Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

Can it be true... The first one is WHo

The Early Bird gets the worm !
Is this true in Politics? Or the first one to steal an idea and present it? Shamless of course.

Good Morning to all

Good morning, Ping Pong....it's already hot and humid here....dang....

Ah, the morning calm...so nice.

Congrats Ping Pong. May the rest of your day be so good!

In this morning's Journal, Paul Gigot, their editorial page editor, wrote a very worthwhile op-ed about the incestuous relationships between the mortgage-giant principals. By-pass the self-serving parts and you have a very worthwhile read:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121677050160675397.html?mod=opinion_main_commentaries

Flatus,
Good day to you, my your A/C be in full oerational mode.
So how do you feel about Bail out for those that make bad decision? Is ingnorance an excuse?

Off to the evil capitalistic world

Good morning early risers...

Flatus,

Your observation about reducing working hours---not sure how it would be implemented at this point in time -the 40 hr work week has been the standard for a long time. Actually, I thought that more individuals are working more hours these days.

The only adjustment that I am aware of is re-working the 5 day week to 4 days @ 10 hrs, which some localities are using to reduce energy costs & cost of the commute for employees. Here we see "summer hours" in some local municipal offices, open 4 days or closing earlier for the summer months.

wag more, bark less
and achieve enlightment

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/07/open-thread-tuesday.html#comment-118848

Here in Columbia our newspaper, The State, has an excellent editorial cartoonist. I bet there'll be a bunch of us who agree with the sentiment expressed in this morning's effort:
http://ariail.niethestate.com/

patd -- I had to laugh last night when I read that post....because I thought to myself, we'd all be better off if we quoted from dog treat boxes than from some of the blogs, etc around the internet! I do love that line, wag more, bark less....

Great cartoon, Flatus!

Craig is gonna have some serious hammock hair & his backside is gonna look like a waffle by Thursday.

Love MoJo! The comment about some talking heads being “too stupid to be on television” with regard to the surge story. Priceless.

As economic woes mount, homeless plan to vote

“Obama has promised…a raised minimum wage -- pegged to rise with inflation that hit a near three-year high of 1.1 percent in June -- together with family tax breaks and increased access to affordable housing.”

(My take – Fewer minimum wage jobs; business owners just won’t hire as many people to off-set the rise in employee wages. More illegal immigrants working under the table for cash; no taxes, no workman’s comp insurance, etc.)

“McCain…policy proposals including business incentives for areas with high unemployment, and housing vouchers for the homeless.”

(My take – encouraging businesses to open/grow, increasing employment, creating workers and, therefore, a larger tax-base.)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080723/us_nm/usa_politics_homeless_dc

good morning gang....

Flatus.... haven't watched any of the coverage..... but I'll take your word on that cartoon.....

I buy dog treats for my neighbor's dog every week..... I've never once thought to stop and read the box...... my bad.....

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aGGy_HIJpwaU&refer=home

mornin' all.

I haven't seen any decrease in the average work week, and that font of all knowledge, Wikipedia, concurs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/40-hour_work_week

The U.S. male in 2006 had an average workday length of 8.4 hours - the average female, 7.7 hours. "In the United States, the working time for upper-income professionals has increased compared to 1965, while total annual working time for low-skill, low-income workers has decreased."

I see Paulson has changed his view that F&F are strong and have cash and access to credit to Congress has to pass a bailout package quickly. That was a quick turnaround - perhaps it would be a good idea to maybe look at the data before making brave little pronouncements - I doubt that F&F have turned from great to in danger since Sunday. Putz - no wonder the economy is circling under Bushco's guidance.

Lastly, anyone catch Cramer's rant on ethanol on MoJo? He's got it exactly right. It's dumb for the US, but a great windfall for Iowa, Kansas, etc. at our expense.

Coreen,

I think the way to implement it would be to mandate that overtime starts after 32-hours.

I just think there are too many people 'making work' in an effort to show that they are being productive. This has resulted in a paralyzing bureaucracy in both the private and public sectors.

By reducing the number of working hours available, hopefully less mischief will result and the hours spent at work will be more productive and less destructive. And, of course, more people will have the opportunity for employment in those industries where people are really needed.

For the salaried people, there must be a redefinition of 'exempt' employees that dramatically cuts management's ability to take unfair advantage of ordinary workers.

Coreen, understand that these are just thoughts that arose from your comment about what's happening to women in the workforce. My thinking is, if we reduce the total number of hours available to employers, the remaining hours will be more valuable and more productive. Both men, and women, should benefit.

RR,

I had my Remicade yesterday and the infusionist was talking about her older cat (13) being somewhat listless.

To encourage her to exercise, she's been bribing her with geriatric cat-treats.

The way she described them, it sounded just as if someone took my daily raisin bran and reformed and repackaged it for kitty.

boy, flatus, if that doesn't get the cat jumping for joy, nothing will. lol

btw, had a nice dinner with viv last night.

boop....
I would suggest you get your diabetic friend a book by Dr. Richard Bernstein entitled "Diabetes Solution".....

the diet he suggests is very strict.... no grains.... it's mostly protein sources (meat, eggs, cheese, etc) and lots of veggies....

the closer I adhere to it, the better I feel.....
but I willingly admit I'm no saint..... I do succumb to temptation from time to time... and I do eat one fruit a day....

hope your friend feels better soon....

Flatus,

Don't think employers would believe that there is a benefit to them by reducing the number of hours available to them--since the 40 hr work week is linked to the corresponding time & one-half overtime provision after 40 hrs in the Fair Labor Standards Act for many jobs.

The fact that women are also being squeezed & seriously impacted by the state of the economy today was what the NYT article was discussing, which to me is another illustration of the depth of the economic woes facing the average american (with no solutions forthcoming from either candidate or for that matter
from the elected officials currently sitting in Washington).

Morning everyone,

I read somewhere, can't remember where, that Obama's plan to reduce
everyone's medical costs by $2,500 per family of four is being scrutinized
and some experts say it's not possible for any president to bring down health care costs for several years.

Has anyone seen this in the news? I wish I could recall where I read this today. I'm very interested in the health care coverage issue.

I truly hope someone will work on bringing my medical insurance costs down because I pay way too much for way too little.

Flatus....
hope the treat trick works...... cats are not dogs and don't give a damn about food unless they want to.....

she might have better luck getting it to move with a cat toy....

PM,

I think Mrs Clinton's universal coverage is the way to go if we really want to reduce the burden on people. All the others are basically jawboning.

Flatus,

You're right. Hillary Clinton's health care plans seemed so much more
doable and comprehensive. I'm very unclear about exactly what Obama's
medical plan is even now. And McCain's, well, all I can figure about his
is that competition will bring our costs down, whatever that means.

If you like Obama and you like Billy Ocean...you might enjoy this.

http://www.dailymotion.com/us/featured/cluster/fun/video/x67q4r_236com-when-the-votin-gets-tough_fun

Our current system is corrupt. If you are a cash paying individual you will pay many time more for the same thing than an insurance company. With our previous health care we had a high deductible and could not take advantage of the insurance rates that I can now with Blue cross blue sheild. My lab work which I'm supposed to get done every 3 months cost around $500 for me as an individual. Blue Cross only pays $76 for the same amount of lab work. At that price I can aford to have my regular work done. At the other price I often put it off.
If any other business charge in such a manner the would be brought up on price gouging charges.

Jack

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/07/open-thread-wednesday.html#comment-119108

Flatus,

You're idea of the 32 hour work week makes perfect sense to me. If they made that 4 days a week (when possible), it would help with transportation costs, as well as other daily costs (overhead, day care, cut down on traffic, etc.).

After all, the way we do things is only tradition.

Renee,
That protein rich, carb poor diet is really the same principal as the Atkins and South Beach diets. Atkins mentioned in his book that his diabetic patients who followed his diet not only lost weight, but also had great improvements in their blood sugar. I can only attest to the weight loss side of the equation - I really did well when I followed the diet - ,lost 11 pounds in 3 weeks - right up until I went crazy and stormed an all you can eat pizza and pasta buffet and was thrown in prison to eat beans for 90 days (just kidding about the prison part). Actually, you've hit on one of my 2 concerns with those diets - lack of roughage. The other is the high fat proportion, although my BP actually fell almost 20 points in that time.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/07/open-thread-wednesday.html#comment-119118
Jack, if you have Blue Cross insurance (but they don't cover a particular procedure) don't your doctors and labs just charge you the same price they're contracted out to pay Blue Cross (when it is covered)?

That's what my providers do. Give me the contracted price by insurance company gets. If not, I ask for that price.

pogo,
Does Atkins allow for lots of vegetables though?

jack,

You have pointed out one of the huge problems in the health care system - false economies of scale combined with negotiated service prices. You as the cash paying individual are subsidizing the provider and the insurer's artificially low prices. Medicare is the primary insurer that drives those packaged prices lower, typically their rates are actually below the cost of the service (this does not apply to what they pay the doctor) provided by the hospital or lab or whatever. The commercial insurers get less favorable rates than Medicare, but pass their shortfall along in the form of high deductibles, copays and denial rates. It is a huge racket, and those who need the services most ate the ones who take it on the chin in the system as it currently exists.

chloe, only low carbohydrate veggies. It's been a while, but I recall something like 1/2 cup of about 3 servings per day, but they may have made that more generous to address those concerns and to more effectively compete with South Beach, which allows more veggies and fruits - after all, they do provide many essential nutrients not found in meat.

hope the treat trick works...... cats are not dogs and don't give a damn about food unless they want to.....

