Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

Still beating that dead horse? LOL! Kidding! Burris should just go. 44 years ago today, Malcolm X was murdered.

ha, corey, i've never seen a dead horse that couldn't use one more pounding. thats what we call JOURNALISM.

Why change now? LOL! I do think Burris wasn't honest when he testified a few weeks ago.

I am moving this from the last thread because I want PING to read it and I always seem to get to the very end of every thread! :) I hope you don' t mind Craig.

Oh and REZ, my apartment is on the 16th floor

And talk about FEARNESS – President Obama wins the all time out of the gate use of FEAR to drive a social agenda…. Now that is Change we can all feel at this time.
Posted by: Ping Pong | February 20, 2009 7:46 AM
Is "fearness" a word? Anyway, a social agenda is EXACTLY what is needed to help our ailing economy. A strong social sector is what will help reel in the excesses of capitalism run amok. A strong social sector does not stop capitalism; it does, in fact, facilitate it's pathway to a strong, equitable and ethical economic and social structure. Ping, you CANNOT divorce a social agenda from a capitalist monetary agenda. In a healthy economy they work in tandem to protect all sectors of political economy and social change. Let us not forget Adam Smith's classic statement in "The Wealth of Nations": "Wherever there is great property, there is great inequality. For one very rich man, there must be five hundred poor, and the influence of the few supposes the indigence of the many. "
Of course Adam Smith's statement was not a criticism of such inequity. On the contrary, he clearly laid out the vision that government and justice works to protect the affluence and power of the rich from the unruly common classes who have the unmitigated nerve to question the appropriateness of this economic, social and political power discrepancies between the rich and the commoners.
"The affluence of the rich excites the indignation of the poor, who are often driven by want, and prompted by envy, to invade his possessions. It is only under the shelter of the civil magistrate that the owner of valuable property, which is acquired by the labour of many years, or perhaps of many generations, can sleep a single night in security. He is all the time surrounded by unknown enemies, whom, though he never provoked, he can never appease, and from the whose injustice he can be protected only by the powerful arm of the civil magistrate continually held up to chastise it. The acquisition of valuable and extensive property, therefore, necessarily requires the establishment of civil government.’ "
It is indeed so that the U.S. Constitution was created to create a standing army and to protect minority interests from majority mob rule. It sounds so good when we hear that. Of course, the minority that was being protected were the rich, capitalist, land owners (slave owners) and holders of capital for which the commoners had to pay dearly in terms of credit costs. Smith argues that the lesser among us are actually playing what is, and always should be, our role in a political economy that relies as much on the Rich as it does the Poor, and to question (or try to balance) some of these inherent inequalities is the enemy of capitalism and the political and social pecking order of privilege and power which is necessary to keep capitalism alive.
So, are "free markets" really "free"? Does capitalism continue to demand the acquiescence of the masses who really haven't offered their "consent" for such a morally bankrupt model that serves the insatiable wants of the money junkies and the power junkies.
Posted by: EuroTom | February 20, 2009 10:51 PM
Renee, you are a dear. Thanks for the congrats. I am nervous and excited. Looks like the new kitchen will be IKEA, though it isn't for sure. My ex is an architect and he has been designing layout and so forth. It'll be VERY cool. The apartment is in need of much work, including a new door that was necessary to force open because the previous owner locked the key in the door before she jumped off the balcony. The toilet is a disaster, and everything needs to be painted. Owning a piece of property of my own fits in with my belief that a mixed economy is the best way to go. :-)
Posted by: EuroTom | February 20, 2009 10:58 PM

this guy is a total joke. and while there are plenty of such in the place, i actually have respect for the Senate, going back to my high school days as a page there. which is why i am so worked up about this story.

Well darn, I didn't know that it would take out the spaces...

I just didn't like Burris at ALL from the moment I saw him. He was far too eager... far too..

"mine! MINE ! MINE ! MINE ! MINE ! MINE ! -- I am the junior Senator"... blah blah blah. He even looks like a foolish person. Ok I haven't slept so I should hold my thoughts a bit... but ewwww. Craig, spot on re: Obama... he needs to get Burris the hell out. But what if he says NO?

Burris should resign, if only because of his embarrassing massive ego. And then there's those pesky tapes...

(And yeah, I know, they ALL have embarrassing massive egos...but how many of them have already inscribed their crypts with their accomplishments, leaving room on the granite for what's yet to come? Too bad what's yet to come is a fucking shitstorm...)

Craig, which Senators or staffers tried to.. you know... "get to know the pages"?? Oh sorry, that's the House... It does make me wonder though about what happens in the Senate quarters as well. I remember my former Senator Brock Adams (we were so thrilled when he defeated Skelator, aka Slade Gorton). Adams seemed like such a nice and charming guy and then somehow got messed up in the Kari Tupper scandal of supposedly spiking a drink he gave her in order to force himself on her. I never wanted to believe it was possible, but when I figured "there probably is something to this," I learned to be far more skeptical about politicians and their real intentions.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202209

that's cool, euro, but i find it helpful to include a link or some sort of referene summary when continuing previous conversations from the last thread. as always, think about accomodating our general readers, not just those you are talking to.

an out-of-context comment at the top of a new thread -- not that yours was such -- can be very confusing to those who weren't along for the ride

Sorry bethyboo, I thought you meant to prevent warming.

Lots of ways to put it to work. Wind mills for instance. Anyone seen the wind mills in California? They're amazing. Wind is air moving from where air is cold and falling to where it's warm and rising.

Solar cells capture light before it turns to heat.

Solar water heaters and you could even make super steam to turn turbines.

Though my favorite would probably be a crop of grapes to make alcohol. :^) Blueberry wine tonight.
What is participating Bob?

You're up late Craig. BTW, can you have them make the captcha words? I have a terrible time reading it, and of course my browser loses my post if I'm wrong. The code doesn't save it.

tom, my page experience was nothing but positive, and it pains me that some bad actors tainted what is a fantastic education for most kids

(And have you seen Craig's page portrait? Many a fangirl has squeed over that b/w...)

Everyone says "oh that place has a bad reputation" and I ask why and they say "all those Turks, Morrocans, Russians and Poles living there" And I said, and what SPECIFICALLY has been happening and no one can answer... It's got a "reputation" but when you pin them to the wall for details, they can't give ay.
I say "maar ik ben ook een immigrant" translated to "but I am also an immigrant" and they reply, "yeah but you are American, that's different". While I appreciate the vote of confidence for my homeland (and yes traditionally the Belgians appreciate the Americans a lot), I find it shockingly racist. I do think there are a LOT of lower class people in the building in terms of education and knowledge, but that's everywhere. And so some rent apartments there with subsidies from the government. As long as they don't bother me and I don't bother them, we should have no problems I think. Also, I think the 16th floor (out of 17) is pretty cool. The apartment has good sound proofing, I look out at the trains and the surrounding area. At night you see the lights that you might see when you are about to touch ground on a night flight airplane. Beautiful ! I will have the apartment paid off in 10 years.

don1one, may i suggest that you set up a typepad account, and then you can skip the annoying captcha thingie

unfortunately, increasingly sophisticated spammers make us use these filters. as i have said many times here, i am against the death penalty except for spammers

sorry craig how about you delete it, and I will repost it with the link for Ping? and whomever? If you want, I don't really have to blather on about my apartment either :)

julia, you make me blush

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202223

oh tom that's not necessary, i was just making a minor style point

just want to emphasize that, while you are talking to each other, remember that we have a LOT of lurkers who seem to be interested in your conversations, based upon the page traffic and time-on-site stats i see. so it would probably be good to provide links and other continuity assistance as much as possible.

Good idea, but I tried that and broke Typepad. That's why I'm such a good tester. :(
I don't mind captcha's , I just like ones that make sense. But I tend to write my own.

My email address is 13 years old now, and when I started I used it on web sites. I get hundreds of spams a day now. I've been offered good money for the domain because it's 4 letters, but so many people have it I hate to move to a new one just to get rid of spam.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/stimulus-rhetoric-lost-in-time.html#comment-202200 BTW.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202225

I don't mind, but I will be more considerate next time... I respect you and the members too much to ignore your very excellent suggestion.

A black and white portrait? Hold on I check...

Is this the pic?

http://freshfiction.com/images/authors/9730.jpg

don1, I have a dreadful time with Typepad key or whatever it is called. May I suggest that when you write something, you do it first in word or notpad and then copy and paste? Too often I have written something that I thought was good (perhaps not, but still worked long on it) and then I used the captcha and it was an error and my whole piece was gone. Thanks to Horsedooty for the suggestion.

typepad can be a bit maddening, don, but keep trying. i don't know why it is so difficult and i have bitched up a strorm about it. but eventually it seems to work if you are persistent

tom, this is my legendary senate page photo, from the days when i thought i was the hottest ace in town.. http://tinyurl.com/czvt2w

(despite the ridiculously wide ties they made us wear -- it was the 70's after all)

yeah, it just seems like the one time I forget to copy the article captcha blows up. And I get irritated at sloppy programming being one. There's no reason the software can't keep a copy of the article when you go back to retry.

Wanted to make sure I could keep don1one. Comes from an old joke, though it's audio. The girls call me Don Juan, they don't wan' (don juan) to have nothing to do with me. :^)

Craig... LOL !!! Taking on DC by storm !

Did you grow up with a passion for politics? If not, what got you interested,?

Craig: Trufax, bb. Pics don't lie.

EuroTom: Nope. I'm talking old-skool Craig, circa 1973 or so...perhaps Craig will post a link here, as the Googles are made of fail trying to find it on the nets...?

How about a link for those of us who don't have a Facebook...? ;___; prty plz?

"Did you grow up with a passion for politics? If not, what got you interested,? -- Posted by: EuroTom"

i owe it all to my grandfather, Ben Craig, in rural Kentucky, tom. he was a tireless, passionate and close supporter of Happy Chandler, the singing governor who later became the commissioner who integrated baseball. getting to know Chandler completely changed the direction of my life as an eight-year-old and made me a believer in the fascinating promise of politics for making everyday life more fun and fulfilling. i'm still looking for Happy every day in our politics. here's why: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqGuVQsl-7U

Some actual political shizz, although you may have seen this already. Bobby Jindal feels that foolish pride, stubbornness, asshattery, or a combo cup of all three will somehow help to employ those 25,000 folks in his state who need jobs. Way to go, GOP! Keep this shit up and folks will continue to equate your party with Epic Fail!

