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April 02, 2009 03:42 PM UTC

Thursday Open Thread

  • 81 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

“Opinion is the medium between knowledge and ignorance.”

–Plato

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81 thoughts on “Thursday Open Thread”

    1. I don’t know when it’s Dodd’s turn to run, but it’s no sooner that almost a year and a half away.  A lot can happen, including rehabilitation of image.  

          1. No voters don’t like to be lied to.

            But Connecticut seems safe enough. He could get primaried – but I doubt it will be serious.  And CT voters have already demonstrated that they don’t care if their favored candidate runs with the party or indie and that they don’t much care what the rest of the country thinks of their candidates.

                    1. wouldn’t that be great? Too bad Dodd has too many problems to just be kicked upstairs with an appointment.

        2. and he deserves it. But the hit will be no bigger than some others have taken lately. The 24-hour news cycle has already forgotten him, and the American attention span is getting shorter and shorter. That in and of itself is disturbing.

          I do believe that he should be held accountable for his contrary statements. I won’t simply give him the benefit of the doubt that he misstated, was taken out of context, or some other lame excuse he may come up with. His role was larger than he first led on, and when he was caught in a lie, he tried to put it on someone else as if he were an impressionable child told to reach into the cookie jar by another child.

          Our political system gives voters the power of accountability. I hold that for anyone.

            1. but note this from the Urban Dictionary on Bawney Fwank

              Barney Frank

              1.) Massachusetts Congressman and chairman of the House Financial Services committee.

              2.) Miserable cocksucker who never takes responsibility for anything that goes wrong, even though he was supposed to be in charge of the oversight for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

              3.) A guy whose speech is fucking impossibly hard to understand.

              because according to Barney … Fwannie Mae and Fweddie Mac are not in twouble … the U.S. Tweasuwy will never bail dem out … and day can swurvive any dooms day swenawio

                1. There are always three outcomes to your blogging — you get schooled, your head implodes/explodes or you use some bizarre rational to justify your position while caving on your principles.

                  In this case it was a cranial head implosion as you retreated to call me a dick.

                  You are nearly as interesting as a wet fart on a sunny and humid Georgia day.

                  1. you get schooled, your head implodes/explodes or you use some bizarre rational to justify your position while caving on your principles.

                    I believe you are projecting.  You are after all the one known to have the wide stance.  Seriously, a week or so ago you were going on and on about how offensive Obama’s gaffe was, which LB reminds us of daily in his sign line (and I concur it was a thoughtless and foolish thing to say) then you make fun of someone’s speech impediments.  Its classic libby-turd behavior.  

              2. Libinator, his popularity is sure to soar. With political enemies like you, who needs friends? Your contribution to the progressive movement is invaluable, because you provide an archetype from which all reasonable people of good will are very eager to disassociate themselves.

                1. Angry peasants have no shortage of manure to throw at the two men [Frank & Dodd]. They have both received generous campaign contributions from the financial industries that they are there to regulate. And they have both enjoyed unusually close relations with the mortgage giants that helped to produce the current meltdown, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Mr Frank resisted attempts by the Bush administration to shift regulation of the two bodies to the Treasury on the ground that they were “not facing any kind of financial crisis”. He also had a lengthy romantic relationship with one of Fannie Mae’s senior executives, Herb Moses.

                  this week in the economist

    2.    If somehow elected, Rob Simmons would be more of a RINO that former Senators Arlen Specter and Lincoln Chaffee combined!

        Beside, Dick Blumenthal, the CT A.G., is probably going to primary challenge Dodd, assuming Dodd stays in the race.

      1. Rob Simmons is FAR to the right of Lincoln Chaffee. Simmons wasn’t even the most liberal Republican House member from CT, that was Nancy Johnson (replaced by Murphy in 2006).

        Simmons talks the talk, but he’s no RINO.

  2. What has this to do with politics?  We’ve posted a lot here about why the American car industry is suffering and it’s certainly in the news these days. I’ve maintained that the biggest problem facing the industry is the M.I.A. prejudice.  Made In America, not the products themselves.

    In the latest JD Powers survey Buick and Tata Motor’s Jaguar tied to bump Lexus from the first place throne.  

    There are two things of interest here.  First, is that the top tier’s contenders are separated by only a point or two out of about 130.  So, it’s really well within margin of error; it’s stupid to rank such a narrow field, but that’s what Americans like.

    The second thing is that two of the top three complaints on all of the cars involve noise!  Not bad brakes, engines dying, or wheels falling off, but noise!  We’ve come a long way in quality when an owner finds the biggest fault to be noise.

    It would be interesting to see how things fare after 100K miles.  

    I heard an interview with Colorado’s John(?) Medved on NPR the other day.  About the plummeting sales and a sub-interview with a couple who just bought an Impala.

    With Obama suggesting – as I did a few months ago, BTW – a controlled BK for GM, it’s also time to acknowledge that we build good cars.

