drawn Deeper Into Racial Politics
As Obama surges, new round of e-mails raises specter of Farrakhan, Jackson, Sharpton.
by James D. Besser
Washington Correspondent
With Sen. Barack Obama surging in his drive for the Democratic presidential nomination, a Jewish community that remains liberal on civil rights issues — but is also affected by black anti-Semitism, concerns about Israel and what one analyst called “latent racism” — is getting drawn deeper into bitter racial politics.
REASSURING JEWISH VOTERS
Obama Rebuffs Challenges on His Israel Stance
By Jonathan Weisman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, February 28, 2008; Page A08
Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is engaged in a concerted effort to reassure Jewish leaders in the face of an increasingly aggressive Republican campaign to question his tolerance and his commitment to supporting Israel.
Palestinian people suffer-but from not recognizing Israel
Q: You said recently, “No one is suffering more than the Palestinian people.” Do you stand by that remark?
A: Well, keep in mind what the remark actually, if you had the whole thing, said. And what I said is nobody has suffered more than the Palestinian people from the failure of the Palestinian leadership to recognize Israel, to renounce violence, and to get serious about negotiating peace and security for the region. Israel is the linchpin of much of our efforts in the Middle East.
Source: 2007 South Carolina Democratic primary debate, on MSNBC Apr 26, 2007
He has been honest with everyone who addresses this question. It isn’t that they can’t do it, it’s always been they don’t want the responsibility that goes with the sign on. He has never said anything differently. He’ll hum and hah about changes and the fact of the blog not being controlled from here and… But, he hasn’t ever promised anyone an actual sign-in.
Even with a sign-in the problems wouldn’t end. Until posters learn we each have an opinion as good and useless as any other, until we learn to control our need for rebuttal, until we learn there doesn’t need to be a loser, until we each hold ourself to a standard of conduct, we’re stuck with us and all our warts.
I’ve never seen anything you’ve posted that would count as harassment.
People like J R who constantly threaten people with real life information need to be booted from the blog.
A perfect example of this was his harassment of Econ101 last night.
Personally, since Brownlee hasn’t provided a solution, I think Hank should ‘leak’ JR’s information on this blog and see if he can handle having his real life information posted on this blog - on a daily basis like he has done to others.
Then the Capn would be next. I want to see them squirm and squeal.
Nathan
Posted March 19, 2008 at 9:44 am | Permalink
Writerdog,
Only if you completely ignore the training of the Iraqi Security Forces we are doing there, the fact that the Iraqi Security Forces are constantly taking over more and more regions, and the fact that our role is becoming more of a support role and logistics role could you have the opinion you do.
Nathan - If the Iraqi Security Forces are constantly taking over more and more regions, then why haven’t we been able to withdraw more and more troops at the rate they are taking over regions?
I do some online buying - maintenance prescriptions, travel needs, some gifts… I don’t like using my debit card for online purchases as it is tied to my bank accounts. I’m still leery of this new way of doing business. I use the credit card and pay it off monthly ensuring they never get a penny more than I spent. No annual fees either.
What I saw and see in those almost nightly exchanges is NO ONE takes the high road. Each participant seems to need the last word, each participant eggs the situation on by not controlling their need for a rebuttal. If one QUITS, the other(s) surely would look even more guilty if they continue the nonsense on their own.
Regular
Posted March 19, 2008 at 10:48 am | Permalink
I guarantee if I was the Blog Monitor, there would be less attacking and harassing of posters.
===========================================
Here’s a more objective account of what Max was ranting about upthread (the London Times story actually referred to Rezko as Obama’s “bag man”–no bias there!):
Limbaugh is going NUTS playing tape of some “preacher” from Harlem…. Dont know anything about the “credentials” of the Harlem preacher… Rush says its on YouTube, from February 16 — which was a Saturday…
I went back as far as last Sunday’s paper without finding your letter. When did the Eagle staff finally get smart enough to publich your letter, Steven?
Hey, does everyone remember the non-stop media frenzy over the McClurkin incident?
Me neither.
It’s depressing, but the fact is that supporters of gay rights don’t have that much clout (at the national level anyway), and the corporate tabloid news won’t think it’s an issue unless we make it one. This is 1964, and the official segregationist party will be seated, Hubert Humphrey’s tears notwithstanding.
Barack Obama has a good record, actually, going back to the Illinois Senate. But I think it’s incumbent upon Obama supporters– especially gay Obama supporters–to gently remind the man of the positions he’s taken on gay rights, should he become president, and be willing to defend him vigorously when he gets the heat.
I’m thinking of Bill Clinton. He was the first successful presidential candidate to really reach out to the gay community. His first week of office, he kept a promise–and was roundly pilloried, and caved in.
Four years later, he was signing the Defense of Marriage Act. Principle gave way to political expediency.
I don’t believe for a minute that Barack Obama is a bigot, but the Jeremiah Wright business is more relevant than we might think. There is a nasty strain of hatred in some black churches out there (even if the UCC isn’t neccesarily one of them). We saw that in Kansas.
Obama stuck his finger in the water at Martin Luther King’s church–with a single sentence–but I suspect his relatively muted response was, once again, due to not wanting to poke them in the eye–love ‘em or hate ‘em, his people– too hard .
His amazing rise in politics aside, on this issue, it sucks to be him. No doubt his political advisors are telling him to be low-key about gay rights. Unfortunately, there’s some wisdom in that approach.
But since politics is the art horse-trading, I think the real issue is not whether he personally supports gay rights (I’m convinced he does), but rather the amount of value he will assign to that particular horse, when the deals are being made. It’s a concern.
He has already shown that he can deal with these kind of “hot-button” issues in a thoughtful and surprisingly frank manner. He needs to do that, before something happens (say, he deeply offends some homophobes ), that is deemed worthy of discussion by the tabloid media, and he’s forced to address it then.
And I think, despite the electoral backlash we’ve seen in recent years, America is finally ready.
Limbaugh’s Electioneering scam, Operation Chaos, sure looks like inter-state racketeering to some extent… Wonder if anybody has thought about charging him with something??
Guns are Hazardous to Children and Other Living Things……
I remember seeing those slogans in the early 1970s. Oh, to be young, idealistic, untainted by disillusion and/or rape, free of this f–king arthritis in my aging hips, oh…..the list goes on and on.
I’ve never participated in a gay rights and/or anti-war march - but I sure wanted to. I’m 100% for affirming the innate dignity of all human life: straight, gay, male, female, hermaphroditic (unless we’re talking about Ann Coulter), what have you.
This frustrated flower child still has some hippiedom in her. In fact, I’m wearing a peach flower in my flowing tresses today, and I look bitchin’ - as a matter of fact. I’ve received a lotta compliments on the thing, anyway.
JR, i have to admit, the 60s was riding on the coattails of the 50s. Ike did a fair job for this country before Kennedy did his li’l bit (all told, I don’t think he really did THAT much for the country ‘cept for the space program). It’s just a good thing Nixon didn’t get in the 12 years earlier than he did.
Then again, that dozen years of youth and HE may have been a decent president.
The 60s should have been the decade of my youth but I made decisions that tied me to responsibilities. So, I’m making this decade the one of my youth. My gray hair, overly stuffed figure and wrinkles allow me to be even more outrageous without being questioned about my maturity. I have heard the word senility uttered tho.
My youngest grandchild is a girl 10 years old. Recently, when I said something she thought more outrageous than most she commented, “Boy, I should take you for show and tell!” I responded, “But, all the kids have grandparents, I wouldn’t be unique.” To which she said, “Trust me, Grandma. You would be!”
As a “child of the 60s”, what is so romantically remembered about that decade by either side of any discussion thereof depends on one’s political orientation. The first five years or so of the 60s was, by and large, quiet from a political perspective. Yes, there were the Civil Rights marches, etc., and the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, but by and large, the body politic was quiet. The draft hadn’t started hitting the middle class and the so-called upper class, most folks were concerned with finishing their educations, getting a job, starting a family, etc.
The last part of the 60s was the time of the anti-war demonstrations, the protest marches of not only the war, but the push for women’s rights, more full implementation of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, etc., etc., and the body politic becoming more energized and involved. That part of the decade, especially 1968 on, was a very interesting time to be alive and old enough to be on campus, as I was; a very interesting time indeed.
And, in a reflective mood, I return to work, recalling these words attributed to David Crosby: “We were right about the war, we were right about civil rights, but we were wrong about drugs”.
BTW, i use my personal and my business debit cards online and haven’t had any problem. Then again, I’m careful about what I buy. I’m not sure it would be a good idea to trust my finances to a porn site, for instance.
