The Belated "Congratulations Cenk" Thread(!)

Email Print posted by ihavenobias 04/22/2008 02:13:04 PM EST

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Wow.

As most of you know, I almost never watch the show live (I podcast), with the exception being the primary coverage (which of course I'll be watching tonight after 6 my time).

But uh, how is it possible that no one created a thread yet about Cenk's biggest news story ever?!

Cenk got engaged over the weekend!

Sure, maybe there were some signs, but the old cowboy sure talked a tough game (little did we know he always kept the safety on).


But now he's finally ready to dump out his bullets and replace the guns a blazing' with some dirty diapers. ;)


Ok, ok, we don't know that yet.  And while I personally will not be having any kids (read: ever) and encourage others to THINK more before pumping them out (that almost never, ever happens), I think Cenk will cave on that too.

On the engagement thing, I'm incredibly happy for you Cenk, all joking aside. 

Come on, you were too damn old (and not rich and famous enough *yet*) to pull off staying single for much longer.

And as for the kids, part of me thinks you could pull off not having them, but we all know you're a huge, sentimal softee.  I predict kids within 5 years MAXIMUM.

PS---I watched Blood Diamond this weekend. Maybe Cheryl will be happy with this instead?




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The Belated "Congratulations Cenk" Thread(!) | 43 comments (43 topical, 0 hidden)
Of course! (none / 0)
Congrats to Cenk, Wendy, and all their future progeny.

by Spencer on 04/22/2008 02:43:32 PM EST

Yes congrats! (none / 0)

Will Cenk lose his edge when he ties the knot?

Will he go from this   -    to this? 

Will er, polishing his sword, dull it? 

We'll be watching, and making sure he's keeping it real. 

 

by bfaul on 04/22/2008 03:28:24 PM EST

Whoops... (none / 0)

That should be:

 

from this    -    to this

 

(I linked the same sound file to both phrases, arrgh!) 

by bfaul on 04/22/2008 03:37:53 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Congrats Cenk! (none / 0)

I liked the long discussion of how the mighty Cenk has fallen. Your description of how you finally came to acceptance is sorta how it goes with kids too. Don't listen to Wes, he's a good guy (even though he supports hillary)--but married life doesn't have to be about nagging wives and crying babies. Sometimes it's a lot better than that, and it can actually be a boost for your professional life. (I'm lying there a little but it sounded good).

I also liked the mention of TYT tees for the kids. My bride popped out a couple this past year and the cute little dresses etc are getting old. Any chance you guys are going to make that happen? 

by hazmat on 04/22/2008 04:37:38 PM EST

True (none / 0)
But kids are not just the little bundles of joy 99% of people make them out to be.  They are also the largest possible source of stress (emotional and financial) you could have, and yes, they require a ton of sacrifice (again, financially and emotionally).

I read the it takes over $200k on average to raise a kid from 0-18 (assuming no saving for college), and that was on the low end.

Now, obviously most people think it's worth it (well, more often that not they don't *think* about it at all, they just have them out of lust and with other biological/societal drum beats leading the way) and for many it is.

And yes, there is overpopulation.  Increasing pollution (not just CO2), coming fights over water and other resources, and of course, so many places are just insanely crowded.  If anyone thinks we are underpopulated as a country, they need to spend sometime driving in a major city.

But Cenk and Wendy would surely be great parents and create some great, productive kids. So I say have at it!  I just get tired of people pretending (to others and themselves) that it's all smiles and tender moments.

by ihavenobias on 04/22/2008 05:25:15 PM EST

[ Parent ]
You don't have kids do you? (none / 0)

If you know actual parents who talk about raising kids like its all smiles and tender moments I want to meet them.

I don't know any.  Its hard and its expensive and its definitely work but what out there that is worth doing isn't?

Thats not really why I responded.  I responded to point out that in a developed society where children are a drain on resources and not a financial benefit (like on a subsistence farm or a place where child labor is allowed) the population growth is in check.  In many places it is actually shrinking.  This is the answer to the population problem: development! 

by ProfRich on 04/22/2008 05:59:24 PM EST

[ Parent ]
No, no kids (none / 0)
Oprah had an interesting show (and no, all joking aside, I'm not by any means a regular viewer) a couple or so years ago on this topic.

