But the sponsors of this toxic trade did bother to make sure they had a powerful friend. The head of the firm in question gave substantial amounts of money by political contribution standards to Rahm Emanuel’s PACs, and only his PACs, over the period when these transactions were in play. —Yves Smith (Econned, Naked Capitalism blog) on the organized criminal organization known as Magnetar.
DFHs: more right than we knew.
3.
Bob K
The White House revealed Monday that Obama’s candidates for the Supreme Court include a new name, federal appeals court judge Sidney Thomas of Montana. Something tells me that Clarence Thomas is NOT amused.
We’re talking tea party people here – a centrist IS a liberal to them.
Featuring exciting and inspiring full-color inserts with photos of and insights from stock car racing’s finest personalities, the NIV Thinline Bible: Stock Car Edition is sure to be a motorsports fan’s favorite Bible. Motor Racing Outreach, a ministry to the world of motorsports, has partnered with Zondervan to create this Bible designed to delight race fans. MRO brings testimonies and photographs of the popular race personalities with whom they work on a daily basis—the drivers, the pit crews, the media spokespeople, and others associated with the world of racing. Combined with the complete text of the New International Version and offered in two innovative and cost-effective bindings, this title will make a wonderful gift for the true racing fan.
My mind. It is blown.
7.
David in NY
So, says TPM, the latest Republican word is that finance reform will cause more bailouts. Which brings to mind this:
All this was inspired by the principle–which is quite true within itself–that in the big lie there is always a certain force of credibility; because the broad masses of a nation are always more easily corrupted in the deeper strata of their emotional nature than consciously or voluntarily; and thus in the primitive simplicity of their minds they more readily fall victims to the big lie than the small lie, since they themselves often tell small lies in little matters but would be ashamed to resort to large-scale falsehoods. It would never come into their heads to fabricate colossal untruths, and they would not believe that others could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously.
So, the IDF recently issued a new order, which goes into effect tomorrow, allowing for the mass expulsion (read: ethnic cleansing) of Palestinians from the West Bank: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1162382.html
Which, you know: Huh!
A few years ago I had the opportunity to interview and write about a woman who had the extraordinary misfortune of being in America at the moment that Israel occupied the West Bank in 1967 — at a stroke, she lost her residency status and was consigned to “foreign national” status, required to get a new tourist visa every 3 months. For the rest of her life.
Until Israel suddenly refused to give her one, refusing to allow her to get back to her life, her home, her business, her family. Here’s her story: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1162382.html
If Israel acts on this new order, no matter what they say about the terrorists they’re deporting, please know that this woman is in fact the real face of the expulsions.
11.
trollhattan
Meddlesome governments spreadin’ the wealth to bring 10,000 Navajo homes running water.
Why do we coddle them so? WWSS? (What would Sarah say?)
12.
Zippity
I have a question for all you experienced cat people. I’m moving from a house with a basement-where I’ve been able to have 3 litter boxes for my 3 cats-to a much smaller house that doesn’t have an accessible basement. I’m looking for recommendations on litter boxes and litter-something that doesn’t track too badly.
Thanks in advance for all your help!
13.
gbear
MN public radio broadcast a great hour-long documentary over the lunch hour about the forceful role that NASA took in trying to end segregation in the south during the 50’s and 60’s. Some pretty amazing interviews with black NASA engineers. So fitting that this ran during Confederacy Awareness Month.
14.
Shalimar
Massa scandal is in the news again on MSNBC. Ensign scandal is not.
. I’m looking for recommendations on litter boxes and litter-something that doesn’t track too badly.
we recently got a ModKat litter box for our two cats. it works pretty well for reducing stray litter. more importantly, for us, it also prevents the accidents where our two girlcats would …ummm… sometimes miss the sand completely, and would spray the wall/floor/etc.. pretty much impossible for that to happen in the ModKat box.
17.
rootless-e
@The Raven: So as a nice example of Yves Smith’s accuracy she writes
—
And the hedge fund’s cagey bet on Rahm? Litowitz and his wife had never before made significant political donations. In 2005, they started giving to Rahm and his PACs, and only PACs connected to Rahm, just before the Magnetar CDO program began, and continued through the first quarter of 2008, when the trade would have started to pay out handsomely.
—
But actually, OpenSecrets shows a $10,000 donation to the DCCC from Litowitz in 2003 when Bob Matsui was chair of the DCCC. So Yves Smith, in my humble opinion, can take her warmed over Bob Luntz bullshit and peddle it to someone else.
Hahaha. Buy a covered cat box, a broom and some scented candles. If the cat will tolerate a door on the box, more power to you. You’re going to have to get a bit less fussy about smells leaking around the house.
19.
Bnut
@flukebucket
Never thought I would agree with ole Terry, but Big Ben has to get shit together. Maybe in jail…
We use EverClean litter for our cat. It isn’t cheap (about $17 per box), but it clumps very well and if you scoop out the clumps every day it lasts quite a while. I think a box lasts 2-3 months with our cat.
and you just know the guy who shaved a # 2 in the hair on his back owns of these…
22.
eemom
Greenie favors us today with his promised master smearopiece on Elena Kagan.
Shorter Glenn: She didn’t give me enough ammo to smear her with — therefore, you should all ASSUME she sucks.
Oh, and just in case any AN donors are wondering about the bang they’re getting for their buck: turns out Mr. Constitutional Lawyer gets his info from a second year law student.
23.
flukebucket
Poor Neal Boortz misses the fiscal sanity and small government offered up by Republicans.
He probably also misses those Oval office meetings he was invited to during the past administration.
24.
Zippity
@cleek: That looks really cool. I don’t know if my big fat 23 lb. boy will be able to fit.
