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Monday Night Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:02:21 PM EST
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I'm watching Weeds. It's the best season yet. Tonight the DEA questions Nancy. And Nancy is outed as a cooperator. It's the final episode of the season.

What are you watching or doing?

Update: I just noticed we wrote 25 posts today. Hope some of you will scroll down and to the next page to read them.

This is an open thread.

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    Monday Night Open Thread | 69 comments (69 topical)

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    Hi Jeralyn (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by txpolitico67 on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:07:58 PM EST
    I was reading the paper and saw that the first responders in the storm path down in Houston and Galveston are lacking food and water.

    I decided that I was going to load up my Ford Focus with as much bottled water that it can hold and drive it down to Houston this weekend.  I certainly don't hope what happened to NO will happen to Galveston.  From pics and reports Galveston is pretty much toast.

    Another funky part of all this is that the company I work for is based in Houston so right now we have no corporate support.  I think many of us here underestimated the impact Ike would have on us, statewide.

    Enjoy "Weeds", it does sound like a cool show.

    Be safe (5.00 / 0) (#3)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:11:01 PM EST
    and thanks for being you.

    Parent
    thanks MT (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by txpolitico67 on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:13:43 PM EST
    i am going to find the path of least resistance.  right now all those digital billboards that are on our hwys are advising texans to "DO NOT TRAVEL FROM BEAUMONT TO HOUSTON DUE TO STORM DAMAGE".

    I really want to get to the people on the front lines.  I wish I could take a week off and go help, but my manager won't let me have the time off.

    He's a republican, go figure.

    Parent

    I am involved in the relief effort for Ike. (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by Angel on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:22:27 PM EST
    Many evacuees are in Austin and San Antonio.  Online donations to the local food banks is what is needed.  You can specify that your donation go directly to the Ike relief effort.  In Austin it is austinfoodbank.org

    Save your gas money, the money for water and make an online donation.  Everyone would benefit more.  

    Thanks for your help.  It is really needed and much appreciated.  

    Parent

    thanks for the heads up Angel (none / 0) (#18)
    by txpolitico67 on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:28:19 PM EST
    we have evacuees here too in Fort Worth.  I already dropped off clothes, bottled water and deodorant (that's what they said was needed).

    Your advice is smart and sound, but part of me wants to go down there because I do have A LOT of friends in the Houston area and 'i just wanna help.'

    I didn't think of the foodbanks.  I will do that. Even though Texas isn't the most progressive place on the planet, but it is still my home and I really want to help those down in the storm's path.

    Parent

    Ah, if only everyone were like you we could solve (none / 0) (#56)
    by Angel on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 11:16:56 PM EST
    many of our problems.  Thanks for your help and your kindness.  I know the evacuees appreciate anything and everything we can do to help.

    What the food banks are asking for is: pop-top canned meats; peanut butter; granola bars; water; diapers for children and adults; personal hygeine items.  That is the donation list if you cannot give money online or in person.

    Parent

    A sad day for Pink Floyd fans... (5.00 / 1) (#15)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:27:10 PM EST
    ...as Richard Wright passed away from cancer at age 65.  

    "And I am not frightened of dying. Any time will do; I don't mind.
    Why should I be frightened of dying? There's no reason for it--you've gotta go sometime."
    - The Great Gig in the Sky

    It's lyrics like this that gave a certain sickly, scared boy the courage to face his own mortality at a young age.  

    RIP, Rick, we'll see you on the dark side of the moon.

    I saw that... (5.00 / 1) (#23)
    by txpolitico67 on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:32:54 PM EST
    best concert I have ever been to (and I have been to A LOT OF THEM) was Pink Floyd/The Division Bell 1993.  If I live to be 100 and still go to concerts NOTHING will ever beat that concert.

    Parent
    Okay, now I know why my husband (5.00 / 0) (#30)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:37:51 PM EST
    was wearing his Pink Floyd shirt after work.......duh.  He was so tired.  They got the duty roster mixed up and nobody was pulling command last night for the post.  He got called and chose to cover for the officer who was likely to get blamed for something he had nothing to do with.  He got home at 7:00 am after being awake all night, showered and went back to teach his class that started at 9:00 am today and ended at 5:00 pm.  He stumbled in the door, came out wearing his Pink Floyd T-shirt from H.S., it's so old you can almost see through it.  He didn't have much to say but I didn't expect him to,  I expected him collapse soon and I thought maybe it was so thin it was super soft or something.