    1. I was told this was a small computer error, but I blocked that card from them anyway.

      Is this one way to generate some new revenue? Charge a monthly fee to closed accounts, and hope no one notices the $12 on the bill?

      BTW I love my Saturn Vue Hybird – it had some serious software problems early (prob an early Vista release) but now it gets 30mph on a routine basis. I’m going to enjoy my summer fillups when everyone is bitching about $4/gallon gas!

      1. Sirius charged me for a year after I canceled.  Shows you how much attention I paid to my bank account, half my bad.  But it shouldn’t happen, period.  

  3. The GOP’s decision to directly tie Barack Obama’s performance to the DJIA was a poor political ploy. I think if they had that one to take back, they probably would.

    Up another 225 today. Gained for the month of March, and edging back towards 8,000.

    Personally, I don’t subscribe to the notion that it’s a Presidential job success-o-meter, but if the GOP wants to rail on Obama when the market is down, I will be happy to point out when the market goes up.

  4. It’s not tied to Colorado politics, but I read this column this morning and wanted to share it.

    Secretary Gates is laying low, doing the work needed in a professional and apolitical manner. President Obama was right to retain his services.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…

    In any administration, there tends to be the “little puppy” complex, the yappy dog that needs attention, so they bark until they get a belly rub. Sec. Gates seems to be a level-headed administrator with the experience needed to promote American strength without being a bully.

        1. that’s why he was so obsessed with the chain of command. “I’m in the chain of command! I’m in the chain of command!” What a prima donna.

    2. “The pledge by Defense Secretary Robert Gates to close the spigot of military spending that opened after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks has drawn defense contractors by the hundreds to Capitol Hill in recent weeks – all of them trying to shore up congressional support for their projects.

      Gates has taken great pains to spell out the strategic rationale behind his plans to revamp defense spending, but since the start of the Obama presidency, he’s coupled that with tough talk about the need to slash budgets.

      Though the details of the $534 billion defense budget are still unknown, there are numerous signs that Gates could take the ax to a major defense weapons program as early as next week.”

      http://www.politico.com/news/s…

      I do know that Cut#1 is going to be KBR/Halliburton. And with no more interference from the WH, the DoD IG is “gettin’ busy” to review all the past criminal misconduct these scumbags engaged in – from the Toxic Burn pits that poisoned our troops, to the faulty electrical work that killed soldiers while they were taking showers.  

      1. .

        Last year I bid a job to furnish 4 electricians to a base in Anbar to maintain improvised housing (made from shipping containers) not covered by the KBR contract.  

        I based my price on a base rate of $27 per hour for a licensed journeyman from Colorado.  Add danger pay, travel, etc on top of that.  

        The Air Force Contracting Officer awarded the contract to an Iraqi firm for $3 per hour.  

        What ya gonna get for $3 per hour ?  

        I blame the base Civil Engineer before I blame KBR.  

        .

        1. ….Back in the Day you would’ve had a shot at this gig. Things are rigged badly right now, and I hope they improve with Gates fully in charge.

          Are you gonna be at the latest drinking binge, er, private political consultation? I’ve got some insight on this, courtesy of my buddy in 2BCT at Carson.

          1. .

            I thought I’d replied to this earlier, but it must have been censored.

            It said something like

            “so, have the date and place been decided ?”

            I will try to go.

            Planning to see the “Brothers at War” movie today.

            .

    3. The “thumbs up” photo is real but damned if it doesn’t looked photo shopped! Especially Berlusconi who looks like he’s having WAY too much fun at an economic summit.  It’s as if they cut him out of a photo from a drunken party with hot starlets and plopped him into this one.

      http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

      1. Given the strength of her personality. Like her or not, she’s a powerful woman I consider to be a walking force of nature.

        She could take the spotlight for herself, but she’s showing herself to be a team player. This could also be her biding her time until she can assert herself with her full power.  

        1. from CNN

          Instead of hearing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and National Security Advisor Jim Jones on the other end laying out foreign policy and security threats, reporters were greeted by a recording on a phone sex line.

          “Do you have any hidden desires? If you feel like getting nasty, then you came to the right place,” said a suggestive-sounding woman.

      1. what a fucking idiot.  

        ….here comes the cream pie, I got Barack in my sights, this is going to be great, whoops – D’oh ! Pie in my face again…

    3. an iPod from ’05?  I have four, the oldest from ’06, it’s a dinosaur.  At the time it was a really cool one, but you can barely fit a really good quality (both kinds) symphony on it.

      What do you get the Queen anyway?  Not a tiara, she already has one and it’s much better.

      1. I hope they’re all small, not the mondo ones. I have an iPod Photo from ’05, still nowhere near filling it up. But I only have a few classical pieces on it, since I like to enjoy them in their entirety at once and can only do that at home.

        1. now two more and a shuffle.  Small, cheap, and, in the case of the nano, 8x the capacity.

