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April 09, 2009 03:35 PM UTC

Thursday Open Thread

  • 67 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

“Conceal a flaw, and the world will imagine the worst.”

–Marcus Aurelius

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67 thoughts on “Thursday Open Thread”

  2. I found the one from this morning to be most ridiculous…

    It seems the Obama Administration has plans to rig the Census results.

    Why is this important? The U.S. population has shifted in the last ten years. States like Illinois, Michigan, New York and Pennsylvania (all states Obama won in 2008) have smaller populations, and states like Arizona, Georgia and South Carolina (all states that John McCain carried) have gained population.

    The trend illustrates that urban strongholds, which favor Democrats, continue to lose population to more decentralized areas in states more likely to lean Republican.

    If the Democrats and their friends at ACORN have their way, the Census will only “estimate” state populations and therefore be subject to political calculations. And surely their estimate will be far higher than the actual number of people, and voters, present.

    We must not let the Democrats and their radical leftist allies falsify the U.S. Census and manipulate elections in their favor. Our democracy, and the principle of “One Person, One Vote” are in jeopardy.

    Thanks for the paranoid updates, said leader of the republican party.

    1. My husband, for reasons unknown to me, had put the radio on KHOW, so I heard a few minutes of Boyles.  He was pimping a group or campaign or something called “Stand Up and Don’t Be Counted,” which was telling rural folks to lie and say there are 12 people living in your home, and city folks to lie and say they live alone … you know, so they can be underrepresented in the census.

      He did mention that there are fines for lying to census workers, so you have to be careful.    He did not, however, suggest that possible criminal penalties were a reason not to lie, just a reason not to get caught.

    2. I got that message too. Hooey.

      According to the Census Bureau estimates* between 2000 & 2007  only two states had populaiton decrease: North Dakota and Louisiana- not exactly D strongholds.

      IL. MI, and NY grew slower than AZ, GA AND SC, but it is highly doubtful that it was enough slower to change the apportionment of representatives.

      Beyond that the whole one person-one vote was not a part of the founders’ vision.

      “… their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.”

      That said- ACORN is a pretty scary group though I’m not sure why the Republican party is worried about them.  www.acorn.org

      *http://www.census.gov/popest/states/NST-ann-est.html

  3. From the Times Call re: Boulder Lincoln Dinner:

    State Treasurer: Colorado House Minority Leader Mike May, R-Parker, who spoke at the dinner, spoke at the dinner and confirmed afterward that he’s considering running for the seat now held by incumbent Democrat Cary Kennedy, who’s seeking re-election.

    http://www.timescall.com/news_…

    1.    I thought he announced last year that his part-time job as state rep was too time consuming to allow him to do his day job properly.

        Being a candidate for statewide office is less time consuming?  

    2. And Just to set the record straight – The Denver Post got it more correct about the rumors that I am running for most everything:

      “There are few elected positions House Minority Leader Mike May wouldn’t consider, the Republican said this morning in response to rumors he’s pondering a run for state treasurer.

      He’s already made a liberal blog’s list of potential U.S. Senate candidate, he said. And for a while, there was a Facebook page set up to draft him for governor in 2010.  

      “I might even run for dog catcher,” May said. “But I will not run for the horrendous job of Secretary of State. How’s that?”

      Talk about narrowing it down.  

      UPDATE!

      May’s comments might have touched off a faux feud with secretary of state spokesman Rich Coolidge.

      “To insinuate that potentially being mauled or bitten by a rabid canine is more

      appealing than being Secretary of State is simply not fair,” Coolidge joked in an e-mail to May’s office. “I’ll have you know, no one in this office has been bitten by a dog while on duty. Some have argued that we’ve been subject to attack dogs, but no bites yet. I doubt a dog catcher

      could say that.”

      Heel, guys.”

      BTW – same line I used at Boulder Lincoln Dinner – so my “confirmation of considering” was my rufusal to deny.  LOL. I do love this business though.

        1.    I may not always agree with May, but he beats the alternatives as minority leader.

            And I gotta give him credit for the way in which he dealt with “the Kicker” from Colo. Spgs. last year!

      3. How would we know?

        Tell us something only the real Mike May would know.

        Two questions-

        Earlier today on a different thread someone posted a very good question about why candidates sometimes delay their official candidacy compared to only announcing that they are confirming they are considering.

        As an experienced candidate and a current considerer- what’s the deal?

        Can you name any US jurisdiction where dog catcher was an elected position?

        1. Oh wait, I already am – its just that I’m a short, fat, irish guy so you couldn’t tell.

          Well as to your first question, you labeled me a “current considerer” which is a bit presumtuous – s/b “rumored considerer” (is that word?). In any case, if a candidate announces, then all that pesky campaign finance law comes into play.  But even worse, what if you announce and no one notices? Not only is it embarrassing but you have to file the finance reports and then shut everything down very publicly rather than quietely just saying “oh never mind – I was going fishing anyway.”

