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Monday Morning Open Thread

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Blog Related
Posted on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 11:02:53 AM EST
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Busy again. Open Thread.

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    Monday Morning Open Thread | 58 comments (58 topical)

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    Visited NY for the first time this weekend (5.00 / 2) (#17)
    by jbindc on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 01:28:13 PM EST
    Had a great time.  Walked a lot, saw a lot of interesting things.  Rode the subway.  Rode the Staten Island Ferry.  Got my picture taken with Elmo in Times Square (after I saw him texting someone - Ernie, maybe?)

    We also went by Zucati (sp?) Park on Saturday and saw the OWS protestors.  Lots of police presence, but mostly they were standing around - talking to each other, talking to tourists, and talking to protestors.  One protestor brought a couple of cops some hot coffee.  Didn't know if that was standard or they were expecting a march or something, but everyone seemed to be behaving and getting along.

    Great time. Great city - wouldn't ever want to live there, but a great place to visit.  Can't wait to go back.

    I visit NYC (5.00 / 1) (#47)
    by Zorba on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 06:04:56 PM EST
    a couple of times a year- Zorba daughter lives there, and we go to see her.  (You saw and got your pic taken with Elmo?  Years ago, I saw, and have the pics to prove it, a guy dressed up in a gorilla suit going up the elevator at the Empire State Building.)  Plus we used to live outside NYC, so it wasn't entirely unknown to me before we moved to Maryland.  Great city, great places to visit, great museums, great entertainment, great food.  And it's really fun if you know someone who lives there and knows all kinds of places that are not on the usual tourist stops.  I agree, I wouldn't want to live there, myself, but it's fun to visit.

    Parent
    YOU LUCKY DOG! (5.00 / 1) (#50)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Oct 25, 2011 at 09:20:32 AM EST
    You got a photo with Elmo? I saw him on the Daily Show.  Wow, if I got a photo with Elmo this nana would be a rockstar.

    Parent
    Oh yeah (5.00 / 1) (#53)
    by jbindc on Tue Oct 25, 2011 at 09:48:57 AM EST
    Some people see fashion models, some see sports stars - I saw Elmo (I also saw a Smurf in Union Square). It's nice to make friends in Times Square.

    I also snapped a picture of Elmo (unbeknownst to him) of him texting on his smartphone.  Funny they don't show THAT on Sesame Street!  :)

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    You've got the bug now. (none / 0) (#23)
    by oculus on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 01:58:32 PM EST


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    I do (none / 0) (#26)
    by jbindc on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 02:06:16 PM EST
    This was the overview trip - see lots of things.  Still on the list - Broadway shows, Ground Zero (need advance tickets, which we didn't have), Empire State Building observatory (need to go early in the morning), etc.

    Oh yeah - we went to the Hershey store (my idea of Heaven).  Need to go to the M&M store next time..... :)

    Parent

    Where did you stay? (none / 0) (#28)
    by oculus on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 02:17:46 PM EST
    P.S.  Caller from Carnegie Hall says see Sondheim's "Follies," w/Bernadette Peters.  It is the caller's fave.  

    Parent
    In Brooklyn (none / 0) (#29)
    by jbindc on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 02:19:57 PM EST
    Boyfriend has a college buddy who lives in Flatbush in a lovely Victorian home with 8 bedrooms.

    Long subway rides, but right price.

    Parent

    Lots going on a BAM. (none / 0) (#30)
    by oculus on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 02:21:31 PM EST


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    Shoulda came to see... (none / 0) (#36)
    by kdog on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 03:08:44 PM EST
    John Hiatt on Friday night...good times.

    Even if the venue kinda sucked...what kinda bar doesn't carry Captain Morgan?  Or Stoli?  Unheard of.

    Parent

    Ooh - wish I woulda known (none / 0) (#37)
    by jbindc on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 03:28:34 PM EST
    The BF LOVES John Hiatt. he would have enjoyed that. Where was the performance?

    Parent
    Someplace... (none / 0) (#39)
    by kdog on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 03:39:24 PM EST
    I'm gonna avoid in the future, City Winery.

    Besides shooting down my latest drink kick, Captain & Ginger, and my sister's Stoli & Cranberry...the service s*cked.  And I don't like venues that make you feel like a pariah for standing up while grooving...I realize my taste in music often draws older crowds, but people need to get off their arses and stand up...tis still rock-n-roll music.

    Hiatt sounded great though....new material is good, the guy is a songwriter extraordinaire.

    Glad you had a good visit, come back soon!

    Parent

    Went last month (none / 0) (#42)
    by sj on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 05:03:05 PM EST
    It had been 11 years since I'd been.  I'd forgotten how much I love the city.  My friend -- who has traveled all over Europe -- had never been to NYC.  After 2 days he had to admit that his friend from Scotland is right:  there is no other place like New York (as if my word wasn't enough.  hmph).  He was like a little kid.  Only went as far into Brooklyn as the Promenade.  Next time I want to see more.

