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Friday Afternoon Open Thread

I've made my Saturday College Football picks (recorded my sports radio show, broadcast on Netroots Radio tomorrow at noon EST), but only me, the NSA and my investment house know what they are. To be revealed tomorrow morning as I turn the tables on my bad opening weekend.

Open Thread.

< Senators Heitkamp and Manchin float diplomatic alternative to military strikes on Syria | Saturday College Football OpenThread >
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    From The Onion (5.00 / 2) (#1)
    by TeresaInSnow2 on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 12:59:38 PM EST
    From The Onion, an option I can really get behind:

    Poll: Majority Of Americans Approve Of Sending Congress To Syria

    AN AXE LENGTH AWAY, vol. 119 (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by Dadler on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 01:05:58 PM EST
    LINKY

    TGIF, my good peeps.

    Free it up!!!

    Upside down world (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by Edger on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 01:21:30 PM EST
    Here's something I'd bet you never thought you'd see: the EFF teaming up with the author of the Patriot Act, Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, to tell a court that the NSA is violating the Patriot Act. This is in the ACLU's lawsuit over the NSA's collection of metadata on all phone calls, which the DOJ is desperately trying to get out of. Here, Jim Sensenbrenner, with help from the EFF, has filed an amicus brief with the court, noting that the Patriot Act -- which the DOJ and NSA are relying on to claim the program is legal -- was never intended to allow this kind of activity.

    Only a reasonable guy like obama would argue.

    My guess is that Sensenbrenner lost a bet (none / 0) (#17)
    by ruffian on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 01:42:34 PM EST
    Probably promised someone ten years ago that his marvelous Patriot Act would never be abused, and if it was, well I'll be the first one in court!

    Parent
    My guess, on the other hand, (none / 0) (#58)
    by Peter G on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 05:56:12 PM EST
    is that if all the facts and circumstances were exactly as they are ... except that there was Republican in the White House ... we wouldn't be hearing boo from Sensenbrenner. After all, we didn't hear anything from him when these programs were started (under G.W. Bush) and Congress was briefed about them.  Then, Sensenbrenner and his Honorable Colleagues said nothing (until Snowden leaked the truth).

    Parent
    International Childrens Peace Prize (5.00 / 5) (#48)
    by Nemi on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 04:29:09 PM EST
    was presented to Malala Yousafzai today:

    The 16-year-old said she accepted the prize in the historic Knights' Hall in The Hague "on behalf of all of the children in the world who are trying to go to school, and all of those parents who are overcoming fear and intimidation -- or cultural opposition -- to give their sons and daughters the chance of an education."

    "In my home country of Pakistan, the Taliban uses terror to try and stop girls going to school. I was just one target for their violence. There are many others whose names are not known. It is for them that we must continue our campaign to ensure that all children in the world have the chance to go to school."

    Such a beautiful, courageous, bright young girl - not to mention wellspoken. Her speech at the UN a couple of months ago made me choke up.

    I'm in awe.

    Greek Food Festival (5.00 / 3) (#50)
    by Zorba on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 04:50:54 PM EST
    this weekend.  I have spent a good part of the week cooking.  I'm exhausted, and we're not done yet, but thank goodness we have some younger people in the parish who have really stepped up, and I am teaching them our "secret" recipes.  Maybe I can retire in a couple of years.    ;-)

    Turkey (5.00 / 5) (#51)
    by ScottW714 on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 05:06:56 PM EST
    Got back on Monday.

    It was awesome, beyond all the places went and things we did, one thing stand out in my mind, Turkish people are easily the most friendly people I have ever come across.

    The people are genuinely happy and it comes through in everything they do.  They love to brag they are 3rd in auto production in Europe or 4th in textiles.  Not sure if I have the right numbers, but to them, it's not about being first, it's about be proud of the how hard they work.  Not like the flag wavers here, they genuinely love their county and their fellow countrymen/women, and are proud to tell you, why which at first is funny and weird.

    Nearly everyday someone gave me a version of "The hardest working person in the world only works three quarters as hard as the average Turk."

    In Istanbul they brag about not having any homeless, not because they ran them out of town, but because they take care of their own though what Americans would consider exorbitant taxes.  Min 35% income and 18% sales tax.  It's costs $250 to attend a semester of college in Turkey.  All kids have the same insurance and attend the same state run schools, and if you can believe this, kids must qualify and be verified for orphanages because the orphanages because they treat those kids as we treat kids of the privileged here.  This came up when on a cruise when someone asked about a building that appeared to be a palace, which is used to be, but is currently an orphanage that was on the banks of the Bosphorus (water way connecting black sea and which is probably the most expensive land in all of Turkey.

    I didn't realize, probably because I am not religious, just how much Christian history is in turkey and how many important references to places in Turkey are in the Bible.  We visited some many ruins that it's just big blur because Turkey has been invaded by every major world power since the dawn of history because of it's strategic location in trading.

    We traveled down the Adrian/Mediterranean coast which is for the most part located on a mild Mountain range so the scenery was majestic.  We flew back to Istanbul, which is a complete nightmare.  Travel to the US requires 6 check points in the airport.  We got there three hours before our flight left and still ended up running through the airport, barely catching the flight.  I have traveled plenty to know this is not the norm, generally the US is more restrictive, but not like that.  I was ridiculous.  But a fitting end to a great trip and got my mind set back to the US and it's hatred of it's citizens.  

    Which of course has been validated this week by Obama and the 'bomb Syria first' crowd.  They seem annoyed that people are jumping aboard.  The nerve of people asking to see the evidence, a detailed plan, and some sort of end goal that has examined all the what ifs.  Just wanting for Obama slam his fist on a podium and say something like 'Look you idiots, we told you everything you need to know, this is going to happen one way or another, either you are with me or against me.'  And McCain is so convinced of his infallibility, he plays games on his phone rather than listening to those 'dirties hippy appeasers/enablers' and their non-sense about diplomacy.

    What impression did you get in (none / 0) (#60)
    by oculus on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 06:13:14 PM EST
    Turkey about how how tomdeter Assad from using chemical weapons?

    Did you visit Antalya?

    Did you buy a carpet?

