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Sunday Morning Open Thread

I was watching a little bit of the Sunday shows and was bored to tears. These DC gasbags really have nothing worth saying imo.If you think you have something worth saying, here is an Open Thread.

This is an Open Thread.

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    I don't.... (5.00 / 3) (#5)
    by kdog on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 11:26:23 AM EST
    but Prince Buster does.

    Learn something each and every (none / 0) (#7)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 11:40:03 AM EST
    day.  Prince Buster--very interesting Wiki entry.  But, query:  does the instrumental accompaniment in this song really consist of a single repeated chard?

    Parent
    Chard? (none / 0) (#11)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 11:48:49 AM EST
    So very serious--and in Vienna. (none / 0) (#16)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 11:52:11 AM EST
    I have no proper training... (none / 0) (#27)
    by kdog on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:11:05 PM EST
    so I'm not sure what you mean...are you referring to to the rhythym part?  I hear at least two notes....typically in ska the guitar plays the rhythm part in a repetitive manner, and the bass plays the melody.

    Prince Buster is the sh*t, but you might not like the lyrics on Ten Commandments of Man too much, he didn't exactly have a progressive view of male/female relationships to say the least...very old school.  Love the track though...he could work a mic.

    Parent

    Three Chords (none / 0) (#33)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:20:12 PM EST
    I don't think oculus listened the whole way through.

    Parent
    Busted. (none / 0) (#34)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:21:23 PM EST
    Thanks squeaky... (none / 0) (#39)
    by kdog on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:26:52 PM EST
    no wonder I was drawn to the drums....if ya can dance ya can play the drums.

    Parent
    (sigh) (none / 0) (#125)
    by sj on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 03:22:19 PM EST
    Oh well...

    Parent
    Nice (none / 0) (#12)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 11:49:39 AM EST
    Great pic too!

    Parent
    Yikes! You scared me for a... (none / 0) (#46)
    by EL seattle on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:37:48 PM EST
    ... minute there.  Sundays are so often obit days, I was afraid Prince Buster was now in the "In Memorium" category.  Fortunately that's not the case (I hope).

    Anyway, I'll have to dig out my old copy of "The Original Golden Oldies" and listen to it again.  It's been too long.

    I think that every band in the Two-Tone ska revival of the seventies did at least one cover of a Campbell tune, but sometimes the attribution can be a bit vague for those things in the record biz.

    Parent

    Must confess to a certain nostalic (none / 0) (#57)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:56:15 PM EST
    reaction to Paul Harvey's death.  He goes waaay back.

    Parent
    His format, and style... (none / 0) (#62)
    by EL seattle on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:05:07 PM EST
    ... were perfect for radio.  I think that his format for his daily news - with breaks for commercials after each page ("Page...2") - was a perfect model of broadcasting efficiency.

    Parent
    And if it's legal issues... (none / 0) (#52)
    by EL seattle on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:51:10 PM EST
    ...that you're interested in, you should probably pay some attention to Prince Buster's pal, Judge Dread.

    Otherwise, Hush Up!

    Parent

    Good call rude boy.... (none / 0) (#61)
    by kdog on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:04:23 PM EST
    and most apt for Talkleft.

    That one got me out the chair and skankin' round the room!...:)

    According to wiki, The Prince received recognition and royalties from the Two-Tone bands that covered him.

    Parent

    Are you... (none / 0) (#96)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:39:02 PM EST
    ...Skankin' Naked?

    Some Reggae from the heart of Iowa of all places.

    Finally, some alt ska from the Islands

    Ya' mon.

    Parent

    Nice barn. But those dresses! (none / 0) (#109)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 02:15:57 PM EST
    I do believe... (none / 0) (#116)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 02:39:39 PM EST
    ...those would qualify as haute couture in Lone Tree, Iowa.  

    Of course, they could be wearing seed sacks and I wouldn't care a lick.

    Parent

    Oh, I didn't realize we're talking (none / 0) (#122)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 03:06:08 PM EST
    SE Iowa.  That explains everything.

    Parent
    Why... (none / 0) (#145)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 04:03:19 PM EST
    ...you West Coast elitist!  :)

    Parent
    Somehow reassuring isn't it?... (none / 0) (#131)
    by kdog on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 03:39:08 PM EST
    Kingston, New York, Iowa, Tokyo, Moscow, Johannesburg...sh*t don't matter, somebody got the beat everywhere.

    Can't worry about the future too much as long as that is the case.

    Parent

    Indeed, my friend. (none / 0) (#136)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 03:51:10 PM EST
    The beat transends just about everything--geography, race, wealth...

    It's one of our oldest, most primitive connections.  And its sure helped me not worry about the future more times than I can recall.  

    Parent

    Oatmeal Raisin Cookies... (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by santarita on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 11:40:59 AM EST
    can be a meal in themselves - oatmeal and raisins are good.

    But when I first started making them (about 2 weeks ago), I discovered that they are full of butter and sugar - no so goo.  So I went searching for ways to replace the butter, at least.  And I found a recipe that calls for a little butter (maybe 1 tablespoon) and applesauce to replace the rest of the butter.  Holy cow!  These are better than the ones with butter.  So now when I get the baking urge, I'm going to look for recipes that substitute for the butter.

    Any thoughts?

    Willing to share the recipe? Pretty please, with (5.00 / 1) (#15)
    by Angel on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 11:52:07 AM EST
    sugar on top!  

    Parent
    Sure... (5.00 / 1) (#41)
    by santarita on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:32:55 PM EST
    1 cup flour
    1 tsp baking powder
    1/2 tsp baking salt
    1/2 tsp salt
    2 tblspoons unsalted butter
    1/2 cup sugar
    1/2 cup light brown sugar
    1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
    1 large egg
    1 1/3 cups rolled oats
    i/2 cup raisins

    375 degree oven for 10 -12 minutes

    I found the recipe by googling "Healthy oatmeal raisin cookies"  I also found a recipe for brownies - but I haven't tried it yet.

    Parent

    I think you can use it in cakes and breads (5.00 / 1) (#50)
    by nycstray on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:47:03 PM EST
    also. My mom used it in cookies, but I'm pretty sure she used it in other baked goods as well.

    I've been using apples and pears I canned to flavor/moisten roasted pork and chicken. Been thinking about doing some breakfast breads with the applesauce.

    If you try the brownies, you can add beets to make them extra healthy  ;)

    Parent

    Beets!!!! (5.00 / 1) (#51)
    by santarita on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:49:37 PM EST
    I'm not that  big of a risk taker.