@gbear: I’m not so worried about the smell, I clean them all the time. I’m more concerned about the cats not wanting to use the same litter box as the others. Also, can’t have a covered box, I have a cat that’s way to big to get in and out. He really rivals Tunch for size.
@Calouste: That sounds like a great suggestion, I’ll try it. If it lasts that long, $17 is a bargain.
If you mod your cat do you need to get a bigger power supply? Would it be better to just go ahead and switch to liquid cooling rather than adding a lot of new fans?
30.
rootless-e
I swear that I never liked Rahm Emanuel, but the last year or so of constant attacks from “progressives” who somehow keep using Luntz’s attack points by accident has convinced me he has to be damn good.
Anyone who is deeply hated by Grover Norquist and admired by Barack Obama has to have a number of positive points.
The Yves Smith smear on Huffpo is a classic bit of fact-free attack. Apparently giving money to the DCCC before and after Rahm managed it, during a time that the Republicans controlled all regulators, is evidence of terrible evil-doing.
31.
MikeJ
@flukebucket: in re Boortz: It’s moronic to actively campaign against a party and expect to be invited to speak at their convention. It’s the same bullshit move Casey pulled in ’92 when he refused to endorse the party’s candidate and then cried like a little girl when they would let him speak.
Boortz wants to speak at the national convention for a political party and tell people to vote against that party. And then he wants to say they aren’t being nice to him.
Can we get Cole to front page that? It’s been a couple of weeks since we’ve all been called cultists of Dear Leader. My day’s not complete unless someone fails to shame me.
Also.
Too.
33.
J.A.F. Rusty Shackleford
Is anybody as full of themselves as Andrew Sullivan?
Do you think that the people who put that created that bible laughed about it the whole time? It sounds like a ‘what if…’ joke that someone thought was just too good to pass up.
For a guy so dead set against anonymous sources and/or the MSM, he seems ok about using them as proof of whatever narrative he wants to push (see: his most recent post on Dawn Johnsen).
UPDATE: ABC News’ Jake Tapper quotes an anonymous “Senate Democratic leadership source” regarding a Senate vote to confirm Johnsen: “Bottom line is that it was going to be close. If they wanted to, the White House could have pushed for a vote. But they didn’t want to ’cause they didn’t have the stomach for the debate.”
All of a sudden, Tapper is reliable source of anonymously sourced quotes. Good to know.
[Harold Koh got in. Dawn Johnsen didn’t. Can someone write something a little more illuminating about this?? ]
oh, he’s ready for that. Argument numero uno against Kagan is that anyone who supports her is doing so just because Dear Leader appointed her.
Hmmm…..how about a rebuttal argument that he’s against Kagan because he’s a misogynist sexist prick? That’s always been a favorite of his girl Jane whenever anyone attacks her or any other woman on her ever-shrinking good side.
@rootless-e: There are several Litowitz’s who are campaign contributors–you might want to check the names. The only references I can find to Magnetar’s Alec Litowitz and his wife Jennifer Litowitz are here at Newsmeat, who contributed a bit to John Kerry in 2003 and some $18,000 to several Emanuel PACs in 2005, just as Yves Smith said.
I feel sure that Boortz feels like he is doing the libertarian party a big favor by allowing them to pretend that he is one of them.
Boortz has always been a Republican at his core.
Experience has taught me that a libertarian is a Republican that is ashamed to admit it.
43.
Origuy
We haven’t had a world music thread in a while. I was watching Michael Palin’s Sahara documentary. He had several African musicians on the show at one time or another. One was Toumani Diabate, a kora player from Mali.
I never learned how to play golf without the use of expletives.
One beautiful Sunday morning I found myself +3 after two holes and I thought to myself, “I am fuckin’ payin’ for this god damn misery!”
I finished that round and I have never picked up a golf club again.
47.
rootless-e
@The Raven: Not to mention that there is not a single bit of evidence that Emanuel ever did anything to assist Magnetar, not that he would need to because their trade was totally legal, or that he would have been able to because BUSH AND THE REPUBLICANS CONTROLLED THE REGULATORY AGENCIES UNTIL 2009.
Frankly, I kind of admire the Magnetar deal. They basically ran a standard con on the biggest Wall Street banks by appealing to their greed over their supposed financial expertise. That’s actually how the system is supposed to work – banks that participate in deals like that are supposed to crater.
48.
Fergus Wooster
OT, but this is an open thread. . . Anyone here own an american car?
I bought my first non-Asian car last week, and I’m wondering how much grief I’m in for in terms of decrepitude, maintenance, etc. . .
Hey, I haven’t heard any comments on the Dawn Johnsen thingy. That is since you proved to me that I should just shut my mouth because Obama re-appointed her.
Last American car got 250,000 miles on it before I retired her. Didn’t really have too many serious issues until about 12 years in when the transmission needed to be rebuilt.
After 15 years, I finally got rid of it because I had to keep replacing different parts every other month to the tune of 100-300 dollars.
Even still, the engine was still solid and never gave out.
I’d definitely recommend Ford over other brands, though.
Wouldn’t touch a Chrysler with a 100 foot pole. Bought a Mercedes back during the days when the two companies were one in the same. Damn thing’s been costing more money to fix and it’s barely hit the seven year mark.
The mechanic I talked to said he’d seen a lot more cars from the 2000-2006 range than any other years with similar problems.
51.
rootless-e
@The Raven: and finally, any article critical of the Obama administration that acknowledges a debt to Corrente has a big hill to climb to reach sea level of credibility.
@lawguy: we all understand Rahm killed off the nomination to avoid interference with the torture/assassination campaign that Tim Geithner is running out of Treasury to support banksters. Is there anything else we should know? A Mena connection? Some involvement of Vince Foster?
55.
