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Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

This year has been the longest three days of putin’s life.

The rest of the comments were smacking Boebert like she was a piñata.

Come on, media. you have one job. start doing it.

Is it negotiation when the other party actually wants to shoot the hostage?

Fundamental belief of white supremacy: white people are presumed innocent, minorities are presumed guilty.

No one could have predicted…

Well, whatever it is, it’s better than being a Republican.

Republicans: slavery is when you own me. freedom is when I own you.

One of our two political parties is a cult whose leader admires Vladimir Putin.

Dear elected officials: Trump is temporary, dishonor is forever.

The fundamental promise of conservatism all over the world is a return to an idealized past that never existed.

Hey Washington Post, “Democracy Dies in Darkness” was supposed to be a warning, not a mission statement.

The lights are all blinking red.

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

Since when do we limit our critiques to things we could do better ourselves?

It’s pointless to bring up problems that can only be solved with a time machine.

He really is that stupid.

You are so fucked. Still, I wish you the best of luck.

Fear or fury? The choice is ours.

🎶 Those boots were made for mockin’ 🎵

America is going up in flames. The NYTimes fawns over MAGA celebrities. No longer a real newspaper.

Bark louder, little dog.

Marge, god is saying you’re stupid.

Wow, I can’t imagine what it was like to comment in morse code.

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You are here: Home / z-Retired Categories / Previous Site Maintenance / Open Thread

Open Thread

by John Cole|  August 10, 20078:23 am| 87 Comments

This post is in: Previous Site Maintenance

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Post the interesting stuff.

And I am still working on the blogroll.

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Reader Interactions

87Comments

  1. 1.

    Ugh

    August 10, 2007 at 8:24 am

    Wheee!

    Canadian intelligence officials anticipated that the United States would ship Maher Arar, a Syrian-born Canadian who was detained in New York in 2002 on suspicion of terrorism, to a third country to be tortured, declassified information released on Thursday shows.

  2. 2.

    Punchy

    August 10, 2007 at 8:31 am

    Hey, I finally found those 28%ers everyone is always wondering about.

    They’re here. Specifically, check out the comments.

  3. 3.

    Fruitbat Jones

    August 10, 2007 at 8:47 am

    Y’all can kiss goodbye those fantastic 401K and mutual fund profits ya made this year.

    Market in a free fall. Yikes.

  4. 4.

    ThymeZone

    August 10, 2007 at 8:47 am

    They’re here. Specifically, check out the comments.

    When you can’t tell who the spoofs are without a program, then the spoofs win.

    We’ve long since passed the point at which we can to the 28%-er schtick better than they can do it themselves.

  5. 5.

    timb

    August 10, 2007 at 8:52 am

    I don’t often read Kos, but I followed this fascinating link http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/8/6/6165/93743 regarding Sean Hannity and his bogus “Freedom Concerts.”

    I loathe that SOB and can still remember him rallying Bush voters in Ohio the weekend before the election…a campaign rally masquerading as news coverage. I still think he helped Blackwell swing that state….

    Anyway, it’s good to know that professional shysters North and Hannity are fleecing the 28%er’s out of their cash.

  6. 6.

    Zifnab

    August 10, 2007 at 9:52 am

    Darwin was wrong! Praise Jesus!

    Two fossils found in Kenya have shaken the human family tree, possibly rearranging major branches thought to be in a straight ancestral line to Homo sapiens.

    Scientists who dated and analyzed the specimens — a 1.44-million-year-old Homo habilis and a 1.55-million-year-old Homo erectus found in 2000 — said their findings challenged the conventional view that these species evolved one after the other. Instead, they apparently lived side by side in eastern Africa for almost half a million years.

    Now if only scientists could get their numbers right and trim that half million year time frame back by about three zeros.

  7. 7.

    myiq2xu

    August 10, 2007 at 9:58 am

    STEELY McBEAM!

    giggle, snort, chortle guffaw!

  8. 8.

    Punchy

    August 10, 2007 at 10:02 am

    After reading Zif’s post, it occured to me that the Jesus Freaks would probably endorse and accept Darwin’s work if it wasn’t so thoroughly infected with the word “Homo”.

    I’m betting they won’t let their children read it because of it…Try explaining “Homo erectus” to a 5 year-old without imaging dirty thoughts….

  9. 9.

    Michael Tedesco

    August 10, 2007 at 10:03 am

    It was a pleasure meeting you last night. Adding you to the blogroll now.

    Cheers!

  10. 10.

    Andrew

    August 10, 2007 at 10:10 am

    Y’all can kiss goodbye those fantastic 401K and mutual fund profits ya made this year.

    Market in a free fall. Yikes.

    I avoid this problem by not having any money or investments. The rest of you suckers are getting hosed!

