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Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

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Shut up, hissy kitty!

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Weird. Rome has an American Pope and America has a Russian President.

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

Open Thread

by John Cole|  August 16, 20078:18 am| 97 Comments

This post is in: Previous Site Maintenance

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Reader Interactions

97Comments

  1. 1.

    Mike W

    August 16, 2007 at 8:56 am

    I just have to say, I am loving NASA right now. They make me feel so smart.

    On the last shuttle mission, or maybe the one before that, they sent a guy outside of the shuttle to poke some stuff back in with a stick. Now on this mission they are talking about filling a hole in the tiles with “goo”!

    Seriously, are they sitting around the NASA Situation Room and saying things like, “Why don’t we just stick some gum on it? Hey, did we send those guys up with some Hubba Bubba or maybe a pouch of Big League chew?”

  2. 2.

    John S.

    August 16, 2007 at 9:01 am

    To drag in my thoughts from another thread…

    Not all pacifists are cowards, and not all people that engage in violence have courage.

  3. 3.

    jenniebee

    August 16, 2007 at 9:02 am

    Best quote in defense of not revealing the extent to which civil liberties have been compromised EVAR:

    “it will make certain things certain that are not certain.”

    H/T Digby

  4. 4.

    John Cole

    August 16, 2007 at 9:09 am

    Jennie-

    That guy is but a piker. remember this:

    There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we know we don’t know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we don’t know we don’t know.

    Although I still defend that makes complete sense, it is breathtaking.

  5. 5.

    Punchy

    August 16, 2007 at 9:11 am

    Great non-political article for all us baseball junkies.

  6. 6.

    jenniebee

    August 16, 2007 at 9:37 am

    pfft… Scott Adams beat Rummy there by years. Don’t you remember the cartoon where the Pointy Haired Boss told Dilbert to list all the unanticipated risks for his proposed project plan?

    And yes, Rummy made perfect sense, but it’s still disturbing to have a Defense Secretary tell you that he didn’t just start a war over a lie per se, he was simply unaware of the depth of his own ignorance regarding a subject upon which he had previously claimed to be one of the world’s leading authority.

  7. 7.

    Fruitbat Jones

    August 16, 2007 at 9:41 am

    Can we bow our collective heads in prayer as I say a eulogy for my 401K today? It has been quite sick all week, but has decided to pull its own plug this morning.

    rAmen.

  8. 8.

    Cyrus

    August 16, 2007 at 9:42 am

    From jenniebee’s link:

    One suit, Hepting v. AT&T, is a class action that grew out of allegations by retired AT&T engineer Mark Klein that the company had cooperated with the National Security Agency to install equipment that funneled Internet traffic to the surveillance agency.

    That typo in the name of the phone company happened because HTML reads an ampersand, as well as several other characters, as the start of a special symbol. Insert obligatory joke at the expense of dead tree media here; this major newspaper has had a Web page for how many years and they still can’t get text articles to show up the way they want? It’s not like the ampersand is that rare a symbol.

    What I wonder, though, is whether there is some kind of way to get HTML to read a block of text as the text? It’s annoying. Some kind of tag like &lt quote &gt &lt /quote &gt or something. (I hope that shows up…) Or does such a tag exist, and I just don’t remember it? It has been like six years since my intro to programming class, after all.

  9. 9.

    Zifnab

    August 16, 2007 at 9:43 am

    For those who follow such things…

    They’re releasing D&D 4.0 in 8 hours at Gen Con.

    Ye nerds, tremble and despair.

  10. 10.

    Cyrus

    August 16, 2007 at 9:46 am

    OK, the commenting system on this blog is seriously weird. (I know, I know: not news at all.) When I looked at the Washington Post article jenniebee linked, I saw an error in the name of the phone company: an ampersand, followed by “amp.” In normal HTML, that would be what you have to do to make an ampersand appear (if I remember correctly), and how I saw it on the WaPo Web site is how it looked in preview, but when I look at the blockquote in my comment I see the phone company’s name normally. Aaargh!

  11. 11.

    The Other Steve

    August 16, 2007 at 9:47 am

    Scott Adams beat Rummy there by years. Don’t you remember the cartoon where the Pointy Haired Boss told Dilbert to list all the unanticipated risks for his proposed project plan?

    Cartoon? That was my life last week.

  12. 12.

    The Other Steve

    August 16, 2007 at 9:54 am

    Ok, everybody…

    Blogpost of the day, everybody must read!

    James Joyner reviews Rudy Giuliani’s essay on foreign policy, and sums it up thusly:

    Otherwise, I must concur in Matt Yglesias‘ judgment: “this man is batshit insane.”

    hehe… I love it, man!

