Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v197/kaeli/homer_woohoo.jpg

Sturge --

Best woo-hoo evarrr!

an ounce of woo is worth a pound of hoo.........

but i know about as much about socialism as i do about birthin' babies.......so my work here is done.......

thank you, thank you, and next time you must come to my house......

---robert heinlein

your woo-ship, you've out-hooed yourself with this one.
great find.

"governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods."

craig, only half way there since the prez sez the gov't won't be running things, just paying for them. so does that make it classic socialism or socialism "lite"?

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/06/temporary-bailout-or-allout-so.html#comment-232621

And this...

"Never worry about theory as long as the machinery does what it's supposed to do."

Robert A. Heinlein

flatus, any tho'ts on what looks to be a changing of the guard?

"The Dong-a Ilbo newspaper said North Koreans were already learning a new song written specially for Jong-un and referring to him as "the young leader". His father is known as the country's "dear leader" while his grandfather, Kim Il-sung, the country's founder who died in 1994, is referred to as the "great leader".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jun/02/north-korea-kim-jong-il

I added a few thoughts to the end of the last blog post so not to disturb any serious blog related comments here.

And yes Sturge, you did it again you crafty devil.

I must say, hats off to anyone who keeps a busted level.......
*************
cf. cbob's video on the forkner focuser........

thanks jamie for mentioning cm's pissant comment.
here's a wiki excerpt:
"Pissant is an epithet for an inconsequential, irrelevant, or worthless person, especially one who is irritating or contemptible out of proportion to his or her significance. A Virginia politician who also popularized the term once silenced a heckler by saying "I'm a big dog on a big hunt and I don't have time for a piss-ant on a melon stalk."[

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

taking one's shoes off in a mosque is a visible show of respect........not doing so would draw immediate attention to the offenfidel...........taking communion draws no attention unless you have a sign on your back saying "I'm not supposed to be taking communion". ie.....it "shows" no disrespect.....so who exactly is hurt by this act of taking communion? pah.......a pox upon manufactured disrespect.........moral busy-work.

I meant "whom". one of those eighth grade things........

Words just Words...

Did anyone listen to Bayrock yesterday.

I will not tell them what to do at GM, Them being my hand picked CEO and board, As long as they do what I want I will leave them alone...

Parapharased of course - but that was the message.

OK - You paid back the UAW - now what ?

ah, schmook........one more auto bankruptcy story:

Moose Jaw Standard
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Moose Jaw Standard was a Canadian automobile manufactured in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan in 1917.

Five local residents imported the parts to build 25 luxury cars from the United States; these were to be powered by Continental engines. Once each investor had a car, they gave up the concern when they realized that no one else was willing to buy.

picture of the automobile:

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

Good decisions have been overridden again by the need to play favorites to a specific vested group.

The more things change the more they stay the same.

3.5 more years

I don't think it's quite that dire yet. This country's first settlements were socialistic in nature. However, it only works in small doses & hope the gov't gets its hands out of the pie very soon.

Clearly, if the free market had worked...or rather, if management had done a good job, we wouldn't even be discussing this issue.

I am, however, getting quite a kick out of Pravda and Faux News being on the same page. I just knew Rush was a commie at heart. (He has a heart, right?)

...and yes, I know....but I always think of Rush as their spokesmodel, too.

blue,, And those first models of socialism in this country failed. Thank goodness no gifted speaking leader was around back then with a method to get his words just words out - or maybe it would have stuck.

but then we would not be here today.... All things in order!

Off to my segment of the Free Market conditions waiting for the trickle over effect.

Best to all

Pragmatism is at play, not ideology. Call it what you will, the judgment of the administration is that the consequences of an uncontrolled bankruptcy would be far worse for the U.S. and the world economy than the consequences (including the 'moral' consequences) of huge government investment. The government has stepped into the 'free' market many times in the past, and continues to do so, albeit on a much more modest basis. One of the lessons of the great depression is that standing by while the markets corrected themselves was a disasterous policy (revisionist historians notwithstanding.)

I think people have pretty much already forgotton how close we came to a global financial market meltdown, and the actions to rescue the economy were begun during the last administration (too little, too late perhaps) and that Obama has been left with few good alternatives to try to keep this baby running.

I once knew a man whose kitchen caught fire. It was a serious fire, and the fire department responded. They extinguished the blaze, but about a third of the house was destroyed. He said, "the fire was bad, but the water they used to extinguish the fire did as much damage as the fire itself." Well, without the water, the whole house would have been leveled.

Remember that when we see some serious inflation in a few years, and some of the attempts to keep the economy from burning down now either don't work or have adverse consequences.

Seems to me the Obama team is doing the best it can under the circumstances and the reality of our political system.

mornin'

Certain things are necessary to keep the economy going at a decent clip, notwithstanding the vague "fundamentals are sound" rhetoric that free market supplicants (mornin' Ping) spout without providing any clue as to what they mean when they say that (nevermind that the largest financial and industrial institutions in the country are either gone, in bankruptcy, for sale to the highest bidder or are poised to enter bankruptcy) and notwithstanding the fact that the under-regulated free market tiptoed to the edge of the economic cliff, with the rest of the world shackled to it, and threatened to jump. Less regulation, less government involvment and no government ownership or oversight of the "fundamental" components of the US economy have brought us here. Seems to me that whether it's called socialism or any other term that's been demonized as anathema to the industrial revolution (wake up, that era is over), it strikes me as a necessary evil. The Reagan-Bush experiment with government financed unfettered capitalism has proven to be a monumental failure. Frankly, I am glad that Obama and the Congress has had the good sense and strength to step up in the face of withering criticism from the right and do what they deemed needed to be done to attempt to right the badly listing Good Ship US Economy.

Joe, hat's off, brudda.

I've always spelled it pisant. And, I've used it in the bug context, too.

If I'm going to label someone with a crudity, I can do much better than pisant; I wasn't an NCO for nothing.

What Joe Scar and Ping don't want to admit is the country spoke about how this country is run and who is to do it back on Nov 4 last year. Their side lost. They can yell and scream all they want but the facts remain that the Rups lost that election. Given the mess he was handed on January 20, I am comfortable with President Obama running things.

Carol --

Here's a nice quote for you.

"I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do."

Robert A. Heinlein

I can't admit that I subscribe to it. What I used to say to my kids was, "Know the rules, follow the rules, and don't make up your own rules."

The truth is probably somewhere in between.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/06/temporary-bailout-or-allout-so.html#comment-232633

patd --

I wondered where that smell was coming from...lol!

"The name pissant arises from the urine-like odor produced by their nesting material..."

HD, "Rups" - I like it. I hope you don't mind if I steal it - I'm a little tired of Repugs (although it sdoes fit IMHO).

Once again Craig is brave enough to ruffle feathers. Of course we are moving into Socialism Lite. DId anyone think Obama was going in a different direction? I understand what Joe just said and there are times when government must step in. I am more concerned about the scope of this change going well beyond GM. I am troubled with how many Democrats actually want Socialism Lite to replace capitalism and it is dishonest to say this political block of anti-capitalists isn't the present difference in poll numbers.

I have said this before, we need to cut Obama some slack on the economy while making clear our concerns. America will not stumble into the Socialist wasteland any time soon, but Obama needs to know how close he is walking the line and that this experiment best have good results. I ask all to read what the RUssian Press just wrote about the US. It is startling. GM has themselves to thank for going into the toilet after 77 years of being king of the hill, or should I say scrap heap, but Russian commentators have now positioned America's direction as the wrong direction heading into the very area the US fought against for so many years. I am also concerned with the politican quid pro quo between the Party who saves Unions and the opposition. The level of corruption on the Democratic side is rising with new stories every day.

Again, there are many who defend the move towards Socialism Lite. They see no danger in a "slide", but protest every inroad into abortion laws etc as a slide into dangerous consequence. And that is how it goes. Every move that Democrats don't like is a slide to horror, but same sex marriage, socialism lite, witholding air defense from Israel or considering talks with Hizb'Allah is NOT ANY KIND OF SLIDE towards dangerous consequences.

The following is not a speech I would have Obama deliver in Cairo. My speech would be far more clever, but just as honest. Still, this speech says many things that are true and represents a more honest view than what Obama may deliver. Thursday will be interesting to watch as Pakistan today released a person many believe was behind the Mumbai terror attacks. I will refrain to comment what Carter said yesterday on CNN, but to point to Israel settlements as the principle reason for conflict in the Middle East is the stupidist thing I have heard an ex President ever say. Here is a proposed speech that makes far more honest points than Carter......

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/2009/06/026381print.html

Obama is now moving from words to action her in America. We do see the beginning of socialism lite. I am not about to rail against our President as I see the tough spot he is in. I am very weary however, about his numbers, expectations and even ideological inclination as far as the economy.

And there is the other serious front. We have heard the gestures to the Muslim world and the continued apathy of our allies. The time is coming as to whether Obama will lead and speak honestly to the world, or continue plan A until Iran's cleric gloat they they were right in thinking Obama would be America's Gorby and GM the path we as a nation will stumble into.........

Gravitas is missing when the messenger carries no moral outrage, no principled stick and grooms his words with nice phrases that avoid harsh reality checks. Our President must stop trying to be a salesman. He miscalculates how weak this looks in the Middle East.

We shall see

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.

Robert Heinlein

Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word, equality. But notice the difference: while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude.
-Alexis de Tocqueville

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/alexis_de_tocqueville.html

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/06/temporary-bailout-or-allout-so.html#comment-232633

patd

Perfect!

Wouldn't you love to hear the President say that to Newt or one of the other Sotomayor's name callers.

And how Alexis loved what were were. I rather doubt he would pleased in the new direction which smacks of restraint and servitude......

In a Democracy, the majority has some rights too....

loved what we were

"Set a bone"...I remember thinking that would actually be pretty difficult until I broke my ankle.

I go to the doctor - they give me a little something for the pain - and I am waiting for them to break out the x-ray so I can undergo what I presumed to be a precise sort of process.

Instead - the doctor comes in as I am sitting on the table - asks if I am ready - and he grabs my ankle with both hands and squeezes like the dickens until he hears a "pop." You don't have to go to medical school to figure that out....

