Ah, Saturday. Lots of things that need to get done, but very little motivation to do them. Plus, if I don’t take the dog out for a nice run on the canal, he’ll pout all weekend long.
Posted by pjsauter on January 21, 2006
Posted in Uncategorized | 130 Comments
Ah, Saturday. Lots of things that need to get done, but very little motivation to do them. Plus, if I don’t take the dog out for a nice run on the canal, he’ll pout all weekend long.
Anchor Town!:mad:
I am watching videos this early morning. One is Ken Burns’s Documentary on Huey Long. Now I am warching something about Ariel Sharon’s Wall.:omg:
I’m just kickin’ it with a bag of blue corn tortilla chips, tryin’ to figure life out man. I too, will watch the tube. I need a good vacation from reality. This place is expecting 1-2 ft of snow by Sunday.:mad:
Anybody seen the Coke Blak- that maron was talking about- yet?
Okay, now I’m watching. See ya in a bit.
Travis, cool webcam :nod:
1-2 feet of snow sounds like a good backdrop to figure out reality.
Coalition for a Fair Judiciary :yuck: are spending $100,000 in tv ads starting this weekend to pressure two Democrats to vote yes on Alito!
Tim Johnson (D) South Dakota
Kent Conrad (ND)North Dakota
Encourage the two to vote NO and FILIBUSTER.
From Salon:
Could there still be a filibuster in Alito’s future?
Conventional wisdom — including our own — says the Democrats aren’t going to filibuster the nomination of Samuel Alito. Dick Durbin says not so fast.
According to a report in the Chicago Sun-Times, the Democrat from Illinois thinks a filibuster is more likely than he did just a few days ago. “A week ago, I would have told you it’s not likely to happen,” Durbin said Thursday. “As of yesterday, I just can’t rule it out. I was surprised by the intensity of feeling of some of my colleagues.”
Durbin, who has announced that he’ll vote against Alito, said he still doesn’t know whether opponents of the nomination have the votes to pull off a filibuster. “It’s a matter of counting,” he said. “We have 45 Democrats, counting [independent] Jim Jeffords, on our side. We could sustain a filibuster if 41 senators … are willing to stand and fight. We’re asking senators where they stand. When it reaches a critical moment when five senators have said they oppose a filibuster, it’s off the table, it’s not going to happen. But if it doesn’t reach that moment, then we’ll sit down and have that conversation.”
The Senate Judiciary Committee will vote — probably along party lines — on Alito’s nomination Tuesday. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist will likely put the matter before the full Senate on Wednesday. So far, only one Democrat, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, has announced that he’ll cross over to support Alito. But even if the rest of the Democrats stick together in opposition to Alito, there’s a big difference between casting a futile no vote and going to the mat on a filibuster.
Can Durbin round up 40 colleagues who are willing to take that step? He says he won’t know until he knows. We say, don’t hold your breath.
— Tim Grieve
This is interesting:
Dems Pick Kaine for State of Union Response; What the Hell Are They Thinking?
Especially if you read this, too:
Va. House approves gay marriage ban amendment
:doh:
Well, if Smith were here I think he might say something like this.
U.S. Deaths Confirmed By The DoD: 2222
Reported U.S. Deaths Pending DoD Confirmation: 0
Total 2222
DoD Confirmation List
Latest Coalition Fatality: Jan 17, 2006
OIL…..
Alan smitheeeeee:peace:
….
yeah, you got it. Smitheeee 04.
Well, my second test with ReplayAV went well. I captured the stream of “The Q Files” from Steve Quayle, which I’d never heard of before (it was under “paranormal,” and I’m a sucker for that stuff).
The good news it, it recorded perfectly, with no skips.
The bad news is, we need to prepare for the ultimate disaster, due to the prophecies of Dumitru Duduman. And it’s gonna maybe possibly might happen on Jan 23rd. Or something. I was having a tough time following, to be honest. There was a bunch of bible and jeebus stuff in there, and something about the Dow dropping by 213.32 points (three-year low – hell of job, Bushie), and if you add that up, it adds up to 11, and the NASDAQ was down by 54.11, which adds up to 11 and Iran moving their money out of Europe, and the US is on full nuclear alert (or soemthing).
Anyhow, we’re all screwed.
Are you people having as much trouble trying to watch the span on the internets as I am? It’s really annoying for them to have that website if nothing works:mad:
I’m lookin’ for that hearing on domestic surveillence with the house judiciary comm..
EDITED FOR THE VIEWERS OF THIS BLOG
ummmm. For those of you who saw that. I’m sorry. For those of you who didn’t I’m sorry for editing.
Sometimes I’m just too dumb
Good Morning Boat Folks.
How’s it going? I’m a little brain dead right now, so forgive me. Please.
:doh: Somebody bonked me on the head yesterday. I’m a little foggy and I see blue spots. I have to go to sleep now. Tommorow, for sure, I will have a script made out, planned, perfected and ready to go, you know? whatever the hell that means.
Travis- You are SO lucky to be getting snow. In the NYC area today it is going to be something like 65 degrees and…get this…WINDY late in the day…very windy again.
I know people who just got their power back from last weekend and I have been so lucky power-wise that I know Im due for a fall!
And today is my son’s birthday party…so I have to pick kids up and go to a place and all that…
And Im getting a bad chest cold (Im now hearing of people here with pnemonia!!…must be the weather being so screwy!)
We need some nice cold SNOW!!…even though I have much to shovel when it happens, it just seems wrong somehow to have this sort of weather.
Where are the scientists?
Yesterday I was listening to the end of Al or Randi or something and they were saying that Larry David’s wife was coming up to explain why this is happening and global warming! My question is this: why do we need to get this information from Larry David’s wife (I know she is a great warrior for the enviornment and women’s rights etc…) when we should be hearing from scientists who have been silenced by the Bush administration.
I hate wind!
Did anyone have trouble FAXing their senators last night?
I still cant get through so may have to snail mail. If thousands of fax’s are coming through they may have shut their fax’s for the weekend…or at night…?