    Parent

    Let's See... (5.00 / 2) (#95)
    by ScottW714 on Mon Sep 09, 2013 at 09:42:06 AM EST
    ...the impression I got was from the BBC, the only English speaking channel I believe, is they were towing the Kerry/Obama line pretty hard, but I maybe caught an hour a day, but it seemed like the exact same news loop.

    I like to engage, but I stay away from politics, namely because once I mention I am from Texas, the first thing about half the foreigners I met, say "Bush" with a questioning look.  They think we all love the guy and that it's like Wyatt Earp.

    But that aside, not sure if Turks don't discuss in public, or because we were in the vacation spots, but no one seemed to be engaged in or even taking swipes like we do here.  When ever I asked a question about things like schools and taxes, there was never any cheering/bashing of politicians.

    They seem to love all past leaders, old and new.  they are constantly praising the current leader for reforms, namely for the industry and infrastructure that enabled to.  I don't remember anyone discussing Syria.

    We were in Antalya for 4 days.  The nightlife there is insane and it's the gateway to the Mountain Peninsula which is where Olympos and the it's Beach, along with the flaming rocks of Chimera, are located.

    Did not buy a carpet, but did tour a carpet making school where they had the hard sale working.  We did get to see how silk is made from the cocoon to finished carpet.  All done by hand.

    Parent

    Did you go to an alabaster workshop? (none / 0) (#96)
    by oculus on Mon Sep 09, 2013 at 12:33:10 PM EST
    My travel companion in Turkey was called out by an Istanbulmcarpet hawker as "Texas."  She hadn't said a word and had on no identifying clothing. Amazing.

    Did you get to the small muweum in Antalya?

    Parent

    Museum ? (5.00 / 1) (#97)
    by ScottW714 on Tue Sep 10, 2013 at 10:30:51 AM EST
    Yeah, the day before, on our way into town, we stopped at Perga, which is where a lot of the Museum artifacts are from.

    It adds something to both, knowing where the artifacts were actually found and where they are displayed displayed.


    Parent

    I agree re your last sentence. (none / 0) (#98)
    by oculus on Tue Sep 10, 2013 at 04:24:41 PM EST
    Frustrating to visit an historical site and discover the artifacts are no where near the site. Maybe in that country's national museum. Maybe scattered to private collections and museums all over the world. At Olympia, a highlight was our guide from Sparta. A Ph.D. In Greek history. She stood facing us in front of a huge frieze in the on site museum.  She told us the story depicted in the frieze while she flowed back and forth in front of quite memorable

    Parent
    Yeah... (none / 0) (#99)
    by ScottW714 on Wed Sep 11, 2013 at 02:47:28 PM EST
    ...it's a little crazy to look at all the artifacts, even long before the trip not realizing the many of them are more than works of art.  That the depictions generally tell some sort of story.

    Parent
    My mother bought a carpet in Istanbul ... (none / 0) (#73)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 07:29:44 PM EST
    ... my very first day there. I got to carry it for the next week. (I met her and my aunt in Istanbul, because they had already arrived there from the states, whereas my older sister and I were traveling by train from France.)

    Parent
    Glad to hear that you enjoyed Turkey. (none / 0) (#61)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 06:17:00 PM EST
    I once took the train from France to European Turkey, and I'd love to see the rest of the country sometime. I think my favorite place in Istanbul is that corner of the city along the Bosporus where Topkapi Palace, the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque are all located, and the views from there are stunning.

    I also found the First World War battlefields of Gallipoli to be fascinating and haunting, although people who aren't history buffs might otherwise find it a rather barren and dreary place.

    Did you get to Ankara?

    Parent

    Follow-up question. If you went to Ankara, (none / 0) (#62)
    by oculus on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 06:20:30 PM EST
    were you able to maintain the mandatory decorm in the Attaturk museum?

    Parent
    I never got to Ankara. (none / 0) (#69)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 07:11:04 PM EST
    My Turkish travels were limited to the European side of the Bosporus. But I've heard that it's a beautiful city.

    Parent
    While (5.00 / 6) (#52)
    by lentinel on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 05:15:55 PM EST
    a group of old men, with sprinkling of a couple of middle-aged men and maybe one woman are deciding how to go ahead and implement their coveted plan to bomb yet another country...

    we have discovered that the NSA has "secretly circumvented or cracked much of the digital scrambling that protects global commerce, e-mails, phone calls, medical records and Web searches."

    Oh.
    You hadn't heard much about that?

    Mission accomplished.

    It was on the front page of the paper yesterday (none / 0) (#54)
    by CoralGables on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 05:21:05 PM EST
    But has not been discussed here, (5.00 / 2) (#56)
    by shoephone on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 05:44:17 PM EST
    because we haven't had an open thread in awhile.

    Parent
    Even (none / 0) (#75)
    by lentinel on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 07:57:41 PM EST
    with an open thread, I don't think anyone has mentioned it.

    Parent
    Now look, lentinel (5.00 / 1) (#76)
    by Edger on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 08:20:40 PM EST
    You know they are spying on you to find out if any, say, al qaeda or other terrists in, say Syria or somewhere, are planning something evil like say, maybe a false flag chemical weapons attack on civilians, or something.

    They're doing it to keep you safe and secure, of course. Mums the word.

    Parent

    I (none / 0) (#78)
    by lentinel on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 08:59:16 PM EST
    am aware that the information was published in the NYTimes.

    Did you find it to be the topic of discussion on the news shows?
    Were the talking heads expounding their views?
    Was Obama being asked about it?

    I don't believe so.

    Everybody's caught up - understandably - in the extremely dangerous scenario that Obama and Kerry are trying to pitch.

    Parent

    So you read it in the news (none / 0) (#79)
    by CoralGables on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 09:22:40 PM EST
    and you're complaining that it isn't being covered by the news.

    You have a future as a talking head.

    Parent

    I am (5.00 / 3) (#81)
    by lentinel on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 09:37:49 PM EST
    saying that the NSA and its domestic spying has largely disappeared from discussion because of the threat of war by the Obama administration.

    Perhaps you haven't noticed a difference in the intensity of discussion, but I have.

    Parent

    Aug. 31 - two days after (3.00 / 2) (#82)
    by Edger on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 09:54:29 PM EST
    the entire budget of the U.S. intelligence community - the so-called "black budget" - was made public for the first time, thanks to Snowden's leaks...
    CHART: Syria Tensions Have Knocked The NSA Spying Scandal Completely Off The Radar

    .....