If the cat isn't eating well, there's one food that almost always works. Baby food meats. Gerber's chicken, ham or others. They love it when they won't eat anything else. (but not with vegetables, meat only).

But 13 is not that old. Maybe there's another problem. Sometimes when they're listless they just need to be wormed.

pogo, then those vegetable solve your roughage problem, but the more the better. But I still agree with you on the high fat being BAD.

Pogo

Do as my wife and i do we stick to the leaner cuts of meat. My wife could eat chicken all the time. So for supper I usually broil a chicken breast after rubbing it in some spice mixture.
We then have a large salad, and Some kind of microwaved steamed, frozen vegtable mix. Usually containing cauliflower, carrots and broccoli. We like our veggies so we eat a lot of them.

My wifes problem is on the road, all she can seem to find are meals loaded with fat and starch but very little in the way of veggies. So she is constantly fighting her weight.

Jack

chloe, you have very progressive healthcare providers. Most around here will discount services to self pay patients, but not as low as the rates they give insurers. Of course when you take write-offs, write downs and bad debt writeoffs into account, it probably is close to the same. But that also includes collection efforts that annoy the crap out of uninsured patients, to say nothing of the effect on the credit scores of those that go to collection.

I know this may sound like a stupid question, but why is it that so many other
countries, which seem to be financially stable, can offer all its citizens comprehensive free medical coverage but the U.S. cannot?

Marcia,

This may be one of the discussions of Obama's health care proposal you mentioned. To me, it suggests that it may be just another set of promises, promises that will never materialize.

"Health Plan from Obama spurs debate"

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/us/23health.html

"His words about lowering 'premiums' by $2,500 for the average family of 4 have been fairly consistent.

But the health policy advisers who formulated the figure say it actually represents the average family's share of savings not only in premiums paid by individuals, but also in premiums paid by employers & in tax-suppported health programs like Medicare & Medicaid."

Just a little bit of slight of hand, but who cares, it sounds good.

"Jack, if you have Blue Cross insurance (but they don't cover a particular procedure) don't your doctors and labs just charge you the same price they're contracted out to pay Blue Cross (when it is covered)?"

Yes, With Blue Cross I pay their rate. It was our previous insurance where we had to pay the cash price for anything until we hit our $1500 deductable. Can't remember the name of the company.

Jack

"My wifes problem is on the road, all she can seem to find are meals loaded with fat and starch but very little in the way of veggies. "

Jack -- that's the gripe a lot of entertainers have...they live on truck stop food and it packs the pounds on....

jack,
That's actually about what we do as well. Of course I'm a terrible snack addict - which is my downfall after I lose the weight I do when I'm on a diet. I'm a big believer in calories in/calories out as the key to weight control (it's the Opus diet - eat less, exercise more). In other words, portion control seems to be the key to long term weight mantenance in my experience. I don't know any folks who lose weight by eating more and exercising less, or vice versa (except of course for illness and medication related weight loss and gain).

What, you mean diner food isn't good for someone concerned about their weight? Whodathunkit?

"1/2 cup of about 3 servings per day"

There is the problem, I fill our quart steamer basket for supper and add a large salad to it.

Did I say, I like Veggies,?

Jack

Coreen,

Wow. Thanks for the link about Obama's fuzzy health care stats. I knew
I had seen the info somewhere.

If someone offered me the unlimited services of any of the following:

a masseuse
a chauffer
a secretary
a cook (who did the shopping)

I'd chose a cook. Just so I could eat a healthy, well balanced diet
every day and night.

Oh, yeah, there are 2 other things that Atkins says makes diabetes go nuts - caffeine and alcohol - both of which you are supposed to forego completely in the first phase of that diet. I suspect there are a lot of ANGRY Atkins dieters (when I did Atkins, I sort of ignored that and it worked anyway).

pereant qui ante nos nostra dixerunt.

--donatus

Pogo

If I don't have that cuppa coffee in the morning my brain isn't functioning well enough to get angry.
It is currently my drug of choice.

Jack

I'd want a chauffer who could cook......

Jack,
I'm very much a victim of seasonal food cravings - it being summer I can't find a salad I don't like - In the winter I crave meat and fat. Guess which seasons I gain weight in.

I meant "I'd choose"

chloe, you have very progressive healthcare providers."

Pogo, I don't think my provider's are progressive, but it must be the insurance I have. The way it seems to work with my blue cross is they accept my insurance, at the price they are contracted out to the blue cross plan to pay, not knowing if a particular procedure is covered. They submit the bill to blue cross, and if it is not covered by my plan, it is then passed on to me. But at the contracted price they were giving blue cross.

sturgeone,

Now, that's funny.

mornin, sturg - care to provide a translation?

And jack, I hear ya on the caffeine - i always go off caffeine when I get the flu - I'm so miserable otherwise I don't notice the withdrawal symptoms and don't miss it after I get well. Of course since I've been getting flu vaccine shots for the past 3 years, I haven't gone cold turkey on caffeine since.

Chloe, I see - that's the agreement the providers have with blue cross in all likelihood.

hahaha,

Contessa Brewer - what a maroon. Talking about Hurricane Dolly and the coverage "Look at that wind blowing." The weatherguy is on the edge of a hurricane, what hte hell else did she think woudl be happening?

deuce take those who said our smart sayings before us.

--donatus

(apropos of nothing.)

I'd chose a cook. Just so I could eat a healthy, well balanced diet every day and night. prof marcia| July 23, 2008 9:11 AM

Marcia,
If you can't get the cook, there is an even easier way to accomplish your goal. Eat as many raw fruits and vegetables as possible (whole foods, I like to call them). As well as whole grain breads and pasta. Do that and you can't ever go wrong. It works on the road too.

sturg, never mind. Indeed, and don't they all? LOLOLOL

Are we going to become a country of
HMO people vs. PPO people?

Some of my frou frou acquaintances who have PPOs brag about the fact they can go to any doctor they want, any specialist at any hospital, while some of us (like me) are stuck with our HMO generalist docs.

I need a referral to even see one of the other doctors in my HMO group. I usually have to beg for to see any other physician even if he/she is in the same group and I have to wait months.

Well, work calls. Everyone have a good day. I'll see (well, you know what I mean) you guys tomorrow or Friday.

"What, you mean diner food isn't good for someone concerned about their weight? Whodathunkit?"

Ha -- and of course, it's my favorite kind of "cuisine"....

And as one entertainer I know always said before going on a tour: "Here I go again, where I never met a chicken fried steak I didn't love."

my favorite neon diner sign from road days gone by:

----------------Mother's Restaurant-----------------

------------------------Steaks---------------------------

-------------------------Eat---------------------

"This may be one of the discussions of Obama's health care proposal you mentioned. To me, it suggests that it may be just another set of promises, promises that will never materialize. "

Thaat's what I think is going to happen to a lot of these promises...smoke and mirrors. Some things will get trumpeted, but when the smoke clears they won't amount to much change.

One solution that helps my wife is to order the salads that have meat and then stays away from the dressing going instead with salsa for a dressing.

Jack

Thaat's what I think is going to happen to a lot of these promises...smoke and mirrors. Some things will get trumpeted, but when the smoke clears they won't amount to much change. : Patsi | July 23, 2008 9:28 AM

True. Why should this election be any different than any other one.

"I'd want a chauffer who could cook......"

That's what I had -- plus a computer tech and furniture mover -- before my son graduated from college and got a real job.... Damn. No wonder I have empty nest syndrome!

Chloe,

Thanks for the tip. I just get so lazy sometimes--like I just want to pop open
a package of something that tastes good instantly and eat. I get addicted
to cookies and sugar snacks sometimes when I'm in one of my "who
cares" moods.

I do try to eat as you suggested--fruits, vegs, whole grains and pasta, and I
do feel better when I'm strict about my died, but I'm a weak woman when I'm tired and stressed. I've discovered french fries cheer me up a lot and vanilla malts. (Why is it that food that is so bad for us, tastes so good. It isn't fair).

Patsi

Is it the politicians promising things they can't deliver

Or is it the voter demanding the politician pander to their every concern.

It is often a feedback loop, where it pays to lie.

Jack

oops I meant "diet"
but my died sounds sort of interesting

Here's a link to a recent diet study

My colleague John Tierney has talked to journalist Gary Taubes about his reaction to the latest diet study. The report, published last week in The New England Journal of Medicine, compared low-carbohydrate, moderate fat and Mediterranean-style diets

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/21/gary-taubes-on-the-latest-diet-study/

I'm on the eat inside the box diet....the box I get from my farmshare each week. ...with an addition of advice from Marion Nestle and Michael Pollan --move more, eat less, eat more fruits and vegetables no junk food and finally from Thomas Jefferson --meat as a condiment.

All this talk about healthy food has inspired me to make meatloaf with feta cheese and spinach added, and scalloped potatoes with green beans added.

That's get the veggies covered....

By the way, the other day a Mexican woman at the international market was telling me that she likes yucca cut up with her roasts better than potatoes. Anyone ever try that?

See, even famous rappers have trouble paying their medical bills. . .

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080723/people_nm/crime_dmx_dc

Prof M

The healthy choice frozen dinners are really good.
Fresh tasting veggies. They are an acceptable solution to the " I don't want to cook tonight." problem

They are better if you put a little butter on the veggies and............

