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Thursday Open Thread: Stop the Amber Alerts

Here's a new open thread, all topics welcome.

Update: Is there any way to stop Amber alerts from interrupting TV shows? It's bad enough we get weather warning interruptions that don't involve Denver or its surrounding counties, but Amber alerts are just too much. Is there some law that authorizes them? Was it a Joe Biden bill? I also resent the flashing Amber alerts on the highway -- they force you take your eye off the road and are dangerous. If the networks are going to allow interruptions for public service messages, they should at least limit them to emergencies that affect everyone. If there was a campaign, Stop the Amber Alerts,, I'd sign in an instant. [More...]

Update: A commenter below opined Biden wasn't responsible for the Amber Alert bill. Well, yes he was.I covered it at the time in 2003 here and here.

The real name of the Amber Alert bill is the Missing Broadcast Emergency Response Alert bill. It was part of the PROTECT Act. Because Biden wanted yet another drug bill passed, the Rave Act, and no one was going for it, he sneakily tacked it onto the Amber Alert portion of the Protect Act to get it passed. -- no hearings or anything.

The Amber Alert Bill "galvanizes entire communities to assist law enforcement in the time-sensitive search for and safe return of child victims." 40 National and state broadcast systems report abductions instantly upon receiving notification. 1 4 1 Information including any descriptions of the abductor and victim, vehicle model and license plate number, and any other indicators are roadcasted.A national coordinator was appointed and substantial funds were provided to monitor and support AMBER Alert systems. Information including any descriptions of the abductor and victim, vehicle model and license plate number, and any other indicators are broadcasted. A national coordinator was appointed and substantial funds were provided to monitor and support AMBER Alert systems.
The Protect Act established high mandatory minimum sentences for those committing crimes against children. It eliminated the statute of limitations for prosecuting these crimes. Judges were extremely upset. Their already limited discretion in sentencing was effectively decimated. Some quit the bench over it. Biden's sneaky move:
The correlation between baby-snatching perverts and pacifier-slinging music promoters is tenuous at best, but on April 10, the House and Senate approved a revived version of last year’s failed “RAVE Act” as part of the “Amber Alert” anti-child-abduction bill. The new law, the Illicit Drug Anti-Proliferation Act, was quietly folded into the measure by Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE).

Here's the shorter version of what happened. No one wanted the Rave bull but Biden and a few others. The Protect act, of which the Amber Alert bill was a section, was passed by both houses with differences, meaning it had to go to conference. At the conference, Biden sneaked the Amber Alert bill onto the Rave bill, knowing no one would vote against the Amber Alert Bill. Since it was done at conference, only 14 members of Congress got to vote. The Amber Alert bill passed one week after being introduced in the Senate:

"Plain and simple: This legislation will help save children’s lives," said Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE), the top Democrat on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs. "The money in this bill will help states such as Delaware pay for their AMBER Alert programs and it will help states who do not yet have AMBER alerts put them into place."
The final “Amber” bill was then sent to every Member of Congress for a final straight-up or straight-down vote. Even those that opposed the RAVE Act had to vote for the final “Amber” bill because they wanted to enact the provisions preventing child abductions.

The amber alerts that come on TV here are not chirons that run at the bottom of the screen. The are loud noises that a voice describing the missing child (usually tens of miles away) and blacks out the audio of the show you are watching. You can't tape it to watch later because the Amber Alert will also be recorded.

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  • Display: Sort:
    Intolerance on campus... (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by kdog on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 03:46:15 PM EST
    I knew it was bad, I didn't know it was this bad.  

    One could argue some universities think smoking is worse than rape and sexual assault, judging by their policies and actions in regards to both. Students who smoke and won't repent get sent to re-education, rapists get sent back to class.

    This is so strange (5.00 / 2) (#18)
    by ZtoA on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 04:28:01 PM EST
    My daughter and nieces recently graduated college and from what I saw, smoking is not that rare! Not on campus between classes or outside the library, but when there's even a bit of a party going on then there is smoking. My daughter called me her freshman year and told me she was in trouble at school. She was written up for being in a room where beer was being consumed. Her official citation was for "being in the proximity of a beer". Can't see why the school would think I would be upset. I asked her if they were drinking beer and she said "mom it's college".

    Parent
    Too rich... (5.00 / 1) (#26)
    by kdog on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 05:31:18 PM EST
    "being in the proximity...", does that mean the freshmen at her school can't even go to the grocery store?

    Nation of ninny-fied freaks we are fast becoming...forgive us lord we know not what we do. Obviously!

    Parent

    I know! (none / 0) (#63)
    by ZtoA on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 07:20:24 PM EST
    I think it was a new dorm manager or something (another student) who wanted to get his numbers up for policing infractions. But the school listened and pursued it. If they had done that again I would have called and given them an earful. I guess he (it was a young man) really put an effort into seeing something and reporting on it. None of the kids were drunk or loud or inappropriate at all. Even his "report" said that they only had the door open. Guess you don't want an open door in a dorm.

    Parent
    My momma taught me... (5.00 / 1) (#113)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 08:19:48 AM EST
    nobody likes a tattle-tale.  If a sibling did something wrong and another sibling told Moms, two kids got in trouble.  One for the infraction, and the other for tattling.  

    "Mom he hit me!"

    "Don't hit your brother, and you don't be a tattle-tale!"

    Parent

    Works fine for siblings (none / 0) (#126)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 08:58:32 AM EST
    and a great way to settle petty arguments.

    Big stuff?

    No.

    Parent

    That's a revision... (5.00 / 1) (#135)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 09:21:11 AM EST
    I could support, maybe we can get the DHS to change the slogan to "If you see big stuff, say something.  Don't sweat the small stuff."

    Or just a new national slogan "Don't sweat the small stuff".  Wouldn't that be nice eh?  Like the current "border crisis"...that's small stuff (for us, big deal to the refugees), and if you watch the news it's like it's the apocalypse.  We have a minor humanitarian refugee issue, other countries have serious refugee problems in the hundreds of thousands if not millions.  Like I keep saying, we're big fat ninnies Jimbo, and it's embarassing.

    Parent

    Uh kdog... (1.00 / 2) (#193)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 04:50:03 PM EST
    Those people coming here expecting to stay are suffering terribly. Did you see the dead bodies being picked out of the Rio Grande???

    So yes. It is a very big deal for them and for us it is a very big deal when we're asked to take a couple of hundred thousand kids and do what? Babysit them.

    Close the border with troops. Send the undocumented ones back as they are caught. And most of all, put US citizens who hire them in jail. They're as much a part of the problem as everything else.

    Parent

    Big stuff? (none / 0) (#161)
    by ZtoA on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 11:37:28 AM EST
    I would not consider smoking a cig on campus or being in the proximity of a beer as big stuff. We need a  "serious big stuff -O-Meter"! I say lets let Kdog program it.

    Parent
    LOL... (none / 0) (#162)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 11:42:03 AM EST
    Calibration services are available pro bono for each individual's "serious big stuff-o-meter"...check with me people before dropping a dime, I'll tell ya if your meter is off-kilter before you possibly get somebody hurt over small stuff.

    Parent
    A tragedy over suspected (none / 0) (#170)
    by oculus on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 12:34:24 PM EST
    So sad... (none / 0) (#179)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 01:19:53 PM EST
    poor victim sounds like he got the NYPD business on the regular...and the last time it's fatal.

    Over cigarettes...no words.

    Parent

    Expanded Meaning for Deathsticks (none / 0) (#182)
    by squeaky on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 01:44:05 PM EST
    Surgeon General Warns... (5.00 / 2) (#184)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 01:47:39 PM EST
    may cause emphysema, lung throat & mouth cancer, and heart disease...but still can't hold a candle to a NYPD chokehold.

    Parent
    We saw the report on this (none / 0) (#4)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 03:51:40 PM EST
    Last night.  How does this compute?

    Parent
    It doesn't my friend... (none / 0) (#6)
    by kdog on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 03:54:27 PM EST
    but so much does not compute anymore, this is just one very small relatively minor example.  The anti-smoking crusade that is, the university sexual assault scandals is no minor thing.

    But needless to say this Thornton Melon is never going "Back to School"...too scary and a waste of money.

    Parent

    Thornton Melon? Your eyes don't bug enough (none / 0) (#10)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 04:03:34 PM EST
    Glad I don't have this job (none / 0) (#11)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 04:04:55 PM EST
    Serial smokers who insist of lighting up repeatedly will be sent to the taxpayer-funded school's Office of Community Standards to "talk to somebody,"

    Just based on what I personally would have said to that person in my college days.