BruinKid
On MSNBC right now, Ken Starr (of Lewinsky fame and now the Dean of Pepperdine Law School) is saying that Elena Kagan, Diane Wood, and Merrick Garland are ALL incredibly well-qualified candidates, would all be excellent nominees for the Supreme Court, and says Obama has an “abundence of riches” to choose from.
Huh. Kinda makes it a bit harder for right-wingers to oppose them when Ken Starr was downright laudatory about them.
I owned a couple of small Japanese cars in the 70’s-80’s but switched to Ford Rangers in the 90’s. I liked the Rangers a lot, although repairs on a 4wd got expensive. The Rangers didn’t really nickle-and-dime me any more than the Mazda 323 or Toyota Corolla did. I also liked that the Ranger assembly plant was 5 miles from my house. I would have bought another Ranger except that Ford hasn’t upgraded the engineering for ages. Horrid gas mileage.
Last fall, I bought a 2009 Pontiac Vibe, which is basically a much spiffier looking Toyota Matrix. Unfortunately it’s one of the cars that’s been recalled for sticky accelerators. Foreign vs. domestic didn’t matter much one way or the other.
I did ask my mechanic about Chevy Malibus, and his response was that I’d be in the shop more often than I was with my 120,000 mile 4wd Ranger. He hated them.
FWIW, I adopted a stray whose prior litterbox experience was unknown but probably non-existent. He and his “sister” share just fine for the most part. It only requires multiple daily scoopings on my lazy part because neither one is much into covering their offerings. (Although, if I’m a bit negligent they still seem to be okay; I just get disgusted looks when they leave the litterbox room.
58.
Fergus Wooster
@Comrade Dread:
Thanks. I was afraid the Chrysler comment would come up. I just bought me a Dodge Challenger R/T with most of the trimmings (V8, 6-speed manual, etc). My midlife crisis must have come early.
It’s a blast to drive, I must say. Maybe I’ll flip it in a few years before any problems come up. If it goes pear-shaped before then, I can always go out like Kowalski. . .
Feeling stressed? And appreciate the intersection of soothing music and the ethereal female singing voice in two part harmony, this modern version of a traditional folk ballad could be for you. Does it for me anyways.
@lawguy: So what are you saying? That you have no information to share? Or that you imagine yourself to be on a gag order in which case, why are you even bothering to comment?
OK, that aside, I’ve rumors of everything from a Supreme Court appointment to metaphorical banishment. Everything I’ve read so far that purports “proof” of bad faith leads back to GG’s post, which, suffice it to say, requires some backup. No posts in Balkinization, Scott Horton’s blog, or Obsidian Wings. I remember the kerfuffle over Greg Craig’s resignation and find nothing similar. Also, it seems weird that Harold Koh got in and Johnsen didn’t despite both of them being vociferous critics of the Bush admin’s use of executive power. And yes, Johnsen hung on long enough for Obama to renominate her 3 mos ago, so she herself believed that she had a chance until very recently .
67.
MikeJ
@Fergus Wooster: The military was providing security at a meeting of 47 heads of state. Obviously this is like a May Day parade, and it’s Obama’s fault that a National Guard truck hit a cyclist.
Obama is teaching Saudi Arabia how to restrict the press because he didn’t take any questions.
Those aren’t “shorters” in the spirit of S,N! Those are close to direct quotes. Dana’s off the deep end.
@Zippity: The Litter Robot people have another version out now, even bigger, for big cats
I got the Cat Genie, not been a great success. Great piece of engineering though. I think only one cat kinda uses it. They like the regular one better. Don’t ask me why.
Speaking of all that… in the last open thread I had asked for advice regarding my not urinating or rather urinating inappropriately.
Thanks everyone for that. My cat is pee’ing but she’s only pee’ing at night and not in the litter box. My two two litterboxes look like only one cat is using them; the other one.
@SIA – thank you so much for the link regarding apple vinegar. I am really eager to try it.
So the story so far is that, I believe she does have cystitis as her pee is very yellow and concentrated. She does litlte smears here and there consisting of a tablespoon of urine.
I had to clean up again today even though I locked her with us in the bedroom at night (she won’t pee in our bedroom) with a litter box. The this morning after I fed her wet cat food she pee’d on the carpet again. Although it was a much lighter.. dunno. I want to try the apple vinegar and see if it helps. Poor thing.
Also, it seems weird that Johnsen herself would not speak about any bad treatment that she received because then it really would be a case of the administration and/or members of Congress suppressing her opinion.
Starting today, every Friday I’m going to give five dollars to someone who’s produced something funny/interesting/worthwhile and is giving it away on the internet(s).
72.
Fergus Wooster
@MikeJ: Yes, just like May Day. I distinctly recall seeing thousands of troops goose-stepping behind a train of ICBM’s and Bradley tanks, stopping only to salute Dear Leader.
And if I saw the Dick Whisperer in the press gaggle, I’d refuse questions on patriotic grounds: Best not to embarrass our nation by exposing other heads of state to the rotting innards of our Fourth Estate.
Dana wins the day in douche-dom again. Or is he tied with McMegan?
73.
Legalize
My new iMac and printer got delivered to my office today – a whole day early! My years old iBook got water spilled on it this weekend and died. My only fear is that my days worth of music will be lost. I can’t wait to get this thing home! Also. Too.
Do you think that the people who put that created that bible laughed about it the whole time? It sounds like a ‘what if…’ joke that someone thought was just too good to pass up.