Jack

John McCain needs to wake up and smell the Arabic coffee."

...Iraq has always been a story full of surprises. And one of the most important political surprises is how quickly the surge has made Iraq safe for Barack Obama’s foreign policy — and for the election policy of the Iraqi prime minister, Nuri Kamal al-Maliki."

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/opinion/23friedman.html?_r=1&ref=opinion&oref=slogin

Also for road warriors there is a site..I think it's called
eat this not that...and it helps sort through restaurant choices. I think it is part of Men's Health mag.

"It is often a feedback loop, where it pays to lie."

You nailed that, Jack.

she likes yucca cut up with her roasts better than potatoes. Anyone ever try that? Patsi

I don't know about that Patsi. I really love potatoes.

jack,

Thanks. I'll definitely try some of the Healthy Choice dinners.

Katherine,
Is this it?

Why Eat This, Not That!?

http://www.menshealth.com/eatthis/articles/Why_Eat_This_Not_That.php

Chloe -- I think she uses both in the roasts....yes, I'd have to have potatoes, likewise turnips. I REALLY love turnips....not a particularly popular veggie I fear. But then I also love Brussel sprouts....

I am going to google yucca now...should have done that in the first place.

That's it Chloe.
I think you can sign up for a newsletter too and they send out tips...what to eat at the ballpark etc.

Today eating out is as common as eating at home.
Besides figuring out what to eat, another big problem is the size of the portion. Since we have all become used to being supersized...when you get what you should eat, it's a period of adjustment. There is a groups of restaurants in the Bay area --Max's and each order is enough for three meals.

"The Media Gets a Tingling Up Its Leg"
Media's guilt plays well for Obama and McCain

"Who needs foreign policy expertise when you're so cool, you risk a three-point shot and make it on camera?"

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-kass-23-jul23,0,1832802.column

Well, the only real news I found out about yucca is that they can be used as a potato substitute and have a lot of vitamin C. I'll probably stick to potatoes and turnips....

"Today eating out is as common as eating at home"

Katherine,
Around our house, eating out is MORE common than eating at home.

"I'll probably stick to potatoes and turnips...."

and take a vitamin C tablet. Works for me.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/22/AR2008072202550.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

Obama and Maliki doing the same dance....LOL

Chloe

I think that is true for lots of folks. When I was a kid ,back in the stoneage, I rememer my mother being shocked at a couple she knew who ate out all the time.(I thought it sounded great)
Now there are so many more choices for prepared foods and a lot more restaurant choices as well.

Re: McCain
I think it will be hard to dispel the notion that he was "right" about Iraq and the surge even though he was wrong. It is part of his media mythology
http://www.jedreport.com/2008/07/mccain-talks-ab.html

http://www.dinercity.com/

http://www.americandinermuseum.org/site/

Bosnia's "Face of Evil"

"Standing with Slobodan Milosevic on the veranda of a government hunting lodge outside Belgrade, I saw two men in the distance. They got out of their twin Mercedeses and, in the fading light, started toward us. I felt a jolt go through my body; they were unmistakable. Ratko Mladic in combat fatigues, stocky, walking as though through a muddy field; and Radovan Karadzic, taller, wearing a suit, with his wild, but carefully coiffed, shock of white hair."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/22/AR2008072202593.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

www.rosiesdiner.com

I cooked my first turnips last month.
http://seasonalpantry.blogspot.com/2008/06/tiny-turnips-are-tops.html

Max

It always pays to listen to Jeane Kirkpatrick , even if you don't agree with her. She makes some valid points about Maliki and his positioning.

Jack

Yeah right, the NYT who said last year Iraq was Lost is touting their guy Obama. Seems like bad news in Iraq helped Obama. Now the NYT is pushing the idea that Obama being coompletely wrong and Iraq improving is the ticket...LOL

Spin is spin. Too bad the Fairness Doctrine won't allow McCain to counter the NYT's absurd conclusions. See the link above.

And Maliki predicted in 2006 that the US wouldn't be needed by the middle of 2007. Had we listened, Maliki would be dead...LOL

Maliki and Obama are doing the same political dance but AP and others report that many Iraqis and military do not agree. What you are pushing here is more of the media bias that extract what "facts" it deems cogent to support the conclusions they want to be true.

If that is an indication of what Obama hails, we are deep shit should he get elected. Oh, and the US has talked directly to Iran. Guess what? Ahmadinejad said he will not yield one iota. So BO, what is your plan B?

LOL...the debates will be fun. THink Obama will be forced to give McCain praise as polls show Americans think McCain deserves a lot of credit? Stay tuned......

KGC

I am a real fall turnip fan. around here the hot weather tends to make the spring turnip strong flavored.
But turnips like the cool fall weather. I like them best simple, Slice them and boil them in a little water with some chopped ham or bacon for flavoring. I also love to eat them raw.

Jack

Exactly right Jack. This recent Iraq coverage shows how much media is in the tank for Obama. It is absurd coverage. The same media touting Iraq is Lost, now depicts Obama as being right? And gone are there comments about Maliki.

Obama was dead wrong. He would have walked away defeated. He backed those who called Patraeus, Betrayus. He stood with those who called Maliki a puppet and corrupt, a liar and a fool.

Obama blew it on Iraq. Ahmadinejad just called Obama's "talking" bluff. Obama is so wrong on Pakistan and many experts are actually taking BO's claim on the problems in Afghanistan to task. Israel is more that skeptical of Barak. The Sunnis are furious.

Obama actually come back weakned greatly, but we can see how media is doing their best to send out the opposite message. What a sham. And some call fro the Fairness Doctrine...yeah right.

So did some one read last night blog comments?

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/45161.html

"Barack Obama's plan to build up U.S. forces in Afghanistan while keeping perhaps 50,000 troops in Iraq has triggered a deep rift among antiwar activists, a reminder of the difficult tasking facing the presumptive Democratic nominee as he tries to broaden his appeal"

Jack

Jack
Somewhere I read that raw turnips taste a bit like jicama --good with lime juice and salt. And that raw beets have less of an "earthy" taste...but I haven't tried that theory out yet.

Just a brief comment on the college vote:
Yesterday my son's girlfriend's sister came over, she is a sophomore in college. She was wearing a Democrat Club shirt, so I asked if she was on board with Obama. Her face actually lit with up a huge smile, and she let me know that she is very active on campus, that it's been really fun and exciting to get involved.

I think the internet has made a tremendous difference to the college voter. It's such a large part of their lies and communities.

Would like to hear from anyone else re: the college vote and your experience when talking to students.

I am hopeful that they will actually vote this GE.

Go Obama 2008!

Out of here got work to do.
this place can waste a day.

Jack

"Exactly right Jack. This recent Iraq coverage shows how much media is in the tank for Obama. " Maxtrue

Max,
But we've know this since the beginning, We were just waiting to see if the media would do the same after the General election started. Now we know.

flatus, coreen et alia on shorter work week;
in the summer to conserve energy, fla state univ and some agencies used to close every friday at noon or before, shutting down the ac (and sometimes the lights) until monday. don't know if they still do that. tallahassee summers are saunas and you sweltered there in a darkened office if you had to work on the week end... saved $$$ though...and made casual friday dress codes sensible.