Max, you had me until you got here: "Every move that Democrats don't like is a slide to horror, but same sex marriage, socialism lite, witholding air defense from Israel or considering talks with Hizb'Allah is NOT ANY KIND OF SLIDE towards dangerous consequences." when you jumped into crap land. The exact same thing can be said for the Rups. Only with them, merely restricting personal rights is no slide at all, but suggesting government involvment with business, or expansion of rights, or adopting sane or reality based policies concerning immigration, foreign relations, war, are first steps on slippery slopes to hell and communism (or more appropriately these days, takeover of the US by Islamofacistterrorists). False moral outrage like we saw for the past 8 years did noting to add gravitas to Bush's BS. Actions speak louder than words, and Obama appears to be going down a (slightly) better path toward sane actions than the chest thumping mess that got us to the point of occupying countries in unwinnable wars and unsustainable political positions in the ME.

I don't wholly agree or disagree with the proposed speech for the Pres. I do not agree that we make our bed only with Israel - IMHO there will NEVER be any semblance of peace in the region as long as the Palestinians don't have a homeland. Unfortunately the homeland they claim is in terriotry that is currently Israel. Until that changes, there will be war between those two and no one in the region will support Israel. Fault and dishonoring agreements are at no premium in that corner of the world, and our presence has not done much to get beyond that. A Zionist dot in the middle of the Islamic world, while legitimately based in history and tradition, will insure that peace never exists there so long as there is not a dot for the wandering Palestinians as well, like it or not.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/06/temporary-bailout-or-allout-so.html#comment-232643

Ping

You are mixing two time periods. The very first settlements were socialistic, but as townspeople became more self sufficient with farming and such, they moved on to capitalism while still keeping major items in common (There is a reason Massachusetts is a commonwealth). Those were the items still considered necessary to benefit all such as grazing land, free schools, volunteer fire depts etc.

The Later Socialistic groups in the 1800s such as Amana failed because they did not allow for human self interest. The Shakers were more successful and religious dogma did them in more than Socialism.

This battle between Capitalism and Socialism is an outgrowth in many ways of the Scottish Renaissance and three of its major lights: Adam Smith, David Hume, and Robert Owen. The balance between profit and idealism is always in flux.

At its heart is that all profit is the result of someone's labor. It then becomes a juggling act of the value of the labor (mental, financial, physical). Fail to reward one or over value another and eventually profit will cease.

warren, no, but try that with a femur.

Oh, I agree, the Republicans do the same thing. As you can read, I did not say Obama was really sliding into Hardcore Socialism. He seems to be aware of the opposition. I just pointed out the Democrats do this all the time -crying about possible slides. Same sex advocates say same sex marriage will not open the door. Republicans say owning assualt rifles will not become bazookas....LOL Both sides ignore possible slides and cry out about potential slides.

As far as the Middle East, Israel pulled out of Gaza and what happened? The Palestinians elected a terror group sworn to the destruction of Israel and recently started a war by firing missiles into Israel. I am not sure of what you are talking about. Carter thinks settlements are the top problem and idiotically discounts Hamas' charter....LOL

And it was also the policy of Israel to threaten annexation of captured territory should Arabs continue to attack which they have done for 60 years. Egypt made peace and got EVERYTHING back. Jordan made peace and Israel saved the King's life from terror attacks on more than one occasion. What you are suggesting is that Israel should hold territory without any expansion for forty years hoping one day Palistinians will come to their senses. And the settlements are the real problem? Polls show that the majority of Israelis would go back to 67 borders should they get a real peace and a total end of threats. But that won't happen will it? Name one country who would ever do what you are asking Israel to do. Clinton offered Arafat a decent map and he turned it down. Now Abbas would love the same deal but he doesn't speak for Hamas. And please don't forget more than a million Palestinians are presently Israelis and have lived there without much problem for 60 years.

Forget the settlements leading up to the founding of the country, and forget GM, Citi, Chase, etc., etc. Instead ask the cattle folk and oil folk in the west about the commons - they are plenty happy to let the cows eat the peoples' grass on the peoples' land and suck the peoples' oil and gas out of the peoples' land and pay a pittance for it or the timber industry in the east who are plenty happy to cut the peoples trees off thepeoples' forests while charging the people dearly for the products that result. Socialism is just fine, thank you very much, with capitalists as long as it benefits business, but if it benefits the people as a whole, it's SOCIALISM.

Pogo

You've been listening to Thom Hartmann again haven't you? :-)

"Both sides ignore possible slides and cry out about potential slides." Yup, because every change from what is is a slide to something else - if it's a slide to what youe soide wants, what's the problem, right?

I'm not asking Israel to do anything. I'm merely saying that as long as the Palestinians do not have defined boundaries and recognition as a state, there will not be pease in the ME. Do I think that is sufficient for peace to break out? Hardly. But I do think it is necessary. Hamas is just one group intent on the destruction of Israel, and IMHO the Palestinian Homeland issue is just one factor that might, MIGHT start the region down a path to an uneasy coexistence - which is the best result that I believe could ever happen as long as Muslims believe what they believe and Jews believe what they believe. Countries come and go - religions tend to have staying power that transcends nationalism. I'm not a Palesinian supporter - I couldn't care less about them other than as a source of unrest in the ME. Neither am I an Israel supporter - they also foment unrest in the region. I just look forward to the day when oil is no longer the be-all and end-all in the ME so the water wars can begin. (That btw is sarcasm).

I can't say it any better than cajunjoe, pogo, and Jamie..... so let me say I want to be associated with their eloquence on Craig's chosen topic....

sturg.... I just wanna say thank you for making me laugh so hard so many times....

Today I'm going out to lunch with a friend and then going to our favorite independent bookstore.... I want to look for Patsi's book.... but so many of you have brought up Robert Heinlein.... I've only read one book... The Puppet Masters..... I really liked it.... but haven't read anything else.... I'd like to buy a few of his books too.... can I please have some of your recommendations..... thanks....

jamie, LOL. I haven't been traveling much lately and I hardly ever get to listen to him unless I am. I'm not the anti-corporatist he is, but I do know corporate disingenuousness when I hear it and can't stand the fact that the Fn corporate apologists leave those little parts out of the argument and the morons who argue on behalf of the "left" seem to forget it, too.

Renee, Stranger in a Strange Land is a must read.

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

jamie, again, LOLOLOL. I just re-read my 10:13 post and it does sound just like a Thom Hartmann rant.

Here's some decently good economic news.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/06/02/business/AP-US-Wall-Street.html?_r=1

One misconception I see is that Hamas is intent on the destruction of Israel.

There have been times that Hamas has agreed to drop mantra as part of a permanent treaty. This last time Israel refused to renew the treaty because of the upcoming elections.

Several times Hamas has agreed to a truce to have Israel immediately start targeted assassinations.

The US and Israel have been starving the Palestinians since Hamas won the elections, with shipments of UN food supplies over 6 months behind in delivery. Malnutrition is common among the children.

I'm not saying Hamas is an innocent victim, but neither is Israel. Both political groups seem to require conflict for fund raising and media attention. If peace broke out there might be a complete loss of identity.

Renee,

By "Time Enough For Love". The Lazarus Long Notebooks is where most of those quotes are found.

This was a novel follow up to his short story/novelette "Methuselah's Children" so a compilation of his short stories that contains that one would be good. I believe "The Past Through Tomorrow" compilation of his late short stories does.

To buy all of his work you would need to pick up the 46 volume "The Virginia Edition" :-)

Renee.......try WALDO, by Heinlein, and also especially the two non-fiction books he wrote.....can't remember the names but will get them later.......

woohoops.......lot more heinlein non-fiction than i was aware of........i'll have to find it later but I'm sure they are all as nice as the two i did read.......

http://www.luna-city.com/sf/nonfic.htm

Heinlein bibliography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_A._Heinlein_bibliography#.22Future_History.22_short_fiction

It ranges from very early spacey pulp fiction to very thoughtful philosophy (He tended strongly to libertarian and loved to throw in items such as free love and incest to make you think about the reasons for a predjudice). His women characters all tend to be very beautiful, strong and brilliant as was his wife Virginia.

While scrounging to refresh my memory, I found this lovely obituary of Virginia

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2003_01/000193.php

heheheh

http://washingtonindependent.com/45214/tancredo-buchanan-bruised-by-racist-karate-chop

Racist, indeed. Sooo those crazy assed lefties who think Sotomayor's comments in 2001 aren't racist somehow think that something overtly racist said in 2007 by one of the "Conservative activists" associated with Tancredo and Buchannon causes is serious? Please. He's seen the light, quit drinking, started taking his bipolar meds and contributed to causes that are anathema to those causes. (All of which is sincere, I'm sure, and has nothing to do with it helping to SAVEW HIS ASS in court). Doesn't that make it all go away? LOL.

Filibuster hypocrisy begins.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/01/conservatives-ask-republican-senators-to-filibuster-on-sotomayor/

Jaysus, I thought we had gotten rid of Bill Frist. I guess he may be gone but his legacy lives on through his colleagues. When Jeff Sessions is the voice of reason, your side is in deep shit.

Pogo,

please steal the name "the Rups". Typos always lead to funny words meanings.

Pogo, I recommend any of his novels from the late 50s. They'll show him at the height of his form. Branch out from there.

Get Destination Moon for Li'l P.

Many of his novels were pure escapism. But, as he saw more of the mess humans made of our world, he became much more of a philosopher.

I think he wrote (at least) one hard core novel under noms de plume.

hey.... thanks for the suggestions..... I'm going to look for them.... of course, the first place I'll look is in their used book section....

and I went to their website to see if they had Patsi's book on hand..... according to their site.... they had one copy as of 7:10pm last night....
as of 1:15 this afternoon.... they won't have any.... it'll be in my hands....

well.... gotta go get ready.... we are going to my favorite Italian place....
my friend's 35 yr old daughter was recently diagnosed with a severe case of ulcerative colitis.... and she has no insurance.... luckily the daughter's best friend is an RN at the local hospital and has helped in getting her doctor visits and free meds.... with all the stress my friend has been feeling over this.... I thought I'd treat her to some loving care today.... the meal and any books she wants are on me..... see y'all later....

to add to the above, I also coined the phrase "Morning Load" when referring to Morning Joe without having coffee in my system. That phrase also falls into the Public Domain to be used without any acknowledgment. Feel free.

HD, I'm ahead of you. (I was just trying to be polite. :)

Thanks Flatus. I have read bits and pieces of Heilien, but aside from Stanger I can't say I've read completely any other novel of his. It's probably about time I did.

HD, you should delay that first cuppa more often. You seem to do your best work before you have it.

