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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Open thread

Open thread

by DougJ|  February 24, 201412:49 pm| 135 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

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Talk about whatever.

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Previous Post: « Not Looking Good for Wendy Davis
Next Post: Harold Ramis, RIP »

Reader Interactions

135Comments

  1. 1.

    Alexandra

    February 24, 2014 at 12:55 pm

    RIP Harold Ramis. Don’t cross the streams.

  2. 2.

    J.

    February 24, 2014 at 12:56 pm

    Anyone else think Bruno Mars (loved his Super Bowl halftime show) bears a more than passing resemblance to pre-plastic surgery Michael Jackson?

    And speaking of plastic surgery…. Check out this video of Kate Upton floating in zero gravity. Even if you have no interest in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue, the video is very cool — and funny.

  3. 3.

    piratedan

    February 24, 2014 at 12:58 pm

    damn, Harold Ramis is gone, he helped set the standard of comedy as I was growing up, Animal House, Stripes, Meatballs, Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day all had his deft touch either behind the camera or on the pages of the script… ty sir for so many laugh out loud moments and smiles….

  4. 4.

    Citizen_X

    February 24, 2014 at 12:58 pm

    @Alexandra: Yep. Sucks. Here’s a link.

  5. 5.

    Mnemosyne

    February 24, 2014 at 1:00 pm

    I think Harold Ramis is the first comedian of that generation to not die of a drug overdose or something drug-related.

    This is apparently REALLY big news in Chicago since he’s from the area and lived there most of the time (when he wasn’t filming).

    ETA: I guess second, since Gilda Radner died of cancer.

  6. 6.

    shelly

    February 24, 2014 at 1:02 pm

    RIP Harold Ramis. Don’t cross the streams.

    What! Oh, no!

  7. 7.

    burnspbesq

    February 24, 2014 at 1:04 pm

    Hoisted from the previous open thread.

    Halftime score: Women’s Rights 24, Notre Dame 3.

    Judge Posner’s opinion denying the Fighting Irish their preliminary injunction against having to submit the form in order to get exempted from the so-called “contraceptive mandate” is a thing of beauty.

    http://media.ca7.uscourts.gov/…..295328:S:0

  8. 8.

    Comrade Mary

    February 24, 2014 at 1:07 pm

    @Mnemosyne: He’s well-loved in Canada, too. Hell, the world loved him. All the world, except for gophers, I guess.

  9. 9.

    burnspbesq

    February 24, 2014 at 1:09 pm

    The fight between Michael Jackson’s estate and the IRS is going to be epic.

    http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2013/08/26/irs-to-michael-jacksons-estate-whos-bad/

  10. 10.

    Mnemosyne

    February 24, 2014 at 1:12 pm

    @Comrade Mary:

    I always assumed that “SCTV” made him an honorary Canadian. ;-)

  11. 11.

    dmsilev

    February 24, 2014 at 1:13 pm

    @burnspbesq: I read a bit about the case a week or so ago, and the piece that jumped out at me was that the Jackson estate lawyers were apparently claiming that his ownership of the Beatles song catalog had a total value of roughly zero.

  12. 12.

    Comrade Mary

    February 24, 2014 at 1:15 pm

    @Mnemosyne: Yep :-) Also Meatballs, too.

  13. 13.

    Violet

    February 24, 2014 at 1:17 pm

    From one of the obituaries:

    Ramis was surrounded by family in his Chicago home, where he’s lived since 1996, when he died early this morning from complications of autoimmune inflammatory vasculitis, his wife Erica Mann Ramis told the Chicago Tribune.

    His rare disease involved a swelling of the blood vessels and the report adds that his health issues began in 2010. His condition was so bad in the past, the actor/writer/director had to relearn to walk.

    That sounds awful. Poor guy. RIP.

  14. 14.

    ranchandsyrup

    February 24, 2014 at 1:21 pm

    A neighborhood HOA enthusiast tried to do a “run by” screaming lecture at me this morning because he wrongly thought I was walking the dogs without a leash. He didn’t expect me to be waiting for him on the other side of the loop after he motherfucked me while running away. He almost shat himself when he saw me waiting and said, “Leave me alone, I’m exercising!” I mocked him for that roundly and he apologized profusely after I let him know what was going on (but not before he tried to claim he was somehow special because he pays HOA dues. We all do).
    His wife came by and apologized again on his behalf after I left for work.
    Lock it up, humanity.

  15. 15.

    PurpleGirl

    February 24, 2014 at 1:21 pm

    I haven’t seen most of the movies Ramis made, mostly because I don’t go to the movies much. I loved him in Ghostbusters; I did see Animal House and Meatballs. Although too short he lived well and leaves a great legacy. RIP.

  16. 16.

    WaterGirl

    February 24, 2014 at 1:24 pm

    @burnspbesq: My reply from the previous thread:

    IANAL, but I made it to page 16 before my eyes started to glaze over. It appeared that things were not going the way Notre Dame would like, and I skimmed a bit after that, but at the end it appeared to be a total reversal.

    A summary from an attorney would be helpful. Can you say more?

  17. 17.

    Shakezula

    February 24, 2014 at 1:26 pm

    @burnspbesq:

    The bloodshed began early.

    But we are left with the question: what does Notre Dame want us to do?

    No certification, no exemption. We imagine that what the university wants is an order forbidding Aetna and Meritain to provide any contraceptive coverage to Notre Dame staff or students pending final judgment in the district court. But we can’t issue such an order; neither Aetna nor Meritain is a defendant (the university’s failure to join them as defendants puzzles us), so unless and until they are joined as defendants they can’t be ordered by the district court or by this court to do anything. Furthermore, while a religious institution has a broad immunity from being required to engage in acts that violate the tenets of its faith, it has no right to prevent other institutions, whether the government or a health insurance company, from engaging in acts that merely offend the institution.

    Deelightful. Thanks for sharing.

  18. 18.

    hilts

    February 24, 2014 at 1:27 pm

    Great essay by Mike Lofgren on Bill Moyers’ website

    Anatomy of the Deep State
    http://billmoyers.com/2014/02/21/anatomy-of-the-deep-state

    Interview with Lofgren
    http://billmoyers.com/episode/the-deep-state-hiding-in-plain-sight

  19. 19.