It was basically about The Dark Side Of Parenting, and how millions of parents are very unhappy and feel like they have to hide it because society expects that you always reflect what a wonderful gift children are and how happy they make you.

The reality is that many people are miserable (maybe not directly and or ONLY because of the kids) but can't admit to others *or* themselves.  That last part is critical, because you'd be hard pressed to have many people admit this.

If you have a bad marriage (someone you think you love/loved), you can always get a divorce.  But with a kid?  Sorry Charlie, he/she is yours forever and ever amen.  No turning him/her over to a shelter, no vacations, it's a 24 hour a day job that generally lasts 18 years *and then some*.

You don't have to explain the positives of kids, my genes scream about them as does society in general constantly (and of course there are many positivies, don't get me wrong).  I'm just trying to be more balanced (by being more to one side because the other position tends to be WAY extremely positive) about a clearly unbalanced position,

by ihavenobias on 04/22/2008 06:32:15 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Oy (none / 0)

And I'm not even jewish. You're at a 10, need to be at a 2. Just trying to give the big guy my 2 cents. My point was that kids aren't as bad as some people say, ahem. You're response seemed to say "yeah but they're as bad as people say".  Really? ProfRich is exactly right as he often is.  Overpopulation is a problem yeah, but my kids aren't part of the overpopulation problem anymore than anyone else's. I'm going to bring a rain of hate down on myself for saying this, but if you're against kid so much, why be an environmentalist? There's moderation in everything. If you really want to balance your view of having kids, go rent "Children of Men" with Clive Owen. One of the best movies I saw last year, it's based on a PD James Novel from the '90s. She does a little thought experiment where she imagines how the world would be without children. The bottom line is, it ain't pretty.

by hazmat on 04/22/2008 07:28:56 PM EST

[ Parent ]
You're at a 10 about me being at a 10 :) (none / 0)
But I'm really not.  No red face on this end, cool as a cucumber.

You're reflecting the opinion of the vast majority of people on earth, an opinion that is expressed constantly, so I figured I'd throw in the minority opinion.  And I wasn't addressing anything specific to you Hazmat, I was just speaking generally. :)

Knock yourself out and pump out 20 kids if you want if you can care for them and create healthy, well adjusted and productive people.  The world needs more of those (as I'm sure you agree).

I've seen Children Of Men. Interesting concept, but obviously my take away from the movie wasn't "Oh my God, the world is awful with no kids, so I should pump some out just in case!"

Besides which, it wasn't about the kids themselves, it was about the inability to continue the species.  People felt defeated and that there was no reason to go on, etc.

I understand the biological urge to create a small version of myself, and everything that goes along with that. I also understand why society reinforces it. I'm not telling you that you can't or shouldn't have kids. I'm just explaining why *I* don't want kids, and that I empathize with others don't want them and or are considering not having them.

9 out of 10 people will scream "but you HAVE to them, are you crazy" while I say "uh, no you don't. Really, you don't, and you'll be fine if that's what you want and you think it through". You'll miss out on many things and you'll also enjoy many things others will miss out on. They'll insist they know better, but you could just as easily claim they're wrong (and objectively speaking it depends on the individual).

When I explain that I don't want kids, some people seem to get offended and take it to mean that I don't like THEIR kids or think THEY sholdn't have kids.  And so they get defensive.  I've seen it many times. I'm not saying this is you, but I am saying that it's common.

And yes, there are many, many financially and emotionally unprepared people out there that should NOT be having kids. That much I won't hesitate to say. That's not you and it wouldn't be Cenk (obviously), but it is a fact of life.

by ihavenobias on 04/22/2008 07:45:58 PM EST

[ Parent ]
children of men (none / 0)

that's definitely not what I took away from it either :-) My take away was that endless war is a bad idea and, thanks to the plot gimick, is this really what you want for your children?

But forget about it, I don't think either of us is at a 10, I was just using a figure of speech. I'm not reflecting an opinion that's shared by the hoardes of breeders out there. That's crazy. Its not true that 9 of 10 parents think everybody should do it.

I was just saying that Cenk's sentiment of how he felt the day after he proposed, and about how he feels about the possibility of having kids some day, resonated with me from a recent experience (having my firstborn). It wasn't long ago that I thought children would be the end of my autonomous life. How wrong I was! How wrong you are. No disrespect intended, from your other postings you seem like an okay dude.