  13. 13.

    tBone

    August 16, 2007 at 10:07 am

    Can we bow our collective heads in prayer as I say a eulogy for my 401K today? It has been quite sick all week, but has decided to pull its own plug this morning.

    I blame the ghoulish liberals. Save Terri Fruitbat’s 401k!

  14. 14.

    ThymeZone

    August 16, 2007 at 10:21 am

    I still defend that makes complete sense, it is breathtaking.

    Rumsfeldian Epistemology?

    A branch of the science developed at a mad tea party down a rabbit hole (aka, the Bush Administration)?

  15. 15.

    Third Eye Open

    August 16, 2007 at 10:21 am

    Does anyone else find that the guv’mit finally crossing the (public) threshold of allowing local law enforcement to use our spy satellites against Americans, a bit “odd”…and by odd, I mean a fucking travesty? or am I just naive?

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118714764716998275.html

  16. 16.

    myiq2xu

    August 16, 2007 at 10:27 am

    Seriously, are they sitting around the NASA Situation Room and saying things like, “Why don’t we just stick some gum on it? Hey, did we send those guys up with some Hubba Bubba or maybe a pouch of Big League chew?”

    What? They didn’t bring any duct tape with them?

  17. 17.

    The Other Steve

    August 16, 2007 at 10:28 am

    Does anyone else find that the guv’mit finally crossing the (public) threshold of allowing local law enforcement to use our spy satellites against Americans, a bit “odd”…and by odd, I mean a fucking travesty? or am I just naive?

    Buy stock in diapers!

  18. 18.

    Andrew

    August 16, 2007 at 10:30 am

    Scott Adams is a huge tool.

  19. 19.

    ThymeZone

    August 16, 2007 at 10:32 am

    Does anyone else find that the guv’mit finally crossing the (public) threshold of allowing local law enforcement to use our spy satellites against Americans, a bit “odd”

    Oh, no worries, from your link:

    In recent years, some military experts have questioned whether domestic use of such satellites would violate the Posse Comitatus Act. The act bars the military from engaging in law-enforcement activity inside the U.S., and the satellites were predominantly built for and owned by the Defense Department.

    According to Pentagon officials, the government has in the past been able to supply information from spy satellites to federal law-enforcement agencies, but that was done on a case-by-case basis and only with special permission from the president.

    We can sleep well at night knowing that the resource will only be used for legitimate purposes, like exposing Democrat voter fraud.

  20. 20.

    Ryan S.

    August 16, 2007 at 10:33 am

    Here’s the google video of Dawkins latest documentary, good stuff if you ask me.

  21. 21.

    Cassidy

    August 16, 2007 at 10:34 am

    Not all pacifists are cowards, and not all people that engage in violence have courage.

    Actions always speak louder than words, John. If there is nothing you are willing to fight for, then there is nothing important enough for you to have. As you stated in another thread, you are born with an inherent right to freedom. I agree with that. But, I’m also realistic enough to know that certain kinds of humans wil willingly take that freedom from you. So, if you enjoy your freedom, and wish to preserve your right, sometimes you must fight and even kill for it.

    A lifetime of tyranny is not a good exchange for the soul.

    This is one of the biggest problems in Iraq and the rest of the developing world that views the US as its savior. Everyone wants freedom, but no one wants to fight/ work for it. If you aren’t willing to do so, then it’s worthless.

  22. 22.

    John Cole

    August 16, 2007 at 10:35 am

    TOS-

    Jim Henley’s post was better, and had the best title for a blogpost in 2007.

  23. 23.

    Jake

    August 16, 2007 at 10:42 am

    rAmen.

    Bwahaha. Oops. I mean, I’m sorry for your loss.

    In other news, Georgie Bush doesn’t want Congress to play with his Pet Raeus.

    After months of asking Americans to suspend judgment on the troop surge until hearing a progress report from Gen. David Petraeus next month, the White House proposed keeping the general’s report behind closed doors, the Washington Post reports.

    Too fucking bizarre.

  24. 24.

    ThymeZone

    August 16, 2007 at 10:42 am

    Everyone wants freedom, but no one wants to fight/ work for it. If

    That sounds exactly like what I heard a guy holding a bottle of wine in a paper sack say the other day, while he was sitting on a park bench, to nobody in particular.

    You are now channeling the ramblings of homeless alcoholics. I view this as a public service, really, those people need a voice and I am glad you are helping them get it.

    God bless you, man.

  25. 25.

    ThymeZone

    August 16, 2007 at 10:47 am

    Georgie Bush doesn’t want Congress to play with his Pet Raeus.

    It appears that we have seen two really great monikers for the good general on these pages in the last two days:

    Bush’s Pet Raeus, and General Betrayus.

    At times like these, I feel unworthy. This is Grade A material.