In 68 I was still in Jr High. Participated in a few ’school walkout’ demonstrations against the war. I never felt like part of a political process, just kinda felt it was the right thing to do. Plus it was a quasi-sanctioned ditch day LOL
Then I fell for the ‘Kill a Commie for Mommy’ rhetoric and joined up in 73, going active in 74 right after HS grad. Btween swearing in standing on the yellow footprints I wondered whatever I had gotten myself into. Luckily the whole thing fell through while I was in boot camp.
Through this whole time I never gave a thught at all about political ramifications–only doing what I felt to be correct at that particular time. I’ve thought most of the world was this way–apolitical–and just did what they felt was right. Some do what’s right for themselves alone, and others do what is right for the world in general.
I’ve heard David Crosby disparage something else from the flowerful 1960s: His and other musicians’ prodigious usage of groupies. “We were all over them - like sharks on sheep,” he said.
That being said, I have a lot of fondness for the former Byrd-man and Crosby, Stills & Nash frontman. I’ve seen him interviewed by Larry King and others, and his newly-drug-free self is endearing. He talks copiously about love and tolerance. And here’s something else……
Remember the immortal “Turn! Turn! Turn!” from 1965? Crosby’s was the shimmering voice heard on these words: “A time for p-e-a-c-e…..I swear it’s not too late.” He had that special “something” in his voice - and on that song - and other Byrds offerings - it was in full abundance.
When I remember the sixties - I remember the wondrous music. Not the rampant, mindless gutterf–king. The sexual orientation, in the words of a liberal Catholic theologian (Richard Sipe), was and is a “very mixed bag.” I agree heartily with that statement.
But the music………oh, the music……..its beauty will endure forever.
Nathan I would actually be the last to admit we have not done some good there, I am a firm believer in the old adage of “All it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing!”. Our military is the best ambassadors this country has had since Ben Franklin in Paris. That said, you and I will whole heartedly agree on this point. We have to prevail! We have to leave Iraq in the very best shape it can be and in a sense better then the United States! But where we may part ways is, it is this country’s penance and our only atonement for having done such a thing without cause and without justification. AS I said the cost of this action is that our real enemy the ones whom attacked us are now stronger and gained more power with the invasion and the occupation of Iraq by us. The media does not tell me that, hell the media is pretty pointless and there is not one that will give the total honest truth about the good or the bad that has happen!
I know enough people in my everyday life to know how those whom have been there feel about it. All the good that occurs that they get angry because the media is not reporting it. Just in passing I have come to know many who served in Vietnam. To the man everyone of them could tell you much what one told me.
He hated the war and hate the government for sending him there. Until he had been there and seen the outrages done by the V.C. He knew that someone had to take a stand and he felt good that he could be someone! over ten years later he still hated the Vietnam war but felt honor to have done his part.
But what I am saying is that is the way our soldiers are and it is what they do.
If it had not been that the fight was about protecting America from those wanting to destroy her. Than perhaps the morality of Iraq would not be the issue. Saddam was a bad man there is no doubt.
But its like the neighbor to the South is shooting at your house and you shoot and kill the neighbor to the North whom was not the threat at the time. Not only is it madness it is morality wrong and as such you are damned for doing it. We need to stop doing a holding action and bring right that which we wronged.
And yes, I have thought we owed the Iraqis this morally for some time. The Kurds were slaughtered because we told them if they upraised we would back them and we failed to. Same with the Shiites and both were slaughtered by Saddam. But not this way, we have failed them again by being in the wrong at the wrong time. By trying to be nation builders instead of allies and friends, why would not most Iraqis have a love/ hate for us. WE went in to depose a dictator and then told them we know best and they must do as we say. And all the time the Terrorists have been gaining because of our folly.
Ya’ll need to read the actual legislation that the House just passed. Basically it says that IF the parents, HUSBAND, or anyone else disagrees with the woman’s choice for her abortion…THEY can press charges on the doctor on her behalf, even if SHE doesn’t want them to.
So imagine, I go in for an abortion, and my husband finds out after the fact and is angry. He can turn around and charge my doctor.
Why this passed is beyond me, it’s a completely utter disregard for a woman’s right to choose.
If they can’t take away HER right, they’ll go after the doctor and make him pay for her choice.
This is SUCH bs. Someone needs to kick a whole lot of people out of the senate. They’ll do this, but they won’t even consider giving equal rights to women under the constitution.
Now I know why, they want others to be responsible for our actions.
As Songbird will attest, an improved copy is now available of the Students for Life of America video taped comments of an exclusive interview with late-term abortionist quack George Tiller at a Feminist Majority Foundation Conference held at the National Education Association (NEA) in Washington, DC on March 9, 2008. That video has been posted to YouTube.com , wherein you will hear quack Tiller say he has done late abortions up to the day before delivery, show photos he collected of the dead bodies of babies he aborted, admit he never heard of the Federal Born Alive Infant Protection Act, and describe babies with handicaps as burdens on women and society.
Tiller also says an abortionist who allows a baby to be born alive during an abortion ought to have his head beat in, for being sloppy. One of Tiller’s tiny botched abortion victims, shot in the head instead of in the heart with Tiller’s poison needle during a post-viable abortion years ago, was born alive and dumped in an emergency room parking lot, eventually getting medical care later and being adopted. She lived 5 years, eventually succumbing to the long-term effects of Tillers quackery. She never walked, she never talked. Sometimes, she smiled through her blindness.
See news page http://www.operationrescue.org/?p=889
- - -
Colorado for Equal Rights has more than half the 76,000 petition signatures needed by May 13 to put the Human Life Amendment to the Colorado Constitution on the November ballot, defining human life as beginning at conception. A similar amendment is proposed in Montana.
Planned Parenthood takes the clear position that babies are not human before birth – they are - - - something else.
- - -
Since Oregon’s assisted murder law took effect, 341 patients have killed themselves, and the annual rate of deaths is increasing. During 2007, not one patient who died was referred for psychiatric or psychological evaluation, such as for an episode of depression, before receiving the prescription for lethal drugs.
Until the father can carry the child and take the risk, then NO, he has no right to say what the woman does with her body. There is no better way to keep a woman ‘in her place’ than to take away her rights to her own decisions.
A GOOD father and good marriage, this wouldn’t be an issue, now would it?
parkay always always lies, and never apologizes for it. Apparently God has given him permission as it furthers his anti-woman view.
OF COURSE people who are dying are depressed, gee ya think? That doesn’t mean they can’t make informed decisions about their end of life care. I will bet that they all met the guidelines for physician assisted suicide.
But of course, freakshow antis can’t handle that, they MUST DIE IN PAIN AND DRAWN OUT.
as far as human life beginning at conception, why not sperm? Is a cell not ‘living’ until it dies? you can see the tails whipping around, obviously it is alive. Heck my eyeball is alive too. So does that mean they can’t remove it if diseased?
Cosmos, thats because many Americans dont understand that Islam has “denominations” (factions) much like Christianity, Hinduism, and even Judaism… Ya just cant lump them all together and call it one…
“Some 3,000 scientific robots that are plying the ocean have sent home a puzzling message. These diving instruments suggest that the oceans have not warmed up at all over the past four or five years. That could mean global warming has taken a breather. Or it could mean scientists aren’t quite understanding what their robots are telling them.
This is puzzling in part because here on the surface of the Earth, the years since 2003 have been some of the hottest on record. But Josh Willis at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory says the oceans are what really matter when it comes to global warming.
In fact, 80 percent to 90 percent of global warming involves heating up ocean waters. They hold much more heat than the atmosphere can. So Willis has been studying the ocean with a fleet of robotic instruments called the Argo system. The buoys can dive 3,000 feet down and measure ocean temperature. Since the system was fully deployed in 2003, it has recorded no warming of the global oceans.
But if the aquatic robots are actually telling the right story, that raises a new question: Where is the extra heat all going?
Kevin Trenberth at the National Center for Atmospheric Research says it’s probably going back out into space. The Earth has a number of natural thermostats, including clouds, which can either trap heat and turn up the temperature, or reflect sunlight and help cool the planet.”
So, global climate change doesn’t seem to be as simple as the programmers of the computer models allow for. Could this be the end of the alarmist propaganda for this generation? We can only hope.
I think the most relevant quote in the article, Cosmos, is this one:
“Kevin Trenberth at the National Center for Atmospheric Research says it’s probably going back out into space. The Earth has a number of natural thermostats, including clouds, which can either trap heat and turn up the temperature, or reflect sunlight and help cool the planet.”
Essentially this is saying that we don’t know where the heat went (probably to outer space) and that we don’t know what effect that cloud cover plays in heating or cooling of the earth.
Outlander - i heard that story this morning too. From your link:
“But in fact there’s a little bit of a mystery. We can’t account for all of the sea level increase we’ve seen over the last three or four years,” he says.
One possibility is that the sea has, in fact, warmed and expanded — and scientists are somehow misinterpreting the data from the diving buoys.