    Trollhattan

    February 24, 2014 at 1:29 pm

    @burnspbesq:

    Wonder who ends up with the kiddie pr0n?

  20. 20.

    Knight of Nothing

    February 24, 2014 at 1:32 pm

    House of Cards as Princess Bride.

  21. 21.

    dmsilev

    February 24, 2014 at 1:35 pm

    Looks like Kansas is upping its game in the “craziest state” sweepstakes:

    Kansas bill would require cities to warn of fluoride in water

    TOPEKA — A Kansas House committee is considering a proposal to require cities and other local governments to warn consumers if they put fluoride in their water supplies.

    The bill on the Health and Human Services Committee’s agenda Monday has been condemned by public health officials and the Kansas Dental Association. The federal Centers for Disease Control last year called fluoridation of water “one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century.”

    Link (via TPM).

    “Mandrake, do you realize that in addition to fluoridating water, why, there are studies underway to fluoridate salt, flour, fruit juices, soup, sugar, milk… ice cream. Ice cream, Mandrake, children’s ice cream.”

  22. 22.

    Shakezula

    February 24, 2014 at 1:43 pm

    @WaterGirl: The majority went against Notre Dame, the last part was the opinion of the dissenting judge.

  23. 23.

    jibeaux

    February 24, 2014 at 1:44 pm

    @ranchandsyrup: and our real estate agent thought we were weird for only considering neighborhoods without HOAs.

  24. 24.

    Linnaeus

    February 24, 2014 at 1:45 pm

    Re Harold Ramis: let’s not forget Caddyshack!

  25. 25.

    ranchandsyrup

    February 24, 2014 at 1:46 pm

    @jibeaux: You’re a smart person, jibeaux. I’

  26. 26.

    JustRuss

    February 24, 2014 at 1:47 pm

    Just learned that an old friend has died of a heart attack at 53 years old. He recently moved fairly close to me and we got together a couple times, made plans to do more together. You don’t always have as much time as you think.

  27. 27.

    Aardvark Cheeselog

    February 24, 2014 at 1:47 pm

    Are there EVE Online players among the commenters here? I have the impression that esteemed host one played it, and have seen occasional references in comments.

  28. 28.

    Mnemosyne

    February 24, 2014 at 1:47 pm

    @PurpleGirl:

    Stripes is still pretty funny. It loses its focus after basic training, but most movies about the military do.

    It was the second rated R movie I ever saw and my parents were pissed at the friend’s dad who took us to see it. There’s not all that much to it, though — some nudity and a lot of swearing.

  29. 29.

    Gin & Tonic

    February 24, 2014 at 1:50 pm

    Reposted from below, where it was OT, but here are details on the weapons used last week by Ukrainian Interior Ministry forces to shoot at (and kill) unarmed protesters in the streets of the capital. http://www.armamentresearch.com/ukrainian-copies-of-swiss-brugger-thomet-apr-rifles-used-during-protests-in-kiev/

    But the protesters were all fascists and neo-Nazis, so it’s all good, right? Eggs, omelets, you know.

    In the meantime, next door in Russia, the Olympic Games are over, so it’s back to traditional pursuits, like arresting (again) Alexey Navalny and two members of the female punk band whose name I can’t mention. As Tolokonnikova is being booked, she Tweets that the booking officer says “let’s get this done quickly” (so she can get back out to the rally.) The sense of absurdity is well-honed there.

  30. 30.

    different-church-lady

    February 24, 2014 at 1:54 pm

    The stuff you learn browsing the interwebs…

    In 1977, Burke ran onto the field to congratulate his Dodgers teammate Dusty Baker after Baker hit his 30th home run in the last game of the regular season. Burke raised his hand over his head as Baker jogged home from third base. Not knowing what to do about the upraised hand, Baker slapped it. They have been credited with inventing the high five.[9] After retiring from baseball, Burke used the high five with other homosexual residents of the Castro district of San Francisco, where it became a symbol of gay pride and identification.

    I wonder how many athletes are aware of that?

  31. 31.

    YellowJournalism

    February 24, 2014 at 2:00 pm

    @Alexandra: Perfect way to express his passing.

  32. 32.

    WereBear

    February 24, 2014 at 2:01 pm

    That’s too bad about Harold Ramis’ illness… he should have gotten more payback from all the suffering, you know? Learn to walk again, you should be good for several more years!

    A wonderfully funny guy. Everyone adores Bill Murray in Ghostbusters, and so do I, but Harold Ramis was like the world’s best straight man in it:

    Egon: I blame myself.

    Venkman: So do I.

  33. 33.

    Trollhattan

    February 24, 2014 at 2:03 pm

    In which C. Pierce hat-tops TBogg for finding this barely polished new turd of a show.

    http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/amazing-america-sarah-palin-022414

    Nice shoes. Griftin’s getting harder and harder.

  34. 34.

    gogol's wife

    February 24, 2014 at 2:05 pm

    @YellowJournalism:

    I have to apologize to you — the other day I thought I was giving you a link to the best Shirley Temple tribute, but I made a mistake and gave you a link to an 18th-century Russian poem. Here is the correct link:

    http://selfstyledsiren.blogspot.com/2014/02/in-memoriam-shirley-temple-1928-2014.html

    And if you have a spare hour, google “Diane Rehm and Shirley Temple” for her rebroadcast of a delightful 1988 interview, including people calling in to talk to her.

  35. 35.

    Paul in KY

    February 24, 2014 at 2:06 pm

    @PurpleGirl: You might want to see this movie, called caddy…something.

    Anyway, heard it was good :-)

  36. 36.

    Frankensteinbeck

    February 24, 2014 at 2:06 pm

    Woo, my latest book is out! The one about a 13 year old supervillainess! Entitled, appropriately, Please Don’t Tell My Parents I’m A Supervillain. It’s at http://www.amazon.com/Please-Dont-Tell-Parents-Supervillain-ebook/dp/B00IH0KG1S and I am freaking proud.