My son was a Heinlein addict, so I've actually read most of it second hand. Whenever anyone asks what to start with, then it is the two I gave of Time Enough For Love and The Past Through Tomorrow.

For pure fun, I love "Glory Road".

Israel.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0609/23207.html

Food for thought.

hmmmmm

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frank-schaeffer/how-i-and-other-pro-life_b_209747.html

interesting perspective of the right's contribution to Tiller's murder.

solar, shhhh - lunch.

A campaign promise that is now being broken?

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/warner-todd-huston/2009/05/30/obama-lifts-ban-lobbyists-back-business-usual

Max

"And please don't forget more than a million Palestinians are presently Israelis and have lived there without much problem for 60 years."

Israel,,as we speak is passing a law,that would put any person in jail for not recognizing it as a state,(they are tapping phone conversation,,and public,,this will do in court it says)and other issues that would jail all of the Palestinians that live there,,,,,so they will need a lot of jail space,,,to house them all,,,,,,,while the gov,,,steal the land that they live in,,,,the law is aimed only at the P's

Hamas did want a truce,,,right after they were elected,,,Bush financed an apposing group,,and armed them for assassination of Hamas,,,,

The lituni River is the goal,,it always was,,and always will be,,,this is why they made the buffer zone,,,and the Golan heights...their population is growing ,,and getting rid of the P's that live there will give them a little more time,,,I would wait them out,,and not bomb,,like the siege of lenan grad (?spelling) but with out the poisonous food, If we really wanted peace over there in the M E..all we would have to do is pull the $ from them all,,,the whole ME,,,come home let them run dry ,,,no $ for weapons,,,or anything

I asked Max how Israel got it's first Weapon,,,It was a gift from France,,,Max,,,when,,,,and what for?

Really like today talk,,learning a lot,,,,thanks Jamie for the information ,,,(and Pogo) about the 2 isms,,we need a blend of them both,,

I also really really like all of the latest moves made by Obama,,,,,when he pulls all this off (no matter how much $) and gives us a stable economy,,,for the 2010 elections,,,and there are more D;s in the house and senate,,,,we will get health care,,,,,maybe they will have the balls to do it by then,,,and let the R's scream all that they want,,,,,all he/they have to do,,,is point to what was,,,and what is,,,and pass it,,,,the country will be behind them?

Interesting bit of news.

Al Qaeda’s Xbox Fantasy Game.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2009/06/al_qaedas_xbox_fantasy_game_1.asp

Pogo,,,,you stealth-ed me out of lunch today,,,gonna hold my breath,,until you get back,,,not going to eat ,,,,,what am I saying,??,,your a lawyer,,,HA?

Ivy,,,I love it when you call me the Solar man.

PC,,,,,help needed

I was sent by e mail some plans from Ohio,,,that I would like to bid on,,,and received a pdf file,,that there was not problem reading,,,,but the attached zip file,,,the text,,,only comes out half readable,,,how can I get it all to be legible ,,,I will try to see if I can get it done with Piccsa or something??

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/06/temporary-bailout-or-allout-so.html#comment-232691

Aw Pogo, now, I don't know how to take that. :) I will admit that I am a coffee addict.

Cancel the help,,I managed to get an new file emailed that the text came thru and all readable

China has purchased GM's Hummer. Will the American consumer be allowed to purchase this vehicle after China begins production?

ping - You missed my point. Socialism only works in small groups for short periods of time...people will pull together when it's in their own self-interest to pool resources. I'm not supporting it, but I do think it's funny that you can't tell Pravda from Faux these days.

"I asked Max how Israel got it's first Weapon,,,It was a gift from France,,,Max,,,when,,,,and what for?"

first nuclear weapon that is.

I loved Heinlein as a kid. I'm not sure it would have the same bang now that it did then, but after the rather emotionless science fiction of Asimov it was quite a shock. I've read Glory Road many times, though I think I started out with Waldo & Magic Incorporated.

I don't think we've invented a word to replace grok, and I'm sure you've seen me use it often. To me it's the only way you can explain the border between religion and string theory.

HD, if you came up with Rups (albeit a typo) and Morning Load before coffee, what else do I need to say - they are both inspired.

Glad you weren't gonna hold your breath. No need to do such a thing - just breathe deeply and go eat.

TiR - don't have your MDR of BS I see. Quoting a blog entry rather than the policy? God God. You should try reading some reputable news source that doesn't have a preordained agenda - the National Enquirer would be a huge step up. Yes, I'm shooting the messenger.

Solar,

The Arabs and Palentinians that have been living in Israel for 60 years dislike the troublemakers as much as the Jewish Israeli population. Their homes are getting bombed. Their children are getting blowup by suicide nut cases.. There really is only one thing required to establish tranquility. The nations surrounding Israel have to grant it the right to exist. and stomp hard on any of their fanatics who won't accept that idea.

Once that is a given (as it is between Egypt and Israel among others) then negotiations over who lives where can take place. You can't expect the Israelis to keep giving up land in exchange for peace treaties that are then almost immediately violated.

That the Palestinians have been living in a no man's land for decades is the fault of the surrounding nations not Israel for one simple reason, they don't want the Palestinians either except as a bargaining chip and to hell with the people, and won't give up their land to give them a place to exist.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/06/temporary-bailout-or-allout-so.html#comment-232711

Don1one, If you haven't read "Time Enough For Love", it really is a signature work. What would happen to humanity if it really were possible to not only live forever but time travel as well. You have a series of rollicking good stories of humanity's oldest human telling his life's story and the family that eventually surrounds him interspersed with his notebooks. There are more than enough ideas to keep you busy going but but but for years as you argue with yourself about them.

The Notebooks (you can buy a bound copy of just the notebooks, but here they are for reading)

http://www.bobgod.com/lazaruslong.html

Jamie,,,,,The Israelis,,,always wanted that land,,,,,,and they originally wanted the Northern borders extended well beyond what they are now,,,,,,you have bought into the Extremes right to own land by any means,,,,just like Pres,,,Polk did with Mexico,,,,when Louisiana was purchased,,,they wanted,,(cheat) to include Texas,,in the purchase,,and Polk later on had a map drawn to include it,,,but it was not the original one,,,that was agreed on,,,,so quoting history is not always correct.,,,,so might makes right,,,,right?

Don,,,I wish that were true,,,,

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/06/temporary-bailout-or-allout-so.html#comment-232711

And that to me would be a good place to start learning about them both,,,educate the people of string theory,,,,,which will lead to other science inquiries,,,and then let them make that choice for their themselves,,,,I do like the Idea,,that both can co-exist string theory,,and religion,,,but will the religious let it,,,,,remember ,,,they still think that,,,the sun revolves around the world,,and are willing to live in the past,,,well not all but you get the pic...but once again,,I do like the thought.

the sun revolves around the world,,,,around Earth,,,that should read

What the Israeli's wanted isn't the problem. They were the ones attacked on the land that they had. In winning the wars they acquired land to act as a buffer against future attacks. They have given back the majority of all of the land won in those defensive wars.

Surrendering the balance of the land when there is still no acceptance of their right to exist would be stupid. I agree with not expanding. I agree with a goal of returning the land eventually into a Palestinian homeland and relocating the Israelis who have lived on this land (often in constant fear for their lives) is a good goal. But without acceptance - nothing, nada, zilch, and a glorious up yours. Suicide is stupid.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/06/temporary-bailout-or-allout-so.html#comment-232718

Solar,

Are you sure about that? :-)

A friend reminded me of this today in an email rant.

Everyone remember the EV-1 electric car made by GM in the mid 90s. Too bad the project was scrapped and GM is now bankrupted.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_EV1

Sonia Sotomayor explains her 'wise Latina' remark

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0609/23226.html

They have returned land,,,land that wasn't needed towards the goal,,,they are even offering to give back some more,,,,,,but Im willing to live there is they give back,,the Golan,,,and the buffer zone,,,they won't.

No not alway's( used to depend on the severity of the hangover),,,but thats what some people in religion still say

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/06/temporary-bailout-or-allout-so.html#comment-232721

The moon is a harsh mistress.

GM deals Hummer to Chinese buyer
Bankrupt automaker won't disclose details of deal to sell truck line, but source identifies buyer as Sichuan Tengzhong.
http://money.cnn.com/2009/06/02/news/companies/gm_hummer/?postversion=2009060213

Well, the sun is out, things are slow here, I have to take LP to a soccer tryout later - seems like leaving is a great idea. Who said that? Oh, I did. Take my advice - I will. Bye now.

"Socialism is just fine, thank you very much, with capitalists as long as it benefits business, but if it benefits the people as a whole, it's SOCIALISM."

pogo, when the s-word benefits business, the rups call it "good government" while wallowing in the trough.

btw, pogo & dooty, rups spelled backword is "spur".... and the ones most familiar to me are those pointy headed, shiny ones that just clank around when not otherwise used kicking asses.

ny rep & rup mchugh tapped as secty of army

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0609/23225.html

The moon is a harsh mistress.

Posted by: dark-lord-bloggingham.myopenid.co

Not so much.
Come kayaking with us under the full moon.
Well this week the almost full moon. Saturday June 6th we launch at 8pm

oh and those clinky spurs also do alot of spinning.....

Rick Sanchez,,,interviewing Rich Sanchez,,,,that should be interesting,,the former Iraq leader will be talking about Iraq,,,,,,why

debris sighted
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=RSSFeed-World&id=920a5431-5a8e-4488-a762-fde2989cab16&Headline=Brazilian+air+force+finds+plane+debris%3a+official

passengers, an eclectic group
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/03/world/europe/03victims.html

young irish doctor riverdance star on board

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/8078264.stm

I'm baaaaaack.....

there was no Heinlein in the used section.... and the only recommended one I could find in the new section was Stranger in a Strange Land.... I bought that and a copy of Between Planets.... I will have fun trying to find some of the other titles.... this bookstore has several outlets and I was in it's smallest one.... it's main store is in Peterborough (Our Town) and I bet I can find lots of Heinlein there....

oh yeah.... I now have Patsi's new book in my possession also....
and a copy of Kate Mosse's new book Sepulchre......

god I wish I could stop buying em..... I hereby declare that I AM a biblioholic..... and I am powerless in a bookstore.... :0)

I think I've read almost all of Heinlein's works, except for the Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag, which I didn't want to finish. Stranger in a Strange Land had a lot of influence on my religious thinking though, probably why I'm such a cynic now. Throw in Joseph Campbell and his interpretation, and I'm lucky the South doesn't throw me out.