This is one of my leading theories behind the creation of this…thing. And assuming that it is correct, I’m sure that the people behind the Holy Bible: Stock Car Racing Edition (the fact that it’s the stock car racing edition has me LOLlerskating all over the place) popped open a bottle of champagne when they read this review:
Let’s face it folks, the bible is a must-read for everyone. It is the word of God in written form (Jesus is the living word!). I purchased the Stock Car Racing bible for a couple of reasons: 1) I’m a big NASCAR fan and I love the fact that there are so many people in the sport who are Christians; 2) I wanted an NIV bible that wasn’t too small and wasn’t too large and bulky. I love the pages with application of biblical principles from stock car racing and testimony from drivers and other well-known racing personalities. The leather cover with the checkered flag stripe is also pretty sporty. My only con for this bible is that the bible text pages are very thin and fragile. Great for keeping the thickness to a minimum, but I would like to see a slightly thicker page on the next printing.
Thank you, Edward Arguello. Fun fact, that is his real name, which would indeed make him a real person.
@Fergus Wooster:
Last American ride we had was a mid-’90s Grand Cherokee that was reliability personified. Nothing in the drivetrain ever broke. Likewise the fuel and exhaust systems. We had to replace some sort of ignition module and the A/C system developed a pesky leak. Whoever shoved the distributor underneath the windshield cowl shoulda been shot. Other than that, it was easy to work on. 150k over about a dozen years when we traded it in. Based on my N=1, you have nothing to fear.
We’re Eurosluts at present, but I miss the GC’s ground clearance whenever I’m on crappy mountain roads or in the snow. Good luck with your new ride!
77.
Fergus Wooster
@trollhattan: Thanks! We had a Cherokee when I was in high school, with similar experience.
This is my first auto purchase made out of love rather than utility, so I really hope it works out.
The toddler loves it. She went all saucer-eyed at the engine noise.
I actually thought the Kagan critique (which, FWIW, I don’t buy) was much better than average for Glen. It was closely reasoned and not the least bit shrill or gratuitously insulting. More like that would be welcome.
@Legalize: For future reference, when you spill liquid on electronics that aren’t running, let it dry out completely and it should be fine. If it’s running it will likely and unfortunately, shut itself off. I imagine your music is fine, just a matter of powering the hard drive for a transfer.
82.
trollhattan
Did anybody else see Kthug’s Larry Kudlow smackdown?
Sorry, I was at work. I really do not understand about folks some days. Thre appears to be nothing that Obama can do that will shake people’s touching trust.
Cain, have you had her to the vet to check for liver probs? I went through that…
yes, we have taken her to the vet for a urine sample, and x rays to see if there were any stones. There was blood in the urine sample (microscopic) and there was no indication of stones.
The vet gave me some canned food that is supposed to make the cat thirsty so they drink more water.
sri
85.
demimondian
@Fergus Wooster: I own (and love) a Ford Escape Hybrid. It’s been a dream of reliability and function — until the guy with the 16000 pounds of hot water heaters decided that it would make a dandy hood ornament.
@Cain: Glad to hear you are getting medical opinions.
Before we got the cat fountain, here were my tricks to get the cats to drink more:
Use water filters. Cats can pick up off-tastes and odors.
Use glass or ceramic bowls. (Plastic puts smell in the water, and easily scratches, which can foment bacteria.)
Wet food. Pour filtered water over it to make “gravy.”
Use wide cups and fill them to the top. Cats don’t want their whiskers folded back into their face as they drink.
Offer them water from “our” glasses. Often cats like to beg drinks from us because it’s fresher. Giving them water in similar containers adds to its appeal.
Leave water in places where we hang out, and let them know.
87.
Sir Nose'D
TEA PARTY!
Traffic was all gummed up on the way home from work. There is a tea party at my university’s athletic center today. I am very excited that thousands of people will be on the grounds of my institute of higher learning, all of whom profess to know more about the constitution than, say a professor of constitutional law-turned-president.
+1 (but really I wish I was about +4 at the moment).
@rootless-e: “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.” You’re concern trolling on behalf of Emanuel and I can only wonder at it–he’s not a savory person and quite possibly a criminal. You say there is no evidence. Yet what else are Litowitz’s campaign contributions? What there is not, yet, is proof, but if you start claiming there is no evidence you will never end with proof. As head of the House Financial Services Committee it is difficult to see how Emanuel could not have participated in the looting of the financial system.
Litowitz’ first major contribution was to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2003. The database indexes are apparently confused, and the contribution only shows up on some searches and I don’t always see it. So missing this was probably error rather than dishonesty, because the contribution supports Y. Smith & Lambert’s position. Emanuel was named to the HFSC in 2003 and became chairman of the DCCC in 2005. This is suspicious and in any honest regulatory environment, Emanuel would have been investigated long since.
C Nelson Reilly
Massa’s back in the news, baby!
The Raven
DFHs: more right than we knew.
Bob K
The White House revealed Monday that Obama’s candidates for the Supreme Court include a new name, federal appeals court judge Sidney Thomas of Montana. Something tells me that Clarence Thomas is NOT amused.
We’re talking tea party people here – a centrist IS a liberal to them.
http://apnews.excite.com/article/20100413/D9F21KRG4.html
rootless-e
@The Raven: Yves Smith is about as reliable a source as Drudge.
Crashman
Has anyone played the game Borderlands? I’m thinking about picking it up, but can’t decide if I should get it for PC or Xbox.
Midnight Marauder
A friend of mine just sent me this link for the Holy Bible, Stock Car Racing Edition.
My mind. It is blown.
David in NY
So, says TPM, the latest Republican word is that finance reform will cause more bailouts. Which brings to mind this:
flukebucket
Bradshaw gives Ben some damn good advice.
The Moar You Know
@Midnight Marauder: The Mayans were right after all.
ellaesther
So, yeah….
So, the IDF recently issued a new order, which goes into effect tomorrow, allowing for the mass expulsion (read: ethnic cleansing) of Palestinians from the West Bank: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1162382.html
Which, you know: Huh!