    You know what would make me even more proud? If our printer/distributor would get off their butt and put the paperback versions up. I guess it’s a good thing in general that my publisher is doing so well, but it’s not a good thing for ME.

  37. 37.

    gogol's wife

    February 24, 2014 at 2:06 pm

    @Paul in KY:

    You wear a hat like that, you get a free bowl of soup!

  38. 38.

    ranchandsyrup

    February 24, 2014 at 2:08 pm

    @Frankensteinbeck: Congrats! Will check it out.

  39. 39.

    Knight of Nothing

    February 24, 2014 at 2:10 pm

    @Frankensteinbeck: congratulations! I have a lot of YA readers in my family. I will look into it when the paperback version appears.

  40. 40.

    currants

    February 24, 2014 at 2:10 pm

    @burnspbesq:
    Ok, can get to screen with link, but cannot read document. Pointers?

  41. 41.

    Bobby Thomson

    February 24, 2014 at 2:11 pm

    But the protesters were all fascists and neo-Nazis, so it’s all good, right? Eggs, omelets, you know.

    Frankly, I have a hard time getting worked up about Nazis being killed. Had there been a few well-placed snipers during the Putsch the world would probably be a better place.

  42. 42.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    February 24, 2014 at 2:11 pm

    @gogol’s wife: Ooh! The dance of the living dead. Hey Ringo, whattaya say we liven up this funeral

    @Trollhattan: I can’t quite bring myself to hit play. Is Princess Dumbass brining back Real Incredible People from the seventies?

  43. 43.

    Frankensteinbeck

    February 24, 2014 at 2:12 pm

    @Knight of Nothing:
    I’m sure I will be crowing about it. It will be a big day for me.

  44. 44.

    Paul in KY

    February 24, 2014 at 2:13 pm

    @gogol’s wife: LOLing!

  45. 45.

    Paul in KY

    February 24, 2014 at 2:16 pm

    @Bobby Thomson: What if killing Hitler and Goering (say) just had outcome of getting better Nazis to top?

    I don’t think Chancellor Heydrich is stupid enough to invade USSR, while still with a Western Front (as an example).

    In general, though, killing Nazis is a good thing (IMO).

  46. 46.

    Trollhattan

    February 24, 2014 at 2:16 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Having watched it I can’t actually say what it is. Being on the Sportsman Channel (whatever that is) I can only guess gunz & shit are involved. And are amazing.

  47. 47.

    Gin & Tonic

    February 24, 2014 at 2:17 pm

    @Bobby Thomson: Sure, government forces gunning down unarmed anti-government protesters in the streets is pretty much the same thing.

    Idiot.

  48. 48.

    Libby's person

    February 24, 2014 at 2:17 pm

    Here in Durham NC, we’re trying to turn the NC House of Representatives slightly away from the crazy. Check out the new facebook page for an event we’re planning – we’d love to get some ‘likes’ from BJers!

    Durham is in the safest Democratic district in the state, so we’re doing what we can to help out in other districts (and trying to have a little fun while we’re doing it).

  49. 49.

    Gin & Tonic

    February 24, 2014 at 2:21 pm

    @Paul in KY: And your evidence that the 80+ people killed were Nazis is what, exactly?

    My earlier comment, for the impaired, was bitter snark based on several interminable threads yesterday.

  50. 50.

    WaterGirl

    February 24, 2014 at 2:23 pm

    @Frankensteinbeck: The book sounds really fun! Be sure and let us know when the paperback is available.

  51. 51.

    Cacti

    February 24, 2014 at 2:25 pm

    Ghostbusters was great, but Groundhog Day is probably my all-time favorite Ramis film.

    A life well lived, but gone to soon. Farewell, Harold Ramis.

  52. 52.

    Southern Beale

    February 24, 2014 at 2:27 pm

    Just saw that the Governor of Delaware said if Jan Brewer signs the anti-gay bill in Arizona that the NFL shouldn’t hold the Super Bowl in Glendale next year. I agree. We need more stuff like that. Concert tours should avoid the state. Major conventions should cancel.

    And goddamit but I said this way way back in 2010 when Arizona passed the “show your papers” law targeting immigrants. If more people had taken a stand then, we wouldn’t be seeing this anti-gay effort now.

  53. 53.

    Karen in GA

    February 24, 2014 at 2:33 pm

    Anyone ever buy a musical instrument off of eBay before? I have my eye on a used banjo, now that I’ve done a string band workshop and found that my beginner banjo isn’t loud enough for a band unless I pound the thing like it owes me money.

  54. 54.

    Karen in GA

    February 24, 2014 at 2:34 pm

    @Frankensteinbeck: Congratulations! Going to check it out and then see who else I can recommend it to.

  55. 55.

    kindness

    February 24, 2014 at 2:34 pm

    Has anyone else seen the LGF thread that Rightwingers took money from the Ukrainian government to say nice things about the Ukrainian government recently?(via Buzzfeed).

  56. 56.

    Certified Mutant Enemy

    February 24, 2014 at 2:37 pm

    @Mnemosyne:

    Fun fact, Stripes was supposed to be a Cheech and Chong movie…

  57. 57.

    Cacti

    February 24, 2014 at 2:38 pm

    @Southern Beale:

    And goddamit but I said this way way back in 2010 when Arizona passed the “show your papers” law targeting immigrants. If more people had taken a stand then, we wouldn’t be seeing this anti-gay effort now.

    It has also worked in the past.

    Arizona started observing MLK Day after the NFL removed the Super Bowl from Tempe to Pasadena.

  58. 58.

    Karen in GA

    February 24, 2014 at 2:38 pm

    @jibeaux: Glad to see my husband and I weren’t alone.

  59. 59.

    MikeJ

    February 24, 2014 at 2:38 pm

    @Southern Beale:

    Just saw that the Governor of Delaware said if Jan Brewer signs the anti-gay bill in Arizona that the NFL shouldn’t hold the Super Bowl in Glendale next year.

    Banning Delaware’s NFL team from playing probably won’t be very effective.