I don't think you can talk US Middle East policy unless you factor in the influence of the apocalypse evangelicals. They're sure that Jesus can't come again so Israel has to expand to its original borders that it never filled in the first place, God just supposedly promised. Those that aren't true believers think we can only be blessed by helping Israel.

I understand the Saudi plan involves complete recognition by the Arabs. The Iranian threats seem to be mostly deliberately bad interpretations, the Persian live with Jews while the Arabs have thrown them all out.

When a culture has had a certain identity for so long though, any change, good or bad, can be feared and cause resistance. I think there's a lot of that in the lack of progress.

As I understand it

From Doonsebury site:

"You know, Dick Clarke. Dick Clarke, who was the head of the counterterrorism program in the run-up to 9/11. He obviously missed it."
-- Dick Cheney, on Richard Clarke

Clarke's email warnings:

"Bin Ladin Public Profile May Presage Attack" (5/3/01)

"Bin Ladin's Networks' Plans Advancing" (5/26/01)

"Bin Ladin Attacks May Be Imminent" (6/23/01)

"Bin Ladin and Associates Making Near-Term Threats" (6/25/01)

"Bin Ladin Planning High-Profile Attacks" (6/30/01)

"Planning for Bin Ladin Attacks Continues, Despite Delays" (7/02/01)

-- subject lines of Richard Clarke emails to Bush Administration prior to 9/11/01

Warren says "I go to the doctor - they give me a little something for the pain - and I am waiting for them to break out the x-ray so I can undergo what I presumed to be a precise sort of process."

"Instead - the doctor comes in as I am sitting on the table - asks if I am ready - and he grabs my ankle with both hands and squeezes like the dickens until he hears a "pop."

Now Warren, you're not saying that the Doc did this without an x-ray, are you? If he/she did, then he/she was screwing with the wrong dude. You are an attorney aren't you? If so, you may have a good case.

Now if they had an x-ray then they had a plan and hopefully you still can walk??

I loved Heinlein's work. His history should interest some here as his political beliefs did refflect in the themes of his work.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_A._Heinlein

I found this story below a great yarn and it prompted the usual spin-offs including a similar story on the Twight Light Zone. Star Troopers was also an interesting work laden with political observations. He also created an interest genre.

http://www.scifi.com/scifiction/classics/classics_archive/heinlein/heinlein1.html

I often noted some prophetic political observations in classic Sci Fi, but far from the Blob or even the usual Martian Invaders stories.

On a note about Israeli History. Ben Gurion and others did not plan to capture land outside their 67 Borders. It was more like the British wanted the Suez Canal...... People can spin what they want as no population is not without their fringe.

Given the long war Israel realized it would have to fight against the mass of Arab hostility around them, strategic areas were considered and once attacked, Israel was clear about these strategic objectives in a battle to last for decades. They had shown that true peace would prompt return of land. Israel also listened to the US and did not wipe out Sadat's army when cornered against the Nile. Israel also listened to the US and did not destroy Arafat and his army in Beruit when they had the chance.

I will never argue that Israel is without mistakes, Right Wingers and politics, but to compare their behavior to the history of the terrible ideology and hatred thrown their way is over the top. In fact, the new Jew hatred as I have linked here in the past is largely a new characteristic fashioned out of the Nazi/Grand Mufti years in Berlin. Arafat, The Muslim Brotherhood, Saddam and even Assad are all geneology traced back to neo nazi Islamists set upon a scapegoat and extremist strategy for winning back power after WW2. This was the Grand Mufti's plan. Before that, Jews were encouraged to return to the MIddle East as well as Iran and North Africa where they had lived in smaller numbers for centuries.

Israel has successfully destroyed almost every weapon system the Soviets made during the cold war testing our capability leading to the eventual tearing down of the Berlin Wall. There are many technologies Israel has added to our DOD. Israel has also contributed plenty to Western wealth and technology, even more so the Jewish contribution collectively given their numbers and State after WW2.

Despite Solar's claims which others have taken issue with, Israel knew that buffers were important in the long war. Now missiles supplied under the nose of the UN is changing that equation. Israel also said quite clearly that a prolonged attempt to destroy Israel and terrorize it by Arabs would come at the cost of annexation. Would the US be so nice to Mexico in response to 60 years of attacks?

Perhaps Solar ought to read the link I posted months ago of the Hamas charter. And to take what the Muslim leaders now say as they still try to kill each other for political control, without understanding the culture of their strategies of words is to ignore this:

http://www.islam-watch.org/Warner/Taqiyya-Islamic-Principle-Lying-for-Allah.htm And of course I am not talking about Moderate leaders or the many moderate Muslims.

If you think Israel will allow the West Bank and Gaza or even Southern Lebanon to be fortified zones for extremists to fire missiles, plot terror attacks behind the faces of their children, guess again.

Policies that try to leverage the Israelis (even to the point of ignoring Iran) while failing to change the most miscreant behavior of Muslims determined to destroy them, are doomed.

And why is Russia considering new strategic partnership with Israel (despite their support of Iran)?

http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htwin/articles/20090601.aspx

We need to exploit the new dynamics much better than we are now. What is PC now is quite clueless and I am confident Obama has the brass balls to throw anyone under the bus. I just hope it isn't Israel. And I'm sure Israel has sent their condolences to Iran regarding the battle of Qaidusiya which is marked this week. Israel is not prepared to lose such a battle themselves.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/06/temporary-bailout-or-allout-so.html#comment-232744

RR

If you ever find a 12 step program that works. Don't tell me about it. :-)

Great article on cultural "bias" --

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eric-deggans/the-fight-over-sonia-soto_b_210381.html

I note that Sotomayor discussed her "wise" remarks. Although she did not apologize for misspeaking (Obama said she had) she offered the same line I was attacked for a few days ago. Judges follow the law. Isn't that what I said? They follow the law and do not create new law. They do not extend laws that were created with clear demarcation. They do not create new interrpretations to give government more power unter we are "restricted" and cast in "servitude".

I am glad Sotomayor said that. If that is the case however, her original statement is rather pointless. Everyone has experiances that inform them. Yes, diversity is good, but in the end a white male and a female hispanic ought to be able to follow the SAME law and apply it in a new situation following the same criteria. The fact the court is often split indicates the degree one side (or both) do not follow this important principle.

Sturgeone - I'm glad you wrote as you did re shoes in a mosque being a visible sign of disrespect. That's what I wanted to say and couldn't figure out how to say it that wouldn't make the situation worse, so I chickened out with my comments about the supremacy
of rules over message. Thanks.

I suspect some dictionaries will refer to public ownership of the means of production and distribution of goods and services as opposed to government ownership. The difference?

I think we already have some socialism, i.e. the stock market. That is public ownership, but we can't admit the possibility of co-operation with socialism so now the definition has morphed.

Pogo - I agree with your comments on business
tweaking the definitions.

Further, I don't see democracy and socialism as mutually exclusive. The people can vote for a socialist system without giving up their power, and vote it out is they wish. It doesn't happen often, and it's risky, but it can happen.

Enough of moi. Got to take Vera to the airport.

"The fact the court is often split indicates the degree one side (or both) do not follow this important principle."

Wrong max. It indicates that "following the law" is not as simple as the GOP makes it out to be.

In most situations - I can find you law on both sides of the issue. In many of the cases I come across - there is gray area that requires judgment. Come to think of it - maybe that is why we freaking call them "judges"!!!

Certain fish markets in Pittsburgh are refusing to sell octupus to perspective buyers. People must show their I.D. when attempting to purchase octopus. If their I.D. reveals that they are from Detroit, the fish market will not sell an octopus to them. Video evidence:

http://www.freep.com/section/videonetwork&videoID=1138712983

No worries ct. He took an X-ray before - but I was under the mistaken impression that the actual setting would be done while looking at the bones under the x-ray.

And I must admit - the guy ending up doing a pretty good job fixing me up. I did some real damage to myself that night and needed surgery to get everything back in place.

(I bet it musta hurt like hell! Good thing I was too drunk to remember ; )

And don't feel bad - breaking that ankle led to me studying for the LSAT and getting into law school - instead of heading to Costa Rica to surf and become fluent in Espanol. Guess we will never know which way woulda worked out better...

(that is why I sometimes tell people "I just kinda fell into law school" : )

No accidents in life Warren. Everything has a purpose even though we may never find out what it is. Sometimes you can with serious ponder. You got to figure out that one.

Every time I wanted to drop out of my NP program things changed my mind. I'm glad they did.

The Israeli nuclear program began in 1949, when a special scientific unit was set up by the government for exactly that reason,,,to have a bomb,,, and they made some progress but the effort couldn’t succeeded without outside assistance, a technology transfer that would give the Israelis the ability to produce a functioning weapon.

So then France steps in, and offers the assistance in exchange for Israel’s invasion of the Sinai during the Suez crisis. French Israeli,, cooperation was based on more than geopolitical advantage, the French were confronting the Arabs in Algeria, the Egyptians, and the Israelis were their natural allies, and there was also an ideological motive. In solidarity with his fellow socialists in the Israeli Labor party, who dominated Israeli politics in the early years,,,, French Socialist Prime Minister Guy Mollet is reported to have said, in private: “I owe the bomb to them.”

The US offered credible cover for the clandestine within the framework of the “Atoms for Peace” agreement initiated by President Dwight David Eisenhower,,, the building of a small, swimming pool reactor,,, under this camouflage the construction of the much larger nuclear facility at Dimona, where the Israeli nuclear arsenal was conceived and assembled.

The reason that France wanted the bomb,,was that they had to have it ,,,,as a deterrence,,,,even with one bomb,,,will make the another country think twice about bombing them,,,that one bomb,,,between India,,and Pakistan,(they each have many but),,is all that stood in place,,from on country taking over the other,and killing off all the people,,Dictators,,,Ruthless nut jobs,,,understand this,,,one one want to die,,or their families to die,,,and their country,,,so even tho I think that Iran does not really (the common people) it is possible that their government might want to for this explicit purpose,,,so they are not taken over by another country.,,,and if they are taken down,,,controlled,,,it will be much easier for Israel to take over the whole immediate area,,so when someone says,,,why doesn't all of the other Arab countries take in the wondering Palestinians,,,are they really saying,,who gives a shit about people that are not like the Israeli's ?and why should they,,the P's have thier own land ,,but not for long.
!! is it possible,,,( and I don't know) that it might be better if Iran did have one,,,,even tho I still think,,that they can't deliver it,,,refine it to perfection,,and other factors that make me think,,that they will not get it,,without testing,,,and us knowing about it,,,etc,,,etc,

Patsi,

That was a decent article. Some of his points and this whole debate remind me of a college class I took years ago (35), "Teaching culturally deprived students". As you might imagine the course emphasized various teaching methods in working with minorities. ???