Ooops...
~~~I didn't have a vegetable in my post ~~~

Me too clearly time to go

Oh yeah, the anbar awakening was the real reason Iraq is improving. First, without the US holding firm, the Sunnis would have given in to AQ. WE worked with them, supplied arms and showed them we would stay until the battle was won. To suggest that somehow the Sunnis simply brought peace is carzy. WE pushed an alliance between the Kruds and Sunnis when people like Juan Coles said it was impossible. We sent special forces into areas to get the main AQ people. We LOST LIVES and shed blood. THe Tribal leaders saw this. They decided to TEAM UP with us, not Maliki or Sadr and had we not pushed the government to crack down on Shia militants Sunnis would not participate in the government. It sickens me to see how some spin success away from the plain truth that people I know went into tough areas and formed the very bounds that pushed the awakening into reality.

It seems that partisan considerations so infect the mind that some cannot understand the role we played unless it was a losing roll. It insults out soldiers and those who reformed policy like McCain. In human events, perfect storms don't just happen, they are created. Patraeus, McCain, Gates, more soldiers, different tactics all reversed the slide down into victory. But since that would discredit the obvious Democratic position, every theory that excludes us is elevated into mythology, not the other way around. Iraq would be a disaster now if America listened to the Democrats. No amount of spin an awkenings will change that.

Obama, is being himself......you don't go through life and excel without, hard work, brains, and effort....

Good for him - nice to see someone representing our country that isn't a bumbling idiot!

Love the 3 pointer! that was just too good!

Chloe

If you are self pay, do you have a Health Savings Account? At least that way all the funds used for medical care aren't taxable.

Yep Jack, we can see that, but there are many who see it and are talking. Media might be shamed into pulling back from their obvious bias. Even the international media is taking aim at our press and what Obama is all about.

Perhaps there might be a tipping point. If not, McCain the underdog against Goliath the Press and the very Liberal may give him the support he needs. Patraeus will return, polls will change and then the Press will be forced to modify their pathetic coverage of events.

John McCain tromps alone on tarmacs in the night....awe that's got to hurt. I read somewhere there was only one reporter when he landed...ouch

"Well so far gaffe free!"
Spoken like a true Koolaid supporter.

There have been a number of gaffes, along with evasive answers to cover up ignorance.

Jack

Like that Pollster map, nicely done. Keep an eye on Ohio....Obama need to win that one, and I think the economy will be the key....

All the workers need to do is compare now to before Bush....sees simple...the old "are you better off question"

You know if his campaign had any smarts - they would get supporters out there to greet McCain, but apparently they haven't thought of that yet.

Pity is the worst.

That video Obama love video was another example of how out of touch they are, it was a joke.

Landslide.....and the world seems happy about it !

When the sitting administration screwed the world for 8 years what else would one expect?

True, I forgot about that...plus they can't miss "wheel of fortune" and Bill-o. ~~~

Reading the end of last night's thread. Aging Hipster showed up.

"Come Back Shane, Come Back!!!"

I saw that too Jamie.

Shoot out to Aging Hipster!!

That was supposed to say Shout out....lol

Obama and Maliki doing the same dance....LOL

It always pays to listen to Jeane Kirkpatrick .

DUH, of course the author (M. Boot , not J. K.) of that article works for McCain.

Sturge -- Rosie's Diner....hot turkey sandwich....YES!

Exactly right Jack. This recent Iraq coverage shows how much media is in the tank for Obama. It is absurd coverage.

Can I get you another pillow Max.

Anonymous.

oops Brain fart.
Read the

"The writer is the Jeane J. Kirkpatrick "
part of the last line and stopped there.

LOL
said to my self at the time
"I thought she was dead"

Jack

Jack

For those of you who can't talk policy, but fall back on making fun of "old people' -- here's a message from this old broad:

http://practicallyperfectpatsi.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/bugsgranny1.jpg

BTW
Anonymous,
Unlike some here I don't mind being challenged or corrected. I am not a delicate flower.
But expect a vigorous defense if I think I'm right.

Jack

"Chloe, I do try to eat as you suggested--fruits, vegs, whole grains and pasta, and I do feel better when I'm strict about my diet, ...I've discovered french fries cheer me up a lot and vanilla malts. (Why is it that food that is so bad for us, tastes so good. It isn't fair).prof marcia July 23, 2008 9:33AM"

Marcia,
You're right. (I missed your post before I left.)

I know exactly what you mean. That's why they're called 'comfort foods'. But I think they're also important (I think of them as food for the soul). We crave them both from habit and because they're quick energy.

I don't think french fries or a malt is bad, as long as you eat all the good stuff too (preferably first, to retrain our thinking). I changed the way I eat about a year ago, and have never felt better. But I still eat fries and fried chicken, cookies and whatever I want (in moderation). As long as I eat plenty of fresh fruit, I never have cravings like I used to.

No one food is bad. It's just how much of it you eat. And I don't think deprivation is good for anyone - any kind of deprivation.

.............................................

"If you are self pay, do you have a Health Savings Account? At least that way all the funds used for medical care aren't taxable". Posted by: | July 23, 2008 10:23 AM

Jamie,
I don't have a Health Savings Account. But thanks for mentioning it. I'll look into it. My husband does our taxes, so actually, I'll ask him to look into it. (I like things easy).

Awe Patsi...is that you in the photo?

People make fun of everything, but you know that already.

Patsi, Is that you?

That's me, UB.

"People make fun of everything, but you know that already."

Yeah, Michael Savage has been having fun with autistic children lately.

you're not old!

this is old
http://spiritinfusion.blogspot.com/uploaded_images/old%20couple-743330.jpg

Michael Weiner got exactly what he wanted from his comments on autistic children- attention.

Patsi, Your so cute. Just like your personality.

Did you watch that youtube I posted last night UB?

There's always an exception.....Michael Savage...has made quite a mess of his life, already causing financial damage to his employer, his story isn't over yet.

champ - no I don't think so

It's an old guy with a huge hole in his head. He is joking with his family about it. Really cool old dude.

I may look it up when I have more time....I know a lot of cool old people....some with holes in their heads even....lol

Damn, Long Island's getting pummeled right now. I love Doppler radar.

Chloe

Health Savings Accounts and Medical Savings Accounts are available through almost any bank.

Here is some general information

http://www.aarp.org/research/health/carefinancing/aresearch-import-683-FS80.html

You can pay insurance premiums, medical bills, drugs etc all out of the account.

Thanks Jamie.
I'm going to bookmark it because I have to leave.

"Don Fowler, the former head of the DNC sent a letter to Democratic leaders and major contributors this week urging party unity.

Intended to get resistant Hillary supporters on board, the unity letter is likely to produce the opposite effect.

Obama won 93% (13 out of 14) of the caucuses and only 46% (18 out of 39) of the primaries. It is impossible to explain the disparity in primary vs. caucus results due to superior organization or demographics alone.

Dean and the DNC turned a blind eye to the fraud, busing and data manipulation by Camp Obama at the caucuses. Not only did Dean not investigate voter fraud, suppression and intimidation, he further engineered Obama’s nomination by ...

... her nomination was stolen by a corrupt party. No letter chiding Clinton’s supporters is going to change that. "

http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/07/23/the-title-bout/#more-3739

Patsi

You used to many fingers.

Patsi....
thanks for your picture.....

UB.... the "oldsters" picture...... ROFL!

I just heard a good one on CNN..... seeing how people like to name things after presidents.... such as airports, buildings, aircraft carriers, etc........ San Francisco has decided to name it's new sewage treatment plant after George W Bush.....

now THAT is a sense of humor.......

"You used to many fingers."

ROFL, Jamie...that pic was taken back in 2000 or so on a trip to Boston...before our long national nightmare began....

I was just thinking you fit the profile of a guy in a wheelchair. On the computer all day every day, nasty in dealing with others personally yet a guilt/compassion for others in a general sense. I know how hard being in a wheelchair can be, so if that was the case, I was going to apologize for antagonizing you, but since you're not, fuck ya...

..with all due respect.

Who, me or you?

The problem of Obama's moral relativism

"Perhaps, Barack Obama has become desensitized to such expressions of prejudice and hatred. He sat through hateful rhetoric (and exposed his daughters to it) while listening to the rantings of Pastor Jeremiah Wright, Jr. for twenty years (a man whom he has called his "moral compass' ,"sounding board", and "confidant"). He and his wife gave the bulk of their charitable donations to a church where such prejudice was incorporated into sermons.

But a man who campaigned in front of Jewish audiences with the widely ridiculed claim that "nobody has spoken out more fiercely on the issue of anti-Semitism than I have" might try to back up his claim with actions on the ground."

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2008/07/the_problem_of_obamas_moral_re_1.html

"That connection with gluten and dairy and autism is spooky. I would hope that is being pursued." -bethyboo

Not spooky at all, bethy. I'll give you an abbreviated version of what we believe happens...

Most autistic children have significant gut issues, likely brought on by their bodies' inability to handle the stresses of all the immune challenges they're exposed to in infancy because of the ever-increasing number of vaccines the CDC recommends. When their immune systems begin to lose the struggle, they develop what's called a leaky gut, merely meaning that the lining is too permeable. Some of the proteins escape into the bloodstream - notably, gluten (from wheat and other grains) and casein (from dairy products) - and have an opiate effect on the individual. That's a very simplistic response to a very complex issue.

Hmm.

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/politics/2008/07/new-yorker-cover.html

Blue

The Constitution burning in the fireplace is a nice touch.

His tumor is on the wrong side of his face.

If People Are Now Paying Attention to the National Enquirer's Story on John Edwards, Why Not Look Into the National Enquirer's Stories on Obama?

"The Enquirer has been running all kinds of stories on Obama ...

When "journalists" such as ... and, well, pretty much the entire punditocracy on all broadcast networks (save for FOX), shamelessly promote Obama and cover his Rainbow Tour overseas ...