    Parent
    Well said Mile.... (5.00 / 1) (#75)
    by kdog on Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 08:43:42 AM EST
    for me, nothing beats "Live at Pompeii".

    Wright's keyboard/organ/piano work was such an integral part of the Pink Floyd sound...we lost another great one.  

    Parent

    what? (5.00 / 1) (#35)
    by NJDem on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:47:08 PM EST
    this is exactly what not to do (IMO), it needs to come from the heart--not that off the cuff has been so great...

    link

    Obama's teleprompter hits the trail"

    That's (5.00 / 2) (#42)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 10:00:38 PM EST
    embarrassing.

    Parent
    there (5.00 / 1) (#48)
    by sas on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 10:17:01 PM EST
    is no promotion of a site here...you made that up

    yes he is saying what i think he is saying....does he mean that?  or what does he really mean?

    Forget about winning . (2.80 / 5) (#36)
    by democrat1 on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:47:40 PM EST
    Day by day it seems we are losing. There is no way we can win with Obama at the top.  I am wondering, is there any way we coopt Gore or Hillary and win this election at this late stage.

    If there is any hope still left, I think it is gone with today's news of Obama doing Regan by asking Iraqis to delay the troop withdrawal from Iraq until the new admn.  I was thinking until now for us   democrats the ending of Iraq war is the most important thing right now. If this news is true, it will be Obama's Willie Horton Moment and we can say good bye for the presidency for the next 12 years

    Well (5.00 / 1) (#37)
    by Steve M on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:49:56 PM EST
    considering that story was from the same neocon who tried to spur us into war with Iran by spreading the false tale that Iran was making Jewish citizens wear yellow stars like the Nazis did... I think you should take that report with a grain of salt.

    Parent
    please don't spread (3.66 / 3) (#50)
    by Jeralyn on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 10:20:40 PM EST
    right wing talking points here.

    Parent
    Rasmussen (none / 0) (#1)
    by WS on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:07:12 PM EST
    has new polls out.  VA is tied but so is PA.  Down in Ohio, Colorado, and Florida.  

    The VA numbers makes me happy and I think that PA poll is wrong.  That CO poll worries me though.  

    NY is closing (5.00 / 1) (#33)
    by nycstray on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:46:56 PM EST
    Obama's lead down to 5

    Parent
    OH and FL (2.00 / 1) (#6)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:15:54 PM EST
    are gone for Obama. What is worrisome in those polls is PA. Those internals are extremely unfavorable to Obama. The majority of voters don't trust him and he trails McCain in favorability ratings. PA may turn red on election night.

    I think the odds are long on Obama carrying CO with the evangelical support McCain now has.

    Parent

    If Fla and Ohio are gone (none / 0) (#9)
    by kenosharick on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:22:26 PM EST
    and there is little hope in Co., how does he win this thing? Pa. looks shaky and I heard recently that polls in New Jersey were looking bad. I sure hope they are not counting on Virginia.

    Parent
    I know (5.00 / 1) (#17)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:28:15 PM EST
    it's more and more like the 10 state strategy instead of the 50 state strategy. It seems to me worrying about keeping blue states isn't really such a good thing at this late date.

    Parent
    I still think CO is an even shot, and VA (none / 0) (#16)
    by andgarden on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:27:10 PM EST
    slightly favors Obama.

    I'm not hopeful for FL and am more-or-less ready to take OH off the map.

    Parent

    I agree with you (none / 0) (#21)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:31:08 PM EST
    I firmly believe that CO is going to be very hard to nail down at this moment how it is going to go.  The populations there are really ready for some different voting on leadership.  Grand Junction and Pueblo were perfect choices today but they probably already knew that.

    Parent
    I agree about Co., but (none / 0) (#22)
    by kenosharick on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:32:10 PM EST
    while Virginia will be close, it is still the South, has not voted Dem in a presidential election since 1964, and will not this year either.