Trenberth and Willis agree that a few mild years have no effect on the long-term trend of global warming.”
Note that the volume has INCREASED which is inconsistent with cooling - UNLESS - the colling measured is related to runoff from glacier melt. IF the seas were cooling the volume would DECREASE - not INCREASE - and sea levels would fall. The opposite is observed.
161 Comments
Great comentary from outside the Supreme Court yesterday regarding oral arguements in the Heller case.
“At that point, a reporter interjected: “the Mayor (DC Mayor Adrian M. Fenty) says the handgun ban and his initiatives have significantly lowered violent crime in the District. How do you answer that, Mr. Heller?”
The initial answer certainly wasn’t expected – Dick Heller laughed. Ruefully.
Pointing at the Mayor who was making his way across the plaza, surrounded by at least six DC police officers, Heller said, “the Mayor doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”
“He doesn’t walk on the street like an average citizen. Look at him; he travels with an army of police officers as bodyguards – to keep him safe. But he says that I don’t have the right to be a force of one to protect myself. Does he look like he thinks the streets are safe?”
linky thingy
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1987991/posts
Yesterday at the Statehouse:
ABORTION BILL PASSES HOUSE
A bill that anti-abortion lawmakers say will lead to tighter restrictions on late-term abortions passed the House yesterday. The bill requires women to receive more information about the fetus and the procedure before an abortion is performed. According to the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Lance Kinzer, R-Olathe, the legislation does not outlaw any legal procedure, including late-term abortions. In Kansas, a late-term abortion is one that involves a fetus determined to be 22 weeks or older.
The bill requires abortion providers to give a woman having a late-term abortion copies of documents stating the reason for the procedure and whether it’s needed to prevent substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function, as the law requires.
“Many times, women don’t know the justification for an abortion unless they seek their medical records,” said Kinzer. He also said women often are coerced by parents or others to undergo an abortion.
The bill also requires doctors, at least a half hour before any abortion, to allow a woman to view the ultrasound image of a fetus and the heartbeat sound if that type equipment is used, and to inform a woman at least 24 hours before any abortion about free counseling and free hospice services for fetuses or terminally ill newborns. Also, under the bill, the State Board of Healing Arts must revoke a physician’s license to practice if he is convicted of performing an illegal late-term abortion, unless two-thirds of the board decides the doctor poses no public threat.
The bill requires any minor seeking any abortion to provide proof of identification and residence. Any person accompanying a minor also must provide identification and sign a statement about their relationship and whom the father of the fetus might be. Kinzer said the bill also clarifies the steps a minor must take to get a judge to allow an abortion without notification of the girl’s parents. The bill allows any group of 10 citizens to file a lawsuit against the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to get information required by law about
abortions performed in the state. The bill also allows a woman who had
a late-term abortion, her husband if he’s the father, or parents if she’s a minor to file a lawsuit for monetary damages for violations of the law.
The most controversial part of the bill is a provision that allows a county attorney, for instance in Johnson County, to file an action in another county, say Sedgwick County, charging a doctor with violating the state abortion laws. Attorneys in the House disagree about whether a county attorney, elected to enforce the law in their county, can overcall another county attorney an file an action for a “crime” that occurs in another jurisdiction.
According to health department, 11,221 abortions were performed in 2006, of which 380 were late-term. In 2000, 12,323 abortions were performed, 639 of them late-term. Abortion opponents have complained that doctors filling out the required state paperwork simply recite the language of the statute in listing a reason, rather than providing a specific medical reason. Efforts to send the bill back to the Federal and State Affairs Committee failed, as did a move to replace its language with another bill that simply required doctors to report their diagnosis that specifies why an abortion is necessary for the woman’s life or health and specifically shows their findings concerning the gestational age of the fetus.
The House passed a measure this week to strengthen congressional ethics enforcement. For the first time ever, an outside board will be established made up of individuals who are not members of Congress to investigate Aleged ethics violations by representatives. Members of Congress should be held to a high ethical standard. Hopefully, this board will increase the openness and accountability of the ethics process in Congress for the American people. The independent Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) will consist of six members who will screen allegations of wrongdoing made against House Members and pass these concerns to the House Ethics Committee for further consideration and action.
Kansas has an independent ethics body, the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission (GEC). The commission is charged with administering, interpreting and enforcing the Kansas Campaign Finance Act and laws relating to conflict of interests, financial disclosure and the regulation of lobbying. These laws establish the public’s right to information about the financial affairs of Kansas’ state public officials, lobbyists and candidates for office. In addition, the GEC renders advisory opinions and can adopt rules and regulations under a less comprehensive conflict of interests law covering local government officials and employees. Kansas statutes, K.S.A. 25-4142 et seq. and K.S.A. 46-215 et seq. require candidates, lobbyists and state employees to file disclosure forms with the Secretary of State, which is a separate state agency and the public repository for such forms.
Looks like responsible borrowers get to help pay for the subprime fiaso in another way. According to LowCards.com, despite short term interest rates being down, credit card companies are not in any hurry to lower their CC rates. Apparently banks are off-setting mortgage losses in their credit card departments. Even those without a balance or who rarely use their cards are experiencing rate increases.
Society again pays for the irresponsible actions of others……
The simple way to avoid the problem, American Way, is to pay off your credit card balance every month. Use them like a tired whore, take every discount and airline freebie, but Never give them a late fee or a dime’s worth of interest.
Agreed Door King. Always have cards with a grace period, no annual fee, and it’s easy to find one with a cash back feature. (I won’t advertise for the greedy bassturds by providing a name.) We’ve lived by this our entire married life. My above comment was all inclusive; although they are hitting up those of us who pay in full or rarely use their cards - you better believe everyone else is “enjoying” high rates on their balances.
By all means we must stop those silly ole Doctors who are just going around performing abortions of unsuspecting women without telling them why they are performing an abortion! Why those women must have been just walking down pass the clinic whistling a happy tune. When they Doctor comes out and offers them candy to come inside. surly these women must have misunderstood the Doctor, they thought when he said “abortion” he meant “adoption” of a puppy!
And of course they need to be shown the “ultrasound image of a fetus and the heartbeat sound if that type equipment is used“, Otherwise they must think that thing growing in their belly is a swallowed grapefruit seed.
There is a level of stupidity in this, but it is not on the part of the women! When the law is used like this, it end with the citizens no longer having any respect for the law. Compliance with the laws is voluntary, when the majority no longer respect the laws. There is not enough law enforcement within Sedgwick county or even within the entire state of Kansas to enforce any laws.
In days pasted, such attempts would be laugh at and the sponsor would go down as a wacko. But then at times it seem that one needs to be a wacko just to be elected to office.
Olathe sounds to be a good town, a good town to stay hundreds of miles away from! Sadly there is not a electric fence to keep them from invading the rest of the state.
This assumes women are stupid and need to be governed, that the people of Kansas are just this dumb that without the government we would be running off of cliffs!
I need some more coffee! LOL and a proof reader it seems…
“This assumes women are stupid and need to be governed, that the people of Kansas are just this dumb that without the government we would be running off of cliffs!”
Sorta like warning labels on cigarette packs?
Sorta like warning labels on gas pumps?
Sorta like warning labels on power tools?
Sorta like signing up for a subprime loan and not being smart enough to know what the adjustable rate means?
Yep, way too much government involvement in our lives.
On the brighter side of the subprime fiasco, my better half and I are looking at buying a second home. This one will be the final retirement home eventually. Somewhere warm, TBD. But we were researching prices and it seems now is an excellent time not just to buy an existing home - but to have one built!
According to the Bureaus of Labor Stats, construction labor costs are way down, and the National Association of Home Builders also reports costs are way down:
Insulation: -6% (and a tax break for energy)
Roofing: -11%
Land costs: -20%
Lumber: -18%
Drywall: -40%
Windows: -12%
Maybe she will finally get something brand “new” to live in!
A couple of my favorites: The warning on those sun screens that cover the entire windshield “ You should remove this devise before attempting to drive”. I read this on the box that a clothes iron came in, “Do not attempt to use this product while taking a bath”.
Like the shirt, “Don’t iron while wearing”? Or the warning on peanuts given on airlines, “warning, contains nuts”
Agreed, too much of this is down-right ridiculous. But I still advocate the “Point downrange before firing” on weapons for the military.
“Point downrange before firing” on weapons for the military.
I don’t recall seeing that label on an M16 or .45
at Edson Range, but I do recall a brute wearing a campaign hat threatening bodily harm for failure to do so. The message was literally beaten into you.
Anti-tank weapons and TOW, AmWay
Gotta admit, the anti-tank weapons do look kinda the same comin’ as goin’
Before bush goes on television today and tells us Iraq has made us safer, let me assure everyone I won’t buy that line of BS.
bush has his opinion, I have mine.