  60. 60.

    Mnemosyne

    February 24, 2014 at 2:39 pm

    @Southern Beale:

    And goddamit but I said this way way back in 2010 when Arizona passed the “show your papers” law targeting immigrants. If more people had taken a stand then, we wouldn’t be seeing this anti-gay effort now.

    I dunno — in some ways, Arizona is uniquely prone to You’re not the boss of me! reactions. It took five years, several different boycotts, and a voter initiative to get a Martin Luther King Jr. holiday after Gov. Meacham rescinded the previous governor’s executive order. So fighting “papers, please” made no difference in how hard they’ll fight for this stupidity.

  61. 61.

    Gin & Tonic

    February 24, 2014 at 2:41 pm

    @kindness: That was a DougJ front-page thread yesterday.

  62. 62.

    Karen in GA

    February 24, 2014 at 2:42 pm

    @Southern Beale: A friend of mine posted something on FB about a proposed law allowing doctors and emergency services to refuse to treat gays and lesbians if they have “religious” objections. I pointed out that similar laws are on the books allowing pharmacists to refuse to fill birth control prescriptions for religious reasons, and said that this is why members of one group always need to keep an eye on what’s done to other groups. We’re like potato chips to these assholes — they don’t stop at just one.

  63. 63.

    elmo

    February 24, 2014 at 2:42 pm

    @burnspbesq:

    Can you believe there was a dissent??

  64. 64.

    Davis X. Machina

    February 24, 2014 at 2:48 pm

    According to Wikipedia, Ramis pitched a biopic of Emma Goldman to Disney, which was slated to star Bette Midler.

    That I’d have paid good money to see.

  65. 65.

    askew

    February 24, 2014 at 2:52 pm

    @Southern Beale:

    Lots of Hispanic artists are already boycotting Arizona for tours – Shakira, Juanes, etc. over the papers please bill.

    I would expect that # to grow with this new bill. But, it won’t have any impact unless they lose something major like the Super Bowl. That threat worked before to get Arizona to recognize MLK Jr day.

  66. 66.

    MikeJ

    February 24, 2014 at 2:55 pm

    @askew:

    I would expect that # to grow with this new bill. But, it won’t have any impact unless they lose something major like the Super Bow

    About half the teams in the MLB do spring training there. There was a bit of grumbling when “Papers please” passed, but the league quickly shut down any grumbling from players.

  67. 67.

    Big R

    February 24, 2014 at 2:57 pm

    @WaterGirl: Short version from a lawyer: Notre Dame is dumb and doesn’t know what they want in this case, but things must be bad because OBAMACARE and RELIGIOUS FREEDOM!

  68. 68.

    Bob In Portland

    February 24, 2014 at 2:59 pm

    @Gin & Tonic: Must be so comfortable living back in the Cold War, eh? Everything is black and white again.

  69. 69.

    p.a.

    February 24, 2014 at 3:00 pm

    @Southern Beale: this, exactly. “It’s unpopular to be unpopular.”

  70. 70.

    ? Martin

    February 24, 2014 at 3:02 pm

    @Karen in GA: eBay, no. But we buy lots of things like that on Craigslist. Benefit being you can inspect the thing before playing it, and no shipping drama.

  71. 71.

    WaterGirl

    February 24, 2014 at 3:03 pm

    @Big R: Thank you!

  72. 72.

    catclub

    February 24, 2014 at 3:03 pm

    Kindness @ 55

    I tried to respond, but somehow your link hijacks my attempt. Yes, I have seen that.
    Grifting is always the first priority.

  73. 73.

    bemused

    February 24, 2014 at 3:04 pm

    I really like Alec Baldwin as an actor but I think he is a very tiresome as a person. Off screen, it’s nothing but drama, drama, drama. I wish he’d give it a rest already. He’s not doing himself any favors. I read that Keith Olbermann heartily approved Baldwin’s 5,000 word rant which doesn’t surprise me. He shares the same type of personality trait.

  74. 74.

    Paul in KY

    February 24, 2014 at 3:08 pm

    @Gin & Tonic: I’m just saying that ‘in general’ killing Nazis (real ones) is a good thing.

    I have no earthly idea whether or not anyone killed in Ukraine is or was an actual ‘Nazi’.

  75. 75.

    sharl

    February 24, 2014 at 3:09 pm

    Any of our resident Brits in the house, or at least anyone knowledgeable in the ways of Britain’s NHS? Apparently there was a massive – and inappropriate/naughty/rule-violatin’ – transfer of actuary-usable medical records to actuaries for the insurance industry.

    Ben Goldacre has been going completely bonkers about it on Twitter. He’s an MD himself, but he usually takes on scientific and medical quackery, and does so with wit and a certain world-weary determination. But he is worried and PISSED about this!

    Oh, well, the complicit government agency (HSCIC) seems to be taking it calmly, promising to put things right…’later this year’.

  76. 76.

    Gin & Tonic

    February 24, 2014 at 3:09 pm

    @Bob In Portland: Dude, you’re the one with only one size of paintbrush and only one can of paint.

  77. 77.

    Elie

    February 24, 2014 at 3:16 pm

    Little Miracles–

    Several of my neighbors and other acquaintances have noticed for several years now, that small Rufous hummingbirds are over wintering in northern/western WA state. My next door neighbor has kept her feeder out and noticed at least a couple of visitors even during sub 20 degree temperature — temps so cold that the nectar freezes! I mentioned this at the bird store where I shop for seeds and a man in line said that he keeps his feeder out and sometimes picks up cold little hummers from around the feeder in the morning and takes them into his garage to “wake up” and then fly off.

    This is just amazing to me… is this an evolutionary adaptation to something? What in the hey are they eating — can’t be the spotty feeders put out and besides, they need protein, not just sugar water!

    Alls I can say is wow– and doff my cap to mother nature and these little amazing birds!

  78. 78.

    Elie

    February 24, 2014 at 3:17 pm

    @Elie:

    Just wanted to add that its not all the rufous hummers, but some self selected stay behinds…

  79. 79.

    jl

    February 24, 2014 at 3:17 pm

    Monty Python, Meaning of Life, The Miracle of Birth

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcHdF1eHhgc

  80. 80.