  11. 11.

    capelza

    August 10, 2007 at 10:25 am

    Zifnab Says:

    Darwin was wrong! Praise Jesus!

    Two fossils found in Kenya have shaken the human family tree, possibly rearranging major branches thought to be in a straight ancestral line to Homo sapiens.

    Scientists who dated and analyzed the specimens — a 1.44-million-year-old Homo habilis and a 1.55-million-year-old Homo erectus found in 2000 — said their findings challenged the conventional view that these species evolved one after the other. Instead, they apparently lived side by side in eastern Africa for almost half a million years.

    Now if only scientists could get their numbers right and trim that half million year time frame back by about three zeros.

    That’s what happens when reporters rely on the “conventional” view.

    For the love of HoHo’s…I’ve know that the evolutionary trail of our own ancestory was more complicated than a straight line for fucking years, many many years.

    It’s always been my thought that the sole remaining human species (us), after all our cousins died off, went batshit crazy from the lonliness and created gods to replace them.

  12. 12.

    Dreggas

    August 10, 2007 at 10:53 am

    Punchy Says:

    After reading Zif’s post, it occured to me that the Jesus Freaks would probably endorse and accept Darwin’s work if it wasn’t so thoroughly infected with the word “Homo”.

    I’m betting they won’t let their children read it because of it…Try explaining “Homo erectus” to a 5 year-old without imaging dirty thoughts….

    from now on call them heterosapiens.

  13. 13.

    Wilfred

    August 10, 2007 at 10:55 am

    Marc Lynch nails it:

    Neo-conservatism summed up in one sentence:

    “I spent a week in Iraq recently, and here’s what impressed me most: the Americans.” – Bill Kristol

    He has a good blog here

  14. 14.

    Dreggas

    August 10, 2007 at 11:00 am

    Fruitbat Jones Says:

    Y’all can kiss goodbye those fantastic 401K and mutual fund profits ya made this year.

    Market in a free fall. Yikes.

    Yep, world over they’re tumbling. Now the SEC is investigating companies to make sure they aren’t hiding losses in their portfolios due to subprime holdings.

  15. 15.

    ThymeZone

    August 10, 2007 at 11:14 am

    Marc Lynch nails it:

    Neo-conservatism summed up in one sentence:

    “I spent a week in Iraq recently, and here’s what impressed me most: the Americans.” – Bill Kristol

    Even knowing what a complete horse’s ass Kristol is, that is just a jaw-dropper.

  16. 16.

    grumpy realist

    August 10, 2007 at 11:16 am

    Considering we were getting wild swings upwards before this latest set of jumps downward, what we’re seeing is a well-needed correction of the market. It goes up, it goes down…..I’m in for the long haul. If you’re really worried, stop-loss your portfolio and move into bonds or cash.

    What’s more worrying is the ratings on the CDOs everyone stuffed their portfolios with. As I said earlier “gas molecules never panic and run to the corner of the box. Humans do.” So much for Gaussian distributions, stochastic theory, and all the other stuff the bright guys at Moody’s et al. used to slice and dice these babies into existence. (I should know–I almost got hired by them.)

    Now everyone is jittery because no one knows how to value the CDOs and other exotics–partly because of the probability of default question, but mainly because these things aren’t traded. Why? Because everyone is terrified of the risk question, so people are willing to offer only a very low purchasing price for the beasties. The holders aren’t willing to sell at those prices, so the market has frozen up….

    Looks exactly like the Tokyo Corporate Real Estate Market After The Bubble, Redux….. expect it to take some time for things to unstick.

    Reminds me of the Zen koan: “Why is the head of a dead cat the most valuable thing in the world?”

    “Because no one can put a price on it.”

  17. 17.

    The Other Steve

    August 10, 2007 at 11:25 am

    Why this guy in Philly Hates America

    You just can’t make this shit up.

  18. 18.

    demimondian

    August 10, 2007 at 11:27 am

    Actually, there’s an interesting generic systems analysis of non-linear systems near a phase transition: volatility rises in all such systems. We can predict, therefore, a period of volatility followed by either a plunge or by a bounce.

    Invest in wild swings for a while…then (more likely) bail as the chickens come home to roost or (far less likely) jump in with both feet as the market takes off.

    Or, do what I’m doing: put on your chicken little hat and get the Hell out.

  19. 19.

    Dave Weeden

    August 10, 2007 at 11:28 am

    The wingers will have fun with Reuters uses wrong photo.

    News agency Reuters has been forced to admit that footage it released last week purportedly showing Russian submersibles on the seabed of the North Pole actually came from the movie Titanic.

    But for real outrage you need [UK] MoD issues gag order on armed forces. Also on ARRSE.

  20. 20.

