Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

straw men tell no tales.........

if i only had a brain....

vilifying limbaugh only serves to raise his stature and
salary'' why '' politics ''pure politics
the whitehouse needs to get their priorities in order''
two wars halfway across the world'' the economy going
to hell in a hand basket and all they can talk about is
a radio talk show host ?

[sing to the tune of peter cottontail]

here comes craig c with out fail
bopping down the mixers' trail,
tulips popping, spring is on its way.

bringing all us girls and boys
dc tales of woes and joys,
flips and flops and rumors of the day.

(he's got goodies for the gopers, ping and jax to name a few, and kudos for the wordsmiths, corey, sturge and cbob too.)

there goes jamie, jack and lard
searching facts and thinking hard,
keeping all the nasty trolls away.

and here are sea and solar too
working best at what they do
getting chlo and tony to come play.

(they've got flatus in an uproar, pogo, div and et too. and don't forge the rest of us, especially bethyboo.)

oh here we are with mouse in hand
tracking pols across the land
hippity hopping, hoping spring will stay.

forgive me, gene autry, for i know not what i do.

had there only been more holidays, old gene would have owned everything in california.............

Craig – Good Video – and good use of language….

Yes, The Dem’s have been rushing to try to help define the indefinable Rep’s. My favorite is the use of half of a clip – edit – edit – to make sure that the true meaning of a message is out of context and paints a negative picture. Like the hope that Obama fails - which if you do not want higher taxes and everything controlled by the government - and want to trust in the people - then you would agree.

Your use of corpulent documentarian is creative but only one of these two words is correct for M Moore. He is no documentarian – He is just a less creative Woody Allen – trying to entertain and make a strawman movie with his Sicko mind – which he is not full of facts but full of BS and as his name implies –he has moore of it – and certainly full of it.

Rush Limbaugh is too the Republican Fascist Party what ...

Joseph Goebbels was to Hitler's Germany.

Just replace the words liberal\liberals, democrat\democratic with the word Jew\Jew's and you have the same rhetoric from Limbaugh that was spewed by Goebbels.

The same racist, bigotry, hate mongering and fear mongering that allowed many Germans to believe what was said about the Jews to be true.

This allowed Hitler to do what he did to them and led to the destruction of Germany and many deaths.

You would think they would learn.

During the Clinton years they tried to push the notion that 3,000 teenagers started smoking everyday. When asked where they obtained their data to support the president's statement, they referred to an article from JAMA. This was before the "blue dress", and everyone pretty much accepted what the then new president said was truthful. Problem was the article never said that. Now we have President Obama saying, “The cost of health care now causes a bankruptcy in America every thirty seconds" .

Although the news media never called out Clinton for his misinterpretation of the facts, President Obama is being called out by some in the news media.
http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenumbers/2009/03/medical-bankrup.html

Why do politicians believe they have to spin the truth to present their point? Why not just tell it like it is?

Using Rush as a straw man is brilliant. Obama got nothing from the House Reps for meeting with them. Now, he has defined them as being Dittoheads, unless they do something to differentiate themselves. That puts them in a bad, bad place.

before anyone reports me to the rules police, there were only 145 words in

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207217

and it was in keeping with the subject, spring.
and as pogo would say "neiner, neiner" :)

Why not just tell it like it is?

because there are an infinite number of "it is's" ?

"Rush Limbaugh is too the Republican Fascist Party what ...

Joseph Goebbels was to Hitler's Germany."

I see someone didn't read Craig's post of yesterday;
"TOP TEN WAYS TO BE A BETTER COMMENTER".

"Why not just tell it like it is?

because there are an infinite number of "it is's" ?"

sturge nominated for best comment

Posted by: TruthinReality | March 6, 2009 7:13 AM

Public figure. Fair game.

Rush Limbaugh has never claimed to be a Republican, he proudly claims, "I am a Conservative". There is a major difference between Conservative Rush Limbaugh and Republican Olympia Snowe.

He votes Republican, only because they come as close to his own political philosophy.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/06/washington/06movie.html?th&emc=th

"Documentary on Clinton Tests Campaign Finance Law"

“Hillary: The Movie,” released last year in the thick of the Democratic presidential primary season, is a fine example of the genre. There are ripe voice-overs, shadowy re-enactments and spooky mood music. There is, inevitably, Ann Coulter. Asked to say something nice about Mrs. Clinton, Ms. Coulter responds, “Looks good in a pantsuit.”

Isn't that what Anne Coulter says? "I'm a conservative, not a Republican." You don't hear many liberals saying, "I'm a Liberal, not a Democrat." Good video, Craig. Although the beautiful wood floor was distracting. LOL!

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207217

patd
You brought a smile to my face,the first one of the day! Thank you for cheery work.....

peter trailmix tail probably moves straight into the "weird stuff" column as it stands......lol

http://buchanan.org/blog/

PJB: Afghanistan South

Oh boy here's ole Pat B's take on Mexico.....

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207217

Patd.... You Rock

8:15 AM Government unemployment report. Another bad ahead. The talk about Rush will quickly fade after today.

If the stock market is a forward looking vehicle, 6 to 9 months, a peek into the future of things to come, if true we should expect a DOW of 5000 and unemployment over 10%.

President Obama, for whatever reasons, has decide he would use a shotgun approach to solve the nations woes, instead of focusing all his attention on the nation's 2 major problem, housing and banks.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207224

Strawman as pointed out in Craig's video are getting lots of play

Mr D' There is a big difference from a showing up and drinking afternoon tea with the camera's which is what Pres Obama has done so well - to true dialogue and discussion of the other's interest.

It has gotten great play but it is False that any real attempt was made to work compromise. And Barack is pushing for the Obamanation - which sadly we are seeing.

But hey - Who has the power? Go for it.. Come on Barack MAN UP and just be truthful of your intent !

Stop playing hard and fast with the Spin Spin

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/06/opinion/06krugman.html?ref=todayspaperTags

"The Big Dither"

Here's Krugman....

Anybody got a match?
-the wicked witch of the west

At this point, is it safe to assume that they are all crooks and we were never the richest nation in the world?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090306/ap_on_bi_ge/kb_home_backdating

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207237

TruthiReality come now you give Obama to much credit !!

Yes his biggest problem which is now ours is his lack of focus on what is needed. Barack and the new governement has failed our country.

It is not a shot gun - it is a Machine gun that is knocking down targets all over the map. But yet to kill the housing and bank monsters that are just going to keep rising up - but soon he will be out of bullets. The sad next scene in this moving is going to hurt.

Patd, that was a real hoot!

Can't begin to think about strawmen and haystacks without having this rhyme come to mind:
http://tinyurl.com/dy8hah

The United States Is In Deep Doodoo!

The following article was first written in 1998.

——————————————————————————–

Imagine for a moment that someone inherits a farm. Let’s say that the farm has good topsoil, a good well, good breeding stock, good seed, and excellent farm equipment in good repair. Prior to passing into the control of the present owner the farm did a good business selling vegetables, meat, and dairy products to the local market, and it made a small profit. But let us suppose for a moment that the present owner of the farm doesn’t understand farming, or isn’t even really interested in learning. The present owner has no objection to standing around looking good, so he stays at the farm, standing in front of it, looking good to passers by. Of course, the bills still come in, so our farmer puts them on his credit card. When that bill comes due he uses another credit card, Then another. Pretty soon the interest payments alone are higher than his bills and the banks get nervous and call him. No problem. Our farmer sells the tractor, takes the money around to the various credit cards, the food store, the utilities, and pays off all his bills. Then he stands around in front of the farm looking good to passers-by, the lord of his domain.
Well, the bills still come in. Again the credit cards get loaded up. So, this time our farmer sells the harvester. Then later on, the cattle, then the chickens, then the seeds, then he leases the well to his neighbor and finally sells the top soil from his farm to another farm down the road whose soil is getting tired. The cash is taken around to the various creditors, the food store, the utilities, etc.

Now at this point, our farmer thinks everything is okay. The bills are paid, he has a little cash in his pocket, and everything is fine.

Of course, you know better. The farm simply does not exist any more; it’s just an empty lot with a few buildings, and soon they will be gone as well. The path from the farmer’s present condition to seizure of the property for unpaid taxes is a foregone conclusion, even if the farmer doesn’t look far enough ahead to see it.

Poor, dumb, stupid farmer.

That farmer is our government, and our business leaders.

http://whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTICLES/ARTICLE2/doodoo.html?q=ARTICLE2/doodoo.html

(I would state that we have finally found our Ruby Slippers, exposed the Wizards of Oz and are wisely getting off the Yellow Brick Road!)

morning.

MD,

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207224

Right on, brudda.

mqw, Obama put into place policies re: the two wars your nitwit president screwed up righteously (why is the tunen ot "Onward Christian Soldiers" looping in the ackground?) that your nitwit should have put into place at least 4 years ago when it was clear that the 2 wars were CFs with no plans to win or get out. Steele put Rush into the national political dialogue at the Dino Neocon conference last week - not the WH. But now we know who the head of your party is thanks to the internal war those two engaged in, so the WH's political guys get to play in that sandbox. Yeah, politics is the name of the game, isn't it? And name one area that Obama is not moving aggressively to try and correct the FUBARs left behind by Bush, THEN you can complain about politics being played.

Ping, same thing to you. Obama may not be moving in the direction you want to see, but he is indeed moving on the issues that Dumya left behind when his administration went walkabout for its last year to try and recast history into some sort of legacy (the bailout being the only notable exception - and it was done in the typical Bush incompetence squared manner).

Off to my - not taking Stimulus Recovery Dollars - thanks to good management - but looking for the Trickle over effect - Free Market - Capitalistic - innovation that can solve problems world

Best to all

Why are people surprised when a person who has always thought, wrote, spoke and embraced a socialistic form of big government, pursues those same ideals after they are elected to office even though their words take on an air of being more centrist.

It is not responsible to believe that such a person would abandoned their life long cherished hopes and beliefs come a certain day in January. We place way to much meaningless expectation to their words, only to find ourselves so completley dumbfounded by their actions.

From the list of Informal Fallacies: "Straw Person - creates an effigy; consists of altering a position so that the new version is easier to attack than the original; or of setting up a position to attack so that one's alternative position will appear stronger by comparison...may force opponent to defend a position they didn't really take."

Aren't both sides guilty of this in the current argument?

pat, I never said neiner, neiner - I think maybe Jack did.

Truth, in our two party system, Rush is a Republican - as you said, he votes republican (assuming he votes); Repugs can't back away from him. Nice try, though.

U.S. February payrolls fall 651,000; jobless rate 8.1 percent.

Devastating!

Patd- That's marvelous! Sure hope that makes the weird stuff file.

Nothing quite like waking to Morning Joe and puerile pretty perky Peggums pontificating. I may skip breakfast.

Has anyone considered that the problem with staffing treasury may be what Olbermann keeps saying about this turning into "Why Daddy Went To Jail". After a decade of raiding the wealth of a nation, there may not be too many people at that level left who don't belong behind bars.

The time involved may not be dithering, but rather Obama waiting for Diogenes to return with a hiring recommendation.

Repugs can't back away from him.

Reply: Michael Moore.

Hope everyone adheres to and practices Craig's, "TOP TEN WAYS TO BE A BETTER COMMENTER".

Off to coffeeshop.

Truth, Michael Moore may be a Democrat, but he doesn't even pretend to be the leader of the party or to tell the de jure leader of the party how to do his job. He isn't totally irrelevant in the party, but neither does he shape its policy. Therein lies the difference.

"Hope everyone adheres to and practices Craig's, "TOP TEN WAYS TO BE A BETTER COMMENTER".

Known to me as the 'Trail Mix Ten Commandments'.

Craig, Liked that video. Games people play. Whatever it takes to rally up the troops, I guess.

"the beautiful wood floor was distracting."
Yes Corey, I agree. Nice stairway too.
............

"Disappointed by the fruitless efforts he'd made to get the grapes that day, he said, with a shrug, to comfort himself, 'Oh, they were probably sour anyway!' "

Great story Champ.
That's what I like to do. It's my way of saying, it all worked out for the best anyway (regardless). I bookmarked that site. Thanks.
http://www.storyarts.org/library/aesops/stories/sour.html

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207217
"there goes jamie, jack and lard
searching facts and thinking hard,"

Pat, I absolutely love your poem. How do you do it? And so early in the morning!