    SiubhanDuinne

    February 24, 2014 at 3:17 pm

    @Libby’s person:

    Liked. Thanks for the pointer.

  81. 81.

    raven

    February 24, 2014 at 3:18 pm

    @Mnemosyne: Most military movies don’t HAVE basic in them

  82. 82.

    Anoniminous

    February 24, 2014 at 3:18 pm

    @Davis X. Machina:

    Ramis pitched a biopic of Emma Goldman to Disney

    The mind. It boggles.

  83. 83.

    SiubhanDuinne

    February 24, 2014 at 3:19 pm

    @Karen in GA:

    How was the workshop? Have you come(back) from Alabama with your banjo on your knee? It sounded like a fun, productive weekend.

  84. 84.

    MikeJ

    February 24, 2014 at 3:22 pm

    @Elie: I haven’t seen any around for a week or two, but there were certainly hummingbirds at my feeder in Dec/Jan in King County.

  85. 85.

    SiubhanDuinne

    February 24, 2014 at 3:22 pm

    @MikeJ:

    I heard him (the Delaware gov, whose name escapes me) saying exactly that on that new MSNBC program with Mia Farrow’s son. Today was the first day of the show, I think (don’t normally pay that much attention to daytime MSNBC, but I was in the car running errands and happened to catch a piece of it).

  86. 86.

    Frankensteinbeck

    February 24, 2014 at 3:28 pm

    @Aardvark Cheeselog:
    I have played that game, but I can taste bile just because you brought it up. I’m guessing that disqualifies me from whatever you needed.

  87. 87.

    Libby's person

    February 24, 2014 at 3:44 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne: Thank you!

  88. 88.

    Gin & Tonic

    February 24, 2014 at 3:46 pm

    @Bob In Portland: Hey Bob, did you see where the Russian-aligned Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) has publicly asked Russians to refrain from calling any Ukrainians “fascists,” “Nazis” or “Banderivtsi”? As they say, “even in private conversations.” “These words can kill,” they say.

    http://tvi.ua/new/2014/02/24/upc_mp_zasterihaye_rosiyu_ne_nazyvaty_ukrayinciv_banderivcyamy

  89. 89.

    Trollhattan

    February 24, 2014 at 3:47 pm

    @Elie:

    I see some year-round in California’s central valley, despite short days and sub-freezing nights. Mostly Annas, as best as I can tell (I don’t have feeders).

    Have read that when they need protein, they switch from nectar to bugs. True? I dunno.

    Relatives in the Sierra foothills get many varieties at their feeders, some migrating through and others hanging out to nest. I can watch the little critters for HOURS.

    http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1074/1096411273_4b03faeace_o.jpg

    http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3493/3754430798_b59a5d4abd_o.jpg

  90. 90.

    Karen in GA

    February 24, 2014 at 3:48 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne: It was a lot of fun. The jam the first night was overwhelming, and I had a hard time keeping up. By the second afternoon someone who I thought was better than me was stopping and asking what I was doing and if I could show her how to do it too. And the student performance at the end went well.

    However, I found that my open back Deering Goodtime is considered a beginner/practice banjo for a reason. I had to beat the hell out of it to be heard over the other instruments, and that’s not going to help my technique if I want to jam with others (which my teacher has invited me to do).

    Got my eye on an Ome Jubilee Deluxe on eBay, Abigail Washburn fangirl that I am. It’s the upper end of my price range, but I can do it. I can’t touch a new one.

  91. 91.

    Mnemosyne

    February 24, 2014 at 3:56 pm

    @Elie:
    @Trollhattan:

    One of these little bastards insisted on hovering aggressively in front of my windshield when I was driving to work this morning. They like to hang out in the middle of the intersection so they can look for food/predators/whatever from every direction, and for some reason it did NOT want to let me drive past.

  92. 92.

    Mnemosyne

    February 24, 2014 at 3:58 pm

    @raven:

    War movies don’t have basic. Movies about being in the military — like Stripes, Full Metal Jacket, and even Private Benjamin — all have basic training sequences in them.

  93. 93.

    catclub

    February 24, 2014 at 4:00 pm

    @Karen in GA: “beat the hell out of it to be heard over the other instruments”

    Of course, if you play even quieter, but better, they will want to hear you, and fix their volume.
    Yeah, right.

  94. 94.

    Bob In Portland

    February 24, 2014 at 4:05 pm

    @Gin & Tonic: Why do you ask others to prove something ridiculous that you said? If it’s bitter snark and untrue, then don’t get offended if someone continues your what ifs.

    I don’t understand how you can continue to presume this black and white, Cold War mentality. Yes, history matters. But don’t start your history after VE Day.

  95. 95.

    Karen in GA

    February 24, 2014 at 4:08 pm

    @catclub: Ha! Funny catclub is funny.

    In this case, actually, there wouldn’t have been any point anyway, even if the other players had wanted to fix their volume. Not sure if you’re familiar with old-time string bands — the fiddle is the lead instrument. But there’s gotta be some banjo in there somewhere, and my beginner Goodtime isn’t up for it.

    Besides, the Ome might be a pretty good deal if the bidding doesn’t go nuts at the last minute.
    Yeah, right.

  96. 96.

    Bob In Portland

    February 24, 2014 at 4:13 pm

    @Gin & Tonic: But it’s still okay to call political opponents part of the Jewish Russian mafia?

    What’s you point? That the Orthodox Church doesn’t want the followers of Bandera to be called the followers of Bandera? That the Orthodox Church isn’t in lockstep with Moscow? I’m not sure how this changes any perceptions of the people in the street wearing wolf’s angel’s crosses on their armbands.

    Besides, you could at least translate what the article said. Considering your dishonest argumentation from yesterday you might want to be a little more transparent in your presentation going forward.

  97. 97.