    BFR

    August 10, 2007 at 11:40 am

    Why this guy in Philly Hates America

    What an assclown.

  21. 21.

    pharniel

    August 10, 2007 at 11:50 am

    apperently, little did i know, i was given an incorrect copy of the constitution when i was going through civics.
    or looking at the actual thing in dc

    i was always told it read:
    Article VI, paragraph 3, the last line: “…no religious Test shall be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.”

    Bill of Rights
    Amendment I
    Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech.

    Turns out i was 1000% wrong (it’s possible to be over 100% if you’re one of them libruls. ’cause being in favour of liberty is EEEEVIle)

    it’s actually:
    Article VI, paragraph 3, the last line: “…no religious Test* shall be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.
    * – unless you’re one of them goddamned godless heathen, not limited to: HIndhu, muslim or them freaks the eastern orthedox ‘chruch'”

    Bill of Rights
    Amendment I
    Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion*, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech.
    * – excpting where congress grants cash money to projects to evengenlicol denominational christian churches for pet projects, but especially when they try to setup some nice footbaths at a public university

  22. 22.

    Krista

    August 10, 2007 at 11:53 am

    Canadian intelligence officials anticipated that the United States would ship Maher Arar, a Syrian-born Canadian who was detained in New York in 2002 on suspicion of terrorism, to a third country to be tortured, declassified information released on Thursday shows.

    Disgusting. Thanks for pointing this out — time to contact my MP and raise a stink.

  23. 23.

    Jake

    August 10, 2007 at 11:58 am

    You just can’t make take this shit up out back and whack him with a mallet.

    Thing is, he’s not the first person to get major wood for an event that takes out another 3,000+ people. But since he doesn’t blame it all on the Democrats I suspect this will be the one RedState notices.

  24. 24.

    Rily

    August 10, 2007 at 12:03 pm

    What is going on at “The Daily Dish”? Sullivan has gone on
    vacation before but what is being written over there now
    could be best described as boring, vacuous dribble.

  25. 25.

    Zifnab

    August 10, 2007 at 12:04 pm

    Why this guy in Philly Hates America

    You just can’t make this shit up.

    I appreciate the stupidity of the premise. 9/11 brought us all together when the Democrats threw unflinching, unthinking support behind the Republican Majority. Our nation was united for a few moments because the sensible heads agreed to concede to the radicals and plunge head long into the morass.

    He forgets to mention that the Republican Majority then proceeded to abuse the fuck out of this newfound power without making us one lick safer. When they were caught, they proceeded to abuse the fuck out of their power to escape punishment.

    This idiot seems to be implying that we need another 9/11 so the nation as a whole can dive face first into the same exact stupidity that put us where we are right now. Because the first time all the lemmings dove over the cliff was such a triumph, what we really need is another come-together moment like that.

    God damnit, he’s dumb.

  26. 26.

    ThymeZone

    August 10, 2007 at 12:12 pm

    The Golden Gate Bridge. Mount Rushmore. Chicago’s Wrigley Field. The Philadelphia subway system. The U.S. is a target-rich environment for al Qaeda.

    Al Qaeda might hit Mount Rushmore?

    And do what? Blow Lincoln’s nose off?

    The Philly subway system?

  27. 27.

    Paul L.

    August 10, 2007 at 12:20 pm

    Zifnab Says:

    Darwin was wrong! Praise Jesus!

    I pointed this out in another thread. with the reason that the study is invalid.

    This study must have been funded by a christian groups and energy companies.

    For the love of HoHo’s…I’ve know that the evolutionary trail of our own ancestory was more complicated than a straight line for fucking years, many many years.

    It’s always been my thought that the sole remaining human species (us), after all our cousins died off, went batshit crazy from the loneliness and created gods to replace them.

    Do you care to post a link to anyone who argued the theory of own ancestry was more complicated than a straight line before the discovery?
    What is with the deniers and their questioning of “settled science” with a consensus.

    Of course, this mostly just means the problem isn’t as bad as thought; it doesn’t affect the global averages by more than a few percent. But it does raise troubling questions about the accuracy of the underlying data, especially since people like James Hansen, who heads GISS, have a huge financial and career interest in having the numbers trend upward. A conflict of interest coupled with a lack of transparency is a recipe for abuse.

    I hadn’t realized the GISS temperature data underlying so many GW models was based on secret computer code and undisclosed correction methods. If they’re serious about global warming as anything more than a vehicle for funding, they need to release all of this for public scrutiny. Now.

    UPDATE: This is even worse than I thought. There’s been a volunteer project to check out the network of temperature monitoring stations, to determine how reliable their measurements are. When problems like nearby air conditioner exhaust and lightbulbs next to thermometers were found, the response from the National Climatic Data Center was… to hide information about the stations locations so no one could check them. They later relented, but cancelled a project to validate the network.