    Parent
    Prunes... (none / 0) (#53)
    by santarita on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:52:21 PM EST
    one recipe that I found called for pureed prunes or prune baby food.  I went to my grocery store looking for prunes and only found dried prunes which I don't think are what is called for.  

    Parent
    Can't you soak the dried ones (none / 0) (#60)
    by nycstray on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:02:49 PM EST
    and then pureee?

    Beet brownies hide the beets {grin}

    Parent

    Yes Soak Em (none / 0) (#65)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:06:18 PM EST
    Although you can puree them without the soaking to. Prunes are dried plums.

    Parent
    Do you add liquid when you puree them? (none / 0) (#94)
    by nycstray on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:37:08 PM EST
    Depends (none / 0) (#99)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:47:16 PM EST
    On how dry they are. As a substitution for sugar I would not add liquid, but if they are really old it is probably a good idea to add a few drops. If spreading on a roast more liquid would be better.

    I Also love fruits and meats combo too, pear with duck breast..  

    Parent

    Thanks! (none / 0) (#117)
    by nycstray on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 02:55:05 PM EST
    I have had baby food prunes and also (none / 0) (#174)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 11:46:06 PM EST
    plums used in baked goods as a substitute before.  The best use seemed to be brownies made with them.

    Parent
    Thank you, Sweets! (none / 0) (#78)
    by Angel on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:17:50 PM EST
    Ghee (none / 0) (#14)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 11:51:12 AM EST
    I like the brand (none / 0) (#18)
    by scribe on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 11:54:11 AM EST
    that comes in the jar - not the can - and has a label with a nice big happy Brama cow whose head is centered in a glowing nimbus on it.

    Not particularly because I like ghee, but more because it's a really cool label.

    Parent

    Ghee? (none / 0) (#21)
    by vml68 on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 11:57:23 AM EST
    Ghee is clarified butter, not exactly  a butter substitute

    Parent
    It Is Healthier (none / 0) (#24)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:06:46 PM EST
    From Jeralyn's link:

    Ghee lacks hydrogenated oils and is a popular choice for health-conscious cooks as well. Additionally, since all the milk proteins have been removed during the clarifying process, ghee gains further nutritional value because it's lactose free, making it a safer alternative for those who are lactose intolerant.


    Parent
    I know ghee is healthier...... (none / 0) (#32)
    by vml68 on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:16:55 PM EST
    than butter but since santarita was using applesauce as a substitute, I figured she was looking for something along those lines.

    Parent
    Yes, I Assumed (none / 0) (#38)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:26:48 PM EST
    S/he was looking for a butter substitute for health reasons,

    no goo[sic]

    I beieve that the applesauce replaced the sugar, not the butter. I have never heard of applesauce replacing butter or any other fat, have you?

    Parent

    No the applesauce replaces the ... (none / 0) (#43)
    by santarita on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:34:10 PM EST
    butter.

    Parent
    Nothing can replace.... (none / 0) (#47)
    by kdog on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:43:05 PM EST
    good old fashioned salted butter...I'm sorry guys.  

    My 4 year old niece knows...her parents are always catching her and scolding her for gnawing on a stick straight-up:)

    Parent

    Historical note (none / 0) (#134)
    by Upstart Crow on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 03:49:43 PM EST
    Krishna had the same problem.

    Parent
    Oh, good catch. (none / 0) (#146)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 04:04:28 PM EST
    If only I had paid closer attention. link

    Parent
    Wonder If It Was Ghee? (none / 0) (#150)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 04:08:45 PM EST
    Apples And Oranges (none / 0) (#58)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:56:37 PM EST
    Evidentially there is an exception to every rule. I have used applesauce and other fruit to replace sugar in recipes but I am amazed that applesauce can replace fat in recipes:

    Interested in why this swap works (and when it doesn't)? A short chemistry lesson: Although fats add richness and texture, the primary job of a fat in a recipe is to keep the flour protein from mixing with the moisture and forming long strands of gluten--a reaction that would give cake the texture of rubber tire. That's why it's so important to keep the liquid and dry ingredients separate until the very end, and to mix them together very gently by hand. When you substitute applesauce, it's even more important to work the batter gently, and as little as possible, in the final mix. More tips for substitute success:....

    link

    Parent

    Thanks for the Link... (none / 0) (#82)
    by santarita on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:25:44 PM EST
    I've bookmarked it.

    I like my oatmeal raisin cookies cakey and not snappy or crunchy.  So if I understood the article then the applesauce does replace both sugar and butter but I sacrifice snap.  Which is ok by me.

    But you've illustrated an important point about recipes - people like different things.  So I should qualify the recipe by saying what kind of cookie it produces.

    Parent

    "I have never heard of...... (none / 0) (#64)
    by vml68 on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:06:08 PM EST
    ...have you?"

    I learnt long ago that just because I have not heard/thought of something does not mean that someone else has not....... :-)!

    Parent

    I've learned from ... (5.00 / 1) (#90)
    by santarita on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:30:39 PM EST
    painful and embarrassing experiences to avoid (in general) saying:

    "Never" or "Always"
    and "There are 2 reasons..." instead of "There are some reasons..."  (It seems that either someone else or I come up with more than 2 reason.)

    Parent

    Better Yet (none / 0) (#111)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 02:19:43 PM EST
    Never say never.. lol

    Although in this context I was admitting my own lack of knowledge and had in fact never heard of the substitute. That is quite different from making declarative statements using never or always.

    I agree never (and always) is a long time when it is positioned against the future. Best to be avoided.

    Parent

    Yes (none / 0) (#69)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:07:50 PM EST
    And some people ask a question if they are 100% not sure, as I did, do you?

    Parent
    Settle down..... (none / 0) (#73)
    by vml68 on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:13:22 PM EST
    I thought it was one of those "Squeaky questions"....designed to point out the errors of my thought process!

    Parent
    I Am Quite Settled (none / 0) (#77)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:17:09 PM EST
    Are you?  

    cool.  

    Parent

    Behave you two.... (5.00 / 4) (#85)
    by kdog on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:27:53 PM EST
    don't make me pull this car off the information superhighway!..:)

    Parent
    Yes Boss.... (none / 0) (#108)
    by vml68 on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 02:13:18 PM EST
    sorry boss... :-)!