    Parent

    Do tell? (none / 0) (#16)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 04:22:31 PM EST
    I was always an uncomfortable smoker unless everyone was out partying.  If they had hauled me in and sent me for reeducation, I would have felt I deserved it.  And I would have doubled down on my efforts to hide my smoking :)

    I remember that people who were in the nursing program to become RNs were already not allowed to smoke, that was grounds for being removed from that program.

    Parent

    I was a closet (5.00 / 1) (#24)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 05:15:53 PM EST
    smoker for most of my life when I was a smoker. I wouldn't smoke in public unless like you it was at a bar or a party and even at some parties I wouldn't smoke. I even had parties at my own house where I would not smoke and would sneak around outside of the house to smoke. LOL

    Parent
    Once upon a time (none / 0) (#32)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 05:55:40 PM EST
    I only smoked in bars.
    Ha.  Haven't done that on a while.

    Parent
    I think this this whole thing stinks (none / 0) (#19)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 04:30:16 PM EST
    It's insane to think you can ban something like smoking outright and not expect people to break the rules.  
    I would not take being hauled in for reprogramming well then and I would not take it well now.

    It's a stupid policy.  

    Parent

    Btw (5.00 / 1) (#20)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 04:32:30 PM EST
    I don't smoke.

    But I might start if I was a student there.

    Parent

    If I understand the un-understandable correctly (5.00 / 2) (#27)
    by kdog on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 05:38:43 PM EST
    The students can still smoke off campus...which leads to the surrealty of standing over here is kosher but 5 feet thataway requires re-education.

    Like in a NYC sidewalk cafe outdoors...you can't smoke at your seat but if you stand up and move 6 inches you can smoke.  All within 12 feet of car after truck after car spewing poisons that make second hand smoke look like tofu. Humans are the strangest animals ever, I swear.

    Parent

    Oh really (none / 0) (#28)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 05:43:23 PM EST
    "Allowed to smoke off campus".   How very tolerant.

    Parent
    I just realized (none / 0) (#17)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 04:26:15 PM EST
    Here I am, ticked about the uncertainty of sexual assault justice being dispensed.

    Parent
    The Daily Show weighed in (none / 0) (#7)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 03:56:39 PM EST
    This sounds (none / 0) (#25)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 05:17:10 PM EST
    like Bob Jones University where raping somebody is nothing but smoking will get you kicked out of school.

    Parent
    According to little Dadler... (none / 0) (#33)
    by Dadler on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 05:59:16 PM EST
    ...who is only an inch and something shorter than "big" Dadler at this point, and who is a high school freshman, nobody smokes anymore, they all vape, as in vaporize. (Interestingly, and having nothing to do with the smoking/vaping thing, he also says there are a lot of openly gay kids at his school.)

    Parent
    Do people vape (none / 0) (#35)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 06:02:21 PM EST
    Tobacco?  What's the fun in that?  

    Parent
    They vape this liquid... (none / 0) (#37)
    by Dadler on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 06:17:20 PM EST
    ...that has nicotine in it. Not tar, but who knows what they put in that candy flavored tobacco infused sh*t.

    Parent
    No tar (none / 0) (#38)
    by Dadler on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 06:17:45 PM EST
    Not "not"

    Parent
    Ah (none / 0) (#39)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 06:22:14 PM EST
    So it's like e cigs.  Still I don't get it. When I worked for the game company in 2011 using a vaporizer was the big thing.  No one wanted to smoke.  Not tocacco.  If you know what I mean.
    Meh
    I guess I am addicted to the whole pageantry of rolling and smoking.  Not a vaper.

    Parent
    Personally, my fave smoking memories... (none / 0) (#45)
    by Dadler on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 06:39:13 PM EST
    ...are of taking a monstrous toke from my roommate's friend's six-foot tall bong. He called it, of course, Her Highness. Dude's name was Pat Quinn, but he was a tripper and actually went by the moniker PeekYou. One good rip on his telephone poll of a water-pipe and it was like you floated away on the room-filling cloud you exhaled.

    Good times, good times. ;-)

    Parent

    pole, not poll (none / 0) (#46)
    by Dadler on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 06:39:52 PM EST
    politics infect me. oy.

    Parent
    "telephone poll" even (none / 0) (#54)
    by Dadler on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 06:56:36 PM EST
    i'm not long for this world.

    Parent
    Fear not, Comprendamos! (none / 0) (#58)
    by kdog on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 07:04:20 PM EST
    I have bongis envy as I caress my 18 incher as I type.

    Parent
    Polish Communication Workers Local 839 (none / 0) (#67)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 07:30:22 PM EST
    Is officially offended.

    Parent
    Tetephone Pole (none / 0) (#80)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 08:41:35 PM EST
    Huh? Huh?

    Parent
    Groan... (5.00 / 1) (#85)
    by unitron on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 09:37:07 PM EST
    ...which of course is the response that makes making terrible puns worthwhile.

    Parent
    Really? Wow... (none / 0) (#40)
    by kdog on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 06:23:31 PM EST
    damn whippersnappers and their technologies...I still kill myself slowly the old-fashioned way. Not opposed to vaping weed, though I much prefer fire, but if you ever see me with an e-cig you have permission to kick my skinny arse! It's the douchey smoking equivalent to the Uhuru thingy in your ear in lieu of a proper phone.

    Parent
    Exactly (none / 0) (#43)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 06:25:21 PM EST
    Oh, I don't know... (none / 0) (#86)
    by unitron on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 09:38:17 PM EST
    ...I could see an upside to Uhuru having both hands free.

    Parent
    Well played sir... (none / 0) (#110)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 07:56:30 AM EST
    but wouldn't you also want her full attention? I certainly wouldn't James T. barking in her ear at an inopportune time;)

    Parent
    I am actively trying to (5.00 / 1) (#21)
    by ZtoA on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 04:53:58 PM EST
    procrastinate today and I need help. I'm working on a grant proposal and it's like pulling teeth. I'm not good at writing. First i'm dyslexic and second I'm dyslexic. Written words just swim around for me.

    Please help me procrastinate with some interesting links I can waste time on!

    BTW, this is perfectly readable to me.

    i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aluacity uesdnatnrd waht I was rkanige. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervitsy it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny ipreamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerim.

    lol. no surprise there. (5.00 / 1) (#55)
    by Mr Natural on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 06:57:52 PM EST
    Don't you remember Dubya's speeches?

    Parent
    The beautiful trailer above (none / 0) (#23)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 05:07:50 PM EST
    Will waste 5minutes

    Parent
    Yarth (none / 0) (#34)
    by lentinel on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 05:59:29 PM EST
    I cn rd zar u wrotted.

    Goo.

    Baa.

    Parent

    ZtoA, if you want to identify the comment (none / 0) (#47)
    by Anne on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 06:44:50 PM EST
    to which someone is responding, there are two ways to do that.

    1.   While in the comment in question, hover your cursor over the "Parent" button; as with any other link you want to see more information about, hovering over the Parent button will reveal - at whatever area of your screen that sort of thing appears for you (in mine, it's near the bottom), you should see a string at the bottom of your screen that describes the link - at the end is the comment number it is in response to.

    2.   Click on the "Parent" button.  It will bring up the comment the person is responding to, along with all the other links in the chain.

    Hope that helps.

    Parent
    Anne, thank you again (2.33 / 3) (#59)
    by ZtoA on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 07:11:13 PM EST
    that works on the computer I don't use everyday but not on this. It is not a very new computer, so that might be the problem. This computer definitely has limitations now that it is getting older. If you want to buy me a new computer I would love that.

    I really don't know why you keep insulting me (not that you are doing that in this particular comment and thank you for further attempts educate me on how to use TL). Do you want to drive the point of your opinion of me into some kind of action like not me commenting at all? The shear number of your insults is beginning to make me think that.

    I am not the only commenter here who sometimes misinterprets another's. Others do it as well as you. I usually try to clear up my misunderstanding and I try to listen to others when they misinterpret me.

    Here are some direct questions:
    ------------

    Do you think you actually know me? here or IRL? Or that you actually know my skills?  

    Do you think I am in some sort of clique here? If so, why and what clique?

    Do you want to censor me? or get me to ban myself?

    Do you think I 100% disagree with you?

    Is it important for you to demonstrate your sel-defined superiority to me? Is it important for you to want to "correct" and "educate" me to your standards?