    What I am wondering right now is whether our beloved media will permit the administration to continue this whole Pet Raeus/Betrayus farce without calling them out.

    Okay, not wondering “whether” so much as “to what infuriating extent.”

  26. 26.

    Rudi

    August 16, 2007 at 10:50 am

    (Site Maint)Does anyone know how/if the WP db crashes here at BJ were fixed here. Other WP driven sites had the same problem. To lazy to Google or sort through the BS….

  27. 27.

    Dennis-SGMM

    August 16, 2007 at 11:12 am

    From WaPo regarding spy satellite and aerial surveillance intelligence being provided to law enforcement:

    “Domestic Use of Spy Satellites To Widen”.

    The opening graf:

    The Bush administration has approved a plan to expand domestic access to some of the most powerful tools of 21st-century spycraft, giving law enforcement officials and others the ability to view data obtained from satellite and aircraft sensors that can see through cloud cover and even penetrate buildings and underground bunkers.

    Unless I’m misreading the article, the Fed will be enabled to provide intel from spy aircraft and drones as well as satellites to law enforcement agencies. This has all the earmarks of a massive domestic surveillance program – Cointelpro writ large through technology. They’re tapping our cellphones, reading our emails and now they’ll be watching us from the sky – even through our roofs via infrared. Remember: if you’re not doing anything wrong you have nothing to fear…nothing to fear…nothing to fear…

  28. 28.

    Jimmmmm

    August 16, 2007 at 11:18 am

    Beckham SCOOOOORRRRES!

  29. 29.

    Zifnab

    August 16, 2007 at 11:25 am

    Not all pacifists are cowards, and not all people that engage in violence have courage.

    Actions always speak louder than words, John. If there is nothing you are willing to fight for, then there is nothing important enough for you to have. …

    A lifetime of tyranny is not a good exchange for the soul.

    Also, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. A stitch in time saves nine. Jimmy cracked corn, and I don’t care. Four score and seven years ago, our founding father brought onto this earth a new nation, conceived in liberty and justice for all. I like pie.

  30. 30.

    Jake

    August 16, 2007 at 11:33 am

    Unless I’m misreading the article, the Fed will be enabled to provide intel from spy aircraft and drones as well as satellites to law enforcement agencies.

    No, you’re spot on. I suspect this stems from an old, never implemented attempt to use blimps for homeland security. But this program would mean a number of things, including the fact that the guys who read the sat. images will have even more to do what with answering police requests for information.

    Feel safer yet?

    Prediction: This is going to send various militia types right over the fucking edge.

  31. 31.

    Ryan S.

    August 16, 2007 at 11:36 am

    had the best title for a blogpost in 2007.

    My vote for best blogpost title.

  32. 32.

    Dreggas

    August 16, 2007 at 11:52 am

    Dennis-SGMM Says:

    Unless I’m misreading the article, the Fed will be enabled to provide intel from spy aircraft and drones as well as satellites to law enforcement agencies. This has all the earmarks of a massive domestic surveillance program – Cointelpro writ large through technology. They’re tapping our cellphones, reading our emails and now they’ll be watching us from the sky – even through our roofs via infrared. Remember: if you’re not doing anything wrong you have nothing to fear…nothing to fear…nothing to fear…

    You are not misreading it. They’re one upping the british. You have cameras on every street corner? Hell we have spy satellites. Remember kiddies it was the republicans who used to be champions of inidividual liberty and privacy, the democrats were the ones who wanted to be big brother.

    Un-Fucking-Believable.

  33. 33.

    zzyzx

    August 16, 2007 at 12:01 pm

    As for General Betrayus, that’s how I heard his name for the first few weeks and was wondering how he ever made it that far.

  34. 34.

    John S.

    August 16, 2007 at 12:01 pm

    Actions always speak louder than words, John.

    Cliché, but true.

    You seem to forget that choosing not to commit an act of violence is an action. Perhaps you see it as inaction, but that does not make it so.

    If there is nothing you are willing to fight for, then there is nothing important enough for you to have.

    This is what you don’t understand. I am fighting for something – my salvation. Nothing in this life will ever trump that. I love being alive, and everything that is beautiful in this imperfect world we live in. If there is even a glimmer of hope that there is something better waiting for me down the road, I want in. That is precisely what I am fighting for, and I assure you, it is damned hard to fight my own shortcomings as a human being every day.

  35. 35.

    Cassidy

    August 16, 2007 at 12:35 pm

    You seem to forget that choosing not to commit an act of violence is an action. Perhaps you see it as inaction, but that does not make it so.

    Semantics. Choosing inaction is fine, if that’s how you choose to frame it, but it still equals the same result.

  36. 36.

    Paul L.