    Here is WAPO's Interactive Graphic of the $52.6 Billion black budget.

    And WAPO's full story of the black budget, based on Snowden's leaks.

    Parent

    A recent (5.00 / 2) (#92)
    by Edger on Sat Sep 07, 2013 at 07:26:12 PM EST
    USDA report reveals that nearly 18 million families, or 49 million Americans, lacked "food security" which is defined as "consistent, dependable access to enough food for active, healthy living." Food insecurity is a polite term for starvation.

    56 billion divided by 49 million is about 1140 dollars a year.

    1140 dollars a year is about 100 bucks a month worth of food.

    But without that 56 billion a year the NSA would not be able to keep you safe 'n secure from terrists.

    Reporter: Why do you need to spend 56 Million a year to spy on citizens?

    Obama: Look! Over there! Chemical Weapons in Syria!

    Reporter: Who did that??

    Obama: That's classified.

    Manufacturing non-consent? (5.00 / 4) (#93)
    by Edger on Sun Sep 08, 2013 at 12:57:53 PM EST
    Stars and Stripes reports...
    Congressional Black Caucus instructed to hold tongue on Syria
    WASHINGTON -- As an increasing number of African-American lawmakers voice dissent over the Obama administration's war plans in Syria, the chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus has asked members to "limit public comment" on the issue until they are briefed by senior administration officials.

    A congressional aide to a caucus member called the request "eyebrow-raising," in an interview with FP, and said the request was designed to quiet dissent while shoring up support for President Barack Obama's Syria strategy.

    The caucus, a crucial bloc of more than 40 votes the White House likely needs to authorize a military strike in Syria, is scheduled to be briefed by White House National Security Adviser Susan Rice on Monday. Until then, caucus chairwoman Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio, has asked colleagues to "limit public comment until [they] receive additional details," Fudge spokeswoman Ayofemi Kirby told FP.

    When asked directly if the White House requested the partial gag order, National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden floated a beautifully executed sidestep dodge worthy of some Talkleft armchair warriors, and...

    ...said "the administration is reaching out to all members to ensure they have the information they need to make an informed judgment on this issue." Kirby said it was her boss's request and was aimed at keeping members informed rather than silencing anti-war members.

    Nice of the White House to suddenly be concerned with ensuring they have the information they need to make an informed judgment on this issue. That should help ease Graysons concerns, eh?

    by refusing to disclose the underlying data even to members of Congress, the administration is making it impossible for anyone to judge, independently, whether that statement is correct. Perhaps the edict of an earlier administration applies: "Trust, but verify."
    I'm beginning to wonder now if maybe there is something to the years of obot claims of obama's eleventy dimensional genius at work here. He's driving so many people away from wanting to have anything to do with him now that I suppose it's possible we've badly misjudged him and he's really a trojan horse far left DFH anti war idealist and this is his way of making sure the US never attacks Syria?

    But I could be misreading things. John Kerry assured the world this morning that he now has 34 countries lined up to support obama's drive to commit war crimes, but he just can't for the life of him find his list or remember who they are. Apparently French is the national language in all of them, however. For more on this latest development, see Operation Cockamamie: The Damascus Follies

    Kerry asserted that the chemical weapons case against Syria  was  "undeniable."  At the same time, the administration offered up a contradictory assessment that "U.S. intelligence has concluded 'with some degree of varying confidence' that the Syrian government has twice used chemical weapons.  He told Congress that the military strikes planned against Syria would not be "war," although he conceded that there might be "boots on the ground" called for.  He raised eyebrows when he said Arab countries had offered to bankroll an invasion of Syria.  How do you ask an American soldier to be the first to die to advance the interests of the Saudis?

    When pressed, he backtracked and said, "There will not be boots on the ground" in connection with the Syrian civil war.  He asserted that 34 countries supported this endeavor.  Representative Salmon asked for the names of those countries, and Kerry was forced to respond, "Uh, I don't have the list with me."  We still have not seen the list.  We do know that the British Parliament, in a very rare move, refused, and France's response seems to be "Like, call me maybe."



    Personally, I think (none / 0) (#94)
    by Edger on Sun Sep 08, 2013 at 01:01:58 PM EST
    Mockery Avoidance would be a much better strategy for obama to pursue.

    Parent
    Yay! An open thread (none / 0) (#2)
    by sj on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 01:01:00 PM EST
    Thank you!

    To MT and nycstray, did you do the free trial of DogTV? My girl didn't exactly watch it, but she did seem to find it soothing. And I have to say, I was kind of mesmerized at one point by the city walk from the dog's view point.

    I'm going to subscribe, I think. I decided "yes" to this right after I decided to get rid of people premium channels.

    Heh, forgot about it! (5.00 / 1) (#9)
    by nycstray on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 01:32:23 PM EST
    But my girl is in the doghouse as of this AM. She killed a squirrel in front of me :( Then proceeded to run in the house with it and fling some blood around {head desk} And I hadn't even finished my first cuppa coffee. Took me 45 minutes to get the thing away from her . . .

    Parent
    LOL (5.00 / 1) (#13)
    by ruffian on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 01:38:19 PM EST
    Mine caught one once too - proudest day of his life -  I think he still dreams about it. Took 4 guys a half hour to get it away from him too. I would almost give him another one to see him prance around like that again!

    Parent
    LOL! (5.00 / 2) (#44)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 03:37:11 PM EST
    We have a lot of feral chickens running around in our valley, and a few years ago, we had one wild rooster that used to come into our commons area and start crowing at 4:00 a.m. He was awful and evaded all of our fruitless attempts at capture, which I think served only to further embolden him.

    But then while strutting his stuff one early morning about 7:00 a.m., Mr. Cock of the Walk caught the attention of our neighbor's Jack Russell terrier, who bolted out the front screen door which was conveniently unlatched, and raced at full sprint across the commons directly toward the startled bird, while the neighbor ran helplessly after him yelling, "No! Sparky, no!"

    The poor rooster tried to escape on the wing, but the terrier leaped up and snagged him in mid-air. Having a clear view of the proceedings from our front window, where I was sitting and enjoying a cup of coffee, I heard one quick little squawk from the bird, and then it was quickly over.