    Parent

    ps (5.00 / 1) (#64)
    by ZtoA on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 07:22:50 PM EST
    When my spell checker goes I'l raelly hvae to get a new copmuter.

    Parent
    I am really confused now. Did you, god forbid, (5.00 / 2) (#65)
    by oculus on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 07:24:57 PM EST
    reply to the wrong comment?

    Parent
    OMG I hope not! (5.00 / 1) (#73)
    by ZtoA on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 07:55:06 PM EST
    I was trying to respond to Anne's comment #47. Anne responded to my request for some fun links to help me avoid working on my grand proposal with some stuff from an earlier thread.

    Parent
    Anne so you just give me a '1' (5.00 / 1) (#76)
    by ZtoA on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 08:24:51 PM EST
    for asking you questions?

    Parent
    Consider it an honor. You are not cryptic. (5.00 / 3) (#78)
    by oculus on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 08:27:55 PM EST
    Unfortunately it doesn't feel like much of an (5.00 / 1) (#87)
    by ZtoA on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 09:55:47 PM EST
    honor to have some fellow internet person try to bully me.

    Parent
    Best Approach (none / 0) (#95)
    by squeaky on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 11:27:54 PM EST
    Have sympathy for Anne, because whatever bullying she puts out here at TL, if must be a fraction of what she does to herself in her head.

    Parent
    So don't write it in writing.... (none / 0) (#88)
    by unitron on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 10:00:45 PM EST
    Talk it into a tape recorder and keep revising 'til you get it the way you want it and then transcribe that.

    You might want to begin each attempt with something like "take 1", etc., to keep track of which is which.

    Failure of your spell check is not failure of your computer hardware.

    It's a software thing.

    Speaking of software things--

    If you hover the mouse pointer over the word "Parent" at the bottom of a comment that's a reply to another comment, and then (assuming your primary mouse button is the left-most one) 'right-click' on it and chose from the menu that comes up whatever is closest to "open in new tab" and left-click on that, it'll open another tab where the parent comment will be the one at the top of the screen before you do any scrolling.

    Parent

    Unitron (5.00 / 1) (#99)
    by ZtoA on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 12:44:11 AM EST
    Where did I ever say that spelling or spell check is a result of computer hardware?? I said the computer I use skews the site a bit and will not give the exact comment a commenter is commenting on. I'm on Safari but I don't think that's the problem. I don't use a mouse pad here, I use a touch pad. Maybe that's the problem. If you or anyone wants to buy me a new laptop with a mouse then I'm all for that!

    I'm not sure if you know much about dyslexia or many dyslexic people. Dyslexia is not solved by transcribing anything - that IS writing. So far, no voice recording accurately transcribes voice texts. Dyslexia is not uncommon for artists and I have many friends who have it too. One has it so bad that he almost cannot read at all. I am not ashamed of it and I do not feel that it disqualifies me from having to write. Since I am in the painful throes of writing a grant proposal I could not submit a voice message on the website saying that I have trouble writing and will continue to submit with voice recordings.

     If you were forced to draw a portrait with an accurate physical and emotional likeness in order to be able to engage in a visual discussion you might not be able to do that now or actually ever.  It is a kind of 'thing i really dislike' with me when art people (not often artists themselves tho) dismiss someone for not being able to accurately read a work visually. For one thing, there are different valid readings/understandings of a work of art. For another not everyone knows how to do this and it is not taught even in colleges without heavy reliance on complicated art theory.

    I couldn't  get an accurate physical and emotional portrait at the start and it took me several years to master it and to this day find it challenging. I know a couple of artists who have mastered portraits that capture an exact likeness along with an emotional likeness and I really love well known artists who do portraits like that like Alice Neel. I first started drawing portraits on the street at Jackson Square in NO on a 'sabbatical' from college. In art school those street artists were simply dismissed and ignored, but some of them were incredible draftsmen.

    Perhaps I should just send a draft of every comment I make on TL to my daughter who was an english major with excellent writing/editing skills and ask her to edit each one. I don't think she would like that tho. I have lost what little ability I had to have legible writing and oddly my daughter has recently lost the ability to control her hand enough to hand write. it is horrible for her since she actually loved writing by hand.

    Parent

    I find your writing... (5.00 / 2) (#127)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 09:03:19 AM EST
    totally legible ZtoA...don't sweat it.

    Perfect grammar, spelling, and punctuation is what hurts my eyes.

    Parent

    Procrastinate Away (none / 0) (#96)
    by squeaky on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 11:46:35 PM EST
    Oh I remember reading Walter Benjamin (5.00 / 1) (#102)
    by ZtoA on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 01:35:19 AM EST
    for 'fun' several years ago. I will re-read from your link tomorrow.

    Have you read much of Jaques Ranciere? I like reading him and thought Kdog at least might enjoy this:


    F*ch the police.

    Ranciere makes a simple claim. There are two kinds of politics in the status quo, fake poser bullsh*t masquerading as politics and the real thing. Ranciere calls the poser politics the "politics of the police". Ranciere calls "real" politics "dissensus."

    link

    Parent

    Good Idea! (none / 0) (#130)
    by squeaky on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 09:07:57 AM EST
    Sounds like my kind of guy.

    Parent
    in my continuing search for reasons (5.00 / 2) (#166)
    by ZtoA on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 12:12:20 PM EST
    to distract myself from writing a statement less than 500 words (I'm on my third draft by now) I came across a very funny site. It's an Art Statement Generator. Belgian artist Jasper Rigole created it. ANYONE can now generate an artist statement with the use of this handy statement generator. It's pretty simple and kind of like that word game of filling in a random word. Here's the first draft I got.

    Through my work I attempt to examine the phenomenon of Ariel as a methaphorical interpretation of both william blake and exploring.

    What began as a personal journey of ohism has translated into images of wine and eyes that resonate with northern euopean people to question their own redness.

    My mixed media transformation embody an idiosyncratic view of dalai lama, yet the familiar imagery allows for a connection between phillip seymore hoffman, connections and sausages.

    My work is in the private collection of xxx who said 'f*ck yes!, that's some real somewhat Art.'

    I am a recipient of a grant from Folsom Prison where I served time for stealing mugs and tie clips from the gift shop of The art institute of chicago. I have exhibited in group shows at none and xxx gallery, though not at the same time. I currently spend my time between my studio and Berlin.

    I may make some changes. Second draft:


    Through my work I attempt to examine the phenomenon of bambi as a methaphorical interpretation of both Paula Rego and tuning.

    What began as a personal journey of F*ck ism has translated into images of cheese and brain that resonate with american people to question their own redness.

    My mixed media object embody an idiosyncratic view of self, yet the familiar imagery allows for a connection between Heath Ledger, objects and eggs.

    My work is in the private collection of xxx who said 'F*ck yes!!, that's some real transmutive Art.'

    I am a recipient of a grant from Folsom Prison where I served time for stealing mugs and tie clips from the gift shop of The Art Institute of Chicago. I have exhibited in group shows at Burger King and Knodler, though not at the same time. I currently spend my time between my studio and Berlin.

    Anyone can give it a try!

    Parent

    Hahahaha (5.00 / 1) (#175)
    by squeaky on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 01:02:16 PM EST
    Sounds like it will win you the grant!

    Parent
    Ladies (5.00 / 1) (#29)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 05:45:09 PM EST

    who lunch

    Elaine Stritch RIP

    "The Ladies Who Lunch" is a song that mockingly judges the rich and wealthy women who waste their middle-aged lives doing nothing meaningful, sung by Joanne (Stritch) while out at a nightclub with her third husband Larry and their friend Robert. This particular performance of the song occurred when Elaine Stritch was trying in vain to record it for the Original Broadway Company Soundtrack. As the behind this video goes, Stritch, Stephen Sondheim and the orchestra were all exhausted because it was after midnight and the end of a long day of recording. Stritch struggling by that point to sing the song in the best way she could for the album. Eventually, after a matinee performance of the show and as we all knew she would, she returned to knock it out of the park.


    Oh, truly a loss (none / 0) (#42)
    by ruffian on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 06:24:33 PM EST
    She was one of a kind.  

    That whole DVD recording of Company is worth watching. As a geek I have seen it many times.  Dean Jone's performance of 'Being Alive' is also one for the ages.

    Parent

    Did you ever see her perform live? (none / 0) (#171)
    by oculus on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 12:38:54 PM EST
    I enjoyed reading the NYT articles about her life in Birmingham MI after she moved fro the Carlyle.