OK…off I go…My son is now 12…a real pre-teen complete with attitude and mood swings!
One of my dogs has a wrenched neck and I have to drag all over hell in the 50 MPH wind that they are predicting to go to a very loud arcade for some laser tag fun!
wish me luck!!Ill check back…amnot really leaving for a while…
Melina
I really miss the Funny. I’m listening to all this crap about Alito and spying and lying and I’m getting a little depressed because there is no Funny to break it up. I guess I’ll listen to an old show.
I actually have to go to work today. My editors have no time management skills at all, so my retouching department and I are stuck.
Melina, I’m in NJ – it’s stupid, I should be all bundled up, but I’m dressing for spring. I’d much rather have snow than rain in 40 degrees.
So, I got to experience XM these last couple of days and I have to say I enjoyed it quite a bit. The price seemed reasonable( when I’m willing to take on another monthly bill). And it sounded great and I really enjoyed the stations I heard.
Good morning geniuses.
I’ve got a quick favor to ask anyone that’s around.
I’m participating in a mock press conference today with one other potential congressional candidate. A group of “real” Democrats is looking for a candidate to run in the Democratic primary for a U.S. Senate seat. It’s down to me and one other potential candidate and today’s press conference is to help the group decide which would be the better candidate.
I’ve got some basic talking points down and a brief introductory speech, but I wonder if some of you can help me brainstorm some key issues that will fly with working class Republicans as well as Democrats in a Red state like Indiana. I’m looking for real bread and butter issues like liberty, health care and economic issues.
Krista- just try to imagine what Marc would be saying about this. Im OK now without MS but I feel bad about all the missed opportunity for commentary on this. I feel like Rachel does a really good job and is using Kent more and more, and thats good…but, man, it doesnt even compare a little to MS…
OK, I guess I am a little depressed…
never mind…
A trip over to Jim Earl’s site for some rapture watch or a little war on brains usually helps me out.
ana- its going to be 65 degrees today…and on the Today show they are celebrating, like its some reprieve or joke. Im watching the skies for locusts and frogs….then the wind will come in later with a cold front and rain…50 MPH!!…Did you know that on Wednesday in the city the wind gusts went up to 75MPH…!!
What does this mean?
I hate wind…but then you all knew that!
Sufilizard, can you use the specific issues of the day?
-the disaster of the recently introduced medicare rx drug program
-spying on americans, listening on phone calls, tracking web searches, etc
– not afraid to stand up to big business, ex. bankruptcy bill
Krista- XM has a great little player that you can use like a walkman and it holds 5 hours of programming…You move it from the car to the house and can actually get signal walking round outside too. i thought they were coming out with one with a bigger save capacity, like 50 hours, but Im not sure…I may be able to get a discount code on Monday if you can wait. I think that XM is fantastic. It really offers alot of choices and the sound is great! I suggest the MyFi setup if you can get the discount or if its on sale. At full price I dont know if I would go for it now that I have an ipod and the replay a/v…
Sufilizard, right off the top of my head I don’t have anything of the sort. I think running for office is so far from my brain, that it’s in a different realm. We need to hear the opener.
The best you could do, I think, is to stick with the contentions you set forth in your intro. Try not to deviate too much from that, unless you’re refuting something. Have that opener be as cogent as possible, and above all, be truthful.
Oh, you may be kinda fucked, since you waited untul the last minute to ask for advice man. So just have a doobie and stay cool under the pressure.:cool:
I need to sleep now.
sufi-
I think its important to talk to the people and to say that we are all one big illness away from disaster.
The front page of the NY Times today has an article about how the weakes in our society are suffering form this ill concieved drug bill.
The pharmacys are unable to answer questions because they were never brought in the loop, you cant get through on the phone to Medicare without holding for over an hour, the private insurance companies who are benefitting from this have left people off of their lists by accident. When the states picked up the tab for these medications they were informeed that they would have ot try to collect formthe individual companies who are so screwed up.
Privatiaztion equals no responsibility for government if things go wrong and no regulation controlling the rampant fraud and abuse evident in big business.
We need to re regulate big business.
We need to re regulate the airwaves to allow equal time.
What is happening now is the fruition of Reganomics!!
But we have the side effect of an administration that has managed to grow the government to unprecedented proportions while cutting programs that actually benefit people!
Who is benefitting from from what is going on?
Not poor, old, mentally ill,…or even middle class….
Its the middle class understanding that they are one step from the poor that will turn this thing around.
Many have a taste of it now and its already turnig people away from this crazy administration…
But really, the thing that everyone gets is the spying thing…Be ready to explain why Clinton and Carter did NOT order the same thing…be ready to explain how this is different and how this president is operating outside of the law.
The Katrina thing and the spying thing seem ot be what is getting through…
Just some thoughts…hope that helps!
OK, now Im really late…gotta rush…
Totally disregard whatever I just said, if you haven’t already. I’m in a delusional state right now. Hearing about 45 degree weather is making me kinda of nuts.
Yeah, here in Syracuse, it’s already 56 degrees. It aint supposed to be 56 degrees in January in Syracuse (home of the world’s largest snowplow, supposedly). All this energy going into the oceans should make for another busy season for Methaz next year.
Should all turn to shit by tomorrow, though.
The weather in Colo finally got back to “normal” ,.. Three years a go it was like 72 most of the winter and the following spring the whole state seemed to catch on fire and was on fire all summer. This last week it was like 65 on Wednesday, snowed thursday night and is only going to be 30 today.. that’s rather typical weather.
Thanks for the comments everyone.
I’ve been going over points in my head for a week and a half now, so it’s not like I waited for the last minute. But I’m trying to get everything all polished up now.
I just re-wrote my opening remarks to make sure to get some of those key issues in. I had totally forgotten about Katrina, that’s a good one to bring up. I blogged about the Prescription Drug plan just a few days ago, maybe I should print that out and have it handy.
But I’m going to try to stay away from giving specific details of specific policies. I’m not running for dictator, I can’t just implement my plans as I see fit. I think its more fitting to explain my values as someone who is just like them. I know what its like to live paycheck to paycheck. I know what its like to put off going to the doctor after you change jobs because your insurance hasn’t kicked in yet. And I will always side with the people over big business.