    The neighbor caught up to her dog and started herding him back toward the house, and I could hear her really scolding him while he was just as clearly ignoring her chidings, given that he was proudly carrying the rooster's limp body by the neck. When they returned to the front door, he simply looked up at his master, dropped the bird at her feet and ambled nonchalantly back inside while she just stood there, obviously wondering what to do with the dead chicken.

    And while observing that rather absurd scene from my vantage point, I felt sort of bad and guilty simultaneously, thinking that she really shouldn't hold a bird dog at fault for doing something he's hardwired to do by nature, especially when he just did the neighborhood a big favor by ridding us of a pest.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    I'm guessing she didn't (5.00 / 2) (#49)
    by Zorba on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 04:33:46 PM EST
    Clean him, pluck him, and stew him, on the stove or in a crock pot?   ;-)  
    An older chicken would be too tough for many chicken recipes, but they make excellent soups or stews.  Their broth is just way more flavorful than that made with the very young store chickens.  

    Parent
    Trust me, this neighbor isn't the type ... (none / 0) (#67)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 06:57:14 PM EST
    ... who'd pluck and clean a chicken. It probably ended up in the trash. Too bad, because that rooster probably would've been a good stewing chicken.

    My mother bought a stewing chicken by accident at the store one time when I was in high school, and made fried chicken with it. It was like chewing on a piece of chicken-flavored rubber.

    ;-D

    Parent

    LOL! (none / 0) (#74)
    by Zorba on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 07:47:53 PM EST
    As I said, they make the best broth/stock.  But fried chicken?  No, I don't think so.     :-)

    Parent
    She seemed pretty clueless (none / 0) (#25)
    by nycstray on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 02:20:37 PM EST
    as far as accomplishments go :)

    I have vowed that all future squeaky stuffy toys will be in bright colors. I think once this one was dead, she didn't see much of a dif from a new stuffy . . .

    Parent

    Y'all should submit a pilot to the dog TV (none / 0) (#38)
    by oculus on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 03:16:35 PM EST
    producers b

    Parent
    Hmmm (none / 0) (#10)
    by squeaky on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 01:36:10 PM EST
    Hard to convince a dog that she is not working for you when she brings you a squirrel..  either ridding you of vermin, or providing you a meal (to share of course).

    If she knew you would cook it up and give her some, or give her treats, she would drop it at your feet.. Doghouse will only reinforce the bad behavior of her not letting it go immediately (once its neck is broken that is).

    Parent

    Well, there is no dog house here (none / 0) (#21)
    by nycstray on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 02:01:03 PM EST
    and it wasn't so much a prey and deliver kill. It was more of an accidental finding of a squirrel in the jasmine along the fence (may have been munching on an apple) It didn't seem to like her nosing around . . . then it started squealing like a squeaky toy and it was all down hill from there. I still don't know if she realizes exactly what she did :) I could get her to drop it, but not long enough to get her back in the house, she was having issues with the concept that she couldn't bring her new toy in (again) . . . then there was me not totally awake, lol!~ I think if I had had my wits about me, I could have changed the outcome :(

    I am putting a leash back in the yard again, so I have something to grab and control her with.

    Parent

    That's Good (none / 0) (#26)
    by squeaky on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 02:21:28 PM EST
    Doghousing is pretty poor method of training, as I am sure you know. Best thing would be to train her to drop on command, but that takes a lot of work and treats... would not want Dot to turn into a big fat dot.

    Parent
    I do need to brush up her drop it (5.00 / 1) (#33)
    by nycstray on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 02:42:43 PM EST
    or perhaps I should have remembered she has a kick butt leave it that would have come in handy before she got tangled up with a critter, or after she dropped said critter and before she picked it back up again :) Most of separating the two consisted of me getting her to drop and her quickly picking it up to bring it inside when I opened the door. If it wasn't a dead critter, things would have gone a lot smoother, as I don't function well with dead animals :P

    Oh and Dot passed away, this was my new girl, Miss Roxy! Lynn . . .

    Parent

    Oh, Sorry to Hear That (none / 0) (#37)
    by squeaky on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 03:08:18 PM EST
    I guess you have a thing for dots, at least on dogs.

    Parent
    Thanks. (none / 0) (#68)
    by nycstray on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 07:00:12 PM EST
    Yes, I do prefer my dogs with dots :)

    Parent
    Oh no! (none / 0) (#16)
    by sj on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 01:42:33 PM EST
    But I can just picture that. I wouldn't mind fewer squirrels in the neighborhood as long as it happened behind my back. I kind of know how you felt about it, though. My girl caught/killed more than a few rats when I was living in Baltimore. One of them was HUGE, she caught it while still on leash and it was fighting mad. The rat-squeaking, dog-growling, owner-shouting process probably woke up a few neighbors.

    She finally did drop it, once it was really dead. Then I had to dispose of it. Ew. Big, heavy and ugly. And probably crawling with disease. ::shudder:: At least she didn't bring it in the house.

    Parent

    In your neighborhood in Baltimore (5.00 / 4) (#28)
    by Peter G on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 02:22:48 PM EST
    People had rats they kept on leashes?
     
    One of them was HUGE, she caught it while still on leash and it was fighting mad.

    That's amazing! I've only seen them running free in alleys. Of course that rat was mad, if the leash kept if from fighting back fair and square.

    Parent
    Ha! (none / 0) (#32)
    by sj on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 02:38:09 PM EST
    Maybe there would have been no fight if I had already hitched that rat to the wagon...

    Parent
    Dalmatians were used as ratters (none / 0) (#23)
    by nycstray on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 02:16:05 PM EST
    back in the days when they stayed in the firehouse stables with the horses. I used to worry that Dot's prey drive would kick in when we walked the Brooklyn streets at night :)

    This was so random. She had a juvie opossum cornered the other night, but it just froze and she was happy just to sniff and play bow . . .

    I don't really have that many squirrels coming in the yard. They were around in early spring, but they seemed to find quieter dwellings than my yard with the crazy dog . . .

    Parent

    It's kind of weird with Sasha, too (none / 0) (#30)
    by sj on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 02:32:25 PM EST
    She had a juvie opossum cornered the other night, but it just froze and she was happy just to sniff and play bow
    I thought cats activated her prey drive, but one night I found out it was only if they acted like prey. I took her out and there was a cat hanging out in the back yard. The cat was either old, brave, or crazy because she just looked up, blinked and lay her head back down. Sasha looked at her, waited for her to run and when she didn't you could almost see her shrug as she went about her business.