    Parent
    Nope (none / 0) (#173)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 12:58:58 PM EST
    Marriage equality could be coming to Florida (5.00 / 4) (#77)
    by Peter G on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 08:27:14 PM EST
    A judge in the Keys ruled the state's DOMA unconstitutional today. The unbroken streak of court rulings in state after state for the last year continues.

    Celebrations in Key West, (none / 0) (#187)
    by KeysDan on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 02:53:55 PM EST
    although the Florida Attorney General, Pam Bondi, has filed a motion of appeal that triggers an automatic stay. If the stay is somehow lifted before Tuesday (the Court's date, so as to permit the Clerk's office time to gear up), any couple can travel to the Keys (Monroe County) and receive a marriage license.

    In his opinion, Chief Circuit Judge Luis Garcia wrote in response to the previous passage of the marriage ban:  ".....our country (has a) proud history to protect the rights of the individual, the rights of the unpopular, and the rights of the powerless, even at the cost of offending the majority."  Beautifully stated opinion, but it will not offend, what is the majority view in Key West, and also not very likely to do so in the county, at large.  Judge Garcia was initially appointed by then Governor Jeb Bush, and, subsequently elected/reelected to the bench.  MiamiDade has a similar case pending in that jurisdiction.  

    Parent

    J, re: amber alerts (5.00 / 1) (#94)
    by nycstray on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 11:23:31 PM EST
    here they run them across the top of the screen vs interrupting a program. And I haven't even seen too many since I've been in CA. Can't remember how NY did them, but unless it was a serious could be shooting/death kinda thing, nothing was interrupted, in CA or NY. We also don't get weather break-ins here unless it's in the Bay Area, same with wild fire reports.

    My fav highway alert is, if you see a drunk driver call 911. And then other flashing signs tell you not to use your cell phone or text while driving :)

    We have Silver Alerts too, in Florida (5.00 / 1) (#97)
    by ruffian on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 11:55:28 PM EST
    When senior citizens go missing. I'm not joking.

    Parent
    What if it's a senior citizen (5.00 / 2) (#117)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 08:39:43 AM EST
    Named Amber?

    Parent
    Don't get me started... (none / 0) (#116)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 08:31:39 AM EST
    I don't think we call them "Silver Alerts", but the road signs in NY will occasionally display "Missing Adult" messages.  Cracks me up, I always think "If they're an adult, how could they be missing?  Maybe they just wanna be left alone?"

    I mean sometimes I like to go missing for a day or two...don't make an APB out of it!

    Parent

    From time to time (none / 0) (#129)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 09:06:28 AM EST
    seniors suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's will wander (escape) off and not remember how to come back.

    They are in great danger from thieves, traffic and other problems.

    Parent

    I realize that... (none / 0) (#133)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 09:15:05 AM EST
    as well as younger adults who are challenged...Down Syndrome and what not.

    But it's still funny to see "missing adult"...has an oxymoronish quality to it, in a free country where adults are allowed to go missing if they want anyway.

    Parent

    Dude, you've gone weird on me (none / 0) (#195)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 05:05:27 PM EST
    Come on down to Tunica and we'll play some poker and drink some wine and re calibrate you.

    ;-)

    Parent

    Saw a few of those Silver alerts on my (none / 0) (#123)
    by vml68 on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 08:51:08 AM EST
    trip to FL recently. Did not know what it was. Looked it up and found out it is mainly for senior citizens with dementia, Alzheimer's, etc., who go missing.

    Parent
    never had a problem with amber alerts (none / 0) (#105)
    by nyjets on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 05:36:51 AM EST
    Honestly I have never had a problem with amber alerts. They are not really that distracting on the road.
    And I don't find them that distracting on tv. And when you consider that rescuing a child is usually time sensitive, I can understand why the police need information ASAP. And a missing child is more important than a tv program.


    Parent
    Are you suggesting (none / 0) (#106)
    by CoralGables on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 06:26:09 AM EST
    that a missing child might be more important than a 20 second distraction during The Bachelorette?

    Parent
    nyjets (none / 0) (#107)
    by CoralGables on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 06:34:00 AM EST
    My poorly worded sarcasm is so bad I'm going back to bed. These early morning runs are taking a toll....btw, I agree with you.


    Parent
    Amber Alerts (5.00 / 2) (#108)
    by jbindc on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 07:50:04 AM EST
    No, it wasn't a Joe Biden thing. It was a birpartisan bill that passed almost unanimously by both houses of Congress.

    Amber Alert

    Really?  TV is more important than a missing child?  And really? Signs on the highway make you "distracted"?  Guess we should take down things like other road signs or signs that warn you of traffic or construction.

    Wow.

    Not so much T.V. (none / 0) (#131)
    by MKS on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 09:08:56 AM EST
    as my cell phone goes crazy with them....Loud, loud, loud.

    And, it is usually not so much a kidnapping but  more like a custody dispute where a parent did not return the kids on time....

    Yes, you are correct, but it is still annoying and a little too much crying wolf.

    Parent

    You must have more crazy people (none / 0) (#141)
    by jbindc on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 10:01:25 AM EST
    to take kids where you live. I see very few - I think maybe one or two this year.

    But I do get alerts on my phone and have seen a few Silver Alerts of seniors with some diminished capacities who went missing.

    As of this week, there have been 695 successful Amber Alert recoveries.

    I'd say that's way more important than missing a minute or two of the latest reality TV show.

    Parent

    I agree with you and jb both (none / 0) (#160)
    by sj on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 11:30:53 AM EST
    The cell phone notification is wake-you-up loud. I have mixed feelings about the ones on the highway. By the time they display what to look for most often I have passed the sign. Don't need three screens for that info, and the third is the one that has pertinent information that might actually yield something.

    Having said that, were it my child, I would appreciate all efforts made to locate him.

    And having said that, if they are going to send out alerts, I wish they would also notify when they find the person. Although not with the wake-you-up loud cell phone siren.

    Parent

    You don't get notifications? (none / 0) (#164)
    by jbindc on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 11:48:56 AM EST
    When I get the alerts on my phone, I get a follow up email when it has been canceled.

    Parent
    nope no notification (none / 0) (#165)
    by sj on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 11:59:49 AM EST
    that it has been canceled. But email? I'm busy getting off lists and don't have it on my cell phone. How the heck did "they" get your email address?

    Parent
    Maybe it's not the same thing (none / 0) (#167)
    by jbindc on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 12:15:02 PM EST
    I signed up for "Alert DC"  - so I get notifications of traffic accidents, water outages, Silver/Amber alerts etc.  Then I get the cancellations.

    And I guess I opted in somewhere to receive the Amber Alerts in the first place through my carrier.

    Parent

    I have no idea (none / 0) (#169)
    by sj on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 12:19:39 PM EST
    whether you opted in for Amber alerts or not, but I assure you that I never did. And yet... they come.

    Parent
    After a bit of research, (none / 0) (#178)
    by jbindc on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 01:18:27 PM EST
    (Which means, "Googling"), I found that you are now automatically "opted in".

    More.

    Parent

    That was my conclusion... (none / 0) (#181)
    by sj on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 01:30:11 PM EST
    ... without googling :)

    Parent
    Weather predicting joints (5.00 / 1) (#118)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 08:45:21 AM EST
    I never really believed old people could predict the weather by interpreting their joint pain.

    I believe.  I have now officially arrived at codgerdom.  I have a weather sensitive joint.  The day before the cold front it was killing me.  Worse than it had ever been.  I decided I would finally make an appt. with my doctor to talk about hip replacement.   The following day when the cool dry air arrived, absolute fine.  No pain at all.

    Yay.  I can predict weather.  I guess. I can't say what is going to happen.  Just something is going to change.

    Capt., before I had a hip replacement (5.00 / 1) (#138)
    by fishcamp on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 09:53:49 AM EST
    I went through the same weather predicting dilemma and postponed going to the doctor until I could hardly walk, no matter what the weather was doing.  You do need to see a doctor and "git r done" if necessary.  The new methods for hip replacement are much less painful and invasive than when I had mine done 12 years ago.  Good luck.

    Parent
    I know you are right (none / 0) (#139)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 09:58:36 AM EST
    Bad joints run in my family.  So far I have had it really easy.

    Parent
    Stem Cell Therapy (none / 0) (#143)
    by squeaky on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 10:07:43 AM EST
    Much better option than surgery, if possible...