The Fundy churches are telling their people that the rapture is coming so the rapture right see their economic difficulties as preparation for the the second coming ( the rich man, camel ,needle thing). That represents only about 10 million or so .. I think that if some one on the left came forward to lead the people would follow them out of this darkness but all Howie says is please send money. Thats not what the people want to hear.
I think my online persona is a jerk. I need some help with that. I don’t want to be a jerk, really. I’m sure your not screwed man. I’m sorry. Now the cosmos is going to be against me the whole rest of the day, while I’m sleepin’ away.
Hey man! PJ! We’re getting pictures today, right?:banana:
thanks, pj, for the warning. diaster ahead. kinda like danny g took my shoe.
Sufilizard: good for you!
around these parts (so red you shudder), folks respond to protecting their pensions, wages, and the environment – as long as it’s couched as good clean food, a better place to leave our kids. the federal debt is a big one, too.
off to the big city! rain and in the high 60’s here, too, which is unseasonably warm.
happy birthday to your son, Melina!(ugh to THAT age.)
Travis, you’re funny. :rofl2:
I have this terrible problem on Saturday morning. I can stream KPOJ and listen to the satellite sisters or stream AAR and listen to Springer.. or … I guess I could watch C-span and hear wing nuts.. Betsy Rosenberg and Ecotalk is on AAR in less than an hour so I will stay with the AAR stream and stay close to the toilet in the case Springer makes me :barf:
Thanks ISI, I can rest easy now.
67 degrees and sunny here in the Valley of the Sun. We’re going on a record number of days with no rain and I’ve taken to bathing in lotion.
Fred, try the replay radio program…you’ll have a ton of content to stream or burn or pod anytime….
Great comments folks. I knew I could count on Seditionists to come up with the kind of “real world” issues that can resonate across party lines. (Travis, you’ll have to do better than that to come across as a jerk to me. I also spend time on an NBA-related sports forum — there you see REAL jerkiness).
I’ve got my opening remarks written and rehearsed them a few times for my wife. I found my suit — but I need to iron the shirt. And now I have a list of 10 “talking points” that I’ll try to re-direct all questions back to.
Oh, and I just remembered to go to MapQuest and print out directions to the place where they’re holding this soire. So I think I’m just about ready — I wish I had enough money for a haircut before I go, but you can’t have everything.
:hubba:
Hey Sufi, maybe you should leave the shirt wrinkled. Maybe a fashion fuax pas will have the same effect on the masses as Dubya’s verbal faux pas.:tongue:
:grin::rofl2: Your funy PJ
i like cake:cake:
Cake is good.:cake:
ok well im going away now eat cake and be merry also may the force be with you:fire:
I think I’ll bake a cake. :cake:
I’m trying to get it together to go out and do my mandatory weekend shopping today but instead I’m still trying to play that @$$%^%^#^%$:rant1:#^%#%%$%^ file of Marc on Conan. I got a good enough suggestion last night but it turned out my operating system won’t support it so I’m back to the @$$%^%^#^%$:rant1:#^%#%%$%^ drawing board. (I can get the audio but apparently Windows ME is way too wimpy to handle the video…)
:crap:
(Who started up Danny Goldberg took my shoe?” Whoever you are, I bow before your genius!)
This is not a recipe but it made me smile. Then it made me groan.
:cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake::cake:
MEDICAL INSURANCE EXPLAINED
(Research done by the AARP Legal Department)
Q. What does HMO stand for?
A. This is actually a variation of the phrase, “HEY MOE.” Its roots go back to a concept pioneered by Moe of the Three Stooges, who discovered that a patient could be made to forget the pain in his foot if he was poked hard enough in the eye.
Q. I just joined an HMO. How difficult will it be to choose the doctor I want?
A. Just slightly more difficult than choosing your parents. Your insurer will provide you with a book listing all the doctors in the plan. The doctors basically fall into two categories: those who are no longer accepting new patients, and those who will see you but are no longer participating in the plan. But don’t worry, the remaining doctor who is still in the plan and accepting new patients has an office just a half-day’s drive away and a diploma from a third world country.
Q. Do all diagnostic procedures require pre-certification?
A. No. Only those you need.
Q. Can I get coverage for my preexisting conditions?
A. Certainly, as long as they don’t require any treatment.
Q. What happens if I want to try alternative forms of medicine?
A. You’ll need to find alternative forms of payment.
Q. My pharmacy plan only covers generic drugs, but I need the name brand. I tried the generic medication, but it gave me a stomach ache. What should I do?
A. Poke yourself in the eye.
Q. What if I’m away from home and I get sick?
A. You really shouldn’t do that.
Q. I think I need to see a specialist, but my doctor insists he can handle my problem. Can a general practitioner really perform a heart transplant right in his/her office?
A. Hard to say, but considering that all you’re risking is the $20 co-payment, there’s no harm in giving it a shot.
Q. Will health care be different in the next century?
A. No, but if you call right now, you might get an appointment by then.
:cake: ??
Yum :omg:
Okay so I just downloaded the .avi file of Marc on Conan (from the link on the right side of this page).
The video is fine, but I get no sound. Anybody know what’s up with that?
Okay, this really sounds good to me today…:cake:
Wild Rice Cake
:fire::fire::fire::fire::fire::fire::fire::fire:
Ingredients:
2/3 cup cooked Wild Rice
2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup White Flour, Unbleached
2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp ground Cardamom
1 cup Butter
1 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 tsp Vanilla
5 large Eggs
1 cup Buttermilk
1 to 1-1/2 Tb Whole Milk
Icing:
1 cup sifted Powdered Sugar
1/4 tsp Vanilla
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and lightly flour a 10″ fluted tube pan, set aside.
In a bowl stir together the whole wheat flour, unbleached white flour baking soda, sea salt and the ground nutmeg or the cardamom.
In a separate bowl beat butter on medium speed of electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and vanilla, beat till fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating 1 minute after each; batter will look curdled.