    Parent
    Yeah, all Rox has ever done (none / 0) (#35)
    by nycstray on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 02:47:56 PM EST
    is play bow (same with Dot). If I would have even thought she would kill it . . .

    I'm thinking perhaps the cat was dog comfy? Some cats in my hood are more relaxed about Rox than others. Although, I have noticed they only hang in my front yard now, vs the back, lol!~

    Parent

    Yes, I think you're right (none / 0) (#36)
    by sj on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 02:56:44 PM EST
    I'm thinking perhaps the cat was dog comfy?
    Not that it precludes old, brave or crazy :) I just couldn't believe that my girl didn't tear off after anyway. What was scary to me is that since the cat didn't run, she would have actually caught it. Having seen what she can do with rats, I wouldn't have had much hope in the cat's survival.

    Parent
    Tell me more about DogTV (5.00 / 3) (#11)
    by christinep on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 01:36:18 PM EST
    Celeste is home with us now ... she is a miniature American Eskimo.  In a comment from Anne a few weeks back, she nicely showed the full range of the Spitz.  As for Celeste, she seems to have doubled amounts of all the qualities listed for Eskies.  Meaning: She is wonderful ... by turns, very affectionate & smart & spunky ... and going through the puppy crazies at a rapid, dizzying, and exhausting pace. Maybe she will want to focus on something (like DogTV.)

    She is wonderful (did I say that.) When things slow down just a mite, she will be even more wonderful.  While unclear how much this energetic fast-growing 11 week puff-ball will weigh as an adult, we're guessing that our runt-of-the litter will hit the scales at about 15 or so pounds.

    Celeste was "named" some months back, before being in utero, as we were leaving a symphony concert that included a bassoon & orchestra work by John Williams called Five Sacred Trees.  The work includes a celesta ... and then we happened upon the celesta player and started talking about musical pieces that contained the snowflake sounding, twinkling of a celesta (e.g., the Sugar Plum Fairy in the Nutcracker Suite.) Since Eskimos frolic in the winter season of snow and since they brim with a funny nuttiness ....
    My husband agreed, but was more down to earth about what might be a useful & descriptive name. He suggested Shitake.  So, viva Celeste Shitake. (BTW, he is proud of having thought of an appellation that he can "officially" use as a pet name when she inevitably goes bonkers: That would be "Little **."  We love her already.

    Parent

    As far as I can tell (5.00 / 1) (#27)
    by sj on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 02:22:05 PM EST
    ...it's only available from DirecTV and via online streaming. Here is a nice write-up on it that talks about how the content was tailored for canine senses (softer colors/sound, content) and here is their website.

    Congrats on your new baby. We had an American Eskimo when I was a kid -- long before they were recognized by the AKC in 1994. She was wonderful; beautiful and smart as a whip. She spent part of each night with each member of the family so we all thought we were her favorite.

    Parent

    Want to add ... (none / 0) (#18)
    by christinep on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 01:45:29 PM EST
    Reading about the squirrel and vermin experience you all relate, I'm breathing easier, because--to come clean--"sweet" Celeste wasn't anywhere near "sweet" yesterday (and I only wanted to hide in the shower.) Thanks for the perspective.

    Parent
    So happy for you! (5.00 / 2) (#29)
    by nycstray on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 02:25:22 PM EST
    Just remember, puppyhood goes on MUCH longer than the physical appearance of puppy :) And frozen objects are good for teething . . .

    Rox has a middle name for a reason. She was officially turning into Roxy! Damn!t!!!!, so I gave her a middle name. Roxy! Lynn sounds so much better when she's in trouble :)

    Parent

    Speaking of sweet and dogs, I'm no fan of ... (5.00 / 2) (#80)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 09:25:06 PM EST
    ... Sarah Silverman, but she wrote a rather touching obituary for her old dog Duck. She had adopted him 14 years ago from a Van Nuys animal shelter, and he died yesterday:

    "14 years. My longest relationship. My only experience of maternal love. My constant companion. My best friend. Duck."


    Parent
    Our daughter had to put down her dog today. (5.00 / 2) (#84)
    by cpresley on Sat Sep 07, 2013 at 12:19:42 AM EST
    Cody was the most assume Black Lab you would ever want to meet. He was a fixture at the firehouse in town.

    Parent
    Oh, no (5.00 / 1) (#85)
    by sj on Sat Sep 07, 2013 at 02:11:25 AM EST
    I am so, so sorry to hear that. It's such a hard decision to make, that last final thing we do for our animal friends.

    I have a weakness for Black Labs so this really breaks my heart. Peace to your daughter and the rest of your family.

    Parent

    Too bad... (none / 0) (#90)
    by desertswine on Sat Sep 07, 2013 at 12:14:10 PM EST
    That's so hard to do.

    Parent
    Nice to know (none / 0) (#31)
    by sj on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 02:34:17 PM EST
    that traumatic experience was good for something! :)

    Parent
    I missed it due to (none / 0) (#7)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 01:18:53 PM EST
    House is a remodel shambles.  I run around with a vacuum trying to stay sane and losing, the dogs are mostly outdoors right now.  Today started slow and I'm on lunch break right now. It is very reasonable though, I think I'm going to subscribe.

    Parent
    I feel your pain... (none / 0) (#12)
    by kdog on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 01:36:50 PM EST
    almost finished renovating the half-bath in the basement...f&ckin' faucet connector burst and we had to gut it.

    But now we gots a new sh*tter, lav sink, washer & dryer installed...and nothing is leaking (knock on wood)!  Doesn't look half bad for a couple hacks...though my taping and compound work on the sheetrock leaves a lot to be desired, I'm just not anal enough to make it seem seamless;)

    Just a little trim work to do tomorrow and that puppy is done...pretty proud of ourselves, plus a little off the rent for our labors never hurts. We saved the sweet old landlady a ton of money that she actually turned a profit on her insurance claim.

    Don't obssess on the cleaning...I know the mess sucks but it is what it is till the project is done.  