    Parent
    Better then butter is Crisco!!! (none / 0) (#28)
    by samtaylor2 on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:11:24 PM EST
    I didn't say it was healthier.  But it doesn't change the fact that as you said, the two major component parts of Oatmeal raisin cookies are healthy- Oatmeal and Raisins :)

    Parent
    If Sin You Must, The Sin With Butter... (5.00 / 4) (#44)
    by santarita on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:35:30 PM EST
    (If there isn't a proverb like that, there should be.)

    Parent
    Get a grip. Nothing (5.00 / 1) (#45)
    by oldpro on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:35:47 PM EST
    is better than butter!

    You spread Crisco on your toast/biscuits?

    Crisco makes great pie dough but butter makes better!

    Parent

    Best shortening for pie dough (5.00 / 2) (#55)
    by Radiowalla on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:54:40 PM EST
    is lard.

    Now there's a healthy item for you.

    Parent

    Ah, the good old days! (5.00 / 1) (#59)
    by oldpro on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:02:22 PM EST
    Save all that bacon grease in a coffee can at the back of the stove...or on top of the stove, if yours had a shelf above the backburners.

    Memories...

    Parent

    Memories of my brothers... (none / 0) (#93)
    by santarita on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:33:59 PM EST
    laughing about  "Crisco Fat in the Can" whenever Crisco was mentioned.  

    Parent
    Crisco is pure transfat (5.00 / 1) (#63)
    by Inspector Gadget on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:06:02 PM EST
    Hydrogenated fat - best frosting recipe ever uses a whole cup of it! Plus a cup of butter. Amazed any of us lived past 35.


    Parent
    They've actually changed the Crisco (5.00 / 1) (#104)
    by TeresaInSnow2 on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:58:46 PM EST
    formula so instead of being partially hydrogenated, it's fully hydrogenated fat.  Basically, it's now saturated fat instead of trans-fat.

    Parent
    Only thing I have used Crisco for.... (none / 0) (#70)
    by vml68 on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:08:39 PM EST
    is to season my cast iron pans.

    Parent
    It was a very common ingredient (none / 0) (#74)
    by Inspector Gadget on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:13:35 PM EST
    in packaged foods...preserved everything in the cracker family, is an ingredient in bread, and you can be sure that anything bought in a bakery is loaded with it.

    Parent
    Crisco (none / 0) (#103)
    by TeresaInSnow2 on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:57:48 PM EST
    makes cookies taste like ... Crisco, aka crap.  

    Butter makes the cookies taste like...butter, doesn't taste like crap.

    Parent

    That may be... (none / 0) (#141)
    by Upstart Crow on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 03:57:06 PM EST
    But just don't ubiquitously substitute butter for Crisco in recipes. I tried doing that with my grandmother's Eastern European bread recipe (they probably used lard back in her village) and the crust came out very very thick.

    Parent
    Crisco has almost no water. (5.00 / 1) (#156)
    by Fabian on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 05:43:26 PM EST
    In order to do a one for one substitution, you'd have to get the plus gras, high butterfat content butter.  Even that wouldn't be perfect.  Cutting a small amount of liquid while increasing the butter a bit would be about right.  

    Parent
    Santarita (none / 0) (#95)
    by BackFromOhio on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:37:48 PM EST
    I posted some cites for FDIC/FDI, etc., where you asked me for them yesterday.

    Parent
    I Read the Gibson, Dunn article ... (5.00 / 1) (#121)
    by santarita on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 03:04:02 PM EST
    quite good as an overview, especially for making the distinction between receivership and conservatorship and its discussion of the various priorities of existing contracts.  The appointment of the FDIC as receiver or conservator basically functions in many of the same  ways as the filing of a bankruptcy  petition.  It establishes "pre-petition" claim priorities and puts a halt temporarily at least to litigation.  And the FDIC has limited ability to repudiate contracts (and pay for damages from the repudiation).  But most of the contracts subject to repudiation are not the contracts that are giving the banks most of the counterparty risk (e.g. derivatives, syndications etc).  I would think that the contracts subject to repudiation would be contracts like lease of facilities.   The article also makes pretty clear that the size and complexity of banks like Citi would cause interesting issues to surface.  The FDIC (or other government agency) would not be able to simply declare the bank's counterparty risks null and void.  

    As to the jurisdictional question, the article talks about state banks appointing the FDIC to act as receiver even though the FDIC may not have any supervisory jurisdiction.  

    The relevance of all of this to Citi, I think, is that the Fed  (the regulator of the bank holding company) and/or the OCC (the regulator of the Citibank) could appoint FDIC as either the liquidator or conservator (or as the bridge bank as the article points out the FDIC did for Indymac).  The two regulators could also come up with another party.  

    For a good discussion of the patchwork of regulatory agencies, NY Fed put together a good chart.  I don't have the cite but I think if you go to the NY Fed home page, you could find it.

    I appreciate the information that you came up with!

     

    Parent

    You've done a great job (none / 0) (#127)
    by BackFromOhio on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 03:29:44 PM EST
    synthesizing the material.  Just one wrinkle on repudiation of contracts -- in that any "qfc" or qualified financial contracts have special provisions.  I believe swaps fall into the qfc category.

    Parent
    Yes... (none / 0) (#149)
    by santarita on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 04:08:07 PM EST
    Capital market transactions couldn't take place if the various parties thought that contracts between banks could be easily undone.   Sometimes I picture Giethner and Bernanke as little Dutch boys with their fingers in small holes in the levees, trying to keep the levees from bursting.  But who knows, maybe the levees should burst now if they are going to fail anyway.

    Parent
    Thanks, I'll Check Them Out. (none / 0) (#110)
    by santarita on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 02:16:39 PM EST
    Applesauce (none / 0) (#120)
    by Amiss on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 03:04:01 PM EST
    is a very good substitute in baking for oil or butter I have found. I use it in breads and cakes a lot. Makes them very moist as well. Use equal amounts of unsweetened applesauce for the oil or butter in a recipe.

    I use this site quite often.

    cooks.com

    Parent

    Great Link (none / 0) (#123)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 03:08:10 PM EST
    Bookmarked after a few querries.. my mouth is watering..

    thanks

    Parent

    My next experiment is... (none / 0) (#151)
    by santarita on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 04:11:24 PM EST
    brownies.  

    (A confession:  I am new to baking.  Just made my first cheesecake yesterday - lemon with blueberry topping.  It didn't require too much butter.  I guess the cream cheese and ricotta make up for the lack of butter.)