Add dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately to beaten mixture, beating after each addition. Stir in cooked wild rice.
Turn out into prepared pan. Bake 50-55 minutes or till done. Cool for 15 minutes on wire rack. Remove from pan; cool. Frost with powdered sugar icing.
Powdered Sugar Icing: stir together 1 cup sifted powdered sugar and 1/4 tsp Bob’s Red Mill vanilla extract. Add enough milk to make of drizzling consistency (about 1-1/2 tablespoons).
Yield: 12 servings
Sufilizard, you and I should combine computers!
It’s kinda wierd that you guys are talking about cake cuz that’s what I had for breakfast.:cake:
Now I have to eat a healthy lunch:oops:
Krista, make the cake I just posted. It’s semi-healthy, at least!
Honest, folks, I have GOT to run errands this morning! Chat with you all later!
Yummy! That cake looks good Gypsy! I wish I had an oven.
Oh wierd syncro Gypsy, I answered your question at the very same time you asked it!:eek:
ok then i guess i got you people going with the cake comment huh? well im gonna go have a pie now PIZZA PIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:nixon:I KILL CHILDREN
Here’s a blast from ancient times:
Yay, the blog is back!
I was chatting with one of my neighbors, whose car I noticed has an Air America sticker. She said that she’s “relieved” that MS is gone (she was actually very angry that it was still being aired on KPOJ, despite the time slot) because it’s obvious to her that Marc is totally homophobic and unintelligent. I was flabbergasted. I mean, the guy hangs out with Judy Gold! And they’ve had numerous gay guests, none of whom seemed to bother him. Then she said that men who are as latent and closeted as Marc need to get over it and stop trying to pretend to be liberal straights. Okay, everyone, breathe. She calmed down when I assured her that she was incorrect, that Marc’s form of humor is a specific kind of comedy and that he’s not a homophobic latent gay but a comedian whose style is whiny Jewish guy. I’m pretty sure he’s not like that in person. (And if he is, so what?) Then I told her we were getting together Friday night at McT’s and she thought she might like to come along, if for no other reason than to find out what it is about this show that appeals to us. She’s a big fan of TH’s although when I said his style is inapppropriate for a morning drive show she agreed that he’s not entertaining and he is pretty dry. But she likes that he’s doing local stuff. I’m not going to give her details if anyone here wants me not to. There’s a 50-50 chance that she won’t show up even if formally invited. It’s up to everyone else. gypsy
:rofl2:
Does anybody have any Morning Sedition shows on CD? I thought that I was getting the last 5 shows, but the person with the know-how said that he could transfer from dvdr(?) to CD. Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
:omg:
Current users online: 1
Jesus Christ, here I go again. Is everybody stalking at the malls today?:rabbi:
Tapes and Snitches
Feds Hand Down Eco-Sabotage Indictments
By MICHAEL DONNELLY
January 19th saw the release of a previously sealed 65-count federal Indictment in the Animal Liberation Front/Earth Liberation Front cases I wrote about a month ago.
So happy to be able to change the topic away from illegal, impeachable domestic wiretapping, overly-excited, fumbling Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez held a Press Conference Friday and called the indictees a “terrorist cell.” The equally-pleased with himself, FBI Director Robert Mueller claimed those arrested called themselves “The Family.” (The Manson card?)
Eleven are indicted and eight are now in custody. They range from folks completely unknown within enviro circles to the well-known Jonathan Paul, brother of vegan activist and Baywatch actress Alexandra Paul. He and his other sister, ironically, are firefighters. Jonathan Paul has been very visible in many of the environmental issues of the past decade; from “Salvage” logging opposition to the Seattle WTO protests to efforts to protect whales from the famous Makah Whale Hunt.
The acts of eco-sabotage laid at their feet vary from the arson at the Detroit and Oakridge Ranger Stations I wrote about; the prominent Vail Ski Resort expansion arson; destruction of a genetically-engineered tree nursery; torching of timber company offices and under-construction trophy homes; to destruction of a Belgian-owned wild horse meat packing plant. . .
http://www.counterpunch.org
damn elves someone should trap them by leaving a trail of granola leading into a punji pit ha
:nixon:i eat watermelons without cutting them up first
A Clean Sweep
Congressional Ethics After Abramoff
By RALPH NADER
The Abramoff scandal has spurred one of the episodic “reform” moments on Capitol Hill.
Republicans and Democrats are competing to offer ethics reform packages that ignore entirely their past entanglement in the very activities they now seek to regulate or eliminate.
Not all of these reforms are toothless, and if enacted and enforced, some may, perhaps, reduce the scale and scope of corruption that has reached a zenith in the Congress.
But there is far too little attention being devoted to what exactly is provided in exchange for the favors that lobbyists bestow on members of Congress.
Those gifts — the campaign contributions, the airplane rides, the visits to resorts disguised as speech opportunities — are not really gifts as such. They are more like investments (or quasi-bribes). And they are investments that pay back beyond the dreams of the greediest Wall Street prospector, in the form of corporate welfare: grants and direct subsidies, government giveaways, bailouts, tax subsidies, loopholes and other escapes, below-market loans and loan guarantees, export and overseas marketing assistance, pork for defense, transportation and other companies, regulatory removals, immunities from civil justice liability, and a host of other government-provided benefits.
To take one example of note: the Washington Post reported on December 31 how Jack Abramoff helped arrange the payment of half a million dollars from textile firms in the Mariana Islands in the Pacific, to a front group controlled by Tom DeLay. In exchange, they “solicited and received Rep. DeLay’s public commitment to block legislation that would boost their labor costs, according to Abramoff associates,” the Post reported. Textiles made in the Mariana Islands may be labeled “Made in the USA,” the factories there are exempt from U.S. labor law, and working conditions are appalling. . .
http://www.counterpunch.org
ok let me just say this real quick white chocolate ice cream so freaking yummy mmmm mmmm good
:nixon:my uzi weighs a ton
Has anyone out there noticed that the volume of spam is increasing–or is it just my paranoid ass? When I go to my message center, there will be several messages, usually trying to con me into refinancing or trying viagra.