    Parent

    That's the way I feel. (5.00 / 2) (#34)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 02:44:44 PM EST
    Don't obsess on the cleaning. I'm painting our place this weekend, save for the two back bedrooms and hallway I did last month, which actually proved the creeping catalyst for this project.

    We had to replace an entire window in one of those bedrooms due to water damage and dry rot, which of course necessitated painting that wall, which in turn led to painting the entire room because the newly painted wall stood out like a sore thumb. Then Elder Daughter, who was helping me, talked me into painting her adjoining bedroom, the hallway and the doors because the newly painted bedroom made them all look sort of dingy, which I agreed.

    Then The Spouse announced last Monday that she was going to paint the hallway bathroom because the bathroom and the hall should be the same color. In retrospect, it probably wasn't a good idea on my part to have responded, "Hey, great idea! Knock yourself out, babe!", but the Dodgers were on TV at the time, so what's a guy supposed to do, you know?

    Anyway, she just threw me a look of minor annoyance and didn't say anything else, and not only did she paint the bathroom but also the kitchen as well, because she wanted to use up the rest of the paint.

    It was only after I complimented her finished work that she said -- using that tone of hers which always conveys that she's not really going to appreciate any rebuttal or backtalk -- how ridiculous it now looked to have one third of the townhouse looking nice and freshly painted, while the rest of the place was clearly languishing in comparison and so, there goes my weekend. But at least I can have college football on TV in the background.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    This is happening to me too (5.00 / 2) (#66)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 06:48:39 PM EST
    I matched our paint using Valspar base.  Painted the hall wall with the bathroom door because we dinged it. The Valspar holds pigment much better though than the paint I previously used.  Now the rest of the hallway looks horrible to me.  So after the planned project is done, there is another project.  The paint is 5 yrs old.  It is due.

    Parent
    We last painted eight years ago. (5.00 / 2) (#70)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 07:17:28 PM EST
    It's held up remarkably well, but yes, it's due. This time, we're doing the entire place in eggshell white, which really accentuates our tile and hardwood floors. Of course, now we'll have to sand and refinish the hardwood floors. ;-)

    Parent
    Sounds gorgeous when you are done :) (none / 0) (#72)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 07:26:06 PM EST
    I's like to think so. (5.00 / 1) (#77)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 08:46:25 PM EST
    Honestly, we didn't know that we had hardwood floors until after we bought the place. The very first thing we did after moving in was pull up the ghastly '70s-era green shag carpeting in the dining and living rooms and the master bedroom with the intent of replacing it -- only to find this absolutely gorgeous oak floor hidden underneath in the living and dining rooms.

    I patiently cleaned up all the carpeting gunk stuck to it, sanded it down to remove the layers of old varnish, and then re-stained it with a gunstock finish. After that, we chucked the old grey outdoor / indoor carpeting in the kitchen, hallway, hall bathroom and the two back bedrooms, and laid quarry stone tile in the bathrooms and kitchen, and natural stone tile floors in the hallway and bedrooms.

    When we remodeled the kitchen, we also removed the wall separating the kitchen from the dining room, which served to open up the interior view plain dramatically because our place is a split level, with the dining room, living room and master bedroom / bath three steps below the rest of the house. We furnished the place with rattan and teak, and added some oriental throw rugs for color.

    All in all, I'd like to think we did a good job in remodeling, because a lot of people have since commented how our townhouse conveys a very Pacific sense of place, from the very first moment you walk through the front door.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    What a jewel of a find in the hardwood floors (5.00 / 1) (#89)
    by Militarytracy on Sat Sep 07, 2013 at 09:58:41 AM EST
    You have similar taste to ours.  We like natural stone.  We took up the carpet and linoleum, put natural slate in the entryways and the great room  kitchen.  We put in a laminate in the living room, but don't love it.  I think next year we are going to take it out and tile it with something complimentary to the slate.  We did a stacked slate backsplash in the kitchen and like it so much we are repeating it on the fireplace. It was very easy too with the pre-formed stacked pieces they sell now.

    Parent
    I keep telling myself that too (none / 0) (#20)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 01:53:34 PM EST
    It's a temp mess.  Good on your bath remodel!!  Put some texture on your seamy wall.  They wallpapered directly on sheetrock in this house.....and the wallpaper was all country blues and mauve so I had to paint over it.  I added some texture in places :)

    We put a new induction range in as well, and then found a matching convection microwave sort by accident.  I'm not really sure what the heck fire you do with a convection microwave other than the cooking crush of the holidays but they had it for half price and it matches the range so I bought it.  It arrived today, took the templates out and made some holes, put the the mounting bracket up, took the unit out of the box and it has been dropped on its corner somewhere between there and here....Son-of-a

    Parent

    Son of a... (none / 0) (#22)
    by kdog on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 02:10:25 PM EST
    motherless goat!  I hear ya...that's frustrating.  But there are always snags and delays, another nature of the beast, like the constant mess.

    Keep at it Bob Villa! ;)

    Parent

    BTD (none / 0) (#4)
    by CoralGables on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 01:10:39 PM EST
    You didn't have a bad Saturday. It was just a really bad Thursday.

    Anne (none / 0) (#5)
    by CoralGables on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 01:12:34 PM EST
    Your coaching staff either lacks communication or they were partially blind last night in turning a tight game into a blowout with their missed challenge.

    Finally (none / 0) (#6)
    by christinep on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 01:16:54 PM EST
    Manning is either very good still ... or we in Denver are all having happy dreams. (Yea!)

    Parent
    The new version... (5.00 / 1) (#14)
    by kdog on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 01:38:51 PM EST
    of the Three Amigos ya got at wideout are gonna give many a secondary fits this year.

    As for Manning, lets see how Old Man River looks when it gets cold;)

    Parent

    He Went 13-3 Last Year (none / 0) (#39)
    by ScottW714 on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 03:20:45 PM EST
    Winning the last 12.

    I don't think he will disappoint this year, not after last night.  I am just glad the Pack isn't in the AFC West.

    All roads in the AFC will lead to Denver this year IMO.  Their divisional rivals are cream puffs making their schedule one of the easier ones.

    I hate the Broncos because they beat the Pack in the SB, but it's hard not to cheer for Manning.

    Parent

    I don't have any problem not cheering (5.00 / 1) (#45)
    by Anne on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 03:49:53 PM EST
    for Manning...