          For a long time I didn’t have a car and was happy to walk everywhere.  Lots of Mozart time…

          1. listening to your classical muzak on your newfangled techmological doohickies.

            I listen to both kinds of music: country and western. And I listen to em on my old timey radyo or my 1921 wind-up victrola.

      1. and the wing nuts will be foisted on their petards once again. I saw the video and it was a warm exchange between the two.  If anything it is a very nice gesture from a usually stoic queen lady.  Nice.

        1. because they won’t know WTF is the big deal. Obama may have gone down a notch in the average Brit’s book though… ALTHOUGH who could forget W’s classic moments like winking at the Queen, or trying to give Angela Merkel a shoulder rub…

  6. I’ve been trying to talk to a banker at our Wells Fargo branch for days. They keep taking messages but no call back.

    And I don’t even want to borrow money – I just need some things changed in our online access. It’s like they’ve decided to not talk to anyone about anything.

  8. According to the jury, he was fired only for his essay, but is not entitled to money damages.  There will be a hearing to see if Churchill will be reinstated.

    CU will have to pay all attorney’s fees.

    What happens if the next hearing doesn’t reinstate him?

      1. It’s just one of those things where people aren’t sure.  I can’t find a single person able to answer the hypothetical questions.

        For instance, Dabee pointed out elsewhere that in normal circumstances a prof. wouldn’t have been fired for Churchill’s type of misconduct, only suspended.  For that reason, could Judge Naves reinstate him without back pay calling the time a suspension instead?  

        The big question, in spite of the ruling Naves has the option not to reinstate Churchill at all.  In that case, what about back pay?  Or, what are the tenure rules?  Is it like a contract with a buy-out option?

        Frankly, I’m not sure why Churchill is so triumphant.  Apparently $1 is the least you can award for a win.  The jury actually asked about finding in his favor, while awarding $0.  Congratulations!  They kinda agree with you.

        Churchill doesn’t interest me at all, he’s an ass, but the case is fascinating.

        1. The issue before the jury was whether Churchill was fired inappropriately for protected speech. They ruled that he was. So I don’t think the judge will consider the results of CU’s misconduct trial in his decision. Naves may or may not reinstate Churchill, just as he may or may not grant Churchill back pay.

          However, if Naves does rule in favor of reinstating Churchill…

          Here’s what the Denver Post columnist Mike Littwin wrote recently:

          Ask yourself this: If CU loses, how much will it cost to keep Churchill out of the classroom?

          http://www.denverpost.com/sear…

          In that case, the $1 potentially becomes a stepping stone to something vastly larger.

          1. The question before the jury was whether Churchill was fired, at least in part, for his 9/11 essay–not whether he made shit up or plagiarized. The jury said that he was. The judge will make his ruling based on the jury’s finding.

  9. WITHOUT looking into someone’s soul!

    AMERICAblog reader Mark caught this one on Jake Tapper’s blog this morning.

    According to sources inside the room, President Obama just played peacemaker in a spat between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Hu Jintao, President of the People’s Republic of China….

    “China tends to have a problem endorsing the documents of organizations like the OECD that they’re not a party to,” the senior administration official said.

    But Mr. Obama, according to this account, stepped between the two men, urging them to try to find consensus, and giving them a “pep talk” about the importance of working together.

    The senior adminstration official said that Mr. Obama pulled Mr. Sarkozy aside, took him to a corner, “and discussed possible alternatives,” the senior official said.

    Once they arrived at one, President Obama “sent a message to the Chinese” that a counter-offer was on the table. The Chinese spent some time considering the offer. But they took a few minutes.

    So Mr. Obama, with the assistance of translators, suggested that he and Mr. Hu have a conversation as well. They, too went to the corner to talk. After a few minutes, Mr. Obama called upon Mr. Sarkozy to join them.

    “Translators and sherpas in tow, they reached an agreement,” the official said. “There was a multiple shaking of hands.”

        1. Safe….and warm, travels. Your dedication as a father warms my heart. My daughter, in the last 24 hours, lost her passport in France (that call was a cruel April fool’s joke), but then had here wallet stolen (90 euro’s) and then lost her Iphone! The joys of parenthood…lol.

  11.    I just looked at the House roll call on tonight’s vote on the budget published in the N.Y. Times.

      There was the name of Dennis Kucinich right on top of Doug Lamborn!

      John Salazar voted for the budget resolution while Betsy Markey voted “no.”  I’m actually glad Betsy voted the way she did.  She can point to this as evidence that she aint no liberal.  

  12. How nice ‘n’ all…

    A highlight from the Times’ coverage of the Daily Camera’s coverage:

    http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.c…

    Here are some highlights from The Camera’s posts:

    “The only relevant issue here is whether plagiarism and poor academic integrity are legitimate grounds for firing a professor.”

    Of course, that’s not the issue the jury was required to decide. However, it sounds nice on paper, er, blog.

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