Believe us, it's a sad day when the National Enquirer is the best investigative journalism around -- but that's our reality right now."

http://hillbuzz.blogspot.com/2008/07/if-people-are-now-paying-attention-to.html

Ahem, there'll be no links to 'cheesecake' in Mr Crawford's blog.

champ wrote: "His tumor is on the wrong side of his face." Maybe that's supposed to be satirical, too.

Oh, and 13 isn't old for a cat. Mine is 22 years old; she sleeps 20 hours a day, but she's healthy.

jamie - I'm waiting for the side-by-side analysis of the two covers on every political show from now until Sunday. You just know it's comin'.

Flatus,

Thank you for reminding me that the WSJournal missed warning us about the subprime mortgage collapse. It was also scooped on the S & L disaster in the 80s, the .com meltdown in '00, The Tyco, 2 NYNEX, 2 Prudential, and 3 Smith Barney scandals, and the Enron and WorldCom bakruptcies. In fact, I don't think the 'Wall Street' Journal ever ever broke a financial or corporate story ahead of GRIT. I'm willing to be wrong.

Poor effort imo blue. I think the cheap shots on McCain's age are equivalent to those on Obama's race, though the former are certainly more abundant.

champ - I think Vanity Fair is just spoofing the New Yorker. You're right, the McCain satirization doesn't work the same as the BO stuff. Claiming someone is a secret Muslim vs pointing out that someone is getting on in years...well, it's apples and oranges.

Resurrecting celeb garbage (what did Craig used to call that?) --- because I found part of this interesting.

"In England, there are two classes of verbal assault, Class 4 and Class 5. Class 4 is more aggravated than 5, with "an intent to cause alarm."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,389295,00.html

Poorly worded; my bad. Satirizing the claim that someone is a secret Muslim, not depicting him as one as some claim NYer was doing.

No prob, gotcha.

England is becoming one hell of a police-state.

"Ahem, there'll be no links to 'cheesecake' in Mr Crawford's blog."

Here's one for you, Flatus...:)

http://www.restaurantfoodsathome.com/asp/products/pumpkin_cheescake.asp?categoryid=6

XR,

I really don't think the Journal is much of a financial paper these days.

I've never depended on any media source to break stories for my benefit. And, I've never depended on a single source of information.

The .com burst was certainly no surprise. And I dumped my Enron when they started buying utilities in Great Britain. The sub-primes didn't take a genius, or a newspaper, to point out the vulnerabilities.

When I completely retired--it's been about twenty years, now--I structured my portfolio so that I'd be able to sleep at night. And, we retired without debt. And we do sleep well.

Some people think we have a lot of money; we don't. We're just careful with what we have realizing that we're never going back into the workforce to recover from boneheaded financial decisions.

champ,

I disagree about "cheap shots on age." They differ in character from racist comments.

Obama can never be white. Blacks do not inherit and pass along the capital created by slavery and the jim crow system that operated into the 1960s and benefited mccain and his ancestors since they first set foot on this continent. Racist comments are made by people who fear, despise, and hate Blacks.

However, if we are lucky, we will all get to be decrepit seniors like john mccain eventually. Agist comments are made by people who fear and hate aging.

I say that as a decrepit senior, who acknowledges his decrepitude and hates it.

Bethy....
I want to tell you that the book I recommended this morning is about diabetes.....
and NOT a weight loss book.....

it talks a lot about diet..... but also about proper exercise.... how to give oneself injections if you're on insulin..... and most importantly.... what is and isn't a sugar.... so many products labeled "sugar free" are in fact a lie.... the FDA has allowed certain products to be called that..... but the substances react like any other sugar molecule in the bloodstream..... it doesn't matter to non-diabetics.... but a diabetic had better know the difference.....

Flatus,

Right. There are news orgs that investigate and others that massage the news.

I didn't mean to suggest that the Wall Street Journal is to blame for not warning about the subprime collapse, or every other financial and corporate mess that it missed. Rather, I deplore that they tout themselves as 'Street smart,' when in fact, they are usually late to learn (or at least print) anything about the Street that is actually newsworthy. In fact, I can't think of any story that the Journal ever broke. I presume that others can point out some examples, but I can't think of one offhand.

If you do not read the WSJ ("depend on") for the news, perhaps you read it to enjoy the massage or spin it applies to the news. That is a reason that I read the New Yorker, a magazine which occasionally scoops even the dailies.

Regarding learning about stock strategies and opportunities, I think Zacks, MSN (I read Domash and Brush religiously) and Scottrade provide better info than WSJ.

boop....
I would suggest you get your diabetic friend a book by Dr. Richard Bernstein entitled "Diabetes Solution".....

the diet he suggests is very strict.... no grains.... it's mostly protein sources (meat, eggs, cheese, etc) and lots of veggies....

the closer I adhere to it, the better I feel.....
but I willingly admit I'm no saint..... I do succumb to temptation from time to time... and I do eat one fruit a day....

hope your friend feels better soon....

Posted by Rebellious Renee

the book you reference RR sounds interesting! When I left the states in 2005, I bought a Prevention Book/Magazine "Outsmart Diabetes: Take Charge 21 day Lifestyle Makeover. Control your blood sugar naturally. EAT MORE... LOSE WEIGHT
Meal Planning Made Easy.

What I find interesting though is that in the menu plans grains are included. On and the back cover has an advertisement for "Morning Start Apple Crisp protein bar". It compares itself with Nutrigrain...

Morning Start: 11g protein, 6g fiber 1g sugars
Nutrigrain: 2g protein 1g fiber 13 g sugars

the tag line is "How Would You Rather Jump Start Your Morning?"

Anyway, I am reading this book seriously now because I think the diet can be extra helpful for me.

I get frustrated when people think diabetes is no big deal... It really sucks!

ET -- oh and I take pills not injections... and I hope to stay that way. and since I've lost weight I have been able to cut one diabetic prescription, so I consider that a MAJOR victory...

Cheers!

Maxtrue,

May I point out that this 'perilous situation' in Afghanistan that you mention was brought about by the mccain/bush failure to annhiliate bin laden and the taliban when we had them all cornered in Tora Bora?

We have allowed the republicans 7 years to make war in Afghanistan however they please, and as you say, we are now in danger of losing the country. We cleaned up Europe and the Pacific in half that time without the benefit of spy satellites, sat phones, unmanned aircraft, and Hellfire missiles.

Before he left office, republican Senate Majority Leader bill frist was talking about power sharing with the taliban. Where was your outrage then? I don't remember republicans smearing bill frist as an incompetent or a traitor. It seems that there are 2 different standards republicans apply to leaders, and neither have a thing to do with military strategies.

republicans have not won a wart since 1898 - 110 years of futility, and still counting.

Xrep,

Both are factors over which the individuals have no control. McCain's age is frequently cited in order to minimalize the legitimacy of his candidacy. The Clintons used a similar tactic with regard to Obama's race. And he's half white, from what I've heard, so so much for that logic. You say "Obama can never be white" as if that was a bad thing.

It is such bullshit that all American 'white' people 'inherited capital' form the institution of slavery. Not a single one of my ancestors was on this continent before 1899. I'm not familiar with McCain's ancestry, but that is grand leap to say that he did benefit in any way from the slave trade without substantiation.

You speak of republicans and democrats over the last 100 years as if either party has had a consistent ideology over that time span, which they haven't.

Waterboarding:

VANITY FAIR POLITICS & POWER
TORTURE
On the Waterboard
How does it feel to be “aggressively interrogated”? Christopher Hitchens found out for himself, submitting to a brutal waterboarding session in an effort to understand the human cost of America’s use of harsh tactics at Guantánamo and elsewhere. VF.com has the footage. Related: “Believe Me, It’s Torture,” from the August 2008 issue.

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/video/2008/hitchens_video200808

I find it hard to believe that this is not torture... I was shocked watching it for the short time Mr. Hitchens was on the board.

Not so long ago we got into a discussion about Divas...

Here's Liz Smith on Cher and her take on "almost Diva" Lesley Gore

http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/news/bal-to.liz231jul23,0,3590913.story

A poor example at that. Makes absolutely no sense.

Patsi, just saw the pic! Very nice!

Be my guest...

If you feel so guilty about it, why don't you give everything you have, or at least on a percentage basis all you have you feel that was unduly acquired due to your circumstance, and just give it to 'black' people. You'll sleep easily at night, right?

Oh wait... you want everybody else to pay for your guilty conscience.

1. I never wrote that "all 'white' people 'inherited capital,' and it is a both a "grand leap" and "bullshit" to suggest that I did. I presume that you won't mind my using your diction back at you.

2. I am not responsible for the fact that you are unfamiliar with mccain's ancestry. As the facts are common knowledge, substantiation should not be necessary. Just as if I said "gravity attracts" I should not have to demonstrate.

3. Fyi, when he campaigns in the South, where such things are still not considered to be anti-American, mccain brags that he is descended from a confederate officer.

Fair enough, xrep. It's what I inferred, maybe unjustifiably.

Testing

"Testing"

is it open book?

Jack

"Testing"

true or false? fill in the blanks? paternity?

It's just a successful wireless link. True/false - A: True. Not paternity.

Don Fowler discusses "super-delegates"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kj4G9DRvS3s

(Go to 4:25)

Oh, open book if you wish.

is it open book?

Jack

i sure hope so. been scanning, skipping and not comprehending the last few posts if that's what the test's about. maybe he's just sticking his toe in the water.

patd - you get extra credit for that answer. Beats Spider Solataire.

Multiple Choice?

Some follow up to the earlier health care discussion. The costs for all of us continue to increase with no relief in sight.

As a self-employed person, I currently pay $1,300 per month/ $30 co-pay -physician's/$10 prescription (generic) & higher copays for hospital and tests. This premium increases annually 12-15%

GM is ending health insurance coverage for its retirees.

Similar to what Ford did last year, but GM is extending some financial support-$300 month

"Move to Medicare can be painless for GM retirees"