          I am currently unaware of any jurisdiction where dog catcher is or ever was an elected position; but we are researching the question.  However, my qualifications for the position are without equal – I do own 3 dogs and when they get loose on occassion I have had a 100% catch rate.

          Finally, though I do enjoy the posting here – I shouldn’t get do addicted to it –  We do have a budget to balance (well at least the D’s pretend to be interested in our input). So pardon me if I don’t do this as a regular part of my day, but I will be reading as always.

          Thanks  

          1. also typo in 4th para, 1st sentence (“do” instead of “too”) perhaps this will be used against me in my dog catcher campaign – “he failed to catch such an obvious typo – how can he catch your dog?”

  4. The Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles has turned down a vegan driver’s license plate request for “ILVTOFU.” According to the agency, “the plate might be offensive to some people.” “We don’t allow FU because some people could read that as street language for sex,” explained a spokesman for the Department of Revenue. Kelley Coffman-Lee, the woman who requested the personalized plate, said that she simply wanted to show her love for tofu, a “staple” for her vegan family.  

    1. ..nothing.

      The same folks would get all over white bread but think tofu is good?  It’s not bad, either.  It just is flavorless pulp.

      Nor are soy products without a downside:

      (Wikipedia, of course.)

      “Negative health effects

      see also Soybean health risks

      However, the soy industry has also received similar criticism for reasons which include (but are not limited to) the following:

         * A 2008 study found that men who consume an average of half a portion of soy products per day are more likely to have a lower concentration of sperm. [9] Critics of the study have claimed that the decrease in concentration was due to a corresponding increase in ejaculate volume. [10] While the study found a decreasing trend in sperm concentration with soy intake, it also notes that soy food and isoflavone intake were unrelated to total sperm count, ejaculate volume, sperm motility or sperm morphology and that the clinical significance of the findings remains to be determined. [11]

         * High levels of phytic acid bind to important nutrients like calcium, magnesium, iron,[12] and zinc during digestion. However, as a comparison, cow’s milk is known for significantly slowing down the absorption of iron[13] and, additionally, calcium from other than dairy sources (like kale, sesame).[citation needed]

      Although in general soy milk is not suitable for babies or infants [14], there exist baby formulas based on soy protein, that are used primarily in the case of lactose intolerant children, those allergic to cow’s milk, or parental preference for a vegetarian or vegan diet. These formulas commonly contain extra carbohydrates, fat, vitamins and minerals. However, care must be taken that children with “Soy protein intolerance” are not fed soy milk.”

        1. Chicken, in the hands of a bad cook, is pretty tasteless, too.

          Tofu can be quite delicious, as long as I’m not the one cooking it.

          (I recommend WaterCourse at 17th and Emerson for delicious tofu, seitan, and tempeh dishes.)

          1. Leaf at 16th and Pearl is nice. Good seitan skewers.

            Tofu isn’t particularly tasty by itself, but it absorbs other flavors really well. I discovered this as a student, when they served stir fry in the cafeteria: chicken/tofu tasted the same as double chicken but was a dollar cheaper.

            1. ….But I did have some tasty bbq tofu in Boulder back in the day.

              Of course, Asian dishes with tofu are a whole different story.  They are actually good as a rule.

                2. or my own for that manner, although I suppose one might make a guess about the latter from a posting/diary or two…

                  Just saying…you know the saying about ass-u-me

        1. Including the already flavored tofus.  I confess I never tried barbecuing it. Good BBQ sauce will fix anything, even spoiled meat according to legend.

          There’s nothing there, there.

          Although neither of you have said it, I find it interesting how many vegetarian’s flavor goal is that of meat.  

          My best friend was raised Seventh Day Adventist, but both he and his dad would sneak off for KFC or something.  But in his adulthood, he would sometimes buy those Worthington canned veggie meats for comfort food.  

          1. the type for whom vegetables on the plate were just a nuisance. Without lots of fake meat options, I probably wouldn’t have been able to stick with vegetarianism.

            1. I stopped eating fast food (McDonald’s, Burger King, etc.) about 10 years ago because of too many unappetizing chunky bits for me to stomach. (And one too many times of hearing my husband say, “What do they put in these? Toe nails and rubber bands?” Blech!) Yes, parsing, for many the flavor goal might be meat, but the chewing goal for me is to not have those nasty unidentifiable chunky bits.

              Several years ago I worked briefly as a copy reader for a livestock publication. It was during the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) ordeal. Instead of worrying about toenails and rubber bands in my meat I started worrying about bits of the cow’s central nervous system, and downer cows, and everything else I was reading about. Ew!

              I really don’t care what somebody else eats (I still prepare/cook meat for my husband) and I don’t begrudge the meat industry in general, I just don’t care to consume meat products.

