Open Thread

Email Print posted by desertpear 08/14/2008 05:46:07 PM EST

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Yes, the old thread is getting a bit too buried.

TYT Website tip:  Want to see more diaries on your front page?  Here is a little trick.  Go to My preferences > interface > Number of Recent Diary Titles to Show (in Recent Diaries Box).  I chose 20. 

This is a place to talk about anything that is on your mind. 

 


 

< Surge works | A Useful Life >
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Open Thread | 54 comments (54 topical, 0 hidden)
Media Matters Debunks Obama Book (none / 0)
To fight the smears, go here.

by desertpear on 08/14/2008 06:05:39 PM EST

I tried to link to this yesterday. (none / 0)
But I think our friend had his fingers in his ears.

by Spencer on 08/14/2008 06:07:33 PM EST

[ Parent ]
yeah I saw that (none / 0)
Sometimes great things get buried.  Thought I would bring it back.

by desertpear on 08/14/2008 07:50:40 PM EST

[ Parent ]
I saw Media Matters on Larry King Yesterday... (none / 0)
I think his name was Paul something... Anyway, I am not going to disagree with the fact that the Obama book is full of shit and lies (even I am not that obtuse), but I must say that the guy from Media Matters (Paul) came off as extremely angry and counterproductive to his cause...

I kept thinking to myself "What an arrogant little prick - somebody ought to take him out and beat the shit out of him" Really, he was so obtuse and outright rude to the author guy (I think his name was Corsi or something).

Now again, the author is obviously a tool and all, but he came out smelling a lot better than when he went into Larrys studio - Even Larry King kept telling the little Liberal guy to bak off

Did you guys see the interview? I am curious to know what you think...

:)

by bobo1 on 08/14/2008 08:10:05 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Paul Waldman (none / 0)

Here's some blog I found with video. 

Why is it that angry liberals are always "arrogant", "rude", and "unhinged" while angry conservatives are just "passionate" or some similar shit?  Paul Waldman is on TYT fairly often and he's never rude (and I don't really think he was here either), while I've heard Jerome Corsi on numerous radio shows (both liberal and conservative) and he's always been sort of slimy and smug.  Let's not forget that this is the swiftboat guy after all (and cue Ken bragging about his swiftboating support).

If someone is lying over and over to my face, I don't usually feel all that obligated to be nice.

by Spencer on 08/14/2008 08:25:29 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Suitably random. (none / 0)
This guy made me furious.  I hate his kind of argument.  "Well, the difference is that I'm right."  Moron!  Thom shoots him down soundly as usual.

by Spencer on 08/14/2008 06:59:30 PM EST

wow (none / 0)
Now there's a pompous ass!  Everything exists to serve ME! 

by desertpear on 08/14/2008 07:56:16 PM EST

[ Parent ]
quick question (none / 0)
wheres the chatroom? its usually here!

by moediggity on 08/14/2008 07:37:37 PM EST

Yeah, open thread! (none / 0)
All right, here are the things I'm just dying to discuss (thanks for making an open thread Pear!):

1. US Non Whites Will Become The Majority By 2042


2. Bush Vacationed for 2.5 years and Rice stayed on vacation


3. ANTM Transgender Isis

4. Maybe Edwards' Affair DOES Disqualify Him Politically?

5. Fox News Is A Crime Against Humanity

6. Does The Surge Work?

7. Open Threads!!

8. What Makes A Useful Life??

9. Where's The Chatroom?

by ihavenobias on 08/14/2008 08:19:01 PM EST

Wait, what? (none / 0)

by Spencer on 08/14/2008 08:27:37 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Huh? (none / 0)
What's wrong, you don't like the topics on my mind?

by ihavenobias on 08/14/2008 08:36:26 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Right... (none / 0)
The point of an open thread is to talk about things that are on your mind that aren't really worth a thread of their own.  Would you rather I clog up the regular forum posting clips of Thom Hartmann?

by Spencer on 08/14/2008 08:39:01 PM EST

[ Parent ]
See my response to Pear below (none / 0)
Either I should be disappointed in myself or in you two. Maybe all three.

;)

by ihavenobias on 08/14/2008 08:40:27 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Oh, duh. (none / 0)
I see now.  Cursed internet sarcasm.  I'm usually pretty good with this sort of thing.

by Spencer on 08/15/2008 01:06:00 AM EST

[ Parent ]
now now (none / 0)

If people want to blog, let em blog.  This is a crazy bunch and you can't predict or judge what topics might get lots of responses.  This is a new thing that people have to get used to, and there are always new people. 

by desertpear on 08/14/2008 08:38:25 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Oh well (none / 0)
I thought I was being pretty funny but if no one gets the joke...