    Gin & Tonic

    February 24, 2014 at 4:18 pm

    @Bob In Portland: And I don’t understand how you paint everyone the same color, without any understanding of what a mix of people and motivations there was on the Maidan, nor with any apparent understanding of what many people went through in the inter-war period that may have driven their choices during or after WWII.

    But regardless, whether the 80+ people who died were supporters of Batkivshchyna, or Pravyj Sektor, or Democratic Alliance, or Svoboda, or OUN, the fact remains that unarmed people were gunned down by the government. Kent State times 20, and the only comments about that fact on this thread were “well, they probably deserved it.” So, by that logic, the Illinois National Guard should have shot down the Nazi marchers in Skokie.

  98. 98.

    Bob In Portland

    February 24, 2014 at 4:20 pm

    @Gin & Tonic: Fine, then please elucidate the political breakdown of the crowds. Are there any fascists in Ukraine? When they give the Nazi salute it’s just coincidence? What leaders in this revolution aren’t fascists? Why?

    It would make for a good little essay and steer you away from your usual ranting, it would separate you from writing something inane and then getting angry for people responding/not responding to it. It would help to define where you stand and why you stand there.

    Thanks in advance for wiping the spittle off your face.

  99. 99.

    Mnemosyne

    February 24, 2014 at 4:24 pm

    @Bob In Portland:

    Are there any fascists in Ukraine? When they give the Nazi salute it’s just coincidence? What leaders in this revolution aren’t fascists? Why?

    So, because there are some fascists in Ukraine that participated in the protests, that means all of the protesters are fascists because shut up, that’s why.

    I think you’re missing a few steps in your logic, there. Also, you still haven’t explained why the current recently ousted president is a “good” anti-Semite but the protesters are “bad” anti-Semites.

    (Fix’d for temporal problem.)

  100. 100.

    Gin & Tonic

    February 24, 2014 at 4:27 pm

    @Bob In Portland: I gave you the gist. More literally, “Esteemed Russians, if there remains in you at least a droplet of love toward us, Ukrainians, please stop even in private conversations referring to us as ‘fascists’, ‘banderivtsi’, Nazis’, or ‘nationalists.’ Words can kill. Remember the words of the Lord (Matthew 5, 21-22.)”

    The Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) is strongly allied with Russia; it is the most strongly allied of all denominations in Ukraine.

  101. 101.

    Bob In Portland

    February 24, 2014 at 4:35 pm

    @Gin & Tonic: I never said everyone is the same. I said there are lots of fascists in this group. Do you deny that? If you are a student of history, you know that revolutions don’t necessarily end up where they started, that all the people tired of the Csar didn’t necessarily want to end up under Stalin. So how a revolution is steered is just as important, actually more important, than the will of the people.

    Five billion from the US to these revolutionaries. That doesn’t count the Germans, who must be more invested than America. Who got the money? Who sewed the armbands? Who controls the media? Have the particularly virulent groups infiltrated the police? That’s a typical fascist tactic.

    Also, to say that everyone in the crowd was unarmed is a little disingenuous. Cops have been killed too. I’m sure they weren’t struck down by Russian Orthodox angels.

    Finally, how do you think these demonstrations would have been handled if they were a group of aggressive tea partiers or occupiers seizing government buildings in Washington, DC? Do you think that they would have been allowed to take over the capitol for three months? There is a reason why the demonstration lasted that long beyond the demonstrators’ piety and will (and the concept of will can be dangerous when discussing fascists). Either the current/former president had no control over his police to quash the riots or he’s a more peaceful man than any American president.

  102. 102.

    Bob In Portland

    February 24, 2014 at 4:37 pm

    @Gin & Tonic: Is it wrong to call people racists if they are racist? That the church wants to cool the rhetoric doesn’t disprove that the rhetoric is correct.

  103. 103.

    Bob In Portland

    February 24, 2014 at 4:44 pm

    @Mnemosyne: There are fascists in Ukraine who lead the political parties behind this revolution. Maybe I’m just missing all the coverage of the non-fascists and anti-fascists, in which case, why aren’t they speaking up on American TV?

    So name us a few leaders with no ties to the fascists, the leaders who have spoken out against the national heroes like Bandera and what they did. The leaders who have renounced Ukraine’s history of fascism.

    To say that there are anti-fascists in the crowd is one thing. To name a few might be a little more difficult.

  104. 104.

    Gin & Tonic

    February 24, 2014 at 4:45 pm

    @Bob In Portland: I have to run, but most people I know are affiliated with or supporters of Democratic Alliance.

  105. 105.

    burnspbesq

    February 24, 2014 at 4:48 pm

    @dmsilev:

    $70,000 is what I remember reading somewhere is the value the estate put on the trust that administers Jackson’s catalog and the Lennon-McCartney songs that he bought the rights to a number of years ago.

    The present value of anticipated future royalties from that portfolio of songs is $70K? WTF discount rate gets you to that number?

  106. 106.

    Mnemosyne

    February 24, 2014 at 4:50 pm

    @Bob In Portland:

    There are fascists in Ukraine who lead the political parties behind this revolution. Maybe I’m just missing all the coverage of the non-fascists and anti-fascists, in which case, why aren’t they speaking up on American TV?

    I think you’re taking the English translation of the “Fatherland” party too literally — they are a conservative party, not a fascist party.

    As far as I know, the only fascist party in Ukraine is Svoboda, which is the fourth-largest political party. Please present your proofs that the other Ukranian political parties are also fascist.

  107. 107.

    burnspbesq

    February 24, 2014 at 4:52 pm

    @Shakezula:

    Yeah, that was pretty sweet. I imagine that ND’s lawyers soiled themselves when they read those passages from the opinion.

  108. 108.

    Bob In Portland

    February 24, 2014 at 4:52 pm

    @Mnemosyne: And here you were demanding shades of color. There is a difference between the guy in the crowd of Occupy Wall Street who says the problem is the Jewish bankers and the guy who walked into the Holocaust Museum and started shooting. Both are anti-Semites, or colored with anti-Semitism. But one is a bigger danger to human lives.

