Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

Hello ... I am second! WOO HOO! I am back!

Hah - (figures - first post out of the blocks is a repost)

Moving a 4 drawer lateral file cabinet to the 2nd floor at Mrs. P's office during lunch reminded me of one reason I decided to stay in school.

I really can't sufficiently express my appreciation to all of you who have helped me avoid TM withdrawal over the past couple of days. But I've been released from rehab and without the annoyance of anonymous posting and Captcha hell I have backslid with no intention of curing my addiction.

Pogo (newpogo, that is)

Welcome back, wayward sons.

and MANY THANKS to CQ tech services for sorting this out

I think Obama is doing GREAT... and as far as I am concerned there is no reason to wait on health care OR energy, not to mention education. Mr. Blankley is simply introducing an formula for Obama to fail but waiting until his numbers fall... In this economic and health care meltdown, there is NO reason to wait ! And isn't it far past due time to wean ourselves off the need of energy provided my hostile countries who basically hate us?

OK , champ, you know how to lie to a computer,

Get your butt back here.

Jack

Tom
How many of your clothes carry the badge of the rehabber? AKA as "damn I got up against that wet paint again"

BTW welcome back

Jack

From last thread in response to Mr. Reality

Camille Paglia should stick to writing about the arts. The second part of that column about Daniella Mercury was wonderful. Unfortunately, when she writes about politics, it is almost all snark and talking points with little of the insight, originality and talent she displays with her other writing.

She has found a nice, well paying niche as the token feminist lesbian in the Republican Party so I suppose she and Steele now know enough between them about political issues to catch a bus together.

good afternoon gang....

I see Pogo and ETom are back...... YES!

My Pogo's back, and you're gonna be in trouble
(Hey la, hey la, my Pogo's back)
When you see him comin', better cut on the double
(Hey la, hey la, my Pogo's back)
You've been spreadin' lies that he was untrue
(Hey la, hey la, my Pogo's back)
So look out now, 'cause he's comin' after you
(Hey la, hey la, my Pogo's back)

I'm still in a wait and see attitude where Obama is concerned.... but so far.... I like what I see....

Dexter is talking to us while it's still light out today, but he left it at the end of the last thread. I'm bringing it over here, in case he doesn't make it over to this new thread for a while.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/obamas-first-50-days-report-ca.html#comment-209062

Craig,

I actually like Camille when she is just talking. She is obviously bright and experienced, but she wanders off into some rather odd tributaries when it comes to politics. She just doesn't seem to be able to put together a cohesive idea of where she is on the spectrum. But the right wingers do adore her for quoting purposes.

"it is almost all snark and talking points with little of the insight,"

I am shocked someone would do such a thing.

Renee, LOL, like I said, you may be in trouble now.

Yep, Craig, many thanks to you and the CQ IT geeks for helping work through this - I just hope that OpenID is good at IDing moles, trolls and a-holes. I do know that it verifies that the e-mail address being used is valid - a good start I suppose.

They really mean business! Next they'll want to tax the gold in your teeth.

http://tinyurl.com/Butt-thats-not-fair

set up my own Open ID -- that was easy. With both Typepad and Open ID accounts, you can choose whether you're feeling blue or orange, like a mood ring

Like no one saw this coming. But why so soon?

http://tinyurl.com/Slowly-they-turn

Jamie....
I once heard Camille talk about how much she loved to read Harlequin Romances for a full hour on NPR.... I swear.... she got out of breath with excitement describing how the heroines always rip open their bodices....

I decided at that point not to take anything she said seriously ever again....

Solidarnosc!

Anon Paranoid to me on last thread: "Closed minds never want to see or hear "

Anon -- no reason to call people who don't happen to click on your links names.....I often like your comments, and have said so --- BUT I can't read everything you write because you get so gloom, doom AND paranoid that it makes me suicidal.

" I swear.... she got out of breath with excitement describing how the heroines always rip open their bodices....I decided at that point not to take anything she said seriously ever again...."

HA!

"you get so gloom, doom AND paranoid that it makes me suicidal."

That is pretty funny in a twisted sort of way.

Craig

I will miss the times you stir up the nest at places like huffpo and we get the drivebyers calling you names. It added some light entertainment. And who knows maybe some of them stayed a while and learned something.

Jack

Clues indicate P-I closure is near
Online domain name renewed; cleanup bins coming

By DAN RICHMAN
P-I REPORTER

Despite The Hearst Corp.'s statement Tuesday morning that it hasn't decided whether to sell or shut down the Seattle P-I, clues emerged later in the day suggesting that Hearst plans to close the 146-year-old paper shortly and will continue operating a Web site.

Staff members learned Tuesday afternoon that boxes and bins are scheduled to be delivered to the newsroom later this week -- some for materials to be taken home, others for notes that require shredding.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/402994_pi11.html
---------------------

Something really creepy about newspapers printing their own obits.

thanks chloe for taking care of me. I think I'll take a stab at the new posting option...

"I will miss the times you stir up the nest at places like huffpo and we get the drivebyers calling you names -- Posted by: whskyjack"

ha, oh i'm sure if they're mad enough at me they'll find their way in -- and i'll let them, i would also miss that

Craig, and of course your ever vigilant participants will be on the lookout for suspicious characters - which of course assumes that they somehow differ from your ever vigilant participants...

I'm just so happy to be back in the game without Captcha hell, I could just bust. I forgot how easy this can be.