    We were there the week before the Ground Zero memorial opened.  Wanted to try and fit a second trip in 2 weeks later specifically to see GZ before he went home, but it didn't work out.  If we had, we might have seen the birth of OWS.

    Parent

    I read this (none / 0) (#43)
    by CST on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 05:18:38 PM EST
    "there is no other place like New York" and thought - thank goodness for that.

    Don't get me wrong, I like NYC a lot.  I've spent more time there than any other city I've never lived in thanks to an ex boyfriend and $15 bus tickets.  But while I do miss it at times, I've found myself visiting other cities and thinking to myself how nice it is that they aren't like NY.

    NYC is great, but I see no need for 2 of them.  I say that despite knowing I could enjoy living there and not just as a visitor.  One thing NY-ers never seem to recognize is the upside to things that are not NY-like.

    I like my cities to have character.  NYC certainly has character.  But it's uniqueness is part of what keeps it on the right side of garish.

    Parent

    Really? (none / 0) (#44)
    by sj on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 05:31:35 PM EST
    I've found myself visiting other cities and thinking to myself how nice it is that they aren't like NY.

    I've done a little bit of US and European traveling and while I've enjoyed many places and loved some, I've never looked at things quite that way.  It just seems a strange perspective to have. :)

    Actually, I could see myself living in most of the cities I've visited because they all charmed me in some way.  Except Oklahoma City.  And that may not be the city's fault.

    Parent

    spend (none / 0) (#45)
    by CST on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 05:42:32 PM EST
    3 years of your life taking a bus to one city every other weekend - without having any free time left to go anywhere else - you might start thinking of it in those terms  as well.

    Visiting other cities since then I can't help it since that was one of the things missing from my life at that time.

    Parent

    Cops refuse to arrest `Occupy Albany' protesters (5.00 / 1) (#46)
    by Edger on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 06:00:45 PM EST
    New York state troopers and Albany police did not adhere to a curfew crackdown on protesters urged by Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) and Albany mayor Gerald Jennings.

    Mass arrests seemed to be in the cards once Jennings directed officers to enforce the curfew on roughly 700 protesters occupying the city owned park. But as state police joined the local cops, protesters moved past the property line dividing city and state land.

    With protesters acting peacefully, local and state police agreed that low level arrests could cause a riot, so they decided instead to defy Cuomo and Jennings.

    -- RawStory

    Once, after passing through (5.00 / 2) (#48)
    by NYShooter on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 06:19:52 PM EST
    The toll booths leading to the Tappan Zee bridge, I realized I had missed my exit and since it was a clear, sunny day with no traffic, made a U-turn. A trooper car stopped me immediately, and the two troopers got out, one, a young-un, and the other, much older. The young one started berating & lecturing me, but then the older one smacked him in the shoulder with a, "don't you have anything better to do," look on his face, then turned to me, and said, "have a nice day, sir." He put his arm around the young one and then they walked away.

    There are cops who know what is a problem, and others who manufacture them.

    Thankfully, those in Albany knew the difference.


    Parent

    Notable headlines dept.: (none / 0) (#1)
    by oculus on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 12:27:16 PM EST
    Texas man sought in frozen armadillo attack

    That's just terrible! (5.00 / 2) (#6)
    by Peter G on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 01:04:27 PM EST
    Why would anyone attack a frozen armadillo?

    Parent
    Why would anyone... (none / 0) (#8)
    by kdog on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 01:10:37 PM EST
    shower a junkie with crack?

    Oh, an officer of the law in the narcotics division would, in exchange for sex.  Never mind.

    Parent

    kdog, I listened to "The RIght to Remain (none / 0) (#10)
    by oculus on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 01:16:23 PM EST
    Silent" re NYPD in Queens.  Beginning to understand your point of view. This American Life

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    Did ya see... (none / 0) (#15)
    by kdog on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 01:25:06 PM EST
    the big protest of the unconstitutional stop & frisk program?  

    Unsurprisingly, the first amendment right to protest an obvious violation of the fourth amendment led to stop & frisk & chain & cage.

    Is any amendment still valid?

    Parent

    Here's SCOTUS opinion re (none / 0) (#20)
    by oculus on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 01:32:06 PM EST
    "stop and frisk."  It is w/i Fourth Amendment jurisprudence.  But, as described in the program I linked to, there was no reasonable suspicion, just quota-mtg.  "Terry v. Ohio"

    Parent
    Armadillo Jackal (none / 0) (#27)
    by Rojas on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 02:07:22 PM EST
    "And then he Screamed his raspy epitaph, before he turned to flame: "They pay two-fifty down in Halletsville.... I ain't the one to blame....."