    Parent
    I am lucky (none / 0) (#145)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 10:21:00 AM EST
    For this area, to have a very good, young doctor.  I trust his advise.  

    Which he has not given because I have not discussed it with him.

    Parent

    A doctor who happens to live about (none / 0) (#148)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 10:33:18 AM EST
    A mile further down my street in an old Hotel they restored that was for wealthy people coming up to the mountains " to take the air" around the turn of the century.

    It such a great place.  Little stream running through the yard that the driveway bridges.

    Parent

    Be sure to consult with an Orthopedic (none / 0) (#150)
    by fishcamp on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 10:51:54 AM EST
    surgeon that has done hip replacements in the past.  There are many available now since the need for the procedure has increased.  They chopped off the end of my femur and pounded a $20K Titanium piton down into the bone with a special receptacle in my pelvis.  They now have much less traumatic procedures available if you don't wait too long.  They try to avoid sawing the bone now and often reface the damaged end which I'm sure still hurts when you wake up but the recovery time is much shorter.  My hip problem undoubtedly came from years of ski racing but I find it strange that only one hip was damaged.

    Parent
    Ouch (none / 0) (#155)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 11:08:39 AM EST
    The procedure you describe is exactly what was done to my dog Ghost after he was hit by a truck.

    He is now 7, in people years, and I can tell it's starting to bother him.  His medication now costs more than mine monthly.

    Parent

    Yep, my hip is beginning to hurt again (none / 0) (#158)
    by fishcamp on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 11:30:30 AM EST
    so the procedure doesn't last forever.  I like squeaky's idea of stem cells.  In my case they did not use bone cement in the event the prosthesis needs to be replaced.  Believe me I would never go through that operation again.  This is why you need to get it diagnosed asap to avoid the saw and pound method.  Allegedly the Queen Mother across the pond had a total of three hip replacements since one of the prosthesis' was the wrong length.  Wonder what that doctor is doing now?

    Parent
    what tha'? (none / 0) (#180)
    by vicndabx on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 01:28:46 PM EST
    bone cement?!?

    that don't sound good

    Parent

    bone cement or bone putty (none / 0) (#186)
    by ZtoA on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 02:01:44 PM EST
    is actually quite stable. I have a half-dollar sized bone putty plug in my skull. Once it shifted a bit while setting it has not moved. Unfortunately I have a dent in the skull from that, but it's under my hair.

    Parent
    Bone cement does sound scary (none / 0) (#188)
    by fishcamp on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 03:08:25 PM EST
    but it sets up around the prosthesis and allows one to be weight bearing in three days.  In my case, when I was about Capt, Howdy's age, the doctor recommended I not use bone cement in case I needed to replace the titanium and ceramic prosthesis.  It was six weeks of agony before I could put any weight on that leg.  I only weight 170 lbs. which puts less stress on the joint than a heavier person but I wish I had gone with the bone cement.

    Parent
    Stem Cell (none / 0) (#152)
    by squeaky on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 10:58:22 AM EST
    The only drawback with stem cell therapy is $$$$$$$$.

    They take your own stem cells and inject it into the damaged hips.
    The hips repair themselves completely as new, without any surgery.

    It is the wave of the future..  too bad for surgeons, as they need to be constantly practicing to keep up their skills.

    Parent

    Amber alerts (5.00 / 1) (#134)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 09:16:45 AM EST
    don't bother me other than once in a while they have scared me half to death going down the road when my cell phone goes off. My cell phone makes this very loud beeping sound when one of them goes off. However, unless I actually have my cell phone with me or one me which usually is not often, I don't get the alert until the next day or days later pretty much rendering them ineffective. And going across the TV? Like I'm really going to see a car from my living room. I guess the TV thing is just to reach a broader audience.

    They don't cancel very well (none / 0) (#137)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 09:34:44 AM EST
    Josh had a surgery in San Antonio over two years ago.  There was an amber alert out of Dallas that a car had been stolen and that a baby was in the car.  Sadly the car stolen was the same color, model, and year as our car.  

    Josh was released in 24 hrs but he was pretty sick from anesthesia.  I was headed home on I-10, which if you were going to make a run of it with a small child and try to outrun law enforcement, hitting I-10 makes sense.

    I was first pulled over close to the Louisiana border.  The trooper was very hopped up when he got to the car, then he saw Josh and saw that he was sick..seemed to get angry with me.  He wanted to know why I sped up a little when he pulled up behind me?  I had no clue he was even there until I saw his colorful lights.  What likely happened is that I slowed some while checking on Josh, reaching a hand over to feel his forehead, make sure there is no fever etc.  Then I probably sped back up to the speed limit.  He did tell me then though that there was an amber alert out and my car fit the description.

    I was pulled over two more times, the last time was in Florala Alabama.  But the amber alert had been discovered to be a false report hours earlier.  There was no child in the car.  A woman had left her boyfriend and her income tax refund in cash in the car and returned to find all three gone.  She thought the police would take it more seriously finding the car with her money, if she said there was a child in the car too.

    I still think amber alerts are okay.  If someone abducts a child, time is limited.  But if someone creates a false amber alert, I have some feelings about that now.  And when the alert is no longer on, how come law enforcement doesn't seem to know that?  Other than the initial first pullover, the alert was off when I was pulled over the other two times.

    Parent

    That (none / 0) (#140)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 09:59:37 AM EST
    sounds like a real pain to have to deal with being pulled over because your car looks the same. I guess nobody bothered to look at a license plate number.

    BTW, I saw the picture of Josh on your facebook page. He is adorable!

    Parent

    Ahh thank you (5.00 / 1) (#146)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 10:22:45 AM EST
    I learn so much from him.  So many little things that I used to think important, not really important in the grand scheme. A lot of important things get sidelined to make room for the habit for the unimportant :)  He is good at making a lot of that clearer to me.

    I dug into it a little after it happened, when someone really means to break the law they will steal and use the license plate from a similar car to hide better from law enforcement.  So in the case of an abducted child, I think license plates can come "after" the color and model of car with law enforcement.

    Parent

    John Cleese (5.00 / 1) (#136)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 09:26:14 AM EST
    That parrot (none / 0) (#156)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 11:11:02 AM EST
    Cat (5.00 / 1) (#190)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 04:35:20 PM EST
    Apple overload. (5.00 / 1) (#200)
    by nycstray on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 09:23:17 PM EST
    Oh my, just started picking apples today and I'm in deep trouble! The weight of the branches, with some help from the wind, have broken the support beams :/ I'm so not ready for this many apples . . . .

    My winter squash and pumpkins are ripening also. Can't wait to make some roasted squash soup :)

    A Malaysian Airlines B-777 ... (none / 0) (#1)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 03:11:12 PM EST
    ... with 295 people aboard has crashed near the Russian border in eastern Ukraine, while on a flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. Wreckage and bodies are reported to be scattered over a 20-km area, lending credence to allegations that the airliner was perhaps shot down by a Russian Buk surface-to-air missile system (which has a range of 72,000 feet) while it was cruising over Ukraine at an altitude of 33,000 feet.

    Ukrainian officials have already publicly blamed Russia for this atrocity, and Russian-backed rebels in the region have reportedly been in possession of a Buk SAM system, but as of right now (4:00 p.m. EDT) it's too early to tell exactly what happened here. Rather, this terrible tragedy calls for patience and sober deliberation as officials try to determine how MH17 fell out of the sky.

    My condolences to those families who've lost loved ones in this disaster.

    US Intelligence is confirming (none / 0) (#5)
    by ruffian on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 03:53:05 PM EST
    that a missile was fired at the jet. Yes, we should wait for the investigation to prove it actually hit the jet, but it seems likely.

    To me it is a lesson in what can happen when a nation provides weapons to rebel groups because of shared goals, with perhaps lax vetting of their competence. I'm looking at you, John McCain.

    Parent

    Given that the tail section was ... (5.00 / 1) (#44)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 06:31:52 PM EST
    ... scattered over a wide area, while the rest of the plane plummeted in a specific locale, I'd say that yes, the missile scored a direct hit. Now we need to find out who fired it, and who authorized its launch.

    This is an incredibly sad development in the ongoing crisis between Russia and Ukraine. And quite frankly, the primary root cause of the turmoil is Vladimir Putin.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    Apparently those particular missles... (none / 0) (#84)
    by unitron on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 09:32:00 PM EST
    ...don't score direct hits so much as get up next to the target and explode, shotgunning it with all sorts of shrapnel.