    It’s still early. And it’s not just anti-Semites. There are some in the movement who want to limit government jobs to ethnic Ukrainians (that is, discriminate against the ethnic Russians). They want to ban abortion because Ukrainian sperm and eggs are sacred and they want to make more Ukrainian babies. These are not good signs. Just saying.

  109. 109.

    Mnemosyne

    February 24, 2014 at 4:53 pm

    @Bob In Portland:

    So name us a few leaders with no ties to the fascists, the leaders who have spoken out against the national heroes like Bandera and what they did. The leaders who have renounced Ukraine’s history of fascism.

    Name us a few American leaders who have denounced George Washington’s hypocrisy on slavery, or Andrew Jackson’s genocide against Native Americans.

    If you think Ukraine has a “history of fascism,” you haven’t understood a word you’ve read about Ukraine’s history. When exactly did they develop this “history of fascism” — while they were part of Poland, while they were part of the Soviet Union, or does this long “history of fascism” date to 1991, when they became an independent country?

  110. 110.

    Bob In Portland

    February 24, 2014 at 4:54 pm

    @Mnemosyne: Then you don’t know much. There are something like 23 political parties to the right of Svoboda.

  111. 111.

    srv

    February 24, 2014 at 4:55 pm

    Bobby Jindal mouths off at the White House, even Politico commenters aren’t happy.

  112. 112.

    Mnemosyne

    February 24, 2014 at 4:56 pm

    @Bob In Portland:

    There is a difference between the guy in the crowd of Occupy Wall Street who says the problem is the Jewish bankers and the guy who walked into the Holocaust Museum and started shooting.

    Yes, and the difference is that only one of them was part of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Seriously, you’re going to claim that Occupy Wall Street was directly influenced by white supremacists four years after the Holocaust Museum shooting? What the fuck is wrong with you?

  113. 113.

    Bob In Portland

    February 24, 2014 at 4:56 pm

    @Mnemosyne: You didn’t name any leaders who weren’t fascist. Please continue.

    I guess you’re saying that it’s politically expedient in Ukraine to worship the national heroes who helped make the Holocaust the grand thing that it was. Well, that’s an admission.

    And how did you hear about Andrew Jackson?

  114. 114.

    Mnemosyne

    February 24, 2014 at 4:58 pm

    @Bob In Portland:

    There are something like 23 political parties to the right of Svoboda.

    So Svoboda is the fourth-largest party, so small that it can only operate by partnering up with the three larger parties, but OOGA BOOGA THERE ARE EVEN SMALLER PARTIES THAT ARE FURTHER TO THE RIGHT!

    How many seats do those 23 other parties have in the Ukranian parliament? Just in round numbers.

  115. 115.

    Mnemosyne

    February 24, 2014 at 4:59 pm

    @Bob In Portland:

    You didn’t name any leaders who weren’t fascist. Please continue.

    Including the outgoing president, who you want kept in power. So, again, why is he a “good” anti-Semite and the others are “bad” anti-Semites?

  116. 116.

    serge

    February 24, 2014 at 5:00 pm

    Apropos of little, I found out recently that the speaker this year at the annual St Patrick’s dinner held at Charleston’s Hibernian Society will be the US House of Representatives’ all-time, historically dumbest member, Louie Gohmert. In all likelihood, Gohmert would have been a last choice, even for this unregenerate sexist and racist group, It seems, though, that Miss Lindsey may have something to do with the selection to prove a) he’s not gay, b) that he’s really as stupid as the next guy, and c) Benghazi Terror-babies! Plus, this way he can let Tim Scott appear to be fifty time more intelligent than he is, in fact. Just doin’ a colleague a favor…

  117. 117.

    Bob In Portland

    February 24, 2014 at 5:03 pm

    @Mnemosyne: No, don’t invent absurdities and then blame them on someone else. Go back and link to your original post. You are the one that said what’s the difference between Ukrainians if they’re all anti-Semitic, sort of as a backwards way of me somehow admitting something about the current/past President, who by all accounts was a disaster.

    Mnem, come out and tell us why you’ve got that burr up your ass. I don’t like fascists, and I don’t like movements with fascists in them. You, not as big a problem apparently. Maybe you think that anything is better than Communism, or the country that used to be Communist. And that’s precisely the line that helped sell the Holocaust to the Nightingales.

  118. 118.

    burnspbesq

    February 24, 2014 at 5:03 pm

    @elmo:

    Can you believe there was a dissent??

    Not surprised. There is an enormous amount of misinformation and misunderstanding about what the so-called “contraceptive mandate” is and does. Marty Lederman’s series of posts at Balkinization are a great resource, and there is a law profs’ amicus brief in Hobby Lobby that highlights the Establishment Clause issue that the SG’s office chose to downplay in its briefs.

  119. 119.

    Bob In Portland

    February 24, 2014 at 5:04 pm

    Sorry, it’s been two days without a shower. I must separate myself from this forum.

  120. 120.

    Bob In Portland

    February 24, 2014 at 5:08 pm

    @Mnemosyne: Again, I never said a positive word about the outgoing president. Quite the opposite. I don’t think that running someone out of town is particularly democratic. I just don’t like fascists. You seem to think that fascists can bring good to Ukraine. You still haven’t been able to name the dominant non-fascist political movement that is actually leading this revolution.

    Thanking you in advance for your cooperation in this matter.

  121. 121.

    Elie

    February 24, 2014 at 5:16 pm

    @MikeJ:

    Aint it amazing? And up in Whatcom county where I live, they return usually around mid March…pretty early.

  122. 122.

    Elie

    February 24, 2014 at 5:30 pm

    @Trollhattan:

    I know that they are year around in CA — which makes sense — even when its cold its not persistently – well WINTER. We have true winter in WA state and the rufous and anna’s have been staying over in greater numbers rather than migrating south to CA and Mexico…

    Funny — those that migrated are due back in just a couple of two or three weeks from now… They (rufous), breed here then if they migrate, go back to CA and Mexico usually about August or Sept at latest

  123. 123.

    Shakezula

    February 24, 2014 at 5:42 pm

    @burnspbesq:

    Judge Posner – Plaintiff is full of shit.