I'm sitting here enjoying my favorite sound track, drinking coffee, eating shortbread cookies, and being entertained by the best and most talented. Thanks!

Here's the NYT on the jobs report.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/07/business/economy/07jobs.html?_r=1&hp

Note the upward revision of the december and january figures - that puts job creation during the Bush years at a negative number. And remember that jobless figures don't reflect full to part time reductions - which are common. And they also don't reflect the falling productivity figures that were released earlier this week. Legacy.

On another, sadder, note, it appears that time has taken a heavy toll on GHWB of late, even aside from Barbara's heart problems. That's one thing I don't like about the pervasive media - it destroys the images I have of folks who I wish could have a more private decline.

Krugman seems to think the plan " — isn’t going to fly

The Big Dither
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/06/opinion/06krugman.html?_r=2

this guy from the Nation has a great description of Rushbo

"Da Fatso Head of the Republican Party"
http://nationdiscussion.ning.com/profile/MaxEntropy

More downward revisions of Bush era losses -

http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/

Maybe I'm missing something, but I am not finding anything that was reported honestly while Bush was still in office.

Pogo
Goopers are the embodiment of the "Big Lie Technique"

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/contractors-strike-back-by-dday-looks.html

A great post on cutting the waste in government. Gee, Defatso doesn't have anything to say about this.

patd

Thank you for the honorable mention in your morning poem. That production was wonderful.

Chloe. I'm afraid Krugman is right. The best upfront idea I heard was to take all the toxic waste and sequester it in a "bad bank" and then shore up the good banks that were left standing.

A lot of very wealthy people would have ceased to be wealthy even on paper as that bad debt was nationalized and some big institutions would have crashed, but you can't clean up a toxic spill until you get the crud coralled.

The majority of people with money in any of those entities would have had their assets protected by the FDIC insurance.

KC, yeah, I know - it's just that Dumya raised the practice to an art form, and try as I might, I can't cease to be amazed as more and more evidence of the degree to which it was taken emerges.

One of the problems with letting the banks fail is the FDIC does not have enough to cover all the deposits so more money would have to be printed one way or another.

I was looking for a state by state breakdown of unemployment, and didn't really find what I was looking for, but ran across this (from mid February, so most have probably already seen it. but not me.)

State-by-State Breakdown of the Economic Stimulus Plan?
http://www.propublica.org/article/state-by-state-breakdown-of-the-economic-stimulus-plan-090217

Also, for some reason I've been thinking about 'The Big Sort' that some of us discussed during the primary. The necessity for our new rules, and everything else that's happening, and has already happened, brought it to mind. I've never read the book, but may.

A Tyranny of True Believers
"What Arthur Schlesinger Jr. called "the vital center" is being slowly disenfranchised. Party "bases" become more important than their numbers justify. Passionate partisans dislike compromise and consensus. They want to demolish the other side. Whether from left or right, the danger is a tyranny of true believers."
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/08/a_tyranny_of_true_believers.html

No surprise in Paul Krugman's column today.

Paul Krugman has been an advocate for nationalizing the banks (temporarily or not)----however, to date, Treasury Secy Geithner has maintained that it is the "wrong strategy for the country" & that it is not necessary.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207274

KGC

Shoring up the FDIC as necessary would at least have protected the majority of the people who had no hand in the bad investment actions of their bank.

The way it has been done all that money in at the top may mean that even more money will still have to go in at the bottom, and in the long run it is the American tax payer who is going to get hit with both bills.

This is another example of why "trickle down" never trickles.

"FDIC does not have enough to cover all the deposits so more money would have to be printed one way or another."

Katherine, I am the first to admit I don't have a good enough understanding of all of this. But in covering those deposits, wouldn't it at least mean that the right people were getting the money? Rather than risking mishandling of it by others.

And ironically enough, Truth, here's Michael Moore hisself with a different perspective than mine on the differences between him and Rush - the lead banner at Huffpo this morning.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-moore/why-im-not-now-and-have-n_b_172410.html

Coreen
to put it another way

Shitpile: Actually Really Shitty

As Krugman explains, someone really needs to sit Geithner down and explain to him that all those pieces of shitpile are indeed really shitty. This fantasy of undervalued assets is just a fantasy.

Here’s how the pattern works: first, administration officials, usually speaking off the record, float a plan for rescuing the banks in the press. This trial balloon is quickly shot down by informed commentators.

Then, a few weeks later, the administration floats a new plan. This plan is, however, just a thinly disguised version of the previous plan, a fact quickly realized by all concerned. And the cycle starts again.

Why do officials keep offering plans that nobody else finds credible? Because somehow, top officials in the Obama administration and at the Federal Reserve have convinced themselves that troubled assets, often referred to these days as “toxic waste,” are really worth much more than anyone is actually willing to pay for them — and that if these assets were properly priced, all our troubles would go away.
http://www.eschatonblog.com/2009/03/shitpile-actually-really-shitty.html

chloe, comin' atcha with those state figures.

http://www.bls.gov/lau/

BLS is the place to be for employment figures - more than you'd ever want to know. Muck about for a bit and you cna find all sorts of interesting stuff. :-)

KGC

Or maybe it simply is "Obama Rules"

By the way I'm sure you already saw that the House voted to permit bankruptcy judges to modify loan terms (thankfully)---now it remains to be seen if the Senate will do so----only if that happens will I feel that the little guy wins one (remember that was a campaign promise made by Pres. Obama)

I think one key difference with the comparison between Michael Moore and Rush Limbaugh is that when the Republicans were trying to taint the Democrats with Moore there was no leadership crisis in the party. They may have tried to prop up Moore as a stand-in for the Democrat's ideological agenda, but there was no free-for-all battle for control of the Democratic party like you see happening right now with the Republicans. Also, Rush Limbaugh has a lot more practical power in the party than Moore had with Democrats.

Thanks pogo.
I was there, but didn't go far enough down the page to see the type of chart I was wanting to look at. But there was one down a ways. Looks like Michigan and Rhode Island have been hit the hardest. Followed by California. (Nevada surprised me).
http://www.bls.gov/web/lauhsthl.htm

The TARP legislation permits the FDIC to borrow from treasury as needed.

Coreen
Hopefully the senate will prance and posture but pass the measure.

from my new favorite guy at harvard, niall ferguson, a very different approach to the current mess. know it's dated january, but still has merit (for historical value alone).

"Financially, 2008 has been an annus horribilis. The answer may be to make 2009 a true jubilee year."

http://www.niallferguson.com/site/FERG/Templates/ArticleItem.aspx?pageid=200

"Rush Limbaugh has a lot more practical power in the party than Moore "

Yes. More consistency, more organization, more influence.

I forgot to mention his big, fat mouth.

kc, that's just Geithner being stuck in conventional wisdom from the financial world. It's what makes investment consultants tell you to leave your money where you have it, focus on the long term, don't get nervous about stock market swings (even if the value of your indexed in fact or effect 401(k) is half what it was 14 months ago).

that never shuts.

Politico is reporting that Newt is considering a run:

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0309/Newt_mulls_a_run.html

All I can say is: run, Newt, run!

Craig. I didn't break a rule, did I. Am I allowed to be rude to Rush Limbaugh?

Pogo
Conventional wisdom isn't going to cut it for these problems
I like patd's link...forgive all the debts and move on...

"..."Financially, 2008 has been an annus horribilis. The answer may be to make 2009 a true jubilee year."

http://www.niallferguson.com/site/FERG/Templates/ArticleItem.aspx?pageid=200 "

good morning gang...

it's sleeting up here today.... Rick has decided not to ski and will accompany me to the hot tub and pool later today....

it's our last full day of vacation up here.... it's been fun.... but I will admit I really miss my cats.....

Hi Renee,
Enjoy your last day. Then rush home to your kitties. :)

I don't know - I think Rush and Moore occupy the extreme ends of the political spectrum. The difference is that their respective parties consider them differently. It seems to me the Repugs look to Rush to define their party and take his criticism as evidence of their failure to achieve conservative purity where the Dems see Moore as one voice to listen to. IN other words, Moore is A voice in the Dem party - Rush id THE voice of the Repugs.

pogo: yes

KC, I completely agree with you - conventional wisdom is out the window. I quit listening to the guys around here who spout it and have moved my retirement stuff to protect what would otherwise have evaporated. I sleep better.

PU, good catch - that was directed to you, but I forgot to pu it so.

Craig.... LOVE the video!.... Rick watched it and he loved it too....

I think the main problem with housing is that the general public has been led to believe that owning a house is A. the American Dream.... and B. usually your largest "asset".....

as was pointed out in the "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" series... an asset is something which makes you money.... something that costs you money is a debit.....

sometimes housing can be an asset.... but for most of us it will be a debit.... it will cost you money to live in it.... and to look at what it's worth is "on paper"....
paper isn't worth very much.... and things can be erased and rewritten on it....

as for making Rush the strawman..... HA!...
payback is a beeeeeitch.... take that GOPP!

"Dems see Moore as one voice to listen to"

That's true.
But it is nice to have someone that speaks to the issues that we think are important. He doesn't define the party. But he is on the side of the people. The common guy. Wants what good for everyone, not just a few.

Don't think he thinks too kindly toward any politicians or our government.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207274

Chloe,

Nevada got hit hard because of the housing boom. Californians have been fleeing the state for more than a decade. Their natural inclination has been the other sunbelt states of Arizona and Nevada with Oregon and Washington not far behind.

Nevada overbuilt with constantly increasing prices expecting a never ending flow of golden state refugees. When the housing bubble burst, Nevada crashed as well.

"...forgive all the debts and move on..."

kgc, and just think what fun it would be to watch those orthodox, biblical infalliability fundamentalists among us handle such a suggestion.

it's all just manipulated numbers in the air anyway.... clap those hands, believe in faeries and tinkerbell will not die.

"Nevada got hit hard because of the housing boom. Californians have been fleeing the state for more than a decade."

Jamie, You'd be surprised how many of those Californians have ended up here to. (and we were at the front of the pack, 16 years ago).

Thanks for the explanation on Nevada. That makes sense. I'm also not sure about their tourism at this point. We used to make regular trips to Las Vegas a few times a year, when we lived in Southern California.

chloe, absolutely. Moore's voice adds to the conversation, notwithstanding the conservative repulsion to him and what he says.

And just when you think there's really nothing the Repugs could do to make you laugh - again -

http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/NEWTGATER05_20090305-193603/222878/

- up pipes Gingrich. He should consider running with Rush as his VP - make it the FF ticket. hahahahahah

"believe in faeries and tinkerbell will not die."

Patd, Long live Tinkerbell!

I agree with Pof U..... run, Newtie, run!

Chloe.... don't them animals just worm their way into your heart.... sometimes I think about the freedom we would have if we didn't have them.... but I could never live without animals in my life....

"He should consider running with Rush as his VP"

I know you're kidding, but even the thought of that is scary.

"don't them animals just worm their way into your heart"

Yes Renee. Except at this point, my heart is an open door. They just walk right in, no 'worming in' required. :)

There was a time I didn't have pets. But now I can't imagine.

chloe, here's one that WILL open.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/feb/20/tourism-industry-can-close-book-dismal-08-figures/

and chloe, check out the "most read" buttons on the right hand side of the page.

Pogo, It won't open for me either. But what you say about tourism makes sense. People are cutting back, and I can't imagine there are as many, as there used to be, that want to gamble away there money. In the old days, it was a good place to go for cheap luxury and good food, and service that was beyond belief. The hotels were beautiful. I imagine things have changed somewhat.

OK here's a chance to confront Rush Limbaugh

Seems the DNC plans to post the winning slogan from their "Send Rush a message" campaign on a billboard near his Palm Beach home. (Sun Sentinel.com)

http://lynnsamuels.com/

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207307

Chloe, I used to semi jokingly propose a California law: "If your parents weren't in California before 1965, go away."

MG Pogo,
You're right!