A few years ago I had the opportunity to interview and write about a woman who had the extraordinary misfortune of being in America at the moment that Israel occupied the West Bank in 1967 — at a stroke, she lost her residency status and was consigned to “foreign national” status, required to get a new tourist visa every 3 months. For the rest of her life.
Until Israel suddenly refused to give her one, refusing to allow her to get back to her life, her home, her business, her family. Here’s her story: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1162382.html
If Israel acts on this new order, no matter what they say about the terrorists they’re deporting, please know that this woman is in fact the real face of the expulsions.
trollhattan
Meddlesome governments spreadin’ the wealth to bring 10,000 Navajo homes running water.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/search/ci_14870489?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com
Why do we coddle them so? WWSS? (What would Sarah say?)
Zippity
I have a question for all you experienced cat people. I’m moving from a house with a basement-where I’ve been able to have 3 litter boxes for my 3 cats-to a much smaller house that doesn’t have an accessible basement. I’m looking for recommendations on litter boxes and litter-something that doesn’t track too badly.
Thanks in advance for all your help!
gbear
MN public radio broadcast a great hour-long documentary over the lunch hour about the forceful role that NASA took in trying to end segregation in the south during the 50’s and 60’s. Some pretty amazing interviews with black NASA engineers. So fitting that this ran during Confederacy Awareness Month.
Shalimar
Massa scandal is in the news again on MSNBC. Ensign scandal is not.
licensed to kill time
This is funny: ‘Phallic’ art sparks row ahead of Pope’s Malta visit.
cleek
we recently got a ModKat litter box for our two cats. it works pretty well for reducing stray litter. more importantly, for us, it also prevents the accidents where our two girlcats would …ummm… sometimes miss the sand completely, and would spray the wall/floor/etc.. pretty much impossible for that to happen in the ModKat box.
rootless-e
@The Raven: So as a nice example of Yves Smith’s accuracy she writes
—
And the hedge fund’s cagey bet on Rahm? Litowitz and his wife had never before made significant political donations. In 2005, they started giving to Rahm and his PACs, and only PACs connected to Rahm, just before the Magnetar CDO program began, and continued through the first quarter of 2008, when the trade would have started to pay out handsomely.
—
But actually, OpenSecrets shows a $10,000 donation to the DCCC from Litowitz in 2003 when Bob Matsui was chair of the DCCC. So Yves Smith, in my humble opinion, can take her warmed over Bob Luntz bullshit and peddle it to someone else.
gbear
@Zippity:
Hahaha. Buy a covered cat box, a broom and some scented candles. If the cat will tolerate a door on the box, more power to you. You’re going to have to get a bit less fussy about smells leaking around the house.
Bnut
@flukebucket
Never thought I would agree with ole Terry, but Big Ben has to get shit together. Maybe in jail…
Calouste
@Zippity:
We use EverClean litter for our cat. It isn’t cheap (about $17 per box), but it clumps very well and if you scoop out the clumps every day it lasts quite a while. I think a box lasts 2-3 months with our cat.
Rosalita
@Midnight Marauder:
and you just know the guy who shaved a # 2 in the hair on his back owns of these…
eemom
Greenie favors us today with his promised master smearopiece on Elena Kagan.
Shorter Glenn: She didn’t give me enough ammo to smear her with — therefore, you should all ASSUME she sucks.
Oh, and just in case any AN donors are wondering about the bang they’re getting for their buck: turns out Mr. Constitutional Lawyer gets his info from a second year law student.
flukebucket
Poor Neal Boortz misses the fiscal sanity and small government offered up by Republicans.
He probably also misses those Oval office meetings he was invited to during the past administration.
Zippity
@cleek: That looks really cool. I don’t know if my big fat 23 lb. boy will be able to fit.
@gbear: I’m not so worried about the smell, I clean them all the time. I’m more concerned about the cats not wanting to use the same litter box as the others. Also, can’t have a covered box, I have a cat that’s way to big to get in and out. He really rivals Tunch for size.
@Calouste: That sounds like a great suggestion, I’ll try it. If it lasts that long, $17 is a bargain.
The Moar You Know
@Bnut: Ben got off scot-free in Georgia.
I’m sure the stern lecture he got from the policeman will straighten him out (rolls eyes).
Rosalita
@cleek:
damn, that’s cool! must buy those
jeffreyw
We definitely need more open threads. Might I suggest a “Breakfast” thread?
Rosalita
@Rosalita:
Ouch, sticker shock!!
MikeJ
If you mod your cat do you need to get a bigger power supply? Would it be better to just go ahead and switch to liquid cooling rather than adding a lot of new fans?
rootless-e
I swear that I never liked Rahm Emanuel, but the last year or so of constant attacks from “progressives” who somehow keep using Luntz’s attack points by accident has convinced me he has to be damn good.
Anyone who is deeply hated by Grover Norquist and admired by Barack Obama has to have a number of positive points.
The Yves Smith smear on Huffpo is a classic bit of fact-free attack. Apparently giving money to the DCCC before and after Rahm managed it, during a time that the Republicans controlled all regulators, is evidence of terrible evil-doing.
MikeJ
@flukebucket: in re Boortz: It’s moronic to actively campaign against a party and expect to be invited to speak at their convention. It’s the same bullshit move Casey pulled in ’92 when he refused to endorse the party’s candidate and then cried like a little girl when they would let him speak.
Boortz wants to speak at the national convention for a political party and tell people to vote against that party. And then he wants to say they aren’t being nice to him.
Cat Lady
@eemom:
Can we get Cole to front page that? It’s been a couple of weeks since we’ve all been called cultists of Dear Leader. My day’s not complete unless someone fails to shame me.
Also.
Too.