    Parent

    Yes, I think I'll make some (none / 0) (#137)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 03:52:33 PM EST
    I have a sweet tooth in the mornings, can't help it just wake up that way.  This would be a good thing to feed it.

    Parent
    Got a third hand e-mail the (5.00 / 2) (#139)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 03:54:26 PM EST
    other day for making a one-person chocolate cake in a coffee mug in the microwave.  Didn't save.  Much too dangerous.

    Parent
    I got that one too (none / 0) (#161)
    by ruffian on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 06:12:50 PM EST
    Deleted it immediately!

    Parent
    Do go read this (5.00 / 2) (#13)
    by scribe on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 11:51:09 AM EST
    Inisght (5.00 / 2) (#31)
    by Dadler on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:15:03 PM EST
    Pretty funky bro.... (5.00 / 1) (#37)
    by kdog on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:25:05 PM EST
    got my desk chair squeakin'.

    My fav "throw yer hands in the air-er" has gotta be Outkast.  

    "Cooler than a polar bear's toenails..."

    Parent

    Yeah (none / 0) (#91)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:32:10 PM EST
    The song is mightier than the sword..

    Parent
    Nice (none / 0) (#84)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:27:42 PM EST
    I love (5.00 / 0) (#49)
    by Dr Molly on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:45:53 PM EST
    this website:  pandora.com. I use it all the time at work now for background music.

    You can create your own radio station by seeding it with some songs that you like. Then, it offers you more songs related to the ones you input, and you can accept or reject them. Over time, it kind of learns what you do and don't like.

    It's great for the mindnumbingly long days at the computer...
    like today.


    Yup, Pandora is great (none / 0) (#54)
    by andgarden on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:54:34 PM EST
    I make liberal use of the thumbs down and "don't play this song for a month." Before long, you'll get a few tolerable stations.

    Parent
    Last night I heard Yefim (none / 0) (#66)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:06:27 PM EST
    Bronfman play Brahms:  Piano Conerto No. @ w/the San Diego Symphony.  Beautiful performance by both the pianist and the orchestra.  At the concert, the usher handed us each a card for a free download of the performance.  Frequently concerts are not available for internet/radio broadcast because the artists don't agree to permit this.  So--what a gift from Mr. Bronfman.  

    Parent
    Squeaky: "Concerto No. 2" (none / 0) (#68)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:07:40 PM EST
    Nice Of Them (none / 0) (#76)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:15:34 PM EST
    Smart marketing too. Personally I like my music live and would not make the offer that Bronfman did, nor would I record it.

    Super tough piece, but one of the greats. I prefer the first (d min)
    quite a bit more but I love the second as well. not to mention the rest of his oeuvre.

    Op 118 and the b flat trio are amongst my all time faves.. d min concerto is up there too..

    Parent

    Not To Forget (none / 0) (#80)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:21:38 PM EST
    The two songs for alto viola and piano, and the e flat viola (clarinet) sonata.. uh oh, the list is long...   no end.

    Parent
    SDO is performing the Requiem (none / 0) (#87)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:29:13 PM EST
    in a couple weeks.  

    Parent
    Add the Horn trio and (none / 0) (#89)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:30:18 PM EST
    the violin concerto with the right performers--Shaham, for example.

    Parent
    Love The Horn Trio (none / 0) (#101)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:54:36 PM EST
    Tough for the horn. But then again getting the horn to make the right note/sound anytime is a question of luck. Really hard instrument to play. Gorgeous though.

    Parent
    My brother's retirement plan, after (none / 0) (#102)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:57:22 PM EST
    totally giving up playing the French horn from college through his early 60s.  

    Parent
    That gives me hope... (5.00 / 1) (#155)
    by huzzlewhat on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 05:00:02 PM EST
    I gave up the horn after college, and it's just sitting under the piano, waiting... :-)

    Parent
    You must join a community (none / 0) (#171)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 07:18:49 PM EST
    band and/or orchestra.

    Parent
    Next year... (none / 0) (#175)
    by huzzlewhat on Mon Mar 02, 2009 at 12:08:17 AM EST
    I'm hoping to... I'm actually getting my voice back into shape now, and looking for a choir to join. Once I get that in order and my scheduling worked out, I'll add the horn thing in. Paying for two sets of lessons a week is a bit difficult at the moment!

    Parent
    Good plan. Enjoy. (none / 0) (#176)
    by oculus on Mon Mar 02, 2009 at 12:54:13 AM EST
    So, I check the website (none / 0) (#86)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:27:58 PM EST
    from the card and the recording of the Brahms isn't Bronfman and isn't SDS.  Maybe that will change later.  

    Parent
    Thats Weird (5.00 / 1) (#107)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 02:10:19 PM EST
    They must be promoting a future concert. Or perhaps the download will be another orchestra and performer meant to make SDO and Bronfman look like genius.

    Picasso once asked Matisse, a bitter rival, if he wanted to do a trade. Matisse was flattered and graciously agreed. Picasso came to Matisse's studio first and looked around for some time. At once he spotted a piece of paper on the floor, picked it up and said, Matisse you are a great genius, this is the piece I want. Matisse said that he was going to throw it out, but if Picasso wanted it he would be honored to let him have it.

    Matisse picked a great painting from Picasso's studio later that week.

    Several weeks later an important collector and critic came to visit Picasso. He was marveling at the amazing invention, skill, and breadth of the works hanging on the wall. Then the critic/collector spied a piece prominently hanging over the mantle piece and sheepishly asked, what is this?

    Picasso immediately replied that it was that artist Matisse.  He said, 'can you believe how overrated that hack is. This is one of his best works.

    Parent

    Vertigo on TCM (5.00 / 1) (#128)
    by andgarden on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 03:31:12 PM EST
    Clearly one of the best movies of all time. Hitch was a genius.

    I hope you've seen 'Rear Window' (none / 0) (#165)
    by ruffian on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 06:21:08 PM EST
    My favorite!

    Parent
    Indeed (none / 0) (#166)
    by andgarden on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 06:25:20 PM EST
    North by Northwest is my fav.

    Parent
    Joe's Book Signing Flop (5.00 / 1) (#152)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 04:21:59 PM EST
    Never have I longed to be in DC so much as reading about this splendid event.

    Joe the Multi-Faceted Hat-Wearer puts on his "Writin' Hat" to sign autographs last night at a Borders in DC, where "about 11 people wandered into the rows of seats set up hopefully in the basement" who he addressed "from behind a lectern and with a microphone ... that seemed unnecessarily formal."