    This is so not how science is done.

    As for more “settled science“

  28. 28.

    Jake

    August 10, 2007 at 12:21 pm

    God damnit, he’s dumb.

    Yeah. He could have at least suggested taking out the Steeler’s new mascot.

    Add it to the long list of reasons people in other countries think we are insane.

    You’ll never see people in Israel or Pakistan or London walking around, checking their watches, saying “Damn it, when is something going to blow up again? I feel the need for another shot of warm fuzzy patriotism.”

    My theory: Stu got laid for the first and last time on 9/11. Now he associates massive death and destruction with nookie.

  29. 29.

    Zifnab

    August 10, 2007 at 12:24 pm

    My theory: Stu got laid for the first and last time on 9/11. Now he associates massive death and destruction with nookie.

    Deeply Freudian. I like it.

  30. 30.

    capelza

    August 10, 2007 at 12:38 pm

    Paul L…I can’t post a link for a magazine article I read in the 90’s. But try “Natural History” for the past three decades or so.

    If this is news to you then, frankly you have not paid attention till now.

    Here’s a quote from Stephen J. Gould from 1977. From “Ever Since Darwin”..a book, you may have heard of them. Hard to post links from them.

    Evolutionary “sequences” are not rungs on a ladder, but our retrospective reconstruction of a circuitous path running like a labyrinth, branch to branch, from the base of the bush to a lineage now surviving at its top.

    Like I said, it is nothing new.

  31. 31.

    RSA

    August 10, 2007 at 12:41 pm

    Darwin was wrong! Praise Jesus!

    If science can’t produce eternal truths, what is it good for?

  32. 32.

    Punchy

    August 10, 2007 at 1:03 pm

    Paul L, once and for all, please just answer this succinctly– do you, or do you not, believe in evolution as both the origin of species and the explanation for species diversity?

    Yes or no answer, please.

  33. 33.

    Perry Como

    August 10, 2007 at 1:11 pm

    To save America, we need another 9/11.

  34. 34.

    fecapult

    August 10, 2007 at 1:12 pm

    I’m betting they won’t let their children read it because of it…Try explaining “Homo erectus” to a 5 year-old without imaging dirty thoughts….

    Heh heh… You said “homo erectus”

  35. 35.

    Perry Como

    August 10, 2007 at 1:12 pm

    Hrm, should have refreshed the thread before posting.

  36. 36.

    capelza

    August 10, 2007 at 1:17 pm

    I wonder what homophobes think when they walk into a grocery store in Canada and see “homo milk”?

  37. 37.

    Perry Como

    August 10, 2007 at 1:29 pm

    Aug. 10 (Bloomberg) — The Federal Reserve added $19 billion in temporary funds to the banking system through the purchase of mortgage-backed securities to help meet demand for cash amid a rout in bonds backed by home loans to riskier borrowers.

    The Fed accepted only mortgage-backed debt as collateral for this morning’s weekend repurchase agreement.

    FREE MARKET, BITCHES!

  38. 38.

    The Other Steve

    August 10, 2007 at 1:32 pm

    What is going on at “The Daily Dish”? Sullivan has gone on
    vacation before but what is being written over there now
    could be best described as boring, vacuous dribble.

    What? You don’t like Bartlett Pear and Professor Braindrain commenting?

  39. 39.

    The Other Steve

    August 10, 2007 at 1:35 pm

    The Federal Reserve added $19 billion in temporary funds to the banking system through the purchase of mortgage-backed securities to help meet demand for cash amid a rout in bonds backed by home loans to riskier borrowers.

    Fat chance they’re going to be able to resell those!

  40. 40.

    ThymeZone

    August 10, 2007 at 1:36 pm

    If science can’t produce eternal truths, what is it good for?

    Better things for better living, through chemistry.

  41. 41.

    Zifnab

    August 10, 2007 at 1:40 pm

    Paul L, once and for all, please just answer this succinctly—do you, or do you not, believe in evolution as both the origin of species and the explanation for species diversity like pie?

    Fixed, because why take this seriously?

  42. 42.

    Dreggas

    August 10, 2007 at 1:47 pm

    fecapult Says:

    I’m betting they won’t let their children read it because of it…Try explaining “Homo erectus” to a 5 year-old without imaging dirty thoughts….

    Heh heh… You said “homo erectus”

    Heh, seriously there was a kid in school who we used to ask all the time if he was a “Homosapien” and he’d always say no. Of course we used to ask him if there was anything “over the border” and he said no so…

  43. 43.

    Psycheout

    August 10, 2007 at 1:48 pm

    Red State Exposed as Fraud.

  44. 44.