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008807220351

Sorry, I left out the actual changes to retiree health benefits at GM.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008807220352

Coreen,

Unless you have an existing condition that requires monthly medical supervision and very expensive drug prescriptions, those rates seem way out of line.

A combination of Medical Savings Account and very high deductible major medical policy should come to a lot less than $15,000 + a year.

jamie - M/C is just too much work for a part time teacher like myself. You may take an essay test on the material if you'd like. And I can make it very easy for you - you can make up the question and grade your own answer. I believe this approach may be consistent with NCLB. If it is not, I will tell you the answer, then the question, and you may simply answer with the answer provided. I KNOW this is consistent with NCLB.

Pogo

I will continue to follow a very wise direction when it comes to all tests:

You don't have to know the answers. You just have to know where to find the answers.

You're making assumptions I don't. I'm writing in Ron Paul.

Well that was a major OOPS

Obama claimed to have overseen legislation moving out of a committe, but he is not on the committee.

Bad coaching before appearance or claiming expertise where none exists?

...can't speak for anyone but myself, I'll add. I don't put much weight behind my analyses to answer your question confidently.

Bob Novak hits pedestrian in DC and tries to speed away. Is chased down by a guy on a bicycle....

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0708/11985.html

I will say that a lot of those whom I have noticed with Ron Paul yard signs still have them up, so I'll venture they may do the same as I.

Novak is right up there as one of the most contemptible people alive. Black Corvette... appropriate.

Patsi

Talk about typecasting for Novak. Thanks for the tip.

jamie, wise indeed. For you, open book or open internet - your choice. Choose wisely, grasshopper.

It's funny that his $100000 'Vette got chased down by a bicycle. Heh.

Sorry for over-posting.

Coreen,

I don't want to ask a lot of questions in an open forum, but I hope that $1300/month on health insurance is for family coverage. Spending over $15,000 before you buy your first cough drop is a big commitment to health care expenses.

Here is my answer to the test...

I wanted to comment on the earlier postsof the day...I still think the American Indian trumps all of the hard luck stories of settlers and slaves.

Who, Bobby Jindal?

Wait, you telling me someone on a bicycle chased Novak down in his Corvette? Stuck in traffic I hope.

Just kidding. I agree, "Indigenous Americans" got screwed big time.

I was speaking with an Australian recently, and his description of that nation's Aboriginal difficulties was remarkably similar to those to which you alluded.

Jamie & Coreen,

I don't know if Medical Savings Accounts may still be available, but just in case they are, Coreen or anyone else interested in high-deductible health plans should be looking at Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). HSAs allow larger annual contributions and contributions may be made by both the employer and employee.

It wouldn't affect Coreen, who's self-employed, but with Medical Savings Accounts, if the employer contributed $1, the employee could not make any contribution in that tax year. There were other issues too, but suffice it to say that HSAs are more attractive.

Maxtrue:

A. "No response" ? Do you think that my life revolves around the YOU ? Just who do you think you are, bigshot?

B. It is not the world's job to respond to the 9/11 attack on the US. It is America's and bush/cheney is supposed to be the leader of America's military. We should be thankful for the help we got, from allies like France, Japan, Canada, Korea, Britain, Germany and the others, rather than whine about what hasn't happened.

C. The troops armed and trained by the Clinton Admin, with our allies, including the Northern Alliance, conquered nearly all of Afghanistan. The bush/cheney Admin's decision to 'pull the punch' at Tora Bora, let bin laden go. Now, half of Afghanistan is back in taliban/al qaeda hands. This was not a Dem decision, because bush and rumsfeld aren't Dems, and Dems were in the minority in Congress, not even allowed by the republican majority to author bills. Pro-taliban, republican, Senate Leader bill frist had more to do with policy in Afghanistan than all the Dems in the country combined.

The screw-up was a republican initiative, brought about by the command of a republican Commander-in-Chief, on the 'republican watch.' republicans should take responsibility, instead of trying to offload blame onto Dems, NATO, the Northern Alliance, Pakistan, and the rest of the world. There was only one group who screwed things up in Afghanistan, and they are the republicans.

D. The purpose of Surge was to 'buy time' to invent a cohesive government in Iraq. By the goals laid down by Patraeus, Surge is a failure. It is impossible to force people to love each other, and it is stupid to pretend that pointing guns at Iraqis will make them WANT to live together in a single polity. Calling Surge a bush Admin success is rather like calling the barrage against Fort Sumter a confederate success. This is not the end of the tale, and anyone who thinks otherwise is going to be disappointed.

What are we doing, spending $1 TRILLION plus to try keeping Iraq from disintegrating into 3 states, anyway? This is typical republican penny-wise, pound-foolishness. We have expended enough money to give 4 million kids Ivy League educations, or buy 40 million E85 or plug-in hybrids, or purchase 20 X 4' x8' solar electric panels for every household in America. That is the price of trying to keep Iraq together, which simply shows that republicans love Iraq more than Iraqis do, because since Surge began, they have done nothing to unify the country.

Having expended this titanic sum, the Pentagon now says we are back where we started in 2003, and mccain/bush/cheney call it 'winning.'

E.. Since Katerina, republicans have suddenly stopped carping about people taking responsibility for their own actions:

1. Gay people are responsible for the destruction of New Orleans, and the failure to rebuild it;
2. It wasn't republican lack of oversight that permitted the subprime bubble to expand and explode, even though they loosened lending laws;
3. republicans didn't have anything to do with $4/gal gas, even though they have worked like busy beavers to raise oil prices since 2001.
4. It's not republicans' fault that Afghanistan is falling to the taliban & al qaeda is resurgent - everyone else is to blame. THE ENTIRE WORLD! but not the republicans who were on duty.
5. north korea is just peachy. republicans love commie butchers now;
6. If it weren't for Obama, Iran wouldn't be making a nuke - it's all his fault.

Jamie,

No, so far, very fortunate, no serious medical issues, go once a year to doctor, & yes know about health savings accounts, but since I have been covered by Healthnet a long time, so far I am able to pay the premiums ( I do get to deduct them on my income taxes being self-employed.

I do know a couple of friends that carry the high-deductible, health savings account version.

EdVB,

No that is for an individual policy. Its Healthnet here in So. CT, excellent coverage-no referrals, etc., but it is expensive.

It increases annually based upon your age & sex. It was about $600/month with lower copays, but over the past 5-6 years the annual increase is 12-15%.

P.S. I'm a child of the 60s, a Yankee fan since Reggie & soon to be eligible for Medicare, but not yet.

nice work, xrep.

bnov hit pedestrian:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/23/AR2008072301624.html?nav=hcmodule
were his statements on or off the record and just what was he doing around 18th and k at 10 am?
skullduggery no doubt.

Jamie,

Obama's comments about "his committee" passing legislation was I believe him referring to the "banking committee" of which my very own Sen. Dodd is the
chairman--guess as long as it's one of his guys, it is "his".

To be fair, wouldn't that slip up be on all day long on cable---- another gaffe---- if it had been said by McCain.

Thanks, champ!

I'm honored.

Don't rest on your laurels.

OK, time for me to stop monopolizing the forum. Later.

Coreen,

You really should at least check into both HSA and MSA. You get to make all your own medical decisions regarding doctors, referrals, hospitals, drug source etc.

All the funds deposited are taken off the top of your income as tax free. It really might be to your benefit.

Maybe novak mistook the pedestrian for a pheasant.

What's with Matthews Clinton obsession. Big number: The number of days since Bill and Barack have had their picture taken together: 46

Gee, is Bill supposed to stalk him all the way to Israel to bow at the throne now that Barack has visited his hometown in Bethlehem?

xrep, fair to say that the last 1-6 above is at least partially why you are still "X"?

"....Bono, a partner at the law firm Harkins Cunningham, said: "I can tell you what I saw. I was on K Street on my bicycle and what I saw was a guy get hit by a black Corvette convertible. I see the guy go up on the hood, up on the windshield." As the Corvette turned right from 18th Street onto the service road beside K, Bono said, "the guy rolled off the hood and landed on the street." Bono said he passed Novak's car on his bike and came to a stop in front of the Corvette...."

I'm the friendly stranger in the black Corvette,

Won't you hop inside my car?

I'll bet he was out getting a hair lick and belt shine.

Coreen,

If you'd like you can email me
jojovanb27 at hotmail dot com

Can't help you directly because we only offer plans to small businesses in upstate NY, but we're big advocates of high deductible plans (for those who can use them) and I could fill in some of the blanks for you.

X rep....
Interesting on the republicans.
Look what the hell has happened since the Dems took the Congress. Lets give credit where due.

Hey Nancy and Harry !! NICE JOB

Ooh, ooh, hit and run. That's serious sh*t. Hope Bob likes bubba.

xrepub,

More likely, Novak deemed the guy a peasant.

Ping, I couldn't agree more. But it's really tough to dig yourself out of a deep hole (ever try to dig up?), particularly when the idiot above keeps pushing dirt in.

Dang, Ed, ya beat me to it.

Pogo,

Regardless of the motor vehicle violation, I see a
pretty good monetary recovery for the injured pedestrian.

Sorry, but thats how my side of the bench thinks of these things.

aforementioned lawyer witness's firm:

http://www.harkinscunningham.com/firm/index.html

BTW isn't it neat that a partner of a dc firm is be riding a bike to work

Interesting take on how McCains choice should plan for VP from Contract with America man

http://newt.org/PreviewofNewtorgPremiumContent/tabid/297/Default.aspx

No doubt about that coreen, and well deserved. Criminal and civil liability is what I see. We actually don't look at things that differently, we just have different clients with divergent interests to advocate for. I wouldn't pee on him if he were on fire.

What's amazing about Novak's deal is that he absolutely swears he didn't know he hit anybody and that's why he sped off! Huh? The pedestrian was on his hood!

Patsi

Novak is OLD. Maybe he didn't see him on the hood.

pogo,