    [snip]

    The event was scheduled to last three hours, but ended after 55 minutes, with Joe having sold a total of five books.

    Melissa McEwan


    The Swiss are building a (5.00 / 1) (#159)
    by SOS on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 06:04:31 PM EST
    35-mile railroad tunnel through the Alps. It'll take another nine years to finish carving out the path through the mountain, and will ultimately require the removal of 24 million tons of rock. I suggest you regard this masterpiece, the Gotthard Base Tunnel, as an inspirational symbol. The coming months will be prime time for all of us to summon the willpower necessary to get really serious about an equally ambitious project. Rebuilding the United States of America.

    To be honest (none / 0) (#160)
    by SOS on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 06:08:10 PM EST
    I'm glad I'm not sitting in a Fox news studio wearing a suit with a bad haircut mindlessly babbling about all the great thing we could do if the rich got another tax cut.

    Couldn't pay me to do that life is to precious.

    Parent

    Interesting (none / 0) (#164)
    by ruffian on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 06:18:56 PM EST
    I hope the Colorado transportation planners are watching this. I-70 from Denver to Vail had deteriorated to a parking lot by the time I left there 3 years ago. They were talking about an elevated rail system along the highway but that had logistical problems at least as bad as building a new rail tunnel, it seems to me.

    Parent
    Sure our biggest problem (none / 0) (#167)
    by SOS on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 06:28:44 PM EST
    though is we've become so demoralized in this country we've become "Can't Do". We're defeated before we even get started. It cost to much! it's going to dip into my money though taxes! It's not possible!  Blah blah blah blah.

    Parent
    And of course (none / 0) (#168)
    by SOS on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 06:31:31 PM EST
    since we've been brainwashed into believing leisure and golf is the end goal in life now that the economic debt bomb has exploded no one knows what the hell to think or do.

    Parent
    Working at home (5.00 / 1) (#173)
    by vrenejuste on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 07:24:43 PM EST
    Hello all,

    I have been a constant reader of this blog all throughout the election but this is my first time actually posting a comment.

    I am not doing much. I am just working at home. I am an attorney with a law office in North Fort Myers, FL. Thus, I know what its like having to prepare for court on the weekend.

    How is everyone else doing?

    Two hours BTD. Don't beat up on us too (none / 0) (#1)
    by Teresa on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 11:03:38 AM EST
    bad. Did you know SC lost to Vandy and we are back to a four way tie in the East? We have you guys and SC on the road so I'm not expecting much.

    Our RPI is 25 and strength of schedule is 2, but I'm starting to doubt we'll get in the tournament.

    Ha: (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 11:09:45 AM EST
    If you think you have something worth saying. . . .


    Parent
    I'm hoping he jinxed his Gators since he (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by Teresa on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 11:16:48 AM EST
    left them out of his open thread. :)

    The only Sunday talk I watched was the local sports show!

    Parent

    From your keyboard (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by scribe on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 11:22:15 AM EST
    to the baskeball gods' screens.

    Y'know - they do follow the blogs, too....

    Parent

    Do the basketball gods "twitter"? (5.00 / 2) (#17)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 11:52:58 AM EST
    They do whatever they want, (5.00 / 1) (#19)
    by scribe on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 11:55:51 AM EST
    They're gods, after all.

    Parent
    Ha! Got your wish. (5.00 / 1) (#124)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 03:12:20 PM EST
    Good game by Tyler today.  

    Parent
    Woohoo MileHi. I thought we were going (5.00 / 1) (#133)
    by Teresa on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 03:44:27 PM EST
    to blow it! It's weird that we can't beat them in football and they can't beat us in basketball. If we had lost, I was going to meet Bobby Maze at the airport and bash him in the noggin for taking all those shots when they were coming back.

    I still hope FL makes it to the tournament but we really needed this game.

    Tyler did play good. He's had a rough time lately. I think he is pushing too much because he wants/needs to go pro this year.

    Parent

    IMO, you are twittering (5.00 / 1) (#135)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 03:50:07 PM EST
    (in a nice way, natch).

    Parent
    oculus, I've never seen an opera in my (5.00 / 2) (#142)
    by Teresa on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 03:59:48 PM EST
    life and I can't cook! I have only politics and sports to offer here. :)

    Parent
    Boy... (5.00 / 1) (#153)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 04:40:59 PM EST
    ...I sure hope the kid has good people advising him.  He's not a lottery pick right now, IMO.  Late First/Second rounder at best...

    You've taken out the Gators out what, 7 of the last 8 on the hardwood?  

    Parent

    yep, unreal isn't it. Especially considering (none / 0) (#154)
    by Teresa on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 04:55:23 PM EST
    the Gators won two NC's during that time.

    I think Tyler should stay but he has a child and his family really needs the money. He is very close to Bruce and I think that's who he will listen to. I just hope he makes it. I think that is why he has added shooting three's because he isn't tall enough to play his normal way in the NBA.

    He's such a good kid. I hope he stays but if he doesn't I'll be pulling for him.

    Parent

    Testy exchange this morning (none / 0) (#6)
    by BackFromOhio on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 11:34:21 AM EST
    on ABC between Rove & Katerina vanden Heuvel. Katerina interrupted Rove & essentially called him a hypocrite for complaining about the size of the Obama proposed budget after 8 years of Bush running up deficit and spending wildly on a war that never should have happened and tax cuts for the wealthy.  

    Decent point, but KVH gets on my nerves (5.00 / 2) (#9)
    by andgarden on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 11:42:59 AM EST
    Just so long as she gets (5.00 / 2) (#10)
    by scribe on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 11:44:42 AM EST
    on Rove's nerves more.

    Parent
    You said it (5.00 / 1) (#22)
    by gyrfalcon on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:04:40 PM EST
    talk about a p***ing contest between skunks...

    Parent
    Really? (5.00 / 1) (#170)
    by Radiowalla on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 06:49:48 PM EST
    I've been grateful to see her as a guest on ABC since she at least represents a true progressive point of view, unlike the usual cast of faux liberals.

    Parent
    I was so mad Rove was even there (5.00 / 1) (#115)
    by ruffian on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 02:37:56 PM EST
    The idea that he should be on any show as a commentator is just absurd. If they want to interview him as a participant in the last 8 years of crime and mismanagement, that is fine. But to sit there and treat a guy who is to this day defying a congressional subpoena with the same respect they give any other windbag is just maddening. I wish Katrina had thrown her shoes at him or something, or walked off the set in protest. That would have been more effective than anything she said.