    Parent
    There is a USA Today (none / 0) (#7)
    by kenosharick on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:19:08 PM EST
    article today that discusses how hard Va. will be for Obama. Also, he needs to be up 5-7 points in the polls to pull out a win due to people lying to pollsters. A lot of this is probably backlash from what many working-class people view as attacks on Palin by the media and left.

    Parent
    and (none / 0) (#46)
    by sas on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 10:12:53 PM EST
    women

    who are still pissed that the left blogosphere and the MSM is as sexist as can be

    BTD is right - keep attacking Palin and lose the election

    Parent

    Colorado and Virginia will decide the election (none / 0) (#14)
    by andgarden on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:26:26 PM EST
    Pennsylvania will come home IMO.

    Parent
    they will both be close, but- (none / 0) (#19)
    by kenosharick on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:28:37 PM EST
    I think it all comes down to Ohio again.

    Parent
    I'm skeptical that Obama can win Ohio (5.00 / 1) (#20)
    by andgarden on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:30:21 PM EST
    I'd say McCain has a 75% shot at it.

    Parent
    I tend (none / 0) (#24)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:33:44 PM EST
    to look at Obama's numbers more than McCains simply because it seems to be the number that he gets in the end. Obama seems to be stuck in the mid forties in OH. The odds are long, very long that he will win there.

    What do you think about the markets predicting a McCain win in VA and an Obama win in CO? Of course that won't be enough to put Obama in the WH.

    Parent

    Iowa, New Mexico, Colorado would do it (none / 0) (#31)
    by andgarden on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:38:41 PM EST
    Nevada is close too.

    Parent
    yes (none / 0) (#34)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:46:59 PM EST
    but that's dependent on him keeping the kerry states which isn't a given at this point either.

    Parent
    Closer to 90 (none / 0) (#26)
    by txpolitico67 on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:34:02 PM EST
    I just reflect on the primaries as being something of a barometer for the GE, with respect to Obama's performance.

    Parent
    then, unfortunatly, (none / 0) (#28)
    by kenosharick on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:36:44 PM EST
    mccain probably pulls it out. I do not see Obama winning without Ohio. I know it's possible, but he would need an awful lot of things to fall his way. (ok-maybe it is possible)

    Parent
    Virginia and Colorado are it (none / 0) (#32)
    by andgarden on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:39:52 PM EST


    Parent
    Virginia (none / 0) (#29)
    by WS on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:36:53 PM EST
    makes me happy because it shows the Ras and SUSA polls the momentum is on his side.  I was afraid the Ras poll was going to make me unhappy tonight but it didn't!  

    The SUSA internals had O winning the magic 39% of the white vote.  If he can get that much, he just needs 90% of the African American vote at 20% of the vote and 60% of the Latino/Asian vote at 5% of the population to win the state.  I'm thinking those minority numbers could even be a low estimate.  

    Parent

    Gosh (none / 0) (#5)
    by Steve M on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:15:28 PM EST
    Donovan McNabb still has his mojo.

    Heck of a game... (none / 0) (#11)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:22:52 PM EST
    ...so far.  More like a track meet than a football game.

    I'm still trying to recover from yesterday's Broncos v. Chargers game.  That took a couple of years off my life, I think.

    Parent

    McNabb (none / 0) (#43)
    by lilburro on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 10:06:04 PM EST
    cannot be sacked right now!  

    Parent
    Trying to get sleepy (none / 0) (#8)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:19:38 PM EST
    watching 'The Contender', have seen it before so hoping it will induce sleep.  I don't get the exertion I need every day right now with the Joshman laid up, his casted feet and legs must be propped up at all times during this part of the healing process to help create a buffer of a cartilage type scar tissue in between some of his foot bones.  Fiberglass casts are so lightweight but they are hell on upholstery.  I'm thinking about rubbing the bottoms of feet on him and sanding my calluses off :)  He gets bored and needs constant company, my whole world has become the livingroom and my laptop until next Monday.  Then we will try some going back to school.

    if you want to get sleepy MT (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by txpolitico67 on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:24:49 PM EST
    i go to the IRS website and read tax codes and such to induce drowsiness.  that will knock you out quicker than ambien.


    Parent
    OMG, it was so simple (none / 0) (#25)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:33:50 PM EST
    how could I have been making it so complicated?  In the movie she is at the part where she's having the cigar with the Prez, a different sort of cigar Prez experience than the mob is used to hearing about.