    ThymeZone

    August 10, 2007 at 1:49 pm

    “It is in the interest of the United States,” declared President Bush yesterday, after Neil Cavuto explained to him what this “nuclear option thing” was all about, “that we encourage the Chinese to go from a savings economy to a consumer economy. And then have access to those markets so that U.S. producers and service providers can expand their businesses and, therefore, create more jobs here at home.”

    “A real reporter would have followed up by asking, ‘How?’” calmly explains our in-house encyclopedia Dave Gonigam. Dave left a 20-year career in the TV industry to work with us — editing The 5, writing various exposes and heading up our in-house blog.

    “But Cavuto’s not a real reporter,” says Dave. “In his follow-up, he asked Bush what he thought about Barry Bonds’ 756th home run.”

    Oy!

    “How, indeed?” wrote Dave, following up where Cavuto failed. “The notion that the goal of converting China to a consumer society is achievable, that it’s somehow within the power of the U.S. government, is itself breathtaking. I dare say, even more breathtaking than the notion it’s within the power of the U.S. government to transform the Middle East into Jeffersonian democracies.”

    Incroyable, as the French say. We don’t know if this is as obvious to some folks as it is to us, but sometimes, the president doesn’t seem like the sharpest knife in the drawer

    In the spirit of the Eternal Open Thread, I just wanted to share this little piece that I clipped from a financial newsletter I get regularly.

  45. 45.

    demkat620

    August 10, 2007 at 1:50 pm

    God damnit, he’s dumb.

    Stu Bykofsky is largely ignored here. And yes your right, he is dumb.

  46. 46.

    Cyrus

    August 10, 2007 at 1:51 pm

    Now he associates massive death and destruction with nookie.

    Who doesn’t?

    Wait, you mean you don’t? Um, never mind.

  47. 47.

    Cyrus

    August 10, 2007 at 1:54 pm

    Psycheout Says:
    Red State Exposed as Fraud.

    Heh, thanks, that was kinda funny. By the way, though, can someone with a DKos membership leave a comment over there explaining that diary? I don’t feel like signing up just for this one thing, but it’s unfair to leave them guessing about what we already know or strongly suspect about Psycheout.

  48. 48.

    The Other Steve

    August 10, 2007 at 2:13 pm

    I’m posting this before Paul L!

    Remember the guy claiming the data on global warming was fudged because of an air conditioner 10 feet away from the measuring statement in Lino Lakes, MN?

    It turns out the A/C theory is still nutty, but in parsing the numbers he did discover that NASA had a Y2K problem in their calculations.

  49. 49.

    capelza

    August 10, 2007 at 2:16 pm

    So, I’m at Sadly No…just lookin’ at the cat pictures, I swear! And lo, Conferderate Yankee is STILL going on about the Bradley-can’t-run-over-a-dog thing.

  50. 50.

    Dug Jay

    August 10, 2007 at 2:19 pm

    Here’s an interesting story on the near suicide that Al Gore has been contemplating lately.

  51. 51.

    Fwiffo

    August 10, 2007 at 2:21 pm

    Yet another coal mine accident. What the heck is going on with these things?

  52. 52.

    The Other Steve

    August 10, 2007 at 2:21 pm

    So, I’m at Sadly No…just lookin’ at the cat pictures, I swear! And lo, Conferderate Yankee is STILL going on about the Bradley-can’t-run-over-a-dog thing.

    Somebuddy needs a hobby. Perhaps we should send him some crocheting needles and yarn?

  53. 53.

    The Other Steve

    August 10, 2007 at 2:23 pm

    Here’s an interesting story on the near suicide that Al Gore has been contemplating lately.

    Refresh the page before posting next time.

  54. 54.

    The Other Steve

    August 10, 2007 at 2:24 pm

    Yet another coal mine accident. What the heck is going on with these things?

    Were they illegal immigrants?

  55. 55.

    caustics

    August 10, 2007 at 2:35 pm

    Psycheout Says:

    Red State Exposed as Fraud.

    Wow. Dude, you are so off the chain. Thanks for making Moe Lane look clever.

  56. 56.

    Punchy

    August 10, 2007 at 2:49 pm

    Yet another coal mine accident. What the heck is going on with these things?

    Too many companies reading that as “Coal! Mine!” and trying to excavate all of it in, like, 23 minutes flat.

  57. 57.

    Dreggas

    August 10, 2007 at 3:02 pm

    Fwiffo Says:

    Yet another coal mine accident. What the heck is going on with these things?

    Mine Company response: “Mine your own business!”

  58. 58.

    Dreggas

    August 10, 2007 at 3:06 pm

    Your party affiliation information contains some irregularities

    Choice quote:

    “I cannot find a record of you taking a single action in support of the Republican Party — not locally, not nationally!”

