Late Afternoon/Early Evening Open Thread

Coming Up on Sunday Kos ....

• DarkSyde will review Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life, a fascinating new book from best-selling science writer Carl Zimmer about lifestyles of the slimy and infectious.
• brownsox will conduct an autopsy on the vaunted Permanent Republican Majority, now reduced to a regional minority.
• DHinMI will suggest a candidate to be Barack Obama's running mate.
• Devilstower will explain why your prejudice is worse than my prejudice: race, sex, and the presidency.
• DavidNYC will ask, "Could Barack Obama really win... Mississippi?" The answer may surprise you.

•  Big Brown smoked them again.

  2 down with one more to go.

  by citizenx on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:27:02 PM PDT

  •  Are you making a FIRST comment? ;) n/t

    by MTmofo on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:29:19 PM PDT

    •  I just placed it there

      I didn't want to show off.

      by citizenx on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:30:38 PM PDT

      •  asdf

        

        Funny McCain Pics archive updated regularly

        by InsultComicDog on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:31:35 PM PDT

        •  Nice sig line. n/t

          by Dragon5616 on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:52:20 PM PDT

      •  Horse laugh, lol. n/t

        by MTmofo on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:32:56 PM PDT

      •  A trifecta comment

        as it were.

        by noweasels on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:34:12 PM PDT

        •  Hi noweasels. Hope you are doing well.

          On the the back deck with music waiting to get a bird on the grill.  doggies got new outdoor toys and one is already buried.  the big dog thinks we don't know where.

          Happy Friday.

          by dogheaven on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:28:26 PM PDT

•  Question: What's a Hot Pocket?

  by Mishima on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:29:04 PM PDT

  •  It is a factory made food item.

    It is a dough crust with cheese & ham, cheese & pepperoni inside that can be microwaved for a meal on the go.  They're okay, but part of a healthy diet.

    by MTmofo on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:31:48 PM PDT

    •  Argh. "Not" part... n/t

      by MTmofo on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:36:09 PM PDT

      •  For a minute there

        I thought you had "Breaking News."

        by Dragon5616 on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:53:30 PM PDT

    •  Comedian Jim Gaffigan

      has a hilarious bit about Hot Pockets!

      by CityLightsLover on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:41:19 PM PDT

  •  one step up from a

    snot rocket.

    Funny McCain Pics archive updated regularly

    by InsultComicDog on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:32:49 PM PDT

    •  As opposed to a 'turd in a tube'?

      aka a factory made buritto in a plastic wrapper.

      by MTmofo on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:35:02 PM PDT

  •  clonecone had a recipe for them

    Here.

    Sounds about right.

    by noweasels on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:33:00 PM PDT

  •  People.

    Hot Pockets are made of PEEEEEEEEEEEOPLE.

    by decembersue on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:34:10 PM PDT

  •  A food like

    substance .

    by indycam on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:35:07 PM PDT

    •  "Foody goodness."

      by Troubadour on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:56:47 PM PDT

•  So this thing is approaching its sell by date

  but here's a last hurrah.

  by bumblebums on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:29:49 PM PDT

  •  always room for Jello Head

    this is great. Hadn't seen this version.

    by lisastar on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:33:49 PM PDT

  •  bumblebums-perfect timing. How does one embed

    or post a video?

    by Phil S 33 on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:35:42 PM PDT

    •  Just copy the embed code at youtube

      and paste it into your comment/diary/blog/whatever.

      by bumblebums on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:37:11 PM PDT

      •  test

        by Phil S 33 on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:45:08 PM PDT

        •  It works!!! Thx

          by Phil S 33 on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:45:31 PM PDT

          •  Good one!

            by bumblebums on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:46:35 PM PDT

          •  reminds me of my childhood

            with my oldest brother.  Throw in some Johnny Rivers and Gene Pitney for another "trifecta" for the night.  :)

            by mjd in florida on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:59:21 PM PDT

  •  i disagree

    that video is TIMELESS.  Especially the dance remix.  Thanks for posting.  But thats not approaching the sell by date.  It never gets old.  Long live psycho Bill O'

    by dehydratedcracker on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:54:58 PM PDT

•  Calling all cars

  be on the look out for new user
  "Kos Killa" #163529
  wanted for "GRATUITOUS STUPID"
  Known to be armed with halfa wit .
  If seen , please report location to your nearest T.U.
  That is all .

  by indycam on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:33:21 PM PDT

  •  Call out! Hmmmm better be worth it dude. n/t

    by dogheaven on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:30:57 PM PDT

    •  The user 163529

      has been banned after two vile comments .
      Priceless !

      by indycam on Sat May 17, 2008 at 11:12:20 PM PDT

•  Damn, I love the internet.

  I found this youtube at my favorite local blog this morning, it had about 56,000 views then, and now has well over a 100,000.

  If I Were A Terrorist, this guy is excellent.  Some of you probably already knew that. :)

  After the FBI post I just finished reading, I thought this seemed appropriate.

  by panicbean on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:33:23 PM PDT

  •  yup.

    by lisastar on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:36:18 PM PDT

  •  Hilarious, but sadly, true. n/t

    by Dragon5616 on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:03:55 PM PDT

•  about lifestyles of the slimy and infectious

  Not another biography of Famous Republicans. Enough Already!

  by Synoia on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:33:52 PM PDT

•  An unnamed staffer at the Clinton campaign

  said there was financial mismanagement bordering on fraud:

  "There was financial mismanagement bordering on fraud. A candidate who raised more than a quarter of a billion dollars over the years had to pump in millions more of her own money to stave off bankruptcy."

  LINK

  The stories will come out later on exactly how bad this campaign mismanaged the finances. A quarter of a billion dollars and still end up in debt...geesh.

  by CTLiberal on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:35:39 PM PDT

  •  Well, if they'd hired me as their CFO

    they wouldn't have had that problem.  Then again, with someone like Penn around, you can have the best darn financial people, but they'll be useless from constantly being overridden by idiots.

    by FoundingFatherDAR on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:42:59 PM PDT

    •  Sen. Clinton was doomed by the Iraq war vote

      The rest are operational details. The candidacy was rotten at is core.

      by organicdemocrat on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:45:28 PM PDT

      •  She could have overcome it

        if she'd made any progress as a leader or a human being since then.

        by Troubadour on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:59:12 PM PDT

        •  She could have repudiated the vote as Edwards did

          by organicdemocrat on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:04:40 PM PDT

          •  Exactly. But she's Bush with a high IQ.

            "I am infallible!  It's reality that's wrong, not me!"

            by Troubadour on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:09:10 PM PDT

            •  As much as I oppose Clinton, Bush is in a whole

              other league. Sen. Clinton can still redeem herself. But Bush will be despised for ever.

              by organicdemocrat on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:17:53 PM PDT

              •  Hillary has had 2nd, 3rd, and 11th chances

                to redeem herself, and she never, ever gets the picture.  She's been in kamikaze mode for some time now, and the convention will probably be a fiasco unless all the heavies pay her a visit before hand and explain that her career is over now unless she can STFU and get over it.  Even then, I'm doubtful whether anything can pull her out of her inhuman selfishness and convince her to give a shit about this party.

                by Troubadour on Sat May 17, 2008 at 06:05:04 PM PDT

                •  She has stopped attacking Obama. But I keep my

                  powder dry if she starts to pressure  Obama for a VP slot.

                  For now I would let her go through the stages of grief. Now she is past denial and onto anger. And she is directing anger against the media who are ignoring her and not Obama. When someone whines about being ignored what is the best thing to do?

                  Yawn..walk away.

                  by organicdemocrat on Sat May 17, 2008 at 06:11:13 PM PDT

                  •  I sometimes wonder...

                    why does she want to be President?  Why is she in our party when she isn't on board with our values?  When I think about it, I see a person whose entire life has been determined by the influence of others, without any real inward direction - and as soon as the show became all hers to define, she crashed and burned.  

                    I think about this when I consider the fate of the party; I see her failure and the triumph of Obama as a necessary clarification of who we are.  For so long, the party was her - passive bumpers to the GOP, weakly mitigating their worst excesses - but that was a losing game, and now the show is all ours.  I'm so glad I'm not Barack Obama - his hair will be whiter than the White House by 2012, but he'll pull us through.

                    by Troubadour on Sat May 17, 2008 at 06:42:54 PM PDT

                    •  Obama came at the right time.But the movement was

                      already building, stated by Dean in 2004. But no one has been as good for the Dems as Bush. He is the great unifier. Luckily he cannot keep his mouth shut  through the election. He will be making speeches all the way through November.

                      Clinton is history. Unless she starts attacking Obama again, I would just ignore her.

                      by organicdemocrat on Sat May 17, 2008 at 06:50:19 PM PDT

                      •  photo of mccain

                        

                        by organicdemocrat on Sat May 17, 2008 at 07:38:48 PM PDT

                        •  McCain can be made to self-destruct.

                          Just provoke his temper.

                          by Troubadour on Sat May 17, 2008 at 08:24:39 PM PDT

•  hey!!!!

  San Antonio is niiiiiiiiiice.

  by TexMex on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:36:19 PM PDT

  •  I've heard that

    Never been there. I take it you have waterways.

    by bumblebums on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:38:29 PM PDT

  •  For about two more weeks

    then comes the 5 month long blast furnace known as summer.

    by citizenx on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:41:00 PM PDT

•  What I saw at the revolution....

  The one that undid the Reagan one...

  Nice

  by SemDem on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:38:19 PM PDT

•  Diary pimping

  My diary predicts the results of the Kentucky primary. Please read, tip, and/or rec...thanks!

  by PsiFighter37 on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:38:33 PM PDT

  •  Excellent diary.

    Thanks for the hard work. Good maps and analysis.

    by Dragon5616 on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:18:38 PM PDT

•  Protest at Cal law school graduation today -

  http://www.sfgate.com/...

  Some 50 protesters, clad in orange jumpsuits and black hoods to emulate the infamous photos of prisoners in Iraq, picketed the Boalt Hall graduation today, demanding that UC Berkeley's law school fire Professor John Yoo for his reported authorship of the Bush administration's policies on torture.

  by FoundingFatherDAR on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:38:58 PM PDT

  •   I despise Yoo, but this is a Rightwing tactic.

    Protest his views, but don't ask him to be fired.

    by organicdemocrat on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:41:02 PM PDT

    •  So someone who's committed a crime

      shouldn't be fired?  WTF?
       And don't fling the crap about "academic freedom".  My dad's Professor Emeritus with UC.  Allowing Yoo to hide behind the guise of academic freedom is an affront to all my dad stood for during his tenure.

      by FoundingFatherDAR on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:46:11 PM PDT

      •  Not defending Yoo. If its is a crime prosecute

        him. But let us not become a mirror image  of the Right Wing.

        by organicdemocrat on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:49:28 PM PDT

        •  Academic freedom would be if he said...

          "National security demands that we change the Constitution to permit torture."  It would still be insane, ignorant, and an affront to everything UC Berkeley, the UC system, California, the United States, and Western civilization stand for, but it would be a valid statement of opinion.  What Yoo did was effectively claim that there is no such thing as law - he negated his entire profession, and used his position to argue that laws do not exist when George W. Bush finds them inconvenient.  He should have been fired immediately, and should be prosecuted for war crimes.

          by Troubadour on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:05:35 PM PDT

          •  I would say the same even if he was an actor.

            Don't pressure someone's employer to fire them for a crime. Prosecute them. That is our system.  Otherwise you are descending into the same level as Yoo himself.

            by organicdemocrat on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:24:21 PM PDT

            •  Then don't fire him for the crime -

              fire him because what he did is an absolute violation of everything his profession, the Boalt School of Law, and UC Berkeley stand for.  We both know if his offense had been to belittle the intelligence of a minority, he would have been kicked out on his ass - but he remains because he merely instigated torture.

              by Troubadour on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:53:12 PM PDT

              •  The torture memos horrify me too.

                I wouldn't want anyone fired for offensive speech either. That is what O'Reilly and his gang does. We have to be above that.

                But I am all for the new administration into prosecuting Yoo for violating law. I am not a lawyer. But instigating torture has to be a crime.

                And after convicting  then fire his ass.

                by organicdemocrat on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:58:37 PM PDT

                •  It wasn't "speech."

                  He gave a legal opinion in his capacity as a professor of law at UC Berkeley - a legal opinion that had no law in it, and virtually negated even the concept of law.  You can't treat everything like a matter of opinion - that's how Creationists and climate change deniers flourish.

                  by Troubadour on Sat May 17, 2008 at 06:25:56 PM PDT

    •  He is on the faculty of a PUBLIC university...

      there are taxpayer dollars paying his salary.

      Feck Fire him.

      ~Doc~

      by EquationDoc on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:18:30 PM PDT

      •  Especially a public employee should not be under

        pressure. What if people want a doctor at NIH be fired because he does research into stem cells? Prosecute him. Our laws and society are to be judged by how we treat our most despicable citizens. Yoo included.

        On the other hand, I would'nt have hired him. That is a different story.

        by organicdemocrat on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:27:02 PM PDT

        •  Well, I agree with you there.

          Prosecution is the right way to go, and not hiring him in the first place.

          So prosecute him, and then fire him.

          ~Doc~

          by EquationDoc on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:35:07 PM PDT

          •  Fine with that. Anyone convicted of a crime

            can be fired. But it is bad practice to pressure employers as a short cut.
            We have a bad history of that in this country.

            I am thinking of Dixie Chicks, Bill Maher in recent times. The Hollywood blacklist of the fifties. The worst example is not very famous. There was a Chinese engineer at Cal Tech who was accused by McCarthy of being a comunist. He was hounded out of the country. He returned to China where he founded the Chinese
            missile program. That is how China became a superpower.

            By the way in China he was persecuted later: he was accused of being an American Spy during the cultural revolution.

            This is why we have laws about grand jury secrecy and trial by jury. By al means ask your elected DA to prosecute him if there is evidence of crime.

            by organicdemocrat on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:42:01 PM PDT

          •  OT: e-mail and voice mail not working? n/t

            by Ninepatch on Sat May 17, 2008 at 06:41:59 PM PDT

  •  I Read About This!

    Bravo to them!!

    by CityLightsLover on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:43:41 PM PDT

•  DoubleTalk Express Rate Schedule Summer 2008

  Bush apologists: 50 cents

  Independents: 25 cents

  Non-mavericks: Free of Charge/Under the Bus

  by BA BarackUS on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:43:06 PM PDT

•  Oregon Voters get your ballots in

  and vote Steve Novick for Senate!

  by Lefty Coaster on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:43:45 PM PDT

•  Diary Pimping

  http://www.dailykos.com/...

  by aaraujo on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:43:50 PM PDT

  •  WEBB FOR VP

    http://www.dailykos.com/...

    by aaraujo on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:49:04 PM PDT

    •  I am at left wing of the party.But I like Webb

      for his fiery defense of the common soldier. The grunts need someone to speak up for them at the top.

      by organicdemocrat on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:50:54 PM PDT

      •  Grunts is not really a word that I would use.

        We are treating our soldiers like rented donkeys.

        4 deployments is criminal.

        by dogheaven on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:35:45 PM PDT

        •  Sad. Support our troops shouldnt be just a bumper

          sticker.

          by organicdemocrat on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:44:10 PM PDT

    •  of the diaries I read today...

      this was my favorite.  I watched all the videos, read the comments, thought it over and I think I agree with you.  I'm going to watch Webb on MTP tomorrow and pick up his book on Monday.  

      I also went to youtube and watched a few other videos of him there.  I am a little concerned about the 3 marriages and the "navy is a paradise for horny woman" or whatever he said in one of his books I guess.  Just because the Hillary supporters (hopefully just the fringe types) are already pushing this "Obama is a sexist" garbage.  And if he adds Webb that could further disenfranchise them.  But at the end of the day, I think he's the guy.

      by dehydratedcracker on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:10:41 PM PDT

      •  The hardcore feminists

        will come home because at the end of the day, McCain would be a disaster for them (and us)

        by aaraujo on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:16:34 PM PDT

        •  And isn't that easy to say.

          Women will be held hostage on their vote until the Supreme Court is fixed.  Then watch out, we will be able to consider all kinds of things.

          by dogheaven on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:37:21 PM PDT

          •  let us

            oblilirate the gop, first

            by aaraujo on Sat May 17, 2008 at 06:30:05 PM PDT

•  Hagel as VP

  I was at the Jackson County Democratic Party annual event last night and someone suggested that Obama would do something completely out of the box and pick Hagel.  This person runs in the upper echelon of Dem politics.  

  That would be some craziness.  I was quite drunk and was yelling at him about there is no way.  No way.  He is anti-choice, so that has to be a non-starter - right?

  But I swear, I think that ticket would crush McCain.

  I can pretty much guess the reaction of Kossacks, but I wanted to see if anyone thought this would be a good idea?

  I don't think it's a good idea, but it may be a game-changer.

  Cheers!

  by aimeeinkc on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:45:18 PM PDT

  •  Too crazy. I like Webb. Also former Republican

    Obama wants to reach out Reagan Democrats. Webb worked for Reagan as Sec Nav

    by organicdemocrat on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:46:28 PM PDT

  •  We don't need to run to the middle

    we can win in a liberal VP.

    by citizenx on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:47:26 PM PDT

    •  with, not in.

      by citizenx on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:48:34 PM PDT

    •  Exactly, the Middle's Running Toward Us nt.

      by Gooserock on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:49:14 PM PDT

      •  Which Is What the Clinton Strategy Didn't Account

        for.

        by Gooserock on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:49:53 PM PDT

      •  i'm not taking any chances

        by aaraujo on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:50:05 PM PDT

      •  We need a braod coalition. Like New Deal.

        I am a liberal too. But  we need conservative Democrats. We need to win a Congressional Majority with people like Childress and Cazayoux. At the Presidential level we need a balanced ticket as well.

        by organicdemocrat on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:52:56 PM PDT

  •  Here's some better ones..all Dems:

    Elizabeth Edwards
    Russ Feingold
    Tom Daschle
    Jim Webb
    John Edwards
    Kathleen Sibelius

    by willyr on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:52:25 PM PDT

    •  I like them all. Webb is best I think.

      Elizabeth Edwards: sorry to say this, but her health will become an issue. I like her even more than her husband otherwise.
      Russ Feingold: My hero! Now that Wellstone is no more, Feingold is my fav Senator. Even more than Obama. But no balance in the ticket.
      Tom Daschle: Good man. Not effective campaigner. Kinda too nice a guy. We need an attack dog who will call them on their Bullshit.
      John Edwards: Been there done that. I liked him more as a Presidential candidate than as VP last time. Didn't show enough fire in the belly.
      Kathleen Sibelius: My second choice for VP. Governor, not Senator. From conservative state. Not as effective a speaker.

      Webb will kick ass. See him eat Sen. Graham's lunch on  Meet the Press. He speaks for the GI. His weakness is too little political experience. But of a hothead.

      by organicdemocrat on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:00:18 PM PDT

      •  Elizabeth Edwards would be an amazing choice

        Her politics are outstanding. She is amazingly articulate. She is passionate on the health care issue.

        And yes, her illness is an issue...but only because anyone would be concerned how a campaign would affect her health. But she has been so adamant about continuing to work for change on health care---what better way to do it than to run for Vice President with Barack Obama?

        And after all---we all are going to be sick some day. Her resilence in the face of illness is a great example for us all.

        If she would do it, I think it would be a perfect choice for Obama.

        by willyr on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:14:06 PM PDT

        •  I admire her a lot. Even more than her husband.

          by organicdemocrat on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:22:30 PM PDT

    •  General Clark. n/t

      by dogheaven on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:38:37 PM PDT

    •  Interesting List!

      I love Elizabeth Edwards, but I see her more in a "Health & Human Services"-type roll. Russ Feingold would scare too many people off. I'd be cool with Jim Webb. I really don't see John Edwards accepting, and, I want him to be AG. And, I'm not sure what the governor of Kansas could bring to a ticket.

      by CityLightsLover on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:54:27 PM PDT

      •  Feingold was my original 1st choice for prez

        I even have a Russ Feingold for President tshirt that I wear regularly in public just to provoke discussion.

        He's probably the epitome of a straight-talker, and certainly in the mold of Paul Wellstone...but keep in mind that he's been elected and reelected in Wisconsin several times...so he can't be that scary to people in a midwestern swing state.

        by willyr on Sat May 17, 2008 at 06:03:10 PM PDT

  •  Oh & at the Meeting

    It was jam packed with Dems - probably two or three hundred.  And many Clinton supporters were resigned to the reality of the fact & although they are tepid Obama supporters - they will be with us in the fall.

    I only talked to two women who said they wouldn't vote for him.  I sympathized greatly with the ladies - I have been on the losing side of a bloody primary and it stinks to high hell.  But they will come around.  It was very encouraging b/c these are the people that walk & call & generally work like hell to help Dems get elected.

    Cheers!

    by aimeeinkc on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:53:07 PM PDT

  •  I Think It Would be Faboo!

    I said in another thread that no matter who Senator Obama picks, not everyone will be happy. There is no perfect choice. It took tremendous courage for Senator Hagel to buck the party line on the Iraq War, supporting the troops when they return home, etc. He may be "pro life", but he's not the one who will pick the SCOTUS judges; President Obama will.

    by CityLightsLover on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:51:44 PM PDT

•  Freakin' Lou Dobbs

  Diana West from the Washington Times likened Obama apologizing to a female reporter for calling her 'sweetie' with being an appeaser in foreign policy.  She cited the apology as a sign of his 'weak' foreign policy.

  I can't believe how full of shit their 'analysis' happens to be.

  This is what passes for objective journalism?

  I know, I shouldn't be watching good ol' Lou - but there is nothing else on in the hotel right now.

  by D Wreck on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:47:45 PM PDT

  •  Losing 2 Billion Dollars Is What Passes for a

    Republican media business.

    The darker allegations about its owner are pretty spectacular. Of, well, Biblical proportions.

    by Gooserock on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:51:02 PM PDT

  •  The Moonie Paper is the home many wingnuts

    by organicdemocrat on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:53:56 PM PDT

•  CA

  http://www.smirkingchimp.com/...

  Global Warming as an Eviction Notice?

  Excerpt

  It's May 15th in Sonoma County. I live in the coastal wine region -- a short 8-mile drive to the Pacific ocean. At this time of year the temperatures are supposed to range between highs of 70 and lows in the high 40s. Yesterday it was 94 degrees and today it's supposed to top 104.

  There's already talk among wine growers, that in a few short years premium wine grapes will likely have to be grown further north, way further north. Because each years it's getting too hot, too soon and too dry around these parts to reliably produce top-quality grapes. The soil is still willing, but the weather is just getting too squirrelly to take the risk. (Or maybe they can switch from selling premium wines to selling the most expensive raisins on earth.)

  I don't know about you, but I don't want to spend the 30-odd years I might have left on earth watching a billion or more fellow humans getting "evicted." And, of course, I don't want to my kids and grandkids getting evicted later themselves if persist in this nonsense and push things past the tipping point.

  Melting ice caps might be the most dramatic evidence that we are already dangerously close to just such a tipping point, but it's not the only evidence. Just ask the folks in Tornado Ally, and Burma. They have tales to tell. They've already gotten their first eviction notices.

  by pollwatch on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:49:52 PM PDT

  •  The Columbia Valley Cabs

    are our future?

    by citizenx on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:54:15 PM PDT

    •  The one in British Columbia

      not Washington. :)

      by citizenx on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:55:27 PM PDT

•  89 Degrees in Puget Sound On the Water

  With no air conditioning, quite the jolt from the 50's we had through the beginning of this week.

  Some of the whales are cracking.

  by Gooserock on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:54:14 PM PDT

  •  what about the delegates?

    I left the WA-07 caucus before it got really hot inside, but that was long before any delegates were elected.  Hell, they hadn't even finished the first round of elections for the Elector and the Judicial Review Board.

    Jim McDermott was nominated by acclamation.

    by N in Seattle on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:07:12 PM PDT

    •  We're Prepping Mom for Assisted Living

      soon so we weren't available to do caucusing. Did it in 04 for Dean.

      There seems to be news down below.

      by Gooserock on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:20:29 PM PDT

      •  yeah, from me

        Sorry to hear about the family issues.

        by N in Seattle on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:26:24 PM PDT

•  Hey, a little help here

  Here's a seat we can flip, a race we can win: Gary Peters (MI-09).

  by GOTV on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:54:46 PM PDT

  •  What do you think of NY-29?

    Massa vs Kuhl. You thunk we can take it? What needs to be done?

    by organicdemocrat on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:01:46 PM PDT

    •  I think it's up to Massa

      He gets as much hype (and, I have to assume, fundraising) as anyone on the lefty internets.  He needs to close the deal with his ideas and his positives.  Kuhl is only a two-term incumbant, so it's not like he's been there forever, and Massa came within five or six points of beating him last time out as I recall.  

      It's astoundingly doable, and will likely come down to (if you don't mind the unavoidable pun) GOTV efforts over the last two weeks of the campaign.

      I think any close district in '06 is ripe for the flipping in '08, so work your ass off to get out the vote.

      by GOTV on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:28:07 PM PDT

      •  I am in his district. New to political activism

        Thank Bush to get people like me energized against the Republicans.

        I will look into how to help GOTV in our district

        by organicdemocrat on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:31:59 PM PDT

        •  I think you're absolutely right;

          if George Bush can't get someone energized to defeat Republicans, well, there's nothing else that will.  I wish you all the luck in the world out there.  Just remember, in spite of all the conveniences of the internet, there is still no substitute for good old-fashioned door knocking and phone banking to get out the vote.

          by GOTV on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:46:39 PM PDT

          •  George W. Bush. The great unifier!

            by organicdemocrat on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:54:36 PM PDT

•  FOX 13 News GM caught in Circle Jerk, (for real)

  TAMPA -- The general manager of Fox 13 News WTVT-TV in Tampa was arrested Friday night at Fantasy Land Adult Video Store in Tampa on charges of exposure of a sexual organ and lewd and lascivious behavior.

  Tampa Police say Robert W. Linger was one of six men who were arrested by undercover officers at the adult store's movie theatre, at 4714 N Lois Ave.

  According to the arrest reports, the six men formed a circle around the undercover officers inside the movie theater and began masturbating.

  Linger was also seen sitting on a couch while masturbating, the arrest report states.

  More at Source...

  by Mr SeeMore on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:55:14 PM PDT

  •  Hmm...Circle jerk huh?

    ~Doc~

    by EquationDoc on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:40:56 PM PDT

•  test #2 This is for Hillary.

  by Phil S 33 on Sat May 17, 2008 at 04:57:08 PM PDT

  •  nice.

    by citizenx on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:09:15 PM PDT

•  Washington CD caucuses

  We're electing our 51 CD delegates on this hot, hot, hot afternoon.  I worked the credentials table for my own Legislative District this morning -- 13 of our 14 Clinton delegates and 49 of our 53 Obama delegates signed in, and all were replaced by alternates.  For the entire WA-07 district, 305 of the 307 delegate positions were occupied.

  The overall delegate distribution was 235 for Obama, 70 for Clinton.  In this 9-delegate CD, that comes to a 7-2 distribution of delegates.  Obama will get four female and three male national delegates (plus a male alternate), and Clinton will have one male and one female.  I left loooong before anyone was elected, but the distribution is definite.

  Unfortunately, I'm unaware of any single website displaying the delegates who'll be elected from our nine CDs.  Still, I think it's almost a sure thing that the CD delegates will finish as 34-17, distributed like this:

  • WA-01 (6 delegates)  4-2 Obama
  • WA-02 (6 delegates)  4-2 Obama
  • WA-03 (5 delegates)  3-2 Obama
  • WA-04 (3 delegates)  2-1 Obama
  • WA-05 (5 delegates)  3-2 Obama
  • WA-06 (6 delegates)  4-2 Obama
  • WA-07 (9 delegates)  7-2 Obama
  • WA-08 (6 delegates)  4-2 Obama
  • WA-09 (5 delegates)  3-2 Obama

  At-large pledged delegates (17) and pledged PLEOs (10) will be chosen at the state convention in mid-June.  Based on the anticipated outcome of today, they'll break 11-6 and 7-3, respectively.  Overall pledged delegates:  52-26.

  by N in Seattle on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:04:40 PM PDT

•  I've got a loaf of bread in the bread maker

  for tomorrow's Food Not Bombs, two tacos and a big bowl of guacamole in my stomach, I'm fully caffeinated, I got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and I'm wearing sunglasses.

  Hit it.

  ~Doc~

  by EquationDoc on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:32:16 PM PDT

  •  I Hope Your Transportation

    doesn't end up like the fellas'! Be careful of any run-ins with Carrie Fischer, too.

    by CityLightsLover on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:57:08 PM PDT

    •  I will bribe her with honey wheat bread!

      by EquationDoc on Sat May 17, 2008 at 06:41:46 PM PDT

•  In your honor sir,

  Next time I make my Dilly Bread in the maker, I will don my sunglasses.

  by dogheaven on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:45:22 PM PDT

•  How could we have doubted Cokie's objectivity?

  Democrats seem intent on nominating Barack Obama, in the face of mounting evidence that Hillary Clinton would be the stronger candidate against John McCain in November. And they only have themselves to blame. ...

  So why don't Democratic leaders and superdelegates face these facts and shift to Clinton? ...

  at this time, in this party, being black is an enormous asset. Given America's long, torturous path toward racial justice, many Democrats simply cannot imagine denying the nomination to the first serious African-American candidate for president.

  http://jewishworldreview.com/...

  by Joe Beese on Sat May 17, 2008 at 05:48:03 PM PDT

  •  I'm pretty new here, so...

    I don't think I can post a diary yet.

    Is someone willing to post this little gem for further discussion?

    http://www.chicagotribune.com/...

    It's an sickeningly xenophobic, over-the-top dog-whistle about the elections, and was published in the Chicago Tribune. It goes on and on about the political sensibilities of "full-blooded" Americans. The columnist is published there sporadically, but I think she usually restricts herself to ranting against feminism.

    Thanks, and kick me if I'm out of line :)

    by FeverDream on Sat May 17, 2008 at 06:32:32 PM PDT

    •  I owed you a mojo point...

      I didn't see your earlier comment in time to give you a point there in that thread:
      http://www.dailykos.com/...

      Blessings.

      by augustin on Sun May 18, 2008 at 03:16:26 AM PDT

•  Tom Davis stands out

  among Republicans as a sponsor of whistleblower protection legislation.

  Unfortunately, there has been no discussion of candidate positions on whistleblower legislation so far in this campaign.

  by Deep Harm on Sat May 17, 2008 at 06:24:27 PM PDT

•  I will have a diary up tomorrow morning

  If you  want better media, support better media

  by plf515 on Sat May 17, 2008 at 06:58:40 PM PDT

•  05/16/08

  Countdown: Matthews Talks About the Kevin James Incident

  Rachel Maddow filling in for Keith talks to Chris Matthews about his dust up with Kevin James yesterday, and the pressures which have been put on the media when it comes to speaking out against war.

  http://www.youtube.com/...

  by Pam from Calif on Sat May 17, 2008 at 07:22:13 PM PDT

•  The Obama Administration

  will have too long a list of things that could/should be done:

  1. Investigate corruption by contractors in Iraq.

  2. Investigate crimes committed by contractors in Iraq.

  3. Investigate the use of torture.

  4. Investigate the firing of the US Attorneys.

  5. Investigate the contracts handed out by the Justice Department in lieu of fines.

  6. Find and release all of the documents currently being sought by Congress from the Bush administration.

  7. Pass universal health care.

  8. Fix the mortgage crises.

  9. Fix the rules governing financial institutions.

  10. Repeal all of the Bush administration regulations designed to favor industry over the environment.

  11. Stop the war in Iraq.

  12. Start a large project for developing renewable/clean energy.

  13. Lead the rest of the world in capping greenhouse gasses.

  14. Figure out how to get at the Al-Qaeda safe havens in Pakistan.

  I'm sure that this list is woefully incomplete, but it does indicate the kind of things that we expect from President Obama, preferably in the first 100 days or so.  We all need to remember the the greatest transformative President, FDR, didn't get everything done - even everything important.  He wasn't able to pass a Federal anti-lynching law (because of Southern Democrats) nor was he able to do as much as he wanted in ending segregation.  So if Obama is unable to everything we want as fast as we want, we need to take a deep breath and remember that the highest standard he should be help to is FDR.  If he gets into that ballpark, we should cut him some slack.  

  by dickdata on Sat May 17, 2008 at 08:07:43 PM PDT