    Parent
    LOL (none / 0) (#27)
    by txpolitico67 on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:36:22 PM EST
    big shiny lightbulb huh MT?

    Parent
    I'm watching (none / 0) (#13)
    by chrisvee on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:25:01 PM EST
    the Eagles (yay!) and The Closer (big yay!).

    I think the dire economic news will prove to be a bit of a turning point for Obama's polling numbers and we'll see them rise in the upcoming weeks (until something else takes over the news cycle and we'll have to see who that favors).

    OMG! (none / 0) (#54)
    by Amiss on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 11:13:04 PM EST
    This was the season ender for The Closer and I forgot it.

    Parent
    Via digby (none / 0) (#39)
    by Faust on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:54:57 PM EST
    apparently Krugman was good on Olberman tonight. I don't watch Olberman normally but I do like Krugman and Digby recommends it so I'm going to try and find the clip. Just passing it on.

    Heard a talk (none / 0) (#40)
    by lilburro on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 09:55:54 PM EST
    by Naomi Wolf tonight.  I recommend seeing her if she comes to your town.  She has one new and one newish book out as well, on the transformation of the US into a state with severe authoritarian potential.  

    And now I can watch the Eagles :)

    I've seen her on... (none / 0) (#45)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 10:12:37 PM EST
    ...TDS or Colbert discussing her book.  Pretty dangerous, scary stuff when you get down to the nitty-gritty of it.  

    And, I think John McCain will run with that potential as far as he can.

    Go anyone but the Cowboys!

    Parent

    deleted because the url was not (none / 0) (#49)
    by Jeralyn on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 10:19:00 PM EST
    formatted and so long it skewed the site.

    Here's the actual poll (none / 0) (#51)
    by nycstray on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 10:42:54 PM EST
    link

    Lansing Quaker (none / 0) (#53)
    by Amiss on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 11:10:49 PM EST
    Jeralyn has some specific rules about links, it took me a while to figure out how to do them, but then again, I am old! :)

    as to "how to link" TL makes it easy.  

       1. go down to the comment area.
       2. just above the big comment box, you see a whole lot of little boxes with letters/symbols on them
       3. the 4th symbol from the right is the 'link' box.

    so, in order to create a link...

       4. go to the site that you want to link to, and COPY the url of the site
       5. come back to TL, and HIGHLIGHT text in the comment box that you want people to click on
       6. Click on the 'link" box.  A small box will appear.
       7. PASTE the url from the site you want to link to

    You'll see a whole lot of code where the text you highlighted used to be.  That the link, and it will show up as a link when you "submit" your comment.
    Whoops! (none / 0) (#58)
    by lansing quaker on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 11:38:39 PM EST
    I try to link when I can, when I think it's appropriate.  I see the link over-ran the page, and that's bogus!

    I'll link with text that says "Link!" from now on.  I know the link button (and I know the proper HTML!) but I was unaware of the rules.

    Thanks for sharing, though, Amiss! :)

    Parent

    The market (none / 0) (#55)
    by hitchhiker on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 11:14:32 PM EST
    We just spent half the evening on the phone with the guy who has been managing our investments since our youngest was nursing--and she's moving into her dorm on Thursday.

    He advised us to liquidate everything.  He says the next little while is not going to be nice, and that we're all in for a bumpy ride.

    Shorter version.... (5.00 / 1) (#76)
    by kdog on Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 08:49:53 AM EST
    "Sell Mortimer!!!  Sell!!!!  Turn those machines back on!!!"

    If 70 billion or so can disappear in one day, I wonder if the 70 billion was ever there to begin with, except on paper.  How real was it, how real is it?  All so surreal.

    Parent

    I think that's bad advice (3.00 / 1) (#59)
    by Jeralyn on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 11:46:03 PM EST
    The experts I spoke to tonight said exactly the opposite. Don't panic.

    Parent
    I hope your people are right (none / 0) (#61)
    by hitchhiker on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 11:47:47 PM EST
    I really do.  

    But you asked at the beginning of this thread what we're all up to, so I told you.

    Parent

    You are right (none / 0) (#65)
    by Jeralyn on Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 01:03:11 AM EST
    I did ask that. But afterwards, I made some calls. I'm just trying to give you another view.