That right side tells a story, with just the headlines.
# Report: 58.2 percent of Las Vegas homes have negative equity
# Riviera gets notice of technical default; stock tumbles
# Harrah’s announces plan to reduce debt burden
# Moody’s: Fontainebleau could default on debt

.... guess it's time for some reorganization in that town too.
This all feels like it happened so fast. But I guess I just wasn't aware.

http://lynnsamuels.com/

Coreen

Laws prevent printing most of the suggestions.

Hey, if you go to NYT.com and look at the graphic that is front and center, you can get the unemployment figures with additions that need to be there to make the number transparent - those off the roles who have quit looking, those who are part time but want full time work, those on the roles for more than 15 weeks. It gives a better sense of what we're really dealing with employment wise.

The seven week old love of my life is waking up.
Have a great day everyone.
I will check in later, and hopefully become more 'aware'.
Thanks.

minor point of accounting
"something that costs you money is a [liability]"

:)

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207322

Chloe, The tourism figures are the other piece of the problem. When you build showrooms capable of holding thousands of people every night of the week and the people don't come, that is a lot of debt burden.

The show rooms were always a loss leader as were the hotel room prices and cheap buffets. The idea was to cover those costs with gambling. Unfortunately, they then geared the advertising to attract huge numbers of people to fill the loss leader not the tables that paid for it all.

It takes a lot of pennies in the slot machine to pay the bills for a star name showroom. That led to another trend of the "revues" with all the low paid semi nude bodies. A lot cheaper but not the attraction of a star.

Vegas just has never been able to make up its mind as to whether it was a family vacation spot or a place for sophisticated swingers.

false alarm (temporarily), so peeking back in.

Jamie, Yes, I agree. The tourism problem is a major part of the problem.

Those people there depend on tourism. That's how many, maybe even most, make their money. Hence, the devaluation of housing as people leave. I realize that everything is interconnected. And not just in Vegas, but everywhere.

Also, I agree with what you said about Vegas not being able to make up it's mind about being a family vacation spot or for sophisticated swingers. But I believe they were successful in both ways, at least at one time. They had it all, as far as I'm concerned. We loved it. With or without the kids. I have great memories of our trips there. Great memories in California too. It was a wonderful place to bring up kids back then.

"something that costs you money is a [liability]"

... tell me about it. :)

A big problem for Las Vegas is the cutting back of lavish business junkets and meetings--

AC.... yes... it is a liability.... thanks for the correction....

Jamie.... Rick took me to Vegas for my 50th BD 4 yrs ago.... we stayed at The Green Valley Ranch in Henderson.... we don't gamble.... to us it's boring....
I did try the quarter slots one night to see how long the ten one dollar bills in my pocket would last.... it took about 20 minutes to blow through.... we didn't gamble a penny more..... mostly enjoyed the food and shows.... rented a car and greatly enjoyed the red rocks surrounding Vegas.... best part of the trip....

we travel quite a bit and have always gotten a follow up notice in any hotel we've stayed at asking us to consider coming back.... The Green Valley Ranch was the only place that didn't do this.... we don't gamble.... they don't care if we come back..... oh well..

jamie, I think Vegas is like any other resort town - it's a bunch of businessfolk who are looking for demographics. As a result, there is something for everyone, but there's no real coordination of efforts - of course the businessfolk are competitors, so you wouldn't really expect it.

We went to a seminar that was put on at the Bellagio year before last, and we took LP. The pool was almost literally the only thing for LP at that hotel - but by walking to the other resorts within a 10 minute or so walk, we could find plenty of stuff for him to do - New York was the best one we went to for him. Take a cab or the car and drive 10 minutes, and the world was his oyster. We don't gamble so none of the places got any money from us to cover the cost of the entertainment, but you have to pay normal old admission prices to see the shows now. There may be a few that don't have an expensive ticket, but they certainly didn't jump out at us.

And if you think things are bad in Vegas---just consider
the plight of those poor home-owners in Augusta, GA who can not find any takers to rent their homes for the upcoming Masters Golf Tournament in April.

"Watching golf's Masters gets cheaper as rentals drop."

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=aKtPoKTO.VCQ&refer=amsports

i wouldn't even begin to know what channel or
time limbaugh comes on the radio everyday'
never listened to him never will' personally don't
know anybody who does''now we know where
he gets a lot of his audience'' from the liberal side of the country hanging on to his every word'
why should the whitehouse waste one minute bringing
up individual people ''' limbaugh 'santini' cramer ?
their responsibility should be to the other 300 million
of us

Good Salon article on timid liberalism with some historic content about when even Republicans believed in government action in the public sector

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2009/03/06/neoliberalism/?source=newsletter

KGC....
Rick was suppose to go to an HP convention in Vegas last week..... it got canceled months ago and the convention took place virtually....

it's funny here in NH.... house prices have dropped... but just a bit... we were looking at buying a 2 bedroom condo here for $180,000 a few years ago..... today, that same condo is going for $165,000.... a drop, but not enough, IMO.....

(can't tell you how thankful I am that we never pulled that trigger.... keeping your debts to a low level is key, IMO)....

Oldseahag, thanks for the link to Neptune and the offer, certainly appreciate it. I'll check it out.
I am curious however, if you ever ship chocolate product to Europe? Not critical for me to know but a curiosity as I am thinking of something in that category.
Good mid-morning all--going out for potato seeds in a little while therefore have a nice day if you can.
You've been bussy Chloe.

RR
Not too mention the famous Wells Fargo junket...
Wine country tourism is off somewhat but not a lot. People from SF and the Silicon Valley area may be putting off more elaborate trips but are still willing to drive up here. I noticed Charlie Palmers Pig and Pinot event is completely sold out --and not cheap!

Rez, good to see ya. Where you been? Yeah, you're in good company re: Rush. Franken was right a dozen years ago and he's still right.

mqw, because it's politics and it's not a zero sum game. Carter showed what hapens when you try to rise above it - Obama isn't likely to make the same mistake. No politician who's held the office for 2 terms has ignored that side of the equation - at least not since Eisenhower. Doesn't mean that the work isn't getting done, or at least worked at. And this latest stuff didn't come from his radio show - it was all over the networks. No need to listen to the fathead on the radio to catch it.

lunch

Patd,
Thanks for bringing a little sunshine into my day.

pong,
There you go making michael moore a straw man. moore's a documentarian in the same way that rush is a patriot.

AC, Ah'm gonna keep you away from my books. :)

KGC.... that's what's so weird with all this talk of "depression".... my MIL and I went to a jewelry shop yesterday that's been here for years.... I asked the owner how business has been going so far this ski season.... she told us that surprisingly to her, it's been great.... she said she's sold very well during school vacations and the weekends....

we asked the same question to the waitress at the restaurant we went to.... she said they same thing....

apparently.... people are coming up here to the White Mts of NH to ski.... it seems that New Englanders are staying in NE to ski this year instead of going out west or overseas....

and skiing has gotten expensive in the last few years....
the area across the street is Loon Mt..... a few yrs ago it cost $35 a day for a lift ticket.... it's now $75...

Renee, actually, you're trading one asset (money) for another asset (stuff).

1. While I was out searching for provender, I saw that the Satanic Pioneer Press, put rush's 'challenge' on the front page above the fold yesterday. The Satanic Pioneer Press was once a respectable newspaper. If this is the depth to which the fish wrap industry has fallen, who cares if they go under ?

2. Obama should hold out for a higher class of comedian to be his opponent. Like Robin Williams, Carol Burnet, or Chuckles the Clown.

to all who said such nice things about today's little spring ditty

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiNMz_745vQ

please feel free to add verses. sorry i could not include more tm family members....

thank you pogo
exactly my point its politics 'two wars '' banking industry
in shambles' 8 percent umemployment' industrial
america isn't making anything that the world will buy
anymore'''
what is the solution ? play politics
what ''has pres obama started his 2012 campaign already ''' he has a history of being a better candidate
than a office holder

I never get to listen to Imus. Ree pointed out that Imus Truth put up the entire podcast of the program. He even talks about raccoons and wild turkey's. And it's good to see that Imus is as opinionated as ever. And funny.
http://www.wabcradio.com/Article.asp?id=1196920&spid=22807

I thought Bin Laden was the ultimate straw man....

I should have mentioned it's the day Craig was on Imus.

well.... Rick and I are going out to lunch now....
it's been fun.... I haven't had this much time to spend blogging in a long time....

everyone have a great afternoon!

Auditors find $295 B!LL!ON in Pentagon Contract overruns. When we recoup this Rushbooblican waste fraud and abuse, and 'Presidential Finding" all the Rushbooblican earmarks, the total cost of the stimulus package will be only $487 B!LL!ON ! Then take off the tax breaks, and the stimulus is an easily assimilable $237 B!LL!ON, or about what the bushcheney crime family squandered annually on their Iraq Fiasco re-election tool.

During the Democratic primaries --poor ole Bill Clinton was the strawman..

The strawman argument only works because the media likes sensationalism and an argument that takes no work to write

It is a gorgeous, sunny day in the Willamette Valley.

I had a dental appointment this morning and commented how quiet the office was..I was told that everyone has accepted fewer work hours so nobody would be laid off..it seems that a growing number of patients are losing their dental insurance due to the economy..

Hi SolarCrete,

U ask how I am. Fat. I'm beginning to look a lot like limbaugh. (Hmmm. I'll bet Whskyjack could put that to a Xmas jingle.) Anywhat, I hope that all is fertile, prosperity-inducing, yet low-cal, high fiber, and crispy out where you are.

What's the skinny over there ? Will "Bad As I Can Be" Rod, the Rodman, Blagojevich run for governor again ? Will Ryan be his opponent ? Uh, make that any crooked Illinois Rushbooblican named Ryan, I ain't so picky. Anywho, can the Man 3pete ?

PATD, that was quite a ditty you wrote, now immortalized in WEIRD STUFF:
http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/trail-mix-stuff.html

champ,

Thanks for permission to use your American roadkill witticism.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207354

Legal notice:

No human beings actually died in the production of this video :-)

Let's make rush our wickerman.

mqw -

RE: Kiva
They and most other micro lenders don't generally loan to men. Experience has taught them that women do a much better job of managing the loans, and their efforts have a much wider effect on their local communities. Men tend to drink up the loan. Default rates on all these loans are incredibly low.

Craig -
The straw man tactic. I think part of this is to deflate Limbaugh's power. Laying the ground work for when Rush tries to attack things down the road, as in him having this followers call congress to complain about x or y bill.

Helen was on with John Oliver last night on the Daily Show. Pretty funny stuff.

Given all the uproar over Michelle Obama's sleeveless shoulders, I wrote a blog entry about Bare Naked (First) Ladies

http://jdurward.blogspot.com

Renee,

Can I add a little more to the scenario?

Based on what Kiyosaki seems to be saying is that the owner of the house is essentially paying rent to the mortgage holder and to the supply houses for all the improvements that have been made.

The suggestion is that the house is little more than a 'wasting' asset--that it will decline in value over relatively few years until it is completely wasted away. Something like a mobile home--good for ten years than haul it away.

In both the mobile home case and the house case you purchase an asset. In both cases you may create a liability in the process (the mortgage), but in only one case, the mobile home, is it likely that your asset is valueless at the end of a ten year period. And, history has shown that houses are generally worth more at the end of the period than at the beginning. (Absent the miserable financial debacle that greed has placed us in.)

The amount of the $200k home that you own free and clear after 10-years may be something like $35k because in the early years of the mortgage virtually everything goes to interest. But, if you sell it for $250k you've still made money on the asset--like $85k less expenses.

After all, if you'd chosen to rent the house, you'd have zero equity and just a stream of cash outflows. Zero cash at the end of the period.

Years ago our daughter Toots said, "Dad, we've invested in a new carpet!" expecting me to respond with equal glee. I couldn't help myself. I had to explain to her that carpet would become worthless in about ten years and could hardly be called an investment. She should enjoy it, while not falling in the trap of rationalizing such spending as being investment spending.

We don't have a mortgage on our house. Less selling expenses and related costs, the difference between our purchase price and what we may ultimately sell it for is indeed income earned from our asset, the house.

His acknowledgment of just two financial categories assets and liabilities, while good as a frame of reference for where we may be headed financially, ignores a couple of very important other categories. In the process, he has created a world as simplistic, and financially distorted, as Mr Madoff's.