And the newpogo moniker was born when I signed up for Wordpress - for what reason I can't recall now- and Pogo with numbers I could remember was taken. I kinda like having a name change - and not having to go to DMV as a result just makes it that much more enjoyable.

well, if there are no other strays to corral back in here right now, i must move on to work on final draft of book. gonna be tied up with that next 10 days or so, but checkin in now and then to make sure nobody stole the furniture

Later . . .

My Obama Scorecard..

Appointments -C
Foreign Policy - A
Education -D
Earmarks - F
Stem Cells - A
Economy - Incomplete
Public Relations - C
First Lady - A

You say potato.

http://tinyurl.com/Not-Earmarks-Them-Favors

The New Pogo , now with even more "Minty Freshness".

OK . I'll just stick to good old Typekey/Typepad for now.

E mailed to me,,,to remind me who pays the most taxes,,he says

The Top 50% pay 96.54% of All Income Taxes
(The top 1% pay more than a third: 34.27%)

October 4, 2005

This is the data for calendar year 2003 just released in October 2005 by the Internal Revenue Service. The share of total income taxes paid by the top 1% of wage earners rose to 34.27% from 33.71% in 2002. Their income share (not just wages) rose from 16.12% to 16.77%. However, their average tax rate actually dropped from 27.25% down to 24.31%

*Data covers calendar year 2003, not fiscal year 2003
- and includes all income, not just wages, excluding Social Security
Think of it this way: less than 3-1/2 dollars out of every $100 paid in income taxes in the United States is paid by someone in the bottom 50% of wage earners. Are the top half millionaires? Noooo, more like "thousandaires." The top 50% were those individuals or couples filing jointly who earned $29,019 and up in 2003. (The top 1% earned $295,495-plus.) Americans who want to are continuing to improve their lives, and those who don't want to, aren't. Here are the wage earners in each category and the percentages they pay:
The top 1% pay over a third, 34.27% of all income taxes. (Up from 2003: 33.71%) The top 5% pay 54.36% of all income taxes (Up from 2002: 53.80%). The top 10% pay 65.84% (Up from 2002: 65.73%). The top 25% pay 83.88% (Down from 2002: 83.90%). The top 50% pay 96.54% (Up from 2002: 96.50%). The bottom 50%? They pay a paltry 3.46% of all income taxes (Down from 2002: 3.50%). The top 1% is paying nearly ten times the federal income taxes than the bottom 50%! And who earns what? The top 1% earns 16.77% of all income (2002: 16.12%). The top 5% earns 31.18% of all the income (2002: 30.55%). The top 10% earns 42.36% of all the income (2002: 41.77%); the top 25% earns 64.86% of all the income (2002: 64.37%) , and the top 50% earns 86.01% (2002: 85.77%) of all the income.

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/today.guest.html

and this from the tax foundation---http://www.taxfoundation.org/

Who Pays Taxes and Who Receives Government Spending? An Analysis of Federal, State and Local Tax and Spending Distributions, 1991-2004

by Andrew Chamberlain and Gerald Prante

Working Paper No. 1

Abstract
While the U.S. tax system is progressive, the distribution of government spending makes the overall fiscal system more progressive than is apparent from tax distributions alone. Using a microdata model we estimate the distribution of federal, state and local taxes and spending between 1991 and 2004. We find households in the lowest quintile of income received roughly $8.21 in federal, state and local government spending for every dollar of taxes paid in 2004, while households in the middle quintile received $1.30, and households in the top quintile received $0.41. Overall, tax payments exceeded government spending received for the top two quintiles of income, resulting in a net fiscal transfer of between $1.031 trillion and $1.527 trillion between quintiles. Both taxes and spending appear to have large distributional effects on households, and these effects have grown since 1991. The results suggest tax distributions alone are an inadequate measure of progressivity, and policymakers should examine both tax and spending distributions when judging the overall fairness of policy toward income groups.

oh geez, i forgot one last thing -- for those who don't mind shedding a bit of privacy (is there any left?), i think it's really helpful to complete the profiles in your Typepad and Open ID accounts. You can put photos, web addresses, your own blog url, etc. If you show a little skin (within reason), it makes your comments more interesting to readers.

Just click the little icons to the right of screen names to see the associated profile or edit your own

alrighty, now I'm REALLY gone for a while

pat., I answer to almost anything - pogo, newpogo, neopog - or anything remotely close. Mrs. P sometimes uses much more colorful names that I recognize and respond to, typically asking "How high?" on the way up, (not to mention all tose unheard names mouthed at me by irate drivers) so have at and have fun.

"If you show a little skin"

But I thought Craig told us just yesterday we had to be fully clothed when posting. (?)

http://www.taxfoundation.org/

yeah, chloe,I posted with openid, but to keep the name people know you here by, it's best to not use your aol account or any other, unless your user-name is the same there. See, you missed my openid post above because you didn't recognize my aol screen name.

damn...I was searching for lyrics to "Creatures of the Night " by Laura Branigan to make a comment about my nocturnal predisposition , only to find out she died 5 years ago! The things that slip me by....

Craig that photo Idea sounds got to me, you have most of them,,,you really need to get the ones that are holding out ,,,,I won't mention any names Chl--.

I saw an opening,,,and I tooks it :-))

newpogo: just to let you know, Levi and Lance both Twitter , and Hincapie has a beautiful website....and it was great to see the crew intact on Versus to bring us the TOC...Levi's a bit banged-up by that nasty wheel-touch crash---Phil Liggett cracks me up with his jokes---and did you know Paul Sherwen operates an African gold mine?

The jack rabbits fill their canteens -

http://radar.weather.gov/Conus/southplains_loop.php

Patsi...