There's way more: disappearings, torture, missing BILLIONS, missing weapons, constant threats to invade Venezuela, cheney's false filings to the SEC, making a caste system by ending the Estate Tax, idiotic interpretations of 2d Amendment (I own and use guns, btw, but I am not in the militia, and therefore don't claim a right), raising the allowable level of mercury in baby's drinking water, suppression of new technologies that can significantly reduce oil consumption, taking the tax burden off the richest and laying it on the working poor, 'intelligent design' baloney, flag-burning panics, the 'Pro-Life' lie, The Doctrine of Presidential Infallibility, misinformation re global warming, tolerance of religious bigots, tolerance of racists, "Bring 'em on", support for milosevic and karadzic and saddam in the '90s & bin laden in the '80s & '90s, support for apartheidt '40s - '90s, failure to deal w/Darfur....

like a war crimes indictment, it goes on for pages.

xr, if anyone ever claims you acted precipitously in becoming an "x", call me and I'll stick up for you.

Ping Pong,

Reid had an excuse while he was short one Senator. I want new leadership in the House and Senate. I want people with the guts to impeach, to arrange a trial for war crimes, to use FISA and RICOH against republicans, and to blah, blah, blah....

Hey X, Do you feel th people are entitiled to make a living and contribute to our society?

xr

What I love with the Cheney crowd is when they are for it, the Founders were noble souls from whom we should all take guidance. When they are against it, the founders don't even get a mention or their actual position is changed.

Apparently original intent is what you make of it.

Among the biggest: Tarriffs and Inheritance Taxes both of which were favored as protecting the average citizen and prevention of a hereditary upper class.

Nancy and Reid have lots of excuses. Thank God they have CNN. Communist News Network - I will now avoid flying certain airlines if they subject the public such negative, biased reporting.
Do you work for them?

Dear Pogo,

Thanks.

Your pal.
xrepublican

X - What is the Mis information? Are you refering to Algore?

Jamie, How ydoing?

Not sure your point and reference on the Inheritance Tax? Do you think a social purpose beyond another source of revenue is the basis?

My point to X on Global Warming. Absolutely agree that a "Correlation" is present. But this does not mean “Cause”. Also agree that we should move to energy independence with sustainable, eco friendly innovation.

Remember the Breast Implant Scare that drove a major US Corp into Bankruptcy, law suites, many consequences that was all determined to be FALSE – driven by media and those that profit from creating a belief. Is this the same path with the Global Warming phenom?

Ping pong

Inheritance tax = collecting deferred taxs. They got to use the deferred taxes interest free.

Jack

What to respond to first?????decisions, decisions...

What is the open forum rule? I've never heard it referred to before. If it's what it sounds like, it seems to me that it's pretty much self-defeating for a blog.
jao (just an opinion)

Thanks for the ideas re diabetic feeding. My friend is pretty thin already, but very self-critical - she was born in Germany during the war and came here in 1955. She is very sweet but is very hard on herself. For some reason she can't get her brain around her foods - weird. So we're trying to help her get some habits going so she won't heve to think about it and worry.

Patsi - where is this pix of you? Can I see it, too?

Health care- I thought Obama had said he wanted to go with something like Hillary's plan. As far as I know all the nations who have universal coverage also pay higher, lots higher, taxes. A nephew-in-law is from Montreal and his mother is still there. Their taxes are a great deal higher than ours, he says. Apparently his mom won't use it. Just saying.......................................

Whatever plan we end up with, in my opinion the quality of medical care is also important. I wonder if underwriting educational costs for docs and nurses
would have an effect.......just asking.

I want you to know that talk of all those veggies is upsetting me. I am a very VERY picky eater and like plain stuff. I like few veggies:corn,green beans,asparagus,peas,potatoes (yoo hoo, Dan Quayle) ,and some raw veggies:carrots,celery,cukes,snow peas,radishes.

My big problem is that I am terrified of trying new tastes.
I simply cannot do it. It is probably an off-shoot of the Thanksgiving dinner when my dad forced my little sister to eat asparagus with hollandaise sauce and she threw it up at the table. He exploded, and she was terrified, crying. I just realized that I don't remember if I hate the stuff . I wish I could love to eat those veggies too - I learned to like peas and asparagus in my twenties. One day making my dad's lunch, I just realized I like them - goofy, huh? I learned to like chili that way, too. I have no idea what told me at one moment that I liked that food.

Well, I've blabbered enough for a while. Go to it.

Dex, if you're out there, how about that performance by Sastre onL'Alp D'Huez? Think he can hold onto the 1 & 1/2 minute advantage he has over Evans? If I was a bettin' man, I'd be putting my money on Cadel.

OFF TOPIC:

(Of interest to a few probably...)

"Legendary singer-songwriter Hank Cochran is recovering at a Nashville hospital following surgery to remove cancerous tumors from his pancreas and lymph node. Inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1974, his songwriting credits include Eddy Arnold's "Make the World Go Away," Ronnie Milsap's "Don't You Ever Get Tired of Hurting Me," Vern Gosdin's "Set 'Em Up Joe," Patsy Cline's "I Fall to Pieces" and "He's Got You" and George Strait's "Ocean Front Property" and "The Chair." His songs have also been recorded by Elvis Presley, Ray Price, Linda Ronstadt and many others. Cochran, 72, is expected to remain hospitalized for several weeks.

Ping, not everything leading to Dow Corning's bankruptcy was false. There were ruptures and there were complications that led to fairly horrendous results for some women. The problem was what in my opinion was the application of the asbestos calss action model to a product that should have been treated on an individual plaintiff basis. It was the heyday of M/TT multidistrict litigation, and has resulted in reforms in the federal and many state systems to help prevent a recurrence of those abuses. And Dow filed bankruptcy to allow it to reorganize to allow it to pay the $3.2 Billion settlement it entered into - undoubtedly with the intent of filing Ch. 11 in the process. For D-C that was the straw that broke the camel's back, but it was just part of D-C's load leading to the Ch. 11 filing.

Ping Pong,

I am not now, and have never been a member of the journalst party.

re commies:

apparently the mccain/bush/cheney cabal now love north Korea almost as much as they love red China, and Viet Nam. However, they don't seem to love CNN, which leads me to believe that CNN is not actually commie.

All the White House praise for kim jung il reminds me of the kind words that republicans appeasers (Sens. thorkelson, nye, shipstad, and lundeen, rep fish, charles lindbergh, prescott bush sr., gen. wood, henry ford, scribner, et al) used in their frequent and lusty praise of fellow totalitarian, adolf hitler.

In other words, it no longer makes sense to call any non-republicans appeasers or commies, when the heads of the party are hugging the enemy.

Bethy...re: the pic
Posted by: Patsi | July 23, 2008 11:25 AM

and I loved the asparagas story! Once when my son was about four, I fixed a crab dish, and he was happily eating it when my husband asked him if he knew he was eating crab. Adam promptly threw up. I laughed so hard while I was cleaning him up that I almost did too.

See ya later - time to hit the road home (hopefully).

I was traveling hopefully ...

Ping Pong

The Founders favored an inheritance tax because they disliked the heriditary nobility of Europe handing down their fortunes rather than position of place being won by talent and hard work.

champ,

I hold that had the 1st clause of the 2d amendment been left out, the right to keep and bear arms would be exactly as 2d Amendment loons say. However, the founder's did include the 1st clause, making it the right of the local militia "to keep and bear," etc. If it were otherwise, the 1st clause would make no sense, and I hold that the founder's were sensible men.

re gun nuts' failure to see the mccain/bush/cheney theocracy as tyrannical: those who support tyranny are invariably people who love violence and weapons. To them, safe and peaceful society is the only tyranny. The reverse seems to be true also, at least in this case. These people who love violence and weapons cheer on their beloved mccain/bush/cheney theocracy.

I have to feed Sweetie now. 'Bye.

"all the nations who have universal coverage also pay higher, lots higher, taxes"

Boop,

Many of those nations have very up front taxes. You see them and you pay them. By the time you take into account all the taxes you pay either hidden in products, sales, use, city, county, state, federal, income blah blah blah. You actually pay MORE than a lot of those countries with free health care.

The difference is the focus on where the money collected goes.

xr

I'm with the gun nuts on this one though I do favor background checks, waiting periods, and training requirements.

In line with the premise that anything NOT mentioned in the Constitution is reserved to the States, the second amendment says:

Because WE (government) might need THIS (militia)

YOU (the states) can't mess with THIS (right to bear arms)

IOW, the government at any point has the right to call upon the citizen to defend the country, and for the most part, that is the way various courts have ruled.

south carolina guy dont understand how eating crab make one throw up.......sturgeone confuse......crab is a food group

The Simpsons episode tonight was the episode where Homer bought a handgun. He and Lisa argued over the true meaning of the 2nd amendment. Homer said to Lisa, "Do you want the King of England to just walk in here and start pushing you around?!"

Sturge - you're funny.

Patsi - really cute pix - kinda how I pictured you. I never would have guessed about your guy, tho.

Yeah, Jamie, I see your point. I wonder if there is a reliable comparison table which would compare the various tax situation. I can see one point to be made, tho, and that is that a lot of the other taxes are discretionary - you can control sales tax by controlling what you buy. I frankly think there are so many arguments fairness of taxes etc. that no one will win the argument. I'm just saying these are some ideas I've heard, but I NEVER get involved in the arguments and hope I haven't started one now.

KGC - I saw on the news crawl that smoky skies are coming back. I'm not sure they ever left..

Is someone willing to tell me how to put a photo on a link, and set up a link with printed material? Sorry to be so needy.

Patsi - I love you for your reaction to your son's reaction to eating crab. God only knows who or what I'd be today if I had felt safe all my life.

"By the time you take into account all the taxes you pay either hidden in products, sales, use, city, county, state, federal, income blah blah blah. "

True, Jamie. That's why it frosts me everytime I hear someone say that low income workers don't pay taxes. Uh, they DON'T? They pay them every day. Food, clothes, you name it.