    August 16, 2007 at 12:35 pm

    Not all pacifists are cowards, and not all people that engage in violence have courage.

    Is it wrong to respond to violence with violence?
    Non-resistance in the Face of Violence is not Always the Answer.

    A 41-year-old man stormed a beauty salon and bludgeoned four grandmothers with a hammer, fracturing one’s skull, before making off with less than $90, police said.

    Thomas Leyshon III, of Mountain Top, was arrested after a daylong manhunt Friday.

    The women, ages 56 to 76, did not resist but were beaten anyway, witnesses said. At least one required surgery.

    “It takes a coward to go after some old women,” said Andy Chopka, grandson of victim Jeanna Chopka.

    It would guess the answer here would be “Yes, because the people who fight back are just as bad as the criminal who started the violence. Just give the criminal what they want.

  37. 37.

    Andrew

    August 16, 2007 at 12:37 pm

    Shorter Paul L: It would have been better if the grannies had resisted and then gotten killed.

  38. 38.

    PaulW

    August 16, 2007 at 12:40 pm

    1) Padilla jury reached a verdict. Check in at 2 pm.
    2) That Utah mine owner, Murray? What a wonderful track record he has regarding mine safety.
    3) I used to have a mortgage with Countrywide. Nice to know their financial woes are screwing up the stock market at the moment.
    4) Did you hear about how the people who live along the Texas/Mexico border, the ones who are supposedly so terrified of illegals crossing the borders to commit crimes and such, are openly fighting the proposed trench/fence project that’s actually going to make their lives worse? The perfect demonstration of how the Beltway leadership is so out of touch with the people who actually live in this country.
    5) When are the Democrats going to start accusing Republicans of being traitors? After all, it’s the Republicans who a) haven’t caught Osama, b) made Al Queda stronger with the ill-conceived invasion of Iraq, c) ruined our nation’s finances, d) deregulated industries so that we Americans are more likely to be poisoned at home, killed at work and crushed on our bridges, and e) made it easier for foreign black marketeers and smugglers to access and sell American weapons and supplies to god-knows-who. Gee.

  39. 39.

    Jake

    August 16, 2007 at 12:43 pm

    Even shorter Paulell: Ha, ha, stupid old beotches.

    Shortest Paulell: I like jackalope pie.

  40. 40.

    Zifnab

    August 16, 2007 at 12:44 pm

    It would guess the answer here would be “Yes, because the people who fight back are just as bad as the criminal who started the violence. Just give the criminal what they want.

    If only those little old ladies had busted out the Kung-Fu! Then the terrorists wouldn’t have won.

  41. 41.

    ThymeZone

    August 16, 2007 at 12:48 pm

    Semantics. Choosing inaction is fine

    Thus does cassidy join PaulL in the campaign to destroy the myth of Gandhi and nonviolent resistance. Thus does violent action become the singular and irrefutably correct ultimate choice when human beings are faced with difficult sets of alternatives. And the beauty part is, these guys can argue this profound idea using nothing but boilerplate platitudes copied from Rapture comic books and Rush Limbaugh transcripts. Not only is this profound, it’s profound profound!

    We are in the presence of great thinkers here, folks. Really, these thread containing the offerings of PaulL and cassidy will become inspirational artifacts that future generations will study and use to instruct their children.

    I think we have to thank the blogowners, too, for creating a space like this where great ideas like the ones that flow from PaulL and cassidy can be shared, admired, and studied by the masses. It’s like living in the time of Beethoven and being able to attend the concerts.

  42. 42.

    Dave

    August 16, 2007 at 12:55 pm

    We are in the presence of great thinkers here, folks.

    Thanks TZ for noticing my thinking prowess.

  43. 43.

    Jake

    August 16, 2007 at 12:59 pm

    Really, these thread containing the offerings of PaulL and cassidy will become inspirational artifacts that future generations will study and use to instruct their children.

    On the hazards of drug use?

  44. 44.

    ThymeZone

    August 16, 2007 at 1:02 pm

    Thanks TZ for noticing my thinking prowess.

    You are welcome sir!

  45. 45.

    Tsulagi

    August 16, 2007 at 1:03 pm

    From TOS’ link that provides keen insights from Rudy. Here’s one of his on how to win the GSAVE…

    “Companies such as Pepsi, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, and Levi’s helped win the Cold War by entering the Soviet market. Cultural events, such as Van Cliburn’s concerts in the Soviet Union and Mstislav Rostropovich’s in the United States, also hastened change. Today, we need a similar type of exchange with the Muslim countries

    Hey, maybe in the spirit of sacrifice for the WOT Steelers fans can propose sending Steely McBeam to Tehran. A mascot exchange. No doubt Steely would have Tehranis awestruck as well.