That's an idea that could really catch fire. Like a pot of rancid grease erupting into a blast of hot air.

Tresa Rush like a Troll.

Rule 9: Do not feed the trolls.

Here's everyone's science lesson for today -

" The researchers have traced the origins of horse domestication back to the Botai Culture of Kazakhstan circa 5,500 years ago. This is about 1,000 years earlier than thought and about 2,000 years earlier than domestic horses are known to have been in Europe. Their findings strongly suggest that horses were originally domesticated, not just for riding, but also to provide food, including milk. "

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090305141627.htm

Tresa = Treat

My bad--editing is attrocious

The Ventures "Walk Don't Run"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJ11y7pYl-8

The Shadows - Apache

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY-rPDwzM9M

Horses are still good for turning gamblers into beggars.

Also, a horse is an animal that turns fortunes into poop.

Craig

Ist I would like to say thanks for giving Padt that atta girl,,,,U should be the only one able to do that,,,,we can recommend ,,,but you should be the one able to give the gold star out.You set the rules and the pats on the back are more meaningful coming from you IMO thanks,,,,,Padt,,,Im glad that U are back in form,,,You were gone for a cple of weeks, a while back,,,and IMO you are the one that starts of the morning with the right balance of new News,,,humor,,,,,and sets the Pace.

Pogo

There is another reason that RL should remain the focus of the D's,,,if they can keep calling him out,,and pointing to his obvious lies,,,the less his radio messages will have any effect,,,and will keep a lid on Lauras Ingram,,,Hannity,,,and the I can't fn stand Michelle Caulk in,,,they are the pawns that RL uses and now is the time to keep them in check,,and that is the good thing about it no?

XR,,,,I don't follow to much of the local Chicago Politics cos I know what is going on all the time,,,,just change the names around a little bit,,,but the powers are still in the same hands that they have been for years,,,,but we do have some very good people over here also,,,I will look at some new stuff over here and get back to you.,,,stay like you be,,,U R funny,,,,Oh about the weight,,,stop eating while you are cooking,,,your are eating two portions,,,,one while cooking and the other when you sit down with your wife,,,she sounds great,,,I like that you cook for her,,,I do also,,,but just to get Judy to cook like I like too,,,she doesn't know this,,,but,,,,is this cheating a little? Hey I Iron my own shirts and other things,,,don't start with me pal,,haha

Quit Naging

And now from George Orwell news:
"Obama names Nat'l Zoo Director to oversee federal workforce"
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/03/03/obama-names-natl-zoo-director-to-oversee-federal-workforce/

Four Legs old, two legs new (change we can believe in).

Mr. Bob,

Do you have "Please, Mr. Custer" ? It shoulda been the theme song of the Viet Nam War.

ok guys, this will have you on the floor in a pile of laughing emoticons, from the great John Amato at crooks and liars:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUFNgheTMZ0

SolarCrete,

Thank Heaven ! I was pretty sure that I was eating 3-4 portions. It's the meals between snacks that get you.

2 things happened nearly simultaneously : the smashed cervical disks followed by vertebrae transplants and fusion, and a change to 2 new types of insulin to replace the humilin 70/30 I used to use.

The neck business made it impossible to get exercise for months, while the new insulin(s) made me ravenously hungry. 70 lbs later, I am looking like a slightly thinner rush.

Ya, I am nice to Sweetie. She is even nicer to me, 'cuz as U might guess, I was raised angry.

The more that we know about our origins,,,the sooner we understand that all religions are Myth information.

excellent program

4:00 pm
(60 minutes)

The Death Star

For decades, scientists have been baffled as to the origins of extraordinarily violent explosions that blast through the universe. Hypernovas, the death of massive stars 20 times the size of the sun, might be the key to one of creation's mysteries.

5:00 pm
(60 minutes)

Killer Asteroids

old timey (electronic-wise) asteroids......

http://www.play.vg/games/4-Asteroids.html

For decades, self-servatives have laughed at 'bleeding heart Liberals', for being soft and sentimental.

Now, we see the poor down-trodden B!LL!ONAIRES, begging for a few meager M!LL!ONS for a crust of bread with a dab of sterlet caviar, and for a rag silk, embroidered with but a few tiny diamonds and rubies. A good and faithful family man like Senator Tortured Prisoner could lose one of his 13 homes and be left out in the cold of Malibu !

We are enjoined to be fair, and to reach across the aisle, to our less fortunate brethren who stole the 2000 election, who saved us from all the horrid polar bears and spotted owls, an who generously took all the poor people of New Orleans swimming.

Because we Dems are weak, let us all reach out to our red brethren, and offer them our wet hankies.

Posted by: Craig Crawford Author Profile Page | March 6, 2009 1:56 PM

The video is "no longer available." What got it pulled?

More information please.

Katherine, Try again. It loads for me. And it is funny.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207386 "It's the meals between snacks that get you."

LOL XRep, Ain't that the truth.

You cracked me up with this one too "I hope that all is fertile, prosperity-inducing, yet low-cal, high fiber, and crispy out where you are." Perfect.

ps sorry to hear you were raised angry. :(
But is sure nice the way your so sweet to sweetie. :)

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207391

still works for me, KGC. here's another link to it, on John's site:

http://crooksandliars.com/john-amato/leave-limbaugh-alone

more funnies, Daily Show Invades White House:

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/politicsunseriously/

mqw, we agree on about 80% I'd say, and maybe more. I could just be picking up on your description of Obama's team's politics practice as an alternative to doing the work that needs to be done to move the country forward. I could be taking your meaning wrong, in which case we agree on virtually 100%. I'm sure that the WH political team (as opposed to the economic team, as opposed to the foriegn policy team, the military team, and on and on) is working on the reelection of Obama in 2012, but it won't be basedon shots at Rush - it will be based on the successes of the other teams. And I don't criticise the pres for having a political team that plays hardball - as long as it's my party's occupant in the WH at least.

Flatus, excellent post on home ownership. Mrs. P refers to it as forced savings. There's another angle from which to consider home buying. Every occupied home is either owner occupied or rented. Rented homes rent for whatever the market will bear, but normally at at least as much as it costs the owner (landlord) to own the place, all costs and expenses, including interest, taxes AND tax deductions, taken into account, and the concept of equity inures to the benefit of the landlord. Owner occupied houses cost the owner exactly as much as it costs to own the place, BUT the concept of equity inures to the benefit fo the homeowner. I would wager that at the point that they either sell or move most people realize a better value for their housing by purchasing than by renting once all the costs and tax implications are taken into account. There are of course exceptions, and not everyone wants to or is in a position to purchase instead of rent for any number of valid reasons, whether it be need for mobility, inability to qualify for financing, unwillingness to accept the lost opportunity costs involved in purchasing, avoidance of maintenance and upkeep (one of my favorites) or whatever, but if it is profitable to invest in residential rental real estate, it is because owning residential real estate is a more financially advantageous undertaking than renting real estate in most instances.

Posted by: Ping Pong | March 6, 2009 7:55 AM :
Strawman as pointed out in Craig's video are getting lots of play

Mr D' There is a big difference from a showing up and drinking afternoon tea with the camera's which is what Pres Obama has done so well - to true dialogue and discussion of the other's interest.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I think you are mistaking President Obama for the strawclown. I also think you are mistaking tea for Ancient Age. However, you are correct that rush should finally - after more than a dozen years - begin dialogue and discussion on the others' interests.

You guys have really done it now...Apaches...horses...Custer...in one short stream-of-consciousness, you reminded me of a favorite old Disney movie, "Tonka," the dramatized true story of the sole survivor of Custer's command -- a wild pony tamed by an Indian boy and named Tonka, later taken by an Cavalry officer and renamed Comanche. Anyone else remember that one?

Here's the wiki-facts:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comanche_(horse)

Craig

Thanks..It's working for me too. Must have been a momentary glitch.

I pick disingenuous.

"2 things happened nearly simultaneously : the smashed cervical disks followed by vertebrae transplants and fusion, and a change to 2 new types of insulin to replace the humilin 70/30 I used to use."

X,,,,I feel for u,,,,having degenerative disc disease myself,,,I can sympathize ,,,,,Im lucky that I am still able to work and exercise pretty hard, some of my friends used to warn me against doing these things in the past ,,,but in the last few years there has been more and more information that recommends exercising ,,if all that some one can do is take a walk around the block then that is what they should do,,,,and of course,,,,having a positive attitude,,and a good sense of humor helps,,,like yours,,not like that Tony Baloney,,,,,he gets home after hanging some pictures up for his clients,,,and chatting with them all day,,,then says that he was too tired to exercise,,,what a guy huh!!

warren - of course they aren't. People who make that argument ignore the fact that during the periods of our economy's most rapid expansion marginal tax rates on the most wealthy were much higher than they are now. But you know that.

Pogo & Flatus,

For most folks I've talked with, home ownership has been a method of conserving some equity. Hardly anyone my age ever dreamt of getting rich by buying a home. Homes eat money. Everyone knows that...don't they ???

The exception is a neighbor who intends to sell everything and move to Central America upon retirement. Wait until she comes down with a bug. She'll be back in a flash.

That health is the real wealth was discovered by friends who entertained the great expat delusion. They were going to live like kings in Quitana Roo, until he got sick and nearly died on the plane flying back.

KGC:

I have talked to some people that seem to actually believe it. They are either brainwashed or damn good liars!!

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207223

Why do Republicans always think there are not adverse problems to uneven levels of heath care distribution and benefits? I really think they chose the wrong mascot for their party. Rather than the elephant, it would far more accurate to use the ostrich. What better symbolism than a bird that sticks his own head under ground?

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207230

He is a windbag, a demagogue, the absolute worst self-indulgent, arrogant, self-centered jerk misusing the public airwaves to broadcast his bile and venom. He has the talent to talk, but lacks the brains to comprehend. He is one of the worst examples of what Americans CAN be... can be when they try to win the most votes as the village idiot (apologies to Anne Robinson).

Warren,

Tax people...check out.... Hmmm. Ya mean, if we tax the B!LL!ONAIRES, they'll stop working ???

Sooo, what are we waiting for ? Maybe we can find some decent people to take those jobs.

I remember reagan saying that the high tax rates of the 40s and 50s made Hollywood 'stars' less eager to work. In fact, back in the 90% marginal days, stars 'worked' 48 weeks/year. Now, with dramatically lower rates, most only amake one or 2 movies totalling 6-8 weeks/year.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207400

Pogo

Unfortunately, the "sound bite" to say these "oppressive job killing" taxes only apply if you are making over $250,000 and are only on the amount over that point not everything underneath. One breakdown showed that the average unbearable burden on these poor victimized souls was a $70 increase on their taxes.

I say SUFFER THROUGH SOMEHOW

One way to make sure that your house is an asset,,,is to pay ( if you can) one hundred dollars toward the principle in addition to your monthly payment,,,,in a desperate check,,,and clearly marked it is for the principle only,,,,this will save tens of thousands of dollars in interest,,if you are planning to stay in you house for the 30 year contract that you singed up for,,,if you go to a 15 year contract,,,,you can also save by the low interest that is available,,,,but I recommend the 30 cos the payments are not as high, as a 15 year,,,,right now ,,,they must be awful hard to make...

...which leads me into saying ,,,,that I wish that Pres, Obama,,would,just take care of the economy for now,,,and stop promising so much,,,,,,jobs,,,jobs,,,jobs,,,are what we need right now,,,,,,,,,RL is a nice distraction,,,,but I want to get some food on the table,,,with a JOB,,,and if he gets me ( I do want it all as soon as the economy is fixed) the Universal Health,,,that would be nice,,,,,but if if can't eat,,,and I go to the doctors office,,,,all he is going to tell me is to eat and I will get better,,,so I need a job first,,,says the average guy,,,that I talk to!!

xr, we've had the rush put on us in QR. I'd love to live there during the cold months here, and we've toyed with the idea of buying a little place on the Riviera Maya, but have pretty much gotten cold feet over the questionable stability of the Mexican government and, among other things, the unknowns of healthcare there. We met a couple from MN who go to Isla Mujeres for 6 weeks each year in the middle of the winter. They rent a moderate sized apartment, keep a moped in storage there, and enjoy their time there immensely for not a lot of money.