    Not that that makes anyone on board any less dead.

    Parent

    Guess you didn't see McCain on CNN (none / 0) (#8)
    by vicndabx on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 03:59:13 PM EST
    "If -- I keep emphasizing if -- it was a missile that was launched either by Russia or the, quote, separatists, which in my view are indivisible, this would have the most profound repercussions," McCain said. "It would open the gates for our assisting, finally, the Ukrainians, giving them some defensive weapons. The sanctions that would be imposed as a result of that, that would just be the beginning. So, I just cannot believe that no one in their right mind would want to shoot down an airliner."

    Link

    How this tragedy provides any justification for MORE weapons escapes me.

    Parent

    ... of Russian aggression. If it is confirmed that either ethnic Russian separatists or the Russian military itself are responsible for shooting down this unarmed civilian airliner, then at this point, I'm ready to consider giving Ukraine whatever it needs to defend its territory.

    I fail to see how it serves anyone's interests to allow Vladimir Putin to bully his neighbors in such highhanded fashion, and to dismember Ukraine at his leisure for later consumption. If it is allowed to continue, eventual confrontation between Russia and the West will be inevitable.

    Therefore, I think it far better policy to turn the screws on Putin's Russia now, up to and including a diplomatic and economic embargo, than later when he has been emboldened by his successes and our failure to keep him in check, and we find ourselves in an unenviable position of no good choices.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    Perhaps Putin (none / 0) (#61)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 07:11:31 PM EST
    Regardless of guilt or innocence of the act will use this as an excuse to go I it that area of the country and impose martial law.
    What then?

    Parent
    When your only mental tool (none / 0) (#9)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 04:01:47 PM EST
    Is a hammer everything looks like a nail

    Parent
    Ha (none / 0) (#14)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 04:10:48 PM EST
    TV news just described McCains language - "there would be 'hell to pay'" - as restrained.

    Parent
    So (none / 0) (#22)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 05:01:55 PM EST
    One of the industries heavily impacted by the sanctions started yesterday makes surface to air missiles.

     It's a good thing the left is not as conspiracy minded as the right or some one would be saying Israel did it to knock their ground invasion of Gaza out of the headlines.

    Parent

    Speaking of conspiracy ... (none / 0) (#52)
    by Mr Natural on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 06:55:01 PM EST
    The plane that vanished in March over the Pacific or Indian Oceans, or was it the China Sea, was also Malaysian Airlines.

    Parent
    TSA Beat... (none / 0) (#2)
    by kdog on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 03:32:24 PM EST
    Judicial appointments by Gov. Brown: (none / 0) (#12)
    by oculus on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 04:05:45 PM EST
    [Camarenahttpp://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-san-diego-judges-20140716-story.html]

    Oops. (none / 0) (#13)
    by oculus on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 04:07:49 PM EST
    OT, I went to see "A Raisin in the Sun" (none / 0) (#30)
    by vml68 on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 05:45:43 PM EST
    last month. The woman sitting next to me (tall, older woman) told me she was from San Diego and visited NYC several times a year for the opera and the theatre. I thought it was you and was about to ask...

    Then, Magic Johnson came and sat 2 rows in front of us. That caused quite a bit of excitement in the crowd. The lady next to me seemed to get quite a kick out of it and she wanted to know if I could spot any other celebrities. I came to the conclusion it was not you.

    Parent

    Reasonable assumption though! (none / 0) (#57)
    by kdog on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 07:02:01 PM EST
    Oculus you have an imposter in town!

    Where are ya when I need ya Oc...need somebody to go see "Of Mice and Men" with me...none in my degenerate circles are interested.  Lenny needs his George! ;)

    Parent

    I would really like to see that play w/you. (none / 0) (#60)
    by oculus on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 07:11:15 PM EST
    But, alas, I am piano poor but happy. Squeaky?

    Parent
    What--you didn't think I'd recognize (none / 0) (#62)
    by oculus on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 07:16:13 PM EST
    Magic Johnson?  Probably right. How was the play?

    Parent
    Ha! It was the "can you spot any other (none / 0) (#71)
    by vml68 on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 07:45:24 PM EST
    celebrities" that did it for me.
    I can't pick on you about not recognizing celebrities since I am terrible at it. I recognized Magic's face but could not put a name to it till my husband told me who it was.

    I thought the play was great. The whole cast was terrific and I felt like Denzel Washington stole the show. But, then I really like Denzel Washington, so I could be biased. The only thing that felt a little off to me was "Joseph Asagai's" Nigerian accent. It was too exaggerated. I know a few Nigerians and they do not sound like that.


    Parent

    Did you snag a ticket to see Cate Blanchett (none / 0) (#72)
    by oculus on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 07:50:06 PM EST
    @ Lincoln Center?

    Parent
    I wish! Would love to see her in (none / 0) (#75)
    by vml68 on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 08:15:53 PM EST
    "The Maids".

    Unfortunately, we are moving at the end of the month. Too soon to fly back.

    Wanted to see "Swan Lake" this weekend. Might try to scalp a couple of tickets if I can convince husband to join me.

    Parent

    Did you (either of you) (none / 0) (#114)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 08:24:07 AM EST
    Like Blue Jasmine?
    Have you seen Blue Jasmine?

    Parent
    I liked the movie. I thought Cate Blanchett (none / 0) (#125)
    by vml68 on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 08:57:03 AM EST
    was incredible. A well deserved Oscar, IMO.

    Parent
    She deserved the award (none / 0) (#128)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 09:04:41 AM EST
    But I have never made it through the movie because I find her character so annoying.  It's a credit to the skills I guess that about 15 minutes in I decide life is to short to spend one more second in the presence of this person who makes me want to bang my head against the wall.
    I still have not made it all the way through.

    Just wondering if this was just a personal problem or others had experienced it

    Parent

    I saw "blue Jasmine." (none / 0) (#142)
    by oculus on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 10:02:35 AM EST
    A few years earlier I saw Blanchett play Blanche in "Streetcar Named Desire" @ BAM. Very similar portrayals.

    Parent
    Well I never saw her Blanche (none / 0) (#147)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 10:24:03 AM EST
    But I loved Streetcar.  IMO Jasmine was next level annoying.

    Parent
    I liked it. Did not find her so annoying, (none / 0) (#149)
    by ruffian on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 10:49:18 AM EST
    Glad she is not my sister, but an interesting character, and funny.

    Parent
    Some day (none / 0) (#151)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 10:53:05 AM EST
    I will try again

    Parent
    More judge news (none / 0) (#31)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 05:54:10 PM EST
    Recently, a Texas appeals court judge named Nora Longoria was caught going just over the speed limit while traveling drunk in her Lexus late one evening.  When she was pulled over by police she immediately flashed her badge and told them that she was a judge.

    She had plainly admitted to drinking at least 5 beers before getting behind the wheel, expecting that her badge would grant her extra rights, specifically the right to drive drunk.  It is also important to point out that if she said she had 5, then she probably actually had 12.

    For some reason, the police actually didn't give the judge the type of leniency that is seen in most cases like this.  When the 49 year old judge realized that she was going to be taken to jail, she began to cry and plead with the police for special treatment.

    "Please let me go home. I live a couple of miles away ... you are going to ruin my life. I worked hard for 25 years to be where I am today," she told police, according to court documents.



    Parent
    Judges get badges? (none / 0) (#53)
    by Mr Natural on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 06:56:11 PM EST
    Who knew? (none / 0) (#66)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 07:27:51 PM EST
    Off duty cops, (none / 0) (#168)
    by NYShooter on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 12:18:31 PM EST
    or, family members, will be let off scot free for, virtually, any violation............except DUI/DWI.

    My son was a member of the police dept. while we all lived in NY. During the past decade, or so, I was stopped by various police departments in NY probably, about a dozen times. I'm not a speeder, or, reckless driver, and, haven't had a citation in over 20/30 years. Who knows what the basis of those dozen stops were for, probably just a pretext for (hopefully, on their part) some greater violation........booze, drugs, guns, etc.

    But, the point of my story is this: The benefits associated with an elite, exclusive club are varied, powerful, and, very welcome..........especially if you're a member.

    The dozen episodes were all just about identical:

    Lights, signal, pull over, and stop.

    Cop......"License, and, registration, please."

    Me......."Oh, Man, my son is going to kill me. He's a cop in ABC, and, is going to razz me forever."