J.A.F. Rusty Shackleford
Is anybody as full of themselves as Andrew Sullivan?
“The non-puss factor is why I see the Dish and South Park as coming broadly from the same sensibility and philosophy.”
“The Pet Shop Boys’ new album is dedicated to the teens recently hanged in Iran for being gay. It’s called “Fundamental.” I know it’s weird, but for twenty-five years, Tennant and Lowe’s music has been a constant source of comfort and inspiration to me. To discover that their thoughts have been tracking mine doesn’t surprise me, but it does reassure me.”
Sullivan didn’t realize he was gay until after he discovered that he was unable to suck his own cock.
WereBear
@Zippity: I’m as happy as a ocean of clams with my 3 cat solution:
The Litter Robot
gbear
@Midnight Marauder:
Do you think that the people who put that created that bible laughed about it the whole time? It sounds like a ‘what if…’ joke that someone thought was just too good to pass up.
Calouste
@Zippity:
Note that our cat is only 9 pounds, so it propably won’t last as long with your cat.
It also depends on what you feed your cats. Cheaper catfood = more fillers = more (and smellier) poo.
Paula
@eemom:
For a guy so dead set against anonymous sources and/or the MSM, he seems ok about using them as proof of whatever narrative he wants to push (see: his most recent post on Dawn Johnsen).
All of a sudden, Tapper is reliable source of anonymously sourced quotes. Good to know.
[Harold Koh got in. Dawn Johnsen didn’t. Can someone write something a little more illuminating about this?? ]
eemom
@Cat Lady:
oh, he’s ready for that. Argument numero uno against Kagan is that anyone who supports her is doing so just because Dear Leader appointed her.
Hmmm…..how about a rebuttal argument that he’s against Kagan because he’s a misogynist sexist prick? That’s always been a favorite of his girl Jane whenever anyone attacks her or any other woman on her ever-shrinking good side.
The Raven
@rootless-e: There are several Litowitz’s who are campaign contributors–you might want to check the names. The only references I can find to Magnetar’s Alec Litowitz and his wife Jennifer Litowitz are here at Newsmeat, who contributed a bit to John Kerry in 2003 and some $18,000 to several Emanuel PACs in 2005, just as Yves Smith said.
Let’s see those links, guy.
cleek
@Rosalita:
holy crap!
my wife bought it… i hope she found it cheaper somewhere else!
Zippity
@WereBear: Wow, that’s even funkier than the ModKat!
@Calouste: Yep, it’s amazing what a difference high quality food makes.
flukebucket
@MikeJ:
I feel sure that Boortz feels like he is doing the libertarian party a big favor by allowing them to pretend that he is one of them.
Boortz has always been a Republican at his core.
Experience has taught me that a libertarian is a Republican that is ashamed to admit it.
Origuy
We haven’t had a world music thread in a while. I was watching Michael Palin’s Sahara documentary. He had several African musicians on the show at one time or another. One was Toumani Diabate, a kora player from Mali.
rootless-e
@The Raven:
LITOWITZ, ALEC N
CHICAGO,IL 60614 CITADEL INVESTMENT GROUP/PRINCIPAL 3/31/03 $10,000 Democratic Congressional Campaign Cmte (D)
http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.php?name=litowitz&state=IL&zip=&employ=&cand=&old=Y&sort=N&capcode=q7q25&submit=Submit
WereBear
@Zippity: The Litter Robot people have another version out now, even bigger, for big cats.
flukebucket
And now Jim Nantz is disappointed in Tiger.
I never learned how to play golf without the use of expletives.
One beautiful Sunday morning I found myself +3 after two holes and I thought to myself, “I am fuckin’ payin’ for this god damn misery!”
I finished that round and I have never picked up a golf club again.
rootless-e
@The Raven: Not to mention that there is not a single bit of evidence that Emanuel ever did anything to assist Magnetar, not that he would need to because their trade was totally legal, or that he would have been able to because BUSH AND THE REPUBLICANS CONTROLLED THE REGULATORY AGENCIES UNTIL 2009.
Frankly, I kind of admire the Magnetar deal. They basically ran a standard con on the biggest Wall Street banks by appealing to their greed over their supposed financial expertise. That’s actually how the system is supposed to work – banks that participate in deals like that are supposed to crater.
Fergus Wooster
OT, but this is an open thread. . . Anyone here own an american car?
I bought my first non-Asian car last week, and I’m wondering how much grief I’m in for in terms of decrepitude, maintenance, etc. . .
lawguy
Hey, I haven’t heard any comments on the Dawn Johnsen thingy. That is since you proved to me that I should just shut my mouth because Obama re-appointed her.
Comrade Dread
@Fergus Wooster:
Last American car got 250,000 miles on it before I retired her. Didn’t really have too many serious issues until about 12 years in when the transmission needed to be rebuilt.
After 15 years, I finally got rid of it because I had to keep replacing different parts every other month to the tune of 100-300 dollars.
Even still, the engine was still solid and never gave out.
I’d definitely recommend Ford over other brands, though.
Wouldn’t touch a Chrysler with a 100 foot pole. Bought a Mercedes back during the days when the two companies were one in the same. Damn thing’s been costing more money to fix and it’s barely hit the seven year mark.
The mechanic I talked to said he’d seen a lot more cars from the 2000-2006 range than any other years with similar problems.
rootless-e
@The Raven: and finally, any article critical of the Obama administration that acknowledges a debt to Corrente has a big hill to climb to reach sea level of credibility.
srv
@Origuy:
HA!
h/t reddit
cleek
@srv:
must. have.
rootless-e
@lawguy: we all understand Rahm killed off the nomination to avoid interference with the torture/assassination campaign that Tim Geithner is running out of Treasury to support banksters. Is there anything else we should know? A Mena connection? Some involvement of Vince Foster?
