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Friday Afternoon Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Fri May 06, 2011 at 01:19:59 PM EST
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It's a busy day.

Here's an open thread for news updates and other things, all topics welcome.

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    Friday Afternoon Open Thread | 67 comments (67 topical)

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    Anybody (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri May 06, 2011 at 02:37:27 PM EST
    else starting to feel weary of hearing of OBL like they were the birth certificate?

    I'm tired of hearing that any (none / 0) (#22)
    by Militarytracy on Fri May 06, 2011 at 02:52:27 PM EST
    Republican leadership from the Bush administration isn't getting enough praise.  They are getting exactly the praise they earned and they deserve.

    Parent
    My thought (5.00 / 2) (#27)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri May 06, 2011 at 02:58:39 PM EST
    is well, fine, if you want to credit Bush then go ahead but you are going to have to give up Reagan winning the cold war and Reagan releasing the hostages. Carter now gets credit for releasing the hostages from Iran and every President from Harry Truman up gets credit for winning the cold war Jimmy Carter included in that too.

    Parent
    Yep - their on-again, off-again (5.00 / 1) (#29)
    by ruffian on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:00:33 PM EST
    (mostly off-again) searching for OBL is a matter of sad record.

    Parent
    Headline: (5.00 / 1) (#44)
    by oculus on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:31:57 PM EST
    "Woman awakens from surgery speaking in foreign accent" (LAT.)

    I tried so hard to resist that drawl (none / 0) (#50)
    by Militarytracy on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:44:52 PM EST
    You have no idea

    Parent
    Feeling whipsawed (5.00 / 1) (#55)
    by magster on Fri May 06, 2011 at 04:50:24 PM EST
    Had a big triumph in court this morning, get back to the office and a written turd of a ruling on a different trial is waiting in my in-basket. Time to buy a lottery ticket so that I can retire.

    congrats on the triumph (5.00 / 3) (#60)
    by Jeralyn on Fri May 06, 2011 at 06:21:50 PM EST
    savor it, take the weekend off, then file a motion for reconsideration next week on the bad ruling.

    I ran into a lawyer at the jail this afternoon who just retired last year and now he's back at it. Said his ex-wife's financial demands got too much and he can't afford to stay retired. Now that would make me depressed.

    Running into him made me remember that a client he represented about 20 years ago who got a 30 year sentence called me last year, I can't remember why, but during the conversation he told me he had lost 70 pounds and has been running 10 miles a day for years while in prison and has never felt better. My client in that case was acquitted, but then became a career offender and last I heard, is doing life somewhere.

    So it's all relative.

    Parent

    Thanks (none / 0) (#62)
    by magster on Fri May 06, 2011 at 06:53:05 PM EST


    Parent
    Could someone tell me... (none / 0) (#1)
    by Tony on Fri May 06, 2011 at 01:31:08 PM EST
    what has happened to Bob Somerby?  His coverage of the Birther issue has been nothing short of embarrassing.

    I've been meaning to check in on him (none / 0) (#2)
    by ruffian on Fri May 06, 2011 at 01:39:16 PM EST
    at some point I stopped reading him...he got obsessed with the MSNBC tea party coverage and it got old real fast.

    Parent
    I think he jumped the shark (none / 0) (#6)
    by Harry Saxon on Fri May 06, 2011 at 02:16:03 PM EST
    when he wrote about Rachel Maddows' self-confident pants:

    Incomparable! Our Own Monotonous Crank hates Our Own Rhodes Scholar so very much (surprise!) that he's mad at her pants. Or should we call them hubristic knickers?

    Rumproast Link

    Parent

    Fair enough (5.00 / 1) (#30)
    by jbindc on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:01:48 PM EST
    Rachel Maddow jumped the shark years ago.

    Parent
    Yes, and Fox News (none / 0) (#35)
    by Harry Saxon on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:06:02 PM EST
    is still fair and balanced.

    Parent
    I would know (none / 0) (#38)
    by jbindc on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:13:45 PM EST
    I guess you watch it.  I don't.

    Parent
    Rather- I wouldn't know (none / 0) (#40)
    by jbindc on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:15:09 PM EST


    Parent
    Can't handle a little sarcasm today? (none / 0) (#46)
    by Harry Saxon on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:32:52 PM EST


    Parent
    Been waiting... (none / 0) (#3)
    by kdog on Fri May 06, 2011 at 01:51:27 PM EST
    for an OT...Kentucy Derby tomorrow punters, and this puppy looks wide open, so look for a price.  Likely 2nd choice Uncle Mo was scratched today.