I understand that there are better places to become an expat - I hear Costa Rica is very nice, cheap and has better (read more America like) healthcare than rural MX - but I don't know that for a fact. I'm sure there are other places as well, but when it comes right down to it, I'm betting we opt for the Keys - or Virginia or the Gulf coast.

desperate=seperate

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207410

Solar the other way to shorten your mortgage and save a bucket load of interest is to make a payment every four weeks instead of once a month. By making 13 payments a year instead of 12, you can really inject a lot of equity and pay off early.

SolarCrete:

You wish that Obama would just take care of the economy. Well guess what - he can't.

Presidents have far less control over the economy that people ascribe to them.

I think what Obama does in terms of foreign policy will have a much greater impact on the economy than any of his economic policies - at least over the long term.

Reagan and Clinton are given a ton of credit because their economy grew under their administrations. Now of course their economic policies were completetly divergent. The common denominator: PEACE (relatively speaking of course....)

With peace comes prosperity my friends.

jamie, I know folks who are in that bracket, and they wail like banshees about it. Of course they have short memories and those who wail the loudest have put themselves in many cases in positions of less perceived financial flexibility that they should be in considering their income. Most of them fall into the "small business owner" category and are unaware of the exemptions that have been proposed for them (and I only know that they have, not what they are).

"With peace comes prosperity my friends."

Warren, before I would agree with that statement, I'd have to see your definition of peace.

Just sitting here, I have a hard time correlating peace with prosperity.

And, peace has to be more complex than the absence of war. There are so many states of disequilibrium that aren't war but certainly aren't peace, either.

warren, you know, for a kid you aren't so dumb. :-)

Jamie,,,,

thanks for that,,,,and I really liked that your post about Ike,,and Nixon,,,being socialists,,,that should be in every D's breast pocket when they are talking to an R...I e mailed that to a very good R. friend,,,,he mailed me back a very short anywhere that went a little like this,,,##%#&&*#### and further more smart ass ,,#%#$%$%,,see you a little later. hahaha

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207339

Warren

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207414

I know that ,,,U know that,,,,,but does the average guy out on the street know that,,,,,Pres. Obama promised to fix it all,,,and all of it is going to take a lot of $,,,,,It is a good thing that he is finding a little extra cash,,,here and there ( 295 b from gov,,contracts over runs ,,etc),but he is the one saying these things not me.

Jamie

What was very interesting to me ,,was the toll road set up,,,,and I bet that not too many people are ware of them as such,

EuroTom wrote, March 6, 2009 3:21 PM : "I really think they chose the wrong mascot for their party. Rather than the elephant, it would far more accurate to use the ostrich. What better symbolism than a bird that sticks his own head under ground?"
************************************
You insult ostriches, sir.
Great White Shark, Great Pink Swine (apology to Freddy), Lamprey, Weasel, Cottonmouth, Pufferfish, Chameleon, Tyrannosaurus Wrecks, Red Squirrel, and my favorite, Amanita Muscarius the Flycap Toadstool - it gives you hallucinations before it kills you.

Thanks pogo . . . for calling me a kid. After another birthday it is always nice to hear. And tonight - I will be sure to drink enough to earn the title!

warren, everything's relative. hey, we (I) kinda lost track after you changed jobs - what are you doing now, and how's it going?

This is a very instructive article on the "Importance of the Commons"

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/26/taking-responsibility-for-the-commons/

Conservatives tend to forget what the founders knew in their bones: Protect the commons and you protect the country. Those things that benefit all will benefit the individual as well. It is tied up in that oft repeated phrase: "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness".

Human beings don't ask for a lot from others most of the time. They need food, shelter, reasonable health, and a job to do. That latter may sound strange but a job whether paid or unpaid is essential to self worth, and people who feel as if they are not contributing to others tend not to think highly of themselves.

Education/training, well care to maintain health, protection from evil foreign and domestic, and the ability to access jobs and trades, protection of common assets. Schools, Medicine, military/police/fire, environment, roads and transportation.

If Government does these things, the people will take care of the rest. BTW, the ocean is an asset of "The Commons". Pollute it and you are destroyingpart of the wealth of nations.

Flatus:

I just call em like I see em.

Also, from a common sense perspective - when we spend billions of dollars to destroy the economies and infrastructure of other countries - I don't see how that can benefit the global economy.

Plus, the market hates war.

I dunno, two lawyers slapping each other on the back.

Warren, take a look at this time-series. I think it shows correlation between periods of war and household wealth are really ephemeral:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Change_in_US_household_wealth_1946-2007.gif.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207421

Yes xrepublican, I was insensitive and practicing one of my isms... speciesism... the one that says humans are far more important than animals... Sorry me!!

I haven't been as active since the campaign ended. Things are going good for me and I am enjoying the sun and spending more time outside of the office...

Flatus:

I can't open the link - but can you give me any argument - based on reason or common sense - that explains why peace is not good for the economy.

There are statistics that support almost any argument...

Every thing is a separate issue right now,,if you put them all together and try to do too much,,at one time,,,,I don't think that too much will be done!! just give me one thing at a time,,work on the other problems ,,,yes,,,but study take the time to get them right,,,,,if there is one thing that I have learned in construction is that

If you start some out right,,,,it will end up right!!!

Right now I am a little confused,,,,what is the priority,,,,,(and I know that they are all important),,,he has promised a lot,,,education,,,,right now,,,that is $ for college,,,Health care,,, the economy ,,,more bank bail out $ more for AIG etc etc,,,I was in disbursing while in the service,,,we had an awful lot of variables to contend with ,,,pay grad,,,How long in the service,,,Hazard duty pay,,,married with how many children,,etc,,etc,,,what we had was,, a lot of information that helped to get this all accomplished,,,what kind of info are we actually getting form D C ,???,,

"Quite Nagging".....thanks,,,and I will. :)

SolarCrete,

I'll guess that finding $295 B!LL!ON in DoD contract overruns was a lot easier than yanking that money back from the hands of the kleptos will be. For one thing, some of these kleptos seem necessary for the public safety.

Still, every penny he can take from a klepto, reduces the ultimate burden of the stimulus package.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207429

Warren, War often guarantees full employment and peace often means a recession as people try to find other things to do than fight or build weapons.

You are right in that it tends to play into the boom/bust cycle whereas peace is a more undulating and gentle up and down market.

Jamie:

I also think the salaries of the upper middle class rose greatly over the last decade. And the salaries for the ultra-rich went off the charts.

Of course the wages for truck drivers, waitresses and teachers did not increase at the same rate.

And it is basic economics that if you concentrate wealth into a small (but powerful) minority - then there are less people to spend it. And the economy becomes less liquid.

And as Obama has said - once we hit rough times - people on the bottom start defaulting on mortages, credit cards, etc. - and the pain "trickles up".

Warren, I suppose it's a cyclical thing.

Building the 'engines' of war takes the better part of 20-years while periods of war are much shorter.

Although the actual fighting may be over, we are still building for the war that will take place a decade, or more, from now.

Try this link to it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Change_in_US_household_wealth_1946-2007.gif

Jamie:

That argument seems to be based on WWI and WWII when there was a huge increase in defense spending to fight wars like nothing the world had seen before.

But at this point - we have built up such an arsenal over time - that modern wars do not lead to the same spike in employment. Technology replacing labor has also caused this.

Maybe I am wrong - but when we went into Afghanistan and Iraq - I don't remember any huge surge in people heading to the factory to build weapons of war...

Ms Green,

I once had a Dell Comic Book of Tonka, and still might. I think they put out 2 before the title fizzled. 1959 or 1960 ? Disney used to put out a comic everytime they released a film, as part of the promo. That way, kids dimes paid to promote the 50c movie, and vice versa.

What kid 'starred' in Tonka ?

War is what pulled America out of the Depression, more than the New Deal.

Flatus is exactly right. I doubt many would describe Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Central Asia or even Mexico as "peaceful". We are witnessing the seeds for an escalation in violence than will exceed Iraq.

Common sense? We should have given Saddam and the Taliban money to improve their economies....yep, that's the ticket. We should give Iran money instead of imposing sanctions. Let's give Hamas money and Sudan too....

And Warren, how do you call what the Supreme Leader of Iran just said to Obama?

What say you to Hugo as he nationalizes Cargill's factory and implores SA to reject Obama's silly attempt to rescue capitalism?

What do you say to the government of Yemen as AQ sets up base? Need some money so you can help the world market?

And without the Republicans screaming the Stimulus Bill would have been a fine piece of protectionism.

How well is Obama handling the economic crisis? Giethner can't even find a deputy? Our trade rep is another tax avoider. The markets don't buy the ill-conceived stimulus and spending bills.

Perhaps you can apply your common sense to events that are unfolding in ways far different than your predictions.

EuroTom,

Personally, I practise Phylumism. Oh, how I despise all those lower Phyla !

warren,

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207428

a good thing.

Oh, and warren & flatus - that old saying - figures lie and liars figure. I'm big on ignoring statistics - unless they suppor tmy argument of course. ;-)

XR

This if frightening ,,,If he found this kind of $ in such an obvious place,,,,I can't even start to imagine,,,where the real $ is at,,,,I would start by your favorite by :-J Dick the Fn Cheney,,,and work backward,,,I still can't believe that thereis so much $ lost over at Iraq and no one knows where it is at,,,,find it,,,10 Bil and more is a lot of Cash no?,,,Oh and don't blow a gasket over Cheney.. I did and nothing has changed,,,,,,,,,what we need is a little more to choose from,,,maybe and a big maybe all of this might be worth it ,,,if we can get a 3rd party?.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207435

Warren there was some increase. I'm sure that Blackwater did a lot of hiring and certain already existing contracts expanded. The Stryker contract went off the charts because instead of building one for every reserve unit, they started building and shipping to Iraq as fast as they could.

You are right in that the "military/industrial comples" that Eisenhower warned about has never gone away since Viet Nam. They never switched to domestic production of some sort and just kept building weapons for sale to every tin horn dictator and as a result built in boom/bust into the cycle because they stole wealth from "the commons" in order to enrich the individual.

Max:

First of all - any prediction I make usually should be judged over the course of years rather than months or weeks. I think shortsightedness is a huge problem with the current political scene.

And again - WWII is sui generis and I don't think it proves as much as you think it does today.

I also think that Reconstruction after WWII under the Marshal Plan is a very undervalued aspect of the "War is good for the economy" argument.

"I doubt many would describe Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Central Asia or even Mexico as "peaceful". "

And how are the economies of those countries doing Max?!

Which country has been one of the biggest economic successes of late - China. When is the last time they were in a major war or conflict. (The tension with Tibet is more akin to a riot in LA than a war in Iraq....)

Oh, and Warren, while WW1 and WW2 were leaps in technology, read this http://www.terrorism.com/documents/TRC-Analysis/unrestricted.pdf

The wars unfolding will bring the greatest leap. Imagine a war where one is attacked with WMCs and intelligence can't pinpoint the sender. Missile defense will be more than a twenty year task. The new concepts of warfare will require more preparation and thought. MRAPS are only good on level roads. Raptors are aircraft that can defeat most radar. Spped of Light weapons are the grail in defense. None of this is cheap. The stakes are even greater than a Hitler, who most likely could never have reached his goal. The new ideology and strategy mentioned in the PLA paper is just a taste of things to come.

I suggest people take it seriously and understand Syria, Iran, AQ, the Taliban, Hamas, Hizb'Allah and even our "former adversaries" are well aware of the logic. And given the global market place, try putting a price tag globally on a strike at Long Beach. Put a price tag on a tanker sinking in the Gulf.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207436

X,

That was Sal Mineo. Of course, even at a tender age, I had a crush on him.

Maxtrue

Do you suppose you might avoid diving off the deep end. Foaming at the mouth tends to frighten people.

Putting up strawmen that never existed in the real world because the "might or could have happened" in order to knock them down and scare others is a very old trick and doesn't really fly around here.

You might try backing it off a bit. Take a single event and ask me what I would do differently than what was done.

Maxtrue,

Yes, OTHER peoples' wars pulled us out of the last Great republican Depression.