    Parent
    I think the general rule of thumb (none / 0) (#62)
    by nycstray on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 11:51:13 PM EST
    is not to panic. I heard that a few times today and when this has happened in the past.

    We're going to take a hit here in NY, but both Bloomberg and the Gov seem pretty centered about it. And Bloomberg did put surplus aside once he got the city on it's feet again.

    Parent

    What do they mean by "panic"? (none / 0) (#64)
    by FoxholeAtheist on Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 12:56:33 AM EST
    Do they mean mass panic whereby everybody decides to liquidate everything - and then all the banks collapse, or whatever?

    Is it possible that the people who panic early will be better off than the people who wait for the whole thing to tank? i.e. The people who panic early may contribute to mass panic - but they get to the spigot before it runs dry.

    Parent

    I would look back on some of the (none / 0) (#66)
    by nycstray on Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 01:32:55 AM EST
    past ones and see if there were trends. And speak to a couple professionals about your personal setup. I think it does matter where your money is, but panicking can cause you personally a harder hit then if you ride it out. If everyone panics, I think everyone loses. If you just liquidate everything when the market is down, you may lose money in areas that would have rebounded.

    My parents took a hit during Enron, but they were diverse enough that riding it out was fine. And they are still fine (retired seniors in their mid/late 70's) I would look at what you have and do some sit downs/phone calls and see what your personal risks are.

    Parent

    Liquidate everything? (none / 0) (#57)
    by FoxholeAtheist on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 11:37:15 PM EST
    Like what kind of stuff? (Just looking to piggy-back on your advice.)

    Parent
    Not my advice, his. (none / 0) (#60)
    by hitchhiker on Mon Sep 15, 2008 at 11:46:22 PM EST
    We have old IRA's set up in the early 90's.  We have stock, mutual funds . . . some of this was supposed to pay tuition and still can, I guess.

    Don't know what to think, honestly.  I've never heard anyone sound so grim--well, okay--the night they said my husband would never walk again was a lot more grim.  But they were trying to make it sound as bad as possible, I guess so we wouldn't sue if things went the most awful way they could.

    Our finance guy was just trying to tell us that what happened today was really, really big and not to try to ride it out.

    Parent

    It really depends (5.00 / 1) (#63)
    by Steve M on Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 12:05:04 AM EST
    on what your time horizon is, by which I mean when you are going to need the money.  It makes a big difference whether you expect to need those retirement funds in 1 year or 10 years.  No one knows for sure where the market is heading in the near term or who all the winners and losers will be, but your individual circumstances make a big difference.

    Parent
    What's the alternative to riding it out? (5.00 / 1) (#68)
    by BrassTacks on Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 01:45:41 AM EST
    Selling when we know the market is very low.  It's the classic way Americans lose money, buy high, panic when the market goes down, and sell low.

    Your financial adviser sounds like a bit of a reactionary.  I hope he's made you buckets of money, but I would consider speaking with another expert as I don't think his advice is sound now.  

    Parent

    Sell when the market is this low? (none / 0) (#67)
    by BrassTacks on Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 01:40:47 AM EST
    Terrible, terrible, idea.  You need to ride it out.  

    Selling low never works, for obvious reasons.

    Parent

    Downside is you will be locking in the loss (none / 0) (#69)
    by befuddledvoter on Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 01:56:24 AM EST
    to today's dismal price.  Upside is you will be locking in the loss, meaning you will not loose more.  For me, today's loss is just over 5% of worth and stocks were foreign which surprises me.    

    Parent
    Nothing was locked in today (none / 0) (#72)
    by BrassTacks on Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 03:30:29 AM EST
    Your stocks can rally.  Your loss is only a lock if you sell today,  

    Parent
    Charles Swift (none / 0) (#70)
    by shoephone on Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 02:48:54 AM EST
    the lawyer who defended Hamdan is setting up shop in Seattle. He will be partners with defense attorney Catherine MacDonald.

    Jeralyn or TChris, do you know much about her?

    Stupid question here (none / 0) (#74)
    by votermom on Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 06:47:03 AM EST
    Where do I go to change my password? I can't find it under any of my profile tabs?

    Monday Night Open Thread | 69 comments (69 topical)

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