BruinKid
On MSNBC right now, Ken Starr (of Lewinsky fame and now the Dean of Pepperdine Law School) is saying that Elena Kagan, Diane Wood, and Merrick Garland are ALL incredibly well-qualified candidates, would all be excellent nominees for the Supreme Court, and says Obama has an “abundence of riches” to choose from.
Huh. Kinda makes it a bit harder for right-wingers to oppose them when Ken Starr was downright laudatory about them.
gbear
@Fergus Wooster:
I owned a couple of small Japanese cars in the 70’s-80’s but switched to Ford Rangers in the 90’s. I liked the Rangers a lot, although repairs on a 4wd got expensive. The Rangers didn’t really nickle-and-dime me any more than the Mazda 323 or Toyota Corolla did. I also liked that the Ranger assembly plant was 5 miles from my house. I would have bought another Ranger except that Ford hasn’t upgraded the engineering for ages. Horrid gas mileage.
Last fall, I bought a 2009 Pontiac Vibe, which is basically a much spiffier looking Toyota Matrix. Unfortunately it’s one of the cars that’s been recalled for sticky accelerators. Foreign vs. domestic didn’t matter much one way or the other.
I did ask my mechanic about Chevy Malibus, and his response was that I’d be in the shop more often than I was with my 120,000 mile 4wd Ranger. He hated them.
Elisabeth
@Zippity:
FWIW, I adopted a stray whose prior litterbox experience was unknown but probably non-existent. He and his “sister” share just fine for the most part. It only requires multiple daily scoopings on my lazy part because neither one is much into covering their offerings. (Although, if I’m a bit negligent they still seem to be okay; I just get disgusted looks when they leave the litterbox room.
Fergus Wooster
@Comrade Dread:
Thanks. I was afraid the Chrysler comment would come up. I just bought me a Dodge Challenger R/T with most of the trimmings (V8, 6-speed manual, etc). My midlife crisis must have come early.
It’s a blast to drive, I must say. Maybe I’ll flip it in a few years before any problems come up. If it goes pear-shaped before then, I can always go out like Kowalski. . .
srv
@cleek: Redditor’s attempt to recreate image
http://imgur.com/5rPq3
Something different on zazzle:
http://www.zazzle.com/michael_palin_for_vp_mens_tshirt-235411708917980288
Guess someone should create a zazzle shirt.
Elisabeth
@BruinKid:
But don’t we want someone Ken Starr would be opposed to?
Bill H
For those who have missed it so far, Dana Milbank has gone batshit again.
MikeJ
@Bill H: Again or still?
General Egali Tarian Stuck
Feeling stressed? And appreciate the intersection of soothing music and the ethereal female singing voice in two part harmony, this modern version of a traditional folk ballad could be for you. Does it for me anyways.
The Unthanks – Anachie Gordon
Fergus Wooster
@Bill H:
Oh no, not giving him another click. Not gonna do it. I’ll have to wait for someone to post an excerpt.
Bill H
@MikeJ:
I’m referring to his activity.
Paula
@lawguy: So what are you saying? That you have no information to share? Or that you imagine yourself to be on a gag order in which case, why are you even bothering to comment?
OK, that aside, I’ve rumors of everything from a Supreme Court appointment to metaphorical banishment. Everything I’ve read so far that purports “proof” of bad faith leads back to GG’s post, which, suffice it to say, requires some backup. No posts in Balkinization, Scott Horton’s blog, or Obsidian Wings. I remember the kerfuffle over Greg Craig’s resignation and find nothing similar. Also, it seems weird that Harold Koh got in and Johnsen didn’t despite both of them being vociferous critics of the Bush admin’s use of executive power. And yes, Johnsen hung on long enough for Obama to renominate her 3 mos ago, so she herself believed that she had a chance until very recently .
MikeJ
@Fergus Wooster: The military was providing security at a meeting of 47 heads of state. Obviously this is like a May Day parade, and it’s Obama’s fault that a National Guard truck hit a cyclist.
Obama is teaching Saudi Arabia how to restrict the press because he didn’t take any questions.
Those aren’t “shorters” in the spirit of S,N! Those are close to direct quotes. Dana’s off the deep end.
Rosalita
@cleek:
ruh, roh. jig is up. I’m sure the kitteh girlz appreciate it tho.
Cain
@WereBear:
I got the Cat Genie, not been a great success. Great piece of engineering though. I think only one cat kinda uses it. They like the regular one better. Don’t ask me why.
Speaking of all that… in the last open thread I had asked for advice regarding my not urinating or rather urinating inappropriately.
Thanks everyone for that. My cat is pee’ing but she’s only pee’ing at night and not in the litter box. My two two litterboxes look like only one cat is using them; the other one.
@SIA – thank you so much for the link regarding apple vinegar. I am really eager to try it.
So the story so far is that, I believe she does have cystitis as her pee is very yellow and concentrated. She does litlte smears here and there consisting of a tablespoon of urine.
I had to clean up again today even though I locked her with us in the bedroom at night (she won’t pee in our bedroom) with a litter box. The this morning after I fed her wet cat food she pee’d on the carpet again. Although it was a much lighter.. dunno. I want to try the apple vinegar and see if it helps. Poor thing.
Here’s a pic:
Snickers
cain
Paula
Also, it seems weird that Johnsen herself would not speak about any bad treatment that she received because then it really would be a case of the administration and/or members of Congress suppressing her opinion.
Cris
Jonathan Schwartz has an interesting idea: Five Dollar Friday.
Fergus Wooster
@MikeJ: Yes, just like May Day. I distinctly recall seeing thousands of troops goose-stepping behind a train of ICBM’s and Bradley tanks, stopping only to salute Dear Leader.