306 days, 13 hours, 41 minutes
Why do they still put that miserable failure on TV?
One night I was mopping and got some distance from the orange warning cone, a customer smarted off “I don’t see a warning cone… What ya go’n do if I fall?”. “If you are watching me mop and do not know the floor is wet…Laugh my axx off!” I replied.
Before bush goes on television today and tells us Iraq has made us safer
Personally, since 9/11 I’ve become very scared. Not from El Keeta, but from my fellow Americans. I’m worried I’m going to step out my door and Homeland Security is going to spirit me away for 2 years torturing me because some dolt says since I have long hair I have to be a radical and undoubtedly have a bomb hidden somewhere to go off sometime.
I’m afraid that I go to the store and some psuedo-John Wayne empties a clip into me because while I was scratching my keester he was sure I was reaching for an Uzi.
I’m afraid many of the people on this blog actually believe the drivel they spout.
I’m really afraid that America is a screwed up as they try to have us believe.
I’m expecting to see a public service announcement any day showing Bin Laden with his arm draped over Bush’s shoulder, proclaiming, “you’re doing a heck of a job, there, Bushie”
Linda I am watching him right now… :> It has got to be easy being a speech writer for Bush! You need not bother to stick to facts or reality, just make it up as you go! You know I can forgive Mc Cain for his misstatement about Al-Qaeda and them crossing over to Iran to train. The terms “Al-Qaeda”, “insurgents“, “terrorists” have become so interchanged that it must be hard to keep track without a score card!
ghotiphaze
Posted March 19, 2008 at 8:27 am | Permalink
Before bush goes on television today and tells us Iraq has made us safer
Personally, since 9/11 I’ve become very scared. Not from El Keeta, but from my fellow Americans. I’m worried I’m going to step out my door and Homeland Security is going to spirit me away for 2 years torturing me because some dolt says since I have long hair I have to be a radical and undoubtedly have a bomb hidden somewhere to go off sometime.
———————–
There’s a special now for ‘tin foil’ hats. You should pick a couple of those up.
Dog, I’ll wait and read the simple words he will undoubtedly trip over. I’ve heard them before and it’s too painful to actually watch and listen in real time. I admire your bravery!
Reg, you’re one of the one’s I’m afraid of.
Hee hee hee fish. Chris Rock said, given the dragging of James Byrd, the killing of Matthew Shepard, church burning, etc. That he wasnt afraid of Al Quaida. He was afraid of Al Cracker…
#
ghotiphaze
Posted March 19, 2008 at 8:37 am | Permalink
Reg, you’re one of the one’s I’m afraid of.
——————————
Yes, I have plans along with my organization of several million members to solidify our secret organization.
Soon we will have plans in place that will render any deviations from our policies or procedures practically useless.
The first step of the microchip implant is almost complete. It was quite difficult to get that secretly funded and implemented throughout the Medicaid clinics.
However, no one has suspected the reason for gas price increases has been the subversion tax secretly passed and signed into power was to fund our massive project.
Phase II will kick in when the microchip is added to flu vaccinations and those immunizations required for children.
Newer Television sets, flat screens and etc. have made our surveillance project much easier. The people from Taiwan and Korea have cooperated fully after a little under the table funding to implement the satellite and wireless based surveillance program. Cellphones have proven to be more problematic.
The underground facility in Montana will be our headquarters, with computer nodes , each, which can act independently is almost complete as well.
A stroke of genius by our extra-terrestrial alien born companion Zarkthros was implemented in our McDonald’s and Burger King child toy (microchip implantation) plan. It has been a huge success.
It really is amazing what one can do by manipulating the electrical impulses of the human body. Yes, I’m really proud of our microchip plan.
(chortles)
Obama’s lead over Clinton narrows: Reuters poll
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080319/pl_nm/usa_politics_poll_dc
IMO, the longer this primary goes on, the more NECESSARY it is for both of the candidates to be on the ticket. The democrats are slowly being ripped apart by the prolonged primary. It is the nature of the beast for primaries to cause rifts in a party, but the primaries have never lasted this long. Since it has lasted this long, to present unity and goodwill for the democrats, they must decide to work together on the same ticket, they just must!! Otherwise, the democrats will lose in November. And I will pull ALL of my hair out!
306 days, 13 hours, 41 minutes
Linda, are you counting down using Central Standard Time, or Daylight Savings?
No, reg, it isn’t any of that (wherever you stole it from). It’s being afraid that people with your thought processes actually is the norm for America, in which case Bin Laden would be doing us a favor for sinking so low as a society.
A Fed rate cut could send some mortgage rates even higher
http://biz.yahoo.com/cnnm/080318/031408_ratecut_mortgages.html
Okay, I am not economically savvy when it comes to the feds and mortgage rates. I can budget my own money, but nothing complex. But damn it, how in the world can the Feds be cutting interest rates, driving up inflation while doing so, and it not benefit mortgage rates positively. Ugh!
Don’t fall for the nervous feelings the media and Republicans want you to feel.
The Democratic Party has TWO strong candidates for the nomination and they keep one another on their toes. We the voters win!
Smile. They’ll wonder what you’re up to. Maybe they’ll even think you’re falling for their plan. ;-)
AmWay,
On that great day of celebration an hour isn’t going to make much difference to me.
Thank God, McCain said that we’re winning in Iraq.
So . . . now that we’re winning, we can pull out, right?
Fish,
I think it keeps me on my toes and maybe even helps me try to put my best foot forward in public — that not knowing who is who and realizing any one of them could be…
“But damn it, how in the world can the Feds be cutting interest rates, driving up inflation while doing so, and it not benefit mortgage rates positively.”
Uh, because they are bailing out BANKS and LENDERS not people. They care about Bear Sterns. But about Joe Sterns? Eh, not so much.
Good advice on credit cards, AmWay.
There may be a few special situations in which a person can’t help but rack up some short-term debt, but the vast majority should be carrying NO credit card debt and should pay off the balance every month.
Ditto, Farmgrrl, ditto.
Welfare for people = bad, bad.
Welfare for corporations = good, good.
There’s no gridlock in Congress when it comes to helping the rich get richer.
“So . . . now that we’re winning, we can pull out, right?”
Capn that should be the next question to ask Mclame.
And has Hillery changed her 2013 exit strategy yet?
Obama and Edwards also said 2013 in the very same debate.
Huh, did they change their story now?
Ask again next month, I’m sure they will change their minds again.
Clinton keeps voting to fund the Iraq war so she must be for it!
Crowson’s been reading the blogs again.
I agree with Danae in non sequitur
I think an elected official who changes their mind as the situation changes is an asset and indicates a person able to think clearly.
Clinton is in Michigan begging for the delegates to be seated.
She conveniently “forgets” that she signed a pledge to take her name off the ballot in Michigan. Everybody else took their name off the ballot except for her!
Now she wants the delegates to be seated, and she’s going on and on about “everyone’s right to vote–the vote gives voice to the voiceless.”
This is the person that wants us to trust her enough to be President.
Yup, she’s a Clinton. No more needs to be said.
She’s a Clinton.
CapnAmerica,
When the Patriots were beating the Giants in the Superbowl, why didn’t they just quit at half time?
They were winning so why not?
On the subject of the rules of the primaries: I want the DNC to stick to the rules agreed to and the consequences everyone knew for breaking the rules. Why have rules if they mean nothing? Both Florida and Michigan need to straighten out the problems they created, and they need to accept the responsibility for breaking the rules.
I cant seem to get into the thread about Obama’s speech yesterday, so I’ll post this here.
Like the author at the link, I guess gay people will get our “this time” speech some “other” time. I suppose he hearts mcclurkin just like wright.
The comments here are great.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132×5140440
When the real Patriots were losing and freezing to death in Valley Forge, why didn’t they just quit?
So what’s the DNC do now? Do any FL/MI delegates go to the convention and do they get any votes?
If they get a vote, since they can’t base their vote on how the people voted, how to the choose?
I bet there will be a wild-card free for all for FL/MI delegates, with money flying all over the place to buy the election.
In effect then, the MI/FL delegates would be additional Super Delegates.
“When the real Patriots were losing and freezing to death in Valley Forge, why didn’t they just quit?”
Hey Max, weren’t they going to quit? Until George promised them HUGE reenlistment bonuses (which had not been approved by Congress?).
Gee, maybe by the end of the year every able-bodied in US under 35 will volunteer just for the beans, and bedamned about bullets and bandaids.