It wasn't intended as an exhortation to go out and increase your carbon footprint, if possible by having kids.

by hazmat on 04/22/2008 09:30:03 PM EST

[ Parent ]
This quote is exactly what I mean (none / 0)
"It wasn't long ago that I thought children would be the end of my autonomous life. How wrong I was! How wrong you are. No disrespect intended, from your other postings you seem like an okay dude."

I take no offense to that, because again, it's a common sentiment. Of course life doesn't end, it's just a very different life in many ways.  It's true with each increasing level of commitment.

Generally, the things you do and the people you hang out with change with each increasing level of commitment.  If you go from totally single, to kind of dating, to seriously dating, to engaged, to married, to kids, there are generally changes each step of the way.

Some changes are very positive while others aren't so positive.  Like most things in life, there are pros and cons, and blakently saying that I'd be better off with kids is just as absurd as me arguing that you'd be better off without them. It all really depends on individual goals, preferences, desires and many other factors.  I just get annoyed when people say a life is not complete without kids.  Ok, maybe for YOU (speaking generically when I say "you"), but not for everyone.

It reminds me of people who say you can't have morals or lead a good life without God and or The Bible.  Of course you can, and it's ridiculous to suggest otherwise.

The problem is most people only acknowledge *half* of that truism (i.e. it's ridiculous to say you can't be happier with kids/it's ridiculous to say you can't be happier without kids), and you know which half I'm referring to!

by ihavenobias on 04/22/2008 10:14:35 PM EST

[ Parent ]
that's cool I guess (none / 0)

nobody said you'ld be better off with kids (?) did you read my post? I'm not saying life is complete with them either (??) or even incomplete or unfulfilling either (?). You say everybody says this, but I don't know ANYBODY who says that. Well I'll admit I heard one person say that once, and, well, I disagreed with them publicly over it. Most of my friends with kids were caught by surprise when they found out they were pregnant. As Rich says its not exactly a breeze to raise kids in this society. So what's this all about? wherefore the angst? I just roll with the punches. anyway whatever. not worth arguing to me.

meanwhile Billary/Lieberman's best friend is widening her margins in PA. now there's something to fret about. 

by hazmat on 04/22/2008 11:31:21 PM EST

[ Parent ]
God I love that movie. (none / 0)

But the overall message is ::drumroll:: hope is a good thing.  I know, it's very broad.  There's a little immigration message in there, as well as a message about the importance of children/people in general.  It's all very humanistic.  But the general message is hope is important for the future, so Viva Obama!  Sorry for the tirade, I'll save my Alfonso Cuaron blowing for another thread, but I can't let a Children of Men reference pass without my input.

But, I thought we were supposed to be giving congrats to Cenk and Wendy.  Damn ihavenobias, pulling a Ken and derailing his own thread.  Sheesh...  Sort out your children issues with your therapist.  ;)

by Spencer on 04/22/2008 11:44:46 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Derailing my own thread (none / 0)
Well, it was sort of an organic devolving, as opposed to a forced one with an agenda.

Besides, there seems to be something appropriate about a thread dedicated to Cenk turning into a buffet of topics, don't you think?

It'll give him some food for thought.

by ihavenobias on 04/23/2008 07:56:24 AM EST

[ Parent ]
kids (none / 0)

This comment:  "I'm going to bring a rain of hate down on myself for saying this, but if you're against kids so much, why be an environmentalist?"

I don't understand what you mean. I'm a naturalist and scientist and environmentalist and I would rather see our population checked in order to allow for biodiversity and other species to persist into the future.  I don't see much hope of this happening, due to basic human nature, but I don't see the disconnect between being an environmentalist and being "against kids."  (of course people aren't "against kids"--they just want people to have fewer of them)  Humans are just another species, but one that is changing ecosystems so that populations of other species can't survive anymore.  To me this is the great sadness.  It is the loss of beauty and mystery and wildness in the world that hurts my heart.  I realize it is subjective though. 

by desertpear on 04/22/2008 11:06:26 PM EST

[ Parent ]
children are the future (none / 0)

I realize some people don't see it that way, and once upon a time I too thought it was a very parochial statement. btw Rich is right that we need to develop (and in my view educate!). You can't control population by any alternative means that are acceptable to me or indeed most Americans. Although we think the Chinese have their priorities right to limit population growth, are their methods acceptable? Not in my view, and I'm pretty liberal.