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/02/20/jindal-unemployed/

Bye all, those who might still be awake, I am off to sign some papers for apartment and off to look at wallpapers,

Oh Craig, that actually was touching. At first I couldn't figure out why this young blond cheerleader was crying. Did it have something to do about Kentucky itself or was it about Happy? When I saw the entire clip I realized that most there knew it perhaps was the last time he would be able to do this (though he did live 3 more years). And I am sure it was a tribute to him as he was giving a tribute to the rest of the people. He really sang EXTRAORDINARILY WELL at such an old age. Who couldn't feel touched by that? A good one Craig... you should put this in your memoirs some day. It's an important part of your heritage and your career direction as well

oh tom, Happy was so beloved in kentucky, such a man of the people and one of the most progressive old white men in the history of the world. just ask jackie robinson.

Heck even some of the ball players were crying... Really touching! Amazing piece and I am so glad you shared it !!

and by the way, the baseball owners fired Happy in retaliation for integrating the sport, but he didn't give a crap. went on to get himself re-elected governor and integrated Kentucky schools. he is my freaking idol in this crazy business. altho i shouldn't leave out lyndon johnson. i got to shake hands with him, thanks to my -- but that's another story and it's time for sleep.

Even more great Craig: re Happy

He was Commissioner of Baseball and team owners did not want integration of that major leagues.

"Chandler was fully aware that he was jeopardizing his own commissionership by stewarding the integration process. Chandler's attitude was a simple one, which he conveyed to Branch Rickey, and later recounted in his autobiography:
"I've already done a lot of thinking about this whole racial situation in our country. As a member of the Senate Military Affairs Committee, I got to know a lot about our casualties during the war. Plenty of Negro boys were willing to go out and fight and die for this country. Is it right when they came back to tell them they can't play the national pastime? You know, Branch, I'm going to have to meet my Maker some day. And if He asks me why I didn't let this boy play, and I say it's because he's black, that might not be a satisfactory answer.
If the Lord made some people black, and some white, and some red or yellow, he must have had a pretty good reason. It isn't my job to decide which colors can play big league baseball. It is my job to see that the game is fairly played and that everybody has an equal chance. I think if I do that, I can face my Maker with a clear conscience.""

Happy Chandler
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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

Thanks again Craig, I learned about a whole new American hero. This feels good !

nice catch, tom. like i say, Happy was simply the best. he made me a political junkie, even if i seldom find him in today's world.

Bethy from last thread

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/stimulus-rhetoric-lost-in-time.html#comment-202171

I think this might answer your question,,,,we already build the type of houses that you are asking about,,,they are called Solar Passive design houses,,,,here is a little reading for you,,,,go to passive solars homes on this site,,,if you are not in it right away,,,ans with the homes that I build it is also Solar insulated,,,,saves about 80 % on energy bills,,,,no heating bill,,,or Air Cond,,,to speak of.

http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/

WaPo: Burris has no intention of quitting:

http://tinyurl.com/bumtwg

Hershey is moving candy production to Mexico and laying off 1500 workers. I guess our GI's shouldn't hand out candy bars anymore.

Do you suppose they will change the name of the town in Pennsylvania?

http://www.shortnews.com/start.cfm?id=60296

Priority.... Scope....

The President needs to keep his focus.... It's the Economy....

As the President the Burris situation is None Of His Business. This is a State issue!

Now as the leader of the Dem Party - is he?- then go ahead Barack Obama and jump in....

Barack Obama - Leadership we can ????
Now Now Ping - He is just a student at this time - stop expecting something

I saw that Hershey story in reference to Peppermint Patty yesterday, Jamie....pissed me smooth off.

I guess Burris is like the last straw.

Morning folkes,

This weekend we, down here in La, are celebrating the Marti Gras. So happy over endulgence to everyone.

Tom, I saw you write that the previous owner of your apartment locked the key in before jumping from the balcony. Did that person kill himself or was that how he got to his car?

As far as Burris goes, did he say those magic words. 'I should have known better", "it was unintentional", and "I am sorry'. Those statements provide absolution from any wrong doing in politics or sports.

Great owl pics yesterday. My Lil Fuzzy Butt is a little jealous of the competition.

I haven't tried that typepad. I continue to use the captcha. I find it to be kind of a mental acuity test. If it takes more that two times to get it right, it is time for bed. Other times I think it may be God telling me to rethink what I has just written.

Sorry, that should be what I have just written. Captcha didn't catch that one.

As I said before, when I applied at Kellogg's last year they said they had to keep costs down to compete with Mexico. I didn't realize we had snack food, cereal etc...coming from Mexico. I guess we'll have chocolate coming from there now. As I talked before about buying American cars. A co-worker of mine had a discussion with an older man about that a few weeks ago. This man was going on and on about how digusted he was that people don't support American workers by buying American-made cars. When my friend asked him what kind of car he drove he proudly said, "I drive a Ford Edge!" He was proud that he was an owner of an American-made car. My friend said to him, "You do realize that the Ford Edge is assembled in Canada, right?"

Good morning
Corey- did you decide to stay home? If not, safe travels.
Ct- that must be so much fun, have a great week!

Ct- don't get your knickers in a twist about the other owls, you've got us all beat with your river photos and owl too.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202209

ET - Thanks for the repost.. I have been on the road with little access - and I am not the prolific reader – that is why I love audible and my iPod..

I agree with much of what you say. But the term Social agenda is like saying breathing air. We can agree that a social agenda is embedded in everything that happens. The question is this “agenda” based on what principles and values.

I also agree that extreme elements of greed went unchecked and must be corrected. Remember I accepted the consequences of 2006 midterm as the Republicans got dumped as they had been irresponsible. Bush was also fiscal irresponsible – As I said – why did not he not fully protest the social agenda that was overriding sound fiscal policy?

Now My point still stands –
Barack Obama, Axelrod and the mouth piece Gibbs – along with the new Government have not been honest – and yes he used Fearness to hide and pass many items in this Spendulus Bill.

If Fearness is not a word then it should now be submitted. The same argument that was used on Bush with WMD’s is now earned by the New President in record time.

By the way….
This Economy is reflecting what likely every business meeting and boardroom in the world is wondering - “what is this guy (and the new Governement) doing!”
Why are his priorities out of line – Do not kill the golden goose.

What happens when you allow social policy to override sound fiscal policy. You get the mess we have now.

The other day when I was reading Time's 25 people to blame for the financial meltdown, I kept feeling like it was skewed....but since I'm no financial analyst, I wasn't sure what all didn't make sense.

Here's what David Fiderer, a banker/lawyer/journalist covering the energy industry for several global banks in New York, has to say about the article.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-fiderer/emtimeem-rewrote-history_b_168503.html

Real sorry to read about Hershey. Can't imagine what all those people are going to do- it's kind of in the middle of nowhere. Think I'll let them know that I won't buy Hershey products anymore if they do go to Mexico.

think of the unintended consequences if all of a sudden burris resigns or gets ousted. will ill gov quinn appoint himself? a caretaker? another chicago pol susceptible to expose' and the inevitable gop drumbeats to resign? it could get messier, more scandalous, more distracting... things can always get worse.

pres. and public have more than enough on the plate to worry over than another tinhorn egomaniac.

Yeah...4-6 inches of snow here. 3-5 inches where we would be going. Not a good day to travel. My Aunt's daughter "Mickey" is here from Florida, so my Aunt does have someone to take care of her right now.

Few thoughts from the ET post…(not that he said this but time to respond in general)
.
Republicans do value the needs of all – One gets amused at the ignorance of some that use such negative broad statements and labels that Republicans do not care for people -

That is like saying Dem’s think some class of people are idiots and cannot take care of themselves – and must become dependent on a central big government - That is so asinine that anyone would support a Society direction to follow such a failed path.

Human dignity – Maslow’s hierarchy
As a Society we must take care of our own – we must insure that everyone has the right and I believe are entitled to contribute to their needs and that of Society. Those that are weak and not capable then we need to help. People must be encouraged and held accountable at all levels.

Principled Social Drive to advance Society (this is a Ping Pong Theory)
This is based on the individual as the key component not a big central control. You need a morale guide – and there is no such thing as Politically Correct.

patd

The gov of Illinois should appoint Dawn Clark Netsch

ROFL, KGC....Great pick. But I don't think a white woman who is a lesbian icon would go over well in the black churches, whether they are turning on Burris or not...

Burris ............yet again?

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202272

I hope Alan Grayson and others with such personality do read Craig's TM.....

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

and while she is great friend to the gay community -- I don't think she is gay -although it should not be an issue one way or another.

Somehow the idea of Ted Kennedy dying at the time this Burris clown (with all his comedic attraction) is in the senate (with Chambliss and the rest of the clowns) is completely disheartening.

thought-provoking article re politcal cartoonists' angst in depicting pres.... hope the chilling effect doesn't get as bad as it got in denmark over certain forbidden subjects of caricature....
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/20/AR2009022002098.html?hpid=sec-politics

UB, I joked with Craig about that last night at the top of the thread. I knew how it would be received by some people. He gave a detailed response as to why he wrote about Burris again.

Maybe think of his [Kennedy] timing in sync with greater eduction funding, and better health care for many American children. More positive movement for medical research...and so on.

Many good things are happening, just depends on where one places their focus.

I read it, sounds like what he has said before....was there something new there that I missed?

Ping, thank you for your replies.

Carol, yes the woman who lived in the 16th floor apartment (where I am moving) jumped off the balcony. I find it quite sad that anyone reaches the point where the only way out SEEMS to be suicide. And I hope that her soul is in a better place because I know for a lot of people, the world can seem to be a sad, alienating, and depressing place lacking any joy or hope.

Of course not. I just like to kid. I read Craig's threads and then I wonder what the reaction is gonna be to them. Positive or....NOT AGAIN!!! Of course, sometimes the negative reactions (His HCC choice thread) led to increased traffic here and made for lively discussion!

This just in: SOCKS the Cat has died...

And something interesting:

Reports: Arrest near in slaying of Chandra Levy whose disappearance ended congressman's career

WASHINGTON - Media reports in Washington and California say that an arrest may be close in the slaying of the former federal intern whose disappearance ended Gary Condit's congressional career.

http://www.startribune.com/nation/40022667.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUs

I'd be curious PIng, to your thoughts on investment bankers, traders, and the likes of the big brokerage firms and banks on Wall Street?

Personally, I think those screaming about losing the "best talent" (due to proposed salary caps) should look at what their multi-million dollar talent has produced.....remember Lehman Brothers? AIG? Citibank is trading under 2 bucks!!!! M E L T D O W N

"the world can seem to be a sad, alienating, and depressing place lacking any joy or hope."

Tom, You just did a beautiful job describing clinical depression. The problem is, people suffering from these feelings aren't aware that it is depression, but see it as reality. Therefore they don't understand it will pass, although it will take some work (and possibly medication).

I would think ears are fair game. Even President Obama makes fun of his ears.

Didn't Ill guv call for a special election?

