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Saturday Open Thread: Take a Moment

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Sat Dec 18, 2010 at 12:16:52 PM EST
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It's a beautiful Saturday here-- and the third weekend in a row I'll be spending it in a visiting booth at the federal detention center. Looking on the bright side, better the jail than the emergency room.

Lying here in the darkness
I Hear the sirens wail
Somebody's going to emergency
Somebody's going to jail
If you find somebody to love in this world
You better hang on tooth and nail
The wolf is always at the door

In a New York Minute, everything can change. If you have your freedom and health this holiday season, and are spending it with your loved ones, take a moment to appreciate it.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

< Dream Act Goes Down, DADT Repeal Succeeds On Cloture Vote | Worlds Largest Medical Marijuana Conference Underway >

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    Saturday Open Thread: Take a Moment | 34 comments (34 topical)

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    An important reminder indeed.... (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by kdog on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 06:28:29 AM EST
    ya can get lost in the constant stream of bad news and lose sight of the beauty surrounding us.

    I'm certainly grateful for the spare time and opportunity to go play some ball then drink some beer in fresh winter air with salt of the earth people this morning...tis a beautiful thing.

    Ugh. Never seems to fail. Turn in the last (5.00 / 0) (#10)
    by jeffinalabama on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 12:15:56 PM EST
    grades, fever shoots up, sick for a few days.

    Why does the body fight these illnesses until we 'have time?'

    So. My thoughts. The Dream Act goes down. What might be in it's place? I think anyone would recognize that someone born outside of the US but raised here from a youn age would be acculturated here.

    People may not even speak their nationality's language. I've seen that phenomenon here already, folks who don't speak the language their 'citizenship country' speaks.

    But they are still 'illegal aliens.' Doesn't matter that they committed no fault other than having parents who brought them here.

    Of course, blaming people who aren't at fault for problems seems to be the status quo, doesn't it?

    I hope you're taking a moment... (5.00 / 1) (#16)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 02:41:23 PM EST
    ...to enjoy this beautiful Colorado Sunday, J!  

    It is days like these that convinced me that Denver was where I needed to be all those many years ago.  

    Windows open, airing out the condo.  Wonderful swim just now and was able to sit in the sun for awhile afterward.  A walk to the store in a little while.  Might even fire up the grill this evening...

    Oh, and oculus, your main man Tebow is supported to start his first NFL game today.

    Tebow (5.00 / 2) (#18)
    by CoralGables on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 03:48:56 PM EST
    opens up like a monster. Impressive start.

    Parent
    He draws powers (none / 0) (#19)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 05:29:20 PM EST
    from the Fortress of Solitude nearby....the homebase of Focus on the Family....Muwhahahhahahhahaha

    Parent
    They're in Oakland today... (none / 0) (#21)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 05:41:36 PM EST
    ...playing the Raiders in the Black Hole.  Fighting the godless heathens is sapping his strength--they're losing at the moment.

    Parent
    I know (none / 0) (#22)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 06:25:58 PM EST
    But he has been living close to that energy now, soaking it into his pores.  You need Kryptonite to kill him now :)

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    Gawd help us! (5.00 / 1) (#23)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 06:33:51 PM EST
    It will be all Tebow, all the time this week around here.  Should he play the rest of the year, is he the second coming (ha!) of John Elway, yada, yada, yada...

    My brain hurts just thinking about it!

    Parent

    Thankfully, that game is not (none / 0) (#17)
    by nycstray on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 03:21:16 PM EST
    sold out in Oakland, so I get the Jets game {grin}

    The NY Giants really tanked in the last half of the 4th . . . OY.

    Parent

    Full disclosure: as I (5.00 / 1) (#29)
    by oculus on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 10:02:24 PM EST
    recall (working on gratis 3rd glass of retsina here), in the category of sports kdog and I discussed his foothall team/league, Jets strength and conditioning coach who intenionally tripped opposing team player who was running out-of-bounds, woeful Padres, Jeter, and Mets. But not Tim Tebow.