    Parent
    Query: do Yankees' fans root for (none / 0) (#2)
    by oculus on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 12:30:04 PM EST
    the Rangers in WS?

    If the Yankees aren't in it (none / 0) (#4)
    by NYShooter on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 12:42:56 PM EST
    Yankee fans watch football.

    Why wouuld anyone watch a WS sans Yankees?

    lol

    Parent

    as a red sox fan (none / 0) (#5)
    by CST on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 01:02:00 PM EST
    I concur.  Although since this was a bye week for us in football, I caught some of the world series.

    I'm not sure I have a team I'm rooting FOR.  But I'm definitely rooting against Texas.  In all sports I root against New York first, than Texas.  While I am grateful that Texas beat New York, I do not feel any obligation to root for them beyond that.

    Parent

    Texas did not beat NY (5.00 / 1) (#9)
    by jbindc on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 01:15:32 PM EST
    Detroit did.

    Parent
    oops! (5.00 / 1) (#18)
    by CST on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 01:28:23 PM EST
    see what I mean?  I clearly stopped watching after the sox were out.  I just knew that the yankees were once in it, no longer, and that Texas is still in it, and assumed it was their fault.  Heh.  Thanks Detroit!

    Now that you mention it it does sound familiar.

    Parent

    +1 (none / 0) (#7)
    by Peter G on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 01:05:12 PM EST
    as to Phillies.

    Parent
    Check. Always root against TX (none / 0) (#13)
    by brodie on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 01:21:27 PM EST
    teams.  No matter the sport

    Then I root against any state's team from the South (except for Loozyana), including former pro-slavery border states (that means a team from St Louie), then any team from NY or Boston, then against any team east of the Rockies, etc.

    I also am seriously disinclined to watch any sporting event televised by Fox unless absolutely necessary (eg NFL).

    Thus absolutely no interest in watching this Series.

    Parent

    I'm watching because the Yankees aren't in it (none / 0) (#55)
    by republicratitarian on Tue Oct 25, 2011 at 10:24:44 AM EST


    Parent
    Last link to my SF/Bay Guardian piece (none / 0) (#3)
    by Dadler on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 12:32:20 PM EST
    Server was down last time I linked, should be fine now. WHEN OCCUPY SF OCCUPIED MY CAR (LINK).

    Peace, y'all.

    And some photos (none / 0) (#11)
    by Dadler on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 01:17:04 PM EST
    First ones are from the most recent march on the 22nd, the rest are from the march and DPW day that I write about in the article. (LINK)

    The first photo, taken in Bloomingdales after the march and on my way to the Powell St. BART station in the mall, is kind of classic.  Twenty or thirty volunteers were working various charity booths, the most prominent of which was SaveABunny.  The small print in the photo reads: "A New Generation of Rabbit Rescue."  Something about the contrast between Occupy and SaveABunny, I dunno, and I love bunnies, don't get me wrong.  More gilding for the age, I suppose.  All I know is it too everything in me not to walk up to the table and ask: "Pets or meat?"

    Parent

    Heard a piece on public radio recently (none / 0) (#12)
    by oculus on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 01:21:01 PM EST
    re kids and parents watching feeding of live animals to zoo animals.  The public, including the kids found it fascinating--except when the animal being fed to another was a bunny.  

    Parent
    I think it is fascinating when it happens (5.00 / 1) (#51)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Oct 25, 2011 at 09:31:34 AM EST
    in the wild.  Part of natural selection too when the prey gets to test its survival skills and sometimes win and not be anyone's dinner.  Not fascinating to me when the prey has no chance though, the only "chance" is being killed and eaten.  That seems pretty gross to me, sort of like watching gladiators, someone's going to die.

    Parent
    Easter Bunny Syndrome n/t (none / 0) (#16)
    by Dadler on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 01:27:12 PM EST


    Parent
    Monty Python and the Holy Grail (5.00 / 1) (#19)
    by jbindc on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 01:29:08 PM EST


    Parent
    My father took me to see that film... (none / 0) (#21)
    by Dadler on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 01:40:00 PM EST
    ...when I was nine years old.  Very memorable experience, to say the least.

    Parent
    How about Michael Moore's "Roger (none / 0) (#22)
    by oculus on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 01:58:13 PM EST
    and Me"?

    Parent
    Pets or meat? (none / 0) (#25)
    by Dadler on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 02:06:11 PM EST
    Took myself to see that film.  

    Parent
    BTD/Armando has an interesting diary (none / 0) (#14)
    by oculus on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 01:24:06 PM EST
    @ DK re GOP conflicting views (situational) on federalism.

    wikileaks needs money (none / 0) (#24)
    by Jlvngstn on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 02:00:37 PM EST
    there mission statement:

    "primary interest in exposing oppressive regimes"

    they are asking for money so they can continue to withhold information they have, to be released at his discretion.  

    sounds rather oppressive to me...