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202285

I would love to see that one solved.

Chloe, agreed and I am all too familiar with it. And the bad part of anti-depressants (INITIALLY) and I am sure you know this too, the meds first give back energy that has been lost. It takes a bit longer. And that means someone who was too tired to even get out of bed, suddenly can get out and still feel like crap and then jump. That's when we friends need to love each other.

Tom

The "Best Talent" is people saying they will just go to private companies where their earnings aren't disclosed.

UB, For me it was Merryl Lynch - and accountability... Something that firm did years ago cost me lot's of money - and had I been a little more on the ball - maybe I could have been protected - FYI - Regulation did catch up to ML on this matter so the Fed got my money in fines.

Slippery Slope - And to just blame their encourged greed only on them and not look back at the Hill and the big house is simply biased and wrong.

Do lets fix what we know works - not throw it out and hide behind fear to pass a socialistic agenda

the politcal cartoonists' dilemma is even more interesting when looked at while considering the ruckus over eric holder's "cowards" remark.

"That Holder's remarks should cause such disgruntlement in the privileged chattering classes and among some of the masses as well points up the difficulty of the task at hand -- getting Americans to talk openly and forthrightly about race -- while underscoring just how fragile is the American racial ego."
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/20/dyson.holder/

Corey, Glad to hear your aunts daughter came in from Florida, and hope your aunt is doing better. I missed the post where you said why she is ill.

The weather change for your cousin (?) must be a real shocker for her.

Paying Bankers Smartly

http://www.forbes.com/2009/02/19/paying-bankers-smartly-leadership-compensation_wall_street.html

"Three hundred fifty-nine banks are affected by rules limiting bonuses for their top 25 employees to a third of base salary. It's a cold slap to an industry in which all the real money has always been in the bonuses."

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202279

If one does not hold bias or ignorance towards others then such carton's would not be in question.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202290

Yes Tom, I've heard the same thing. And they really do need therapy along with the medication. It doesn't help that the medication takes a while to work, and which medication works for who is experimental. But it's a start. I really think most of these problems are chemical though. I'm sure many will disagree with me.

Congratulations on getting your own place, by the way! A new beginning...

Both of my Aunt's daughters live in Florida. As do her 2 granddaughters. They will all be taking turns coming to Michigan. Here's a feel good story:

http://www.dailynews.com/ci_11753734?source=rss

ET - Congrat's on moving on up !!!
Next trip I will need to find a way to stop in your area....
I buy!!
And I do enjoy the dialogue

"If one does not hold bias or ignorance towards others then such carton's would not be in question."

Yes Ping. And this administration needs to be treated the same as any other. We shouldn't be walking on egg shells.

I believe there is a major problem with the whole short term expectations placed on preformance. The quarter to quarter results that drive bonuses and stock prices.....It's not realistic to gauge success that way in a global economy. Iit's quite short sighted...and promotes, doing extreme deals to hits numbers, without having a long term goal for growth and stability. Hence, lck of growth lack on stability..... These people knew they were selling crap and gambling.

For the likes of Santelli to call a homeowner in foreclosure LOSERS, on national TV.....makes me believe that many in the financial industry may be in need of a great big MIRROR.

Chloe - Hey we agree - - Some protest to much.

Off to chores, and going to go Shoot something!! With my Canon and the big lense.

Catch up later!

Corey, The guy was in shock!
I know though that if that happened to me, my excitement would be obvious to anyone within ear shot.

"Of course Adam Smith's statement was not a criticism of such inequity. On the contrary, he clearly laid out the vision that government and justice works to protect the affluence and power of the rich from the unruly common classes who have the unmitigated nerve to question the appropriateness of this economic, social and political power discrepancies between the rich and the commoners."

ET This is actually slightly backwards. Smith's arguement was that unless there was a code of ethics within those who wished to practice capitalism, only the magistrate could keep them from being wiped out.

IOW, unless capitalists had an ethical center that protected those who helped them create wealth (the workers) then Capitalism itself would be destroyed.

It is the one element in Smith that the "let them eat cake" crowd chooses to ignore not realizing that it is their greed for greater and greater profits at the expense of the worker that will eventually lead to revolution and the destruction of the ownership society.

Just saw Craig's request for a citation. This is a long paper on the "Ethics" of Adam Smith.

http://www.worldscibooks.com/economics/etextbook/5237/5237_chap1.pdf

Capitalism without a moral base isn't capitalism or at least it isn't capitalism for long. Quote from long article: political democracy is almost impossible to sustain with giant gaps between rich and poor

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202272
"This is based on the individual as the key component not a big central control."

Hey Ping, I'm catching up on the posts backwards, and didn't see this one til you left. But we also agree on your thought's in this post: Human dignity - Maslow's hierarchy. We do need to care for those who need it, get them to a place where they can get going again. I like that you said not 'central control'. If we as individuals could help all those within our own reach, then the world would be a much better place for everyone. No reason to look any further, if everyone is doing their part.

It often amazes me how we in the US seem to carry everything to its extreme.
Peruvians chew coca leaves, we have crack.
Parisians drink espresso, we have highly caffeinated drinks people die from.
And since at least the 90s are capitalism has been greed at any expense.

And to tie several conversations together, several mental illnesses like depression and obsessive behavior is cause from low seratonin levels. The main class of anti-depressants are called seratonin re-uptake inhibitors. But these don't tend to work over long term.

One of the best ways to keep seratonin levels high is support from good friends and family, and taking the time off to enjoy them. And great chat groups.

I hope from all of this we learn to slow down, live simpler, and not to take things to such extremes.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202292

Corey,

This isn't a problem as it then becomes a "private" agreement between those who run the company and those who own the company.

You only see these astronomical wage packages where there are huge blocks of stock owned by pension and mutual funds that rarely pay attention to voting against a board unless quartrrly earnings go down ... in the case of these banks, the damage was done before the losses became visible.

The next ship to sink will be Credit Crads......defaults are way up. Let see, the banks just loved Credit Cards when they were increases limits, and offering low rates, only to turn around and rape the consumer by raising rates and yanking credit. ( my children would get offers for cards when they turned 16 years old)

All unsecured DEBT- tell me that wasn't a greedy gamble....or was that TALENT?

"Bank of America, AmEx May Suffer on Card Defaults "

Citigroup, the largest credit-card company by managed loans, said profit in its global card unit plunged 96 percent in 2008 to $166 million from $4.67 billion a year earlier.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aInk6vXOwoB0&refer=home

"One of the best ways to keep seratonin levels high is support from good friends and family, and taking the time off to enjoy them. And great chat groups."

Yes Don, of course you're right.

But sometimes people need help while they're working their way through these issues. Chemical help while 'learning' to enjoy family and friends and take advantage of chat groups. But there are other ways to raise serotonin levels (sugar being one) and the ways that you mention. It varies from person to person. But it takes time.

Love your slow down and live simpler advice. And our economy does encourage extremes, since they'll sell anything that people will buy.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202227

Don1one,

Have you considered using one email that you give out all over the web and create a second or third (I have three for different purposes) and transfer your confidents to the private email.

That way you can eventually get to a point where you only need to check the spamfilled one every few days to catch friends or people you want to get to know better.

Also, I have filters on the private email that bounce anything from anyone not on a list.

I'm not Tom, I support the use of pharma's at certain times for short term help. I've been on them.

I'm not against them, just the lifestyle that makes them necessary for so many people. Well, if i lived in Alaska I'd probably be on them permanently. I love the sunshine.

Even in Japan where they put in such long hours, much of the time is in relationship building and being with friends and co-workers. They don't work all of the time.

Here in the US vacation, holiday, and sick time are disappearing like the dodo. I don't think that's a good thing.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202238

Craig, That video was lovely. One of these days I will figure out why the six notes that say "Weep No More My Lady" always makes me tear up. :-) It happens every darn time!!!

"Well, if i lived in Alaska I'd probably be on them permanently. I love the sunshine."

Yes Don! That's what I'm talking about. People need to take the time to know what makes them happy. I'm with you, I love sunshine. As well as nature and the outdoors. I need to be next to great big windows when I'm inside, just so I can enjoy what's going on outside.

But work is what some people enjoy (not me!), so the vacations and all that stuff are up to each individual, but I get what your saying, and I completely agree.

Today is my son's 46th birthday. Since I stopped aging at 36, this is a miracle.

I know, Jamie. I've seen what our company's CEO has made the last few years. I mean, I've seen what his yearly salary was and what his bonus was. I think a few years ago his salary was $1.5 million and his bonus was $2.5 million! When I worked for Prince, things were different. It was a private company. When JCI took us over, we suddenly became part of a public company. Everything we did was done in accordance with keeping the stockholder's happy. Much more attention was paid to the bottom line. You can only imagine how things are now.

Ha Jamie. Happy birthday to your son.
And may you 'forever' be 36!

Thanks Chloe. I did the whole story on my blog aobut how a dragon and a Chinese New Year parade got him here early.

Craig I don't seem to recall you being so excited about Senator Stevens or Senator Vitter. Why the double standard, could it be because Burris is black, or is being a Democrat enough in your eye to warrent such a double standard on your part?

Balance in all things. If people enjoy work too much (barring that is there family and social life) then it's become an obsession.

But we can't be outside walking around too much either. You didn't see Adam and Eve walking around the Garden with their hands in their pockets.

Echo

May I suggest that Vitter and Stevens (and several others of both parties) were elected. That makes them the problem of the Senate ethics committee.

I don't happen to agree with Craig that Obama should do anything, but Burris is the result of an appointment that was at best of dicey provenance due to gubernatorial sleeze and state senate cowardice that wouldn't strip said governor of his rights or change the law to call for an interim election.

Currently there are few ways to get Burris out even though he should probably go other than to "encourage" him to depart peacefully. This doesn't have anything to do with either party or color.

http://jdurward.blogspot.com/

Jamie, A wonderful story and a beautiful celebration! Thanks for sharing that.

BTW, happy son's birthday Jamie.

My mother had a doctor that used hypnosis to make for a pain free birth. I wonder why that has disappeared?

'it's become an obsession. "

Don,

Maybe obsessions are temporarily necessary at times. Sometimes they can be quite enjoyable. It's important to remember that no matter what it is, and even if we don't understand it, if other people are doing what's making them happy, then it's 'usually' a good thing. If we're, as individuals, are getting the signs (feelings of discontentment) that we're on the wrong track, we're the only one's who can read them. We can give advice, and we have our own ideas and know what works for us, but it's not going to work for everyone else too.

I guess the best you can do is hope each person will be true to himself, figure out what it is he wants and work toward it.

"My mother had a doctor that used hypnosis to make for a pain free birth. I wonder why that has disappeared?"