  46. 46.

    John S.

    August 16, 2007 at 1:08 pm

    Thus does cassidy join PaulL in the campaign to destroy the myth of Gandhi and nonviolent resistance.

    I couldn’t have really put it any better myself, TZ.

    What really blows my mind is that people like them actually don’t see non-violence as a viable action. And the same people that claim to worship Jesus shit all over his legacy with their thirst for violence. Anyone that doesn’t own a gun and threaten to use it is a giant pussy! Kill all the islamofascists! Destroy all the liberals! Purge everyone that doesn’t think like us! Then we can cover the planet with our Freedom©!

    It truly baffles me.

  47. 47.

    ThymeZone

    August 16, 2007 at 1:09 pm

    Van Cliburn’s concerts in the Soviet Union and Mstislav Rostropovich’s in the United States, also hastened change.

    True enough. Van Cliburn went to the Soviet Union and only 33 years later, kaboom, they folded their little scam.

    Never underestimate the power of a well-played glissando.

  48. 48.

    jnfr

    August 16, 2007 at 1:12 pm

    I liked this description of Giuliani from a TPM reader:

    Giuliani combines Bush’s foreign policy genius with Clinton’s sexual impulse control.

  49. 49.

    ThymeZone

    August 16, 2007 at 1:12 pm

    It truly baffles me.

    You just need further reading of the works of PaulL and cassidy.

    I invite you to send for my informative booklet, “Concrete-Skulled Stupidity Taken To The Next Level” by PaulL, with Foreword by cassidy. Just $19.95 plus S&H.

    { add to cart }

  50. 50.

    Wilfred

    August 16, 2007 at 1:12 pm

    Lost in the reporting of the unbelievable horrific terrorist attack in northern Iraq is a bit of a political bombshell. Al-Arabiya is reporting that the emergency political summit of Iraq’s leaders has failed to produce even nominal political reconciliation. This is a devastating outcome for the Maliki government and for those Americans who hoped to have some political progress to show in the upcoming Crocker/Petraeus report. There’s no other way to spin this: this summit was billed as the last chance, and it has failed.

    Oil wells that ends well, eh? here

  51. 51.

    ThymeZone

    August 16, 2007 at 1:23 pm

    This is a devastating outcome for the Maliki government and for those Americans who hoped to have some political progress to show in the upcoming Crocker/Petraeus report.

    One has to wonder (if one is paying any attention whatsoever in the last four years):

    Where did these “hoping” people think that the political progress was going to come from? What signs were there that such progress was in the offing?

    At what point will have had enough with fucking magical thinking and stop listening to the idiots?

  52. 52.

    Paul L.

    August 16, 2007 at 1:27 pm

    Shorter Paul L: It would have been better if the grannies had resisted and then gotten killed.

    I can see your point that he was not trying to kill them.
    He was only bludgeoning them with a hammer.
    If I wanted to wound anyone that is what I would do.
    If you followed the link you would have seen the following:

    In a video outside a Shreveport, Louisiana beauty school, women described what they did to man coming in to rob the place at gunpoint and they were having none of it. “I tripped him,” said one woman. Then the rest of them pounced on him and beat him until he was the one being carried to a hospital.

    Of course, you will believe that those ladies should be brought up on assault charges and violating the man’s civil rights.

  53. 53.

    Cassidy

    August 16, 2007 at 1:29 pm

    And the same people that claim to worship Jesus

    Now who’s painting with a broad brush? I haven’t claimed to worship anyone. I don’t really find a need for organized religion. It’s nice and makes people feel good, but that’s about it. I got over imaginary friends when I was a child.

    What really blows my mind is that people like them actually don’t see non-violence as a viable action.

    You’re making assumptions again. I’ve never said that I don’t see non-violence as a possible action. Instead, I see violence as a possible action. I’ve never considered violence to be the primary response, but I have no fear of using violence as a means to accomplish my objective. Sometimes violence is the only solution.

    Anyone that doesn’t own a gun and threaten to use it is a giant pussy! Kill all the islamofascists! Destroy all the liberals! Purge everyone that doesn’t think like us! Then we can cover the planet with our Freedom©!

    Never said those things either.

  54. 54.

    ThymeZone

    August 16, 2007 at 1:32 pm

    the rest of them pounced on him and beat him until he was the one being carried to a hospital.

    Basically, the same thing we want to do to George Bush for trying to rob us of our country.

    And yet, you won’t fight with us. Why, Paul? Why the cowardice in the face of that kind of evil?

  55. 55.

    ThymeZone

    August 16, 2007 at 1:34 pm

    Sometimes violence is the only solution PaulL and I can think of.

    Keepin’ it real.

  56. 56.