I empathize with the concern for biodiversity etc., but in the long run I don't think we'll have much of an impact. The earth is going to be fine with or without us. Its a question of whether we want to stay. Are we really having a disagreement? I can't tell.

Man I'm taking some heat on this thread. 

by hazmat on 04/22/2008 11:39:36 PM EST

[ Parent ]
You're not taking any heat! (none / 0)
We're just having a disagreement is all, and a friendly one. :)

I completely disagree that humans won't have much of an impact. I disagree 1,000% actually.  I mean, global warming is just one devastating example.



by ihavenobias on 04/22/2008 11:43:00 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Ken was right! (none / 0)

Do you see what this forum has devolved to without his trollish presence?

No conversation

No stimulation

No sharing or learning of any kind

Its a wasteland!

Bring back the trolls before we all die of boredom

(I'm being sarcastic so hold your fire.  And I am going to kill you all with boredom tomorrow) 

by ProfRich on 04/22/2008 11:46:44 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Now that I have your undivided attention. (none / 0)
“But it appears Obama may have that fireproof quality of Clinton and Reagan.”

Rich, this is about as wrong as you’ve ever been. Obama is melting before our very eyes.

As a smart Democrat wrote recently in salon.com:
“As Lind and many others may reply, there is an underlying reality here: Someone will carry enough states in November to win an Electoral College majority, and right now the Democratic Party is doing an outstanding job of ensuring that person will be John McCain. I won't bore you with my personal theory as to whether the liberal reformer or the Establishment moderate, in their 2008 incarnations, is more electable. Nobody knows. What we might laughably call the evidence is all over the place; the question can be argued in either direction and we're all bullshitting. I do, however, have a prediction of sorts: If Hillary Clinton remains within, say, 100 delegates and 100,000 popular votes after June 3, she will be the nominee. It's unlikely to be that close, but if it is, you read it here first.”

Actually, you didn’t read it here first. I’ve been warning you guys for months that Clinton Inc was going to steal this thing from Obama. Tonight I’m even more convinced than ever.

by KenTX on 04/22/2008 11:57:15 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Come on (none / 0)
Throw a congratulations Cenk's way you heartless bastard.  ;)

by Spencer on 04/22/2008 11:59:34 PM EST

[ Parent ]
I will not congratulate Cenk. (none / 0)
After 30 years of marriage, I'm qualified to offer him my condolences.

by KenTX on 04/23/2008 12:01:34 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Also (none / 0)
I remember you calling Obama teflon a while back.  So I guess that's as wrong as you've ever been.

by Spencer on 04/23/2008 12:00:36 AM EST

[ Parent ]
find the link (none / 0)
I don't remember saying that. Maybe I did. But Obama's been committing numerous egregious unforced errors of late. He is self destructing, and I'm very unhappy.

by KenTX on 04/23/2008 12:04:13 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Eh... (none / 0)
All that work...  I'll try, but if it takes more than five minutes I'm not up to it.  Hang on.

by Spencer on 04/23/2008 12:22:06 AM EST

[ Parent ]
No, no, no (none / 0)

Obama might be teflon is as wrong as I have ever been.

It doesn't even crack Ken's top 1000. 

Don't put me on the same scale as this monkey. 

by ProfRich on 04/23/2008 12:08:20 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Only devastating to us (none / 0)
I think the prokarya are kinda liking it.

by hazmat on 04/22/2008 11:53:02 PM EST

[ Parent ]
ihavenobabies (none / 0)
All liberals should eschew parenting.

As it turns out, this is exactly what's occurring across the nation.

by KenTX on 04/23/2008 01:19:43 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Tough break (none / 0)

Too bad the State of Texas rounded up your "red-hot breeders" (you are soooo creepy) and took 'em away.

Ken's Fantasy Island No bullshit.  I just had to run to the store to get some baby medicine (yeah I got kids, wanna fight?) and I saw 5 of these girls and thier foster family.  I tried really hard not to stare (they are famous after all) but they were staring at me.  I guess they thought I was weird (I don't even have orgies with 15 year olds in church after all, well, anymore).  I tried to be nice and said hi to one of them but she just stared at me like I was from outer space.