    Parent
    Rove seemed more surprised (none / 0) (#129)
    by BackFromOhio on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 03:31:26 PM EST
    than ruffled at vanden Heuvel's frontal attack.

    Parent
    Exactly (5.00 / 1) (#162)
    by ruffian on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 06:14:15 PM EST
    The rest of the media treats him like one of their own. Good for her for doing as much as she did.

    Parent
    My Reaction (none / 0) (#180)
    by daring grace on Mon Mar 02, 2009 at 09:41:13 AM EST
    to Rove's was:

    "Scurry back to Fox-land, Karl-y, and pull the covers over your head. People in the larger world might have some scary bones to pick with you. Surprise!"

    Parent

    I don't have anything worth saying these days (none / 0) (#20)
    by Plutonium Page on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 11:56:37 AM EST
    But I do have a question.

    I looked in my gmail spam folder the other day, just for giggles, because I always get lots of wingnut spam.

    What they're going on about right now is HR 45: Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009.

    Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009 - Amends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act to prohibit a person from possessing a firearm unless that person has been issued a firearm license under this Act or a state system certified under this Act and such license has not been invalidated or revoked. Prescribes license application, issuance, and renewal requirements.

    I'm sure lots of similar resolutions are introduced each session.

    Anyway, it seems to me that a national handgun licensing act would be pretty hard to pass. I don't really care one way or another; I'm a gun owner, and I wouldn't have a problem with having to get a license, but I'm sure there would be vigorous opposition from some Dems and most Republicans.

    So, TalkLefties (and TalkLeft editors), what do you think?

    My Gmail spam folder (5.00 / 1) (#23)
    by andgarden on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:05:41 PM EST
    fills up about 10 times faster than it used to. The spammers must be getting desperate.

    Parent
    Either That (none / 0) (#26)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:09:48 PM EST
    The companies you have done business, who once respected your privacy, and their associates are now selling your info.

    Parent
    Nah (none / 0) (#35)
    by andgarden on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:22:14 PM EST
    most spam doesn't work like that. Gmail is just a popular domain, so it's bombarded.

    Doesn't really matter too much to me; Gmail's filter is actually quite good.

    Parent

    How to account for all the e-mail (none / 0) (#97)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:42:06 PM EST
    I receive from politicians:  Feingold and Franken.  How the heck do they have my e-mail address?

    Parent
    Oh, someone sold their address list (none / 0) (#98)
    by andgarden on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:46:51 PM EST
    I almost never sign up for just that reason.

    Parent
    Has to be Hillary, or whoever got (none / 0) (#100)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:48:27 PM EST
    her list.  Hope they all chipped in to pay off her campaign debts.

    Parent
    Not sure if that's the source (5.00 / 1) (#118)
    by nycstray on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 02:58:27 PM EST
    I haven't gotten an emails other than ones that say since I was supporting her and I think they are all connected to her PAC(s).

    I have gotten a couple of emails from Feingold and Leahy, but it was because I was speaking up on issues (FISA comes to mind). I don't seem to be on their reg email lists though.

    Parent

    You look in your spam folder? (none / 0) (#29)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:14:03 PM EST
    Never done that myself unless someone told me they sent me an e-mail I am missing and am looking to see if it went there.

    Parent
    Anyone trying to sell something (none / 0) (#67)
    by Inspector Gadget on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:07:19 PM EST
    on craigslist needs to check their spam folder... inquiries often end up there.


    Parent
    I have to check my spam (none / 0) (#105)
    by DXP on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 02:03:38 PM EST
    since I own my own domaine name and website (for work). Been noticing since last October whenever the DJA goes down there is a marked rise in Viagra ads spam.

    Parent
    I think (none / 0) (#30)
    by Steve M on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:15:02 PM EST
    that gun-control bills with zero cosponsors aren't really worth worrying about...

    Parent
    No f'g way. (none / 0) (#36)
    by scribe on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:23:42 PM EST
    Friends live in a jurisdiction with a similar sort of gun/owner registration law.  In that jurisdiction, all applications go through the registrant's local Chief of Police.  Per the statute, the Chief is supposed to approve them if there is no disability (among the species set out in the statute), and they are supposed to be automatically approved if the investigation is not completed within a statutorily defined time.  

    One of these friends went for the application.  This friend was told that the (since-retired) (literally son-of-a-bookie) police chief had decreed (in his Tony Soprano voice) that he didn't want anyone to have any guns, so there was no point in even applying.  

    What about the presumption in favor of approval?  The cops had an answer to that, in several parts.

    First, they would let the application sit in the inbox until the day before the automatic approval deadline, doing as little work on it as possible.  Then, they would deny the application "in the interest of public safety and welfare" (or whatever the magic words of the statute were).  When the aggrieved applicant would go to court to get it approved, the applicant would run into a wall of decisions which indicated that, in that state, "the possession of firearms is a highly regulated activity and (without saying so explicitly) we resolve all doubts in favor of the determination by the Chief of Police, who best knows the public safety needs of his jurisdiction."

    Then, the applicant discovered that, in order to get the application completed, the applicant would have to waive all his Fourth Amendment rights as against the local and state police so they could investigate to make sure the applicant had good character and to make sure the applicant would store the guns safely.  And the applicant would have to submit fingerprints, and all sorts of personal information.

    Likely now, they ask for all your blog posts, too.  I dunno.

    And those waivers would persist even after the application was granted.

    And then, the applicant discovered that, in the event of the application being denied, if the applicant moved to any other state and was going to seek a permit there, he would have to answer "yes" to the question of whether he had ever applied for a gun permit and been denied (making a false statement on such an application is, we are told, a federal crime punishable by IIRC up to 5 years in prison), and explicate why "contrary to public safety, yadda yadda".  Of course, the magic words from the first jurisdiction would have no "legal term of art" meaning in the second, which would both immediately cast a real pall over that applicant and his application and extend the arbitrary obnoxiousness of the son-of-a-bookie chief of police's exercise of power into another state.

    And, nowadays, all this would be entered into a permanent computer record somewhere.

    The net results were that the applicant either moved to a state with a more congenial gun registration law, kept any existing gun without a permit (allowable under the first state's law, but in very limited circumstances not understood by cops, and the lack of a permit precluded him from buying, selling, or trading for a new one or getting rid of the old one), or gave up entirely.  The corollary net result was that the only people who got permits were (a) cops, (b)friends, relatives and supplicants of the chief of police and/or local politicos (i.e., the connected) or (c) people who were willing to litigate to the ends of the court system and had the tens of thousands of dollars to spend on that (i.e., the rich).