Dear HomeOwner,
Your credit doesn’t matter to us! If you OWN real estate
and want IMMEDIATE cash to spend ANY way you like, or simply wish
to LOWER your monthly payments by a third or more, here are the deals
we have TODAY (hurry, these offers will expire TONIGHT) :
Low as…
However, what is interesting is that the titles of the messages frequently give the message that the sender knows more about your private life than you care to offer. I mean, they nearly guess the obscure passwords I use, and things of that sort. My thoughts are that these commercial hucksters are gaining access to a government database. I mean, I have nothing (illegal) to hide. Unless thought crimes have become illegal. But still, I don’t want any shady dealer to know these things.
Does anybody catch my drift?
:sheep::sheep::sheep::omg:
Hello, Saturday bloggers! I’m glad to find so many former MSers hanging out here.
Anyhow, I’ll be dropping in way more often to see what’s cookin’….
:jesus:
Glad you’ll be checking in more, Becky, you’ve been missed! :banana:
we saw brokeback mtn today. i found it very sad.:cry:
mr farmerkat says he now knows why all the neighbor men take frequent hunting trips:!: (mr farmerkat doesn’t hunt.)
Pakistan to US “that was one”.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – Pakistan’s president told a senior American official Saturday the United States must not repeat airstrikes like the one that apparently was aimed at al-Qaida but killed civilians in a remote village, as officials sought to soothe public outrage over the attack.
Also Saturday, two Pakistani intelligence officials told The Associated Press a captured al-Qaida leader had informed interrogators that he had met Ayman al-Zawahri, Osama bin Laden’s top deputy, last year at one of the homes that was hit.
President Gen. Pervez Musharraf assured visiting U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns that Pakistan would not waver in its support for Washington’s war on terrorism but said such airstrikes must not be repeated, a Foreign Ministry official said. The attack prompted nationwide protests calling for Musharraf’s ouster
http://tinyurl.com/8pcka
————————
What would happen if Musharraf got booted and some radical Islamic government inherited all those (both ??) nuclear warheads??
Comment by Farmerkat — January 21, 2006 @ 5:10 pm
:rofl2::rofl2::rofl2::rofl2::rofl2:
Farmerkat…telling jokes about priests and hunters! :rofl2:
Since I’ve been gone and don’t know the skinny: what’s the general opinion on Riley and Rachel?
Riley turnred AAR mornings into Sports, News and some political talk radio designed especially for those who want to fall back to sleep.
Rachel and Kent Jones are about like they were when they were on two hours earlier.
The original line up of MS and Unfiltered was superior to any of the new programming so far.
I agree, Fred. Riley always sounds like he’s shouting to me. Otherwise, he’s OK but nothing to write home about.
Forgot to say that I like Rachel but wish she was on later in the day.
Jihadball, starring Chris Matthews and Osama bin Laden.
Hustling Backwards – How the Economy Fails the Working Poor
by Bob Burnett
We all remember that, after Katrina, folks were abandoned in New Orleans because the system failed. That’s what the documentary Waging a Living is about, Americans who work for a minimum wage and still are left behind by our economy. No matter how hard they struggle, they are “hustling backwards.”
Whenever the growing gap between America’s rich and poor is brought up, conservatives respond that the rich do more work than the poor. Therefore, they should be compensated more. In the abstract, no one disagrees that Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computers, should be paid more than the janitors that clean up after other Apple employees go home. The question is how much more?
Twenty years ago the ratio between America’s highest paid and lowest paid employees was around 40 to one. Now it’s 431 to one. According to a recent report, the average CEO pay is $11.8 million, while the average work pay is $27,460. “If the minimum wage had risen as fast as CEO pay since 1990, the lowest paid workers in the US would be earning $23.03 an hour today, not $5.15 an hour.”
Roger Weisberg’s Waging a Living describes what it’s like to be at the bottom of our economy. For three years, Weisberg followed four low-wage workers as they struggled to hold onto the American dream. Mary Venittelli is a waitress in New Jersey. Jerry Longoria is a security guard in San Francisco. Barbara Brooks is a recreational counselor at a home for troubled girls in New York. Jean Reynolds is a nursing assistant in a convalescent hospital in New Jersey.
They’re not slackers. All four of Weisberg’s subjects work fulltime, and take as much overtime as they can get. . .
http://www.commondreams.org
if the failures in the airline, auto , hi tech and retail industries (as well as the Bush administration) are any indication the business schools in the US are a total failure, which if several people I have talked to are right, makes sense because they actually teach RayGun economics as being the correct way to manage business and look at the economy. This is another reason why just unelecting these people will do no good because the evil they represent is like a cancer and must be cut out at the roots.
Explain why all AAR’s programs can do is continually iterate on the lies leading up to the war in IRAQ, make crude jokes about the Bush admins inability to govern and say well as long as we have a rethug congress, rethug president and rethug supreme court we are power less to do anything about it. They are just ticking listeners off or making them depressed. We are not powerless to do anything about it !! Perhaps under the current rules of engagement we can not do anything legally about it but on the other hand the rethugs are killing both people in IRAQ and by there domestic programs ( or lack there of) killing Americans at home. They could encourage there listeners to at least organize and learn the rules of a different road. Maybe just making lots of back ground noise so that the rethugs think things are about to get out of hand would be enough if not .. well !!!:rant1::rant1::growl:
Great. Put up with obtrusive background checks and fingerprinting or wait in a long line and get stri-searched every time you have to fly. All run by for-profit lowest bid companies paying crappy wages to bribable employees.
When you listen to Laura Flanders and to Tom Hartman they are always telling you to become politically active. I don’t know how many of you have tried this but in most places the democratic party has a machine of some sort that is made up of the well healed liberals or at least non rethugs in the community and they don’t like the rif raf to come in and interrupt their wine and cheese parties. Unless you can either finance a campaign or pay to run for office they for the most part don’t even want to talk to you. The system is broken :sheep: le :growl:
Farmerkat, as a person of partial Irish extraction, as well as a former Catholic turned unrepentant atheist, all I can say about your joke is
:rofl2::rofl2::rofl2::rofl2::rofl2:
Forgot to say that I like Rachel but wish she was on later in the day.