    Not only do we have loyalty oaths ladies and gentlemen, we have people making sure that the foot soldiers salute properly, only problem is this is being sent to democrats…go figure.

  59. 59.

    Face

    August 10, 2007 at 3:24 pm

    Johnny….looks like the esteemed JMM has a great take on the Bo-chump ordeal….says pretty much what all of us non-Kool-aid drinkers have been saying

  60. 60.

    caustics

    August 10, 2007 at 3:41 pm

    Sorry, I was a bit harsh on Psycheout. Seeing Redstate taking pains to assure the regulars that Baptists for Brownback was indeed a spoof was priceless.

    Mrs. T.D. Gaines-Crockett must be proud.

  61. 61.

    Grumpy Code Monkey

    August 10, 2007 at 3:42 pm

    Do you care to post a link to anyone who argued the theory of own ancestry was more complicated than a straight line before the discovery?

    Will this do? Human evolution alive with controversy. Some relevant quotes:

    In the intervening 25 years, the picture has proven to be considerably more complex than habilis to erectus to sapiens. Researchers now recognize (with considerable bickering about the details) five distinct species of human.

    While the details of this story are still quite controversial among paleontologists, the emerging concensus is that there have been at least five species of humans, all of them evolving in Africa and four of them migrating out in successive waves to Europe and Africa. The human evolutionary tree is a bush, rooted in Africa.

    Here’s a proposed tree of descent made before the latest discoveries.

  62. 62.

    Jake

    August 10, 2007 at 3:52 pm

    “How, indeed?” wrote Dave, following up where Cavuto failed.

    We must invade … Myanmar!

    “that we encourage the Chinese to go from a savings economy to a consumer economy.

    Gee, I didn’t know saving was a bad thing, but okiedokie. I’ll just wave my savings to consumer economy wand. WTF?

    And then have access to those markets so that U.S. producers and service providers can expand their businesses and, therefore, create more jobs here at home.”

    And those jobs will promptly be outsourced to … care to guess? W.T.F?

    Gods, someone either please shut him up or prepare to welcome our Chinese Overlords.

  63. 63.

    RSA

    August 10, 2007 at 4:08 pm

    Here’s a proposed tree of descent made before the latest discoveries.

    Nice. Too bad so many people think this is the only tree of descent they need to know about.

  64. 64.

    ThymeZone

    August 10, 2007 at 4:15 pm

    many people think this is the only tree of descent they need to know about

    Good one, but for sheer sociopathic fucknuttiness, I don’t think you can beat this:

    The Western tradition, both Catholic and Protestant, concerning original sin is largely based on writings by Augustine of Hippo, who famously concluded that unbaptized infants go to hell because of original sin.

    Now THAT is some bigass crying room.

  65. 65.

    Ryan S.

    August 10, 2007 at 4:19 pm

    Here’s an interesting story on the near suicide that Al Gore has been contemplating lately.

    For a more sane take on this “revelation”.

  66. 66.

    HyperIon

    August 10, 2007 at 4:30 pm

    Ryan S. your link is bad.

  67. 67.

    Ryan S.

    August 10, 2007 at 4:35 pm

    shoot, Try this one.

  68. 68.

    Dennis-SGMM

    August 10, 2007 at 4:38 pm

    One response to Giuliani’s boast that he spent as much time at Ground Zero as the recovery workers:

    “He is such a liar, because the only time he was down there was for photo ops with celebrities, with politicians, with diplomats,” said deputy fire chief Jimmy Riches, who spent months digging for his firefighter son.

    “On 9/11 all he did was run. He got that soot on him, and I don’t think he’s taken a shower since.”

    Giuliani has since clarified his boast as a statement of support for the workers.

    I’d say that this puts a lock on it for Rudy: Republicans love incompetent liars.

  69. 69.

    Jake

    August 10, 2007 at 4:41 pm

    Making payments to terrorist organizations is a bad, bad, thing.

    Usually.

  70. 70.

    ConservativelyLiberal

    August 10, 2007 at 5:18 pm

    It is interesting that Bush is now pushing for Social Security number checks in his ‘new plan’. If a number and name do not match up, a letter will be sent to the employer and the employee/employer have 90 days to straighten it out.

    Our daughter just got a job at a local retail store of a nationwide chain (no, not ‘Big Box’ WalMart!). They told her that there was a mismatch in the name for her SSN. They did this before she was hired, and they would not hire her if they did not match.

    It seems that they took the break in our last name as an additional space, and they put that through and got the rejection. When they corrected it, everything was fine.

    My wife works at the same store, and this has been their policy for years. At least this large employer is serious about having workers that are legal. It will be interesting to see if this ‘new plan’ will actually be effective.