I presume that when you refer to aiding saddam hussein and the taliban, you are referring to the military aid we gave them both during the reagan/bush years, when ghwbush called saddam hussein "Our best friend in the Middle East," rumsfeld hugged him, and when jim baker helped to cover-up saddam's war crimes and genocide.

Max, tell that to Nguyễn Minh Triết and Nguyễn Tấn Dũng. So far, we haven't gone to war with Iran, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have acheived little politically and damned little economically. Think we'll be fighting Hugo anytime soon? I really don't get your point.

You guys can cuss and discuss this one - I've gotta run.

The Marshal Plan lead to the inevitable coup by the Shah. Those we helped participated in the defense of Liberal Democracy including Germany.

If you think the economies of the regions I listed COULD EVER IMPROVE without a serious change of the political crap entrenched, you would be very wrong.

Security must come before negotiations and political compromises. Then economic reform can take place. Just look at the money spent on NK. Has their economy improved? And we should improve the economy of Sudan to get them to stop their present behavior? Make em rich and Sharia will vanish?

Hamas and Hizb'Allah will take the money and get weapons...LOL. Iran will use it to improve their cruise missiles. Behaviorial and economic simplification will not change mindset.

flatus, war and peace wise, chew on this recent tidbit about

"...whether the Homeland Security Council should be merged into the National Security Council"

http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/

an interesting excerpt:

"There is a potential problem about making it more likely NSC people could get involved in surveillance on Americans."

Heritage's Carafano believes the problem can be avoided. "Look, we have been doing this for six years now," he said. "People understand the different legal frameworks that operate inside the U.S. and abroad, the law is very clear, and people should be able to walk and chew gum at the same time."

so what's happened to most home owners' so called "equity" recently?.....

Rick and I pay no attention to how much our home is worth on paper.... we built it.... it's funky.... but we live in it and love it.... it's ours.... we built it without a mortgage.... we were in our 20s when we built it.... and said "Fuck the bank!.... we still feel that way in our 50s....

we will retire in it..... if we want to winter someplace else.... we will rent.... that way we aren't tied to any specific place..... we can go to Florida one winter and New Mexico the next.... Costa Rica after that.... whatever our hearts desire....

maybe I don't know enough about taxes, money, equity, investments.... blah, blah, blah......
but I'm happy!....

The Northern Alliance told us that the taliban hate us and the modern, liberal, scientific world. But, the reagan/bush people knew better and armed the taliban to the gums. After all, they were supported by our 2d best friends in the Middle East ;>)) the saud dynasty.

Oh, I didn't know we just started the Afghanistan War out of the blue. Were we not attacked. I think Clinton started the regime change thing in Iraq. And while you're at it include Jimmy Carter for arming OBL and giving funds to some in Pakistan who are threating to take down the moderate government. Hell, the PLO comes from the Grand Mufti who hung out with Hitler, yet after the war we allowed him to escape from a French prison. The rest of the mess is history.

I can play history too.

Sure, let's just sit back and let terrorist plan their next trillion dollar strike on the global economy. Let's just watch the market place fall to the rising chaos in Africa (better get your relatives out of Kenya Obama). Let's just sit back and watch China put "military space stations" in orbit while we end the shuttle.

Bet you'll end up being xDemocrat. It is not about the blame game. It is all about what we do now. I don't see much. People cried that we didn't get more help from our allies under Bush. They won't give Obama anything. Already there is talk about the West "begging" Russia, the Sudan, Iran, Syria and even NK to change their tune. Begging? How quickly "talking" has become begging. Hve fun with that.

Sad, really sad.

I was sorry to hear that Peter Tork of the Monkees has cancer. At this point outcome looks good with surgery and follow up chemo, but its nice to put up my second favorite Monkees song (Last Train to Clarkesville was a really lousy selection on You Tube)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kG34bDwJcVc

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207448

Max, Who has suggested any major influx of cash into any of those places. Again the scarecrow would be wonderful if he only had a brain.

I am just saying the give "peace a chance" conversation shouldn't be relegated to beauty contestants and muscians.

There are tangible benefits, i.e., the economy and lack of death and destruction.

And practical reasons - such as increased communication through technology - that make sustained peace a much more viable concept than it ever has been.

Borders are also more stable than in the past and there are not imperialist nations out there trying to gobble up nations. (Even our efforts have been lmited to toppling dictators as opposed to taking over countries for ourselves.)

Obviously there will always be rouge nations and leaders that will have to be dealt with. But it is in the interest of all nations to make war the exception rather than the norm.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207444

Ivy, I hate to break the news to you, but it wouldn't have done you any good. :-)

Max:

"It is not about the blame game."

Even though you started out your post by calling out the last two democratic presidents.

You posts seem filled much more with partisan vitriol than level-headed analysis of the problems facing us today. Which is a shame because there is no denying that you are sharp and well-informed.

Hah! Touche mqw - nice one!

mqw

If someone presents a scenario that has never existed and then presents a "solution" or "action" that never took place or is even planned, I have to assume they are engaging in flights of fancy and waves of delusion.

I was giving him the benefit of a doubt that it was the result of illness not malice.

hey warren how you doing? hadn't seen you in a while'
turned out you were right and i was wrong about
the primaries and general election''
but we did have some good back and forth debates

Maxtrue,

Ya, how we treat these countries doesn't seem to affect them much. Especially, if we play at being tough guys, the way republicans always play at being tough guys.

Instance #1: the bushcheney crowd withdrew payments to nk, and siezed nk bank accounts. Then nk played the nuclear blackmail card. bushcheney resumed payments and let the nk nank accounts go, and nk is playing the nuclear blackmail card again.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207457

Jamie:

I was very sheltered...didn't know about "such things" until much later :))

Hey Max - this is for you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtCH49QQLGg

RR------http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207450

"maybe I don't know enough about taxes, money, equity, investments.... blah, blah, blah......
but I'm happy!"...

As it turn out U R the only true economist here,,and usnderstand it a little better than all,,,,,,I wish that I would have tought about that,,,,build my own place up there,,,Just think we might have been neighbor's but I didn't ,,,but ,,,would you and RR consider adoption,,,U have an extra bedroom :-j,,,,a little solar running around is a good thing no?,,,,No need to respond if Rick is going to get all huffy about it,,,,man!

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207464

Ivy, I was "jaded" early in Hollywood. At fifteen (1959 for goodness sake) we all hung out at "The House of Ivy" ... straight, gay and undecided. Don/Donna a major favorite waiter who did this wonderful one armed leap over the bar while holding a tray of soft drinks ... only rule he couldn't hit on my boyfriends. :-)

Maxtrue,

I didn't say, "we started the Afghan War out of the blue."

We were there from the 1979 - 1989. reagan and bush armed and trained the taliban against the advise of the Northern Alliance. reaganbush armed saddam, and helped him with his genicide and war crimes. The first failed bush administration gave saddam the ok to invade Kuwait. It was Maggie Thatcher who shamed ghw bush into joining her coalition against saddam, not vice versa. Then at the worst possible moment, bush pulled out, and broke all the promises he'd made with our Gulf Fiasco I allies.

Look, republicans haven't won a war for 111 years, and playing tough guy, doesn't make it so.

RebelliousRenee,

"maybe I don't know enough about taxes, money, equity, investments.... blah, blah, blah......"

Well, you know enough to be happy-What else is there!

mqw,
"no need for the '' thought police'' to come rushing in"

Well said--Bravo/a

Solar.... mi amigo... como estas?.... estoy bien, gracias....

come on up.... whenever you want.... bring the family....

Rick and I chose our closest neighbor.... we had bought 2 lots.... when we ran into friends that wanted to build up here too.... we sold them the second lot for exactly what we paid for it.... people thought we were nuts for not asking more.... but having good friends as neighbors was and has been worth much more than money over the years.... we've all been here for 30 yrs....

Rick and I have always been relaxed about money.... we know the difference between a want and a need...
we keep our debt low.... and we enjoy life....

if our economic situation is to change.... oh well.... we'll enjoy life anyways.....

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207467

Jamie,

Sounds like the "House of Ivy" was quite a place!

we are getting ready to go to a restaurant that specializes in white chocolate desserts!.... I LOVE white chocolate.... I let myself indulge in one of these desserts once a year..... and tonight is the night.....

see ya later.....

How is Rush a straw man? The nominal leadership of the GOP is scared to death of this guy. Rep. Gingrey and Chairman Steele in moments of candor made fairly tepid comments about Rush and both made the calculation that they ought to apologize -- why would this be, unless Rush could pull rank on them?

I'm a Dem who happens to enjoy Rush's show, but the guy definitely has the air of a Mafia don these days.

I like listening to Rush too. He actually has a lot more substance the Sean Hannity who just repeats 2-3 talking points for 3 hours. Talking points that inevitably distort the truth.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207472

Ivy.

That's what is so odd. I listen to people today acting as if they suddenly discovered that there are differnet preferences and wonder where in the world they have been.

The House of Ivy wasn't "quite a place'. It was somewhere we went for a coke and hamburger. What was was. The only thing I can think of that made it different was that everyone sort of knew that it was neutral territory for teenagers somewhere between the adults only gay/straight locations but the kids going there were just having fun, and if we didn't know who was who, it was safe to just ask.

So, the guy says that no matter how nice we are to these guys, they'll still follow Sharia law and foment terrorism. Take the example of SA, Iran, Sudan, and Venezuela :
the republican Congress and bushcheney gave large subsidies to buyers of big gashogs, dramatically increasing our dependence on oil, propping up the international price of oil, and thus increasing the income for SA, Iran, and Venezuela, but not Sudan.

SA and Sudan continue to follow Sharia law and foment terrorism. Iran continues to ignore Sharia law, follow the mullahs, and foment terrorism. Venezuela continues to be an anti-Semitic Catholic country and foment terrorism. So, just what is it that makes the republican way of foreign relations so successful ? I say that it is faux news, rush, rove, and that coulter anti-Semite. Iow, republican foreign policy successes are nothing but advertising hype.
in fact the only country with whom we had better relations after Bill Clinton left office was Libya. Whether better relations with Iraq and Afghanistan are real or just smoke and mirrors is yet to be determined.

A nuclear armed enemy does not need a missile to hit the US. All it needs is a passle of republicans failing to watch our ports, as we just had for 8 straight years. An expensive global anti-missile system is a waste of

Regarding the threat to US cities, that republicans are supposed to be so good at thwarting, tell it to New Orleans.

Regarding the terrorist orgs, hizbullah and hamas, please name anything that republicans did to make the world safe from those bastards. You name a threat, but you have no track record to demonstrate your alleged effectiveness.

"Reagan and Clinton are given a ton of credit because their economy grew under their administrations. Now of course their economic policies were completetly divergent. The common denominator: PEACE (relatively speaking of course....)

With peace comes prosperity my friends."
http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207414

Warren, I've supported my responses to you with generally accepted data. And, you are talking about a period in our Republic when I was deeply involved in affairs and in which I had expert knowledge of the subject matter under discussion.

Your characterizations of Messrs Carter and Bush's economic success differ markedly from my own recollections. Personally, I thought they were both disasters for different reasons and in different ways.

Because you haven't supported your conclusions with any sort of data, I can't accept them.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207474

Brendan,

The fact that Rush is being set up as an effigy of conservatism that liberals can beat the stuffing out of is what makes him a Straw Man.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207480

Ivy, I suppose we all thing that the place we grew up was "normal". It is only in retrospect that I see just how far out of synch the way I grew up was from the majority of others.

What do you mean that where you did your baby sitting didn't have an Oscar on the television? :-)

Just a small explanation ... it was "technical" oscar. I sort of lived on "engineer street". All the men either worked for the aircraft or motion picture industries and Mr. Wargo won his for a high speed film printer. You just never knew who would show up at the backyard BBQs.

Grading Craig's "TOP TEN WAYS TO BE A BETTER COMMENTER", the day after. Using the 1950's Delaware County's grading system of A thru F

Contribute new information to the discussion. C-

Nobody likes a know-it-all. C+

Be careful about your tone. D

Own your comment. N/A

Be succinct. B

Cite your sources with links or inline quoting. E

Be clear about the subject or person you're addressing. B

Be courteous. C

Do not feed the trolls. F

Most of all, have fun. A-

republicans say we are in a war, and Maxtrue says this war will bring great techno breakthroughs. The best breakthrough would be to have the tech to retire the petro-culture that bankrolls SA and alqaeda, and Iran, hamas, and hizbullah.