You took my comment the wrong way. I was stating a fact that those who have closed minds aren't interested in a lot of stories that are posted.

I was not calling you per se closed minded.

I see constant discussions of right wing links complaining about what the President is doing and links about how he's doing everything wrong.

I see links about republicans kissing Rush's backside.

I see links about republicans talking down the President daily where all the above is discuss.

I post a link about a republican who supports the President and what he is doing and trying to do to restore our economy and country and no one thinks its worthy of discussion.

He is no flunky and even said he would not kiss Rush's you know what while telling how the republican party has been taken over by the far right.

How come very little is actually discuss about the good job President Obama is actually doing and attempting to do for our country instead of all those who are not now or maybe never will be satisfied with him?

There's plenty of I'll wait and see, so far I like what I see but, lets wait and see.

I apologize if you assumed that I was calling you closed minded. That was not my intent though you probably won't believe me.

I also linked today what can happen if we don't pay attention to what the right wing nuts are doing. They are prone to violence as we saw with the liberal hunting nut opening fire on women and children in a church, killing the Ak Democratic DNC chair and the murders of nurses and doctors at planned parent hood clinics along with bombing them.

Dismiss them if you will, but remember they are a threat to our democracy.

Have a good day.

It's a first: Whale sedated to disentangle rope
Crews were able to calm it, then remove 380 feet of rope around it

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29634767/

CBob, I'm assuming you're getting rain up there then?
We got a little down here. And it's cooling down some.

Dex, thanks for that info - Twittering is something I don't do - yet. In fact, I haven't looked into it at all. I did talk with a friend yesterday about getting hooked up with some of the roadbike crazies around here - I'nm anxious to see if I can get the new bike properly broken in.

A-P, it's been a hard lesson, but I've learned that 9 times out of 10, links don't elicit any discussion, no matter how insightful I might think they are. Doesn't mean no one reads them or is interested (I hope), just means no one thought that's what they wanted to talk about. I know that as for me, I'm much more inclined to respond to something I disagree with than something I think is roughly right - but then again, I am a lawyer.

Chole -
Not yet, the water tap is still south of us, but I have my toes crossed.

We were about to organize another search for virgins for a rain dance.

CBob: we got 3.1 inches of rain lassnite....the storm sewer sounded like a freight train...sunny 2day...Blanchard River crested last night and they are lugging the computers back into the schools in Ottawa-town.
Findlay is flooded of course, but those folks are wizards at sump-technology! The water has receded into the ground so my garage will not flood as i suspected it might at 5:00 am....

Pogo -
One thing about links, you never know who's going to pop up and say something out of left field.

Dexter -
I looked at Toledo's records last night, they had booked 2 inches the day before.

good luck in breaking in the new bike, pogo. It's right at 32 F here, warm and dry enough to get the Specialized Cross Bike out for an 8 miler as soon as i walk the pooches...ciao fer now!

hey! Anybody have XM-Sirius on their computer? Today they were supposed to cease giving us online listening privileges unless we ponied up more dough, which i refused to do. At midnight, the stations started going off, one-by-one...but they're all back on now..WTFF??

Dex, I'm glad your river is receding. I wish we could go back to more mundane things about rivers, like the Cuyahoga catching on fire.

Well, the big Denier conference ended in New York. It was held in a Times Square hotel. Nothing says serious science like a hotel in Times Square.

I remember watching the Cronkite News on CBS and seeing that, Flatus...the river on fire! Ten years later, and for a short while, Lake Erie water was actually SAFE TO DR INK right out of the lake! That didn't last long...now at Toledo, the beaches at the State Park are usually closed due to feces in the water.

CBob..yeah, CNN had a crew in Defiance, just 20 minutes from me, the Auglaize and Maumee are WAY high, over the banks, flooding the town there, too...Defiance only got 2.1, I think...our measurement was made in Montpelier, ten miles north of me...maybe we didn't get quite the whole 3.1...dunno

Ain't it th' truth, Bob, ain't it th' truth?

I almost always click the links you post - even the doppler loops and volcano cams (where have those gone, btw?) but seldom throw my 2 cents worth in - I mean what can I say about rain that hasn't been said? But Ido find them interesting and appreciate the effort.

Dex, temps headed down here, too. It will probably be a couple of weeks before I actually subject my butt to the torture of the saddle, but I'm aching to get out there. I may be on the verge of building up a newish mountain bike out of an old rockhopper I have - it's just one set of good forks away from being a bike more than capable of doing more than I'm capable of doing - and LP has been making noise about moving up to a fullsize bike, and he REALLY likes the one I got for myself after my hip surgery - and I've used it so little it's amost new. I think he'd enjoy it more than me.

Jim Cramer took a knife to a gun fight.

Isn't XM-Sirius a pay for radio service you can purchase through Best Buy or Radio Shack?

Pogo -
I was just reading about the Vog in Hawaii putting farmers out of business.

Volcanic smog shutting down Hawaii farmers
Sulfur dioxide hurts flower, vegetable crops, forcing some into bankruptcy

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29595775/

taxes taxes' as a individual '' children grown''' can't claim any dependents''' renting''''
pay 28% federal''' 6% state'''6%social sec '1.25% fica
1.45% medicare''' thats roughly 43% of my income
right off the top''' take some of whats left invest it'''
pay 18% ondividend income on money that has already been taxed'''pay property tax on some land i own''buy a coke ''taxed 'put some gas in the car'' taxed
cell phone'' taxed''
you would think i would get a thankyou note or something''' no ' all i hear is that's not enough''
like the old mule pulling the wagon'keep loading it up

Back to the real world.