Five years later, where are we? The surge is working, who could doubt it? You put a cop on every corner of course crime would go down. But what now, there is still no end game and no exit strategy. There is catchphrase about staying till we win, but what will that take? A stable Iraq, an end to the violence but in reality those too are just catchphrases. Broad undefined statements that catch everything and nothing at the same time. Iraq is a tar baby, we are stick because of our own doing. Iraq is solely our fault and it is up to us to fix it. You can argue the point of whether it was our actions that brought about 9-11. In reality there is some credence to it, in our blindness and with out intent there is some credence. But no it is NOT solely our fault for 9-11, but the mess in Iraq IS. By now we have learned that and we must accept reasonability for it. Our President right or wrong led us to do something that was totally Un-American. But never the less WE are America and what is done in the name of the country is done by all her citizens whether we agree with it or not.
So how do we get out of Iraq, what is the reality of winning there? An easy answer to the question is not there. The stain upon on us for this can not be removed, that would in reality be the only win to be had.
We will stay there until that stain can be removed, until that bell can be un-rung until once again we are truly what being America is about. Else until this country who once stood for the best of all people dies a slow death from within. It was the ideals that made this country strong and worth a merciful God’s blessings. How does the killer of the child gain forgiveness? How does he make right what he did?
How do WE as Americans made right for this greatest mistake this country has ever made?
By ignoring it and saying it is a part of the war on terror, its not and never has been a part of the war on terror. To say such is more to hide the reality of what it was and to excuse the un-excusable actions.
To stay till we force fate to accept OUR version of it, sorry fate is not so easily guided in its course.
No amount of money nor cost in human lives will make it so, while there our enemy the ones whom stuck us are growing and gaining far more strength then they could have if Iraq had not have happened. And that is the cost of Iraq. A win or loss in Iraq will not change that as Iraq has nothing to do with the fight against terrorism. While the building was burning, we set the trash can on fire to try and put a fire out.
We can not just leave but to stay will cause far more harm to this country than to leave. WE are in the tar baby! Covered in tar and no real way to remove it we stand in place as there seem nothing else we can do.
So five years later that is where we are, the only hope is the world did finally forgive Germany and Japan for its deeds.
max = scroll over territory
Writerdog,
Only if you completely ignore the training of the Iraqi Security Forces we are doing there, the fact that the Iraqi Security Forces are constantly taking over more and more regions, and the fact that our role is becoming more of a support role and logistics role could you have the opinion you do.
You have to completely ignore all the things our troops are doing there to think we have no plan, no exit strategy, and are doing little more than playing cop.
You have become a product of the media fraud which is the Iraq war coverage. The only thing you see is every time a bomb blows up and kills someone.
American Way
Posted March 19, 2008 at 9:33 am | Permalink
“When the real Patriots were losing and freezing to death in Valley Forge, why didn’t they just quit?”
Hey Max, weren’t they going to quit? Until George promised them HUGE reenlistment bonuses (which had not been approved by Congress?).
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++=+
Yeah, they did it for the money. That’s why we have an all-volunteer force now fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Kosovo, and….
Didn’t you love the way Obama sacrificed his grandmother on national television? Never mind that the woman sacrificed to raise Barry, he the audacity of hopelessness (pun intended) to compare a comment she made in private to him with one made by the hateful Pastor.
Good going, slimebucket.
Now that Obama has totally interjected race as a dividing issue in the race - it will esclate. He just opened Pandora’s box. Let’s see who flies out first.
Capn says:
“She’s a Clinton.”
Yup and all that entails.
What’s Obama? How much more do we not know about this racist Republican sympathizer and apologist?
“How do WE as Americans made right for this greatest mistake this country has ever made?”
I don’t know if I’d go that far. This country has been “nation building” since day one.
And need I post a list of the congress men and women who voted FOR going into Iraq and have voted FOR continuing operations there? Or perhaps, the candidates who will continue this war?
Don’t like the war? Fine. Join the majority of us.
But let’s quit hiding behind one political party as the resolution to it. From our founding days, Americans have been adventurists - interferring in the internal affairs and invading other countries. Our young men and women have been dying for politicans from ALL parties and both congress and the presidency for centuries.
Why? Because they keep us divided into political parties so we can blame each other, instead of the politicians who actually ACTED.
We need a national review of the Wars Power Act, and the constitutional authority to send our men and women to mortal combat. We need to examine HOW we get to the point of no return. We need to enact standards, thresholds, and PUBLIC procedures for actions by our Congress and our President to FOLLOW before committing America to war. This includes any prelude to war (funding foreign opposition parties to overthrow or win, providing war materiels,) and clear agreement on intelligence estimates. This should review should happen NOW!
But regardless, we will go to war again (I suspect straightforward capture of oil fields). American people will change their minds, public opinion will change, and politicans will become weak kneed in their resolve.
So unless we only go to war with a popular vote of the people, we will be down this road again.
Max,
That is the problem of both the legislature and the voters in those two states. The legislators set the primary dates with full knowledge of the rules and the consequences for breaking those rules. They were even reminded several times.
The rules were set and agreed to unanimously by a group that included Florida and Michigan representation.
I don’t know about the state of Michigan but Florida set their primary date seven months before it happened. The voters should have done something then to ensure their votes would count.
Until WE THE PEOPLE accept our responsibilities we will continue to get what we deserve in and from our elected officials.
They know they are elected by a tiny number of WE THE PEOPLE and they hope we don’t pay careful attention once they get the job.
I haven’t seen much indication they are wrong.
ksfarmgrrl
Posted March 19, 2008 at 9:38 am | Permalink
max = scroll over territory
ksfarmgrrl, I don’t get it. Are you having a lovers quarrel with Max today? Or is there something wrong with his posts that I am not seeing? Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed? Are wheat prices down?
What’s up?
Komrade
Posted March 19, 2008 at 9:49 am | Permalink
Didn’t you love the way Obama sacrificed his grandmother on national television? Never mind that the woman sacrificed to raise Barry, he the audacity of hopelessness (pun intended) to compare a comment she made in private to him with one made by the hateful Pastor.
Good going, slimebucket.
Now that Obama has totally interjected race as a dividing issue in the race - it will esclate. He just opened Pandora’s box. Let’s see who flies out first.
==================================================
1) Obama has been playing the race card from day one. Don’t let the press fool you on that.
2) ANGER. Obama used the word ANGER 10 Times in that speech yesterday. You don’t attend a radical extremist church for 20 years, and not buy in to the Anger and Hate.
3) Obama’s so filled with Hate and Anger that he’ll throw his grandmother and anyone else under that bus in order to get elected.
4) Obama is a very smooth car salesman, talking a line that can easily deceive someone who only listens to what sounds good. The devil is in the details.
5) Obama is full of fluff and hyperbole. Hope, Change, Uniting America. No specifics and no details, just Hope, and Change, and Uniting America.
6) Obama is hiding the details of HOW.
7) Obama is a car salesman speaking eloquent bullshit.
8. The sheep believe him.
Darn it Max! Quit telling the truth about Obama!
I want him to beat Hillery!
Don’t you just love it when haters accuse others of being haters? Project much? Nah, I didn’t think so.
This in today’s paper:
http://www.kansas.com/205/story/345595.html
And maybe Amway can tell us again how younger workers should pay for this debt while he should not. He paid into Social Security and Medicare and is expecting to get some back - or as Pink Floyd said - “Keep your hands off of my stack!”
Republicans always show what good citizens they are when you discuss THEIR money. LOL :)
It’s hard to tell who will steal the nomination.
It’s best to just fire at will, and let the voters sort it out in November.
If McCain keeps his mouth shut, if there is no Independent candidate to screw-up the election (the only way Clinton I won), then the Dems will continue to devour their own - with our help.
The Dem’s can’t help but be divisive, they are caught between Barock and a Hard Place.
Max’s “truth” is just more silly rhetoric. As usual.
Here’s an article about the whole Rezko business, from the Chicago Sun-Times. I don’t see too much there, other than a possible conflict of interest when Obama worked at a law firm representing a Rezko company. But here it is (and it’s not new), dig in:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/425305,CST-NWS-obama13.article
Did our elders pay for their debt?
Passing on the burden of paying for the older generation, to the younger generation.
That’s what Social InSecurity is all about.
Well, Parkay, if you’re anywhere within ear or eyeshot today - I just watched the video you cited yesterday. Someone (maybe the Deity???) restored that video to its original viability - so the semi-viable Songbird watched it.
The audio wasn’t pristine, so I didn’t hear the part about Dr. Tiller “performing abortions up until the moment of birth.” I did, however, hear him express very definite moral concerns about certain acts. I did, however, pick up on the fact that the “interviewer” seemed fixated on Mr. Obama - and not the morality/immorality of abortion.
I also heard the co-ed ask Dr. Tiller whom he would be voting for - as if that’s any of anyone’s business - any more than asking the twit when she had her last menstrual period.
I’m afraid that, if the purpose of this video is to demonize Dr. Tiller, it probably failed. I must attest that one’s ongoing concerns about abortion - certainly late-term abortion - won’t be affected either way by this offering.