    I like Mucho Macho Man in the lucky # 13 chute.  A sentimental favorite...trainer Kathy Ritvo looks to become the first female trainer to win a Derby, and is lucky to be here after a life-saving heart transplant a few years ago. And nobody wins the Derby without a little luck.  And I'm a fan of the jock, Rajiv Maragh, a rising star on the East Coast circuit.

    I think the # 7 is live too...Pants on Fire, with another promising young jock, Rosie Naprivnik, trying to become the first female jock to be draped in the roses.

    So now ya got 2 to throw out, go find a winner people:)

    Waiting for BTD to weigh in (5.00 / 3) (#13)
    by lilburro on Fri May 06, 2011 at 02:38:20 PM EST
    so then I really know who not to pick.  :P

    Parent
    Pants On Fire... (none / 0) (#4)
    by Tony on Fri May 06, 2011 at 02:05:18 PM EST
    is my pick.  Recent results have very much flattered that Louisiana Derby.

    I like Nehro too, and ArchArchArch, but hate that he got the rail.

    Parent

    I was looking at ArchArchArch... (none / 0) (#5)
    by kdog on Fri May 06, 2011 at 02:10:50 PM EST
    I'd have him in the exotics for sure, if not for that # 1 post...such a disadvantage to overcome.  Still might throw him in a trifecta.

    Parent
    With greyhounds (none / 0) (#11)
    by CoralGables on Fri May 06, 2011 at 02:34:20 PM EST
    drawing #1 is a godsend. In a 20 horse field can I assume that edge goes more to the inside of the auxiliary gate at #15?

    Parent
    Ideally... (none / 0) (#16)
    by kdog on Fri May 06, 2011 at 02:45:28 PM EST
    depending on the horses running style, you wanna be anywhere between 4-15...16,17 ain't that bad if you're a closer...# 1 or # 2 you better go wire to wire or get a very lucky dream trip to compete.

    Parent
    Uncle Mo was my pick (none / 0) (#7)
    by Militarytracy on Fri May 06, 2011 at 02:21:25 PM EST
    There isn't a lot of heart in this Kentucky Derby. I thought Uncle Mo had some drive though.

    Parent
    Mo... (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by kdog on Fri May 06, 2011 at 02:29:20 PM EST
    really sh*t the bed in the Wood, I was ready to throw his arse out.

    Then again, Secretariat sh*t the bed in the Wood too...and they're still chasing him:)

    Parent

    I love dogs and horses (5.00 / 2) (#15)
    by Militarytracy on Fri May 06, 2011 at 02:44:32 PM EST
    I don't know how anyone has enough time, space, or money for both.  Pictures of Secretariat make me swoon though.  And I grew up understanding that Willie Shoemaker was the best jockey that God ever molded from the clay.  My spouse doesn't understand this worship of beautiful animal with giant heart though.  How does he think he got in my view finder?

    Parent
    I can watch them run all day... (5.00 / 2) (#28)
    by kdog on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:00:14 PM EST
    so majestic and powerful, yet graceful.

    A true wonder of nature that such a large powerful animal can run so fast on ankles no bigger than ours...never ceases to amaze me.

    Evening Attire is my favorite racehorse of all time...never a Triple Crown runner, a late blooming beautiful grey gelding who could close like a son of a b*tch.  Cashed more than one winner on that champion.  And even when he came up short, I always appreciated the effort, which was never lacking.

    My pops, who passed his love of the sport (and gambling:) onto me...he could never stop talking about the great filly Ruffian. That was his favorite...and I can't read a comment from our very own commenting champion ruffian without thinking about both of 'em:)  

    Parent

    I loved Ruffian (5.00 / 1) (#58)
    by Zorba on Fri May 06, 2011 at 06:12:57 PM EST
    I was heartbroken when she broke bones in her leg and had to be put down.  That filly had a whole lot of heart- she tried to keep running on a broken leg and finish the race, even when her jockey realized she was injured and tried to get her to stop.

    Parent
    Yeah... (5.00 / 0) (#66)
    by kdog on Fri May 06, 2011 at 09:34:56 PM EST
    she is buried at Belmont where she perished, leg shattered still trying to finish.  The last of the great match races.  There was little doubt she would have won had she not broken down.

    She was ahead at every pole in every race she ever ran, and ahead at the first pole in her last race.  No horse ran in front of the great Ruffian.