    Cassidy

    August 16, 2007 at 1:38 pm

    TZ you are such a child. Only in a country as great as this would a person like you be allowed to vote. As mucha s I dislike Bush, I’m starting to think maybe you need a vacation in Syria.

  57. 57.

    ThymeZone

    August 16, 2007 at 1:40 pm

    TZ you are such a child. Only in a country as great as this would a person like you be allowed to vote. As mucha s I dislike Bush, I’m starting to think maybe you need a vacation in Syria.

    You really need to retire the handle and come back with some decent material. This cassidy thing is DOA now, compadre. Trust me.

    You couldnt sell a bottle of water in here if we were stuck in the middle of the fucking Sahara Desert during a heat wave.

  58. 58.

    ThymeZone

    August 16, 2007 at 1:45 pm

    TZ you are such a child. Only in a country as great as this would a person like you be allowed to vote.

    What makes you think you know what country I live in?

    Where do you live, cassidy?

  59. 59.

    Dreggas

    August 16, 2007 at 1:49 pm

    Clergy to help calm people in case of martial law

    I think I’m gonna puke…

  60. 60.

    ThymeZone

    August 16, 2007 at 1:53 pm

    “Clergy response teams.”

    Yeah, that will calm everyone down. Great idea.

  61. 61.

    Third Eye Open

    August 16, 2007 at 2:03 pm

    Dreggas,

    No worries, i’m sure that the government will send only the best trained clergy to settle us pleebs in the instance of a “temporary” bout of martial law…like this guy:

    http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m257/ajna8081/157px-Jesus_sitting_nra.jpg

  62. 62.

    Paul L.

    August 16, 2007 at 2:05 pm

    Basically, the same thing we want to do to George Bush for trying to rob us of our country.

    And yet, you won’t fight with us. Why, Paul? Why the cowardice in the face of that kind of evil?

    Because you would not join with us when we wanted to do it to evil incarnate Bill Clinton in the 90s.

    Note the that the above is a joke mocking ThymeZone.
    Even in peak of my Clinton hatred in the 90s, I never wanted a mob to beat up Clinton.

  63. 63.

    ThymeZone

    August 16, 2007 at 2:06 pm

    the government will send only the best trained clergy

    Well, they must send the Clergy Shock Troops to dismantle the Weapons of Mass Disillusionment.

    PaulL and cassidy will be heading up the Faith Based Crowd Control efforts.

  64. 64.

    ThymeZone

    August 16, 2007 at 2:15 pm

    Note the that the above is a joke mocking ThymeZone.

    That joke is so lame, I think you can get SSI payments for it.

  65. 65.

    Jake

    August 16, 2007 at 2:18 pm

    I guess the assumption is that clergy members wouldn’t object to the declaration of martial law?

    I’ve recently started attending a UU congregation and I think it’s a fairly safe bet that lot wouldn’t tell everyone to calm down and put up with whatever assaults on our liberties the gubbermint might have in store.

    Such clergy response teams would walk a tight-rope during martial law between the demands of the government on the one side, versus the wishes of the public on the other.

    I guess that whole 1st Am. thing would go out the window during martial law.

    For the clergy team, one of the biggest tools that they will have in helping calm the public down or to obey the law is the bible itself, specifically Romans 13. Dr. Tuberville elaborated, “because the government’s established by the Lord, you know. And, that’s what we believe in the Christian faith. That’s what’s stated in the scripture.”

    Uh yeah. I guess it will be down to the non-Christians to defend the damn Constitution. And from my reading of the Bible Jesus wasn’t exactly respectful of the law.

    Pathetic.

  66. 66.

    ThymeZone

    August 16, 2007 at 2:22 pm

    Jesus wasn’t exactly respectful of the law.

    Not so fast! Jesus, my yard man, makes sure that he uses only unleaded fuel in all of his lawn equipment, and that he reports the income he receives from me, such as the tortillas in my fridge that have gone past their sell by date, to the IRS.

    Not every Jesus is a scofflaw, okay?

  67. 67.

    Third Eye Open

    August 16, 2007 at 2:29 pm

    TZ,

    Firehoses which spray Holy Water?

    Blessed Billy Clubs?

    Attack dogs trained in Latin?

  68. 68.

    Dreggas

    August 16, 2007 at 2:37 pm

    ThymeZone Says:

    “Clergy response teams.”

    Yeah, that will calm everyone down. Great idea.

    Well clergy are good at leading “flocks” of “sheep”.

    Of course they will probably be learning how to do this from Left Behind: Eternal Forces.

  69. 69.

    Dave

    August 16, 2007 at 2:41 pm

    What happened to JWW today? I’m waiting for more pearls of wisdom, I guess he’s sleeping it off.

  70. 70.