Comment by Becky — January 21, 2006 @ 5:46 pm
Hi Becky, good to have you back. :love:
I concur with the others on Riley and Rachel. Mark was a lot more enjoyable for me to listen to when he was surrounded by the funny. The new format is only succeeding in endangering motorists by making them fall asleep at the wheel.
And what’s up with all the sports talk? In case DG hadn’t noticed, most major markets have at least one station that does this stuff FULL TIME. Listen, I probably follow sports a lot more than most of the people on this blog, but I don’t want it on AAR. That’s not what I listen to AAR for.
Rachel did a week in Franken’s slot last month during his USO tour. More or less the same format, but with more and better interviews, since people are actually available to be interviewed during those hours.
Personally, I’d like to see her take that slot if/when Franken leaves to start his campaign. DG might want someone with more name recognition, although if Rachel keeps tearing Tucker Carlson a new one on a regular basis, she may get that anyway. :spank:
Here’s my experience with an unlivable wage:
I got something to say about this minimum wage issue and the working poor. I have been job hunting for a couple of years now, looking in the paper and everywhere else. I can’t say that I’ve come across a job that pays minimum wage. And I am generally looking in the art, trades, driving and general categories.The lowest wage I’ve come across is $7/hour, maybe $6.50. Now, I don’t look in the restauraunts/service section so maybe that’s where the minimum wage jobs are. In any case, even 7$/hr is not enough to cover the cost of living unless you’re still living with parents and they let you live with them for nothing or very little. Let’s crunch some numbers here and get a feel for how far $7/hour will take you in America these days:
$7×40=$280/week gross
$280x.20%=$56 $280-$56=$224/week net after taxes
$224×4=$896/month
Now, How much do you think you can find an apt for?? $500/month is a pretty good average number for a modest place in a somewhat decent neighborhood. Although, if you live with someone maybe you can find something for $350/month so let’s use that number, to be generous.
$896-$350=$546
Okay, utilities are next. Electric for me averages out to around $90/month and I believe I am underestimating here. Remember, poor people are likely to pay more in this area because they tend to live in substandard homes with inefficient and/or old air conditioners/heaters(if they even have that) and little or no insulation. Basic phone service $40/month as long as you don’t make long distance calls. Water/sanitation is pretty variable depending on where you are and what kind of living situation you are in, but let’s go with $30/month. And here again, many poor people live in older homes or apartments with crappy old plumbing and are likely to be spending more on this because of inefficiency. Then there’s gas for some people but I don’t think I need to include that to prove my point. Well just stick with bare minimums for now.
$90+$40+$30=$160
$546-$160=$386
Food has gone up quite a bit, especially in the last few years. I used to be able to spend between $30-$40/week on food but I can’t seem to get under $50-$60 anymore. And that’s a week where I don’t need more expensive items like cleaning supplies or hygiene items.
$60×4=$240/month
$386-$240=$146
Transportation is next. As everyone in the Phx area knows, it’s pretty difficult to live here without a car and even many of the working poor own cars. But there is a bus system so if we want to keep our budget to the barest of minimums well take the bus. Last time I rode a bus it was $1.25/ride. But for $34/month you can get a bus pass. This doesn’t include any time during a year you might need to take a cab for one reason or other.
$146-$34=$112
Clothing. I mostly shop at thriftstores as I can’t afford even Target retail and I can find quality clothing at much cheaper prices but Goodwill is a little pricey these days.Undergarments I buy new of course. so if I buy socks and underwear once a year and let’s splurge for one new pair of shoes per year. Let’s say $30/month for clothing. Again, that’s probably underestimating but we are trying to fit the bare necessities within our budget and this is how the working poor have to prioritize.
$112-$30=$82
Okay, I think I’ve covered bare essentials, barely. But as you see I haven’t included medical expenses or health insurance. Could we afford health insurance with the $82 we have left? Probably not. Not to mention any co-pays or deductibles one would have to pay if they DID have health insurance. Now, I don’t have health insurance at this time and it’s been a few years since I did have it. I’m generally pretty healthy and don’t go to the doctor very often. It’s gotta be pretty bad to be calling a doctor. But I’m getting older and know that things aren’t always gonna be so rosy if I don’t try to take good care of myself now. So, to attempt to make up for the fact I don’t have health insurance I try to eat decently and I take vitamins. So that will add a bit more to the food bill. Many poor people eat poorly because it’s cheaper in the short run. But how much more often do they get so bad they have to see a doctor or go to the emergency room? And if they are growing up eating poorly they will have more health problems in adulthood. So this adds to what we would have to subtract out of that last $82.
We also haven’t accounted for non-medical emergencies and surprise expenses. For people dependant on a car, it’s repairs that really put a dent in the budget. An appliance breaks or a window gets broken. These seemingly small occurances can really screw things up. It can cause you to overdraw your bank account or maybe your even forced to overdraw it on purpose because of the nature of the expense. If kids are involved then COUNT on these kinds of expenses. When people don’t make enough money to cover even the basics, they can’t absorb these bumps. It can take several months or more to “recover” from such an expense.
Our budget also has us working 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year. Missed work because of unpaid holidays, unpaid sick leave and bad weather is a real hardship on the $7/hour army. and these are the jobs that are least likely to have these kinds of benefits.
I suppose we could get a second job or try to get overtime. Oh! but didn’t President Bush recently cut several million people out of the possibility of overtime pay by reclassifying them? Many companies also keep a close eye on your hours to make sure you DON’T go over your allotted 40. A convenient second job could be difficult to find if we don’t have a car. What about home based computer data entry or envelope stuffing? Well, I checked a couple of them out and they don’t have a very good record with the BBB. And they say most of these ads you see in the paper for this stuff are scams. I’m sure there are a few that are legit and people are making good money but we really can’t afford to take the chance of getting ripped off with the kind of doh we have to work with.