Let's see if this goes up immediately or gets held. Jamie is Jamie in any incarnation and I've got an owl with open ID to prove it.

The MSH FS webcam is down for maintenance or some such thing - It eill be back, I'll get my fix, and all will be right with the world. Well, you know.

Imus is down on Jim Cramer, but he can't recall why. I wonder if Imus recalls when Cramer would write him checks in the $10's of thousand for his children cancer ranch? I think one check was $50,000, or maybe it was $100,000. All I recall was Imus couldn't thank him enough. But that was then when Imus was getting the ranch up and running.

Pogo -
I does bother me that the volcano is producing at this new higher level for a year now. This thing has slowly been getting more energetic , after more than 25 years of rolling along.

Brimstone just what we need.

This should be fun

"Jim Cramer is going mano-a-mano with Jon Stewart, tomorrow night:"

http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/03/thursday-cramer-goes-on-the-daily-show/

Jack

A tremendous loss - Willie King (from near my old college and grad school stomping grounds), is dead.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/11/arts/music/11king.html

Well, Bob, one thing we really can't do a whole lot about is volcanos. It is a shame that this one is having the effects it's having on paradise and the farmers there.

I don't click on most links..... I really don't have the time.... even for those I might be interested in.... I do manage to click on some though....

I have found my reading of books time cut in half since I started blogging.... if I started to click on links... I'd have no time to read books..... and I won't let that happen....

AP.... this isn't an Obama fan club site..... you were quoting me and I take a wait and see attitude toward ALL politicians.... both sides of the aisle....

I usually watch The Daily Show on it's rerun the day after.... it's on way past this early to bed and early to riser's bedtime..... I'll make sure to watch the rerun tonight.... this stuff with Cramer is a hoot!

Dex.... it's so great to see you posting again..... I LOVE your stories....

I got an open ID and it is being held behind bars temporarily. When you see jamie44.myopenid.com it is me. You will have to click on it, to see my owl.

well, folks, time to mosey. have a good evening

jamie, you've been released. ;-)

Good to see the real Pogo and thank you to Craig and compatriots for finding a solution.

I like Thomas Schaller (Whistling Past Dixie) and I agree with his assessment. I think Camille Paglia is a freak and as for Tony Blankley - not so much but not a total raving loon although he did work for Rev Moon

Ellen Degeneres got on Twitter a little over 24 hours ago. She is trying to see how many followers she can rack up before going on Letterman tonight

Help the lady out https://twitter.com/TheEllenShow

I don't know what time they film for the show.

flashback! You oldtimers surely remember the old toasters that folded in to the element and were manual, henceforth they burned toast to a crisp if not watched intently.
I just burned two pieces black , smoke pouring out of my toaster when a thick hunk of Texas Toast got wedged in...that burned toast smell took me back to Grandma's farm days.
(The egg salad was excellent, of course---I made it!)

One more bit of old-days stuff: Anyone who grew up east of the Mississippi River in the 1960's may remember "Cousin Brucie, 77, WABC, New York". He was a disc jockey at night, playing the hits...he's STILL ON !! He has a satellite gig, on the Sixties Channel...he's on right now, I'm listening. he ain't as old as one might think...just 71. I am a Brucie Cousin!

Dexter,

They looked like pyramids sitting on the table. Spent time scraping off the burned part. That's where I learned to like that charcoal taste of burned toast.

There is a big difference between someone who was five to ten years older when you were 15 and someone who is five to ten years older when you are 60.

Dexter,

You' re here early! I wasn't online last night when you were on-duty as the Night Watchman, and I missed your contribution to the Father Martin discussion. If I may, let me thank you for your contribution to that discussion, and for your courage in candor and honesty. Humbling words for family members and others who become impatient with the uneven pace of their loved ones recovery. I don't know who pioneered the concept of "Alcoholism, the Family Disease," but I do know Father Joe made it an integral component of his recovery regimen.

" post a link about a republican who supports the President and what he is doing and trying to do to restore our economy and country and no one thinks its worthy of discussion."

Anon -- don't worry -- I post a lot of things that nobody responds to...so what? No big deal...

Aside from that, I sometimes like to know what these fools on the right are throwing around...but usually find that crap in my email long before you post them. Plus, isn't that how Gordo started out? By saying we needed to know what was being thrown?

"I know that as for me, I'm much more inclined to respond to something I disagree with than something I think is roughly right - but then again, I am a lawyer."

Good point, Pogo....

Patsi...

Once again I apologize too you. I did take your reply as snide and maybe it wasn't meant to be taken that way.

The republicans are doing everything they can to overthrow this Presidency and our country don't need to go through another JFK, MLK or RFK. That would tear the very fabric of our country apart and believe me that it the last thing I want to see happen.

Have a good day.

"Help the lady out" https://twitter.com/TheEllenShow

Jamie, I went over to help Ellen out, as you suggested. She's got almost 32,000 already. The first time I tried, I got a message that said twitter was currently overloaded. She should have no problem getting a lot more before tonight.

Patsi...

LOL... Good one. I am no GORDO.

Have a nice day.

"Why is it that no one can say that the President is doing a good job so far considering what he inherited outside of eurotom?"

Come on PP.

A lot of people here have had a lot of good things to say about Obama. I've heard a lot of them defending him almost daily. It's not fair (I know, life's not fair, but) for you to say all the Obama supporters have left. Just about everyone here is a Democrat and supports Obama. Focusing on the opposition is not going to get us anywhere. And asking questions, and watching with an analytical eye, doesn't show non support.

