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Christmas Morning Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Colorado News
Posted on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 10:51:52 AM EST
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If you're in a reading rather than listening mode, here's an old favorite, from The Onion, How the Weed Delivery Guy Saved Christmas.

How's your day going so far? This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

< Happy Christmas Eve | Amsterdam-Detroit Flight Fireworks Now a Failed Terror Bomb >

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    Christmas Morning Open Thread | 48 comments (48 topical)

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    Last night coming home in a cab from (5.00 / 2) (#1)
    by hairspray on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 11:08:26 AM EST
    the airport after visitng #1 son for Christmas, we listened to the driver talking about spenidng 9 hours and getting only 2 fares for the day.  He said it had been like this for months and he was sounding desperate.  This isn't an easy time for so many that we often don't see.  After getting home and getting on the internet I saw the 8.9 million dollar house the prez was spending 2 weeks with family and the two other mcmansions he had rented for his friends and it sounded like a large party. Maybe it is sour grapes, but this president could have done so much more at this time.  Going to Afghanistan or Iraq would have been one symbolic gesture. Going to the soup kitchens and reminding Americans of the state of the many of our brothers and sisters would have been another.  I guess he doesn't feel our pain.

    The answer to that kind of (5.00 / 2) (#2)
    by scribe on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 11:43:04 AM EST
    insensitivity is not to abandon the political process.  

    Remember, the watchword was "More and Better Democrats."

    We have achieved the "More" part of that.  Now, the task is to get rid of the bad ones and replace them with "better" ones.

    This is where the organizing, real-grassroots, primarying the DINOs, and holding accountable pols who stray comes in.

    (And, for those who say "OMG, we can't primary Obama!" I have the following reminder.  Remember what Bushie said when people wanted to go after him and his administration for the wrongdoing in their first term?  He and the Rethugs argued - pretty successfully - that the American people had judged him on his first term, when they went to the ballot boxes in 2004. And they gave him a passing grade, so none of those wrongs from the first term need even be revisited.  IF you re-elect a slug, you are ratifying that slug's sluggy conduct.)

    This debacle has been building for well over thirty years - Reagan taking power was only the first manifestation of its arrival, and it took a number of years to get to that point.  So, the problems are not going to be fixed overnight, nor will they be fixed in a manner such that people can go back to their TV and expect things will work smoothly.

    But, all that having been said, most of Obama's first year has been a big "f*ck you" to ordinary people.

    Parent

    I thought he could have done something (5.00 / 4) (#4)
    by nycstray on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 11:55:56 AM EST
    more low key also. It's not like the kids need a vacation. He really should buy a place so they can have a place to go for holidays etc. that isn't a big money sucker while everyone else is sitting around counting pennies.

    No, he absolutely doesn't feel our pain, nor does he try.

    Hope your visit was nice!

    Parent

    Couple of cab drivers (none / 0) (#41)
    by BackFromOhio on Sat Dec 26, 2009 at 11:31:13 AM EST
    in NYC have told me that business is way down.  I hope with the scads of tourists in town this weekend they are doing better.  

    Parent
    I'm posting this one more time (5.00 / 2) (#3)
    by Dadler on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 11:44:47 AM EST
    only because i found it so phucking moving. yeah, yeah, yeah, it's cut up like a music video, the imagery isn't necessarily perfect, but the wrenching words, their seething emotion and ugly truth, it just hit me hard this season. for what it's worth. peace to all. the soldier's name is mike prysner.

    Very moving (5.00 / 1) (#15)
    by Cream City on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 02:44:15 PM EST
    as he talks about putting people out of their homes in Iraq only to come home to see banks -- ones that we funded, too -- putting people out of their homes here.

    What have we done lately for peace on earth?  Oh, wait, our president got a peace prize. . . .

    Parent

    Thanks for posting this, Dadler. (none / 0) (#18)
    by prittfumes on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 05:02:39 PM EST
    Deeply moving.

    Parent
    OMG! (none / 0) (#22)
    by ChiTownDenny on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 06:18:08 PM EST
    I am blessed.  I know this.  Those who know me tell me this is so.  (And they know I am agnostic.)
    I'm online to post good tidings to all (and a recipe, that now seems trite).  But this video is mind shattering.  It leaves me speechless.  I have hope for all mankind.  However, this video leaves me with great concern for mankind.  
    Peace and good will to all.

    Parent
    No Pardons or Commutations this Christmas (5.00 / 3) (#6)
    by Ben Masel on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 01:13:17 PM EST
    Pardons:
    Truman 1,913
    Ike 1,110
    JFK 472
    LBJ 960
    Nixon 863
    Ford 382
    Carter 534
    Reagan 393
    Bush 74
    Clinton 396
    Bush 189
    Obama O

    Commutations:
    Truman 118
    Eisenhauer47
    JFK 100
    LBJ 226
    Nixon 60
    Ford 22
    Carter 29
    Reagan 13
    Bush 3
    Clinton 61
    Bush 11
    Obama 0

    pardons and commutations... (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by leap on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 01:56:59 PM EST
    You are not comparing equivalents. If you compare the first year of each of the preceding presidents with Obama's first year, there isn't that much difference in most cases.