You'd have to have given birth to understand why that disappeared. :)

Chloe,
So incredible pain and obsession are good things?
I suppose the long hours at work and suicide in Japan are also good.

Time for me to move to Panama.

ET, is it true Belgians are born with their sleeves rolled up?

"So incredible pain and obsession are good things?'

You're putting words in my mouth and intentionally misinterpreting what I'm saying. That's 'not' a good thing.

Referee Time: Let's see if I'm getting this

Chloe: Falling in love and having it returned in the first throe of delight = Obsession Good

Don1one: Falling in love without anything reciprocated and stalking the love object = Obsession bad

Oh yes, Burris has the most questionable ethics of anyone in the senate and must be expelled!!!! Pay no attention to the man behind the curatin

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202337

Jamie, You are so great! Thanks for showing me the humor.
I tend to take myself to seriously.

My grand baby is awakening so I'm happily off to baby land.

You're assuming you know what I think.

If you think my synopsis is wrong why don't you try correcting it rather than accusing me of attacking you, which I'm not.

I was talking about obsession as a national culture, not occasionally being obsessive. So you were debating something I never said.

I have no clue why taking the pain out of birth is a bad thing. I bet many women would agree with me, though I can't speak for them. I think you were playing the gender card. :^)

" I think you were playing the gender card. :^)"

Nope. Sorry you think that Don. But I was playing the 'pain' card. I didn't realize that I had to agree with you in order to get along and I wasn't debating. I was talking about feelings and ideas. I don't debate. Sorry.

Have a good day.

"Only Lardass and I are in on the Oscar picks. Is anyone else getting in?"

Hard to vote when you haven't seen any of the movies...:)

I'm loving my "World At War" DVD set. These documentaries are as good as I remember them being back in the 70s when they first aired.

Last night, it was baked Tilapia Mediterranean and the Battle of Stalingrad for me. Who knows what tonight will bring? Maybe some Italian sausage pasta with U-Boats?

Thank you, relentless MSNBC infomercial.

Amazing stat from Stalingrad...

Something like 250,000 Sixth Army Germans and other Axis troops were surrounded by the Russians. Of those, 150,000 froze to death, starved or were killed in the Russian assault. Of the 100,000 that were captured and sent to Russian prison camps, only 6,000 survived to ever see Germany again. It was like an entire army just evaporated.

How do you solve a problem like R Burris? How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?

I'm sure Prez Obama had his term worked out a little differently on paper.

word for the day: confidence

"We have every reason to believe that the United States and China will recover and that together we will help to lead the world recovery," Clinton said as she held a news conference with the Chinese foreign minister, Yang Jiechi. "I appreciate greatly the Chinese government's continuing confidence in United States treasuries. I think that's a well grounded confidence."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/feb/21/hillary-clinton-china-economy-human-rights

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202343

Lardo,

I feel the same way about "Victory At Sea" if for no other reason that the Richard Rogers music.

Same feeling about the Shostakovich music in this one, Jamie. At least that's the theme on the Eastern Front.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202346

So THAT's why "W.W. And The Dixie Dance Kings" didn't get Best Picture. I always knew the fix was in!

This is the first part of my favorite episode: Beneath The Southern Cross

Part 1 of 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atLvSh5KTY4

The Tango theme that comes up when they are showing the long convoy of ships between battles became: No Other Love Have I which perfectly captured the idea of the men separated from home.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COzEywH8Vw0

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202351

Well nominations are a little more straight forward since each division is nominated by the people in that division i.e. members of the actors guild nominate the acting awards.

This is why you can get some seeminingly "off the wall" nominations for little pictures as they are more likely to have been seen by a lot of people who love movies while the big block busters will get skipped.

I have no explanation for why the academy often overlooks comedies since I happen to feel that really good comedy is harder to do than many serious films.

For those as obsessive (that word again) about film as I am: Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Award#Nomination

I agree about really good film comedies, Jamie. I think "Bringing Up Baby," for example, is one of the finest films ever made -- but I don't think it got much recognition in its day.

Also, another imbalance, really good comic actresses -- such as Reese Witherspoon, Amy Poehler -- will never get the recognition that their Chevy Chase/Adam Sandler counterparts get.

Wow. Just checked the Wiki on "Bringing Up Baby" and found this interesting bit of trivia.

It was the first film, or any work of art for that matter, that used the term "gay" in a homosexual context. And the line was uttered by Cary Grant, himself, when he is caught wearing the Hepburn character's negligee:

"Because I just went GAY, all of a sudden."

Pretty funny.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202353

ET, Exactly the opposite around here. It took my ex three more wives to get it right, but he finally did and she is a great lady. She is younger than my daughter, so the children tease her about being a grandmother.

Trying to introduce the yours mine and ours when the crowd actually manages to get together can be challenging. If there is a race or gender to be had, we probably have at least one of them. :-)

Boo -
RE
End of the last thread -

Keep it darling, you think outside the box.

LOL on Cary Grant...

Don1, what do you mean about Belgians sleeves rolled up?

Sorry -
Keep it UP darling .....

ET, you should hear the stories the guy I work with tells me. Crazy stuff!

"I scanned a wedding pic of my Mom and Dad and when my Mom heard about it, she demanded I remove the pic."

Was she unhappy because they are no longer together? Or because she is afraid of having an image of herself on the internet? I know that I have a nephew who HATES that two of his kids (both in ealy twenties) have Facebook pages with photos...he thinks people will photoshop them into something else.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202320

Jamie, glad you enjoyed that clip, even if it does bring a tear. Just looked up that Happy was 90 years old in that video, died 3 years later. Once again, here's the link, and thanks to EuroTom for provoking me to remember the great Happy Chandler, first politician i ever met and the one who got me interested in this stuff:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqGuVQsl-7U

Jamie -
Atta Girl to you, and Atta Boy to your son.

LL -
The Battle of Stalingrad , and nice fish dinner . Yum.

Ping -
Your golden goose was cooked last fall, long before we got a new president.

Craig -
Funny what meeting a good man does for 8 year-old kids.

Cleaned the pump at Lake Slappy this morning, now it won't move water. Off to solve this , love this Minty Freshness.

Chloe

still here? do you remember the question that you asked me about what was important in order to have courage??honesty ,,or??---well its the some for most of what is wrong with an individual,,,,the honesty to deal with out side world comes from within no? and that can only knowing who you really are,,,,so if you can look in the mirror,,,,,and forgive your self for all the bad things that you did in life (no one tells his/hers confessors the truth and nothing but the truth ) you should be able to handle it,,,,and some drugs are needed for some also,,,,there are many things that can be understood,,,by understanding your self,,,,and that is the good thing!

Don,,,,,Adam,,,and Eve,,,and the talking snake,,,,wish I one of those.

"Trying to introduce the yours mine and ours"

Jamie -- I'm going to post a pic (on your Facebook page) of the blended family I ended up with...my kids little sister (from the ex's second marriage) is like one of my own. Actually, his second ex-wife and I ended up great friends as well. I always appreciated how wonderful she was to my kids.

Chloe

About hard work,,,,,I love it,,,it helps me keep things in perspective (life) and it helps me gauge myself, if it wasn' t for my disc disease,,,,my real physical age would be around 45-47,,it is about 53 now,,,and will be 60 in july,,,but with my medicine,,,I move around like a 47 year old,,,,and this is also part of our make up that plays into being depressed or not,IMO.
and your morning shakes are doing their part, to help you out with your daily hard work that you do,,,so take it as part of the joy of living...later

wish I had one of those,,,,can make a lot of money with a talking snake,,,,,

Taking dbl dose of my Gabapentin in order to work.and it looks like it is effecting my finger stuttering and all ,,,

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202329

Not really a defense of Craig's double standard there Jamie, he remains mute to convicted white Republicans, yet hyperventilates over a black Democrat. Not surprising for someone who assumed the poistion in defens of Imus' "nappy headed ho" remark.

Echo -- I have the feeling that Craig's dismay over the Burris/Blago fiasco is that it is distracting from the task at hand. (Plus, the Republicans have always been corrupt. No news there.)

Ping Pong: President Obama's use of "fearness" is not at all akin to Mr. Bush's scare tactics. President Obama is talking of residual effects and quantifiable facts, such as the plundering of our treasury and the rape of our resources by the former misadministration, while Mr. Bush was attempting to have his vanity war and help his fatcat friends regardless of the facts.

Lardass: It's good to know you, too, like "Bringing Up Baby." It's one of the few movies I can watch again and again and still find uproariously funny and worthwhile. It's heartbreaking to see that the meticulous attention to script, actors and detail in movies are, generally, a thing of the past.

Echo

He didn't defend the "nappy headed" remark. He defended a man he considers a friend who has been good to him and felt the complete loss of his long time job outweighed the offense, particularly after a complete and what Craig felt was a sincere apology.

You need to read and hear Craig over a period of time. In almost every case it is a principle not a particular person that is at the base of any position he takes.

"Taking dbl dose of my Gabapentin in order to work.and it looks like it is effecting my finger stuttering and all ,,"

Solar, Your fingers are doing just fine. I like everything you say. I can say this with all sincerity: What would I do without you. Thanks for being here and thanks for the words of wisdom.

Be careful about doubling that Gabapentin. That's some strong stuff. Maybe just take half again as much? Make sure your doctor knows though.

And what principle is it that lets one ignore the sins of white Republicans and post multiple threads about the sins of one black Democrat? What principel is it that allows one to not only ignore but rush to defend the repeatedly racists remarks of Don Imus? I guess you and I Jamie have a different concept of what it means to take a principled stand.

Let's not get too self-righteous, Echo. You are turning the mess instigated by a white Democratic governor into a race issue. The primary thing race has to do with this is that IF Burris goes (and I doubt he is going anywhere) he should be replaced by an African American.

Sorry, but you appear to be on a witch hunt.

echo chamber = bry bry
he cannot stay away
he cannot help but sling slurs

What people have to realize sometimes is that people who defend other people may know them on a personal basis. Not just from soundbites etc...

Not a witch hunt, an opinion born out by facts;

Rushed to defend Imus

Rushed to defend Bill Clinton's remarks in SC

Going after Buris with a lynch mob mentality

Race has nothing to do with it. Burris got appointed by Blago. He said he told the truth about Blago. Then he comes out and says that he was asked to give a donation to Blago's campaign. Black or white, it does not look like things were on the level.

Burris isolated as support evaporates:

http://www.freep.com/article/20090221/NEWS15/90221008

"Rushed to defend Bill Clinton's remarks in SC"

Echo, please explain exactly what Bill Clinton said that you consider racist. Be specific, use examples.

There is no sense trying to discuss anything with Echo types. The "I want my way and I'm not listening" three year old will continue to scream and beat his feet on the floor until out of exhaustion you give him his candy of having the last word.