    Parent

    dogman, my buddy (none / 0) (#47)
    by NYShooter on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:41:24 PM EST
    If you never read another thing, you gotta read Charlie Pierce's "The Stud." If you didn't know Horse from Borscht, you will after reading this.

    link

    (you can thank me later)

    Parent

    I'll thank you now... (5.00 / 3) (#54)
    by kdog on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:56:53 PM EST
    and check it out later...you and Dadler hooking me up with weekend reading...gracias senors.  Good to have friends:)

    Gotta run...being a dad for an evening, standing in for my bro-in-law at my niece's Father-Daughter Dance at her school.  Lucky kid, I cut a rug with more groove than her old man:)

    Party on Party People.


    Parent

    What's the best way to make a (5.00 / 2) (#34)
    by Anne on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:05:55 PM EST
    small fortune in the horse business?

    Start with a large one...

    I do not even want to tell you how much money we spent in the years we owned the large pony and my daughter was horse-showing almost every weekend from mid-April until early October.  

    Nothing - and I do mean "nothing" - is inexpensive when it comes to horse showing.  Between riding lessons, training on show days, the clothes, the boots, the helmet, the tack, the entry fees, vanning fees, food on show days, board for the pony, I think we did spend a small fortune - and we didn't have a large one to start with!  On show days, we were in the the barn at 5:15 am to get everything loaded and were getting back at 8:30 in the evening and doing it all in reverse - relaying this to my friends whose kids played soccer or lacrosse or baseball/softball usually put a quick end to their whining about  having to buy a uniform, cleats, mouth and shin guards, and spend all of an hour or two on an athletic field with their kid.

    We loved doing it - but it was hard work for all concerned; kept my daughter away from the mall-roaming thing, gave us something to share, and both she and I made friends we still have today.

    Parent

    A few people who show horses (none / 0) (#41)
    by Militarytracy on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:15:48 PM EST
    have a puppy from us just as a pet. It is a great way for a dog to get to live, running behind riders.  And the dogs are always full of muscle and horse sense :).

    Parent
    Not an inexpensive hobby... (none / 0) (#52)
    by kdog on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:50:47 PM EST
    to be sure.  But rewarding like few others.  I thought about trying to adopt, but I couldn't afford feed and board...and my landlady, sweet as it is, probably doesn't want a horse living in the yard.  Sh*t though if gas stays crazy it might be cheaper to own and ride a horse to work.

    I will always cherish the two summers I spent as a teen taking care of the horses at a summer camp, all that free riding on the scenic New Hampshire trails, and the speedy gallops on the soccer fields letting it rip...much to the soccer instructor's chagrin.


    Parent

    Did you (none / 0) (#23)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri May 06, 2011 at 02:53:00 PM EST
    see the story about the dogs that the seals have with them on missions? The first person I thought of was you when I saw that story.

    Parent
    I missed that (none / 0) (#33)
    by Militarytracy on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:04:16 PM EST
    I heard they had one dog with them. I will try to find it to watch.  I'm very interested.  I would never have any of those dogs as pets or breed out of those lines, but I'm always interested in working dogs doing real jobs that are important.

    Parent
    Might be this one (none / 0) (#65)
    by Yman on Fri May 06, 2011 at 09:05:12 PM EST
    Link

    It also links to other stories about combat dogs.

    Parent

    So cool....thanks so much (none / 0) (#70)
    by Militarytracy on Sat May 07, 2011 at 07:51:48 AM EST
    I got busy and forgot to search for it, was wondering if it was a Malinois.  They can be trained to help when they have to do these missions to help assess the dangers in a room very quickly.  As pets though I couldn't do it.  It seems like the dog has ADD, they can't sit still, their brain is constantly on and processing stuff.  David Petraeus says he wants more.  I wonder if Leerburg is helping them?  He breeds Malinois and is one of the most knowledgeable people about the breed and breeding/training them that I have run into so far. I don't think we have many people out there that understand the breed at this time.  They can process so much information so quickly though and they are athletic to the extreme.

    Parent
    Beautiful animals (none / 0) (#71)
    by Yman on Sat May 07, 2011 at 08:48:23 AM EST
    I know nothing about the breed, but they sound perfect for this type of role.  We have an Aussie mix that is very mellow/low-key, but also very  affectionate and great with kids.  She was fairly energetic when we adopted her at 6 months, but was since diagnosed with Addison's and is now a couch potato.