              1. Now I eat a little meat, mostly local grass-fed, hormone free.  It’s more expensive, but way tastier and since I don’t feel any need to have flesh at every meal, not a bad trade off.

        1. or the Boulder secret police will show up at your door with an insensitivity warning.

          Have faith though, we can and will deliver as much meat as is humanly possibly through the underground meatroad.

          Vive le rГ©sistance!

          1. Democrats and fellow Republicans, both.  For a guy who has lousy people skills and who finds it difficult to work with others, I guess it is par for the course.  All part of that gigantic self-absorbed ego, me thinks.

        2. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04…

          I agree with David in principle.  But I also believe that the animals we eat (and obviously, that share our homes) deserve nothing less than humane treatment.  I like the quote within the article:

          One of the few exceptions was Jeremy Bentham, the philosopher who 200 years ago also advocated for women’s rights, gay rights and prison reform. He responded to Kant’s lack of interest in animals by saying: “The question is not, Can they reason? nor, Can they talk? but, Can they suffer?”

          A friend of mine observed, “Do you realized that if you are a chicken that you are destined to be eaten?  If you make it as far as an egg, you get eaten,  If you are a laying hen or a rooster, you ultimately go to the pot.  If you escape the confines, a dog or a coyote will get you.”

          When it comes to the death of animals, it’s amazing similar to humans: You’re going to die, so that’s not the question.  It’s the how.  The much acclaimed kosher beef is slaughtered by the cutting of the throat after being hoisted by the rear legs.  I saw that in Mexico, too.  

          These are the issues we need to work on.  It is natural for us to eat meat; we are omnivores.  

    2. a function is almost always f and the variable is almost always x, but if you ever want to study the chain rule, the substitution is almost always u.

      So you’re writing f(u) on the board all the time. I’m surprised there hasn’t been a sexual harassment lawsuit already.

  5. quote within quote in italics.  

    Texas GOoPer thinks Asians should “simplify” their names

    by kos

    Thu Apr 09, 2009 at 09:44:03 AM PDT

    Who said the GOP didn’t have any new ideas?

    A North Texas legislator during House testimony on voter identification legislation said Asian-descent voters should adopt names that are “easier for Americans to deal with.” […]

    Brown suggested that Asian-Americans should find a way to make their names more accessible.

    “Rather than everyone here having to learn Chinese – I understand it’s a rather difficult language – do you think that it would behoove you and your citizens to adopt a name that we could deal with more readily here?” Brown said.

    Brown later told Ko: “Can’t you see that this is something that would make it a lot easier for you and the people who are poll workers if you could adopt a name just for identification purposes that’s easier for Americans to deal with?”

    No one said it was a good idea…

    2. Lee?  Wu? Zhang?  Man, I stumble over them. Unlike those simple Polish, Russian, and Arabic ones.

      Back when I was peripherally in the RE business I noticed that many Asian immigrants just chose an American first name.  I think that’s brilliant.  

  6. will crawl out from under the rocks on Wednesday.  And they intend to bring in the gadfly loons.  Although Michelle Malkin hasn’t decided which city she wants to embarrass, she will make it a Colorado city. (wonder if she gave swastika guy an invite)

    “Still juggling my schedule – not sure yet whether I’ll make it to Denver or Colorado Springs. But it will be one of those. Gonna be a blast!”  -Michelle Malkin

    Be sure to roll your own for this hippy style protest.  Wear your best tie-dyed threads or get specifically designed

    tea party apparel     and you too can get your picture in the newspaper showing that you are not embarrassed to be associated with the fringe.

    Make sure you visit the web sites and get caught up on the possibilities and etiquette of tea parties before the event.  And please remember, don’t play in the t-raffic during your protest.

  8. When John Ashcroft was defeated running against a dead opponent, I thought it an anomaly.

    Apparently vitality is not a necessary quality in politicians from the Show Me State.

    He’s undoubtedly smiling down from somewhere.

    You think Barack Obama is popular? Try Harry Stonebraker.

    Stonebraker, the mayor of Winfield, Missouri, won in a landslide election on Tuesday capturing more than 90 percent of the vote. The only down side is, well…. he’s not alive.

    But that detail didn’t seem to matter to residents of the 732 person town. They elected him anyway.

    (BTW-I would have voted against Ashcroft too).

  12. from the HuffPo

    On Thursday evening, newly appointed Sen. Michael Bennet is doing what most freshmen members do: making connections with influential figures at a reception in his home state. But the crowd that will surround Colorado Democrat at the Coors Clubhouse at Coors Field has left some labor officials a bit disconcerted.

    Only days after speaking out skeptically on the labor community’s highest legislative priority, the Employee Free Choice Act, Bennett will be attending a “CEO Reception” hosted by the EFCA foes: the Colorado Association of Commerce & Industry.

    Yes he should talk to these guys as they are a significant player in the state. But doing so right now when he’s not stated his decision on EFCA sure isn’t going to sit well with the unions.

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