    Dreggas

    August 16, 2007 at 2:49 pm

    In my own backyard

    Someone wake me when this shit is over.

  71. 71.

    ThymeZone

    August 16, 2007 at 3:09 pm

    Someone wake me when this shit is over.

    Well at least he hasn’t asked everyone to drink Kool Aid yet.

    Besides, it’s Orange County. I used to live in Mission Viejo (and Santa Ana and Newport and Costa Mesa). So you have to take everything over there with a large grain of Kosher Sea Salt.

  72. 72.

    Dreggas

    August 16, 2007 at 3:12 pm

    ThymeZone Says:

    Besides, it’s Orange County. I used to live in Mission Viejo (and Santa Ana and Newport and Costa Mesa). So you have to take everything over there with a large grain of Kosher Sea Salt.

    I know, I live in Santa Ana and used to live next to one of thos Calvary Chapel indoctrination camps/schools over on fairview and sunflower. They call it the orange curtain for a reason, and while used to it I’m still not used to it if you get my meaning.

  73. 73.

    ThymeZone

    August 16, 2007 at 3:25 pm

    while used to it I’m still not used to it if you get my meaning.

    I do. It’s just a very weird place.

  74. 74.

    Jake

    August 16, 2007 at 3:25 pm

    Someone wake me when this shit is over.

    Set your alarm to a quarter past Rapture o’clock.

  75. 75.

    Dreggas

    August 16, 2007 at 3:30 pm

    ThymeZone Says:

    I do. It’s just a very weird place.

    Indeed, when I lived in L.A. the image I had of OC (from people living in L.A.) was one of storm troopers and nazi’s parading down main street.

  76. 76.

    Dreggas

    August 16, 2007 at 3:49 pm

    Americans may need a passport to…go into a national park

  77. 77.

    Dreggas

    August 16, 2007 at 3:52 pm

    Bill Walsh, senior legal fellow for the Heritage Foundation, a Washington-based conservative think tank that supports the Real ID Act, said states shouldn’t be pushing for more federal dollars because, ultimately, that will mean more federal oversight — and many complaints about cost coincide with complaints about the federal government overstepping its bounds.

    Remember people, conservatives want to protect your freedoms and the liberals want to bring in big brother.

  78. 78.

    Dreggas

    August 16, 2007 at 3:57 pm

    I would post more quotes from the above article but really the whole article would have to be posted. You will be bar coded, you will comply, non-compliance by your state means you are no longer part of the country and have to have a passport to access national parks.

  79. 79.

    Jake

    August 16, 2007 at 4:09 pm

    Do these clowns even know wtf they’re talking about? Are they going to set up little kiosks along all of the hiking trails/jeep trails that lead into some NPs?

    And let’s not forget all of the NP real estate in Washington, DC.

    Uh yeah. How can I put this? The only way to restrict access to most of the things on the above list would be to enclose all of DC and the VA/MD burbs in a big fucking dome.

    Oh well. As much as I hate to admit this, the radical born-agains will likely save us from this crap by screaming its an attempt to brand us with the Number of the Beast (a la credit cards a few decades ago).

  80. 80.

    Dreggas

    August 16, 2007 at 4:22 pm

    Jake Says:

    Uh yeah. How can I put this? The only way to restrict access to most of the things on the above list would be to enclose all of DC and the VA/MD burbs in a big fucking dome.

    The answer…yes.

    They will most likely just place checkpoints entering or leaving the above mentioned areas and declare all housing past those checkpoints as being federal land under eminent domain which they, being benevolent overlords, will allow residents to remain on provided they themselves have national ID’s. Otherwise watch the outskirts become Hooverville’s.

  81. 81.

    Jake

    August 16, 2007 at 4:38 pm

    They will most likely just place checkpoints entering or leaving the above mentioned areas and declare all housing past those checkpoints as being federal land under eminent domain

    That would be fun. Watching the uber-wealthy of places like Potomac, MD, Alexandria, VA and Georgetown riot.

  82. 82.

    Brachiator

    August 16, 2007 at 4:40 pm

    The Bush administration has approved a plan to expand domestic access to some of the most powerful tools of 21st-century spycraft, giving law enforcement officials and others the ability to view data obtained from satellite and aircraft sensors that can see through cloud cover and even penetrate buildings and underground bunkers.

    Hmmm. Sounds like Skynet will take over the world ahead of schedule. Look for a Terminator to be sent from the future any day now. On the other hand, the soon-to-be-released “google spy” will probably be way more cool than the government satellites, and will let us spy on the government.

  83. 83.

    Dreggas

    August 16, 2007 at 4:40 pm

    Jake Says:

    That would be fun. Watching the uber-wealthy of places like Potomac, MD, Alexandria, VA and Georgetown riot.