:(

by ihavenobias on 08/14/2008 08:39:32 PM EST

[ Parent ]
you are right (none / 0)
I sorta missed the joke.  I thought you were trying to herd cats.

by desertpear on 08/14/2008 08:44:10 PM EST

[ Parent ]
cue crazy bunch (none / 0)

by desertpear on 08/14/2008 08:49:21 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Ok, for real now (none / 0)
What's with all of the Progressive Insurance commercials? First off, why are there 10 zillion of them and why do they play them every 10 seconds?

Secondly, why did they choose that weird pasty chick that's kinda annoying?

by ihavenobias on 08/14/2008 08:47:19 PM EST

This is lame (none / 0)
You mean to tell me that I'm the ONLY one who thinks those damn commercials have been all over the place and that the woman they chose is questionable at best?

by ihavenobias on 08/15/2008 12:54:07 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Nope (none / 0)
They're/She's annoying.  But for me it's more the terrible acting, though that plagues pretty much all commercials I guess.

by Spencer on 08/15/2008 01:07:51 AM EST

[ Parent ]
I'm still shocked (none / 0)
That no one else has weighed in. Maybe those commercials are played more in some places than others?

by ihavenobias on 08/15/2008 11:26:31 AM EST

[ Parent ]
I haven't seen'em (none / 0)
in the Pacific NW

by hazmat on 08/16/2008 03:40:48 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Really? (none / 0)
Did you click the linke? Please do, and tell me if I'm crazy for thinking they made a poor choice with that woman.

by ihavenobias on 08/16/2008 05:45:10 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Do you realize (none / 0)

you're doing Progressive insurance's work for them?

by hazmat on 08/16/2008 07:08:30 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Nah (none / 0)
I doubt their goal was to have a handful of people watch a clip of their commercial after someone ripped their questionable casting choices for their overplayed ads.

;)

by ihavenobias on 08/17/2008 03:17:14 AM EST

[ Parent ]
if you hated the ad (none / 0)
I'm guessing it was memorable. Mission accomplished. You'll say it "turned you off", but that's irrelevant. I realize I'm being kind of an ass here, so I clicked the link and totally agree. Annoying pasty bug-eyed chick is off-putting.

by hazmat on 08/17/2008 03:26:03 AM EST

[ Parent ]
I agree (none / 0)
You are kinda being an ass and the pasty bug-eyed chick is off-putting.

:)

PS---Why are you up so late, go to bed!

by ihavenobias on 08/17/2008 03:27:57 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Progressive Girl (none / 0)
I don't like the insurance company because it is owned by "progressives". But I do like the pasty bug-eyed girl. She's a nut.

by KenTX on 08/17/2008 04:25:40 AM EST

[ Parent ]
What? (none / 0)
kozlo isn't posting on this thread??? mabey he finally got a life, ah who am i kidding

by holy noize on 08/15/2008 12:05:22 AM EST

Cenk Irony (none / 0)
Is it just me or is Cenk bringing up irony an awful lot recently?  Maye it's just the news, but I just wanted to make note.  Now back to the the loop!

by rev24 on 08/15/2008 01:21:44 AM EST

Where does all the water in Austin go? (none / 0)
To Lance Armstrong's estate!  I guess he is one of the very biggest consumers of water in Austin, using 330,000 gallons in July, when Texas is asking people to cut back on water use.   I bet old Lance fixes the situation after being publicly embarrassed like this!!

by desertpear on 08/16/2008 02:04:46 PM EST

Why should he have to "cut back"? (none / 0)
If he's paying his water bill, why the Hell should he have to cut back? There has to be a little sanity down there, right Rich? If the man can afford it, let him use all the water he can!!! They're just picking on him because he's a registered Republican - That's why Sheryl Crow left him to methinks... :)

by bobo1 on 08/16/2008 07:02:35 PM EST

[ Parent ]
well (none / 0)

Surely you understand water conservation coming from Arizona...???  Supply is often limited during times when there is no precip.  I didn't post this to beat up on a Republican or Democrat.  It doesn't sound like Lance even knew of the scale of water use on his estate.  Did you see the photo?  I mean, when they tell you you are the largest consumer of water in the entire city, it might be your civic duty to try a little harder for the common good.  Nobody I know is picking on him at all, and I'm sure he'll do the right thing. 

by desertpear on 08/16/2008 09:46:52 PM EST

[ Parent ]
No, Pear... (none / 0)
If Lance Armstrong had been an Obama contributing Liberal, this story doesnt see the light of day - If he pays his bill, let him use as much water as he wants - there is no law against that is there?

Whose place is it to tell others how much they can consume? - as Willie Nelson (another Texan) would say -

If you got the money honey, I got the time...

Im so sick of Liberals telling us what to do, how much to use, how much to spend while hiding behind the guise of "civic responsibility" - what a crock...