I respect the fact that you support him. I think everyone here does. Sometimes it seems that others aren't commenting on what you say, because often we're all going in different directions. That doesn't mean we're not reading your comments though. And thinking about them. Give us a break here. We're doing our best.

Chloe

I though that a fast response to your email earlier,,was in order so,,you u have it in there now.

Chloe

I thought, that a fast response to your email earlier,,was in order so,,you u have it in there now.

Anon, I never felt anybody was chased away from here for supporting Obama. There are other reasons why people left, but I never believed not feeling welcomed here for supporting Obama should have been cited as a reason for leaving here.

and another thing, echoing Corey's point above, this conceit that anyone was "chased away" for a political belief is utter bull shit. anyone asked to change or leave -- and there were only two so asked by me in recent days -- was about behavior, not beliefs.

Solar, I saw that email and was very pleased with it. You said it all just right. Thanks.

In fact -- and i am TOTALLY NOT referring to you anon-p -- I have long thought it to be an insult to President Obama to use him as an excuse to obscenely bash those who are not his fervent supporters. My guess is that he would be completely horrified by how some of his backers behaved on this blog in the past. He is a decent and honorable person who probably would disown and disavow some of things that were said here on his behalf, except for the fact that those who said such things are and ought to be completely insignificant to him.

there, got that off my chest. gonna grill some beef kabobs now

Anon -- what bothers me is simply this: when Bill Clinton was president, I felt free to criticize anything I disagreed with. When he messed up and allowed those Kosovo refugees to pile up in tent cities, I was FURIOUS. I said much worse about him than I ever have about Barak Obama. In fact, if you check, I have offered little criticism of his administration, even though I see a lot that represents no change at all. I have said little about the backtracking because of two things: 1. I believe he's trying his best in the face of unbelievable problems, and 2. I'm sick of being called a racist old feminazi hag if I ever question anything. I was called a pinko commie faminazi when Bush was in power. I figure I'll die being called one kind of bitch or another. But during the Clinton years, no Democrat joined in the stonings. Funny how that changed.

Craig is eating his wheaties again!

Anon

Last year as we were busy slamming each other, you had a moment of personal grief when you lost one of your four legged companions. As I remember it wasn't HRC supporters who offered sympathy and support nor was it Obama supporters. It was trail mixers almost all here came to your need. Even some of the hardest battlers out there empathised with your grief.
It is what a community does. We are a community, IMO ,and you are part of it. But that doesn't mean we agree with you nor does it mean we will be your hand holding constant companion. We have a life of our own. I have noticed that where our lives and beliefs cross in here we interact. For me that is about all I expect.
You have had a lot of interaction today.

Jack

AP

Many in here have been very complimentary of the President and the First Lady. We are more likely to attack those who attack him as a means of defense.

Please don't slip into the whole "people were chased away " sob story. Nobody was chased away. Some chose to leave, but it wasn't because anybody here wanted them to go or asked them to leave

.

Craig is eating his wheaties again!

Posted by: oldseahag Author Profile Page | March 11, 2009 6:42 PM

Maybe he can replace Michael Phelps on the Wheaties Box
Bay area food banks picked up a ton of wheaties --all with pictures of Phelps a donation from Kellogs. :)))))))

I think we should grade the Republican opposition. How did they do in the first 50 days?

I say a D. They didn't do diddley.

I guess that would be diddly..short for diddly -squat

Jack and Jamie -- great comments. Hmm...the Jack & Jamie Jam -- talk radio...I kinda like it....

KGC-LOL!

Can I nominate Craig for post of the day?

"I have long thought it to be an insult to President Obama to use him as an excuse to obscenely bash those who are not his fervent supporters. My guess is that he would be completely horrified by how some of his backers behaved on this blog in the past. He is a decent and honorable person who probably would disown and disavow some of things that were said here on his behalf,"

Corey, I hope you mean this one. If so, I second that nomination.

Yep.

"Charles Freeman fails the loyalty test"

"In the U.S., you can advocate torture, illegal spying, and completely optional though murderous wars and be appointed to the highest positions. But you can't, apparently, criticize Israeli actions too much or question whether America's blind support for Israel should be re-examined"

From Glenn Greenwald's blog

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/03/10/freeman/index.html

anonP...
I consider all those who felt "chased away" to have the mentality of the average 12-13 yr old..... no one chased any one away..... as adults they left of their own volition.... period....

I am sick and tired of innocuous little statements such as the one of mine you quoted as being twisted by Obots to mean I don't like Obama.... I voted FOR him.... I'm rooting FOR him....

I will now scroll by your posts..... you do seem to be stuck in the past.... I'm into looking forward......

Craig..... you rock!

As a 'from day 1 supporter' of Obama, I'd just like to say I've never felt chased from here. And as a 'ferriner" I'd also like to say that Craig's always made me feel welcome. I did watch in a bit of horror as the two sides dug in and flung a little mud at each other. Just seemed to me that there were two extraordinary candidates (who now make a pretty great one-two punch!) and when do you suppose we will ever see another democratic primary with that kind of appeal, that kind of excitement?

There's one thing that's been on my mind all day tho. Someone (I can't remember, I think it was on yesterday's thread, late) said he/she thought that things would get better, but probably DESPITE the things that Obama's doing. So I just realized that Pres. Obama is pretty much screwed no matter what. If things don't get better, it'll be his fault. If things do get better, it won't be because of anything he's done.

Why does ANYONE want to be president of the USA? Gotta admire the guy even more now!