    I think there are a lot of teams that play well in the regular season, who go one-and-done in the playoffs - and while this could be the Broncos' year, it could also end the same way it did last year: losing in the first round of the playoffs.

    If Manning had been playing the same Ravens who beat them last season, I'd probably think that after last night, the Broncos' trip to the Super Bowl would be a cakewalk.  Last night's Ravens were more like the pre-playoff Ravens who lost 4 of their last 5 games, so I think it remains to be seen who the Ravens are this year.  I'm prepared for a 9-7 or 8-8 season, and maybe missing the playoffs for the first time in 6 years - but who knows?

    Any given Sunday - or Thursday or Monday or Saturday, right?  Anything can happen - that's why we watch!

    Parent

    Well, they don't call Peyton Manning ... (none / 0) (#65)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 06:48:18 PM EST
    Anne: "I think there are a lot of teams that play well in the regular season, who go one-and-done in the playoffs - and while this could be the Broncos' year, it could also end the same way it did last year: losing in the first round of the playoffs."

    ... "Mr. October" for nothing.

    ;-D

    Parent

    But he lost the last game... (none / 0) (#43)
    by kdog on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 03:35:31 PM EST
    out in the cold...the Broncs are better off on the road in a dome or someplace warm come playoff time, they should throw some games so Houston gets home-field;)  

    Parent
    As I understood it from one of the (none / 0) (#24)
    by Anne on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 02:18:10 PM EST
    sportswriters up in the booth, the play never made it up there, so when Harbaugh said his guys hadn't seen the replay, he wasn't just BS-ing.  As fast as Manning was trying to get the play off, I might have thrown the red flag on a hunch that that wasn't a completed pass - we've seen plenty of coaches pick it back up and put it away after a chat with the officials, so I don't think he'd have had anything to lose by throwing it.

    I didn't watch the whole game - just couldn't get into it, and figured it was going to be a loser - but I don't think the game was going to turn on that one play.  When I saw Jacoby Jones get pancaked by his own - albeit rookie - guy, I almost couldn't believe my eyes, and if Jones has to be out for any length of time, we're in more trouble than we thought we were.  And if Joe can't count on receivers to catch the balls he throws, they're going to have to get the run game working.  Really missing Anquan Boldin and Dennis Pitta, that's for sure.  

    A lot of what went wrong last night is fixable, at least I think it is, but there are an awful lot of players who need to get a lot better very quickly, and I'm not sure how that's going to go.

    It still stings a little that the NFL's greed got in the way of letting us open the season at home, and I do think playing in Denver, with the delayed kick-off, was a factor in the loss.

    There were some bright spots - I think Marlon Brown has the "it" factor we've been looking for, so I think we'll be seeing more of him.

    I'm glad to have it out of the way, really - there are 15 more games to go and 10 days rest - and training and coaching - before we play again - I hope it makes a difference!

    Parent

    Jacoby Jones.. (none / 0) (#42)
    by ScottW714 on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 03:34:54 PM EST
    ...lost the 2011 playoff game for the Texans when we fluttered punt return at like the 5 and the ravens came up with it with not much time left.  Then, his very next start was with the Ravens in 2012.

    Not suggesting anything funny, but it rubbed Houston the wrong way.

    Mile High, or whatever it's called, is easily the hardest stadium in the NFL.  There was a Pittsburgh player that got serious altitude sickness there, bad enough that he didn't play when they returned in the playoffs.

    The Ravens just looked tired and uninspired.  But that is what Mile High does to teams, and not having a RL rallying the troops is going to be problematic this year, IMO.

    Parent

    A Send off for Janet Napolitano, (none / 0) (#15)
    by KeysDan on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 01:39:16 PM EST
    Secretary of Homeland Security, included Vice President Biden's suggestion that she deserves a seat on the Supreme Court.  Such an eventuality  would be interesting in that Ms. Napolitano served as a lawyer for Anita Hill in her testimony in the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings n 199l  

    For how,  Ms. Napolitano is headed off to be President of the University of California system.  Not aware of top contenders for her replacement, but sure hope it is not Ray Kelly or Joe Lieberman.  Kamala Harris, Attorney General of California, would be a good choice, in my view.

     It appears that it is likely that Larry Summers will be nominated to succeed Dr. Bernanke at the Federal Reserve, despite  his bullying temperament (except for obsequiousness to the president) and his ability , against all odds, to get an early boot  from Harvard's presidency.  Of course, he has many economic mistakes to his credit but there is, generally, no penalty for that.

    As the old adage goes, ... (none / 0) (#64)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 06:42:13 PM EST
    ... it ain't what you know, but who you know. The ability to schmooze and kiss a$$ is how some otherwise marginally talented people always find a way to get another gig and land on their feet.

    (One of them managed to get herself recently appointed as Managing Director of the City and County of Honolulu, which is the number two position in the city -- but you didn't hear that from me, did you?)

    Personally, I like Kamala Harris just where she is. She's positioned herself as a possible successor to Gov. Jerry Brown, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom's plans notwithstanding, and I don't see how going to D.C. to take a Cabinet post -- which removes her from the immediate scene in Sacramento -- helps her in California politics five years from now.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    Here's a hunting license... (none / 0) (#19)
    by kdog on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 01:52:37 PM EST
    I could see myself applying for...Happy Hunting, Dear Trail CO!  

    It's raining drones, hallelujah, it's raining drones....

    Segue: remote control. (none / 0) (#40)
    by oculus on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 03:22:00 PM EST
    Sad, of course... (none / 0) (#46)
    by kdog on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 03:50:56 PM EST
    but maybe, when you play with high speed rotating blades regularly, stands to reason you're gonna get cut eventually.

    Too soon? ;)

    Parent

    My high school buddy in Pasadena, CA ... (5.00 / 1) (#63)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 06:28:47 PM EST
    ... is an R.C. plane freak. When I was visiting about ten years ago, I saw one of his planes fall victim to a hawk attack at the local high school football field where he was flying them.

    Apparently, the hawk had her nest in a nearby tree and felt threatened, so she swooped after the plane, hit its wing and knocked it sideways, and caused it to crash nose-first into the ground, where it blew up in a little mini-explosion. My friend wasn't too happy about it, but between you and me, I thought it was rather  cool to see.