    Cop......(Handing back license) "Have a nice day, Sir."

    Sometimes they ask where he's assigned, but, only once in all that time did the cop call, and, verify. 99% of the time my comment was enough.

    Yeah, I know it sucks, and, I'm not particularly proud in telling this story. And, it's not an excuse, or, attempted justification, to state that all the stops were so minor, I, literally, didn't know why I was being stopped. But, the bottom line is that all drivers should be afforded the treatment I was. Relative to the damage that a driving ticket in NY does to the driver, financial, and, otherwise, for violations that are either non-existent, or, so minor that a verbal admonition is plenty enough of a deterrent, they should be S.O.P. for everyone.

    (Gotta admit it, though; being treated like a VIP is pretty neat)

    Parent

    Master Jiang (none / 0) (#15)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 04:22:10 PM EST
    and the six kingdoms

    Glad there was a synopsis at geek tyrant because you can't tell what it's about from the trailer.  But it looks amazing.

    All right animation fans, we've got a amazingly cool trailer for a Chinese animated film that you have to watch called Master Jiang and the Six Kingdoms. This movie looks absolutely incredible, and I was completely blown away by what I saw in this 5-minute trailer. What makes this film even more impressive is that all of the traditional animation in it comes from only two guys! There names are Li Wei and Pei Fei, and they previously worked on a film called God Hunters.

    The film revolves around the "awakening of an ancient evil put to sleep during an era of darkness. The awakening of this evil will ultimately unite kingdoms from around the world, as well as an unlikely hero called the 'Fishing rod child,' who will rise to the occasion to counter this threat."

    The stunning movie will be released sometime in 2016.



    St. George Island, Florida (none / 0) (#36)
    by Dadler on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 06:15:22 PM EST
    Cali boy Dadler will be trekking to the Florida panhandle tomorrow with the family, and hoping his matchstick spine will hold up through a five hour flight and equally long drive from Atlanta. Anyone  live in the area and/or have any interesting St. George Island area tips, leads, or just where to get a good meal if we actually get motivated enough to leave the house?  Going there to meet up with the Dixie Dadlers (pops, stepmom, half-bro and sis, their spouses and kids, and a family friend). Gonna be a squeeze, which conflicts drastically with my brooding recluse tendencies, but life is short, pops is old, so let love rule.

    Lumbar support, ahoy!


    Watch that surf (none / 0) (#41)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 06:24:04 PM EST
    The last time I really really messed up by lower back I was sitting in the surf and it picked me up and dropped me the wrong way.

    Parent
    No way I go in the ocean this trip (none / 0) (#49)
    by Dadler on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 06:49:06 PM EST
    Sadly, my back would be the second of my two worries, my lame foot the first. Ever since it became mostly useless (not entirely, by any means), going into the water at the beach has been sort a blind man's gamble for me. One bad step in the wet and shifting sand, one big dip or rise or drop, and it's SNAP!, that phucker will break like a 99cent Store toothpick, or tear ligaments/tendons as easily as paper.

    Good times, good times. ;-)

    Parent

    Uh, they have airline flights (none / 0) (#48)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 06:48:53 PM EST
    from ATL to Pensacola, or even Dothan would be closer.

    Parent
    Losing those three hours... (none / 0) (#51)
    by Dadler on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 06:52:38 PM EST
    ...coming from the west coast, and with the few number of flights into those small regional airports, and the cost of flying into them even if you choose, it was too expensive and too inconvenient time-wise. It was cheaper and easier on the schedule by far to fly to ATL a day early, spend the night in a hotel, then drive down the FL.

    But my wife booked it all, so blame her. ;-)

    Parent

    The best thing about being retired is (none / 0) (#89)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 10:03:43 PM EST
    not being an UAL 100K member.

    Parent
    Those small planes coming out of (none / 0) (#189)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 03:08:57 PM EST
    Atlanta into Dothan or Montgomery are constantly not clearing pre-flight and having to be replaced at the gate, and it adds hours to your travel.  Trying to fly to Vermont and back last December was crazy ONLY for that reason.  My flight to NYC for TL friend meetup  went through fine.  Coming home though same problem coming out of Atlanta.  Both episodes, two different members of the flight crews told me the little hoppers out of Atlanta are overworked.

    At Christmas....the Vermont trip home, if I had rented a car in Atlanta when the first small jumper was turned away by the pilots at the gate. I would have beat myself home.  They went through two not clearing pre-flight and repairs attempted at the gate.  Finally they accepted the third, but we sat at the gate for a very long time because the pilots could not get the computers that would autopilot the plane to boot.  They reassured us though that this was not a mechanical problem, would not affect the mechanical integrity of the aircraft.

    Parent

    Sounds like a bad experience (none / 0) (#194)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 05:02:53 PM EST
    OTOH I've had no problems with them...outside of the small seats.

    And in turbulence you get a thrill usually found only on roller coasters..

    Back in the day Southern flew a DC-9 back and forth from Dothan to Atlanta. My memory says it was a 6 AM departure or 4 PM... Many the time I've made the morning flight with a hangover so bad I'd almost pray for death.. But the flight attendants would always pass out some medicine as soon as we reached cruising altitude... Two JD's and the world would be right..

    And yes, the small airports made out very poorly in deregulation.

    Parent

    It wasn't just one bad experience Jim (none / 0) (#196)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 05:08:40 PM EST
    Three separate experiences out four possible within the past 9 mos.

    Parent
    Hmmm, sounds like (none / 0) (#197)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 05:10:44 PM EST
    Lady Luck is trying to tell you something.

    Parent
    2 separate memebers of 2 different flight (none / 0) (#198)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 05:16:32 PM EST
    Crews told me that the hop planes are too old and overworked and they have a difficult time keeping them in working order.  But whatever dude

    Sounds like Dadler's spouse might have heard from someone that you can start your vacation stressed or not stressed.


    Parent

    Uh, they have airline flights (none / 0) (#50)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 06:49:27 PM EST
    from ATL to Pensacola, or even Dothan would be closer.

    Parent
    We are close, how long are they here for? (none / 0) (#101)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 01:27:47 AM EST
    We have been very busy with percussion camp, which is a total of 8 working hours a day all week, but this weekend we could run down and grab dinner with them if they will still be in the area.

    Parent
    Good luck... (none / 0) (#144)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 10:13:32 AM EST
    you're gonna need in a sardine can with a gimpy back my brother!

    All I can help you with is a food stop in Tallahassee if you're passing through...Guthrie's for a delicious Gut-Box of fried chicken fingers, cole slaw, and Texas Toast.  Or The Catfish Pad for (duh) fried catfish.  Fine and tasty southern grease.  Damned if I can remember the name of the soul food joint on West Tenn. St., but that's the best of the three.

    Parent

    What will Obama (none / 0) (#68)
    by Slado on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 07:30:23 PM EST
    And the Europeans do?

    I worry that there will be a lot off strong words, condemnations as after Crimea and nothing more.

    Yes we are imposing sanctions but they aren't working and quite frankly I don't think Putin cares about the Russian economy.

    This is not just Obamas issue but should also Europe's issue.  In fact I'd say this is mostly their issue because we have much fewer strategic consequences then them.

    We've all turned a blind eye while Putin has meddled or directly destabilized Ukraine and this is the consequence.  We should have backed the Ukranians months ago but we and the Europeans chose not to.

    I wonder if there will be outrage in Europe or simply a quick display of grief and then nothing.

    I hope Obama raises a lot of money tonight for the DNC.

    The possibility of Putin (none / 0) (#69)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 07:34:07 PM EST
    Using this as an excuse to turn it up is very interesting.   Suppose he finds evidence he can use?  How can we object to that?
    It seems to me unless this can be directly linked to his government this is a gift for Putin.

    Parent
    Don't agree (none / 0) (#70)
    by Slado on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 07:44:18 PM EST
    He is supporting the group that brought this down.

    Add the fact that 23 Americans were on board and he's already lied to Obama saying the plane crashed.

    Of course we are talking about Obama so who knows.

    Apparently his speech after the crash was pretty funny..

    Obama tells jokes

    Parent

    Not quite "my pet goat" (none / 0) (#74)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 08:07:35 PM EST
    But not that good.  I understand wanting to get more information before saying to much  ......

    Parent
    Why is the first reaction (none / 0) (#100)
    by MKS on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 01:00:50 AM EST
    before the dust has literally settled to blame Obama?

    Why, we even gave that imbecile W a breather from politics for months after he and Cheney botched 911.