I still have grave concerns about very definite areas of this debate; I remain wholly unconvinced that I have the overweening right to say, “Because …….. happened to me - emotionally - six months after the abortion - it WILL and HAS happened to every other woman.”
What right have I to do this? Were I to do this, women would have the right to be cruel to me in return. “I wasn’t an idiot; I didn’t sleep with my own rapist,” they could say. “What sort of authority are YOU?”
When it comes to late-term procedures - and the issue of fetal viability, however, I believe the moral dimensions transcend anyone’s beliefs, feelings or experiences.
It’s hard to see thru Rose Colored Glasses:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article3433485.ece
Obama’s friend Rezko was born in Syria.
Obama’s billionaire friend Nadhmi Auchi was born in Iraq.
Obama has been bought. A $2.6 Million house on a US Senator’s salary? Hmmm……
Salary for a US Senator is $169,000 per year.
Obama must be one of the victim’s of the sub-prime loan scandals to be able to afford a house that is 15 TIMES his annual salary.
How many average Joe’s out there making $30,000 per year are living in a $450,000 house?
It’s just Silly Rhetoric.
There goes the Jewish vote….for Obama.
Jews Now Drawn Deeper Into Racial Politics
As Obama surges, new round of e-mails raises specter of Farrakhan, Jackson, Sharpton.
by James D. Besser
Washington Correspondent
With Sen. Barack Obama surging in his drive for the Democratic presidential nomination, a Jewish community that remains liberal on civil rights issues — but is also affected by black anti-Semitism, concerns about Israel and what one analyst called “latent racism” — is getting drawn deeper into bitter racial politics.
http://www.thejewishweek.com/viewArticle/c39_a4619/News/International.html
Is Obama telling lies about his position on Israel, just like he’s telling lies about his position on the 2nd Amendment?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/27/AR2008022703512.html
REASSURING JEWISH VOTERS
Obama Rebuffs Challenges on His Israel Stance
By Jonathan Weisman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, February 28, 2008; Page A08
Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is engaged in a concerted effort to reassure Jewish leaders in the face of an increasingly aggressive Republican campaign to question his tolerance and his commitment to supporting Israel.
Palestinian people suffer-but from not recognizing Israel
Q: You said recently, “No one is suffering more than the Palestinian people.” Do you stand by that remark?
A: Well, keep in mind what the remark actually, if you had the whole thing, said. And what I said is nobody has suffered more than the Palestinian people from the failure of the Palestinian leadership to recognize Israel, to renounce violence, and to get serious about negotiating peace and security for the region. Israel is the linchpin of much of our efforts in the Middle East.
Source: 2007 South Carolina Democratic primary debate, on MSNBC Apr 26, 2007
http://www.issues2000.org/2008/Barack_Obama_Foreign_Policy.htm
It’s just Silly Rhetoric.
Hey, at least you acknowledge it.
So I’m guessing by now that Brownlee won’t implement a sign-in for this Blog.
It is ridiculously simple to do and there is zero reason (in my mind) not to do it.
They have sign-ins on all the other Wichita Eagle blogs.
Guess that is your answer Hank - silence from Brownlee.
He simply can’t be relied upon.
He has been honest with everyone who addresses this question. It isn’t that they can’t do it, it’s always been they don’t want the responsibility that goes with the sign on. He has never said anything differently. He’ll hum and hah about changes and the fact of the blog not being controlled from here and… But, he hasn’t ever promised anyone an actual sign-in.
Even with a sign-in the problems wouldn’t end. Until posters learn we each have an opinion as good and useless as any other, until we learn to control our need for rebuttal, until we learn there doesn’t need to be a loser, until we each hold ourself to a standard of conduct, we’re stuck with us and all our warts.
I guarantee if I was the Blog Monitor, there would be less attacking and harassing of posters. :)
…or there would be far fewer posters…
Let’s just silence the Liberals.
Censor! Bring on the Censor!
Well, Regular, count me as one who is well pleased you aren’t a Blog Monitor.
You want to quit worrying about credit card late fees, high interest rates, all of the other thieving ways they have of ripping you off?
Don’t have one. Carry a debit card. If you don’t have to money to afford something, don’t buy it.
Ah, but I need one for emergencies… How many times in the past have you had an emergency you couldn’t handle some other way?
Credit cards are the biggest legal rip-off ever invented, except for WalMart, and people have fallen for it.
Why is that lindainks55?
I’ve never seen anything you’ve posted that would count as harassment.
People like J R who constantly threaten people with real life information need to be booted from the blog.
A perfect example of this was his harassment of Econ101 last night.
Personally, since Brownlee hasn’t provided a solution, I think Hank should ‘leak’ JR’s information on this blog and see if he can handle having his real life information posted on this blog - on a daily basis like he has done to others.
Then the Capn would be next. I want to see them squirm and squeal.
Nathan
Posted March 19, 2008 at 9:44 am | Permalink
Writerdog,
Only if you completely ignore the training of the Iraqi Security Forces we are doing there, the fact that the Iraqi Security Forces are constantly taking over more and more regions, and the fact that our role is becoming more of a support role and logistics role could you have the opinion you do.
Nathan - If the Iraqi Security Forces are constantly taking over more and more regions, then why haven’t we been able to withdraw more and more troops at the rate they are taking over regions?
Dennis,
I do some online buying - maintenance prescriptions, travel needs, some gifts… I don’t like using my debit card for online purchases as it is tied to my bank accounts. I’m still leery of this new way of doing business. I use the credit card and pay it off monthly ensuring they never get a penny more than I spent. No annual fees either.
What I saw and see in those almost nightly exchanges is NO ONE takes the high road. Each participant seems to need the last word, each participant eggs the situation on by not controlling their need for a rebuttal. If one QUITS, the other(s) surely would look even more guilty if they continue the nonsense on their own.
I don’t think there always needs to be a loser.
I see some posts that don’t deserve a response.
But that’s just me. I’m a coward and a pacifist.
Regular
Posted March 19, 2008 at 10:48 am | Permalink
I guarantee if I was the Blog Monitor, there would be less attacking and harassing of posters.
===========================================
Pot meet kettle LOL
Here’s a more objective account of what Max was ranting about upthread (the London Times story actually referred to Rezko as Obama’s “bag man”–no bias there!):
http://www.reuters.com/article/vcCandidateFeed1/idUSN0336026420080304
Rage — Max always rants ROFL!!
Limbaugh is going NUTS playing tape of some “preacher” from Harlem…. Dont know anything about the “credentials” of the Harlem preacher… Rush says its on YouTube, from February 16 — which was a Saturday…
Aw, c’mon, Chas, you can’t call this ranting:
Obama’s friend Rezko was born in Syria.
Obama’s billionaire friend Nadhmi Auchi was born in Iraq.
C’mon, don’t think–react! SYRIA!! IRAQ!! SCARY ARABS!!! BOOGITY!!
Hey Steven, I meant to say congrats on the letter to the editor. I just got sucked into the bloggery when I got here. :)
It was a great letter, and one subject, like water, that no one really wants to deal with.
Rage — And one of Bushie’s best buddies is King of Saudi Arabia… LOL
TDT,
We still play a support role in those regions, we also are using more troops to help in the more troubled regions too.
It is not as simple as simply saying, “here you go, this corner is yours” and hoping on a helicoter and leaving.
I went back as far as last Sunday’s paper without finding your letter. When did the Eagle staff finally get smart enough to publich your letter, Steven?
or maybe publish. I should know better than to post from this laptop. But it’s soooo pleasant outside in the sun.
I saw it online today, Linda!
VIDEO clip being played by Limbaugh… Preacher calls Obama’s Mama TRASH…. Hmmmm…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khuu-RhOBDU
This is worse trash than Rev. Wright!!
Hey, does everyone remember the non-stop media frenzy over the McClurkin incident?
Me neither.
It’s depressing, but the fact is that supporters of gay rights don’t have that much clout (at the national level anyway), and the corporate tabloid news won’t think it’s an issue unless we make it one. This is 1964, and the official segregationist party will be seated, Hubert Humphrey’s tears notwithstanding.
Barack Obama has a good record, actually, going back to the Illinois Senate. But I think it’s incumbent upon Obama supporters– especially gay Obama supporters–to gently remind the man of the positions he’s taken on gay rights, should he become president, and be willing to defend him vigorously when he gets the heat.
I’m thinking of Bill Clinton. He was the first successful presidential candidate to really reach out to the gay community. His first week of office, he kept a promise–and was roundly pilloried, and caved in.
Four years later, he was signing the Defense of Marriage Act. Principle gave way to political expediency.
I don’t believe for a minute that Barack Obama is a bigot, but the Jeremiah Wright business is more relevant than we might think. There is a nasty strain of hatred in some black churches out there (even if the UCC isn’t neccesarily one of them). We saw that in Kansas.