    You kidding? The chance to keep the unwashed masses away from them would make them eager to comply.

  84. 84.

    Punchy

    August 16, 2007 at 4:45 pm

    The cards would be mandatory for all “federal purposes,” which include boarding an airplane or walking into a federal building, nuclear facility or national park, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff told the National Conference of State Legislatures last week. Citizens in states that don’t comply with the new rules will have to use passports for federal purposes.

    So what happens if I board in a non-compliant state (needing just a state DL), but have to fly back from a ID-demanding state? Am I trapped? If so, I see Nevada being one of the first states to demand this RealID….

  85. 85.

    Jake

    August 16, 2007 at 4:48 pm

    The chance to keep the hassle of getting out to buy drugs from the unwashed masses away from them would make them eager to comply pull down the Washington Monument with their bare hands.

    Fixed.

    Although such a dome would shut them up with large numbers of the UMs. DC/Metro’s funny that way.

  86. 86.

    Dreggas

    August 16, 2007 at 5:03 pm

    Punchy Says:

    So what happens if I board in a non-compliant state (needing just a state DL), but have to fly back from a ID-demanding state? Am I trapped? If so, I see Nevada being one of the first states to demand this RealID….

    You’ll need a passport for that too…

  87. 87.

    Zifnab

    August 16, 2007 at 5:34 pm

    Hey John, if you’re still reading this thread, I thought I’d piss in your swimming pool a bit and drop this link about Ron Paul.

    Churches as institutions compete with the state for the people’s allegiance, and many devout people put their faith in God before their faith in the state. Knowing this, the secularists wage an ongoing war against religion, chipping away bit by bit at our nation’s Christian heritage. Christmas itself may soon be a casualty of that war.

  88. 88.

    Jake

    August 16, 2007 at 5:50 pm

    If so, I see Nevada being one of the first states to demand this RealID….

    What goes to Vegas, stays in Vegas. [Cue Hotel California]

  89. 89.

    JWW

    August 16, 2007 at 7:39 pm

    Do you all sit in plastic chair and rub yourselves as you read each others trash. Do you find a great pride in yourself when a few agree with you and your absurd comments. Take some time and look inside, search for your inner pride. You spew nearly everything that destory’s this nation.

  90. 90.

    ThymeZone

    August 16, 2007 at 10:04 pm

    You spew nearly everything that destory’s (sic) this nation.

    Yeah, the thing is, Birdzilla does your act, and does it a lot better than you do.

    And by that I mean, a lot.

  91. 91.

    JWW

    August 16, 2007 at 10:24 pm

    You know ThymZone,

    For this post, you highlighted the very point I was making. You are poison, one taste from your well would turn a real mans stomach, a full cup would kill him. You are a building block to this nations destruction. May you be sterile, really I do hope so.

  92. 92.

    Perry Como

    August 16, 2007 at 11:25 pm

    You are poison, one taste from your well would turn a real mans stomach, a full cup would kill him.

    Matt Sanchez, is that you?

  93. 93.

    Punchy

    August 17, 2007 at 8:47 am

    You know ThymZone,

    For this post, you highlighted the very point I was making. You are poison, one taste from your well would turn a real mans stomach, a full cup would kill him. You are a building block to this nations destruction. May you be sterile, really I do hope so.

    Where the f’in Dumbshit-to-English translator when I need it?

  94. 94.

    Krista

    August 17, 2007 at 9:27 am

    Do you all sit in plastic chair and rub yourselves as you read each others trash. Do you find a great pride in yourself when a few agree with you and your absurd comments. Take some time and look inside, search for your inner pride. You spew nearly everything that destory’s this nation.

    Not only is he incoherent, he’s a perverted creep!

  95. 95.

    ThymeZone

    August 17, 2007 at 9:44 am

    For this post, you highlighted the very point I was making

    You were making a point? Who knew?

    I thought you were just having some roid rage.

  96. 96.

    Dreggas

    August 17, 2007 at 3:58 pm

    JWW Says:

    You know ThymZone,

    For this post, you highlighted the very point I was making. You are poison, one taste from your well would turn a real mans stomach, a full cup would kill him. You are a building block to this nations destruction. May you be sterile, really I do hope so.

    The reason we are the poison that would kill “real men” is because we are far more “manly” than they will ever be and far more patriotic because unlike you supposed “real men” we speak the truth, something you run and hide from. So drink up asshat, time to take a powder.

  97. 97.

    Rome Again

    August 18, 2007 at 1:51 am

    one taste from your well would turn a real mans stomach, a full cup would kill him.

    Really? I would think one taste from his cup would be kind of yummy myself.

    Actually, maybe I don’t even need the cup! I could just drink straight from the faucet instead. ;)

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