Wow you people really get bent of shape when someone doesn't agree with beloved leader. Well it's too nice a day to argue with zombies, i think I'll go walk on the beach for a while, first day in weeks it's been above freezing.

Echo..

I'm dismayed that there still are people who think there was anything wrong with Bill Clinton's remarks in South Carolina.

Solar,

I've been saying all along that there was no legal recourse for vacating the Burris appointment. He will go or not go either willingly or via ethics charge. I doubt the latter is possible as there are more deserving office holders ahead of him.

He has already lost his major Senatorial aide which makes the job almost impossible. How stubborn he will prove to be remains to be seen.

It would be nice to have another intelligent, committed and talented black man or woman to fill the Illinois Senate Seat as the U.S. Senate should be as race and gender neutral as humanely possible, but we seem to be stuck with Burris.

perhaps we could all (including echo) learn something from this voice of reason:

"Now more than ever, name calling, gross generalizations and throwing the r-word (racist) around is not going to get us anywhere we need to be on the path of ensuring our nation's future"

http://www.blackvoices.com/blogs/2009/02/18/new-ag-eric-holder-calls-american-racial-cowards/

solar, thanks for the pic. looks like zorba has a very handsome and happy family.

flatus, big thanks also to you for the insight on korea. hope some of that works its way to the newbies testing their diplomatic wings.
btw, her reception everywhere on this trip has been amazing hasn't it?

"Be careful about doubling that Gabapentin. That's some strong stuff. Maybe just take half again as much? Make sure your doctor knows though."

Chloe, I agree it's some strong medicine. I take 2,700-mg a day, every day. Have been at that level for several years. Add three darvocet and an anti-depressant, and I'm able to control otherwise intractable pain; albeit, at the cost of half my marbles.

Controlling pain means getting it down to about a five from an eight. If I don't get my timing exactly right, I end up with some really significant breakthrough pain.

Side effects for me are balance problems, and a brain full of mush.

"...her reception everywhere on this trip has been amazing hasn't it?"

Indeed it has, patd.

She's an incredibly smart person who has spent the last twenty years earning her credentials.

The recipients of her diplomacy appreciate the fact that America is sending her best.

The general public sees so little of what actually happens in the White House once dignitaries close the doors behind them. I think we are seeing relationships that Mrs. Clinton built up over years being displayed in public for the first time.

just to be fair while we're trash talking the guy, here's something from wiki on burris:

"He attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 1959.[1] He was an exchange student on scholarship to study International Law at the University of Hamburg in Germany. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from Howard University School of Law in 1963."

Thanks Craig..I had the same suspicion..

"Side effects for me are balance problems, and a brain full of mush."

I have tried from time to time to cut down on this Med (the only one I have to take) and u r right about the side effects,,,,plus an added one for me is that it makes my mind race way ahead of what is going on at the moment,,,this takes a lot of concentration from me sometimes in order to get some sleep,,,,,and counting back ward from 100,,,,,,why is it I never start at 100,,,,always at 99,,98,,97,,,,,,,,,,,,96,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,95 hey no time for a nap,,,gotta go to work WAKE UP Sol-zzzzzzzzz

"The general public sees so little of what actually happens in the White House once dignitaries close the doors behind them."

About the best descriptions I've seen are the ones by Lord Moran, Mr Churchill's personal physician and confidante. From his descriptions, Mr Churchill was seldom separated from his gin, was a night worker, and spent much of his time sans confining attire. It was all a remarkable combination resulting in unbridled success.

Do you think that may be why Mr Obama sent his bust back to the Brits? Talk about a faux pas.

Jamie, on the Oscar front, i am not up to speed on enough of the movies to make a full list -- but i did see The Wrestler and would luv to see Rourke win

Hey everybody

One for the get over yourself categorey.

My sister has a friend at work who's husband recently had a leg amputated be cause of a life threatening bone infection.
He had been feeling sorry for himself and was laying around the house taliking about how he would never get another job , no one would hire a one legged man.

What did his wife do?

She got him a job application at IHOP.

Those walmart workers are tough cookies.

Jack

Craig

I'm with you on Rourke.

I found the wrestler to be a very enjoyable movie.

Jack

Solar, my last dose of gabapentin is 300-mg at 10-pm. It supplements that 800-mg I took at 8-pm. Also at 10-pm I take a 40-mg Celexa. By 11-pm I'm anesthetized until morning.

Flatus

Same here,,,at 10 pm I take a 2 300-mg,,,and a very (half a pill ) of a sleep aid---over the counter,,,and if I can go to bed at the same time every night,,,i can sleep up to 7- hrs sometimes,but always awake a little groggy,,,I do some stretching exercises in be before I get out,,,and Im ready for the day.,,watch out for those cracks on the side walks,,,,,,they sometimes can trip up guys like you and me,,it happens at least once,,everytimt that I go for a walk around the hood,HA! thanks

Flatus

I lied,,,,there is another (2 a day) pill that I take every morning,,,,,Glucosamine HCI 1500 mg ---with MmSM 15000 mg,,,,without this I would creak more than an old rusted gate,,,and a lot of exercise ,,if not working,,,at least 3 times per wk,,,

I'll ditto what patd said -- thanks for the info on the Korean roundtable, Flatus -- and Solar, although I've told you this before, you have a gorgeous family. (Your son reminds me a little of mine in looks.)

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202392

Flatus
interesting stuff

Jack

Patsi,,,

Never told you this ,,or anyone here,,,but my son is adopted,,,,,,I fell in love with him ( I now know ) before I fell in love with Judy,,,,love at first sight,,,of Tommy the five year old ball of energy,,,,the three of us did every thing together for 8 years,,,,when we took our wedding vows I told Tommy that the three of us ,,were getting married,,,,,I recently (he is 36 now) told him that his mom and I want a divorce,,he is not a little kid anymore ,,,but I treat him just like I did before,,,,like another human beinge,,,,some times he is so busy that he forgets to notice me (us) so when I give him the same medicine ,,,,he asks r you mad at me or something,,,,it always works,,,,children,,,or adults,,,treat them like they treat you,,,and they will see what they are doing wrong,,,,I adopted Tommy right after we were married,,,the judge asked him if he wanted to have me as his father,,,,,Tommy said Yeah he's cool,,,,,he still thinks so,,and that is all that I will ever want from him,,,,Oh and to turn down the volume when he play' his guitar,,and other instruments that he plays.

"albeit, at the cost of half my marbles."

Wow Flatus,
If that's half your marbles, then you sure started out with a lot more than most other people. You're amazing. Sorry to hear about all the pain. I know the medication can only do so much.

Solar, It freaked me out when I read that you go to sleep by counting backwards from 100, but always start with 99, 98. That's what I always do. There must be many of us.

Solar -- are those Tommy's children?

Yes,,,going to sleep counting backwards from 100,,,,and if I skip a # I will say it twice the next day,,,,I don't like to cheat hahah

Not only that, but when my husband and I got married (manym many years ago), my son was 4 (from a previous marriage). After the wedding, he told everyone we ran into "We got married!". He has given us more laughs through the years, as has our daughter.

Chloe

Tommy's Father has never seen him,,,,he ran away, when he knew that Judy was pregnant,,,they were married at the time too,,,,I still don't get it,,,,,but I have asked Tom ( while growing up) if he wanted to go and find his real Father,,,he always' said no,,,at age 18 I stopped asking him,,,,We have a lot in common it seems ,,,maybe thats why--------

Tommy and Judy were lucky to find you, Solar.

He was lucky to have had you as his father Solar. I'm sure he knows that. He's a great looking guy, as you are. Your wife and your sisters grand children are gorgeous. You're a lucky guy.

Thanks for listening,,,,,,have to shovel the driven,,and get to work,,,now,,now Chloe,,,Tommy is a good looking kid,,, I guess ,,,but me HA! unless you like the Zorba type,,,,,Padt had me pegged right away. Later

ps----what are you and Tony up to with all the compliments,,,,got a big enough head can't you see,,,,,and Tony how did you like that little cold that I sent you mr smart ass hahaha

See what I mean,,,Tommy already had the driveway shoveled,,,was finishing up hit me in the back with a snow ball and laughed,

Maybe we should have a pool on how long Burris will last

Support for Roland Burris falls apart
Gerald Herbert, Associated Press
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, left, and Sen. Roland Burris at a Washington news conference this month.
The Illinois governor calls for him to quit, his chief of staff leaves and the White House suggests he consider 'his future.' But the embattled senator shows no signs of backing down.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nati seat.onworld/nation/la-na-burris21-2009feb21,0,719881.story

Although to be fair Mayor Daley refused to "pile on"
I guess he thinks he can still deliver for Democrats and isn't worried about keeping a Democrat in that senate

grrrr

here's the link..only working

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-burris21-2009feb21,0,719881.story

should read...
Daley.....isn't worried about keeping a Democrat in that senate seat.

I was gazing at my navel and asked myself is it me or does it bother others when people post snide comments without bothering to read the thread.

"The harsh reality of what happened in an affluent suburb of Buffalo, N.Y. — the beheading of 37-year-old Aasiya Hassan and arrest of her estranged husband in the killing — is another crucible for American Muslims."

The article goes on and says,

"other Muslim clerics in the U.S. likely preached that Aasiya Hassan could have avoided her fate by being more obedient"

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jLN9PVlGyRtm-HCk7vOC0A5mWmDAD96G5B900

Man up Tacky.

Why is it socialism for a government to provide an obvious basic service like healthcare?

And we have given billions to the banks and people are now getting pissed about spending money to keep people in their homes.

Rising prices in the housing market = (1) more equity for indivuals, which will increase spending, and (2)better balance sheets for the banks.

Man up?
Make sure you address that comment to
echochamber. http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202326

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202393

I'm making blood orange panna cotta for an oscar party.
What are other people having?

Warren,
You make a great point, and I was out to lunch with my mother and she was telling me how irate her Bridge players were about the homeowner bail out program.

Do these people realize who was paying for their Medicare? Do they realize anything about how intertwined this economy is? Or are they just clueless and angry?

Warren, why is "socialism" such a demonized word?

Watch yourself EuroTom. (You are gonna get put on a list ; )

I hear ya UB. The govt has been wasting money for years. Now all of a sudden - when we are improving our infrastructure, giving a break to the lower and middle class, keeping people in their homes - and heaven forbid - spending money on education and healthcare - people are crying foul.

(I suppose they would rather we throw our money into destroying the infrastructures and economies of other countries in misguided wars.)

I would think "capitalism" should be the one under the microscope at this point and time....I mean, my goodness, look where we are !

Land of the Free , Home of the Broke.