Other things that work against the working poor are bi-weekly and monthly paychecks. Cash flow is very important for the working poor because every paycheck is spent before it’s even recieved. So if you are getting paid weekly, you only have to go without cash for a few days, but if you are paid in longer cycles then it gets pretty rough when you’ve spent your whole paycheck on rent and only have maybe $20 for food and everything else for the next 2 weeks. This is when people get desperate and pawn valuables or borrow money or gamble. They don’t know where else to turn.
I could go on about the collateral damage that happens when living like this but I think I’ve made my point.
Sorry that’s so long, I didn’t realize it was so.
I think Rachel and Kent have been finding their groove. I wasn’t impressed with Riley and I haven’t been getting up to listen. I would still take the old MS over all of this. I don’t think I’ll ever get over how angry I am at DG for doing that. Just call it Radio Mediocrity.:jerk:
fred, I couldn’t agree with you more about the futility of democratic party politics. here in mass., we are at the mercy of conservative dems–who are not small-d democratic (eg, after voters voted yes on a clean elections law, the legislature voted to undo it). (not to mention, the repugs have had a lock on the governorship for the past 15 years or so). :fustrate: I haven’t given up yet, because my local dem ward is progressive, but I keep fantasizing about becoming a green.:rant1:
Hartmann will hamstring you if you follow his praxis. “The Democrats are the only way; that’s what the Founding Paatriarchs tell us. Reaad Jefferson.”
Laura Flanders is probably the most left of anyone on AAR (she is cadgy).
The Milfington’s and Maron will be back — in the afternoon! — according to Jon Sinton.
The last bit of info was from the Laura Flanders show a few minutes ago.
darn! I missed what laura said. I usually listen to her on the weekends, but since the demise of MS I have less tolerance for talk radio. without the funny, I burn out more quickly. and so, although laura was always must-hear radio for me, she is no longer.
was sinton on? or was laura quoting him? any other details?
Sinton was on live from a remote at Sundance. It sounded like he was all excited about the return of the Milfingtons. He couldn’t give an exact date for Maron’s show to start, but the fact that it is an afternoon show makes it drive time programming which is pretty significant.
I hope it’s later in the afternoon so I can catch it live. We’ll be able to stream it right?
Krista- Did you see that great TV show by the guy who did the Super Size me documentary, Morgan Spurlock, where he explored different ways of life? He and his girlfriend went to live on minimum wage for 30 days and it was not only hell but it was impossible, even between the both of them! It is criminal that people are living like this when the CEO salaries have increased something like 400%. There is little that this fruition of Reganomics has done in the trickledown area of life nor in the supposed self policing of de regulated companies who are supposed to do the right thing without the government making them!
We need to reregulate and tax large corporations. I really believe that there should be a steep tax on offshored jobs and/or the products that they make. There needs ot be limits on how much the top people at any company can make as compared to their employees.
Maybe that is a little too socialist for some folks, but the predictions of trickledown and of some sort of humanity have fallen apart when even supposed conservative Christians in the government support the work being done in the Marianas Island slave sweat shops…and GM can lay off thousands but still give huge bonus’ to the top guys.
What is wrong with our country when no amount of hard work can get you out of the hole unless you’re born lucky?
Then Bush pours all of that money down a hole in Iraq while trying to rearrange the little rights that we have left…
Damn.
Drivetime would be a good slot for Marc and Co. People trapped in their cars on the freeways. PERFECT!:nod:
Yeah, I know Melina. It’s so silly because I am certain that Bucky Fuller was right on the mark in saying that “We are not going to be able to operate our Spaceship Earth successfully nor for much longer unless we see it as a whole spaceship and our fate as common. It has to be everybody or nobody.” The greed and selfishness that has overcome our country is overwhelming. 🙁
And no I did not see it but I heard about it and I applaud it. People don’t realize how difficult it is to live on less than $10/hour. And it aint getting any easier. Many things in this society work against the poor as if being poor weren’t difficult enough.
Kristapea and Melina and all others,
Good Evening,,,,,,,,,GREAT WORDS:!: ….:fire:
Okay, so, I grew up a little bit poor and I still am kinda poor despite having a college degree. For the last 9 or 10 months I have been faux finish painting in some very nice homes and this class issue is surfacing for me again. I have always felt pretty uncomfortable in rich folks homes( and it doesn’t take much to be “rich” in my view). And I have a hard time understanding the need for such extravagant luxury. I know people have a right to pursue their happiness and I’m mostly fine with that I guess, but i get so disgusted with what I see as total gluttony. It’s like being at a party with a big table of food and there’s this one guy that’s taking HUGE portions and HOGGING everything when there are people who can’t even get a turn at the table of food. This glutton is totally unaware that there are people going hungry right in the same room. How can that not make one angry?
Kristapea, You are soooooo speaking the truth. I was proudly a “poor starving student” at a extremely rich school. But who cares — we who can hardly afford to exist, are the ones who “gives a BLOODY Damn”. I am watching the Enemy of the State, which sadly is the truth of TODAY:!: 1984 of today:!:
:doh::mad: :growl: ….. :fire:
Enemies of the State was a really great punk rock compilation.:grin:
Wasn’t there a band called that in the ’80’s or am I just being archaic? :tongue::omg: — (I am watching “Enemy…on TV) ….:fire:
Krista-
I know what youre saying. Some people just suck the air from the room and have no idea how much room they take up.
I guess we cant judge how people spend their money and I know alot of rich people by my standards who do great things and alot of charity.
Its just that people like Gates cuts jobs here and sends jobs away, thus making more billions for himself. Then when he donates a billion to AIDS or education he can be man of the year on the cover of TIME…in his house that is 2 times the size of the white house (youknow how tiring it is to go between the bedroom and kitchen of a house 1/10th of that size, much less the freakin whitehouse…!
!)
Its all made me so much more careful about how I view people who do “great things”…what are they doing to get themselves into the position to do those great things?
And I really cant talk about clothes or jewelry or shopping at all…There are things I want but I am so truly lucky for no real reason at all and I know that those things cant be so much or so big that they make me uncomfortable.