We've come a long ways.

So what's with the Octopus and Detroit?

Warren, of course there is grey area in the interpretation of the law, but if you think ideological struggles apart from "following the law" do not contribute to the split decisions, we can review certain cases if you want. The expansion of the Commerce Clause was ideologically driven far beyond orginal intent. The past interpretations of the 2nd were largely political. One decision completely ignored the fact shot guns WERE used by the military at the time of the ruling and sent precedent in the wrong direction for decades..

Over and over again we see ideology splitting decisions with grey areas the proverbial cover. The Constitution was largely a color blind document and the twisting of it from the start was also due to ideology. Some seemed unclear about the preamble which ought to have informed government that women and blacks enjoy all the rights as everyone else. It was more the failing of people rather than the law which was later clarified to make sure ideology wouldn't interfer with "following the law". To move Equal Protection to new hieghts might very well expand the meaning of equal beyond orginal intent (way beyond the foolish interpretation that All men are created Equal doesn't mean all races and genders)

Again, yes grey areas lead to split decisions, but the classical splits we have seen have been largely because some JUDGES come with ideological predispositions that influence their opinions. A whole peanut gallery has thrived on this claim against Scalia. Are you saying his decisons were all about the grey area? Why is their strict constiction on one side peppered with orginalism and another approach on the other relying more on modern precedent and Starry Decisis colored by progressive moves from a political vantage?

And I would say that both sides engage in this, but that LIberal Judges tend to stretch law to empower policy, where as Conservative Judges narrow the field. When court outcomes don't go the way Liberals want they cry "CONSERVATIVE COURT". I would love to know what Sotomayor feels about the House version of the Freedom of the Press Bill.

Found the answer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit_Red_Wings#Fan_tradition:_The_Octopus

Corey, Are you going to boil an Octopus, secrete it in a bag around you waist and then throw it on the ice after the national anthem?

Solar, given the ground situation in 1948, it is quite understandable why Israel wanted the bomb. Unlike their neighbors they swore off chemical weapons. I think you can understand. And French and US nuclear projects involved lots of Jews. It was a strategic interest in both the US and France's favor to turn their head as the Soviets poured in weapons and money to arm the Arabs. Israel used the bomb to mark out their retalitory power should THEY BE ATTACKED. The eqivalancy you suggest would have saddam with a bomb, had Israel not pre-empted that quest and the Russians and French were not allowed to fufill Saddam's dream. I fear Israeli nukes like I fear India's. Not all things are equal in the world and I rather doubt we would have beaten Germany to the bomb had Jews not sided with Western Values despite the fact a European power had just extreminated 6 million and other nations looked down on them. At the time Jews were helping the US build a bomb, country clubs in the US didn't allow Jews as members. For a people who contributed more than many in the defense of the Free World after WW2, it is not unusual they built a bomb and threatened to use it should enemies use the numerous WMD in their arsenal. Check out Global Security.org on that count.

Iran wants nuclear weapons for another reason as shown recently by NK> Haven't you been reading the paper? Any attempt to stop their illegal shipments of materials to groups that might ultimately be terrorist will be met with a nuclear response, or so NK says. Iran wants weapons to leverage their giving them to terrorists without the forensic ability of the West to prove it, for political gains. They want the bomb to guard against attacks IN RETALIATION FOR THEIR ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES. The same reason NK wants them, their illegal activity being SELLING THEM TO ANYONE.

Follow the $$$$$$,,,here,,,Israel,,,any where

One of the unique pleasures of living near our nation’s capital is to sit down with the first morning cup of coffee, open the Washington Post, and flip through the full-page ads placed by defense contractors. The ads almost always feature dedicated young soldiers, fierce bald eagles, and American flags. They extol our heroic warriors and note how they, the contractors, are on the front line defending freedom and the American way. They do not mention that the ads are paid for by the taxpayers, courtesy of the huge profits generated by unneeded defense spending. Their CEOs and shareholders must smile when they see the ads. The rest of us shouldn’t.

And defense contractors know how to make people afraid and keep them that way. The next war, against Iran, will no doubt be prepped by claims that Tehran was involved in 9/11 and that it is the principal supporter of al-Qaeda. Those Persians are "killing our soldiers." And nothing much changes when you flip from Republican to Democrat. Even if the Global War on Terror (GWOT) is now being referred to as Overseas Contingency Operations, there has been no shift in how Washington approaches the terrorism problem. Overseas Contingency Operations are just as big a business as was GWOT; they are designed to make money and create good jobs for a lot of people. If one opens that same Washington Post featuring the full-page self-congratulatory ads and turns to the employment pages, the few jobs available in this recession-wracked economy are in the quarter-page listings for defense contractors. Squeezing money from the taxpayers or borrowing it from foreigners appears to be the entirety of Washington’s local economy.

This huge war-driven economy is particularly difficult to comprehend given that the principal enemy is neither a foreign country nor a coalition of states. Contemporary terrorism is best describable as the tactic employed by a loosely wired political movement. There are no accurate statistics on how many terrorists there are in the world, but it is safe to assume that there are probably no more than several thousand Salafists, Islamic extremists who have an international agenda that makes them ideological foes of the United States and its allies. Al-Qaeda is one of several Salafist groups.

This is a nice story:

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/We-Didnt-Know-He-Was-Clarence-Thomas.html?yhp=1

"culturally deprived "

ROFL, Rez!

And Solar, we probably would disagree on the End State, less than the tactics to get there. I appreciate your sentiment of fairness, regardless of our disagreeing about the facts and the strategy.

You were exactly right that a big push from the Afghanistan side before something is done on the Pakistan side is foolish.

You are right that the Right in Israel exploited the gesture of Sharon to leave Gaza into a rant how unilateral moves get nowhwere. Now the Israelis don't want uniltareal consessions and frankly I don't blame them, but Israeli fundies are hardly an answer to the present situation. In the end should reason prevail, Israel will have to leave some areas they now think are theirs. Right now it is about leverage and addressing the fundemental issue of mutual security. Without security, there will no peace. Even war is better than a terrorized future. We would not tolerate it, nor should Israelis.

Solar, there are more than twenty times those fighters in HIzb'Allah and Quds. The record shows they have engaged in terrorism. Are you kidding me? Meshud who threatens to attack the WH has how many Taliban fighters under his control? They have been accused of using white phosphourous. Think there are only a few thousand terrorists in Pakistan. Tell India that....LOL. Even FARC has talked about dirty bomb attacks against the US. If you think that only a few thousand people are dangerous terrorists, what can I say?

Maybe I read your words incorrectly.

Carol,

Thanks for the response on the end of the last thread.
The answer to your question is yes, I have. But you didn't go on to give me your take on why that happens. I guess it's because that's the particular role is open (needed) at the time.

(and as for judging the judgmental's, I thought of that when I was doing it, but felt justified) :)

Max,,,,,no way to know how many,,,,but I am tired of this for today,,and maybe for a while,,,between trying to remember names dates,,,looking for info and putting it together,,Im pooped,,,pooped,,as in tired of this,,,,I don;t know how you do it,??

Back,,to silly stufff,,,,,and Tony,,,I have a bone to pick with U,,,pick up the Phone ( thread) and I will tell you!

I'll tell U now,,U R always encouraging me to make Judy laugh,,,well today,,it back fired,,,and your to blame!! we were going to go out for lunch,,but decided not to,,so while we were eating,,,we put on the kitchen tv for news,,,,,,and I dream of Jennie can on,,,was going to switch to the news,,or something,,,when I Jennie got a phone call from Darin,,,she answered,,,Yes Mater Darling,,,,,,,guess what I did,,,I told Judy,,,that,,,that is how I wanted to be addressed from now on,,,,,,she told me to get my darling ass over to the sink and start washing the dishes,,,,and then to get ready to go to H depo,,,cos she wanted to buy some paint so I can paint one of the bedrooms,,,and there was more,,U get the Ideal by now,,,HUH...tanks,,,tanks,a lot ex pal!

max:

I don't really disagree with your last post. Except to say that a lot of times "grey area" is not "cover" - it is a fact that judges have to deal with on a regular basis. Especially at the S. Ct.

I will certainly not deny that they grey area is filled in by ideaology, past experience, consideration of potential consequences, etc.

I just hate when people try to distill this debate down into such simplistic terms so that it is no longer an accurate depiction of what is actually taking place, i.e., "activist judges" vs. "following the law."

Funny you should bring up willy pete Max. Israel used it in the battle with the Palestinians. Nasty stuff that.

You also use muslim as a pejorative, while you're talking of only a few arab countries and maybe Iran. I have read translations that say Iran has never threatened Israel, just that they think Israel is a corrupt government that will fall of it's own problems. Egypt, Turkey, and may other muslim countries have excellent relations with Israel. You paint with a very broad brush.

It's interesting to hear all of the history brought up about Israel and the Palestinians. That's the problem in that region. They can't get over millennium of history and focus on what is here and now. It doesn't matter what happened in the 60s, what matters is what is the current situation. Keep bringing up the past and peace will never be negotiated.

Chloe, even though I do spend lots of time pondering, I don't have many of the answers. And I have a little problem with that judgement issue also but when I do it I do feel guilty about it.

Feeling guilty is another problem I have. Mom used it to all the time to control me, ie every time I was heading out for a vacation trip she'd mention that she felt a little blood clot coming on. I went anyway but had some trouble enjoying myself.

Temporary Bailout or All-Out Socialism?

Are we supposed to vote for our choice.
I vote for all out socialism.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDU8Gku7q-w

Jack
Thanks for the Johnny Cash video..I haven't seen it in a long time.It used to be a favorite of my mom's..It says a lot about many of are family's and why we came to Michigan...

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/06/temporary-bailout-or-allout-so.html#comment-232781

HA HA Solar
Boy that Judy is one smart lady!! I hope she doesn't work you to hard but I think your up to the challenges......

Sorry Solar, we were trying to hold it down while you menes were talking. We were just whispering.