    It is stupid gun-control legislation like this - the NRA trolls the hoppers where the bills get filed and go to die - that hurt Democrats and provide plenty of grist for the propaganda mill.  I would bet that "I told you so" was the common post on all the shooting-sports blogs the morning after Holder announced going back after the assault weapon ban and that gun and ammunition sales spiked beginning that day.

    And the idiots who think that "banning guns" will make for The Millenium and The End of Violence, and sponsor gun control legislation are just that.  People killed and hurt each other for thousands of years before guns were invented.  And, to be sure, that hatchet in the garage can do about the same as a gun - if wielded incorrectly.

    It is only when someone picks up a gun that a potential hazard comes into being - and it is the intent of the person wielding it that is all that is relevant.  Until a person picks it up, the gun can sit there on the shelf until the stars burn out and no one - no one - will be hurt.

    Parent

    Great comment (5.00 / 2) (#42)
    by Plutonium Page on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:33:14 PM EST
    Thanks for the reply. Interesting story.

    Parent
    Well, I am pro-gun registration (5.00 / 1) (#56)
    by Coral on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:55:37 PM EST
    If you have to register a car and have a license (after passing a test) to drive it, why not a gun?

    Er, that's a rhetorical question.

    Parent

    I'm anti-car registration.... (none / 0) (#71)
    by kdog on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:11:22 PM EST
    myself:)

    Parent
    Then, how would you prove it was yours (none / 0) (#75)
    by Inspector Gadget on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:14:24 PM EST
    if stolen?

    Parent
    I don't call the cops as a rule... (none / 0) (#81)
    by kdog on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:23:45 PM EST
    if my car is stolen I'll get another one, or if I see it I'll steal it back.

    Don't take me too seriously Inspector...I just despise the DMV with a passion.  That place has gotta be one of the circles of hell...lets just say I've had bad experiences banging my head against that bueracratic wall.

    Parent

    Exactly. (none / 0) (#72)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:11:34 PM EST
    Although, of course, mistakes are made or the law is written in such a way people who really shouldn't have a gun can get one.  And then there are the children in the home with the gun.  Scary.

    Parent
    The "guns don't kill" argument. (5.00 / 1) (#79)
    by TheRealFrank on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:20:19 PM EST
    Like I've said before, I don't care about gun legislation much. I'd prefer if they were illegal, but in the US that's not realistic, so, whatever.

    But this argument is false:

    And, to be sure, that hatchet in the garage can do about the same as a gun - if wielded incorrectly.

    Guns were invented because they can more effectively do damage. No, they don't cause violence, but, if the intent is there, they make it a lot easier to do damage. You don't see any armies out there having axes as their standard weapon these days. There is a reason for that.

    If you want to argue in favor of gun ownership, fine, but acknowledge what a gun is: a weapon designed to do harm, which can do so more effectively than other weapons.


    Parent

    OT. TheRealFrank, (none / 0) (#83)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:26:24 PM EST
    do you have any opinion re the First Lady rejecting "Frank" as name for the putative First Dog?

    Parent
    How dare she! (5.00 / 2) (#88)
    by TheRealFrank on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 01:29:47 PM EST
    Anybody should be proud to have that name, or to have a pet with that name.

    What's it going to be now? "Lassie"? "Buster"? Ha!


    Parent

    I read (none / 0) (#113)
    by scribe on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 02:23:08 PM EST
    over at Gawker, earlier in the week, that the girls had chosen Frank or Moose.

    The latter was the kids, goofing on Palin.  Seriously.  Or so Gawker said.

    Parent

    Interesting. AP article didn't (none / 0) (#147)
    by oculus on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 04:06:17 PM EST
    mention Palin connection.

    Parent
    Why hasn't Obama's campaign technological (none / 0) (#25)
    by ding7777 on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:08:19 PM EST
    edge followed to the Briefing Room with Robert Gibbs?

    There's only a text version . Bush had both text and video.

    In comparing the two - Bush's  whitehouse . gov site wins; easier to use and easier to find something

    How do you know? (none / 0) (#40)
    by lambert on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 12:29:22 PM EST
    Didn't they blow the Bush site away, so there's no way to compare?

    Yeah, wayback, but we owned whitehouse.gov no matter who's President, so why destroy the archives?

    Parent

    The National Archives (none / 0) (#112)
    by ding7777 on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 02:21:16 PM EST
    has the public papers(link here) .

    Here's Bush's archived whitehouse . gov for a comparison.

    Archived Press Briefing index and a sample Press Briefing with Dana Perino shows the text, video, audio, and RSS feed (Note: not all of the archived links may still work)

    Parent

    Cool! (none / 0) (#185)
    by lambert on Mon Mar 02, 2009 at 11:52:11 AM EST
    Good data. Thanks.

    Parent
    Do you agree that Bush's whitehouse website (none / 0) (#186)
    by ding7777 on Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 01:48:23 PM EST
    was more informative?

    Parent
    Sorry,but she's completely (none / 0) (#114)
    by gyrfalcon on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 02:32:02 PM EST
    ineffective as any kind of spokesperson for the left.  She does nothing more than irritate these people occasional with her unvarying cookie-cutter rants.  She's not persuasive to me, and i agree with her!  She's just noise who's used by the TV folks to "balance" other noise.

    American Journalist Jailed, Iran (none / 0) (#126)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 03:26:18 PM EST
    Authorities in Iran have arrested and detained an American freelance journalist who has reported for NPR, the BBC and other news organizations.

    [snip]

    "She said that she had bought a bottle of wine and the person that sold it had reported it and then they came and arrested her," he said, adding that that was just an excuse to arrest her.

    [snip]

    Iranian officials revoked Saberi's press credentials more than a year ago, but the government tolerated her reporting short news stories out of Iran. Her father said she was planning to move back to the United States later this year.

    NPR via Laura Rozen


    How awful.... (none / 0) (#138)
    by kdog on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 03:53:21 PM EST
    lets hope she is released soon, she's been locked up for 10 days.

    Will the world ever wise up?

    Parent

    No, It's A Month (none / 0) (#140)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 03:55:24 PM EST
    Last heard from Feb 10, and was in jail for 10 days back then.