    ;-D

    Parent

    I'm almost certain what I saw flying (none / 0) (#47)
    by oculus on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 03:59:33 PM EST
    low over a large crowd of people recently at an outdoor concert venue in the park was a remote control drone. Not sure if it was law enforcement, TV news, or whatever.  I was happy not to be in the crowd. How could that possibly be legal?

    Parent
    Saw that last night before conking out (none / 0) (#59)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 05:57:25 PM EST
    There are two in our garage that nobody does anything with anymore.  Josh was born and the big manchild stopped playing with them.  He always told me the rotor blades were very dangerous.  He always made certain they were in perfect condition whenever he took them out.

    Parent
    Sure (none / 0) (#53)
    by lentinel on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 05:17:54 PM EST
    like to git me one them dang thangs.

    Parent
    Does Jeralyn have any thoughts on... (none / 0) (#41)
    by fiver on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 03:23:43 PM EST
    this? I'd like to hear them...

    It's (none / 0) (#55)
    by lentinel on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 05:25:34 PM EST
    simply ghastly what that awful Assad fellow is doing.
    We really must do something about it after I get back from my vacation.

    BTD Florida/Miami (none / 0) (#57)
    by CoralGables on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 05:56:07 PM EST
    As I sit in South Florida listening to sports talk radio describing tomorrow's Florida/Miami game as being the Hurricanes biggest game in years, I'm struck by my own thought processes that rate tomorrow's Gator game as only the 10th most important game on the Gator schedule this year.

    Police kill serial rapist in Tampa (none / 0) (#71)
    by SuzieTampa on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 07:22:07 PM EST
    You may see a headline like that on national news. This happened in my neighborhood this morning. This is the most complete story so far. Note how quickly they dropped "accused" and "alleged" ... because you can't libel a dead man.

    The first home invasion in my area happened in an apartment complex across from the one where I live. The other crimes also happened nearby. Charlie Bates was killed in an exchange of gunfire after a high-speed chase.

     

    From Foreign Policy in Focus (none / 0) (#83)
    by Edger on Fri Sep 06, 2013 at 10:23:24 PM EST
    On the Fence about Syria?

    A quick reader on why military intervention in Syria is a big mistake-and what we should be advocating instead.
    [...snip...]
    Earlier this summer, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimated that 43 percent of the 100,000 Syrians thought to have died in this conflict were fighting for Assad, surpassing estimates for both noncombatants and anti-regime forces.

    And although some of those anti-Assad forces originally sprung up to protect the nonviolent protesters being gunned down by the regime, they have since been eclipsed by al-Qaeda-affiliated groups like the al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). In addition to committing serious human rights abuses of their own and establishing Taliban-style fiefdoms in their areas of control, many of these fighters belong to the same Sunni extremist groups the United States fought for nearly a decade in Iraq. If a U.S. attack on Assad changes the balance of the war, these are the groups best positioned to gain from it. (And for anyone who thinks they'll return the favor with gratitude, recall that Osama bin Laden himself was among the mujahedeen fighters that Washington supported against the Soviets in Afghanistan.)

    Syria's civil war has already spread into Iraq and Lebanon, with fighters on all sides of the conflict carrying out car bombings and waging pitched gun battles in the streets. A large-scale U.S. bombing campaign could push more fighters and refugees into these fragile states, destabilizing them further and potentially dragging the United States--as well as major Assad backers like Russia and Iran--into a tailspin of regional turmoil.

    Military intervention could have other unintended effects as well. When NATO intervened in the Serbia-Kosovo war in 1999, for example, both sides accelerated their ethnic cleansing campaigns. And after NATO forces joined the war in Libya, anti-Gaddafi fighters launched a terrifying campaign of racial violence against dark-skinned Libyans thought to be loyal to the regime. (And then there was that whole Mali thing.)

    More... much more

    The Univ. of Hawaii's Dave Shoji ... (none / 0) (#86)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Sat Sep 07, 2013 at 03:19:07 AM EST
    ... became the all-time winningest coach in NCAA Div. I women's volleyball history tonight with 1,107 career victories, as the No. 9 Rainbow Wahine defeated Santa Clara 25-23, 25-15, 23-25 and 25-18, in front of nearly 10,000 fans.

    And in a very classy move, the coach whose record Shoji broke tonight, UCLA's Andy Banachowski (now retired), showed up tonight to witness the occasion and offer his congratulations. Tomorrow night, the Wahine take on Banachowski's former team, currently ranked No. 10.

    Aloha.

    Dan Gillmore at The Guardian (none / 0) (#87)
    by Edger on Sat Sep 07, 2013 at 04:56:23 AM EST
    writes a speech he'd like to hear a presidential candidate honestly give.

    Here's a teaser...

    When people say, "You have nothing to fear if you have nothing to hide," ask them if it's fine to install cameras in their homes, not just in the living room but the bedroom and bathroom. Ask them if they'd mind wearing a microphone and video camera every day, so others can check on what they've said and done.

    You are guilty of something. I guarantee it. Lawmakers have created countless new crimes and punishments, and allowed law enforcement to extend old laws in dangerous ways. Have you ever told anything short of the absolute truth when filling out an online form to use some service? We can charge you with a felony for that. And, by the way, we don't need to convict you at trial. If you are a target, we can ruin you financially if you try to defend yourself. This is what we expect in banana republics and police states, not here. And as the surveillance state expands, it will create more targets among people like you.

    Our political leaders have made a calculation in recent years. They believe you are too frightened, too cowardly, to face the truth - and that you think liberty is much less important than temporary safety.
    [...snip...]
    And remember: in police states, the biggest crimes - the worst acts of terrorism - are committed by government.
    [...snip...]
    President Obama and his team believe we are not entitled to know what our government is doing in our names and with our money. He says, "trust me", but he doesn't even begin to trust us. My first goal as president will be to restore that trust.



    What about it? Are they right? (none / 0) (#88)
    by Edger on Sat Sep 07, 2013 at 07:51:04 AM EST
    "Our political leaders have made a calculation in recent years. They believe you are too frightened, too cowardly, to face the truth - and that you think liberty is much less important than temporary safety."



    Parent
    You may want to (none / 0) (#91)
    by Edger on Sat Sep 07, 2013 at 05:11:32 PM EST
    have an empty bucket beside you, while reading this.