"You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."

I submitted that because I know how Liberals love to quote Thomas Jefferson.

Max,,,,I don't want to be right,,correct about how so many people lost their lives,,,,in Afghanistan,,,we killed a lot of innocents,,with our drones,,,and drove the rebels into Pakistan,,,,lets not play games, root for our team,,,we don't have any,,over there,,we are intruders,,and should come home,,,Once again,,,if we want peace,,all we have to do is come home,,,and cut off the cash....and don't start with m e,,,,,,but we give 1/3 of all the $ that we give all countries,billions ,that we could use here,what do we want over there,,,a co-venture for oil,,,what?

I might just throw some fish sticks, Jamie. LOL!

Don, the US used it in Iraq. It is not banned. How it is used is banned. Is it suprising that civilians who Hamas hid behind were hurt?

I do not use Muslim as a pejorative. Your analysis about who says what in the Muslim world is obviouslt lacking. I have linked amny speeches such as the recent speech from the UAE where a well know cleric encourage Muslims to use anthrax on NYC. There is a huge library of declarations at Memri, so perhaps you could spend a dime and read. Egypt, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, and many other places have cells, clerics and groups advocating the kind of garbage I refered to.

Eygtian Muslim Brotherhood was where the Grand Mufti first ensconced his nazi hatred and Turkey broadcast a popular TV show where American Jewish doctors took Iraqi organs and sold them to Israelis. While the Turkish government and even some others have decent relations with Israel, large segments of the populations do not. Try traveling around the Middle East as a Jew and see how far that gets you.

Again, I don't paint using a brush. I frequently examine the Muslim Press.

It is all great to consider a fresh start, I would love to, but you are talking about militants and extremists that are literally tied to the past in their clerics fundie reading of the Koran. This is not the case in moderates who have spoken up of late, more than even the Left in America about the dangers of MUlsim extremism. Egypt is actually siding with ISrael and your characterization about Iran incredibly forgets the war Iran green lighted through Hamas. You over look the recent UN report that Syria and Iran have resupplied Hizb'Allah under their noses. You overlook the CIA reports alarmed about Pakistan or the fight we and Filipinos are fighting against Muslim Jihadists.

You seem to paint with an eraser.

I do give this to Solar as a gift;
http://www.slate.com/id/2219508

Please note the author and that he professes to object to all extremism whether it be NK, Iran, or even the religious Right in Israel.

I supported Rabin and have been a strong advocate for his positon before and after an Israel nutjob killed him. I am aware of the politics and never said Israel is without warts, largely warts created under the decades of terror stress Mulsim extremism has created.

And recently an American Muslim convert killed a soldier in the US. Did you hear about that story?

http://counterterrorismblog.org/2009/06/arkansas_lone_jihadist_how_alo.php

Do you think it is an isolated event not related to Muslim extemism? Yet more was made about homegrown attacks on abortion doctors. That is what I was talking about before. The link to Yemen and the indoctrination of clerics was scrubbed clean of the reporting of this story. No connection made between the growing home grown jihadists here. Yet the church is the inuendo when it comes to Tiller's killer. It is the double treatment of religon I deplore. We laugh at South Parks depiction of Jesus and still ban any cartoon of Mohammad. Paine, Jefferson, Franklin would all not be so kind and they had to deal with pirates........

Many, many Muslims want to live in peace. I know some of them. I buy goods from a Palestinian around the corner. We actually agree on quite a bit. There are however hundreds of thousands of Muslim, if not millions participating in the oppresion of women, the hatred cast towards the US and Israel and many more than Solar thinks involved in terrorism either indirectly or directly. How many millions contribute to charities THEY HOPE will support terror and the Islamists world State?

Yes, the majority of Israelis live in the world of a thousand years ago when the Arabs defeated Iran and sought a greater Islamic State. Even then the hatred of Jews was not as it is today, thanks to years of political scapegoating and the pernicious spread of NEONAZI thinking brought back from Berlin by the Grand Mufti and now used again as a rally cry.

Many think Obama was wrong to drop charges against AIPAC. Perhaps fewer think he was wrong to drop the case by Americans against the Saudi Royals after 9/11. In today's world leaders and governments are protected and in the lack of international justice, nations often find themselves the thankless and dangerous task of bringing justive themselves.

I can only empathize with my Indian friends as they watch the ring leader behind the Mumbai attacks walk free in Pakistan. And the Brits report they have terminated Mansur.........win some, lose some, but lets be honest about the real score card free of PC.

Harry Reid kowtowing to the Republicans AGAIN

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/reid-wont-set-august-deadline-for-scotus-vote-2009-06-02.html

Just because his name is reid, he doesn't have to bend like the homonym.

Carol, You don't have all the answers? I'm crushed.
As far as guilt goes, I do whatever I want, and worry about the guilt later.

Max,,,1/3 to Israel,,,that is,,,,,,,

Carol,,,say hello to Chlo for me,,,she just drives by me now,dosen't even whistle or nada,,,,and don't feel guilty,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,unless its about me haha,,,oh never mind,,,i seem to remember that you like to poke me in the ribs,,,cos,,,,"it's sooooooo much fun"...wait till that Sea gal get back,,,never mind I loose there also,,,and Chlo,,,I didn't mean anything ,,,,,you know!!,,,,,im going to go back fighting it out with Max,,,it's safer,,,Hey MaX,,,,put em up

Hi Solar, Sorry... How you doin'? Excuse my poor manners please. :)

Solar enjoy my gift, we can fight later.....I know your heart is in the right place if not your head....ha ha ha

(Jamie ha ha ha seems so lame, I will go back to LOL with your understanding I hope)

I gots to eat and DARK LORD forgive me of my bandwidth

Yes I know Jefferson didn't say that, but it sure does sound like something he might have said based on the following attributed quotes:

“"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.”

"When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty."

Can not excuse,,,that is an offense,,punishable by________so I let you know the right time to turn your self in for you ten_____. HA!

Max,,,,,I have my own sources,,to go to,,,I would never use the ones that you provide,,,would dirty the waters sort to speak,,,I get mine from a lot of diff parts of the world,,and news outlets,,,that have some objective reporting,,thanks any way.

If your ancestors came through Ellis Island or if you just want to be a part of preserving this American landmark, you might consider contributing to The Flag of Faces.

http://www.flagoffaces.org/?SID=146

“"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.”

Sorry, Gerald Ford not Jefferson.

Montecello dot org has a whole page devoted to the quotes that Jefferson did not say. :-)

http://www.monticello.org/library/reference/spurious.html

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/06/temporary-bailout-or-allout-so.html#comment-232803

Max,

LOL is usually used for laughing at something someone else has said bacuase you think it is funny and it tickled your funny bone (in other words not as sarcasm).

If you use it about something you have said, then you might consider that laughing at your own jokes is a bit odd. :-)

Solar, Memri is one of the best translating sites of Muslim documents and news. Why would you not examine the facts? And Slate in a tribute to a great Israeli writer is dirty water? Most of my sites including Stafor, Strategy page, WSJ, and many other links I provide are what solar? They are GOP sites? What are you talking about? And the counterintelligence blog is also Republican? Are you kidding me? What kind of filter do you use? You think Huffington more reputable than Slate, Kos more objective than Foreign Affairs or Strafor?

I want to be clear here for all reading this. You are saying my links are not reputable news outlets or sources of information? Maybe you confuse me with WorldNet Gordo. As far as Debka, their predictions were right most of the time posting stories days before mainstream news. I do not post from Fox often or national review, but your comments of my links are also without evidence I see.

If you want, I can post twenty links I often use and you are saying they dirty the water and you would never use them.

Does that make sense Solar? I get my news from three Indian sources, the BBC, WSJ, Guardian, Defense Tech, counterintelligence blog, Strategy page, Janes, Pravda, three Israeli newspapers, Bloomberg, Wired, Site Institute, Debka, Seoul Times, Secrecy News, MIcael Totten, Slate, NPR, National Review, Pew Research Center, Latin American Herald Tribune, LAT, NYT, WAPO, Scientific American, NTI, NCRI, Asia Times, Politico, Foreign Affairs, MIddle East Strategy at Harvard, memri, Stubborn Facts just to name some. I could go on. I scan many sources looking for connections and confirmations. AP, Rueters, CNN and other including CQ often find stories and news from the same places.

I do not post quack sites and even Jihad watch posts citations in all their articles taken from major media and government reports.

Sorry to hear that all your sources are so much more objective.

“"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.”

so far I've only seen the latter not the former. I'm willing to take my chances.

I use LOL Jamie, perhaps incorrectly to show the reader I think the line I used was intended to be funny. Sometimes I use it as "yeah right" or sarcasm. Sure, funny should be obvious, but then around here I need to confirm what was intended to be funny so I use it generally.

That is probably wrong of me but as a habit and and easy and phonetically pleasing term, it just seems comfortable.

Mexican-hating radio host returns to the airwaves

severin,,,I never liked this guy,,even before this.

Radio Talk Show Host Jay Severin gets really enthusiastic about what he says on-air. Well, maybe "enthusiastic" is the wrong word.

Enthusiastic enough that his advocacy of immigration policy reform got him into a bit of very deserved trouble after he called Mexicans "primitives," "leeches" and "criminaliens," then referenced hospital emergency rooms as "condos for Mexicans."

From The Boston Globe:

Neither Severin nor station officials responded to requests to comment today.

"Jay regrets the remarks for which he was suspended and understands that his comments were indeed wrong and hurtful to the Mexican and Mexican-American communities," the station's managers said over the weekend in a note posted on the WTKK website. "Accordingly, we feel it is time to end Jay's suspension and welcome him back."

Max,,thats not what i meant, but who cares,,,slow down..thats it for me for a while,,this is nuts

"laughing at your own jokes is a bit odd."
Oh no, I do that all the time. As a matter of fact, I'm sometimes the only one laughing.

Solar, (Hope you don't make my punishment to harsh) I just haven't been very talkative, but am enjoying your posts, as well as the others. I'll see you tomorrow.

Well Solar, that's one source I don't use........

You meant a particular source?