If the gingrich Congress and the later bushcheney gang had put us on the path to end world dependence on oil, Maxtrue wouldn't be fussing about Muslims today. But, the republicans are the Big Oil Party, tied to the TX, OK, LA, and CA oil cartel, which is tied to SA and Iran, who bankroll al qaeda, hamas, and hizbullah.

It doesn't matter how the mufti escaped Berlin and got back to the Middle East 64 years ago. What matters is that we pull the fangs of our present enemies. We can do that most effectively ending their funding, a job that we can never trust to republicans.

I'm sure if Senator Obama is elected president, he will have an administration that acts with dignity and not use his office to attack individuals.

malclave, apparently we have a problem here, because persons in the Obama White House have called rush limbaugh, "the head of the republican party." If that's not an attack on him, what is ?

It's a lot worse than saying, "Senator Pepper matriculated with the co-eds."

NYT up with article that Pres. Obama will announce
reversal of Bush ban on embryonic stem cell research
on Monday.

Glad to see this--making good on a campaign promise.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/07/us/politics/07stem.html?_r=1&hp

I decided to get a jump on daylight savings. I turned my clocks ahead already (spring forward, right?) That way I have the entire weekend to start the bio-rhythm change that throws me off kilter for days or weeks. :-)

James Carville and Paul Begala are the ones who made Rush the leader of the GOP, a position Rush has never claimed title to until Carville and Begala's anointed him with same.

Immediately after assuming his rightful place as head of the GOP, Rush correctly invited the leader of the Democrat Party, President Obama, to a 3 hr. debate. President Obama has not accepted Rush's challenge. Now the challenge would be held on radio so a teleprompter would be of no use. There would be no audience, other than the radio audience, so looks and attire would not matter. The question would be called in so no time for coaching, or rehearsing the answer. I think this would be a great debate, one which could be heard by millions of people world wide, pitting the newly crowned head of the GOP against the newly elected president of the USA. What a clash of ideas this would bring forth, this is a win-win for the American people.

According to Tweety's report, Rush has porked up his listenership from 14 million to 25 million.

Flatus:

"Your characterizations of Messrs Carter and Bush's economic success differ markedly from my own recollections. Personally, I thought they were both disasters for different reasons and in different ways."

And I agree they were disasters in terms of the economy. Carter lacked strength and Bush, W that is, lacked intellect.

But I based my point on economies of Reagan and Clinton. Both times America was leading the world and benefits were flowing in many directions.

Reagan ruled with strength and hope; Clinton ruled with intelligence and hope. Both of them led. And there was little need for Agression.

***

Oh, and my conclusions are based on empirical knowledge and I don't need you to "accept them."

(Dare I say that "generally accepted data" is the conventional wisdom that we've heard before. And I want to move the conversation FORWARD.)

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207402

"Tony Baloney,,,,,he gets home after hanging some pictures up for his clients,,,and chatting with them all day,,,then says that he was too tired to exercise,,,what a guy huh!!"

Busted by the best! You called me out...I need someone to give me a push and you did just that! HA HA..Hey Solar no I don't have a crawl space.My house is like most in Florida its built on a cement slab..I do have a pool though and having that did more to correct the water pooling on the property than anything.The pool deck has a french drain system and that also drains to the side of the house.Thanks so much for all your good suggestions...Hope you had a good one....

Did you know that Tweety, Chris Matthews, would sometimes host Rush's radio show, when Rush was on vacation? True fact.

Wow,

If you can get BBC America, watch tonight's news show. There is a wonderful piece on an Arabic festival at the Kennedy Center In addition to all the art and music, there is Richard III done as an Arabic story.

Craig, Are you going to the Kennedy?

http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/festivals/08-09/arabesque/

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2009/03/05/populist_rage/

Is Obama responsible for Wall Street's meltdown?

It's an absurd argument, but that's where populist rage on the right is heading.

By Robert Reich

SorryTruthInReality,

We had a ton of debates last year. Too bad rush missed them. By backing the losers, rush lost those debates. The people voted, muckcain was the runaway choice for rebushlican candidate, and after that America repudiated him in the general election. In other words, rush lost to a loser.

You lost. Get over it.

If rush wants to debate President Obama, he'll have to beat the huckster, willard, and ron paul in the 2012 rebushlican primaries. If there is still a rebushlican party, that is.

XRep...bravo for that 7:51 post. What people like "Truth" don't understand is that the old Reagan base is now starting to identify more with poor people than rich people. How could you not? It's a bit hard to feel like you're channeling Donald Trump when you're in some hopeless job fair line, let alone a soup line.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-03-06/palins-smart-move/

Palin's Smart Move
by Elaine Lafferty

"Sarah Palin’s shocking choice for the Alaska Supreme Court has some asking if she’s pandering for 2012. Elaine Lafferty, former editor of Ms. Magazine, on why we’re underestimating her once again."

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207491

TIR...based on this post, I suggest you develop a very robust LSD addiction to carry you into a hallucongenic coma that will last through the current depression. Then when you wake up and everything is fixed, we might let Republicans be in charge again. And you can say 'I told you so.' And we won't care. Because at that point, it will all be fixed. Just like every other time before.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207495

Truth,

No way...you're pulling our leg :! Well, okay...I suspect Tweety wishes he could be the Straw Man.

Hey Craig's on Hot Air...

http://hotair.com/archives/2009/03/06/video-the-straw-man-attack/

Yessir, Mr. Liberal,

A day late and a dollar short as they say.

Besides,what can rush have to say to the American people that he hasn't already lied to them about for at least 12 years ? His choice for Drug Czar ? We know it's Cheech. His familiy family family values ? HAHAHA ! How he really got that lad's Viagra ? HAHAHA ! How he is so close to the American people that he chose to buy his own jet rather than fly with them. How he comes to hates America so much that he wants President Obama to fail ? Is it because of his recent drug arrests ?

President Obama doesn't need to be around for Th'rush to explain away his recent arrests to the American people. Or, his peculiar sex life. Or, his hatred of America. He has a show of his own, and can confess to America any time without having to interrupt the Commander-in-Chief while meeting with his generals.

The losers are the American public who's 401k, IRA, savings, and other investments have never advanced above the DOW's high of 11-04-2008, 9653.95 pts.

Since then the DOW and all other Indexes have slid lower and lower. And if the DOW, as we are told, is a forecaster of things to come 6 to 9 months down the road, we are in a world of hurt. Today the DOW closed at 6626.94, and the number of jobless Americans rose to 12.5 million in February, pushing the unemployment rate to 8.1%, up from 7.6% in January.

When the new commander assumes command, he assume the good and the bad, and all the responsibilities that comes with it. A good commander doesn't blame his problems on the previous commander. He correctly fixes the most important problem first, and moves on to the next problem.

No way...you're pulling our leg

No ask Craig if Matthews didn't use to host Rush's show from time to time. Craig should know he spends his day at MSNBC.

My 10 year-old niece's class had a presentation today. Each student in the class was given a person in history for them to portray. My niece was chosen to be Sojourner Truth.

Good Heavens, man. There's a war on !

You can't just go interrrupting the
Commander-in-Chief anytime some junkie closet case who thinks he's god wants a chat.

What are people THINKING ??????

TIR

Right you are. 33 days ago, Obama became President. He was handed a crapfest and is moving as fast as he can to clean up the crud. He didn't cause any of it. The causes are much farther back than 33 days.

To try to blame the crapfest he was handed on him could only come from someone in a delusional state.

Now six months from now if we aren't seeing a light at the end of the tunnel that doesn't resemble a train, then you can start blaming the President.

Craig :
This is really hard to watch, and I don't even like Limbaugh -

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207385

Ivy -
stream-of-consciousness ............

Yum

Trail Mix
Rule 8. Be courteous. There will be moments of passion when things are said in anger. If you must attack, target the idea or the opinion -- but NEVER the person. Personal attacks are useless, tend to escalate hostilities and ruin the reading experience for everyone else. Such comments, even if isolated, are subject to deletion. An ongoing pattern of persistent violations will result in blocked access.

The Good Commander doesn't need to say that the Bad Commander screwed all this stuff up. And, the Good Commander didn't say it.

The grim record of domestic failure, criminality, and foreign defeat speaks for itself.

Cory -

Read your story, pick a new metaphor, and give us 8.000 words by Monday.

Try the "30 Years War" , more factions.

Amato stole Craig's bed-head!

I think the train has left the station, C-Bob. I've lost the will to fight anymore.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207511

CBob,

Thought you'd go for streams of semi-consciousness :))

TIR
"the DOW's high of 11-04-2008, 9653.95 pts."

Absolutely hilarious that you even have that number at your fingertips.

11/4/08: Fire Chief Bush handing off to Fire Chief Obama: "The building is fully involved, but only half-burned downed at this point."

1/20/09: Fire Chief Bush. Well, a few embers are still burning. The situation is potentially unsafe. Take it from here, Chief Obama.

I am finished. Time to eat, anyway.

I'm thinking of changing my screen name here to :

The Gelded Unicorn

Corey...your story was great. CBob doesn't know from which he speaks.

(CBob...Those "30 Years War" analogies are definitely something I hear on the street every day. Ya, Right. The average walkin' around American definitely relates to that war more than the U.S. Civil War. I think you just violated whatever rule relates to being condescending.)

As for myself, I'm a War of 1870 man.

They won't pay as much for you, if they can't breed you.

Corey

That is wonderful. Did she have to study up on her character or was there a script?

Corey -
You're not a fighter, you're a lover.

The Yardbirds-You Can't Judge A Book By Looking At The Cover

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afCYkRJt9Cc

"I'm thinking of changing my screen name here to :

The Gelded Unicorn "

Bob, you realize it's a two step process.

Tony,,,from military.com fitness,,,guide,,,scroll around in there

Some things in here you might like,,

http://www.military.com/military-fitness-center/2009-fitness-guide/lose-love-handles.html

The Yardbirds - Heart Full Of Soul

Jeff Beck on a Telecaster, the same guitar that Waylon Jennings picked..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9mQkFpkShg

CBob...here's you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eo0OY8GOuc

Rush and the Conservatives were never big fans of McCain. He wasn't pugnacious enough for them.

Flatus -
I'm thinking 3.

That horn in the forehead is going to be murder.

The 30 Years War was extremely interesting. Especially, the opportunist/military genius Wallenstein. He was a Protestant, who converted for convenience, and came near to usurping the Hapsburg throne of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, and establishing an autocracy.

A Scotsman shot him in bed, but I can't remember if he was a Catholic in the Hapsburg employ, or a Protestant in the employe of Cardinal Richelieu.

An abundant crop of Europeans was harvested in that War.

LL -
Thanks

http://www.sparselysageandtimely.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/250px-porky_pig_thats_all_folks.jpg

Xrep -

Micheal Cain made a movie about that little party.

"I'm thinking 3.

That horn in the forehead is going to be murder."

Damn, you've one-upped me. :)

30 Years War is example "A" number one on why hiring mercenaries is a bad idea.

Talking about unicorns always reminds me of a favorit poem from The Last Unicorn

Way I Behaved

When I was a young man, and very well thought of
There was nought I could ask that the ladies denied.
I nibbled their hearts like a handful of raisins,
And I never spoke love, but I knew that I lied.
But I said to myself, "Ah, there's none of them knows
The secret I shelter, and savor, and save.
I wait for the one who can see through my seeming
And I'll know when I love by the way I behave".

The years they passed over like clouds in the heavens,
The ladies went by me like snow on the wind.
I charmed and I cheated, deceived and dissembled
And I sinned, and I sinned and I sinned and I sinned.
But I said to myself,"Ah, there's none of them knows
There's a part of me pure as the whisk of a wave.
My love may be late, but she'll find I have been faithful
And I'll know when I love by the way I behave".

At last came a lady, both knowing and tender
Who said "You are not at all what they take you to be".
I betrayed her before she had quite finished speaking,
And she swallowed cold poison, and jumped in the sea.
And I say to myself, when there's time for a word,
As I gracefully grow more debauched and depraved.
"Ah, love may be strong, but a habit is stronger
And I know how I loved by the way I behaved".