One more thing before I go.

There have been arrests by the Secret Service of people who were plotting to kill the President or were suspected of plotting against him.

Have a good day.

tylenol.... my Canadian friend.....
you rock too!

time to watch the Celtics.... and then the Big Dawg Clinton is on Larry King tonight.... I feel rich today.....

RR...

I did not use your comment, you say it was yours, deliberately as I didn't remember who said what. I used it as a generality to express what I have read over the last month.

I'm sorry you took it as a slam against you. I will go quietly before I'm whisk away in a white jacket.

Have a good day everyone.

LL- that title will really burn their (_l_)'s!

OSH..

I think you need to start a whole new movement called PIMPA (Please Insult My Perfect Ass).

It could be totally non-partisan.

Hi Craig!

Its time to let me in. ;0)

So, your post is thoughtful, but not broad enough, my friend.

In order to put some logic on this, you have to have been following Obama for his entire DC career and I did.

His admistration is not only using "Real Time" efficiently by paying attention of each avenue of recovery, when they have used up enough time on the stimulus....but Everything being tackled by then in these 100 days are and will become aparent to our recovery up to next year.

If the country had not been so ransacked by wrong thinking, then there would not be SO MANY HOMELESS NOW.

I believe that its such a scary subject, being homeless, that most don't want to hear about it. But our country is on an abys of a depression. I for one am really glad that the President is not listening to Political Pundits right now.

And even though I am afraid he is being light, on funds, I think he's being prudent on out behalf. We shall see.

I hear from regular peeps that they are relieved that the President is acting in this manner. Me Too.

Ok, Knock knock! lol

hahahahaaaaaaaaaaaa...just caught first 30 seconds of Countdown.. representative from Florida wants to ban bestiality because she heard the term "animal husbandry" HAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAA help me I can't breathe.. call 911

You are so silly!!

AnonP....

ok.... I believe you.... it's just when you started out today saying that some here consider you a troll.... you started the war all over again.... I've never considered you a troll..... and besides.... we both love cats..... so let's just shake hands and get over it.....

peace be to you....

go Celtics!

Tylenol, Mark Pryor (D, Ark.) says in 'Religulous', "You don't have to pass an IQ test to be a Senator". Apparently that holds true for elected office in general...

Imagine if I came to this place and I said, "The only reason all of you people disliked George Bush is because he is a Republican!" I'm assuming people might disagree with that statement. LOL!

Tylenol: "Just seemed to me that there were two extraordinary candidates (who now make a pretty great one-two punch!) and when do you suppose we will ever see another democratic primary with that kind of appeal, that kind of excitement? "

My vote for comment of the day. Hear, hear TY!

Hi,
I see I arrived just in time to buy a round of dandelion whine and cheers to everyone.

I've often thought about how stress and confrontation at high leadership levels filtered down. Many teachers i worked with says they noticed a real change in students attitude around 2004, especially as debate about the war really started heating up. Bickering in Congress is worse than ever.

Now we have random acts of violence instead of kindness. I know of a high school student that committed suicide the other day. Think we'll ever be grateful for what we have and go back to enjoying life?
Or at least put life's problems in perspective?

waitttttt a second.. is that OUR Julia????

In the flesh, bb!

Well said, LL....although I admit I did not vote for Obama. I voted for a REAL socialist. :)

woweeee!!! *snoopy dancin* ... how ARE ya julia??? I saw that great pic of you and Craig sittin on the wall the other day and wondered about you!!

Craig,

Did you leave Florida for greener pastures or did you escape from the Institution?

Between Katie's twins and now bestiality ... gasp... send the paramedics when Tylenol has been saved.

"just caught first 30 seconds of Countdown.. representative from Florida wants to ban bestiality because she heard the term "animal husbandry" HAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAA help me I can't breathe.. call 911"

OMG -- is this true? I missed it!

"Think we'll ever be grateful for what we have and go back to enjoying life?
Or at least put life's problems in perspective?"

I think the majority of us already do. The government can't do everything for us

testing....testing..... ;0)

True

It was part of the lead in and the full feature should be on shortly.

I'm doing just fine, Tylenol, had a health scare a few months ago but it turned out that I was just losing my mind (I was unaware that depression could make you feel actual, physical pain). I'm much better now, the depression is gone and no meds were needed: just a turning off of the news and a tuning out of the negativity in my life.

How have YOU been?

I'm really glad to see you here, Julia. I've missed you. What IS it about 'a certain age' that brings health scares?? I was SO glad to see the back of 2008 I'm tellin ya!

I'm also glad that you found out what it was. Many many women suffer depression as part of menopause or peri-menopause. I'm just glad to see you!

I humbly disagree chloe. we're heavily in debt, working more hours, marriages are shorter and have less chance of success, we're moving constantly and in jobs and houses on average less than 5 years. Not to mention there are so many people on anti-depressants that our happy pee is affecting the fish.

I had a wonderful opportunity to see the Dalai Lama in person once. The buddhists scattered in the audience and the sense of peace was wonderful. The Dalai Lama mentioned how in the west we have so much, food, health care, technology, and a medicine cabinet full of drugs.

All I'm saying is that as we fight, it has side effects we may not be aware of.

As I heard someone say about quantum physics this week, quantum mechanics means if a tree falls in the forest everyone hears it.

Oh! I'm in!.....

JULIA!!!!! Hi!

....and.....time to go back to work....

Been fun folks.

Julia, TY, so good to see you guys. CIO For Now

Tell me about it! I'll be 42 in 9 days...I'M JUST A KID!!!