Obama stuck his finger in the water at Martin Luther King’s church–with a single sentence–but I suspect his relatively muted response was, once again, due to not wanting to poke them in the eye–love ‘em or hate ‘em, his people– too hard .
His amazing rise in politics aside, on this issue, it sucks to be him. No doubt his political advisors are telling him to be low-key about gay rights. Unfortunately, there’s some wisdom in that approach.
But since politics is the art horse-trading, I think the real issue is not whether he personally supports gay rights (I’m convinced he does), but rather the amount of value he will assign to that particular horse, when the deals are being made. It’s a concern.
He has already shown that he can deal with these kind of “hot-button” issues in a thoughtful and surprisingly frank manner. He needs to do that, before something happens (say, he deeply offends some homophobes ), that is deemed worthy of discussion by the tabloid media, and he’s forced to address it then.
And I think, despite the electoral backlash we’ve seen in recent years, America is finally ready.
Rage — I’m sure Limbaugh and others are working on the gay issue — probably part of the Spew Obama project!!
Limbaugh’s Electioneering scam, Operation Chaos, sure looks like inter-state racketeering to some extent… Wonder if anybody has thought about charging him with something??
61% of Americans say we should pull out most if not all of our troops. 33% say stay the course..
Gee, looks like opponents are in the majority… if majority is supposed to rule, then we should be getting out, right?? LOL
We need to resurrect the Hippies… to help us put on a huge old-fashioned War Protest march!! The Hippies knew how to do that!!
Bring back Hippiedom… Make Love/Not War!!
I’ve thought the 60s was the best decade. then again it was the decade of my childhood.
I’m for that Chas.
I’m too young to remember the 60’s. From what I can gather, it was the high water mark for this country. Pretty much downhill since then.
Make Love, Not War……
Guns are Hazardous to Children and Other Living Things……
I remember seeing those slogans in the early 1970s. Oh, to be young, idealistic, untainted by disillusion and/or rape, free of this f–king arthritis in my aging hips, oh…..the list goes on and on.
I’ve never participated in a gay rights and/or anti-war march - but I sure wanted to. I’m 100% for affirming the innate dignity of all human life: straight, gay, male, female, hermaphroditic (unless we’re talking about Ann Coulter), what have you.
This frustrated flower child still has some hippiedom in her. In fact, I’m wearing a peach flower in my flowing tresses today, and I look bitchin’ - as a matter of fact. I’ve received a lotta compliments on the thing, anyway.
Oh, to be young. Again.
JR, i have to admit, the 60s was riding on the coattails of the 50s. Ike did a fair job for this country before Kennedy did his li’l bit (all told, I don’t think he really did THAT much for the country ‘cept for the space program). It’s just a good thing Nixon didn’t get in the 12 years earlier than he did.
Then again, that dozen years of youth and HE may have been a decent president.
The 60s should have been the decade of my youth but I made decisions that tied me to responsibilities. So, I’m making this decade the one of my youth. My gray hair, overly stuffed figure and wrinkles allow me to be even more outrageous without being questioned about my maturity. I have heard the word senility uttered tho.
My youngest grandchild is a girl 10 years old. Recently, when I said something she thought more outrageous than most she commented, “Boy, I should take you for show and tell!” I responded, “But, all the kids have grandparents, I wouldn’t be unique.” To which she said, “Trust me, Grandma. You would be!”
I wouldn’t be unique.” To which she said, “Trust me, Grandma. You would be!”
That’s a good thing, Linda.
Don’t you wanna be a non-conformist just like everyone else?
*ducks*
As a “child of the 60s”, what is so romantically remembered about that decade by either side of any discussion thereof depends on one’s political orientation. The first five years or so of the 60s was, by and large, quiet from a political perspective. Yes, there were the Civil Rights marches, etc., and the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, but by and large, the body politic was quiet. The draft hadn’t started hitting the middle class and the so-called upper class, most folks were concerned with finishing their educations, getting a job, starting a family, etc.
The last part of the 60s was the time of the anti-war demonstrations, the protest marches of not only the war, but the push for women’s rights, more full implementation of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, etc., etc., and the body politic becoming more energized and involved. That part of the decade, especially 1968 on, was a very interesting time to be alive and old enough to be on campus, as I was; a very interesting time indeed.
And, in a reflective mood, I return to work, recalling these words attributed to David Crosby: “We were right about the war, we were right about civil rights, but we were wrong about drugs”.
Linda, i think i love you.
BTW, i use my personal and my business debit cards online and haven’t had any problem. Then again, I’m careful about what I buy. I’m not sure it would be a good idea to trust my finances to a porn site, for instance.
In 68 I was still in Jr High. Participated in a few ’school walkout’ demonstrations against the war. I never felt like part of a political process, just kinda felt it was the right thing to do. Plus it was a quasi-sanctioned ditch day LOL
Then I fell for the ‘Kill a Commie for Mommy’ rhetoric and joined up in 73, going active in 74 right after HS grad. Btween swearing in standing on the yellow footprints I wondered whatever I had gotten myself into. Luckily the whole thing fell through while I was in boot camp.
Through this whole time I never gave a thught at all about political ramifications–only doing what I felt to be correct at that particular time. I’ve thought most of the world was this way–apolitical–and just did what they felt was right. Some do what’s right for themselves alone, and others do what is right for the world in general.
Vaughn — I agree with Crosby!!
I’ve heard David Crosby disparage something else from the flowerful 1960s: His and other musicians’ prodigious usage of groupies. “We were all over them - like sharks on sheep,” he said.
That being said, I have a lot of fondness for the former Byrd-man and Crosby, Stills & Nash frontman. I’ve seen him interviewed by Larry King and others, and his newly-drug-free self is endearing. He talks copiously about love and tolerance. And here’s something else……
Remember the immortal “Turn! Turn! Turn!” from 1965? Crosby’s was the shimmering voice heard on these words: “A time for p-e-a-c-e…..I swear it’s not too late.” He had that special “something” in his voice - and on that song - and other Byrds offerings - it was in full abundance.
When I remember the sixties - I remember the wondrous music. Not the rampant, mindless gutterf–king. The sexual orientation, in the words of a liberal Catholic theologian (Richard Sipe), was and is a “very mixed bag.” I agree heartily with that statement.
But the music………oh, the music……..its beauty will endure forever.
I’m not sure it would be a good idea to trust my finances to a porn site, for instance
those may be the only corporations in business a year from now. And bars.
Songbird, I don’t recall who said this, but “David Crosby was put on this earth for one purpose: to sing harmony”. I could not agree more.
I also could not agree more with your observations on the music of the 1960s.
Maybe we should make plans now to meet there. We’ll all need some diversion.
Ah, music! The universal language. What would live be without music and books? Surely not very worthwhile.
“I guarantee if I was the Blog Monitor, there would be less attacking and harassing of posters”
You mean, like the attacking and harassing that YOU do?
For anybody who would like to see what Obama REALLY said yesterday, I offer >>>>>
http://colorofchange.org/obama/text.html?id=1837-225221
Nathan I would actually be the last to admit we have not done some good there, I am a firm believer in the old adage of “All it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing!”. Our military is the best ambassadors this country has had since Ben Franklin in Paris. That said, you and I will whole heartedly agree on this point. We have to prevail! We have to leave Iraq in the very best shape it can be and in a sense better then the United States! But where we may part ways is, it is this country’s penance and our only atonement for having done such a thing without cause and without justification. AS I said the cost of this action is that our real enemy the ones whom attacked us are now stronger and gained more power with the invasion and the occupation of Iraq by us. The media does not tell me that, hell the media is pretty pointless and there is not one that will give the total honest truth about the good or the bad that has happen!
I know enough people in my everyday life to know how those whom have been there feel about it. All the good that occurs that they get angry because the media is not reporting it. Just in passing I have come to know many who served in Vietnam. To the man everyone of them could tell you much what one told me.
He hated the war and hate the government for sending him there. Until he had been there and seen the outrages done by the V.C. He knew that someone had to take a stand and he felt good that he could be someone! over ten years later he still hated the Vietnam war but felt honor to have done his part.
But what I am saying is that is the way our soldiers are and it is what they do.
If it had not been that the fight was about protecting America from those wanting to destroy her. Than perhaps the morality of Iraq would not be the issue. Saddam was a bad man there is no doubt.
But its like the neighbor to the South is shooting at your house and you shoot and kill the neighbor to the North whom was not the threat at the time. Not only is it madness it is morality wrong and as such you are damned for doing it. We need to stop doing a holding action and bring right that which we wronged.