    NY Times Irony of the day (none / 0) (#1)
    by diogenes on Sat Dec 18, 2010 at 09:20:29 PM EST
    "Julian Assange, the founder of the WikiLeaks  anti-secrecy organization who was released from a British jail late last week, is facing a new challenge: the leak of a 68-page confidential Swedish police report that sheds new light on the allegations of sexual misconduct that led to Mr. Assange's legal troubles."

    I suppose I should be (none / 0) (#2)
    by oculus on Sat Dec 18, 2010 at 11:30:18 PM EST
    Home when my brother arrives Tues. Night but I am most certainly enjoying New York.

    Perhaps they could have a beer summit (none / 0) (#4)
    by Rojas on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 07:58:25 AM EST
    No billed for official oppression. One of Texas finest gets six months probation for misdemeanor assault.
    Video is here
    Why aren't the feds on this guy like a rash?

    Today is my chance to (none / 0) (#5)
    by oculus on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 10:06:20 AM EST
    critique Al Pacino in "Merchant of Venice."

    Better get moving :) (none / 0) (#6)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 11:49:02 AM EST


    Parent
    After writing this I am going for the (none / 0) (#7)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 11:51:50 AM EST
    Aleve.  It really did give me a headache reading about it on my facebook because some dog people are really flipping out.  Humane Society of the United States says that Michael Vick has been punished enough and is capable of now be a good dog owner, and should be able to be one.  People are now asking others to boycott giving monies to the Humane Society of the United States.....and I have a headache.

    Well, they don't have to worry (none / 0) (#9)
    by nycstray on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 12:03:07 PM EST
    about him adopting from them since, ya know, they don't actually shelter any animals . . .

    Parent
    Some dog people are saying (5.00 / 0) (#11)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 12:18:07 PM EST
    follow the money and money rules now. HSUS is more concerned about the money these days.

    Parent
    The Humane Society of the United States (none / 0) (#12)
    by CoralGables on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 01:04:38 PM EST
    is little more than a money taking PAC by a different name. Local Humane Societies often do good work.

    Parent
    I work or used to, not so much now, (5.00 / 1) (#13)
    by jeffinalabama on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 01:13:47 PM EST
    with rescue organizations. Some breed specific, some area specific, some both. Funny how these don't get the press or the donations.

    First rule of an organization is to make sure the organization continues...

    Parent

    It does seem though these days (none / 0) (#14)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 01:47:00 PM EST
    that that is the only rule.  Many of the women's organizations I used to give to regularly I stopped giving to because they seem only interested in collecting monies and when it is time to fight for abortion rights they choke...they don't show up....they don't organize anything.  I see them as mostly worthless dinosaurs now providing no real service, they are just a name and an infrastructure getting salaries.  This happened to a charity in Colorado Springs as well that was supposed to help the poor disabled be able to buy needed equipment that people didn't have any insurance coverage for.  There came a time when we all demanded the financials and found out that the administrators of the organization was each making six figures and had provided maybe $20,000 in services to the poor for the year.  It became a scam....sort of an organization that was about raising monies for salaries and that was about it.

    Parent
    Assange's lawyer is complaining (none / 0) (#8)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 12:02:38 PM EST
    about the details of his case getting out..

    Proving again that some animals are more equal than others..

    Yes, asking his accusers and those (none / 0) (#26)
    by Harry Saxon on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 07:57:39 PM EST
    against him to respect the same principles he breaks is a bit much, isn't it?

    Parent
    BTW (none / 0) (#32)
    by Harry Saxon on Mon Dec 20, 2010 at 12:43:56 AM EST
    Don't try to channel Orwell in the future, it's like a cheetah pretending it's really a plant eater.

    Parent
    Goody goody (none / 0) (#15)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 01:57:54 PM EST
    I managed to worm my way out of going to Tron today.  I went to enough Joshua flicks when the other dude in the house was gone.  Of course The Black Swan isn't here yet, not in no place Alabama, maybe on Wednesday.  So who has seen it?

    North Korea and South Korea (none / 0) (#20)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 05:31:26 PM EST
    Whoa baby

    North Korea's order of battle, from (none / 0) (#24)
    by jeffinalabama on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 07:37:24 PM EST
    publicized sites:

    The North Korean People's Army has used lasers against Us helicopters before, back in 1993. PRobably has more than a few of these. Dangerous to pilot's eyes and dangerous to electronics.

    North Korean Armor probably doesn't have thermal imaging. However, winter would be the most expeditious time for this armor to be used offensively-- frozen fields and rice paddies.

    Army size: 1,000,000 standing, perhaps 6-7 million in reserve. Lots of tanks armored personnel carriers, and self propelled artillery.

    Air forces: not a lot of flying time due to fuel shortages.

    Enough fissile materiel for between 2-9 bombs/warheads. missiles that could reach US territory.

    Wild cards include chemical weapons and delivery systems. Tabun, mustard agent, and others.
    Also biological agents.

    SCUD's FROG's and artillery deliverable weapons.

    The world's 3-rd to 4th largest chemical arsenal, according to posts.

    With North Korea, it's a scary proposition. One can't expect rational actions from this state... it operates in a non-rational world.

    Parent

    I misused order of battle here... (none / 0) (#25)
    by jeffinalabama on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 07:50:58 PM EST
    not intentionally. Just a short list of nasty assets.

    Parent
    All of their tanks and armored (none / 0) (#27)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 09:28:10 PM EST
    vehicles are short on fuel and very poorly maintained.  About ten years ago I read an assessment that much of their stuff along the DMZ was probably literally rusted in place :)  Use of their missiles long range....not proven and what little they have tried to test failed badly.  It is not thought they have actual nuclear capabilities to put together a functioning warhead that could be delivered via a missile.  Chemical weapons probably yes, biological I dunno.  Lasering helicopters, not a big concern as U.S. helicopters have taken that into consideration in all their upgrades.  They have a lot of manpower though.  The South Korean military isn't anybody to smirk at though these days.  They mean business too.

    Parent
    their plans 20 years and more ago included (none / 0) (#28)
    by jeffinalabama on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 10:00:39 PM EST
    deep and long tunnels to bypass hardened positions, and also use of a 100,000 person special ops/ shock troops force.

    Lots of chemical weapons, which, given Seoul's position re the dmz puts Seoul in field artillery and/or Frog and scud range.

    And a regime that may be willing to use chemical and/or biological weapons. Fuel shortage is an issue, but with a command economy, diverting fuel to manouver groups would be likely.

    Combat on the peninsula with chemical or biological weapons would be horrific. An emplaced nuclear fizzle in a blocking position, the same.

    It comes down to the leadership. In North Korea, that makes predictability impossible.

    Korea is a nightmare scenario, based on potential civilian casualties and economic disruption... let's hope for some easing of tensions.

    Parent

    Sounds like North Korea is about to (none / 0) (#30)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 10:08:09 PM EST
    back down now.  I sort of figured that they would.  They look good on paper but they have not maintained their equipment and it is rarely used to train with.  They mostly generate propaganda about how powerful they are where as South Korea has a functioning economy and a military constantly training and maintained....and they all have enough to eat too every day.  The assessment that I read also had the tunnels they made in it.  Our special forces have snuck in there and looked around, they packed the tunnels with equipment and then maintained none of it.  Now the tunnels are jammed with equipment that can no longer move.

    Parent
    I keep reading that the north is going to collapse (none / 0) (#31)
    by jeffinalabama on Sun Dec 19, 2010 at 10:22:24 PM EST
    not if, but when. I hope the collapse isn't going out with a bang. The consequences would be horrible.

    One reason the collapse has been staved off-- China doesn't want millions of North Koreans entering Manchuria. So China maintains aid and offers a front to the world.

    Parent

    I hope so too Jeff (none / 0) (#33)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Dec 20, 2010 at 11:22:39 AM EST
    the Korean pennisula deserves peace.  If anyone deserves it they all do, on both sides.

    Parent
    Sorry....peninsula (5.00 / 1) (#34)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Dec 20, 2010 at 11:24:05 AM EST
    Have a sinus infection today, got antibiotics but they haven't kicked in yet.  Nothing flattens me harder than a sinus infection though.

    Parent
    Saturday Open Thread: Take a Moment | 34 comments (34 topical)

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