Hi, Sheila! *waves*

XOXOXOXOXOXO!!!!!!

SWAK! LOLOLOL Julia!

"as we fight, it has side effects we may not be aware of."

I know Don. And I get what you're saying.
But those problems are always there and always have been. It's like Julia said, sometimes you have to turn off the tv and block the negativity.

That doesn't stop us from having the ability to put things in perspective. And believe me, I can always think of 'something' to be grateful for, as an American. We do the best we can, and then move on. We contribute what we can and help others if we can. We take control of the things where control is possible. And if it's not, we have to focus on what is.

I don't claim to have any of the answers. I can only speak to what works for me. I see everyone as having choices. Some lead in the right direction, and others don't.

Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.
Will Rogers
US humorist & showman (1879 - 1935)

Hi Julia, Pop in more often. You are missed.

Don1 - Back when I was in the middle of the rat race, I would head for a nunnary for four or five days on retreat. You don't have to be Catholic and just a few days spent in silence with the loudest noise being the soft bells that ring in the halls to announce morning can unwind a lot of frayed nerves.

Good to see u too Sheila.. :))

Animal "Husbandry" is part of worst persons. If you miss it, you should be able to see a clip on the website tomorrow.

I had another call 911 moment last night watching Stephen Colbert.. he was talking to the head of NASA.. asked if he thought there were aliens, NASA guy says no.. Colbert says, "then who's probing me during camping trips, cos eventually, enough's enough."

Meditation has really helped. Even just a few minutes a day has made a big difference to me. I look at a flower or a star or a tree, or find a feather or a leaf in the yard, and sit and focus on it and think about where it came from, marvel at the intricacy of it (even a plain brown rock can make you think about how long it's existed on earth or how it was formed), and just breathe.

There are a million-trillion grains of sand on a single beach, and yet that beach would not be the same if just one grain was removed. Sort of gives me a better perspective. ;D

Yep.. every time i feel like i'm getting a little big for my britches, I check out the tides. NOTHING is bigger than mother nature :)

BTW, I was told the other day that only 7% of the people where I work wanted UAW representation. I tell ya, it's hard adjusting to commenting here with clothes on. But, I'm doing it.

"I look at a flower or a star or a tree, or find a feather or a leaf in the yard, and sit and focus on it and think about where it came from, marvel at the intricacy of it (even a plain brown rock can make you think about how long it's existed on earth or how it was formed), and just breathe."

That's beautiful Julia.
I've never learned the art of mediation, but I try to do somewhat the same thing you're talking about every day. I love looking at trees, weather, butterflies, birds, clouds, stars, you name it. Put's things in there proper place.

You know, we can see you, Corey. Just like all the tee vee people can see you when you watch tee vee. I plan on thoroughly disgusting Pat Buchanan next time he's on. XDDD

"it's hard adjusting to commenting here with clothes on."

Corey, Did you see on the last thread where Craig suggested we show more skin?

Thank you, Chloe. Even the old yogis say meditation can never be perfected, because it's all about the journey, and not the goal.

I'm back with a final comment on the rain we received last night and this morning.
My cousin has a new Pontiac automobile, she is a Spanish teacher at a high school.
She tried to get off her gravel road onto the highway but the water kept creeping up and trapped her in her car. She somehow got out and got to safety as the new Pontiac filled with water. My uncle lives near there and he is 83 years old, and he reported it is by far the worst flooding in his lifetime.
Oh well...my cousin is safe ,and tomorrow, another new Pontiac! Hers is a total loss.

"And I did call the Secret Service after a Palin rally in Tampa where she incited the base to yell kill him."

I am going to flat call you out on this, anon. This is an outright lie. You are a sexist pig for repeating it. The men in that party have said and done far more -- and this woman, while I do not agree with her politics...did actually appoint a pro-choice woman judge to the Supreme Court of Alaska. And don't anyone count on me making any apologies.

YOU, anon, are the one who brings up assinations all the time. WHY?

Well, It's better to wear clothes....sometimes. Especially at work. I thought I was gonna get frostbite last night at work. They had shipping dock doors open and it was cold and windy last night. All the cold air went directly to where I work. The temp was 60 when I went to work last night. It was 26 when I left work.

it's just knowing that the tm door is always open and its path is free to walk.... well, a stumble or two here and there but wtf...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glc9lzV8_S4&feature=related

Egads, that is entirely too cold. When it gets below 32, everyone should be required to go home, curl up on the couch in front of a good movie, and have hot chocolate (with or without a little whiskey).

"I look at a flower or a star or a tree, or find a feather or a leaf in the yard, and sit and focus on it and think about where it came from, marvel at the intricacy of it"

I used to get that way when I looked at my 401(k) statement. Now I just get depressed. LOL.

BTW, the Detroit Pistons are having a "Feed The Children" telethon at their game tonight. So far they have raised almost $380,000.

hey patd......is that your sleeping bag rolled up and stashed behind the couch?

Not me, LL. I just look over at the department across from mine and count down the minutes until break time. 20 minutes of happiness a night.

I woke up early... it's 2:25 am... I am going back to bed but I just wanted to say IT IS GOOD TO BE BACK!

hugs to all..

Thursday I go to IKEA to buy my kitchen. The apartment is coming along...

Much sadness over the shootings going on in the last few days. Is society losing its grip? Norm Coleman has clearly lost his... then again, look at his HS picture. Can anyone say "stoner"? http://www.appletreeblog.com/?p=6040

Sarah Palin's daughter's marriage is off... That sure didn't last long.