And yes, I have thought we owed the Iraqis this morally for some time. The Kurds were slaughtered because we told them if they upraised we would back them and we failed to. Same with the Shiites and both were slaughtered by Saddam. But not this way, we have failed them again by being in the wrong at the wrong time. By trying to be nation builders instead of allies and friends, why would not most Iraqis have a love/ hate for us. WE went in to depose a dictator and then told them we know best and they must do as we say. And all the time the Terrorists have been gaining because of our folly.
Yes Vaughn. The Beatles’ Albums tell the story of the 60’s. Short hair on the early albums, long on the later albums.
Hair! It must be long hair that made the difference!
We need to resurrect the Hippies… to help us put on a huge old-fashioned War Protest march!! The Hippies knew how to do that!!
We don’t need resurrection; we’re still around. Come see us at the Kerrville Music Festival in May June.
Ya’ll need to read the actual legislation that the House just passed. Basically it says that IF the parents, HUSBAND, or anyone else disagrees with the woman’s choice for her abortion…THEY can press charges on the doctor on her behalf, even if SHE doesn’t want them to.
So imagine, I go in for an abortion, and my husband finds out after the fact and is angry. He can turn around and charge my doctor.
Why this passed is beyond me, it’s a completely utter disregard for a woman’s right to choose.
If they can’t take away HER right, they’ll go after the doctor and make him pay for her choice.
This is SUCH bs. Someone needs to kick a whole lot of people out of the senate. They’ll do this, but they won’t even consider giving equal rights to women under the constitution.
Now I know why, they want others to be responsible for our actions.
It takes two to conceive PMom, however, if you want the right to be the ultimately selfish (insert B word), I suppose it’s your right to be so.
Political_mama-
Does the father of the child have no rights? It take two to make a baby, I think the father should have a say whether it is aborted or not.
As Songbird will attest, an improved copy is now available of the Students for Life of America video taped comments of an exclusive interview with late-term abortionist quack George Tiller at a Feminist Majority Foundation Conference held at the National Education Association (NEA) in Washington, DC on March 9, 2008. That video has been posted to YouTube.com , wherein you will hear quack Tiller say he has done late abortions up to the day before delivery, show photos he collected of the dead bodies of babies he aborted, admit he never heard of the Federal Born Alive Infant Protection Act, and describe babies with handicaps as burdens on women and society.
Tiller also says an abortionist who allows a baby to be born alive during an abortion ought to have his head beat in, for being sloppy. One of Tiller’s tiny botched abortion victims, shot in the head instead of in the heart with Tiller’s poison needle during a post-viable abortion years ago, was born alive and dumped in an emergency room parking lot, eventually getting medical care later and being adopted. She lived 5 years, eventually succumbing to the long-term effects of Tillers quackery. She never walked, she never talked. Sometimes, she smiled through her blindness.
See news page
http://www.operationrescue.org/?p=889
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Colorado for Equal Rights has more than half the 76,000 petition signatures needed by May 13 to put the Human Life Amendment to the Colorado Constitution on the November ballot, defining human life as beginning at conception. A similar amendment is proposed in Montana.
Planned Parenthood takes the clear position that babies are not human before birth – they are - - - something else.
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Since Oregon’s assisted murder law took effect, 341 patients have killed themselves, and the annual rate of deaths is increasing. During 2007, not one patient who died was referred for psychiatric or psychological evaluation, such as for an episode of depression, before receiving the prescription for lethal drugs.
Until the father can carry the child and take the risk, then NO, he has no right to say what the woman does with her body. There is no better way to keep a woman ‘in her place’ than to take away her rights to her own decisions.
A GOOD father and good marriage, this wouldn’t be an issue, now would it?
parkay always always lies, and never apologizes for it. Apparently God has given him permission as it furthers his anti-woman view.
OF COURSE people who are dying are depressed, gee ya think? That doesn’t mean they can’t make informed decisions about their end of life care. I will bet that they all met the guidelines for physician assisted suicide.
But of course, freakshow antis can’t handle that, they MUST DIE IN PAIN AND DRAWN OUT.
as far as human life beginning at conception, why not sperm? Is a cell not ‘living’ until it dies? you can see the tails whipping around, obviously it is alive. Heck my eyeball is alive too. So does that mean they can’t remove it if diseased?
SAVE MY EYEBALL IT IS LIFE.
PMama — that law sounds eerily similar to laws governing women in Saudi Arabia!! Well, except for the beheading part –
It seems that McCain does not know the difference between Shiite and Sunni sects. And we are supposed to trust him to answer the “red phone” at 3 AM?
‘A McCain Gaffe in Jordan’
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/03/18/a_mccain_gaffe_in_jordan.html
“[McCain] said several times that Iran, a predominately Shiite country, was supplying the mostly Sunni militant group, al-Qaeda. In fact, officials have said they believe Iran is helping Shiite extremists in Iraq.”
‘AP, CNN ignored McCain’s “gaffe” on Al Qaeda’
http://mediamatters.org/items/200803180005
Cosmos, thats because many Americans dont understand that Islam has “denominations” (factions) much like Christianity, Hinduism, and even Judaism… Ya just cant lump them all together and call it one…
The Mystery of Global Warming’s Missing Heat
“Some 3,000 scientific robots that are plying the ocean have sent home a puzzling message. These diving instruments suggest that the oceans have not warmed up at all over the past four or five years. That could mean global warming has taken a breather. Or it could mean scientists aren’t quite understanding what their robots are telling them.
This is puzzling in part because here on the surface of the Earth, the years since 2003 have been some of the hottest on record. But Josh Willis at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory says the oceans are what really matter when it comes to global warming.
In fact, 80 percent to 90 percent of global warming involves heating up ocean waters. They hold much more heat than the atmosphere can. So Willis has been studying the ocean with a fleet of robotic instruments called the Argo system. The buoys can dive 3,000 feet down and measure ocean temperature. Since the system was fully deployed in 2003, it has recorded no warming of the global oceans.
But if the aquatic robots are actually telling the right story, that raises a new question: Where is the extra heat all going?
Kevin Trenberth at the National Center for Atmospheric Research says it’s probably going back out into space. The Earth has a number of natural thermostats, including clouds, which can either trap heat and turn up the temperature, or reflect sunlight and help cool the planet.”
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88520025
———————
So, global climate change doesn’t seem to be as simple as the programmers of the computer models allow for. Could this be the end of the alarmist propaganda for this generation? We can only hope.
Outlander!
Now Cosmos will launch 10,000 posts!
Heading to the shelter, it be raining BS for the duration of the evening.
Links, please most many links!
outlander
What is to lose by addressing global warming proactively?
outlander,
You forgot to quote an important point at your NPR link:
“Trenberth and Willis agree that a few mild years have no effect on the long-term trend of global warming.”
And the observed long-term global ocean heat content change does match the climate model projections.
It looks like Brownlee won’t do anything with this blog, so I’m whipping out blog mayhem and torture.
Be prepared to get ugly spilled upon you.
Brownlee wants this blog to be amateur hour, well here it comes.
You’ll never know when it strikes.
I think the most relevant quote in the article, Cosmos, is this one:
“Kevin Trenberth at the National Center for Atmospheric Research says it’s probably going back out into space. The Earth has a number of natural thermostats, including clouds, which can either trap heat and turn up the temperature, or reflect sunlight and help cool the planet.”
Essentially this is saying that we don’t know where the heat went (probably to outer space) and that we don’t know what effect that cloud cover plays in heating or cooling of the earth.
Nothing to lose JR.
Just as long as we don’t get silly about it.
Outlander - i heard that story this morning too. From your link:
“But in fact there’s a little bit of a mystery. We can’t account for all of the sea level increase we’ve seen over the last three or four years,” he says.
One possibility is that the sea has, in fact, warmed and expanded — and scientists are somehow misinterpreting the data from the diving buoys.
Trenberth and Willis agree that a few mild years have no effect on the long-term trend of global warming.”
Note that the volume has INCREASED which is inconsistent with cooling - UNLESS - the colling measured is related to runoff from glacier melt. IF the seas were cooling the volume would DECREASE - not INCREASE - and sea levels would fall. The opposite is observed.
What was it you used to say about the Great Experiment Ben?
See outlander? Your post here is self defeating.
You present something that can be explained or not by any number of variables.
Pumping ever increasing amounts of the global warming gas CO2 into the atmosphere at LEAST merits serious consideration. It is a variable.
Also, there were Argo data errors in a 2006 study, and a correction was issued in July 2007.
‘Climate myths: The oceans are cooling’
http://environment.newscientist.com/channel/earth/climate-change/dn11664
Continental drift,erosion, weather and tectonics also affect sea levels in certain areas. It’s not always about co2 and warming.
http://celebrating200years.noaa.gov/breakthroughs/warming_ocean/welcome.html#comparing
“Put in other terms, the sudden release of this energy from the ocean would warm the bottom 10 km (6.2 mi) of the atmosphere approximately 22 degrees Celsius (40 degrees Fahrenheit).”