    Parent
    True, the exceptions, Ford and johnson. (none / 0) (#12)
    by Ben Masel on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 02:18:32 PM EST


    Parent
    Privacy (none / 0) (#13)
    by SOS on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 02:24:53 PM EST
    White House aides said not to expect much from President Barack Obama's holiday in Hawaii.

    The president is ready to govern, even from a golf course.

    Parent

    That's OK - I don't expect much from his (5.00 / 1) (#36)
    by ruffian on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 09:25:09 PM EST
    non-holidays either anymore.

    Parent
    An inexperienced political hack in over his head. (5.00 / 1) (#11)
    by SOS on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 02:14:08 PM EST
    His performance as a President is becoming a study in indecision, inability and ineffectiveness.

    Parent
    More conservative than expected (none / 0) (#14)
    by Cream City on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 02:37:05 PM EST
    by many, but this suggests that Obama apparently is not a compassionate conservative.

    Parent
    A whisper from Gov. Doyle's camp (none / 0) (#17)
    by Ben Masel on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 03:32:41 PM EST
    suggests getting applications for pardons from Wisconsin convictions in now.

    Parent
    WIth good reason (none / 0) (#20)
    by andgarden on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 05:17:12 PM EST
    He looks to be roadkill in November, sadly.

    Parent
    Huh? Doyle's not running again (none / 0) (#23)
    by Cream City on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 06:39:30 PM EST
    so what do you mean?  Or just not up to date?  (This was announced many months ago, and as reported here, several candidates have come and gone owing to White House interference, etc.)

    Parent
    Whoops, confused my midwestern states (none / 0) (#24)
    by andgarden on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 06:42:05 PM EST
    I was thinking of Iowa for some reason. Tom Barrett is running in WI.

    Parent
    And confusing Doyle (none / 0) (#37)
    by Cream City on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 09:27:31 PM EST
    with someone who will be sadly missed.  Ask his 70,000 state employees -- especially the one he sold down the river and had sent to prison unjustly.

    Parent
    Not his fault (none / 0) (#26)
    by lentinel on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 06:51:10 PM EST
    Nobody told him what to do.

    Parent
    Source (none / 0) (#7)
    by Ben Masel on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 01:14:09 PM EST
    http://www.justice.gov/pardon/actions_administration.htm

    Parent
    Wow (none / 0) (#9)
    by andgarden on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 01:23:22 PM EST


    Parent
    Merry Christmas everyone (5.00 / 3) (#8)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 01:22:40 PM EST


    Merry Christmas, BT (none / 0) (#16)
    by jondee on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 02:47:32 PM EST


    Parent
    Thank you, BT (none / 0) (#19)
    by prittfumes on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 05:05:52 PM EST
    and a Merry Christmas to you too.

    Parent
    The Dot sends you (none / 0) (#38)
    by nycstray on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 09:36:12 PM EST
    happy holiday greetings from me and mine  :)

    Parent
    I'm the only one awake in my house (none / 0) (#5)
    by cawaltz on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 01:11:35 PM EST
    the kidlets never really went to bed and after pillaging the present pile played with their presents while daddy troubleshot the mechanics of presents like the ipod, ds, and keyboard. They must have passed out from exhaustion sometime before 10 though because I am the only one up cooking the ham and warming up stuff like the stuffed mushrooms and twice baked potatoes.

    Looks like shoe bomber part deux (none / 0) (#21)
    by andgarden on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 05:39:49 PM EST
    story here.

    Scary. I wonder what we'll be prohibited from taking on airplanes this time? Everyone ready to wear a hospital gown?

    Just be prepared (none / 0) (#27)
    by Zorba on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 08:34:55 PM EST
    for strip searches and body-cavity searches.  Every single time something happens, the TSA way over-reacts and makes it even more unpleasant and intrusive to get on an airplane.  Much more of this, and our government will have succeeded in totally destroying the airline industry because nobody is going to be willing to fly any more.

    Parent
    I'll take a sniffin' dog inspection ;) (none / 0) (#29)
    by nycstray on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 09:01:52 PM EST
    Send folks through a metal detector followed by a good canine sniff down and we should be fine :) If they can use the Beagle Brigade for illegal produce transport, I'm sure we could use dogs for other safety measures.

    Parent
    They don't have enough (none / 0) (#30)
    by Zorba on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 09:04:14 PM EST
    trained dogs- it will take quite awhile.  

    Parent
    Well, I think it's fairly obvious (none / 0) (#35)
    by nycstray on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 09:24:19 PM EST
    we should have been training more canines years ago ;) Looooooooogn before 9/11 and all this terror hype.