    I have no problem with immigrant workers, I just believe that they have to be legally here. That shows me that they are sincere about what they want to do, and are patient enough to do it the right way. And with the system as hacked up as it is now, that is some measure of patience. That should be addressed too.

    If we need more outside labor, then the government should address it right away. By the law. This border free-for-all we have now is not good for our country, IMO.

  71. 71.

    Dennis-SGMM

    August 10, 2007 at 5:39 pm

    If we need more outside labor, then the government should address it right away. By the law. This border free-for-all we have now is not good for our country, IMO.

    I feel like a fool. I thought that an employer would pay the wage necessary to get a job done. I was mislead by Henry Ford who felt that it was necessary to pay his workers enough to be able to buy the cars that they built. Henry is obviously an artifact of his time. Now, if no one wants to do the job for what you feel like paying then you either outsource it overseas or hire illegal immigrants.

    Now that’s progress.

  72. 72.

    ThymeZone

    August 10, 2007 at 5:45 pm

    I just believe that they have to be legally here

    You can “believe” that if you want to, but they don’t, and haven’t had to for the 50 or so years I have been listening to this kind of thing. And I don’t see that this is going to change any time soon. And I definitely don’t see that it has harmed much of anything, and might even be a plus for the good old US of A.

    That shows me that they are sincere about what they want to do

    Sure, walking 20 miles across the desert in July is no test of sincerity, that’s for sure. Fakers!

    And if there is one thing I really want in a fellow citizen it is sincerity. For example, I really appreciate the sincere anti-gay sentiments of about 75 million Americans. And the sincere hatred of liberals, and the sincere distaste for paying one’s fair share of taxes. Sincerity is the most important thing, absolutely.

  73. 73.

    RSA

    August 10, 2007 at 6:08 pm

    And I definitely don’t see that it has harmed much of anything, and might even be a plus for the good old US of A.

    I think this is the critical question, rather than some other issues that are sometimes raised, such as fairness. We see stories sometimes, though I can’t judge their accuracy, about illegal immigration overloading the services of a given area (usually the area is southern California). We less often see analysis of the contribution of illegal immigration to different industries and agriculture. Is it a net benefit, a net loss, or a wash? I tend to think that at worst it’s a wash, but it would be nice to see some numbers.

  74. 74.

    David

    August 10, 2007 at 6:20 pm

    Drugde linking to oddity story: “Man living in car since ’00 upsets city”

    I just find the passage towards the end of the article amusing…

    Graham acknowledged that he watches TV, listens to music and sometimes sleeps in his blue, 1989 Buick Century. The car is parked on a concrete slab, mostly covered by a large, blue tarp that is secured with bricks and cinder blocks.

    An extension cord from the house to the car provides power for a 13-inch TV, an oscillating fan and a radio.

    “I get better reception there than I do in there,” he said, pointing at the house. “I listen to Rush (Limbaugh) every day, just about.”

    Ah, yes, a Dittohead…

  75. 75.

    John S.

    August 10, 2007 at 6:21 pm

    And I definitely don’t see that it has harmed much of anything, and might even be a plus for the good old US of A.

    But it has harmed something, and that is people’s willingness to pay their fair share. When people are paying artificially low rates for their goods and services directly as a result of cheap labor from undocumented workers, you get a reinforcement of:

    the sincere distaste for paying one’s fair share of taxes

    People who don’t like paying for their grass to be cut by a legal worker also don’t like paying their fair share of taxes. The two go hand in hand, AFAIC.

  76. 76.

    ThymeZone

    August 10, 2007 at 6:31 pm

    When people are paying artificially low rates for their goods and services directly as a result of cheap labor from undocumented workers, you get a reinforcement of:

    You do? Prove it. That’s just absurd. Illegal workers are why deadbeat citizens (i.e., Republicans) don’t want to pay taxes?

    Good grief. Proof that if you hang around the Tubes long enough, you will see everything.

    The two go hand in hand, AFAIC.

    Uh huh. You left out “most people would agree.” Why not throw that in while you are making this up?

    Who knew that mexicans cutting grass and picking lettuce were to blame for bad citizenship in our otherwise fine country? Really, am I the only one out here .. in Phoenix, in the middle of the Ground Zero of Immigration, who didn’t know that?

    You mean we could have health coverage for all Americans if those goddam greasers would just stop coming over here to do our grunt work?

    That settle it. Deport the bastards.

  77. 77.

    ThymeZone

    August 10, 2007 at 6:32 pm

    You were kidding, right?

  78. 78.