You make a good point about socialism. And I think there should be an honest conversation about what we really mean by socialism and capitalism - instead just throwing around catch phrases.

In the following weeks, the remnants of the Grande Armée were further diminished, and on December 14, 1812 they were expelled from Russian territory. According to the popular legend only about 22,000 of Napoleon's men survived the Russian campaign. However, some sources do not mention more than 380,000 soldiers killed.[43] The difference can be explained by up to 100,000 French prisoners in Russian hands (mentioned by Eugen Tarlé, released in 1814) and more than 80,000 (including all wing-armies, not only the rest of the "main army" under Napoleon's direct command) returning troops (mentioned by German military historians). Most of the Prussian contingent, for example, survived thanks to the Convention of Tauroggen, and almost the whole Austrian contingent under Schwarzenberg withdrew successfully, too. The Russians formed the Russian-German Legion from other German prisoners and deserters.[20]

Isn't Arnold proposing to cut education in California? Craig Ferguson was railing about that on his show last night. I love the "Man Up" line. Mike and Mike on ESPN use that a lot on their morning show.

He cut spending for higher education in California.

happy chandler? the singinator?

Fair warning -

Toan Tran from Morningstar says: I think Citigroup and Bank of America will visit the giant ATM machine in the sky.

http://news.morningstar.com/articlenet/article.aspx?id=280935&pgid=rss

Some late night jokes from this week:

"Yesterday, President Obama signed the stimulus bill in Denver, Colorado. He picked Denver because our debt is now a mile high." --Jay Leno

"A new study says that the bad economy can lower testosterone levels in men. Scientists say at this rate, by the end of the decade, Ann Coulter could be a woman!" --Craig Ferguson

Sturge...love the Grande Armee update. I was starting to get worried about those cats.

Amazing how watching the Hitler v Stalin battles on my new DVD set is essentially just watching new characters with better weapons populate the same tired, futile continental drama that had unfolded 130 years earlier.

White people killing white people. And we marvel at the "savage" Hutu and Tutsi carnage in Rwanda in our own times? Why? What's the diff?

lard.....there is in this camp no marveling at the myriad ways man inflicts inhumanity upon man.......

it's gross when you think about it........

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202424

UB...I sorta kinda agree with you on Burris. I'm getting pretty tired of the story, too. It all seems so inevitable. No suspense, really.

But I think putting up another post on it on an otherwise slow weekend day might just be Craig's way of saying "Open Thread"!

Sturge...wouldn't it be great revenge to bring Hitler, Napoleon and Stalin back from the grave just for five minutes...long enough to show them the deal today and say:

"Hey guys, Angela Merkel is more powerful than any of you bozos ever dreamed of being...and she didn't even have to fire a shot, let alone raise an army."

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202353

Hi Tom
Enjoyed this post and all your posts.I'm happy for you as it is an exciting time being a first time home buyer.Wow and how great it is that you will pay it off in 10 yrs....I would love to meet you someday also,who knows what the future holds? Oh and I wanted to also thank you for posting those pics from your Another World visit.I got my Mom who was never a TV watcher to start watching the SoapNet channel when she got sick with cancer and she loved Another World! Felicia was her favorite..It helped her take her mind off all her sickness and your posting of the pics made me remember that my suggestion helped.. This TM is the best place on the net because smart people like you hangout here.....

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202447

UB

Like the commentor, on Friday I also bought some Wells Fargo. For much the same reasons, good property at a cheap price.

But I also, put $100 bet on Bank of America surviving.

As far as Citibank goes, good riddance to bad rubbish.
Of the several credit card companies we have had dealings with in the last 5 years they pulled most of the underhanded tricks that were done on us. We haven't done business with them in 2 years.

Jack

The bigger they are the harder they fail.......lol...I meant "fall"...but FAIL is more appropriate......I too believe that Citi is 100% sleaze......

I bought some accidental death insurance from Sears some time back. I paid about a year ahead, because since I work free lance, I like to stay ahead of the down times. When Citi took over running the Sears card, they sent me the rest of the year's money back and said they couldn't accept it that way. I argued with them, even said I wouldn't cash the check. They basically said Tough $hit. Then all of a sudden the time payments were due started changing, all kinds of BS. Basically, Citi is crooked.

Jes'um Crow- Just sat down to check in. Here I thought I didn't have to worry about my friends getting attacked anymore,

OSH

It's the internet tubes stuff happens ya know.

Jack

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202423

so noted, Lard,.

Jack- Yeah I know, you're right. I need to remember that, no false sense of security. HOw are you feeling anyways? Everything go well with the tests?

I'm doing great. Still don't know what caused the chest pains but they went away for now. The doctor changed my diabetes medicines around and I got more energy than I have had in some time, I'm also keeping the blood sugar down which is good. I am having some episodes of low blood sugar, so I am going to talk to her and see if we need to adjust the meds.
Mostly I need to watch what I eat and eat on a regular schedule.

Jack

" Rushed to defend Imus "

Sorry Echo,
As I remember it there was a lot of gut churning , because one of your friends just did something extremely stupid.

I was reading the thread at the time, so no need to tell how it went down there sport.

Good glad to hear it. Was a bit worried (am good at that), didn't see you posting much and was hoping all is well.

Jack -- I think with low blood sugar it's more important that you eat small amounts often than anything else...or that's what works for me...

LL -
What a hoot -
The Battle of Stalingrad -

Colorado Bob's take away lesson from the battle :

" If you're going to invade Russia, be sure and take your coat. "

OSH

Just been busy. With all this energy I've started to notice all the half completed projects around the house. So I tried to finish as many as I could before the house appraiser showed up Thursday.
We are locking in some of these low interest rates.

Jack

Wow - what a wonderful day this has been!

Flatus - a great post about Korea! thanks so much. I think you have doubled my knowledge and triped my understanding of that interesting land. Every sentence you wrote said a ton.

Solar - and your photo! What a neat-looking man you are - and Judy looks so sweet and good and beautiful and capable You'd better behave yourself, I suspect.

Don1 and Solar - I know about passive solar and all that and am fascinated by it. What I was wondering about was the energy heat gives off, the sun's heat, not its rays. Cbob 'splained it to me in hhis post about the thermal tower, and I have new hope for our energy future. There are so many ideas and possibilities out there!

Solar - you mentioned solar insulation. 'Splain, please.
Several years ago out here there was some buzz re using raw wool from sheep as insulation, but have heard nothing more about it.

Cbob - after I sent my post last night, I got to thinking that maybe I had mis-understood some of your explanation and was talking like an idiot. I hope your comment means I wasn't too far gone.

Craig - my dad would have loved your story re Happy.
My dad was born in 1914 and grew up in St Louis so you can imagine the kind of baseball fan he was. He told me once that he had always wanted to go to the games of the old Negro League - I learned who Satchel Paige was at a very young age. He never went, tho, because he was afraid there would be trouble. I suspect he would have been safe, but he was ahamed of the racism of the day.

"White people killing white people. And we marvel at the "savage" Hutu and Tutsi carnage in Rwanda in our own times? Why? What's the diff? "

Lard!

You broke the code! That's why going to school is a lifelong task for professional soldiers--they realize that their services will continue to be needed and that their lives, and those of the people they lead, depend on their military prowess.

How many times in my lifetime have I seen some new guy come and say, in establishing his bonafides, that I'll add 17,000 more troops while we study the problem.

I happened to have the tube on CNBC the morning Rick Santelli , made his little declaration. I found it funny, that one of CNBC's talking heads, would deliver a declaration of sound economic thinking. I mean this is the network who has an anchor who trademarked the phrase " Money Honey ".
These are the people who never failed at their turn at the pipe when it was time to inflate a bubble, be it " Day Trading", "Dot Com Deals" , or "Oil Futures Feeding Frenzies".

It seems I'm not alone :

CNBC's Rick Santelli seems to have struck a chord, at least with my readers. Here is one email:

Santelli is a new joe the plumber.

http://www.usnews.com/blogs/capital-commerce/2009/02/21/rick-santelli-rant-america-rants-back.html

Patsi

Yep,
I take this new medicine in the morning, it causes my pancreas to produce more insulin. So my problems are in the morning when I get busy and don't pay attention. If there are no carbs for the insulin to work on my blood sugar drops. The medicine works the hardest starting about 2 hrs after I take it . that is when I've been having problems with low blood sugar.
So I'm wondering if the dosage is a little high.

BTW my doctor just gave me the medicine with no instruction, everything I've learned is from my own research. Gotta love the internet.

"My dad was born in 1914 and grew up in St Louis so you can imagine the kind of baseball fan he was."

Bethy, there's a _very_ old New Yorker cartoon, perhaps by Helen Hokinson, showing a lady opening her front door to a group of baseball players. As she is turning her head to speak to her husband, the caption reads, "Dear, were we expecting the Browns?"

Flatus

Still hanging on to that share of Berkshire hathaway?

Jack

If Rick Santelli had only reported the corrupt link between the 3 rating agencies, and the packaging of these economic turds blocking up the banking system , by the world's highest paid minds.
Maybe he can report on how all those folks at ACORN got Wall Street to do that ?

Flatus:

I suspect Obama's decision was based in large part on advice from people that have been studying the problem very carefully for a long time.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202477

The slight of hand,

Look over here, pay no attention to the other hand.

Jack

"Still hanging on to that share of Berkshire hathaway?"

Yes, Jack. I watched the trading yesterday. Very high volume in the A shares. Struck me as being a bottom. And, on a daily close basis, at a higher level than late last year.

The divergence in percentage loss between the A and B was also interesting. There's no reason beyond owner psychology why the percentage loss of the B shares was more than twice as great as the A shares.

Stupid as it sounds, my portfolio is above where it was when I bought that measly share. But, alas, not by much.

Warren

But which "people", is he listening to?

Also, what is the basic policy that is the driving force gehind his desicions.

Like Flatus I have seen several Presidents send troops first and the work out a policy or in the case of GWB never settle on a coherent policy.

Jack

Boo -
I like the idea of asking the question :
"Harnessing the power of the Shimmer"

It's right up there with Quantum Mechanics, for 40 years it was just too crazy , now we see into the human body because of it. It's crazy questions that put little vests on hamsters that generate electricity. Which paves the way for floors that make electricity, like at a super market for example. Image a floor that made the lighting run , because shopping carts are rolling across it ?

Santelli struck a chord alright.... sure by using a term Americans understand like "LOSER"...... to simplify the economic troubles in what appeared to be an uncontrolled temper tantrum, was irresponsible and totally unprofessional.

Wouldn't it be great for Santelli if all his neighbors defaulted, and his neighborhood became a haven for crack houses and hookers.....then maybe he'd be able to see past himself.