The link about concealing intent as an acceptable ruse in Muslim declarations? If I hit it then you ought to know that when the Gulf Cleric recently talked about using anthrax against NYC, Muslim LIberals (yes, there are a few) talked at length about the phony words the cleric uses to qualify his statements. They talked about the real intent behind the BS coming from Hamas, Iran and HIzb'Allah. It was interesting listening to Muslims lecture other Muslims about a cutural acceptance of such "double talk". That is why Hamas offered Israel a ten year truce. That is right out of "how to lie" from the Korean. It was an example of a promise that Mohammad said was okay to break. You do understand the Koran makes it permissible to lie to infedels when in a positon of weakness. This is not racist and is aimed at extremists not most moderate people.

Now we are not all saints, so don't think I am saying this is all black and white. As Warren would point out, there are shades of grey.

Got to run, but I hoped I addressed the issue.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/06/temporary-bailout-or-allout-so.html#comment-232815

Max,

Whatever makes you comfortable. If I think you are being sarcastic, I'll ask before throwing spitballs.

The Dark Lord would love to.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/06/temporary-bailout-or-allout-so.html#comment-232818

Chloe,

I do it all the time too. Usually, I don't advertise it. Though everyone can assume that I am almost always smiling at the computer screen.

That's whats nice about living with just my pup Jamie. When I crack myself up there's no one to put me away somewhere.

I just have to say that Tony used to say he'd start laughing so loud at things on this blog, that it would really scare his dogs. I think he said they hide until he calmed down. Tony?

Is it happy hour yet Chloe?

Is it two for the price of one yet?

"IIs it happy hour yet"

Is Solar buying?

I'm going to leave them out Jamie and if I get into trouble I will call you for defense.

One observation: During the campaign Republicans often compared statements by terrorists and some views the Democrats were saying particularly their opinions about Bush and US foreign policy and even history. I didn't like the similarities and convergences, but never considered Democrats in bed with OBL. I did make my feeling known that many Liberals cross the civil line.

Well today AQ denounced Obama and told Muslims not to believe Obama's "bloody messeages". I sense a new convergence between AQ and Republicans using the measure they used. So Republicans ought to see how much AQ and others want Obama to fail. Then they should examine their own bad will (some and not all) and understand they now agree with tem to some strange extent. Hell the Kremlin is even agreeing with Republicans these days. Should I blast Republicans for this offense?

Yes, to be fair. Americans ought to want their President to succeed. One may argue against certain policies, but to be vague about that and not support what they know Obama's GOOD INTENTIONS to be, despite what they think is his faulty strategy is unAmerican.

And that's just my two cents.......

Drinks are on me,,,,,,Bar keep drinks,,for me and my merry men/women,,,,,,,,and Music my Solar,,,and the polka makers,,,,Carol,,,U wanna do the step and a half??

All that talk about Heinlein today, made me look up a page of his quotes. I found one particulary interesting, almost haunting. It's always nice when someone can say something so simply, and yet say so much. I don't think I 've ever used the word 'enslaved' myself, but it's a good one. I have usually used the word 'driven' instead.

"In the absence of clearly-defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily trivia until ultimately we become enslaved by it."
Robert Heinlein

my=by

"The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else."

Amen brother! LOL

Hey, Where's that music Solar?

Right here..,,,,,,,,,,,Ride,,Sally Ride,,,Ride Around Sally,,,haha,,,how is that side saddle?,,,,,better watch it Carol is gonna hose me down again.

About three years ago, I used two Heinlein quotes as a blog post with a picture of Rodin statue (Fallen Caryatid) that he was discussing in the first quote.

http://jdurward.blogspot.com/2006/08/duty.html

Ok ,,,did I put you in a better mood,,,now that I made a goof outa myself?

Don

If ,Heinlein is a fiction writer,,,how do you think that religion and string theory converge??

http://jdurward.blogspot.com/2006/08/duty.html

Outstanding Jamie!
Jamie, Is that second paragraph his or yours? I am so impressed!

You leading or do you want me to Solar? Can you do a two step. I'm not sure about the step and a half.

I love it when you're goofy Solar. :)

Chloe,

That is his. The first quote is from Stranger In A Strange Land and the second is from the book I've been touting all day - Time Enough For Love.

The comments below contain some of my responses.

Jamie, I could have used that little advice years ago.

Too late Solar, I already turned the water off.

I wouldn't mind high taxes so much if we got something back. We seem to have the taxes of a socialist country with the benefits of a conservative capitalist society.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/06/temporary-bailout-or-allout-so.html#comment-232839

Solar,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_A._Heinlein

Heinlein was a graduate of Anapolis, naval officer and an engineer before becoming a writer. He is credited with imagining many items that have since been created simply because he knew they were possible.

after two steps it wouldn't matter anyway,,,,you would be fighting for the lead,,,hey,,,,watch your hands!

And I want to thank you guys for your sweet comments. Solar did you see the comments I left on the other blog this morning? And I went snipe hunting all on my own this morning.

Solar, if I can't follow I just take over.

I may be spindly but I'll just bet I could drag your ass around the dance floor.

Jamie, I went back and read the comments.
Vanilla birdies asking the question, is she doing it because it's expected or for self respect, I assumed it was because she had no choice. I guess either way, you could look at it that way.

I liked your response, that it's important it is to be inner directed. The reason is all that matters, in your opinion? I know that's an over simplification.

Amen Don!

Jamie, I understand it's about setting limits too.

G. Ford is one of my favorite founding fathers!!

Sitting here watching The Fountainhead. What a marvelous watch! All the age-old conundrums in 120-minutes.

Did anyone watch that expedition Africa the other night?

lord skoffington breaches again.
maxtrue,

1. Starry decisis ? Do you mean stare decisis'?

Or, do you mean decisions based on astrological theory ?

2. Posted by: maxtrue | June 2, 2009 6:21 PM :
"Iran wants weapons to leverage their giving them to terrorists without the forensic ability of the West to prove it, for political gains. They want the bomb to guard against attacks IN RETALIATION FOR THEIR ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES. The same reason NK wants them, their illegal activity being SELLING THEM TO ANYONE."

Probably true, however, arriving at your conclusion calls for mind reading. There is absolutely nothing on earth more slippery than motivations, and anytime I come across anyone claiming to know someone else's motive for committing an act, I get suspicious. Could you phrase this another way to allay my suspicions, or are these thoughts of yours expressible only in the manner you chose ?.

3. Back to the activist right wing juustices : the arguments I have heard against scalia are the same that I have given here on the trail on several occeasions :

a. he is a staunch 'originalist' and 'strict constructionist' whenever it is convenient for him to be so. In the FL recount, he was flagrantly neither 'originalist' nor 'strict constructionist,'

b. he is an activist judge, who promotes his social agenda from the bench,

c. he is corrupt. scalia refused to recuse himself from a case in which one of the litigants employed scalia's son as an attorney. scalia found in favor of his kid's client. The decision may have been a correct one, but the fact that he cast a vote makes a bad precedent and casts suspicion on the Court.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/06/temporary-bailout-or-allout-so.html#comment-232852

Chloe,

I believe totally in being inner directed and the Heinlein quote about duty. Too many people listen to the word "should" and make themselves very, very unhappy because of it.

You may import your values from a host of sources that then become a direction for your life, but you always need to question whether it is truly what you believe or are you only doing it to keep someone else satisfied or because it's some sort of power trip over another person (see how good a person I am to sacrifice so much blsh blsh gag)

I did see those Carol,,,and I hope that I did not cause you any discomfort,,with my talk,,,but you can see that is one subject,,that I take very seriously,,and you just got a little taste of it,,,U should hear a real pro defend the indefensible,,,but thats enough,,,and Im glad that you understood me a little better cos of it,,,but that's enough of that...

and it's not spindly,,,it is wirey,,,,like in that football comedy,,movie,,the skinny kid from England,,,said he was wirey,,,a

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/06/temporary-bailout-or-allout-so.html#comment-232857

CT

I watched it. Not what I expected. It was more like a reality show than what I would expect from the History Channel. I'll watch the next episode, but if it keeps that "survivor Africa" quality, I'll stop.

You could just say "hello", xrep. The Dark Lord loves you, too.

U did not answer me,,,did I get U out of you bad mood,,,that way ,,,no punishment,,,just say 1000 and 3 hail mary's HA!

Jamie
Waldos!

Haven't seen a talking car I like yet though.

Oh no Jamie, another reality show?? Not what I was expecting either. What education or intelligence level are they targeting these days?

Jamie,,,same here,,,one more show,,,I think that they were laying the ground game,,,and getting organized,,but the next better be worth twice the price of admission,,,or it's otta here!

"GM has themselves to thank for going into the toilet after 77 years of being king of the hill, or should I say scrap heap,"

Max
Your such a patriot!! You want to wage war with the world,you should be supporting GM you may need there manufacturing capability...

Not ever in a bad mood when around you guys.

The show is now available to watch online. But I don't want to waste my precious time if you guys don't think it is worth it.

Carol,,,I was talking about Chlo,,,she was not in a good mood before,but Im glad about your in a fine mood.

Did Chloe go get in her bed with a good book?

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/06/temporary-bailout-or-allout-so.html#comment-232866

I like the whole idea of tracing the Stanley route to find Livingston and getting the headline of the day plus all the wildlife and trials that made the trip so difficult, but I'll be darn if I'll watch multiple episodes of them squabbling over who is right about water.

"I just have to say that Tony used to say he'd start laughing so loud at things on this blog, that it would really scare his dogs. I think he said they hide until he calmed down. Tony?"

HA Chloe
So True.It was usually from something Patsi would write to Brian during the primaries that would have me hysterically laughing,oh and Jack too and I can't forget Jamie and well then there was KGC every now and again,Solar too and you Chloe..My mom's poor little Schnauzer dog Pepper would take off to his bed early to get away from me...Jessie well he just ignored the laughing and stuck around for his nightly half of a chicken hot dog...

Can anyone recommend a good L. Ron Hubbard book?

Twitter is fun and some of the people are either very knowledgeable or funny, but this tweeter made me laugh

http://twitter.com/common_squirrel

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/06/temporary-bailout-or-allout-so.html#comment-232874

Dark Lord

Aint no such thing. He gave up Science Fiction to invent religion ... much more profitable.

That's the first tweets I've read Jamie. Are they all that exciting and I've been missing out?

The NBC inside the White House special is great.

(But this coming from a guy who watches Rock of Love and the Real World Road Rules Challenge - so I don't have much credibility on this issue . . . )

Jamie

Question: Do you really need to give up science fiction to create religion?

(just kidding peeps ; )

Okay. Something just hit the fan and it might have been me...I.