:)

by bobo1 on 08/16/2008 10:10:01 PM EST

[ Parent ]
that is so not true! (none / 0)

Do you not remember the attacks on Gore because of his mansion, etc.?  The attacks on Edwards for a $400 haircut?  Attacks on Obama for being elitist?  This was a little strike-back. 

Now, back to school.  Have you never heard of the Tragedy of the Commons?  Resources (like water....) are often finite, meaning there is not enough for everyone to use as much as they want.  That is why there are things like hunting licenses..., fishing quotas, timber harvest plans....  anything firing a neuron?  There is not enough for everyone to just grab as much as they can willy nilly.  I bet even Lance was happy to find out so he can do the right thing.  Nobody has accused him of anything nefarious. 

 

by desertpear on 08/16/2008 10:28:48 PM EST

[ Parent ]
The big difference there is... (none / 0)
That Libs like Al Gore and John Edwards are running around telling us not to use resources, to conserve and what not... Total and obvious hypocrits...

What has Lance Armstrong told America - Try to avoid getting cancer, cause it sucks and you can die...

Hes not out there telling me I cant have what I want in America - He and that gorgeous house in your picture is the embodiment of what good America can be and what it means to be successful!!!!

Thats a big difference, Pear...

That news article doesnt have anything better to bitch about than somebodies water bill? Just happens that hes a famous Republican?

Yeah. Right.

:)

by bobo1 on 08/16/2008 11:09:33 PM EST

[ Parent ]
hypocrites (none / 0)

Well, like I said, it may well have been strikeback for the news stories on Gore's house (if you do some research, you will find that his house is golden now), and I admit that. Let's not make a big deal of Lance.  I just thought it was a funny story for the Professor. 

But America is not solely about greed and getting what you want regardless of everyone else's welfare, is it?  It's not like we are in the Stone Age after all.  I have a little song for you someday.  It's by Ernie and Cookie Monster and it's called "Share." 

Lance is a bad guy for getting everyone to wear those dumb rubberbands.  So, now can we have some that say TYT Rebel Headquarters????  Pleeeeeze???  I vote for blue.  I mean shit, I got my Stephen Colbert "Wriststrong" rubberband, and my black and white Obama ones.  Who would buy a Young Turks wrist band?  

Have you figured out the tragedy of the commons?

by desertpear on 08/16/2008 11:56:01 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Yes Pear, (none / 0)
I am versed in the concept of the tragedy of the commons...


Unbeknownst to many here, I do have several years and degrees of education, I am well versed and I do know that we cannot take everything for granted... I know about consumption and its many ills...


I get it, I just want to be obstinate with the bloggers here - remember, this is therapy for me - if I dont blog, you might see the murder rate go up in my area (as predicted by the sage MRFred a few days ago)...

Dont ever tell him this, but he's much more intuitive and smarter than I give him credit for...

:)



by bobo1 on 08/17/2008 12:33:31 AM EST

[ Parent ]
you are just here (none / 0)

to be a devil's advocate for every single argument, no matter your true position?  So, when we read your posts, we shouldn't assume you are saying what you believe, but are just lying to get a rise out of us?  and you don't even watch the show?

well, thanks for telling me.  I'm not sure I want to be wasting my time talking to you if you are just blowing smoke out of your ass.  I have pets for that, like Ken said.

by desertpear on 08/17/2008 01:24:50 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Oh, dont get me wrong... (none / 0)
I think its Bullshit that they wrote an article on Lance Armstrong, but I also understand the necessity of conservation of resources...

Most of the time, I speak how I feel, not what will piss you guys off - that just happens to be the case most of the time...

Sometimes I just say shit to piss Spencer and Rich off...

But on occassion, you really dont want to know what I think, because it would scare the Hell out of you...

:)

by bobo1 on 08/17/2008 01:45:30 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Don't worry. Your real position is quite clear. (none / 0)

It's all those dang brown people's fault!!!  Now, is that one real, or is that just you in attention whore mode?  Either way, thanks for all the eye-opening ideas.  You're starting to win me over.  Death to the illuminate!!! (and also death to nine poor people)  Go team Hate!  Viva la revolucion!

by Spencer on 08/17/2008 04:24:18 AM EST

[ Parent ]
It was the Statesman (none / 0)

And there is no way that paper ran a liberal hit piece on Lance Armstrong.

You can go ahead put that theory wherever you disposed of your critical thinking skills.

by ProfRich on 08/17/2008 07:47:04 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Answers for bobo (none / 1)

1) there is a law against it.  Its mandatory water restrictions.  Which of those words are you struggling with?

2) assuming this was an Austin American-Statesman story, that is a Cox paper and as such is a slightly right leaning paper in a, by and large, liberal city.  Maybe it wasn't A-AS but none of the TV stations are liberal.  We have the Austin Chronicle on the left but if they reported it I can't imagine anyone caring.