'I suspect Obama's decision was based in large part on advice from people that have been studying the problem very carefully for a long time."

Warren, people who have studied the problem very carefully for a long time read Kipling. I know none of those people who say adding to our commitment makes sense.

Quite simply, what stake do we have there beyond getting Osama?

“White House objects to ‘rant’ on housing”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29306391/

“Later, Gibbs acknowledged that “there will be people that made bad decisions that in some ways will get help,” but that they are not the focus. “I also think it’s tremendously important that for people who rant on cable television to be responsible and understand what it is they’re talking about,” he said.”

Regarding the cops shooting the chip comic: at least it didn't show the cops shooting the chimp in the back.....small miracles.

everyone have a nice evening.

~peace

“I also think it’s tremendously important that for people who rant on cable television to be responsible and understand what it is they’re talking about,”

What a novel concept.

Jack

"With all this energy I've started to notice all the half completed projects around the house." I hate that!

You're exactly right, UB -- and anybody who really believes that a few bad loans in the US caused a global meltdown is a moron. This is so much bigger and deeper...

Rez

In the modern world manufacturing can take place anywhere.

Where we may benefit is higher end, the creative developement part, such as engineering, and Leed architecture services, be exported. The only manufacturing that will be done here are ones that require technical expertise. Things haven't really changed the more training and the more education the more value you have in this modern world.

Jack

Calling what is happening in the US at present "Socialism" is absolutely laughable. Robert Owen did eventually try Socialism and it pretty well collapsed in colonies such as Amana, but early in the 1800s, he showed how an ethical centered Capitalism could be both profitable and humane:

"The village first rose to fame when Robert Owen was mill manager from 1800-1825. Owen transformed life in New Lanark with ideas and opportunities which were at least a hundred years ahead of their time. Child labour and corporal punishment were abolished, and villagers were provided with decent homes, schools and evening classes, free health care, and affordable food."

You can still see the mills at the New Lanark World Heritage Site

http://www.newlanark.org/attractions.shtml

Rez -

The world got a big jump on us, with our ideas. Take those heat tubes I've written about. The Germans and Chinese teamed up to perfect them, and to work out how to make a butt load of them. No American company makes them, but because it's in the building codes in many countries to use them, a market supports the huge Chinese base that makes them.

If we need to use them, so be it.
But as to making things, it's going on. One thing about these big turbines, it's cheaper to make them close to where they're going.
Solar flexable films are about to come on stream, plants to make that stuff haven't been built yet. This is going to lead places we can even imagine. That's why we hear it can't be done.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202445

In defense of Arnold, he can't really cut anything. He can propose a budget and he can sign a budget, but it is the Assembly and Senate who have to come up with one. All three entities are constrained by a hodge podge of laws they didn't create.

It is a state of great wealth and great poverty that suffers from unfunded Federal mandates, and a health care and educational system that is crumbling under the weight of a totally screwed tax base.

When you add that you have a geography meant to support about 15 million that currently has almost 35 million bodies, and you have problems that would make God cry.

I think Prop 13 for businesses ( locking in property taxes for business on the value of the property when they first buy it) is the big factor on regulating income isn't it Jamie?

I just took foreign policy up on their $19 online offer. After college I was a reader of it and foreign affairs. I was also a long time reader of Scientific American

Jack

Jack,

That is what is wrong with lots of Drs: ...."BTW my doctor just gave me the medicine with no instruction, everything I've learned is from my own research. Gotta love the internet.'

If you don't learn to properly balance, diet, exercise and medication, the medication can cause more harm than good.

If you have medicare, try to find a certified diabetes educator in your area. When I was a diabetes educator, Medicare was paying for diabetes education. It is also important that the educator is certified. Many Drs. and nurse really don't understand diabetes very well.

Carol

Rez -
Vestas is building the biggest tower manufacturing plant in North American at Pueblo , Colorado. The old steel town that used to make nails. You can go to school to learn about working on them at Tucumcari, New Mexico. Cable TV doesn't report it but the change is well under way.

Is it foreign policy that was bought by Washington Post? I wonder if that will change things.

I didn't know Pueblo did anything but oil and army.

Rez -
I found the turbine storage yard here , I'll go shoot you a clip. They come off the Rail Road here, and head south to that giant wind complex at Sweetwater, as fast as they can load them on low boys.

CBob, are you talking towers for wind turbines? A friend of mine used to sell power transmissions and gear sets for those, he'd be very interested.

don1one -
C.F. & I.
Colorado Fuel and Iron, the old plant stood along I-25 on the south side of town. My friends in Salida were limestone miners upon Monarch pass. Even back then ( 35 years ), they were down to half the year.

don1one -

Vestas is building, or expanding 2 other plants north of Denver. Brighton, and Greely ? One is a blade plant, and the other is a nachell plant ( Gear Box ).

It's no accident why Obama goes to Colorado.

Thanks. I grew up in Longmont, but we never traveled south of Colorado Springs much.

We used to say there was a pretty girl behind every tree in Ault, just west of Greeley. And not a tree in site.Those plains are a great place for wind turbines.

Aren't a lot of us indentured servants now? I spent some time unemployed after Cisco laid me off and I racked up some credit card debt which is now 28%. I have plenty of value in my house, but I can't get at it. So now most of my income just goes to Citibank.

I see little difference between what I do and the old factory town workers.

don1one -
This is where they used to mine the iron ore for C.F.&I.
I lived in the mountains where the sun is setting in this picture. The low spot on the right is Poncha Pass.

The Orient Mine was an iron mine that began operation in the mid 1800’s and was abandoned by 1938.

http://www.olt.org/programs/bats/bats.htm

Longmont -
I used to buy deer skins from the taxidermist at Longmont, when I was living in Estes Park. I bought them from the Jonas Brothers too - The giraffe on the converted church off the Boulder Turnpike

Beautiful Bob.
I've been to Del Norte a couple of times, and once over to Durango, but that's about it. I was hoping to have a telecommute job this summer and do some traveling there, it's been years since i've been back.

I first time I went in the Jonas Brothers they were mounting a rhino for the Dallas Natural History Museum. They took out the pews of the church, and put in 4 or 5 stations for taxidermy down each side of the space.

Really an amazing place.

I love Estes Park. Used to go hiking up in that area all of the time. Wild Basin was my favorite trail, 1 1/2 miles of cascading stream.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202516

don1one

There isn't . This is one of the reasons that Middle Class wages have remained stagnant or dropped. One man used to be able to support a family. Now almost all the women are at work and it is taking two people to support a family. With the latest economic down turn, the college students are staying home to work at McDonalds and granny isn't being sent off to the expensive old folks home.

Houses with three generations are becoming more and more common at lower income levels. IOW we are back to depression level family structures at lower income levels fast creeping into the Middle class.

Up until now, the US has been protected by not having had any wars on our territory in a long time, a healthy manufacturing base, widespread literacy, and lower population rates for the geography than the majority of the world. A world wide economy where anything can be manufactured anywhere is now showing us the fragility of that condition.

Jonas Brothers Studios History & Tradition

The year was 1908. The five Jonas Brothers, immigrants from Hungary, set foot in the United States. Utilizing their knowledge and skills of the taxidermy trade, 3 separate companies were started in the following years: Jonas Brothers of Seattle, Jonas Brothers of Denver and Jonas Brothers Studio of New York. History was in the making.

http://www.jonastaxidermy.com/

But back on the original discussion. Not all manufacturing will come from overseas because some companies like local control. My last job I had two local workers and two programmers in India working for me. While the programmers in India were fast, I had a heck of a time keeping them on track. I've also outsourced light manufacturing and had the same trouble.

Same with manufacturing. Colorado has fuel (shale oil and oil), resources (mining) smelting and fabricating, light manufacturing (both IBM and the old HP test and instruments divisions are there, and Longmont has really boomed) and educational and research centers (Colorado Shool of Mines, CU, NIST, NCAR, etc..).

This would enable a project to get online pretty quick from start to production.

Wild Basin off the Peak to Peak Highway on the way to Allen's Park.

http://www.americantransport.com/comp3.htm

"Because of its strategic location at the heart of the East Coast, Wilmington was chosen as the port of entry and the distribution center for the giant turbine blades, which are shipped from Brazil"

I agree 100% Jamie.

I'm lucky, I can work some extra hours and eventually get ahead, if my health holds. I'd sure like to see that national health plan.

If some of that wealth at the top doesn't break up and works its way down, I'd think conditions will continue to deteriorate. While I'm for capitalism, I'm not for the highway robbery of the Bush admin funneling money to their friends.

Funny how $billions going to illegal no-bid contracts was market forces and an earned income tax credit is socialism.

I keep thinking of the realtors in Florida I met or the Philipino couple that bought my house in California.

I hadn't heard of them Bob. I fish, but that's about it. Interesting work they show.

don1one -
Colorado has everything, but water. ( See Jamie's population rants )

And bringing Climate Change and Population together into one truly awful ball of horrible:

Climate Change could cause World War ... (how's that for a fun title)

http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20090221/AF.Climate.Stranded/

I hadn't heard about drought in Colorado. I would imagine the glaciers are disappearing there as well.

Jack -

The blades are nearly 122.5 ft. long, and weigh 20,000 lbs. each.

Glad I'm not driving those loads out of the port at Wilmington . I can't imagine trucking that stuff over east coast roads.

Jamie, isn't military war gaming about Global Warming how it came into being a public story in the first place?

http://www.grist.org/news/muck/2004/02/25/pentagoners/

I'm surprised they're not bringing them into Wilmington, NC. Maybe the cranes there aren't big enough, but it's a short ride down to Georgia then straight across.

Jack your last link was 5 years old. Maybe that's why the new tower plant at Pueblo is being built.
It's funny, the drop yard here , is just nose cones, and nachells. We never see the blades, or tower sections. I think this stuff is coming up from Houston.

Cbob

Yet , it seems they manage to move them, doesn't it ?

Your point about transportation is legitimate but technologies are being developed to over come it. One of the drivers to overcome the transportation problem is local manufacturing of the blades involve greater capital costs and greater labor costs.

Jack

don1one

It is amazing the things you learn by having a child who spent 20 years in the Army and who really, really loves strategy games. Add that to my own lifelong interest in history and it's amazing how often two plus two can add up to five. :-)

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202388

Solar, what a cute family... are the babies all the same age??? I assume you are the gray haired gentleman in the photo? And the young man is the Daddy of the babies? Who are the women? One is the momma? The other?

A very happy and loving family, congrats.

Hi ET,
When my brother was stationed in Amsterdam he'd visit Belgium, and I guess the saying was the Belgians worked so hard they were born with their sleeves rolled up.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202335

Short version timelapse of one of the PYCO 1 Megawatt Wind Turbines. The construction of this turbine took place from March 31st 2008 to April 4th 2008 in Lubbock Texas.

http://push.pickensplan.com/video/2187034:Video:247164

This is a great clip if you've never seen these things get put up.