I am embarassed for soe people who live around here in their Hummers with Bush stickers on them. They dont even know what theyre saying in the bigger sense….
I guess I dont understand people wanting to give the ‘I’m rich’ message…
But then I dont understand high heels or long nails or anything else that makes it hard to move around or be a whole person.
The older I get, the more interested I become in how much/little room I take up in the world and what my impact is on it…if I have done good or bad, or been kind enough.
Im sure that Im feeling crowded by the millions of pieces of plastic that my son is finally growing out of, but even as I have my little collections of wishbones, feathers, and skeletons, I really want to streamline, simplify, take up less space!
Its good to be angry at the rich in general because the popular sociological conditiong is to be angry at the poor and blame them for their circumstance. I think anger at the rich is very healthy and appropriate….especially when they are being rude and hoggin all the jumbo shrimp!!
I had a compilation called Enemies of the State and it had The Ex, The Three John’s and some other European punk rock bands with a political message. I wish I had that now.:doh:
That’s funny that you mention jumbo shrimp because I had leftover jambalaya with shrimp in it. But they:rofl2: weren’t jumbo, they were on sale!
When everybody’s sharing, everybody gets more than their share.
I just made that up, does anyone know if someone beat me to it sometime in the past:wink:?
Sounds a little familiar Krista…but its still good…Though many in the country would call that Socialism!
heh…
Well, Im gonna lay down and try to watch a bit of Sat nite live.
My ears are still ringing from the arcade and the 17 11 and 12 year old boys who were partying hard…and then seeing all the parents who I havent seen in so long…so social and so tiring…
The Strokes are on SNL….
Nite all
Melina
Sharing isn’t socialism, sharing is voluntary.:smile:
Kristapea, AHHHHHHH I was going to say WOW regarding the compilation:!: Memories – sounds great to have had once.
Melina, What you say is soooooo true also:!:
GATES Never Gave TILL he was married, then again, married with child. Nothing to Gates but yea Mrs. Gates.
I was dealing with a special LOCAL meet regarding Air Quality Control both locally but even with STATE dealings. But what good is “the State” when they meet behind close doors. (We “good guys/gals” are meeting early February to strategize.) So none can focus on JUST TRYING TO LIVE — we have to do for all, even if some don’t even care what they breathe. Hmmmmm
(TOXIC) RATS:!::!::!: ……:fire:
I just saw The Constant Gardener. It sure pokes the pharmaceutical companies in the eye.:omg:
VOTE FOR THE BEST AFFIRMATION THAT THERE WILL BE A FILIBUSTER OF ALITO
When we suggested the other day that we all mentally repeat “Alito is NOT a done
deal,” we had no idea so many of our participants were affirmation experts. We
got so many wonderful suggestions we decided to have contest to find the best
affirmation that there will in fact BE a filibuster of the evasive and dangerous
Alito. At the page below you can enter our own proposed affirmation, or vote on
the ones which have already been entered!
http://www.nocrony.com/cgi-bin/contest_index.cgi
By now we all understand that the entire corporate media has conspired to sell
us yet another lie, this one about our power to stop a stealth candidate with a
lifelong agenda as a record from completing a reactionary takeover of our
Supreme Court. We CAN stop Alito. Oh, yes we can. All we have to do is keep
speaking out to our senators. Yesterday, Senator Durbin made it very clear, a
filibuster is NOT off the table. They are just waiting for us to show them that
we the people are ready to back them up and all the representatives we need will
stand up WITH us.
http://www.nocrony.com
NickiRose , YEA:!: I have called many Senators in CA and everone that was on the panel … and Reid (and many other Senators, both in local offices and in WASH DC)
Many have to be HANDWRITEN. Now I will check
it out, in a bit, what you wrote. :nod:
http://www.nocrony.com
re the rethugs …:eek::omg:
BUT :growl::growl::growl:
THX AGAIN….Education Is A Key …:fire:
I really need The Funny, with a bite or :growl:
:omg:I read some of the posts on AAP message board. Lots of talk over Morning Sedition shows and upcoming pay-per-listen. Not clear when this will happen. I wish I were technically prepared, so to save some of the shows. (Maybe we can get the White Rose Society to archive the shows.)
Who is tip?
Who is tip? Huh? Tip O’Neal or Tipper Gore — just teasing cuz I guess I just don’t get it.
Re tech stuff — I guess I will be tortured to listen to the RADIO or next day on I Tunes or WE (whenever) there is time to look for and deal with (I guess 🙁 ) XM ALL I can say is re further tech stuff is HUH. I just feel ARR is using those who made them. If I listen to other Radio programs STREAMING IS FREE — LIKE RADIO IS:!: SO WHY :?::?::?:
I am trying to understand that:?: …and now MORE tech stuff — bah humbug:!: …:fire:
tip is a moniker for a blog poster at Air America Place. I believe he posts here too. But not under tip.
I want copies of shows because I am making cassettes of Morning Sedition shows to circulate. :peace:
I am the only one here again.:omg:
Stalk the malls.:rabbi::nixon:
woo hoo wi-fi:40:
I recorded bits from the last two shows on a cheap hand held cassette recorder. Boxy sound. But hey! HELP TECHIES!:omg:
NickiRose–
I have the last week of shows downloaded to my hard drive. I’ll try to burn a disk for you this week.
What’s goin’ on:omg:
:fu:
:cry:I’m sorry. Sometimes I’m just immature and don’t know how to handle my frustration and lack of knowledge; and I just resort to the easiest, most straight forward way of communicating. I didn’t mean to flip you the bird. If you could just- at the very least- make the promotions funny or somewhat unannoying, I think I could tolerate them without falling into my primordial reflexes of dealing with annoyances. Cool. Alright…yeah.:nod:
Uh, Screw it. :fu:
:omg::jason: :fu:
What happened? I thought PJ disabled the Trackback stuff:growl:
:no:I’m telling on you!PJ!!!!!!!!!!!:holla:
what the hell is all this??:paranoid: