Top Comments: Preventing Another FISA Capitulation

We have so many insightful and powerful diaries written here at Daily Kos.  Our diaries inform, inflame, impassion, and even entertain.  We Kossacks have strong voices and an even stronger will to be the change we wish to see in this country.

One of the richest, and perhaps most under-appreciated, areas of thought come in the form of comments attached to these diaries.

Here at Top Comments we strive to recognize and promote the talent of this community by highlighting outstanding comments found throughout the day by the diarist, and through nominations at made at topcomments at gmail dot com by your fellow Kossacks.  

These nominations are subjective, and certainly not complete (as no one can read the complete site on a daily basis!). But hopefully they will serve to shine a light where deserved, and to give the reader a good starting point in finding conversation on the site.

Please come in and make yourself at home!   Join us beneath the fold...

I. Preventing Another FISA Capitulation

As kos, Glenn Greenwald, and others have written, Congress' enactment of additional eavesdropping powers for the executive branch in the name of "fixing" FISA cannot be described as anything other than a complete capitulation to the Bush administration. The only good thing about the bill is that it was passed with a sunset provision under which the law is to expire six months after enactment.

This sunset provision, however, is highly unlikely to solve any problems given that almost immediately after the bill passed, the administration started demanding even more from Congress. Specifically, Bush inisted that Congress simply must provide retroactive immunity to the phone companies that enabled the administration's illegal warrantless wiretapping:

While I appreciate the leadership it took to pass this bill, we must remember that our work is not done. This bill is a temporary, narrowly focused statute to deal with the most immediate shortcomings in the law.

When Congress returns in September the Intelligence committees and leaders in both parties will need to complete work on the comprehensive reforms requested by Director McConnell, including the important issue of providing meaningful liability protection to those who are alleged to have assisted our Nation following the attacks of September 11, 2001.

So really, the writing was on the wall as soon as this horrible bill passed. And folks, please remember - this bill to allegedly "fix" FISA was indeed horrible. Under the (already bad enough, and thoroghly illegal) warrantless wiretapping program started in 2001, wiretapping was permitted only if one party to the call was a suspected terrorist. Under the new bill, by contrast, the "terrorist" requirement was dropped. In other words, every single American who calls a person abroad is subject to being spied upon by the Bush administration.

Meanwhile, it appears the Democratic leadership might be leaning toward again capitulating to the administration, this time on the immunity issue. From the New York Times:

[Director of National Security Mike McConnell] also pushed for a provision that would grant legal immunity to the telecommunications companies that secretly cooperated with the N.S.A. on the warrantless program. Those companies, now facing lawsuits, have never been officially identified.

Democratic Congressional aides say they believe that a deal is likely to provide protection for the companies.

Greenwald explains in his typically clear fashion exactly why Congress granting retroactive immuity to these companies for their past illegal activities is dangerous:

First, retroactive immunity turns the "rule of law" into an even greater mockery than it has been for the last six years. The central premise in granting immunity is that telecom companies did nothing wrong -- even if they violated the law -- because they cooperated with warrantless spying at the behest of the President.

But we don't actually live in a country where private actors are permitted to commit crimes and violate laws provided that the President tells them that they should. The President has no greater power to authorize others to break the law than he does to break the law himself. Quite the contrary, Article II of the Constitution imposes the opposite obligation: "he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed." Lawbreaking is still illegal even if George Bush says it should be done. Does that principle really need to be explained?

Second, the Bush administration -- by refusing to disclose whose conversations were illegally surveilled -- has successfully prevented any direct legal challenges to its warrantless eavesdropping activities.
. . .

The pending lawsuits against AT&T and other telecommunications companies for having violated the law by enabling warrantless eavesdropping on Americans' telephone conversations is one of the very few remaining avenues (though not yet the only one) for obtaining a court ruling as to whether the NSA spying program -- which the President ordered for five years at least -- was illegal.
. . .

Third, and perhaps most importantly, a Congressional grant of immunity for past lawbreaking would amount to a bipartisan endorsement of Bush's illegal eavesdropping program. To remove consequences for illegal behavior is, by definition, to approve of that behavior. Laws with no consequences for violations are meaningless. And those who seek to shield lawbreakers from accountability are endorsing the lawbreaking.

So the question is: what do we do about this? It's a little difficult without a specific bill, but that most certainly doesn't mean we have no recourse. It seems to me we need to be calling our Congressfolk on this issue starting right now. They need to understand we know and care deeply about this. Please call your Congressional representative and tell them (1) the recent FISA amendments should not be reinacted and should instead be permitted to expire; and (2) Congress should not even consider granting retroactive immunity to telecommunication companies that assisted in warrantless surveillance.

Here are phone numbers for your House members (stolen from BarbinMD - thx!):

Finding you Representative

link

A

Abercrombie, Neil  [phone]  
Ackerman, Gary L.  [phone]
Akin, W. Todd      [phone]
Allen, Thomas H.   [phone]
Altmire, Jason     [phone]
Andrews, Robert E. [phone]
Arcuri, Michael A. [phone]

B

Baca, Joe  [phone]
Baird, Brian  [phone]
Baldwin, Tammy  [phone]
Barrow, John [phone]
Bean, Melissa L. [phone]  
Becerra, Xavier  [phone]
Berkley, Shelley  [phone]
Berman, Howard L.  [phone]  
Berry, Marion  [phone]
Bishop, Sanford D. [phone]  
Bishop, Timothy H.  [phone]
Blumenauer, Earl  [phone]
Boren, Dan  [phone]  
Boswell, Leonard L.  [phone]
Boucher, Rick  [phone]
Boyd, Allen  [phone]
Boyda, Nancy E.  [phone]
Brady, Robert A.  [phone]  
Braley, Bruce L.  [phone]
Brown, Corrine  [phone]
Butterfield, G. K.  [phone]

C

Capps, Lois  [phone]  
Capuano, Michael E.  [phone]  
Cardoza, Dennis A.  [phone]
Carnahan, Russ  [phone]  
Carney, Christopher P.  [phone]  
Carson, Julia  [phone]
Castor, Kathy  [phone]
Chandler, Ben  [phone]  
Clarke, Yvette D.  [phone]  
Clay, Wm. Lacy  [phone]  
Cleaver, Emanuel  [phone]
Clyburn, James E.  [phone]
Cohen, Steve  [phone]
Conyers, John Jr. [phone]  
Cooper, Jim  [phone]  
Costa, Jim  [phone]
Costello, Jerry F.  [phone]  
Courtney, Joe  [phone]  
Cramer, Robert E. (Bud) Jr. [phone]
Crowley, Joseph  [phone]
Cuellar, Henry  [phone]
Cummings, Elijah E.  [phone]  

D

Davis, Artur  [phone]  
Davis, Danny K.  [phone]
Davis, Lincoln  [phone]  
Davis, Susan A.  [phone]
DeFazio, Peter A.  [phone]  
DeGette, Diana  [phone]  
Delahunt, William D.  [phone]
DeLauro, Rosa L.  [phone]
Dicks, Norman D.  [phone]  
Dingell, John D.  [phone]  
Doggett, Lloyd  [phone]
Donnelly, Joe  [phone]
Doyle, Michael F.  [phone]

E

Edwards, Chet  [phone]
Ellison, Keith  [phone]  
Ellsworth, Brad  [phone]
Emanuel, Rahm  [phone]
Engel, Eliot L.  [phone]
Eshoo, Anna G.  [phone]  
Etheridge, Bob [phone]

F

Farr, Sam  [phone]  
Fattah, Chaka  [phone]
Filner, Bob  [phone]
Frank, Barney  [phone]

G

Giffords, Gabrielle  [phone]
Gillibrand, Kirsten E(202) .  225-5614
Gonzalez, Charles A.  [phone]
Gordon, Bart  [phone]
Green, Al  [phone]  
Green, Gene  [phone]  
Grijalva, Raúl M.  [phone]  
Gutierrez, Luis V.  [phone]

H

Hall, John J.  [phone]
Hare, Phil  [phone]  
Harman, Jane  [phone]
Hastings, Alcee L.  [phone]
Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie  [phone]  
Higgins, Brian  [phone]  
Hill, Baron P.  [phone]  
Hinchey, Maurice D.  [phone]  
Hinojosa, Rubén  [phone]  
Hirono, Mazie K.  [phone]
Hodes, Paul W.  [phone]
Holden, Tim  [phone]  
Holt, Rush D.  [phone]  
Honda, Michael M.  [phone]
Hooley, Darlene  [phone]  
Hoyer, Steny H. [phone]

I

Inslee, Jay  [phone]  
Israel, Steve  [phone]

J

Jackson, Jesse L. Jr. [phone]  
Jackson-Lee, Sheila  [phone]  
Jefferson, William J.  [phone]
Johnson, Eddie Bernice  [phone]  
Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" Jr. [phone]
Jones, Stephanie Tubbs  [phone]

K

Kagen, Steve  [phone]  
Kanjorski, Paul E.  [phone]  
Kaptur, Marcy  [phone]
Kennedy, Patrick J.  [phone]  
Kildee, Dale E.  [phone]
Kilpatrick, Carolyn C.  [phone]  
Kind, Ron  [phone]
Klein, Ron  [phone]
Kucinich, Dennis J.  [phone]

L

Lampson, Nick  [phone]  
Langevin, James R.  [phone]  
Lantos, Tom  [phone]
Larsen, Rick  [phone]  
Larson, John B. [phone]
Lee, Barbara [phone]  
Levin, Sander M.  [phone]
Lewis, John  [phone]
Lipinski, Daniel [phone]
Loebsack, David  [phone]  
Lofgren, Zoe  [phone]
Lowey, Nita M.  [phone]
Lynch, Stephen F.  [phone]

M
 
McCarthy, Carolyn  [phone]
McCollum, Betty  [phone]
McDermott, Jim  [phone]  
McGovern, James P.  [phone]
McIntyre, Mike  [phone]
McNerney, Jerry  [phone]  
McNulty, Michael R.  [phone]
Mahoney, Tim  [phone]  
Maloney, Carolyn B.  [phone]
Markey, Edward J. [phone]  
Marshall, Jim  [phone]  
Matheson, Jim  [phone]  
Matsui, Doris O.  [phone]
Meek, Kendrick B.  [phone]  
Meeks, Gregory W.  [phone]  
Melancon, Charlie  [phone]
Michaud, Michael H. [phone]
Miller, Brad  [phone]
Miller, George  [phone]
Mitchell, Harry E. [phone]
Mollohan, Alan B.  [phone]  
Moore, Dennis  [phone]  
Moore, Gwen  [phone]  
Moran, James P.  [phone]
Murphy, Christopher S.  [phone]  
Murphy, Patrick J. [phone]
Murtha, John P.  [phone]

N

Nadler, Jerrold  [phone]
Napolitano, Grace F. [phone]
Neal, Richard E.  [phone]

O

Oberstar, James L.  [phone]  
Obey, David R.  [phone]  
Olver, John W.  [phone]
Ortiz, Solomon P. [phone]

P
 
Pallone, Frank Jr. [phone]  
Pascrell, Bill Jr. [phone]  
Pastor, Ed  [phone]
Payne, Donald M.  [phone]
Pelosi, Nancy  [phone]
Perlmutter, Ed  [phone]
Peterson, Collin C. [phone]
Pomeroy, Earl  [phone]
Price, David E.  [phone]

R

Rahall, Nick J. II [phone]
Rangel, Charles B.  [phone]
Reyes, Silvestre  [phone]
Richardson, Laura  [phone]  
Rodriguez, Ciro D.  [phone]
Ross, Mike  [phone]  
Rothman, Steven R. [phone]  
Roybal-Allard, Lucille  [phone]
Ruppersberger, C. A. Dutch  [phone]  
Rush, Bobby L. [phone]
Ryan, Tim  [phone]

S
 
Salazar, John T.  [phone]
Sánchez, Linda T.  [phone]  
Sanchez, Loretta  [phone]
Sarbanes, John P.  [phone]
Schakowsky, Janice D.  [phone]  
Schiff, Adam B.  [phone]
Schwartz, Allyson Y.  [phone]
Scott, David  [phone]  
Scott, Robert C. ``Bobby''  [phone]
Serrano, José E.  [phone]
Sestak, Joe  [phone]
Shea-Porter, Carol  [phone]  
Sherman, Brad  [phone]
Shuler, Heath  [phone]
Sires, Albio  [phone] 1024
Skelton, Ike  [phone]
Slaughter, Louise McIntosh [phone]  
Smith, Adam  [phone]
Snyder, Vic  [phone]  
Solis, Hilda L.  [phone]
Space, Zachary T.  [phone]  
Spratt, John M. Jr. [phone]  
Stark, Fortney Pete [phone]
Stupak, Bart  [phone]
Sutton, Betty  [phone]

T

Tanner, John S.  [phone]  
Tauscher, Ellen O. [phone]  
Taylor, Gene  [phone]
Thompson, Bennie G. [phone]  
Thompson, Mike  [phone]
Tierney, John F.  [phone]
Towns, Edolphus  [phone]

U

Udall, Mark  [phone]
Udall, Tom  [phone]

V

Van Hollen, Chris  [phone]  
Velázquez, Nydia M.  [phone]  
Visclosky, Peter J.  [phone]

W

Walz, Timothy J.  [phone]
Wasserman Schultz, Debbie  [phone]  
Waters, Maxine  [phone]  
Watson, Diane E.  [phone]
Watt, Melvin L.  [phone]  
Waxman, Henry A.  [phone]  
Weiner, Anthony D.  [phone]  
Welch, Peter  [phone]
Wexler, Robert  [phone]
Wilson, Charles A.  [phone]
Woolsey, Lynn C.  [phone]  
Wu, David  [phone]  
Wynn, Albert Russell  [phone]

Y

Yarmuth, John A.  [phone]

A reminder. Please keep sending in those top comment nominations to:

topcomments[at]gmail[dot]com

II. Tonight's Top Comments

Via llbear:

In a rather unfortunate diary denegrating American troops, clonecone explains why the diarist is, well, full of crap.

In the same diary, Kifaru1 speaks for military spouses

Via khereva:

In Kagro X's story questioning the Democrat's tactics on filibusters, user fat old man skewers Congressional cowardice.

Via citizenx:

IndyScott has a great list of things that our Senate didn't bother to condemn.

Via Lucky Ducky:

Agathena wrote this comment, which came in response to a question asking why Sen. Reid let the MoveOn ad resolution come up for a vote.

Top Mojo (thanks BeninSC, you rule!)

Top Mojo - excluding search-identifiable tip jars, first diary comments and C&J comments (top 30 of each plus ties):

1 Why did Reid allow a vote in the first place? by Geekesque - 120
2 Consultants said this to him... by Dump Terry McAuliffe - 116
3 Money isn't everything in politics by Dallasdoc - 107
4 Dodd deserves huge credit for his work on this. by Geekesque - 102
5 Yes, because our nuts aren't crushed enough. by Bill in Portland Maine - 93
6 my reply by Michael Schiavo - 84
7 Resolved... by djtyg - 84
8 Dude -- by bonddad - 74
9 Count me out. by HollywoodOz - 73
10 They fucked us over. by Bill in Portland Maine - 71
11 He voted against it, but I prefer the by Geekesque - 69
12 Exactly - this resolution should have disappeared by Marinesquire - 68
13 I signed the petition, made a contribution by jhutson - 66
14 Yesterday at the Bronx Zoo by Eddie C - 65
15 Is it insane by kestrel9000 - 62
16 I am a MOVEON Member by KnotIookin - 60
17 RE: Why is it by Rep Barbara Lee - 59
18 Why did Reid let that damn thing by Geekesque - 58
19 Mean spirited and nasty by Dburn - 56
20 Count me ***in*** on Mike's plan by The Lighthouse Keeper - 56
21 Your Less-Than-Daily BabyKos by John Campanelli - 55
22 I Personally Know 2 Old GOP Conversions by Empower Ink - 54
23 no need to to start picking each other off. by jstott1701 - 53
24 Thanks for the smile by rf7777 - 50
25 Me you!  you made my day!!!  Recommend! by arogue7 - 50
26 post humpday by khereva - 50
27 Oh for god sake by anastasia p - 49
28 asdf by brownsox - 48
29 True John Cornyn story by Whiskey Sam - 48
30 Thank you for missing the point of the diary by Geekesque - 48

Top Mojo - everything included:

1 I love Dick Durbin and Barbara Boxer! by beachmom - 307
2 Tips to keep our eyes on the ball by Geekesque - 282
3 Tips for MoveOn by TomP - 263
4 I seriously didn't expect by wmtriallawyer - 221
5 tips, flames comments by testvet6778 - 210
6 Tip jar by truong son traveler - 167
7 This is a worthy venture. Check it out! by markthshark - 167
8 Habeas Corpus Restoration Act by ttagaris - 158
9 Force them to filibuster by IntertubeGuy - 127
10 Why did Reid allow a vote in the first place? by Geekesque - 120
11 Thank you for your by DMiller - 116
12 Consultants said this to him... by Dump Terry McAuliffe - 116
13 Money isn't everything in politics by Dallasdoc - 107
14 there should be a resolution by clammyc - 105
15 Dodd deserves huge credit for his work on this. by Geekesque - 102
16 dammit by Turkana - 101
17 Yes, because our nuts aren't crushed enough. by Bill in Portland Maine - 93
18 my reply by Michael Schiavo - 84
19 Resolved... by djtyg - 84
20 Tip by Carnacki - 77
21 Dude -- by bonddad - 74
22 Count me out. by HollywoodOz - 73
23 They fucked us over. by Bill in Portland Maine - 71
24 Thor s Day Lightning Hoorahs!!! by Predictor - 70
25 He voted against it, but I prefer the by Geekesque - 69
26 Exactly - this resolution should have disappeared by Marinesquire - 68
27 I signed the petition, made a contribution by jhutson - 66
28 Yesterday at the Bronx Zoo by Eddie C - 65
29 Well, OK, I'll start by New Deal democrat - 65
30 Tip jar by truong son traveler - 64

•  good

  evening everyone!

  by taylormattd on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 06:52:59 PM PDT

  •  tag

    <cheers>Norm!</cheers>

    by Ray Radlein on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 06:56:15 PM PDT

    •  what's shakin'

      Norm?

      by taylormattd on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 06:56:59 PM PDT

      •  you can't ask that question

        in this situation, you're Norm.

        by guyermo on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 06:58:29 PM PDT

        •  no, no

          you're supposed to say, "My belly like a bowl full of jelly!"

          by taylormattd on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 06:59:32 PM PDT

  •  Great diary!

    you are super smart. :-)

    by kath25 on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:42:32 PM PDT

    •  ha

      no I'm not, but thanks anyway kath!

      by taylormattd on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:43:12 PM PDT

•  youtube video of the night

  comes to you from The Simpsons
  

  in honor of the recent votes in the Senate

  by guyermo on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 06:54:29 PM PDT

  •  heh n/t

    by taylormattd on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 06:55:26 PM PDT

    •  thanks armando n/t

      by guyermo on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 06:56:20 PM PDT

      •  hahaha! nt

        by kath25 on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:30:20 PM PDT

    •  great. just what i needed tonight

      a kitten masturbating* while i try to clean the kitchen.
      .
      .
      .
      .
      .
      .
      *when the word "heh" is used in a blog comment, a kitten masturbates.

      _______________

      it's their screen name because they couldn't figure out how to spell "moran."

      -9.75 (e), -7.18 (s)

      by dadanation on Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 02:10:29 AM PDT

  •  I think the YouTube video of the day came from;

    Crisis Corps Volunteer

    by Eddie C on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:05:35 PM PDT

    •  oh my fucking god

      that is GENIUS!

      by guyermo on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:09:24 PM PDT

      •  Thank you very much n/t

        by Eddie C on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:23:27 PM PDT

      •  Oh my, I was replying to the wrong comment.

        What I meant to say was, every telemarketer deserves that guy.

        by Eddie C on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:26:11 PM PDT

    •  I needed that laugh... thanks!!!! n/t

      by khloemi on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 09:36:49 PM PDT

•  Days like today...

  ...make me want to take a long, long break from politics.

  by PsiFighter37 on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 06:54:53 PM PDT

  •  saturday i'm going for a long hike

    in a near-by state park.  I also feel the need for a temporary purge.  Thankfully a day out in the fresh air with just my digital camera should suffice.

    by guyermo on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 06:57:46 PM PDT

    •  I'll be too damn busy this weekend

      Damn school.

      All I want to do is party.

      by PsiFighter37 on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 06:58:31 PM PDT

      •  sunday my fraternity's having a pancake breakfast

        so if the walk doesn't work, at least i can gorge myself on food.

        by guyermo on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:00:23 PM PDT

  •  I'll be begging for forgiveness tomorrow night

    and all day Saturday (also apologizing for my many sins).

    I believe one of those sins is "The sin of overKossing"

    by DemocraticLuntz on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:07:16 PM PDT

    •  I Hear They're

      putting that one in the new high holidays prayerbook.  It's part of either the group of failures of truth or failures of justice.  Thankfully, it doesn't constitute a sin against another human being, so one can be granted atonement straight away.

      by The Maven on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:57:34 PM PDT

•  To my great annoyance

  I don't have a representative. 26 more days before I get one...well, probably a few more, because they'll have to certify the election. Sigh.

  by sardonyx on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 06:55:02 PM PDT

  •  well then

    you should consider Pelosi to be your rep I suppose . . .

    by taylormattd on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 06:55:53 PM PDT

    •  Actually

      I call her office when I'm really ticked. I also call Harry Reid's, since my own Senators are two sacks of shit.

      No, they are worse than that. A sack of shit could still fertilize a garden or something.

      by kath25 on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:47:19 PM PDT

      •  That seems

        like a good idea to me. I like the thought of them being innundated with calls and realizing folks are paying attention.

        by taylormattd on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:49:05 PM PDT

        •  I always tell the staffer --

          "I'm a registered Democrat, and your boss is a leader in my party, and --- (blah blah blah)."

          I've called chairs of committees and stuff, too.

          by kath25 on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:53:17 PM PDT

        •  Haha --

          I called Rep. Anthony Weiner once, and I told the staffer, "I voted for your boss in the NYC mayoral primary in 2005, so listen up!"

          by kath25 on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:53:45 PM PDT

      •  Do You At Least Have

        a decent representative?  (I'm too lazy right now to go see who it might be.)

        And if all goes well, one of those abhorrent senators will be looking for a new job less than 60 weeks from now.

        by The Maven on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 08:00:40 PM PDT

        •  Lllllloydd Doggett!!!!

          One of the members of the Out of Iraq caucus, Lloyd is super progressive.

          I love calling his office. I'm like "rant rant!" and his staff is like, "yeah, we know! arg!"

          by kath25 on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 08:01:34 PM PDT

          •  So, While Enjoyable

            it's basically preaching to the choir.  There are worse things, I suppose.

            by The Maven on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 08:17:02 PM PDT

            •  Lloyd

              gets on CSPAN a lot. He's great!

              by kath25 on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 08:22:15 PM PDT

  •  Contacting my representative

    would be an exercise in futility.  I still do it once in a while to annoy him, but he has yet to do the right thing.

    by gizmo59 on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 06:59:41 PM PDT

•  Just trying to keep my hand in...

  ...as they say:

  Trial (temporary name)
  

  Tomorrow Debbie and I have to go pick up our license.  And I have to come up with a topic for a diary...and write it...and a topic for Teacher's Lounge (100^th edition on Saturday)...and write it.

  by rserven on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 06:57:36 PM PDT

  •  congrats...

    on both getting the license and on 100 editions of Teachers Lounge!

    by the holy handgrenade on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:00:57 PM PDT

    •  Thank you :-)

      I'd rather I had less work to do tomorrow.  I'd rather be a lazy bum.

      by rserven on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:13:23 PM PDT

  •  so excited for you!!!!!!!!~ n/t

    _______________

    it's their screen name because they couldn't figure out how to spell "moran."

    -9.75 (e), -7.18 (s)

    by dadanation on Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 02:11:39 AM PDT

•  evening all!

  long time no play!

  I've been trying all evening to get some reading done, but my daughter isn't quite finished with my book yet...

  

  also, here is a new video, of a new poem, that I made recently...

  by the holy handgrenade on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 06:58:29 PM PDT

  •  ha!

    that's great. So she read Harry Potter when she was what, one year old?

    by taylormattd on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:00:22 PM PDT

    •  Probably in utero (n/t)

      by gizmo59 on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:01:48 PM PDT

      •  That's a real trick

        her finishing the Harry Potter series that young. Too bad she didn't think to make her fortune telling everyone how it ended. :)

        by sardonyx on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:34:01 PM PDT

        •  hmm...

          that might explain where she got all those cool toys that I didn't buy her.

          she could have at least shared the wealth...

          by the holy handgrenade on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 08:43:20 PM PDT

    •  she has skipped...

      Harry Potter and went straight to the existentialists. The next book on her reading stack is Maldoror. It took me two years to get through that one, so I figure she'll have it done by christmas ;)

      by the holy handgrenade on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:02:56 PM PDT

      •  And again, "Hop on Pop"...

        is just glossed over!?!

        What's going on here these days?!

        ................

        Whither Big Brown Bear???

        by Hardhat Democrat on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:35:04 PM PDT

•  Sorry Matt!!

  I didn't get any comments to you in time :-(

  This is GREAT though!

  by Elise on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:01:20 PM PDT

  •  no worries

    I didn't have time to cull any myself, but that's OK

    by taylormattd on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:03:33 PM PDT

•  Did you say sunset provision?

  There was a very cool cloud down river from tonight’s sunset:

  

  After the sun set, the cloud began to glow;

  
  Click to enlarge

  And I almost thought I saw an Angel;

  
  Click to enlarge

  by Eddie C on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:02:05 PM PDT

  •  eddie, if you ever go on vacation

    to the tropics, you could make a fortune with sunset pictures.

    But as for me, I want to visit St. Maarten.

    by guyermo on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:07:33 PM PDT

    •  I do take a vacation every now and again

      I got a pretty nice Laguna Sunset once.

      by Eddie C on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:20:29 PM PDT

      •  Mmmmm.

        Seeing that sunset over the Pacific reminds me of the ones I saw when I lived out there, years ago.  Sigh.

        by gizmo59 on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:23:00 PM PDT

        •  Eddie C

          takes the best photos

          by taylormattd on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:23:41 PM PDT

      •  awesome!

        i have a favorite night-time photo I took a couple years ago...

        ok, i couldn't find that one.  Must be on my pc at home.

        However, I DO have one of my favorite sunset pictures ever over the Mississippi River

        

        by guyermo on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:30:39 PM PDT

        •  That's very beautiful

          I tried to get that effect over the Hudson a few weels ago;

          

          by Eddie C on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:39:17 PM PDT

          •  i think it helped that my sun was higher

            and bouncing off the top of a thunderhead.  It was just a Minolta film camera, nothing special.  however it took awesome photos.  I have a couple other photos from that set I'll have to dig up.  I just like how i was able to frame the tree branch.

            by guyermo on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:41:32 PM PDT

          •  sunset and city hall here in SF

            this city is sometimes the most photogenic entity i have ever encountered...

            

            _______________

            it's their screen name because they couldn't figure out how to spell "moran."

            -9.75 (e), -7.18 (s)

            by dadanation on Fri Sep 21, 2007 at 02:16:03 AM PDT

  •  love the photos

    keep 'em coming.

    by OrangeClouds115 on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:08:19 PM PDT

  •  Beautiful

    as always. :-)

    by kath25 on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:32:41 PM PDT

    •  Hi Kath

      Thank you for that very nice comment in my diary.

      How are you?

      by Eddie C on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:34:08 PM PDT

      •  Doing ok.

        Good: I am getting over my cold, it is almost the weekend, I did some good reading today.

        Bad: Still upset my aunt sent me the racist email, but I replied politely but firmly that I disagreed and don't want to get anything more like that.

        Good: I talked to my parents about it; they were also surprised that she sent it, and weren't mad that I replied. I was worried they would think that I was starting a family feud.

        We shall see.

        by kath25 on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:49:43 PM PDT

        •  Ha ha

          That almost has the structure of a cheers and jeers comment.

          I’m glad you are getting over your cold.

          by Eddie C on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:55:07 PM PDT

          •  Me too!

            I was running out of stuff to blow my nose in! :-)

            by kath25 on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 08:00:15 PM PDT

•  Recipe of the Day

  The Senate gets lutefisk today. By the way, all you Democrats who bent over for your Republican overlords capitulated today, I expect you to get to work on passing a resolution condemning some of the juicier soundbytes from Mitt Romney, John McCain, and Rudy Giuliani of late.

  The rest of you get something good:

  Chocolate Apple Bundt Cake
  2 c. sugar
  3 eggs
  1 cup butter
  1 tablespoon vanilla
  1/2 cup water
  2 cups chopped apples
  2 tablespoons cocoa
  1 teaspoon allspice
  2 1/2 cups flour
  1 teaspoon baking soda
  1 teaspoon cinnamon
  1 cup chopped nuts
  1/2 cup chocolate chips

  Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together. Beat butter, sugar, and eggs together until well blended. Add water, alternating with dry ingredients. Add apples, nuts, chocolate chips, and vanilla. Spoon into greased and floured bundt pan. Bake for 70-80 minutes.

  My fiancee and the three friends we had over this afternoon insisted on a test of this recipe before we make one for break-the-fast after Yom Kippur. It's all gone now.

  by wiscmass on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:02:09 PM PDT

  •  wow, my apple comment must have stuck

    you're making me hungry and i just ate a large domino's pizza

    by guyermo on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:03:29 PM PDT

    •  The funny thing

      is that pumpkins are prominently displayed at many farmstands here in eastern Massachusetts. Fresh pumpkin is available now for that recipe posted earlier this week.

      by sardonyx on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:38:13 PM PDT

•  I'm also

  psyched beause this was the first diary in a while wherein I didn't have any html problems. Pfew.

  by taylormattd on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:04:43 PM PDT

  •  I keep seeing this

    Not just here, either. What kinds of things count as html problems in diaries?

    by keirdubois on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 09:03:57 PM PDT

    •  HTML issues

      • Forgetting to close bolding or other tags in a blockquote.
      • having an "<a href" tag with a space or hard return in or before the URL (these are not always obvious, and can be added in the course of an email traversing the Tubes), or omitting the quotes in same
      • simple typo of the closing or opening tag

      There are many others that I'm not remembering this late at night. :P

      by sardonyx on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 09:31:43 PM PDT

      •  Ah yes

        The nasty nitpicky shit that you can't find at first and makes you feel stupid. I almost let a stray nbsp ruin my day last week. I did not feel "professional" in the least.

        by keirdubois on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 10:00:44 PM PDT

        •  One of my favorites

          is leaving off the semi-colon at the end of one of those special characters. I just found a &mdash in one of my old diaries that was supposed to be &mdash;—but wasn't.

          by sardonyx on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 10:10:56 PM PDT

•  hi hi! I'm here! Excellent diary!!

  I've got to pimp something here. Especially if Nonnie's around.

  I wrote a diary earlier:
  http://www.dailykos.com/...

  It's about govt handouts to factory farms if you want to read it. BUT what I'm actually pimping is a T-shirt design contest. Everyone's invited (and please, I'm begging you) to submit ideas.

  by OrangeClouds115 on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:07:05 PM PDT

  •  oh and details about Tshirts are in the diary nt

    by OrangeClouds115 on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:07:24 PM PDT

  •  thanks

    OC!

    by taylormattd on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:09:04 PM PDT

  •  O.C. did you read this?

    A Withered Harvest in the Bronx

    It may be my turf but it seemed like something you could use.

    And hello, good luck on the final interview.

    by Eddie C on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:16:02 PM PDT

    •  thanks

      they called today to schedule orientation (tomorrow) and to tell me to book my flight for Oct 1. So I think I'll be just fine :)

      by OrangeClouds115 on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 08:15:30 PM PDT

•  Just another icky day

  At least I no longer have to wonder what Harry Reid has up his sleeve: there's nothing.

  by andgarden on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:09:48 PM PDT

  •  I'm

    right, aren't I, to question why he even permitted that republican resolution to reach the floor? Couldn't he have simply said, "screw you, that's not coming up for a vote"?

    by taylormattd on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:11:09 PM PDT

    •  By precedent, the Majority Leader

      controls the calendar.

      I don't know of an example where that hasn't been honored.

      by andgarden on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:12:58 PM PDT

    •  he could do the same

      with funding the war. as that guy whose name i keep forgetting keeps saying.

      by Turkana on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:27:18 PM PDT

      •  well yeah

        And I wish they would. It's just a little shocking that he would permit this to come up. Weird.

        by taylormattd on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:29:52 PM PDT

        •  it's all shocking

          there was an article at huffpo claiming that his insiders are finally convinced that it's pointless trying to work with the repugs. we'll see...

          by Turkana on Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 07:31:14 PM PDT