3) "If you've got the money, honey, I've got the time" was sung by the legendary, incomparable Lefty Frizzel who is another great Texan and a preeminent influence on my old pal Willie.

4) Your free market approach to city water is invalid as it is operated as a utility with a fixed price.

by ProfRich on 08/17/2008 12:12:09 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Anyone watching the Faith debate? (none / 0)
With McCain and Obama?  McCain is talking up war with Russia.  He's Old School.  ;)

by desertpear on 08/16/2008 09:43:18 PM EST

is it online? (none / 0)

by hazmat on 08/16/2008 11:31:57 PM EST

[ Parent ]
it was (none / 0)
I only caught the last of McSame though and I can't find a link to a video.  I suppose I could go to Youtube, but I don't know that I am that motivated to spend a saturday night like that. 

by desertpear on 08/16/2008 11:41:34 PM EST

[ Parent ]
I saw the whole thing on CSPAN (none / 0)

They both did a good job. Here's my fair and balanced assessment. Barack as usual came across as more candid and less pandering than McCain on issues. Every answer he gives shows thoughtfulness and respect for the republican point of view. It was a strong performance. Applause was mostly polite.

McCain wasted no opportunity to speak about his stint as a POW and how his faith got him through that experience. It came up in nearly every answer. Outside of this topic he was the pander-bear. He gave a lot of short talking-point style answers with little or no discussion of his philosophy or outlook (beyond the now superficial throwaway line "I believe in serving a cause greater than oneself"). He relies heavily on catch phrases and quips to get past tough questions. Still, he was saying what the audience wanted to hear and got a lot of big applause lines. The highlight for McCain was his answer on the Georgia crisis. It was very hawkish, but he managed not to sound shrill, which did him credit.

Overall I think Saddleback should be commended for inserting a comma into what has rapidly become a very negative campaign, thanks to the republican slime machine.

by hazmat on 08/17/2008 01:29:25 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Fox News oughta hire you... (none / 0)
for your "Fair and Balanced" view on the forum. Pulleezzee...

I didnt even watch the tripe at Saddleback and I can tell just from your assessment that McCain did very well and Obama probably could have done better...

You're getting predictable, hazzie...

:)

by bobo1 on 08/17/2008 01:48:38 AM EST

[ Parent ]
silly bobo (none / 0)
Both candidates did as well as I've seen them throughout the primary season. I gave you my candid assessment of that and the audience reaction, which is not altogether surprising from a crowd for which abortion is the keystone issue. You can take that and do with it as you please. I haven't offered my assessment of who "won" the debate, because it isn't very interesting. I alluded to this by saying that mccain relied too heavily on quips and stump-speech anecdotes, but I think Obama cleaned McCain's clock. Had I said that, bobo, if you can get your mind around it, I would have been predictable. Aren't you glad I spared you?

by hazmat on 08/17/2008 02:01:18 AM EST

[ Parent ]
There was a clear winner. (none / 0)
I'm not sayin' anything, but I'm jus' sayin.

Here's a fair and balanced treatment that was produced by CNN.

Now I understand why Team Obama was going backpeddle, backpeddle, backpeddle, backpeddle, when they were invited to debate.

by KenTX on 08/17/2008 04:44:50 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Vanna, give me a letter. (none / 0)

Bobo, my beautiful assistant KenTX has kindly offered to demonstrate an example of predictable posting. In this textbook example, the lovely Ken has shown you how he references an edited youtube clip to back up a silly and juvenile point he is making, that also happens to be the exact opposite of the truth. Ken is remarkably consistent in style and substance (or lack thereof), and you will never learn anything new or be surprised by anything he posts. Ken is predictable. Thank you Ken, for helping me put on this clinic.

Bobo, the party of Barack Obama is a big tent party. When you overcome your seething anger over George W. Bush's and John W. McCain's mishandling of our foreign policy, we will welcome you with open arms. We will welcome you to the party of fiscal responsibility, strength and prudence abroad, and finally, sober adulthood--the Democratic party.

by hazmat on 08/17/2008 01:18:34 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Thanks haz (none / 0)
I felt the same way about what I saw of McCain's performance.  and I agree about the comma. 

by desertpear on 08/17/2008 07:59:02 AM EST

[ Parent ]
someone explain (none / 0)
how come a right wing evangelical church is the only entity capable of hosting a serious debate in an unbiased and non-partisan fashion? Did you notice the quality of questions and the manner of their delivery compared to any of the debates hosted by the cable networks, especially the ABC debate with Charlie Gibson and Stephy? Maybe it is due to the fact that the partisan groups like moveon and saddleback actually care about the country, as opposed to the corporations who run the networks. The contrast was so glaring. I would rather both candidates field partisan but serious questions rather than the garbage we had to endure during the primary (22 times!).

by hazmat on 08/17/2008 05:20:12 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Open Thread | 54 comments (54 topical, 0 hidden)
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