    ConservativelyLiberal

    August 10, 2007 at 7:26 pm

    TZ, you and I will never see eye to eye on immigration, and that is something that I can respect. Walking twenty miles through the desert (and in many cases even more than that), risking their life, only shows me that they are that determined to circumvent the law. I did not say a word about their contributions to society, nor would I dispute them. That is not the point of what I said, but it was nice of you to bring it up! ;)

    Regarding a fair wage for work, I am all for that. We have a $7.80/hr minimum wage here in Oregon, and I would like to see others having at least the same. It has not killed us here, that is for sure. I am against bringing in laborers to circumvent Americans earning a fair wage, and that is the problem with what we have now.

    The ICE raided a chicken factory awhile back, and busted something like 130+ illegal immigrants. The next day they had over a thousand applications for the jobs.

    Not exactly what the right would lead you to expect, is it? A lot of illegal immigrants are exploited because they are here illegally. What person in that position is going to complain about their employer and working conditions? It is the perfect workforce, quiet, pliant and willing to take whatever chickenfeed pay is tossed their way. Not like us pesky American workers.

    What I hate seeing is a company that plays by the rules being undercut by someone who is not. They can’t compete when the game is rigged against them.

    But enough of that. All I am saying is that I think the system is broken, and it will be interesting to see if what Bush is proposing will even work (or be enforced). If so, there will be some serious fallout from illegal immigrant activists. Plus, the right is taking this as a considerable chunk of red meat being tossed their way.

    It ought to be interesting to see how the works out…

  79. 79.

    HyperIon

    August 10, 2007 at 7:55 pm

    Ryan S. Says:

    shoot, Try this one.

    excellent. thanks.

    when i read the RightWingNuthouse post a couple of days ago, i knew that somewhere someone would explain (with details, ya know) how this did not actually undercut the main “hottest years” claim.

    it boils down (hehe) to revision of some (one?) US annual temp value(s) but not any global annual values.

    so just another example of wingnuts focussing on US stuff to the exclusion of non-US stuff. i mean, if you are trying to make the argument that it’s getting warmer, wouldn’t GLOBAL stats be more convincing than USA stats? not if you’re a wingnut.

    can you imagine what they’d say if the US was the only country in the world NOT getting warmer? american exceptionalism!

  80. 80.

    Psycheout

    August 10, 2007 at 9:01 pm

    And I definitely don’t see that it has harmed much of anything, and might even be a plus for the good old US of A.

    Wrinkled old fool. At least there’s good news today: Angelina Jolie has renounced her bisexuality. You go, girl! Just not with other girls, girl.

  81. 81.

    jake

    August 10, 2007 at 9:10 pm

    You go, girl! Just not with other girls, girl. Unless I get to watch.

    Fixed

  82. 82.

    ConservativelyLiberal

    August 10, 2007 at 9:55 pm

    jake Says:

    You go, girl! Just not with other girls, girl. Unless I get to watch digitally record it .

    Fixed

    Fixed better… ;)

  83. 83.

    PeterJ

    August 10, 2007 at 10:59 pm

    There can never be enough Beauchamp.

    http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=w070806&s=editorial081007

  84. 84.

    RSA

    August 11, 2007 at 8:19 am

    You go, girl! Just not with other girls, girl. Unless I get to watch digitally record it manipulate myself while watching.

    Fixed yet further. . .

  85. 85.

    John S.

    August 11, 2007 at 8:32 am

    You do? Prove it. That’s just absurd.

    LOL. What a cranky ass you are. Could you possibly have more of a Blanche Dubois moment over nothing?

    Uh huh. You left out “most people would agree.” Why not throw that in while you are making this up?

    Wow, step off the ledge man. Honestly, I didn’t say that illegal immigrants caused the attitude that people don’t want to pay their fair share, it merely is correlated to it. Correlation is not causation – we both know that.

    But seriously, if you can’t fathom how people that willingly employ cheap immigrant labor to save a buck don’t carry that mentality over into other aspects of their life, I’ll just have to agree to disagree and leave you clutching your pearls.

  86. 86.

    Ron

    August 11, 2007 at 11:40 am

    Hello, John, and Juicers all. I haven’t dropped by in a while…looks like John’s transformation to angry libtard is complete, and to this I say huzzah! I remember I used to feel a kinship with Mr. Cole because the scales were dropping from his eyes at about the exact same time mine did. It’s tough sailing sometimes to make a turnaround. Better late than never, I guess.

    How does Jammies Media feel about you being off the reservation?

    I’m glad you’re changing your blogroll, although I’d start with changing the title before people think you have really lost your mind describing say, Americablog as “Center To Right”. It’s going to be strange realigning all those blogs, huh? Might as well scrap the whole system.

    Well, good luck, John. I’ll come see what you’re saying more often.

  87. 87.

    mattski

    August 11, 2007 at 1:13 pm

    How’s that blog roll coming ?

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