    I always wondered about the handlers of these dogs (police/soldiers).  I imagine they develop a pretty strong bond, and I would guess the dogs "retire" well before old age.  I wonder if the handlers are allowed to adopt them - it's gotta be hard to let go.

    Parent

    They have four working dogs (none / 0) (#72)
    by Militarytracy on Sat May 07, 2011 at 09:08:43 AM EST
    at Fort Rucker, one of them is a Malinois.  They do have extremely close relationships with their handlers.  Their handlers will have them until a team failure separates them, the loss of one of them due to death or retirement. In the case of handlers being killed in combat, if the dog is older they will often retire it and they often give the soldier's family the option of adopting the dog.  Young dogs that survive an attack though when their handler doesn't usually get a new handler and go back into combat.  If they lose the root of a tooth though they retire them, they have to have a full set of teeth...but they can be capped and that dog in the writeup, he has some very interesting caps.

    Sorry about your Aussie.  I love the breed.  I still kick myself because there was a litter of Aussie/Border Collie pups outside Walmart here days before I had to take Josh for a surgery.  I could't stop myself though when I saw that it looked like someone had a pickup load of herding breed puppies off the side of the road with a sign that said free puppies.  They were six weeks old and they had not had their first puppy shot yet.  They were probably psychologically too young to be separated from each other too.  I wanted to take all of them and find homes, but we had to leave town in days.  It sucked.  They were all beautiful too.

    Parent

    You need a laugh today, MT (5.00 / 1) (#9)
    by Harry Saxon on Fri May 06, 2011 at 02:30:57 PM EST

    "Don't do kind of that birth certificate whole mocking of Americans for asking for it," Palin said in a speech in Point Clear, Ala., hours before Obama put the kibosh on releasing the [dead bin Laden] photos.

    NY Daily News Link


    Parent

    Here's another Palin laugh (5.00 / 1) (#25)
    by ruffian on Fri May 06, 2011 at 02:55:53 PM EST
    James Wolcott describing her appearances on Fox.:

    ...answering every question as if he trying to be heard over the wind

    That is such a perfect description of her delivery. Love Wolcott.

    Parent

    It's part of the mission? (none / 0) (#48)
    by Militarytracy on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:42:38 PM EST
    Can I get the paperwork that is this mission's description?  Now wait a minute, Naughty Monkey Pumps does not hand out the missions, President Obama hands out the missions.  Unemployed governors who abandon their post don't get to write missions.  I read that I'm like, "Who does she think she is?"  She is the Commander in Chief of nothing outside of the Tribe Palin.

    Parent
    You should see my facebook photo (none / 0) (#17)
    by Militarytracy on Fri May 06, 2011 at 02:47:31 PM EST
    as of yesterday :)  It's that photo that was on Dkos of President Obama that says, "Sorry for being so late getting my birth certificate to you.  I was busy killing Osama Bin Laden".  Can't help it.  It will fry all my Conservative friends but only about half of my Liberal friends :)

    Parent
    I do love that photo (5.00 / 1) (#19)
    by ruffian on Fri May 06, 2011 at 02:49:28 PM EST
    Maybe I'll make it my FB picture too.

    Parent
    saw that one (5.00 / 1) (#21)
    by CST on Fri May 06, 2011 at 02:51:53 PM EST
    I also liked the one with a pic of Obama that said

    "I don't always get my name mistaken

    But when I do I kill the guy I'm confused with"

    That one's for Gathamdem

    Parent

    Definitely (none / 0) (#24)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri May 06, 2011 at 02:54:10 PM EST
    for me! I have a problem with typing B's and S's apparently.

    Parent
    I've been doing that too. (none / 0) (#32)
    by lilburro on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:04:05 PM EST
    I had a vigorous argument with a conservative friend about what we should be doing in this post-Obama world.  No wonder she agreed with me.  :P  Just kidding.  She's not that bad.  I have been confusing the two names a lot though.

    Here is a video of the ultimate gaffe on that front, IMO.  So funny, poor newscaster.

    Parent

    Wow...I don't even know what to say to that (none / 0) (#45)
    by Militarytracy on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:32:31 PM EST
    that was more than one boo boo :)

    Parent
    Pussy footing? (none / 0) (#18)
    by Militarytracy on Fri May 06, 2011 at 02:49:13 PM EST
    How does that word make it into a speech anyone takes seriously?

    Parent
    What is pussy footing anyhow? (none / 0) (#20)
    by Militarytracy on Fri May 06, 2011 at 02:50:02 PM EST
    Is it a slam on cats or something else?