    ND’s attorneys – Not any more, now it is all in our shoes!

    I don’t know what it is. Is it confidence that they’ll prevail no matter how shitty (or non-existent) the argument, a lack of awareness that the argument is shit or do they know they’re going to get hammered but not care because they still get paid?

  124. 124.

    Mnemosyne

    February 24, 2014 at 6:09 pm

    @Bob In Portland:

    Again, I never said a positive word about the outgoing president. Quite the opposite. I don’t think that running someone out of town is particularly democratic.

    So what’s your alternative? I’d really like to know, because you keep avoiding the question. You think the president should not have been run out of office and … what? No harm, no foul on the 80+ dead protesters, or was that okay because they were all “fascists” and a president’s gotta do what he’s gotta do to keep power?

    You seem to think that fascists can bring good to Ukraine. You still haven’t been able to name the dominant non-fascist political movement that is actually leading this revolution.

    Let me try and say this to you very slowly once again, because you seem to have very little reading comprehension: THE “FATHERLAND” PARTY IS NOT A FASCIST PARTY.

    THE “FATHERLAND” PARTY IS NOT A FASCIST PARTY.

    Oh, and in case it wasn’t clear, THE “FATHERLAND” PARTY IS NOT A FASCIST PARTY.

    Of course, I fully expect you to smugly come back and demand to know which non-fascist party is leading the revolution even though I have clearly stated for you multiple times THE “FATHERLAND” PARTY IS NOT A FASCIST PARTY.

  125. 125.

    Jay C

    February 24, 2014 at 6:29 pm

    @burnspbesq:

    OK, I may be misremembering the details, in which case I’m sure some more-knowledgeable BJ’er will <strike< beat me like a rented mule gently correct me over it, but I recall reading a while back, that while Michael Jackson had indeed bought the rights to the Beatles’ songs, he (or whoever was running his finances) had borrowed heavily to afford the front-money, and that the income therefrom was severely cramped by the vast amounts in interest Jackson (or whoever was running his finances) was liable for. Which might have worked out OK, except for MJ’s rather heroic abilities to spend, and/or waste money…

    Though “$70,000” sounds ridiculously low – Jackson spent more than that on shipping for his tchotchkes….

  126. 126.

    Bob In Portland

    February 24, 2014 at 6:32 pm

    @Mnemosyne: The Fatherland went in with Svoboda in the last election. The closest comparison is maybe David Duke as a Republican.

    Yulia … was accused during the 2010 election of slinging anti-Semitic accusations (although someone called her a secret Jew, so maybe you call that even).

    Arseniy Yatsenyuk was a banker and represents the plutocrats not represented by the current/former president. A lot more of them will be drifting his way.

    I’m glad you didn’t mention the Urda Party. They’re owned by the Adenauer Foundation.

    But if you want to stick with THE FATHERLAND PARTY as not being fascist, okay. Let’s hope them bring true and wonderful democracy to Ukraine.

  127. 127.

    burnspbesq

    February 24, 2014 at 6:34 pm

    @Shakezula:

    Part of the problem is that these cases are getting to the appellate courts too quickly, on factual records that range from shitty to non-existent. The procedural posture of the ND case is a perfect example. ND filed its complaint, and asked for a preliminary injunction a week later–before the government had a chance to file any responsive pleading. The district judge denied the preliminary injunction, and ND appealed from the denial of the preliminary injunction. There’s been no discovery, and the Government hasn’t even filed an answer, so the court doesn’t know which of the factual allegations in the complaint the Government disputes.

    Deciding important Constitutional issues on crappy factual records is no fucking way to run a judiciary.

  128. 128.

    Bob In Portland

    February 24, 2014 at 7:08 pm

    @Gin & Tonic: The Democratic Alliance would be UDAR. That boxer’s party. That’s the one that’s being financed by the Adenauer Foundation. That would make them the party of the BND. Like our CIA the German BND sets up foundations to launder their money through. Sort of like Paul Weyrich’s work with the Free Congress Foundation. Maybe your friends don’t know. Ask them about it.

  129. 129.

    Gin & Tonic

    February 24, 2014 at 11:37 pm

    @Bob In Portland: Um, no, it isn’t. Similar names, but different parties, different people. Here’s the Udar (Klitschko) party http://klichko.org/en/ and here is Democratic Alliance http://dem-alliance.org/

  130. 130.

    Bob In Portland

    February 24, 2014 at 11:45 pm

    Here’s an interesting article from Asia Times:

    http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/CEN-01-240214.html

  131. 131.

    Gin & Tonic

    February 25, 2014 at 12:26 am

    @Bob In Portland: I won’t go into all the factual errors in that article, but one, because it’s so easy. The author states that the first Ukrainian-language dictionary appeared in 1918. Two feet away from my left arm sits a Ukrainian-language dictionary published in 1905. The first known, which I do not have, appeared in 1823. The first printed work in Ukrainian appeared in 1798; Shevchenko made a career of writing and publishing in Ukrainian in the 1840’s.

    But, you know, at this point I believe our exchanges produce more heat than light – neither of us is likely to change the mind of the other in any way, and we are probably beyond tiresome to the rest of the readership here. So I bid you good night, and will probably decline future opportunities for polemic with you on this topic.

  132. 132.

    priscianus jr

    February 25, 2014 at 12:34 am

    @Bob In Portland:

    I couldn’t beam that site up but I read what I think is the same piece here:
    http://pjmedia.com/spengler/2014/02/20/ukraine-should-vote-on-partition/

  133. 133.

    Another Holocene Human

    February 25, 2014 at 1:21 am

    Aaaaand Bob fails to stick the flounce!

    Unless that flounce was a parody troll, in which case I say, bravu, good gentleperson!

  134. 134.

    Paul in KY

    February 25, 2014 at 8:39 am

    @Karen in GA: You need to attend ROMP in Owensboro, KY at end of June. They have classes taught by master banjo pickers, as well as some of the best Bluegrass (and BBQ) there is.

  135. 135.

    Paul in KY

    February 25, 2014 at 8:43 am

    @burnspbesq: Very good drugs.

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