Being a crane operator ain't a bad job these days. I gonna think there's a waiting list to book a crane.

Very cool Bob, thanks.

Every play I see going forward either means a big cultural change or very bad things happening Jamie. I try to not think about the bad things.

don, interesting. My ex works constantly... and I do believe the Belgians are hard workers. Of course nearly everyone gets a full month's vacation. And a large majority gets a 13th month salary as bonus. The Belgians, just like much of Western Europe, believe that you work in order to live. You do not live in order to work. Hard working yes, but society takes the notion of vacations as a necessary part of staying healthy.

Remembering that Belgium is a strange little country with two totally different sorts of people, each with their own regional television and radio stations, and newspapers. My sense is that the Walloons work much less than the Vlaamings. I am one of the people who live in the Flemish north and I pay 800 euro a year to benefit the Walloons.

Anyway, what my ex says was always the "saying" is ... A Flemish person is born with a brick in his stomach, because so many Flemish wanted (and still want) their own homes and property.

Off now, take care

"the Jonas Brothers they were mounting a rhino "

LMAO! C-Bob -- that line brought me up short! Those little perverts! And on Disney, too! (I've spent too much time in the music business...)

Cbob @ 9:55 : The world got a big jump on us, with our ideas. Take those heat tubes I've written about.

Cbob - are these the kind you told me about?

Also, my sister and I have come up with the perfect solution to Nadya's expensive future:

All expenses for those eight babies will be paid for by the doctors who implanted the embryos, until the chilren are 21.

I'm sure you appreciate my input. G'night.

patsi, yours is not the only twisted mind here this a.m.... my first reaction to cbob's post was same as yours.. and they were in a church to boot... how monty python like.

wonder if this will become the new "pirates" story and media distraction... more visuals and easier for them to understand than all the financial gloom and doom.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/feb/22/greek-terrorism-guerrilla-group

sorry, meant to also post the headline for that guardian article link:

"Death threat to Greek media as terrorists plot bomb havoc
The explosion at Citibank in Athens came without warning. Now a guerrilla splinter group is targeting police and journalists"

Digable Planets - Rebirth Of Slick (Cool Like Dat)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4JtI-g7rvw

^properly labeled

"and they were in a church to boot... how monty python like."

Ha! Exactly.

i had thought that maybe Bill was from White Plains......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11XnonLGilE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9K7mlpgUJ8&feature=related

los beatles on top of the morning gig.......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6tV11acSRk&feature=related

uno mas canta del sol...................

sturge, that lucky old sun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0D00sdzmkhk&feature=related

here's to the cc fish camp and fried baloney boys

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

John Mayer "Vultures"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aaf3epvPRxw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2_QRyslOA0

frank singing stevie.......

ASCAP and BMI just called about CC's Fishcamp Jukebox.......it seems fees have not been paid.........

I think they were just fishin' for information.

I told them to go take a long walk on a short dock.......

Did you tell them CC's Fishcamp Jukebox was the REEL deal? Maybe you could have offered them a bribe? You know, just see if they would take the bait?

not a good idea to mess with those guys......I mean, they'll hunt you down and stick a harpoon in ya.......so I just told them my name was Lardass Liberal........

then I quoted them some bible stuff......."Thy rod and thy reel shall comfort you."

Whatver floats their boat!

me and my buddy went to a fish camp oncet......we rented a boat and went out and caught a bunch of fish, so i said to my buddy we need to mark this place where all the fish are at......so he whips out his buck knife and carves an arrow on the side of the boat pointing down.......I told him, " you idjit.....how do you know we'll get the same boat tomorrow??"

that was the same guy i went into business with selling bales of hay......we bought the bales for 20 bucks a bale and took 'em around to places and sold them for 20 bucks a bale....we sold them all and discovered that we had made no money......so we're kicking around how to solve that problem and finally my buddy says......"I've got it......we need a bigger truck."

You may be off the hook, sturge. :)

6 September 2007

Youtube have agreed to pay royalties for songs used in videos on the site.

The deal with the four largest music publishers: EMI, Sony/ATV, Universal/BMG and Warner/Chappell will see the Youtube site being treated in a similar way to a radio station. Youtube will pay a flat fee (the amount of which is unknown) to licence more than ten million pieces of music, this will then be divided among the artists. On top of this the music publishers receive a share of the advertising revenue when Youtube carries their music.

This new announcement will be of comfort to individual users of Youtube who were worried about potential copyright actions against them and will be welcomed by the music industry as a new way to fill their pockets.

that's great......a hooked sturgeone is not a happy sturgeone......

Morning all,

I remember when I was a youngster and didn't have a care in the world about the news and what was going on in this country. It was at the time when in school we were practicing bomb drills and one of my childhood building projects was to build a bomb shelter in the backyard. It was just a couple of boards nailed together but it was a start.

It was at that time when I heard my parents say....."they say they will take this country down without a single bullet being fired"...I really don't know who they were at the time but do you think that may be what is finally happening now? Is our greed finally going to take this country down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0K_LZDXp0I

Ducks and Coverage.....a little civil defense warning.....i guess it evolved into Duct tape and Plastic......

Reminds me of that Laurel & Hardy short where they buy a boat to catch their own fish to sell for clear profit. The boat has a few leaks. Ollie says, "Now, all we have to do is find the leaks." "How do we do that?" asks Stan. "It's simple....you fill the boat with water." answers Ollie.

jack, be prepared to take that *snort* back re cuba. new report being released on easing restrictions.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/20/AR2009022003499.html

wait and see, oh mighty snorter...
today: visas and money
tomorrow: statehood

Mike Thomas hits Home Run…..

Mike is with Craig’s Hometown O-town Sentinel….

And I think on Craig’s facebook… Mike you sneaking peaks at the great Crawfordslist....??

Off to worship...

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/orl-loc-mike-thomas-economy-22022209feb22,0,7839078.story

This was a land of vast spaces and long silences, a desert land of red bluffs and brilliant flowering cactus. The hot sun poured down. This land belonged to the very old gods. They came on summer evenings, unseen, to rest their eyes and their hearts on the milky opal and smoky blue of the desert. For this was a land of enchantment, where gods walked in the cool of the evening.

---from LAND OF ENCHANTMENT memoirs of marian russel

along the santa fe trail

they're baaaaaacccckkkk and just when you tho't things couldn't get worse.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/914751.html

"It was at the time when in school we were practicing bomb drills and one of my childhood building projects was to build a bomb shelter in the backyard. It was just a couple of boards nailed together but it was a start. "

Ha -- Carol, I was the same way. Always planning ahead for the Big One. The Clutter family was killed less than 30 miles from us...since I knew the son, Kenyon, I was particularly freaked. I booby trapped my room at night, in case the "Clutter killers" stopped by our house.

patd -- Young Bush will run for something in Texas, play on his hispanic heritage, and win. And the Republicans have already started trying to whitewash the Bush years...unbelievable.

sunny

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2RRUVAD9Mc

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/22/us/politics/22budget.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

"Obama Has Plan to Slash Deficit, Despite Stimulus Bill"

"WASHINGTON — After a string of costly bailout and stimulus measures, President Obama will set a goal this week to cut the annual deficit at least in half by the end of his term, administration officials said. The reduction would come in large part through Iraq troop withdrawals and higher taxes on the wealthy."

Coffins’ Arrival From War Becomes an Issue Again

"Supporters of the ban say it protects families’ privacy and keeps the deaths from becoming politicized; critics say the government is trying to sanitize the wars and reduce public awareness of their human cost."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/22/us/22caskets.html?ref=todayspaper

Good Morning All. My favorite "sun" song AFTER the Beatles "Here Comes The Sun"

Cuando Calienta El Sol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQxaE3yCl_U

Do the fishcamps have playas? I could use one right now.

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/03/02/090302fa_fact_lizza?printable=true

"The Gatekeeper
Rahm Emanuel on the job."
by Ryan Lizza

"Obama’s decision to hire Emanuel says two things about his Presidency. First, like his decision to make Biden, an expert in foreign policy, his running mate, it shows that he is honest enough about what he doesn’t know to try to fill in the gaps in his own experience. There are people working for Obama who know as much as Emanuel does about the legislative process, and others who know as much as he does about running the White House, but there isn’t anybody who knows as much about both."

More Customers Give Up the Cellphone Contract

“In today’s economy, it’s not cool to pay $120 a month for a phone. It’s a waste of money.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/21/technology/21prepaid.html?em

Here's a shift that I can see growing.....another case of product (long cell contracts)no longer fitting the needs of most people.

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

"Clinton Urges China to Keep Buying Treasuries"

“We are truly going to rise or fall together,” Clinton said. “By continuing to support American treasury instruments, the Chinese are recognizing” that interconnection."

ain't no sunshine.... cloudy gloomy doomy...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIdIqbv7SPo&feature=related

climb up on my knee, Suni Boy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37i2ZZdyKeo

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202581

Statehood for Cuba only if they speak English like God intended of all Americans.
Make them all pass a test

In light of Holder's comments this week, it was interesting that one of my white inmates accused us of treating the black inmates better. I thought to myself well that's a first. He was requesting a special diet that we don't offer even though there are religious diets available, ie. for Muslims and Hindus.

My nurse, another white women, turned to me and said well I guess we are now seeing the Obama effect.

"Coffins’ Arrival From War Becomes an Issue Again"

I have despised this hiding of coffins coming home from the beginning. But I also think Obama is almost between a rock and a hard place here. If all of a sudden we start seeing coffin photos all over the news, then there is a certain disconnected type that will connect dead soldiers to Obama, not Bush, the war criminal.

Bush has left so much BS spread throughout the country, that Obama will have to do some fancy footwork for the next four to eight years. I don't see how it can be cleaned up even in two terms.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202597

Maybe the local spaniards in Norte California should have insisted that Fremont and his pals speak Spanish.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202600

Now , Jamie , that is just silly.
As God intended California to be part of greater America those folks should have already been speaking English. They were just thwarting Gods plan.

Jack

When are they going to make south carolinians speak english?

NYTimes article on trying to reclaim compensation packages paid out before the crash

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/22/business/22pay.html

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/02/obama-cannot-dodge-burris-mess.html#comment-202602

Jack, Strangely enough Kit Carson who was illiterate until well into adulthood spoke English, French, Spanish, several Indian dialects and Plains sign language.

Some of those old explorers stayed alive by learning the local lingo.

TMZ reports on leaked memo of Oscar winners: http://tinyurl.com/bzkj5j

The memo: http://tinyurl.com/dmekqt

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