I am pretty sure I will end up teaching some of these kids.  That should be fun. 

by ProfRich on 04/23/2008 02:13:57 AM EST

[ Parent ]
They were checkin ya out. (none / 0)
You looked like good husband stock.

For all five of them.

Next year.

When they turn 16.

by KenTX on 04/23/2008 02:27:58 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Polygamist Snitch is an Obama Delegate! (none / 0)
I'm not kidding.

Looks like a clever, proactive strike to smear Vice President Mitt Romney.

by KenTX on 04/23/2008 02:35:03 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Hadn't thought of that (none / 0)

Yeah, the Mormon crazy thing probably sinks VP Mitt.

If Obama did that on purpose you must be all moist and runny.  That is exactly the kind of politics you love, huh, Ken?

By the way, what the hell does Romney have to offer as a VP candidate?  His own money? 

by ProfRich on 04/23/2008 02:42:10 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Michigan - 18 electoral votes (none / 0)
"By the way, what the hell does Romney have to offer as a VP candidate?  His own money?" 

1. Mormon money.

2. The guy can carry MI and OH, because his Dad was Mr Detroit. Mitt Romney can speak to displaced workers in the Rust Belt better than any politician in America.
cars

by KenTX on 04/23/2008 02:50:42 AM EST

[ Parent ]
You may have a point (none / 0)
The Dems have to have Michigan.  I wonder how much he really brings to the Michigan race.  Of course, this has to be weighed against how much he turns off the religious nutjobs.

by ProfRich on 04/23/2008 09:26:37 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Now hold on a minute Rich (none / 0)
The biggest selling point for Austin was the wild orgies...now you're saying they don't happen??

I might not want to live there after all.

by ihavenobias on 04/23/2008 07:55:04 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Oh they happen (none / 0)

Just not in churches.  Those take place in frat houses and at raves.

And I am not invited  :-( 

by ProfRich on 04/23/2008 09:39:10 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Does it seem like... (none / 0)
These people all have sort of an in-bred look about them?   I don't know how many generations this has been going on, but it's probably a good public health measure to make sure they don't keep inter-breeding.

by schmoab on 04/23/2008 02:17:36 PM EST

[ Parent ]
yes and (none / 0)
more specifically education and equality of opportunity for women. One follows from the other so I'm not really disagreeing.

by hazmat on 04/22/2008 07:34:40 PM EST

[ Parent ]
how sweet (none / 0)
Yes, I heard last night while watching the delayed show too.  Congrats Cenk and Wendy!  I won't even bitch about overpopulation if you decide to reproduce. 

by desertpear on 04/22/2008 05:01:43 PM EST

Kids are the worst side-effect of sex (none / 0)

Sex is illustrative of the brilliance of evolution. That is, the fact that we enjoy having it so much. The funnest and most enjoyable thing in the world (aside from skillet cookies) is completely free and often a result of biological irrationality. In other words, people do crazy things for sex. So all the poor, poverty stricken people out there... what do they do with their free time? (assuming they've had some food and are being machetied) They have sex. They reproduce. They make copies of themselves. It's especially impactful now that we live in a world of limited resources. This is partly my motivation for being anti-poverty and for doing what needs to be done to drag people out of the mud. Educated people have fewer babies. Population growth can't continue if we are to sustain our world.

Oh, and congrats Cenk! 

by Badass4Peace on 04/22/2008 05:57:26 PM EST

oops (none / 0)
correction: AREN'T being machetied

by Badass4Peace on 04/22/2008 06:08:56 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Congratulations Cenk (none / 0)
It took me twice to get it right, but it makes life so much easier when it works as well as it has for us the past 19 years.

Good luck to you and your life's mate looking forward to your next wedding anniversary.

by gatekeeper50 on 04/22/2008 07:58:44 PM EST

Congrats (none / 0)
We all knew you were a schmoopie papoopie after all, Cenk.

by jarett on 04/23/2008 12:28:47 AM EST

Congratulations, Cenk. (none / 0)
I'm happy for you, glad that you and Wendy found each other, and would like to offer you my best wishes for your new life together. From someone with a terrible track record at this but a believer none the less, GOD BLESS GO FORWARD!

by toosinbeymen on 04/23/2008 09:27:10 AM EST

The Belated "Congratulations Cenk" Thread(!) | 43 comments (43 topical, 0 hidden)
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