Now Julia has me thinking of hot chocolate... mmmmmm

bye bye bye...

sometimes i sits and thinks........and sometimes i just sits.

-Peasie

"it's hard adjusting to commenting here with clothes on."
Another best comment by Corey!

Bad "Cousin Day" . My cousin losing her car turns out to be nothing compared to my cousin Steve's illness, which I just was notified of...he's in a Fort Wayne hospital right now, with his 7th chemo-drip in his arm. Leukemia. He's 60, but he plays basketball, runs, works like a demon as an industrial troubleshooter, flying all over the US and Europe...and then, a doctor check-up, and a hospital bed. I'm a bit stunned at the moment.

Corey, those people were in Elkhart a couple days ago, feeding the workers who built the motorhomes, and lost their jobs. "Feed the Children". Here, we have two Fleetwood trailer manufacturing plants...the corporation went bankrupt and the plant here closed for good.

Patsi

It wasn't Palin shouting "Kill Him" , but more than a few of the people in the audience were uttering those thoughts and calling him a traitor when she got into her "he hangs out with terrorists" spiel. The problem is that she is a very effective speaker and because of that talent was feeding into the prejudices of her audience.

We should start a "Penny Pitch" for the poor billionaires! They are a dying dodo bird, going extinct...last year, 1,125 of them, now just 793!

Sweet Dreams all. It's all yours Dexter.

Patsi...

Here are two links for you if you care to check them out.

"The U.S. Secret Service is looking into reports that a crowd member yelled,"Kill him!" while Gov. Sarah Palin was talking about Sen. Barack Obama during her Clearwater rally Monday." Link below.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/223483.php

"TAMPA - The U.S. Secret Service is looking into reports that a crowd member yelled,"Kill him!" while Gov. Sarah Palin was talking about Sen. Barack Obama during her Clearwater rally Monday."

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/oct/10/na-kill-him-reports-being-probed/

And my mistake. It was a Clearwater rally.

And here's two more.

"The Secret Service is following up on media reports today that someone in the crowd at a McCain/Palin event suggested killing Barack Obama, according to Secret Service spokesman Malcolm Wiley. The shout of "kill him" followed a Sarah Palin rant on Obama's relationship with radical Chicagoan Bill Ayers."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/mccain-does-nothing-as-cr_n_132366.html

"On the heels of a McCain supporter yelling that Obama was a "terrorist" today - and McCain said nothing in response to admonish the supporter - the Washington Post reports (via ThinkProgress) that a Palin supporter at one of her rallies today yelled for Obama to be assassinated after Palin, again, told the lie that some of Obama's best friends are terrorists:"

http://www.americablog.com/2008/10/kill-him.html

McCain Supporters in Bethlehem, PA

Video link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itEucdhf4Us

Good night all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX-G6mxLuWQ&feature=related

These scum, like this Liz Trotta in this video, calling for the assassination of Barack Obama as well as Osama bin Laden, are Palin's supporters. This kind of crap is not about sexism, it's about a crime that Trotta should still be in prison for. Her laughing apology a few days later mean NOTHING.

Dexter...

You caught me just as I was getting ready to shutdown for the night.

I posted that video when I ranted about the RFK comment made by you know who. Don't want to be accused of starting a war.

Liz Trotta was vile and her apology like you said was lame at best.

Anyway that is in the past and I'm only concerned about President Obama's safety now. The right is pushing some really ugly rhetoric about finding some way to remove President Obama from office and we all know how violent those right wingers can be from past experience.

This should worry everyone, but apparently it don't.

Good night and have a good day.

Ya know the "kill him" proved to be false. The secret service checked it out and it never happened.
Yet the myth still lives.

Jack

don1, you are definitely a candidate for this place:

http://tinyurl.com/cxtu83

lots of videos about it on YouTube, lots of written words on Google...looks like quite a place---I saw a film about it on a cable channel---quite a cast of characters go there, some stay all summer !!! I CANNOT imagine that!! HOT !!

ok, whskyjack...where does this article break down and lie?

http://www.talkleft.com/story/2008/10/6/22537/3821

Sully cashes in, bigtime! $3.2 mil for two books, HarperCollins, one a poetry book.
http://tinyurl.com/dgpmu8

NEW THREAD

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/03/take-on-the-pope-pres-obama.html

Just got back from a lovely dinner at the local Mediterranean joint. On Wednesday nites they have a belly dancer. My God, is she gorgeous, and I think I'm in love...

After baklava, hot chocolate with whiskey is probably the very last thing I need right now, so I'll have myself a little Hennessey instead. Cheers, kids!

Obama is killing even more those who are hurting most of the community. I think his going down very similar path with Bush. I really disappointed with the first month of Obama.

Stop buying toxic asset just to control the economy. Stimulus Bill won't save the economy and so the people of America. Because, the overall impact is much of what we need. Out of $787B package, around $290B comes in the form of tax cuts, $100B business tax cuts and etch. All of which goes to the top 10% of the income distribution. It is really nothing in the package.

Billions foreclosures fillings and bankruptcy is what dragging down the net worth of the economy.

http://www.murphyabovethelaw.com/

Just finished watching the replay of President Clinton on Larry King. His comments regarding universal health care and stem cell research was very enlightening.

It was interesting that Dr.Gupta asked him about the shaking of his left hand. President Clinton said he had been worried that he might have Parkinson's but doctors explained his is a normal part of getting older.

He said that he wanted to know if he had the disease so he could prepare for the future. ...a very impressive man, Mr. Bill Clinton..

comments "were" enlightening..correction