And if I saw the Dick Whisperer in the press gaggle, I’d refuse questions on patriotic grounds: Best not to embarrass our nation by exposing other heads of state to the rotting innards of our Fourth Estate.
Dana wins the day in douche-dom again. Or is he tied with McMegan?
Legalize
My new iMac and printer got delivered to my office today – a whole day early! My years old iBook got water spilled on it this weekend and died. My only fear is that my days worth of music will be lost. I can’t wait to get this thing home! Also. Too.
Midnight Marauder
@gbear:
This is one of my leading theories behind the creation of this…thing. And assuming that it is correct, I’m sure that the people behind the Holy Bible: Stock Car Racing Edition (the fact that it’s the stock car racing edition has me LOLlerskating all over the place) popped open a bottle of champagne when they read this review:
Thank you, Edward Arguello. Fun fact, that is his real name, which would indeed make him a real person.
In case you were wondering.
Fergus Wooster
I loves me my <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/43973485@N03/4518919166/my http://www.flickr.com/photos/43973485@N03/4518919692/” rel=”nofollow”>car. Loves it.
Even if it will go lemon in six months.
Edit: Link fail. FYWP, or F me.
trollhattan
@Fergus Wooster:
Last American ride we had was a mid-’90s Grand Cherokee that was reliability personified. Nothing in the drivetrain ever broke. Likewise the fuel and exhaust systems. We had to replace some sort of ignition module and the A/C system developed a pesky leak. Whoever shoved the distributor underneath the windshield cowl shoulda been shot. Other than that, it was easy to work on. 150k over about a dozen years when we traded it in. Based on my N=1, you have nothing to fear.
We’re Eurosluts at present, but I miss the GC’s ground clearance whenever I’m on crappy mountain roads or in the snow. Good luck with your new ride!
Fergus Wooster
@trollhattan: Thanks! We had a Cherokee when I was in high school, with similar experience.
This is my first auto purchase made out of love rather than utility, so I really hope it works out.
The toddler loves it. She went all saucer-eyed at the engine noise.
Rosalita
@Cain:
Cain, have you had her to the vet to check for liver probs? I went through that…
burnspbesq
@eemom:
I actually thought the Kagan critique (which, FWIW, I don’t buy) was much better than average for Glen. It was closely reasoned and not the least bit shrill or gratuitously insulting. More like that would be welcome.
http://mobile.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2010/04/12/kagan/index.html
However, there is only one “Greenie,” and it’s Mike Greenberg of ESPN Radio.
gbear
Tim Pawlenty has declared April to be Abortion Recovery Month. MN rolls it’s eyes.
PTirebiter
@Legalize: For future reference, when you spill liquid on electronics that aren’t running, let it dry out completely and it should be fine. If it’s running it will likely and unfortunately, shut itself off. I imagine your music is fine, just a matter of powering the hard drive for a transfer.
trollhattan
Did anybody else see Kthug’s Larry Kudlow smackdown?
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/13/paging-larry-kudlow/
Heh, indeedy.
lawguy
Sorry, I was at work. I really do not understand about folks some days. Thre appears to be nothing that Obama can do that will shake people’s touching trust.
Cain
@Rosalita:
yes, we have taken her to the vet for a urine sample, and x rays to see if there were any stones. There was blood in the urine sample (microscopic) and there was no indication of stones.
The vet gave me some canned food that is supposed to make the cat thirsty so they drink more water.
sri
demimondian
@Fergus Wooster: I own (and love) a Ford Escape Hybrid. It’s been a dream of reliability and function — until the guy with the 16000 pounds of hot water heaters decided that it would make a dandy hood ornament.
[snif] My poor baby.
WereBear
@Cain: Glad to hear you are getting medical opinions.
Before we got the cat fountain, here were my tricks to get the cats to drink more:
Use water filters. Cats can pick up off-tastes and odors.
Use glass or ceramic bowls. (Plastic puts smell in the water, and easily scratches, which can foment bacteria.)
Wet food. Pour filtered water over it to make “gravy.”
Use wide cups and fill them to the top. Cats don’t want their whiskers folded back into their face as they drink.
Offer them water from “our” glasses. Often cats like to beg drinks from us because it’s fresher. Giving them water in similar containers adds to its appeal.
Leave water in places where we hang out, and let them know.
Sir Nose'D
TEA PARTY!
Traffic was all gummed up on the way home from work. There is a tea party at my university’s athletic center today. I am very excited that thousands of people will be on the grounds of my institute of higher learning, all of whom profess to know more about the constitution than, say a professor of constitutional law-turned-president.
+1 (but really I wish I was about +4 at the moment).
Mnemosyne
@Cain:
She may be in pain — if so, the peeing outside the box is her saying, “Hey, doofus, THIS HURTS! DO SOMETHING!”
The Raven
@rootless-e: “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.” You’re concern trolling on behalf of Emanuel and I can only wonder at it–he’s not a savory person and quite possibly a criminal. You say there is no evidence. Yet what else are Litowitz’s campaign contributions? What there is not, yet, is proof, but if you start claiming there is no evidence you will never end with proof. As head of the House Financial Services Committee it is difficult to see how Emanuel could not have participated in the looting of the financial system.
Litowitz’ first major contribution was to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2003. The database indexes are apparently confused, and the contribution only shows up on some searches and I don’t always see it. So missing this was probably error rather than dishonesty, because the contribution supports Y. Smith & Lambert’s position. Emanuel was named to the HFSC in 2003 and became chairman of the DCCC in 2005. This is suspicious and in any honest regulatory environment, Emanuel would have been investigated long since.
Why are you defending him?
The Raven
Correction, Emanuel was never chair of the HFSC.