Here's a good screen name

The Seeker

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV8ARjMqBVM&feature=related

I've looked under chairs
I've looked under tables
I've tried to find the key
To fifty million fables

chorus:
They call me The Seeker
I've been searching low and high
I won't get to get what I'm after
Till the day I die

I asked Bobby Dylan
I asked The Beatles
I asked Timothy Leary
But he couldn't help me either

chorus

People tend to hate me
'Cause I never smile
As I ransack their homes
They want to shake my hand

Focusing on nowhere
Investigating miles
I'm a seeker
I'm a really desperate man

I won't get to get what I'm after
Till the day I die

I learned how to raise my voice in anger
Yeah, but look at my face, ain't this a smile?
I'm happy when life's good
And when it's bad I cry
I've got values but I don't know how or why

I'm looking for me
You're looking for you
We're looking in at each other
And we don't know what to do

chorus

Here's that Telecaster again , different hands -

Waylon Jennings - I'm a Ramblin' Man

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--XdhfJKjEk

Corey -- Be sure to tell your niece that Sojourner spoke with a Dutch accent....when people try to turn her speech into thick (old-time) "colored dialect" they are not representing her real speech....no big deal for a kids' class but she might want to know...

Waylon Jennings - Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNpLSaCirj8

Damn I miss Waylon Jennings.

" Oily " Waylon and his leather covered Telecaster.

Waylon Jennings - Brown Eyed Handsome Man

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfTBGEBXX6Q

Chuck Berry - Nadine

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

"Campaign shoutin' like a Southern Democrat"

The Franken - Coleman contest continues and continues and continues

http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-national/20090306/Minnesota.Senate/

Oh yeah -- Waylon...and speaking of brown eyes handsome men...this photo of Waylon is exactly how I like to remember him....that's about as good as it gets...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLrJ250Gao8&feature=related

Electric Light Orchestra - Roll Over Beethoven

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLNR4xfh1Qc

Patsi -
Yep,
Here's another one -

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers - Jammin' Me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCxegqMU17A

Rickenbacker

Best road song ever -

Dire Straits - The Bug

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjh7S_6-hB8

The Bug ~ Mary Chapin Carpenter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90SXjQEhXKE

A good straw man sweeps clean.

cat stevens - miles from nowhere

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzplmeMMB84

A comentary from over on Steve Clemons blog.

It is on the psychology effect on numbers

I like these quotes
.

"As we increasingly read about TARP, stimulus, rescue packages and the rest, it is important to constantly remind ourselves that each trillion is actually a thousand billion dollars. Or, if you want to really put it in perspective, each trillion is a million million dollars (1,000,000 x $1,000,000). "

"Now see if this makes a difference - the total market capitalization of Citi, is now around $5 billion, while that of Bank of America is around $15 billion and Morgan Stanley is around $19 billion. The total fall in value of assets held by the US banking sector is around $3,600 billion creating a hole of about $1,400 billion. See what I mean"

http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/archives/2009/03/a_trillion_here/

Jack

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207303

AMEN! I totally agree. I also do not think Michael Moore is extreme at all. He is pointing out the hypocrisy in political circles and asking what has happened to the land of opportunity and fairness that he grew up believing in. He also asks what has happened to the traditional Democratic Party which took pride in helping all in our country. Michael Moore is mainstream! The right wing and the corporate media are the ones which try to define him as extreme!

Will Cat Stevens ever be allowed to play here again ? Mr. Crawford, would you please ask the President that question ?

Ah, thanks for the opportunities to rant, Messers Maxtrue and Reality. After all the sweetness and light over the last couple of days, I feel like a Newman. Too bad that I look more like a limbaugh.

I'm going to bed. Prosperous dreams, all you Mixers.
Don't let the breadbox bite.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207373

Well I am getting a mortgage. In 10 years it will be paid off, and I am paying 155 euro less per month than I did with renting. I've just been advised that my interest rate will be 3.85%. I understand that my situation is different from most mortgage deals, but I am buying an under-valued apartment, fixing it up and planning to live there til I'm dead :-)

Be good, 'cuz the Straw Man will Getcha eff'n you don't watch out.

Is Cat Stevens still Cat Stevens? He was so anti-music for a long time. I really lost a lot of respect for him when he went so religiously fanatical.

I'm off to read comments in the "civility thread". Meanwhile.. a word to the wise. NEVER, ever, ever, eat too much sugar free chocolates or candy. The results in the gastronomic system is NOT PRETTY...

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207216

I missed this message earlier. Pointing out what Limbaugh is and what he represents is not vilifying him. It is fairly assessing what he does and what it means in the political sphere. Focussing on him so much is probably not a good idea, but if the progressives can effectively identify him as the demagogue he is, it only strengthens the left and, ultimately, reduces his influence overall.

One last thing:

jim bunning is the real head of the party, and don't you ever forget it. He spoke just a few days ago, and the words made boehner and mcconnell wet their Depends. Every member of the DC rebushlican caucus has had nightmares since. In fact, jim even struck cold fear into the Big Insurance, Big Bang, and Big Oil.

Let's see if rush wants to have a mouth-off with the Emperor jim to see which one gets bragging rights. The contest to be judged by House and Senate rebushlicans, of course.

G'night already.

Euro Tom -

The man with a plan.

CBob

They Killed Sister Dorothy - HBO March 25

http://www.theykilledsisterdorothy.com/

The fate of the rain forest.

Yusuf islam (Cat Stevens) is singing and he still a peaceful man.

http://www.yusufislam.org.uk/

Julia -
You bad girl, can I sit next to you ?

In spite of all the drama in yesterday's blog, I found my favourite comment so far, and I've been READING and READING...

"Just to set the record straight, my ass is round, firm and fabulous!"
Posted by: oldseahag | March 5, 2009 6:08 AM

heheheheheheheh I nearly squealed when I read that. YOU GO GIRL !!!!

Some people never change. For that, we can be thankful. LOL!

Jamie I love Cat Stevens music and I enjoyed Cat Stevens the artist. But he was once quoted as supporting the Fatwa against Salman Rushdie which I thought was pretty sad. I don't know, does that reflect being peaceful? It may have been a comment out of context, so I really don't know. I do know that many progressive friends REFUSED to play any of his music at the radio station. His music is relevant for the ages.... I hope that he is the peaceful man you say because it would make me feel ever so better to have regained a cultural icon that I have so admired !!

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/limbaugh-the-ultimate-straw-ma.html#comment-207494

I'll give you a push Tony... :-)

Oh how I wish I had the technological ability to put music to a video clip and loop it forever.

Here's what I'd do...take the CPAC bouncing and flailing RUSH along with some of his spaz moves from his show and set them to:

"Hooked on a Feeling"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mz8CssbPUak&feature=related

The "Oga Chacka, Oga, Oga,
Oga Chacka Oga, Oga,
Oga Chacka Oga, Oga,
Oga Chacka Oga, Oga" part.

And:

"We Will Rock You"

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

The booming beat and probably the rest.....

But alas & alack...can only imagine it.

tt

April Wine - Say Hello

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M48DitTJTw8

Ok, reading the blog comments on yesterday's blog, I found the perfect theme song for the day (and title too):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqfnkP6Jtf0

Is there still a Prell shampoo? Does it come in the toothpaste like wrapping?

April Wine - Roller

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

Tip Toe -

That baby is almost as creepy as Rush.

C-Bob, I know! : - )

Here's the German version:

"Ugachaka"

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

tt

Def Leppard - Armageddon It

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI6Ms0b4q-4

I love YouTube. I've been there since the near beginning. Now ya can find all manner of stuff besides music like "how to"...videos.

And my current fascination:

Steampunk.

"Steampunk CD Player"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3ym3KlJ_BE&feature=related

"True Steampunk"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkpfU2DRE-E&feature=related

tt

Robert Palmer - Looking For Clues

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S9Or_bEGQI

Tip

Here ya go the Steam Punk archives at Boing Boing -

http://boingboing.net/steampunk/

A former aide to Alaska Republican Rep. Don Young was indicted Friday in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on corruption charges related to a broader Justice Department investigation of former lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000003068904

Jack Abramoff - The gift that keeps on giving.

Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqyc37aOqT0

Peter Gabriel - Steam

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1XNlAQypLY

" You know your culture from your trash "

Rush rules!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scIb1zZCniA

trying to stir up trouble champ ''
woke up the other day and limbaugh is the most important thing in the world
don't know what happened

I'm aware the cable news networks are shoving Limbaugh down people's throats as if he is of some significance. He's just a guy who figured out how to make a lot of money by pissing people off. End of story. Media-contrived nonsense. Enough Limbaugh already.

i guess the democrats figure if everyone is fixated on the sideshow ' they won't have to deal with and answer
questions about the real issues

Indeed, mqw. I concur.

note to world
the united states is broke'' we didn't even slow down
at broke but went well past that point without even a pause
you better learn to take care of yourselves' because
we can't afford to be everything to everybody anymore

Even though I enjoy seeing Rush roasted, I do wish the Limbaugh emphasis would die down.

It seems to reinforce the stupid argument that Republican need to appeal to their "core" and that that was the only thing missing in the last election and that is how you rebuild your party. That supposed "core" of the party is what I believe took the party down.

But by the democrats (of which I am one) lifting Limbaugh up and saying he is the face of the Republican party that only increases the idea that that is what the Republican party is.

I am a Democrat but I do believe we are better served by two parties - two healthy parties - the Republicans in the last twenty to now almost thirty years have been pure idealogues and not responsible for their actions. And I believe the last two elections and now the state of THE Republican party is the culmination.

Even though I am a Democrat I do hope that the Republican party can get itself together.

"In spite of all the drama in yesterday's blog, I found my favourite comment so far, and I've been READING and READING...

"Just to set the record straight, my ass is round, firm and fabulous!"
Posted by: oldseahag | March 5, 2009 6:08 AM"

I completely agree, Tom -- and nominate it for the Best Post of the day award. OSH -- yer killin' me....

Julia -- thanks so much for that Limbaugh/Hannity/Coulter clip -- I do want to slap all three of them.

limbaugh/hannity/coulter
should make democrats feel all warm and fuzzy inside to know they are contributing to their personal wealth
by running their ratings up'' they're laughing all the way to the bank

Axis of Drivel: Jindal, Limbaugh, Steele

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/07/opinion/07blow.html?_r=1&ref=opinion

mqw -- Those a-holes don't need Democrats to fatten their bank accounts...they have plenty of morons on the right buying up their load of sh!t.

anytime the president of the united states mentions an individuals name either positively or negatively
well thats instant validation' they should send
pres obama a royalty check or something

some left overs from yesterday's cottontail song:

patsi's back and so is champ,
od, warren, and there is lampe
sitting in the tub with reb renee.

those not named are not forgot.
some are lurkers, some are not
and some some wish would go away.

(it's time to stop this nonsense, time to listen and to think. time to ponder solutions before they wash us down the sink.)

wonder what the back story is on the reset button snafu yesterday. dirty trickster at state wanting to embarass hrc? hidden meaning of russian word "overcharge"? mark penn back?

http://www.reuters.com/article/joeBiden/idUSN06402140

some russian response to "reset" button

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hNrDkNS0sp4Xi6fOQDk6pYhBf5Rg

Morning Pat. There's a new thread.
http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/leave-rush-alone-just-kidding.html

Not hard to tell the ditto heads from the normal folks on here.
That aside,I have seen people talk about Limbaugh being the
leader of the Republican party for some time ,before Obama was on the national stage.
One thing about Limbaugh that can not be refuted,he loves to hate.He loves to preach hate and many of his followers try to emulate that hatred of anything democratic.That one single trait alone has far more negatives then positives.There are people that will buy into his one sided spin of issues,but on the other side of the issue there are many Christians that just don't see all democrats as evil,anti-Christian anti-American like Limbaugh tries to paint them as.Limbaugh is costing the Republican party far more votes then he can ever gain for the party.
Why would Limbaugh care anyway? Limbaugh makes money either way.He doesn't care as much for the party as he does his own bank account.Limbaugh is not driven to garner votes for the party,he is driven to attract attention to himself,watch the party follow him to fewer and fewer votes.