I was reading along innocently, and got a message asking if I wanted to install the new Internet Explorer 8.
Foolishly I said yes, and it happened pretty quickly. Then I get a message that I have an incompatability problem with an add-on re Drive Letter Access, and my computer might crash if I don't do something about it.

Long story but I got a hot line number for microsoft. Answering machine message is totally inaudible, but I could make out the words do you need more help.
I screamed YES, and got a guy I could hear slightly. He finally got his volume up enough and his words were creating static, he was talking so fast. He got me to tech support and a woman whose accent was almost unnoticeable because I could barely hear her.
The phone went dead. Then she called me back and I could hear her, but her plosives sounds were spit into the phone. I was almost sobbing and told her to forget it.
Another long story, I had to disable this add-on just to get here - not sure what that'll cause. I'm kicking myself because I forgot what IE 7 was. This new one has a huge space at the top for icons etc, about 1/3 of the space.

I am going to go to a pro my sister knows and have him take this piece of crap off. If you don't hear from me for a while, I might have gone mad.

Does anybody else here have trouble with volume and sibilant sounds being magnified on phones? I know I am not hard of hearing! I watch people all the time moving their phones around and not talking into them
and these little black microphones like the rockers use are no damn good!!!!! Nite all!!!!!

lord skoffington breaches again.
maxtrue,

1. Starry decisis ? Do you mean stare decisis'?

(The former of course.....isn't my spelling consistent.........ly bad?)

Or, do you mean decisions based on astrological theory ?

(well, the Freemasons had some strange ideas, you never know with these judges)

2. Posted by: maxtrue | June 2, 2009 6:21 PM :
"Iran wants weapons to leverage their giving them to terrorists without the forensic ability of the West to prove it, for political gains. They want the bomb to guard against attacks IN RETALIATION FOR THEIR ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES. The same reason NK wants them, their illegal activity being SELLING THEM TO ANYONE."

Probably true, however, arriving at your conclusion calls for mind reading. There is absolutely nothing on earth more slippery than motivations, and anytime I come across anyone claiming to know someone else's motive for committing an act, I get suspicious. Could you phrase this another way to allay my suspicions, or are these thoughts of yours expressible only in the manner you chose ?

(Enough blips across the internet from numerous "experts" tells us with reasonable confidence that NK, Syria and Iran are all involved in related clandestine nuclear projects. We do not know the extent of Syrian, North Korean and Iranian programs. The Israelis have traditionally known a lot and they did hit al-Kibar. The group that revealed Iranian programs speaks of housing near new Iranian site meant for North Koreans and new extensions and facilities that the IAEA has not gained access to. We have indications personnel from all three countries have involvement in each others programs and Syria and Iran openly declared their joint WMD programs years ago (GlobalSecurity.Org).

Within a week or so after demonstrating a nuke, NK declared that interdiction of shipping might invoke a nuclear response. So North Korea threatens to use nukes to guard against interdiction of nuclear or other illegal WMD shipments. Nice. This follows reports of a 50 ton shipment of enriched uranium from NK to Iran. Of course this NK capability to strike anyone with ICBM is highly questionable at the moment (perhaps a year or two away) which is why NK is proceeding to fire missiles. They want to show us they can deliver.

Now how does this apply to Iran's motivations? Iran started their nuke weapon program in earnest during conflict with Iraq. I rely on US intelligence reports covered in the 2007 NIE Report. Iran thought it needed parity with Iraq and why Saddam over stated his capability to be close the bomb and delivery systems. Iran likely loved that Israel took out Saddam's reactor. So the initial motivation for Iranians without much mind reading is likely self-preservation. Pakistan and India found that parity. This seems consistent with what Iranian leadership has publicly announced while never admitting they sought nukes in the first place.

When we invaded Iraq and removed the great fear from Iran, the NIE says Iran stopped their weaponization program. But then something happened. The need for a nuke had evaporated and the world sanctioned against any continuance of their discovered program. Without a war with Iraq to oppress the people with, a new conflagration was emphasized. There is a clear escalation of rhetoric as evidenced in the growing interest in the Palestinian cause over the last several years. Even now Ahmadinejad mocks the former President's protégé over suspending enrichment 2003 -2005. The rhetoric has shifted away from Saddam, the Kurds and the Taliban and towards Israel and the US. Iranian theocrats see in this the fruition of their desired hegemony via Hamas, the Brotherhood and Hizb'Allah. Even Ricks says Bush handed them this opportunity although we could debate the equally dangerous world with Saddam and Iran with nukes. Still, we all know the weekly statements coming from Iran and the constant escalation of threatening activities and support of groups in direct conflict with the US, Israel and Western Interests. I think there is even evidence of Iranian assistance to AQ and the Taliban in the last few years.

The Iranians know that they are blowing on the fire and spending a lot on nuclear and missiles (no one is threatening them) for what strategic purpose? The Mullahs know what moderate Sunni think of their behavior. They know what Egyptian and Saudi officials think. This has every look of a "play", a strategic push in hopes that the resulting hegemony and realized oil wealth will overcome the rather dire economics of the present.

This then speaks to motivation, The Iranian appears to be chasing hegemony and fueling the fires of conflicts likely to explode from such inflation. There is every indication the leadership thinks this is best rather than a pullback from radicalism and an opening of their society despite the internal discontent. We have taken on their natural enemies yet Iranian leadership sees a moment of opportunity having come full circle since the battle of Q. I know it sounds a bit weird but Iran is a theocracy. Nukes then are the Mullah’s protection. Without them, what would prevent the US or Israel or others from attacking the crap out of Iran should they provoke terror or conflict? So I think the dots of words and behavior coming from Iran suggest nukes represent a necessary card up their sleeve given the unrelenting course they have taken in their ideological and religious zeal. These are not the Soviets as the Russians will tell you.)

3. Back to the activist right wing justices : the arguments I have heard against scalia are the same that I have given here on the trail on several occasions :

a. he is a staunch 'originalist' and 'strict constructionist' whenever it is convenient for him to be so. In the FL recount, he was flagrantly neither 'originalist' nor 'strict constructionist,'

b. he is an activist judge, who promotes his social agenda from the bench,

c. he is corrupt. scalia refused to recuse himself from a case in which one of the litigants employed scalia's son as an attorney. scalia found in favor of his kid's client. The decision may have been a correct one, but the fact that he cast a vote makes a bad precedent and casts suspicion on the Court.

(I do not know enough of every decision to pass judgment. Those cases I have read showed some reasoning along the lines indicated in your first characterization. Whether FL was a violation of these principles, I do not know. Even it was, no ones perfect and it doesn't make his general approach wrong. In my argument I simply suggested that the first criteria you listed seems to be the wise approach. Sometime things can cause a bending which I am sure would be applauded here were it to go in the Liberal favor. In fact, many here probably endorse much more bending to make America what it ought to be. And it might be that our founders were a bit more like Scalia. Maybe he was a slave owner who smuggle rum in his past incarnation. I don't know. I was defending an approach and suggesting much of the vilification stems more from "following the law" as it is, and not personal pandering of SOCON values into legal opinion.

If the decisions are sensible and grounded in clear Constitutional Law, items 2 and 3 are mere speculation. Part of the animosity is from what Scalia thinks of Congress. Americans don't think highly of Congress either. Scalia is likely to defend executive principle for Obama as he did with Bush. I just don't think Scalia is as petty, freaky and shady as the Left surmises. Sotomajor says her experience will not prevent her from following the law. Good for her. I don't think Scalia's conservatism keeps him from following the law, though I understand Democrats question his POTUS ruling. Frankly, I think history will say that my mother’s neighbors and Gore's campaign lost 2000. It might be that Scalia is vey smart and has a sensible approach that seems conservative lead, because the law itself is a bit conservative. Scalia might say Congress or the people could change this and it not the purpose of the court to do their work for them. Again, on these issues I can speak in general terms, but defer to Constitutional Lawyers to assess the score card of Scalia decisions. Numerous non SOCON conservatives have great respect for him. And I believe he has sided on the Left more than once.)

Dark Lord, I left out the claim Iran wants to leverage their giving fingerprintless materials to terrorists for Grand Bargains.....

This is often discussed on the internet. This idea comes from experts in the region. Part of Odum's Grand Bargain was that Iran would give us assurances against such activity as this capability has been a reality for some time. It makes us hostage in a way to their PROMISES over a situation (Iranian nukes and their support of terror). Since we can't verifiy compliance, this represents part of hollowness of such a Grand Bargain. Iran has further made verification difficult spreading operations from the Far East to South America. Occam's Razor suggest the simplist explanation for a multitude of activity. Where as prestige doesn't explain numerous facts.

Another sign Obama is listening is Clnton's move with OAS as mention in CQ. The point has come when give aways would be foolish. Step two is quid pro quo. That is the message for Cuba for now. The last two weeks Obama has steered center.

This is an interesting take on Scalia as the greatest advocate for criminal defense lawyers:

http://sdfla.blogspot.com/search/label/Justice%20Scalia

Issac Asimov, then?

Oh, and Max, no need to apologize to the Dark Lord; this ain't his dominion.

Obama's not rushing to socialism! Obama is pulling out all the stops to ensure capitalism retains its grip on the American public.
GM, the giant of all giants, is being kid-gloved, bailed out, entered into a special bankruptcy from which it shall emege debt-free and all-new, under dedicated management, and it will do everything it can to turn a profit and more importantly attain a high mark on ROI so the market share can rise above the dollar-a-share mark for good.

AIG would have been blasted to smithereens by the hordes if socialism was in the cards, but no, the US Treasury doled out billions so the execs could party with whores and whiskey in California or wherever...and bonuses could be paid to swindling crooks, all of it from the US teat.

No, socialism is not coming here, and whether it actually happens or not , in the next few coming years we will be told that Chrysler (Fiat) and GM have paid it all back!...Turned the corner! Capitalism is thriving again!

The first rule socialists learn is that capitalism , by nature, goes in cycles. With no army of the people all stirred up for revolution, capitalism will remain in varying degrees of existence.
Who woulda thunk after the meltdown of the car industry in the early 1980s that the car industry could ever rise again?
Well, it did, and now it's down , but not out, because the econ-geniuses know what I know, this dark horse always win the race, always, and it is a good bet not to let it die on the vine.
Capitalism is just sleeping, but it shall rise again, just like most devilish things; it's hard to kill.

Oops, sorry I didn't say goodnight before I left. Enjoyed the fosts that followed though.