    Parent
    Alcohol and the middle east (none / 0) (#157)
    by Inspector Gadget on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 06:00:34 PM EST
    We lived in eastern Saudi Arabia back in the early '80s. Our housing development had just opened and only 6 families were living there at the time. Arab guy breaks into every single one of our houses around 2:00 am one morning.

    When my husband was called to the jail the next day to see if he could identify him, he said he doubted his own mother could have...beaten quite badly.

    They wanted to know where the guy had gotten the alcohol, didn't much care about the 6 counts of breaking and entering.

    It's a different world over there. You learn fast what the rules are and you are very, very careful not to get caught breaking them.


    Parent

    Wow (none / 0) (#163)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 06:16:44 PM EST
    Funny, not in the ha ha way, that the burglary charge for your guy was minor compared to the booze, while for the journalist Saberi, the booze was a pretext for the crime of journalism.

    In the end the journalists here obviously know what the rules are, and it is a shame.

    Parent

    We expected the authorities (none / 0) (#169)
    by Inspector Gadget on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 06:38:26 PM EST
    to ignore the break-in at our house, but the other homes were occupied by Saudi families.

    Since we were Americans, anything at ALL that would have happened to us while in Saudi was entirely our fault. As "ex-pats" we didn't belong there, and had we not been there, the crime wouldn't have happened.

    Parent

    Kinda wild that... (none / 0) (#177)
    by kdog on Mon Mar 02, 2009 at 08:51:43 AM EST
    the Iranian authorities don't really bother the hashish users there, but throw the book at alcohol users...like a bizarro version of the US.

    Parent
    hashish (none / 0) (#179)
    by CST on Mon Mar 02, 2009 at 09:32:59 AM EST
    is much more acceptable in the m.e. than booze.

    It is the home of the hookah.  I know it's for "tobacco" use, but at the hookah bar I used to attend, a lot of the middle eastern customers would ask if they could use their own "special" blends. The college kids didn't bother to ask, they would just try and put it in themselves.  Word to the wise - never try to fool an employee at a hookah bar.  They know what pot smells like and can find it a mile away.

    Parent

    I once smoked a hash joint... (none / 0) (#181)
    by kdog on Mon Mar 02, 2009 at 09:44:48 AM EST
    (hash/tobacco blend) driving with my moms as a passenger and she didn't have a clue, thought it was a cigarette...much more subtle smell than marijuana, the give-away is the unique color of the smoke....unless you are a user it is very hard to identify by smell.

    I miss the hookah bars...smoking laws basically shut them down in NY, though I'm sure there are still underground joints to be found..

    Parent

    I thought (none / 0) (#182)
    by CST on Mon Mar 02, 2009 at 10:11:45 AM EST
    That they just paid the fine and kept operating.

    I haven't been to one in NY in a few years, but I certainly went after the law went into effect.  Unless it got more strict in recent years.

    A friend of mine opened one in Pittsburgh while I was there.  We used to go to the ones in NY  and expense it as "market research".

    Some of those college kids were pretty stupid though.  Not only did all the employees recognize the smell immediately, but the way they tried to "add" it made it so they were just wasting it anyway.  Putting it on top of the coals...  Not that anyone called the authorities, just confiscated it.  But they had to be on top of that stuff or risk getting shut down.  However, if it is ever legalized - they will be the first spot to transition.

    Parent

    It's been a few years myself.... (none / 0) (#183)
    by kdog on Mon Mar 02, 2009 at 10:16:43 AM EST
    I'll have to head over to Astoria and see what the deal really is.

    I always got high right before I went to the hookah bar...the head rush of the hookah tobacco after a session put you in a very pleasant state of mind to say the least.

    Parent

    yea (none / 0) (#184)
    by CST on Mon Mar 02, 2009 at 10:29:58 AM EST
    I never smoked butts, so the tobacco alone in the hookas got me pretty buzzed.  I don't know about Astoria, but there are a bunch over by NYU.

    We used to go to this one a lot. If I recall correctly, it was outdoors with a tent for a roof, so it aired out pretty well.  Maybe that was how they got around the no-smoking rule.

    Parent

    Whoooeeee (none / 0) (#130)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 03:35:05 PM EST
    Snow day tomorrow NYC. Don't let us down, now..

    New Yorkers will wake up to 10 to 14 inches of snow tomorrow, and a winter storm warning is in effect until 6 a.m., according to the National Weather Service.



    WTF?! (none / 0) (#144)
    by nycstray on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 04:02:55 PM EST
    dang, I should pay attention. The amounts were lower last I heard, lol!~ Better get my behind in gear and go get some milk  :) Oh well, the dog will be happy for a good snow romp tomorrow.

    Parent
    Got about a foot by me... (none / 0) (#178)
    by kdog on Mon Mar 02, 2009 at 08:52:52 AM EST
    was ready for a brutal commute this morning but there was hardly anybody on the roads.

    Parent
    Sad (none / 0) (#132)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 03:43:06 PM EST
    According to police documents, Level-3 sex offender William A. Baldwin had moved into his uncle's home in Tacoma in early June. Following his move, county deputies distributed flyers around the neighborhood to alert residents of his presence.

    On June 19, Gibson went to the house in the trailer park and asked for Baldwin.

    When Baldwin stepped outside, she claimed she was going to kill him because Baldwin had molested her children. Gibson then proceeded to hit Baldwin repeatedly with her bat, the document said, leaving him with an injured arm.

    link

    What happened to Burris? (none / 0) (#143)
    by Upstart Crow on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 04:02:09 PM EST
    Just one week ago -- or was it two? -- everyone was saying he would no longer be tolerated in the Senate. All sorts of people called for him to step down.

    Now it has just kind of quietly disappeared.

    Did everybody give up? Change their minds?

    He Will Have to Be Forced Out (none / 0) (#148)
    by squeaky on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 04:06:26 PM EST
    Doubt it will happen, but who knows..
    There was little solace on the Internet either. Two "Save Roland Burris" groups have popped up on the popular Facebook Web site. The groups have less than 70 members combined, and their ranks include a handful of GOP political operatives
    .

    link

    Parent

    Don't be absurd (none / 0) (#158)
    by gyrfalcon on Sun Mar 01, 2009 at 06:01:36 PM EST
    and don't put words in my mouth or thoughts in my head.

    KVH is not the only option, there are lots of others and they're on the TV All. Day. Long.  I have yet to find one I think perfectly represents my views, but even the lousy ones are far more effective than she is. Nobody listens to her.  She has no impact on the political debate.  None.  What she has to say is so unvarying and so entirely predictable that nobody pays any attention to her.