     

    Romney's Mormonism (none / 0) (#31)
    by jbindc on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 02:52:56 PM EST
    not a problem for an overwhelming majority of Americans.

    Eighty percent of respondents in the survey said a candidate's Mormonism wouldn't make a difference in their selection process, while 17% said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate who was Mormon. Three percent said they would be more likely to select a Mormon candidate.

    Two candidates running for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination are Mormons: former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Utah governor and former ambassador to China Jon Huntsman.
    Of course that's the kind of (none / 0) (#40)
    by brodie on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 03:51:56 PM EST
    polling Q which tends to undercount those religious bigots who will naturally want to hide their bigotry when interacting with another person.  But they might show up anonymously in enough numbers in the primary voting booths to deny Mitt the nom.  Maybe.

    Or his major problem could turn out to be his inauthenticity and inability to excite enough Goopers.

    I still prefer a Rock Perry/Herm Cain GOP ticket.

    Parent

    Not if they want a chance to win (none / 0) (#49)
    by jbindc on Tue Oct 25, 2011 at 07:48:45 AM EST


    Parent
    Interesting to hear Walter Isaacson (none / 0) (#32)
    by brodie on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 02:53:36 PM EST
    last night on 60 Minutes talking about Steve Jobs many shortcomings as a manager and parent, especially the way he turned a cold shoulder to the request of an early colleague-friend who asked to be included in the group getting paid with company shares of stock. Jobs was just brutal.  And apparently his rather rough management style didn't change.

    Odd fellow.  Not exactly Mr Warmth.

    And this is stuff coming from his authorized biographer.  I suspect there will be much more dirt to come.

    Though I do agree with Jobs' take on Bill Gates...

    Probably fair to say (none / 0) (#33)
    by jbindc on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 02:55:23 PM EST
    That most people who get to his level, are probably not necessarily the nicest people in the world, and can be quiote ruthless.

    Parent
    Perhaps the jerks do have the numbers (5.00 / 1) (#38)
    by brodie on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 03:34:06 PM EST
    at that level.  I think of JP Morgan and John D Rockefeller that way.  Also Edison in the way he had his workers slave away for no credit in the trial and error labs while Tommy took long and regular nap breaks and awoke to claim all the glory.

    The truly good guys probably are in the minority.

    Example:  Nikola Tesla could be tough and exacting but fair and forgiving, and he clearly produced a small group of dedicated workers who became fiercely loyal to him all the way to the end.  Tesla also famously generously forgave a most lucrative contract he held with Geo Westinghouse which could have made him the world's richest man but instead he didn't hesitate to tear it up when Westinghouse told him that the Westinghouse Co would be financially ruined if the contract went forward.  This was Tesla at his morally finest, repaying the man who had been so helpful to him in his early career in America.

    Parent

    But how quickly the worship has (none / 0) (#34)
    by oculus on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 02:59:24 PM EST
    morphed into criticism.  

    Parent
    Those old adages seem to have been (none / 0) (#41)
    by christinep on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 05:01:59 PM EST
    designed for a purpose and from a purpose. Take, for example: "The bigger they are, the harder they fall."

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    I think people only saw what they wanted to see (none / 0) (#52)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Oct 25, 2011 at 09:33:14 AM EST


    Parent
    Starbuck's robber waits his turn: (none / 0) (#35)
    by oculus on Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 03:05:21 PM EST
    LAT

    Don't miss comments re gunbearing customers in AZ.

    Banks have too much cash (none / 0) (#54)
    by jbindc on Tue Oct 25, 2011 at 10:18:45 AM EST
    Boo hoo.

    Have I said this week (none / 0) (#56)
    by sj on Tue Oct 25, 2011 at 02:40:50 PM EST
    How contemptible I find these people?

    Parent
    Especially (none / 0) (#57)
    by jbindc on Tue Oct 25, 2011 at 03:24:07 PM EST
    As BoA is going to start charging me a #$!@#! fee to use my debit card.

    Really?

    Parent

    Can you use your debit (none / 0) (#58)
    by Zorba on Tue Oct 25, 2011 at 03:37:00 PM EST
    card as a credit card without a fee?  My smallish, regional bank has always charged if I use my bank card as a debit card, but not if I use it as a credit card (a Visa Card, but it comes immediately out of my checking account).  So I only use it as a credit card, and write it down in my checkbook, and it's never been a big deal for me.  We have unlimited free ATM withdrawals at any of their branches, and there are plenty around here, so that's not a problem.  (You'd think that BoA would want to encourage people to use their debit cards, as opposed to writing checks.  Don't they have to hire more people to process the checks?  You'd also think that the merchants they deal with would be p*ssed off, because as people use fewer debit cards and maybe go back to writing checks, they have to hire more people to process the checks.)

    Parent
    Monday Morning Open Thread | 58 comments (58 topical)

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