    Seriously, they are amazing and we would avoid so many rights compromises, imo. Especially since 9/11. I'll take a dog walking by me vs the naked x-ray any day. When I think of the subway checks on backpacks etc where they have to pull people aside vs everyone walking by dogs . . . . I would actually feel safer (if that's the goal) if we all had to walk by a dog vs the cops pulling people that they have "profiled" out of the subway line. Dogs don't have the same agenda . . .  

    Parent

    They also don't have effective (none / 0) (#42)
    by BackFromOhio on Sat Dec 26, 2009 at 11:34:43 AM EST
    "x-ray" equipment.

    Parent
    Interesting, as Australia has plenty (none / 0) (#43)
    by Cream City on Sat Dec 26, 2009 at 12:41:41 PM EST
    of dogs trained for drugs and more -- we were sniffed by a flu dog as well as a drug dog.

    All these years after 9/11, we could have more than enough trained dogs here, if that had been decided by homeland security.  Instead, we have had a lot of waste of money.

    Parent

    Do the dogs get a false positive (none / 0) (#45)
    by Inspector Gadget on Sat Dec 26, 2009 at 12:45:52 PM EST
    if one has eaten a poppy seed muffin? :)

    Parent
    I'm skeptical (none / 0) (#28)
    by roy on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 09:01:46 PM EST
    It seems the only thing linking the would-be bomber is his own claims to that effect.  That's worth taking seriously, but doesn't prove anything.  And I have a hard time reconciling the amount of damage done -- something like a firecracker setting the bomber's pants on fire -- with a serious threat.

    This may turn out to be a case of delusion and self-aggrandizement, not something to warrant security changes.

    Parent

    And when has that (none / 0) (#31)
    by Zorba on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 09:07:24 PM EST
    ever stopped the government from cranking up security provisions?  Do you seriously think that the "shoe-bomber" was a real threat?  And yet, we still have to take our shoes off to get through security.

    Parent
    From what I understand (none / 0) (#32)
    by nycstray on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 09:12:35 PM EST
    is he was on a watch list, but not on a do not fly list. May not warrant security changes, but I sure as heck would not be wanting to be sitting next to him/on the same plane. Hopefully they will be able to stop any copycats without bothering the rest of us too much. There has to be a happy center, right?

    Does it really matter that they are linked to a terror group? The fact they are willing to do it for whatever reason is what we need to deal with, imo. I kinda think of it in the same vein as school shootings etc. One person claiming "something" does not equal reality in their deed.

    Parent

    This morning's (Sat.) news sez that Amsterdam (none / 0) (#39)
    by DFLer on Sat Dec 26, 2009 at 09:35:52 AM EST
    security for boarding passengers was a little slack...according to other passengers....including no shoe removal and inspection, for example.

    So...cavity searches may not be necessary after all.

    Parent

    And no air marshal (none / 0) (#44)
    by Cream City on Sat Dec 26, 2009 at 12:43:23 PM EST
    on an international flight from one of the airports high on the security list?  So are there not enough marshals for peak times like the holidays?  Or did the airline want to sell the seat?  Interesting questions ahead.

    Parent
    A little levity... (none / 0) (#25)
    by lentinel on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 06:49:25 PM EST
    From today's Christmas Greeting from the first couple.

    "Even in these tough economic times," Obama said, "there's still much to celebrate this Christmas, including the birth of Jesus."

    Mind-boggling.

    lol (none / 0) (#33)
    by ruffian on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 09:22:26 PM EST
    Nice of him to include the birth of Jesus.

    While he is not as mind-blowing dumb as GWB, I do get the feeling he is not going to take over the title of "The Great Communicator"

    Parent

    I caught that too. It reminded me of this: (none / 0) (#40)
    by prittfumes on Sat Dec 26, 2009 at 11:13:22 AM EST
    I think he'll be voted the greatest communicator of all.  As long as those
    polled are kindergarteners.
    link


    Parent
    Back to the teleprompter! (none / 0) (#46)
    by Cream City on Sat Dec 26, 2009 at 12:46:24 PM EST
    I will trust the good intent of the president, but that sentence parses so poorly, it is almost amazing . . . but for how poor have been others of his off-the-cuff communications.  But why improv on this one, when a Christmas message might be expected to be coming, say, around late December?

    Parent
    Oh, my. I looked it up -- it was scripted (none / 0) (#47)
    by Cream City on Sat Dec 26, 2009 at 12:49:06 PM EST
    which suggests, yet again, there is a problem in the speechwriting staff.  I wonder if Favreau or any of the fratboy types even go to church, temple, something?  

    Parent
    I am SO going on a diet (none / 0) (#34)
    by ruffian on Fri Dec 25, 2009 at 09:23:30 PM EST
    and getting back in an exercise routine. Tomorrow. Really.

    That's what I said. But then (none / 0) (#48)
    by Cream City on Sat Dec 26, 2009 at 12:49:57 PM EST
    the next-door neighbors came over with homemade Christmas cookies.  And today is our family gathering.  Ah well, tomorrow is another day. :-)

    Parent
    Christmas Morning Open Thread | 48 comments (48 topical)

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