"sturgeone confuse......crab is a food group"

ROFL! Adam loved thre taste. But I have never been much of a seafood cook....so her had no idea what the word "crab" meant and it could have been "ants" for all he knew.

I see people were talking about the Novack event -
There is a video of him talking to reporters

http://www.talkleft.com/story/2008/7/23/135254/629

The comments are pretty funny

boop

It is smokey out here. It looks like the fog came in -except it's too hot to be foggy.

Boop

Exactly what are you trying to do. There are several programs that will allow you to upload a picture to the net and then you can just give the link to someone to see.

If it is a picture that is already on the net, you can just copy the link and then refer someone to that link.

For blogs, you can upload a picture direct to the blog and then give someone the blog address.

If you can describe what you are trying to do, someone here should be able to help.

I guess probably like when my older brudder tolds me I'm eating dog's butt........

Bethy -- I was very lucky to grow up with parents who had very developed senses of humor. They'd both nail me if they thought I was hurting someone, ie taunting or making fun of, or basically being a mean child. But other than that sort of thing...and of course, I was the youngest of five...

The best example of it would be the time my uncle (my mother's brother) showed up at our house to lord it over my dad because he had a new and very fancy truck. I knew what was going on, but was 16 years old, needing to get to the store and paying no serious attention to them. I jumped in out car, gunned the motor and backed up, slamming straight into the side of my uncle's truck. (He had parked it sideways at the end of the long driveway to make it all the more impressive.)

Oops.

I freaked when I saw the damage, and cut & run. Right to my other uncle's race horse stables. I hid out there, wondering what was going to happen.

Pretty soon I smelled cigar smoke and knew that my father had entered the building. I stayed out of sight, sitting on a hay bale in the back.

Dad smoked in silence for a couple of minutes then said, "Well, that's a helluva mess. But whatever it costs, it was worth twice that to see the look on the SOB's face when he heard the crash."

boop
To add to Jamie's good suggestions -
http://www.flickr.com/
Flickr is a photo sharing web site and it's free.

photo on a link, and set up a link with printed material?
Posted by: boop | July 23, 2008 7:54 PM

Bethy,
If you want to set up a site to show your photo's and whatever else, you can easily do that here:

http://www.blogger.com/home?pli=1

I assume you're talking about the info. from Hillary that you wanted to post this morning.

Here, you'd have your own site to post anything you want. It even has help to tell you how to post and upload your photos, documents, etc. It's all pretty self explanatory. You might want to take a look.

It free!

Eddie Arnold
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTKeo4w7npA

Patsi

LOL
Good story about your uncles truck

Jack

The song is Eddie Arnold Cattle call
The video is some nice looking 2yr old holstien heifers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbPcH5caOJU

Jack

Sounds Romantic.

Obama & the King

What was on the CD.

Perhaps this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rju9b_Uk8Sw

What ever, He ain't no Pecos Bill

Three toe tapping classics from Sons of the Pioneers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65iTV7augvo

Western Swing Lost Weekend "You Don't Know Me".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y319Ylk2oB0

Sturge -- great link -- ain't Cochran a grand songwriter?

Then I happened across Eddy Arnold and Hank Garland...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJ27R3fCod8&feature=related

ahh yeah jack, great song; but how 'bout by the man himself....
http://www.last.fm/music/Ray+Charles/_/You+Don't+Know+Me

Not sure what they would think of it in Texas
But an interesting rendition of Faded Love

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65E3px5AZMg

LOL

Jack

They have music for Obama's ride with the King.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyXPp1P8rBY

XR, The number of enemy states may be going in a positive direction. I know this may be a disappointment for you as it appears you have a blinding hate for some elements.
Success in these areas is not good for BHO, Sorry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rju9b_Uk8Sw

OMG, Bow -- if that ain't Chris Matthews singing O's praises, dunno what it is! ROFL!

Jamie, Thanks you are a valued resource !!

I suppose we'll just have to agree to disagree regarding the 2nd amendment, xrep.

I will say that I disagree we live in a theocracy, it's a plutocracy. The Neo-cons just manipulate the religious right to maintain their power.

I call them Neo-cons, because they are NOT Republicans. They have expanded government, increased spending, assumed a colonial/imperial foreign policy, restricted liberties and property rights for the common man- nothing true republican ideology espouses. Like I said weeks ago, I am curious as to exactly when you considered yourself a Republican, and though I haven't seen you specifically label yourself a Democrat, I don't understand how Democratic (big D) principles would offer refuge for one who once considered their own self a Republican. Maybe I am misinterpreting your screen-name and this is all moot conjecture.

"They have music for Obama's ride with the King.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyXPp1P8rBY

Corey, are you sure that isn't sturge and BB?

Patd

by the man himself would be Eddie Arnold.

Ray did just one of many good covers of the song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBCg6x4Jdq4

Jamie, Thanks you are a valued resource !!

I also like Willies cover of It

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBd3agPTwbY

" will say that I disagree we live in a theocracy, it's a plutocracy. The Neo-cons just manipulate the religious right to maintain their power.

I call them Neo-cons, because they are NOT Republicans. "

I agree with you champ. This new crowd is not the old Republican party. And it's not that THEY were any heroes....but in comparison....sweet jeezus!

I believe you are misinterpreting the 2nd amendment also, Jamie. A militia is a state entity (as in the federalist sense where states are as autonomous as possible) as opposed to the Federally controlled military, which is responsible for military action outside of the national border. The 2nd amendment is NOT a reservation for the Federal government to retain fire-arms.

Just for the sake of discussion. Please don't connote any arrogance of tone to the preceding paragraph.

Yup Patsi, the current parties just use old associations to legitimize their current positions, imo. Manipulative *******.

Willie rules. I wish I had a chance to share a joint with him, and I wouldn't be surprised if he died within the next week because I had the same thought about George Carlin and the next day woke up to find that he died. Yes, I understand how conceitedly that reads.

Another song we can find endless cover of

Route 66
This time by the cheetah girls

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tpjKYe0Big

Yeah, good story, Patsi. I have a similar one, but not nearly as funny. I just f***** up some dude's new truck.

Champ

The point was that the Government Might need that use not that they WOULD need it. There does not need to be a militia for the right to exist. Only that nothing can interfere with the right in case a militia was necessary.

Also there is the use of the word PEOPLE. This word was only used when the right was granted specifically to persons as opposed to government entities.

I don't follow your logic, but whatever. I'm done. Have a good night.

Champ you have a good night as well. Should you come back a little clarification.

The States would not ratify the Constitution until they got the Bill of Rights. The ninth and tenth amendments are the "kitchen sink" amendments. Basically they say, "if we forgot or didn't think of anything or something comes up that we didn't know about, that right belongs to the people unless they specifically amend this Constitution". When the word People is used, the Constitution is really, really serious about it.

At its heart, this is why George Bush has been such a disaster. His one and only SWORN job is to protect and defend the Constitution. He has done exactly the opposite. There is more than enough grounds for both impeachment and conviction in the signing statements alone not to mention extralegal activities in relation to the war, Guantanamo, and FISA.

Sieg Heil, SiegesSaule, Obama?

"Obama’s efforts to catapult himself into the universe of iconic figures took an especially creepy turn today with this poster, which is advertising his speech before a war monument (the Siegessaule) venerated by the Nazi’s. Give the dude some blond hair and blue eyes and we’re talking a candidate for the Nazi Youth.

The last guy in Germany with this kind of cult of personality had a catchier phrase (One people, One Nation, One Leader) but lacked the flash in graphics:"

http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/07/23/seig-heil-seigesaule-obama/

Enough oil in artic circle to supply world for 3 years, Russia and China also want it.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080723/ts_nm/arctic_oil_dc

Why, in the ****, is he addressing Germans?!

...

Don't have one.

Here's to ya, Gord. Uncanny.

Double check. We are both half right. The Bill of Rights was promised in the Constitution debate of 1788 in order to get the states to ratify which they did by 1790 for the last one, but the Amendments were not officially passed until 1791.

All the back and forth is here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Constitution

Gordo's 2nd video is a clip from Caberet. "Tomorrow Belongs To Me"

Remember you said yesterday, "The Future is Ours"? Dude, you don't want to deal with Gordo because you can't. It would be too devastating to you fundamentally to even consider his assertions.

Suggested reading vis-a-vis globalization: By David Rothkopf

"Superclass: The Global Power Elite and the World They Are Making"

"INSIDE THE NETWORK OF BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT, MILITARY, AND CULTURAL ELITES WHO ARE REDEFINING POWER IN THE GLOBAL ERA."

http://www.carnegieendowment.org/publications/index.cfm?fa=view&id=20002&prog=zgp&proj=zusr

Or listen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHtNFZ6K0pE

tt

You have absolutely no credibility left.

Obama's NOT Muslim. He's really Jewish.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/tiptoe221/yamulke.jpg

No turban there. A yamulke.

tt

Laugh it up.

I'm tired of liars, bullies, cowards, and charlatans like you. I'm just tired. I'm going to bed.

Who, in God's name, thinks up terms like these? Is there a special school or club to learn how to do this?

- aspirational goals

- general time horizon

- plausible deniability

tt

over-confidence'' arrogance''under estimating
the opposition
three classic mistakes made by the losing side

over-confidence'' arrogance''under estimating
the opposition
three classic mistakes made by the losing side

Posted by: mqw | July 24, 2008 4:03 AM

mqw,
I agree.
But add "greed" to the list.