    Parent

    No one is blaming him (5.00 / 1) (#124)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 08:51:53 AM EST
    Or I'm not.  But the tone of that appearance was odd.

    Parent
    we should do nothing (none / 0) (#79)
    by MKS on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 08:28:29 PM EST
    ukaraine does not matter

    Parent
    Hmm, okay, US onboard (none / 0) (#93)
    by MKS on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 11:07:28 PM EST
    I am in for air strikes against any identifiable AAA sites....

    Parent
    It is interesting (none / 0) (#81)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 08:53:30 PM EST
    That Putin requests a call with Obama and the news of the plane breaks while they are on the phone.    

    That is an interesting coincidence.

    I thought it was the right-wing (none / 0) (#82)
    by christinep on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 09:14:49 PM EST
    that trafficked in such conspiracy theories.  C'mon Capt....

     BTW, every international incident is not an Iraq repeat.  While I understand the cynicism (and Iraq and other ill-begotten military adventures beget that stance) we really should look at what is going on independent of whatever pre-conceptions we bring to things international.  For example:  Without drawing any premature conclusions about this matter, it is possible to see that Putin is no angel ... to the contrary, available evidence over the years establishes a bully pattern internally and externally for the old KGBer.  IMO, Putin is likely directly involved in arming the separatist rebels while maintaining a degree of deniability (see Fareed Zakaria's initial analysis today.)  Yet, even tho my reaction is to assume that Putin is somehow implicated, it is important to await further developments.

    Despite our initial inclinations about "what happened"--however different--shouldn't we both await additional facts?

    Parent

    The fact is (5.00 / 2) (#83)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 09:30:54 PM EST
    It is an interesting coincidence.  I don't need any further facts to know that.

    As for the rest. I'm not even sure I know what you are talking about.

    Parent

    Not to say anything nice... (none / 0) (#90)
    by unitron on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 10:05:42 PM EST
    ...about Putin, but since ratcheted up sanctions on Russia just went into effect, it's not impossible that that was the reason for the phone call and it really was co-incidental timing.

    I have no problem with believing that Putin is evil enough to have ordered the rebels/separatists to "create an incident", but I don't see how this would be to his and Russia's benefit.

    Parent

    He could use it as an excuse (none / 0) (#91)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 10:08:30 PM EST
    To go into the Ukraine in force and the world would have a hard time complaining about if he can prove they are shooting down passenger planes.

    Parent
    Btw (none / 0) (#92)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 17, 2014 at 10:10:54 PM EST
    That was in fact the stated reason for the phone call.   Still interesting timing.

    I'm not saying it necessarily means anything.  To be clear.  But the timimg is interesting.

    Parent

    Surprise! Bill Richardson not ready (none / 0) (#98)
    by ruffian on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 12:00:24 AM EST
    to endorse  Hillary. I don't expect anyone to endorse someone who has not announced a campaign at this point....but somehow I have a feeling Richardson will find another candidate to endorse...or else be one himself.

    I think he will do a Claire McCaskill (none / 0) (#104)
    by MKS on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 01:50:29 AM EST
    and make amends.....He will most likely endorse once she announces....

    But, it won't be good enough, and Bill Richardson will likely be in the Clinton doghouse for many years to come.

    Parent

    I'm reading Hillary's book.... (none / 0) (#153)
    by ruffian on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 11:01:48 AM EST
    She is all into the 'team of rivals' concept. Perhaps he would be her Sewardesque appointment to something if he helps her win NM.

    Parent
    Could be (none / 0) (#159)
    by MKS on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 11:30:52 AM EST
    But Hillary is dynamite with Latinos....She does not really need his help in New Mexico.

    Parent
    Worth reading or listening to (none / 0) (#172)
    by oculus on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 12:58:19 PM EST
    despite the poor press coverage?

    Parent
    Ha! Joe Biden did it! (none / 0) (#103)
    by MKS on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 01:48:26 AM EST
    Great comment.

    kdog (none / 0) (#109)
    by jbindc on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 07:54:04 AM EST
    Saw Dave & Phil Alvin and The Guilty Ones last night.

    You were right - It.Rocked!

    What an amazing show!

    Nice... (none / 0) (#111)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 07:59:27 AM EST
    best Alvin experience yet, yes it was!  But now it really kills me that I never got to see The Blasters back in the day...if they can rock like that now, imagine how they rocked it 30 years ago.

    They really killed those Bill Broonzy tunes, didn't they?

    Parent

    Not bad (none / 0) (#112)
    by jbindc on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 08:04:48 AM EST
    For dudes around 60 years old!

    And of course, I am now a huge fan of the drummer, Lisa Pasternak.  She killed it!

    Parent

    You ain't kidding... (none / 0) (#115)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 08:25:26 AM EST
    she owns her skins...Dave don't hit the road with no slouches!

    Parent
    Next Stop... (none / 0) (#120)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 08:47:08 AM EST
    on the Summer Concert Series Express is the Great South Bay Music Festival right in my backyard this weekend.  Got some big names this year...moe is headlining Saturday and the living legend BB King on Sunday.  Plus The London Souls, Anders Osbourn, James Maddock, local ska-scene legends The Scoffloaws and some local bands I really dig. Sh*t Commander F*ckin' Cody is in the house too...this fest gets bigger and better every year.  

    Tap them kegs of Blue Point Summer Ale and let the good times keep rollin' baby!  Before WWIII kicks into full gear.

    Parent

    Commander Cody is still around? (none / 0) (#174)
    by oculus on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 01:00:47 PM EST
    Love Commander Cody! (none / 0) (#176)
    by squeaky on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 01:06:13 PM EST
    A close friend of mine used to play string quartets with them when he was in Stamford (late 60's?)

    Yes they are all classical musicians too!

    Parent

    The Commander... (none / 0) (#177)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 01:17:54 PM EST
    is on the Sunday card...if ya wanna LIRR to Patchogue I got you from there man!

    Parent
    Hmmm (none / 0) (#183)
    by squeaky on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 01:45:59 PM EST
    Got invited to Hamptons long weekend.. maybe I can convince my hosts to take the trip..

    Parent
    Do it man... (none / 0) (#185)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 01:51:01 PM EST
    Your friends will thank you!

    Parent
    A three minute interruption (none / 0) (#119)
    by Jack203 on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 08:46:06 AM EST
    "with no information and instead a carpet cleaning commerical and radio bit about the Denver Broncos played annoyingly"

    Wow.  Ridiculous.  That should be the cable company's problem...unless they want to lose business.  A 30 second scrolling bar every month or so is not nearly as bad.

    I disagree about the alerts on a highway being a distraction.  It's not too much different than other highway signs/billboards.

    I wonder if Amber Alerts are doing any real good though.  I get the impression that most are just about spouses stealing the children from other spouses after messy divorces.  Not emergencies.

    i think it depends (none / 0) (#121)
    by nyjets on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 08:48:34 AM EST
    While not strictly speaking an emergency, there have been cases that when the spouse disappears with the children and are never seen again.
    And don't forget about those cases where the spouse kills their children and then themselves.

    Now as to their effectiveness, I can not say. All I know is I have no problem with them.


    Parent

    I have wondered (none / 0) (#122)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 08:49:33 AM EST
    What the odds are of your seeing them from your car on a controlled access highway.

    Parent
    is it wrong that... (none / 0) (#132)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 09:09:50 AM EST
    "Amber Alert" has become slang in my circles for jailbait?

    "Hey dude that girl over there is gorgeous!"

    "Check your specs bro, that's an Amber Alert waiting to happen."

    Parent

    Did anybody (none / 0) (#154)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 11:08:27 AM EST
    hear about this?

    TV actress sends ricin to Obama and some other people who are for gun control.

    I did... (5.00 / 1) (#157)
    by kdog on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 11:20:57 AM EST
    don't fight lunacy with lunacy kids.

    Her "defense" is so odd...she thought security measures would protect the President, Bloomberg, etc...so I guess she was just trying to kill postal workers.  WTF Lady?

    Parent

    my thoughts exactly (none / 0) (#163)
    by ruffian on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 11:46:00 AM EST
    how can she send ricin in the mail and say she never intended to hurt anyone? why do it then?

    Parent
    Johnny Winter (none / 0) (#191)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 04:40:57 PM EST
    Dead at 70

    LA (none / 0) (#192)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 04:42:31 PM EST
    Wow (none / 0) (#199)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2014 at 06:46:23 PM EST