    Parent
    Well , really a compliment to cats (none / 0) (#26)
    by ruffian on Fri May 06, 2011 at 02:57:11 PM EST
    meant to be a slam on those who step so delicately!

    Parent
    Well, let us not be Naughty Monkey stepping (5.00 / 1) (#37)
    by Militarytracy on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:11:00 PM EST
    around the issue of showing these photos in a classless manner that demonstrates how careless we can be :)

    Parent
    kdog, did you see that they found some MJ plants (none / 0) (#10)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri May 06, 2011 at 02:34:06 PM EST
    at OBL's compound?

    I talked about this a bit in another thread (none / 0) (#14)
    by CST on Fri May 06, 2011 at 02:40:30 PM EST
    not very surprising.  It's very common in that part of the world.  And depending on who you ask, not necessarily against Islam (unlike alchohol which is strictly prohibited).

    Considering that they don't have a problem with murder, I also wouldn't hold them too close to the strict tenets of Islam.

    Parent

    Plus - who's to say it was not a cash crop (none / 0) (#31)
    by ruffian on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:03:05 PM EST


    Parent
    I did.... (none / 0) (#67)
    by kdog on Fri May 06, 2011 at 09:42:25 PM EST
    stuck in a house for 5-6 years, can't drink...better be growing something!

    Like CST said, they don't freak out on reefer over there, coulda been growing wild.  

    You're kdog in Pakistan with your demon wine sarc:) Good to see ya commenting btw, little hiatus or just busy?

    Parent

    Osama bl prob. (none / 0) (#36)
    by oculus on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:07:22 PM EST
    Entitles to med.mj given he was in kidney failure. Wasn't he?
    Well (5.00 / 1) (#39)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:14:59 PM EST
    I don't think he was in kidney failure because they didn't see anything around there, or at least from what's been reported, remotely related to someone who had kidney disease and my gosh, he sure drank cokes and pepsis like he didn't either.

    Parent
    I think Pepsi was his #1 choice (5.00 / 1) (#51)
    by NYShooter on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:49:54 PM EST
    can just imagine what the P.R. guys at Coke are yukking it up about what they can do with that intro.

    Not that it would ever see the light of day, but "in-house" I bet they're having a ball.

    Parent

    I think it's amusing that there (none / 0) (#53)
    by ruffian on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:55:01 PM EST
    was obviously some disagreement in the household. A comedy writer could have some fun with that.

    Parent
    Did you see his "will"? (none / 0) (#42)
    by lilburro on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:21:06 PM EST
    I assumed it was fake but it basically forswore everything he did in his life.  "Spend more time with the family" etc.  Yeah that sounds realistic o_O

    Parent
    No (none / 0) (#43)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:28:26 PM EST
    but it's probably as funny as the facebook thing that's going around now with him posting things like helicopter coming brb.

    Parent
    Fiction by Dadler (none / 0) (#49)
    by Dadler on Fri May 06, 2011 at 03:44:20 PM EST
    Got the idea for this story years ago, when Iraq was starting, diddled on it, then put it away. With Mubarak, Gaddafi, bin Laden, finally pulled it out of the drawer again and finished it.  Calling it THE DICTATOR'S RINGTONE for now.  If anyone wants to take a look, all comments are appreciated. (LINK)  

    Have a good weekend y'all.

    The usefulness of bipartisanship (none / 0) (#64)
    by Politalkix on Fri May 06, 2011 at 07:59:42 PM EST
    Republicans are backing away from their plans involving Medicare, they will also accept cuts in farm subsidies.link

    It has to do with spring (none / 0) (#68)
    by lilburro on Sat May 07, 2011 at 01:28:17 AM EST
    more than anything else, really.  ...

    GOP backing away was the result of a (slow) partisan attack.

    We'll see.  

    Parent

    Thank Gawd, (5.00 / 1) (#69)
    by NYShooter on Sat May 07, 2011 at 05:11:03 AM EST
    the Republicans are greedy pigs

    After getting the perpetual sleeping voters to voluntarily surrender their wealth,  privacy,  civil rights, and morality, the R's felt invincible. So, they began setting up Real "Death Panels, under Ryan," trying to eliminate Medicare, Medicaid, and slice & dice Social Security, suddenly a bell went off in the population....WTF????

    I understand those Town Hall meetings this recess were quite a screaming, tomato throwing show.

    Parent

    Friday Afternoon Open Thread | 67 comments (67 topical)

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