Brent Nyitray
Fairlington Blade
Let the mutherfuker burn!
jnc4p
Kevin S. Willis
Michigoose
lmsinca
markinaustin
Arcanaut
novahockey
quarterback
ScottC
yellojktThe Chicago Climate Exchange is closing. Founded in 2000 in order to provide an exchange for carbon credits, a market they expected to exist, and amenable to becoming a hyper-inflated asset bubble, due to legislation that (sad to say) never came to be.
“Environmentalist” financiers will just have to find some other way to get filthy rich and leave the American tax payer holding the bag, after the bubble bursts.
Glenn Beck thinks Rick Santorum is the next George Washington. I feel about that assertion the way Lloyd Bentsen felt about Dan Quayle bringing up JFK in the debates. Mr. Beck, Rick Santorum is no George Washington.
Bentsen rolled Quayle in that VP debate. But Bush/Quayle won the election. Perhaps in part because Bentsen wasn’t on the top of the ticket.
Let’s not forget Dukakis. What I remain struck by in this video is both the inappropriate personalization of Bernard Shaw’s question and Dukakis’s mild, professorial answer. My first reaction to his question, however, is: holy crap, what kind of question is that, you sick freak? I would not do well in the debates.
Let those who think the tone of our national dialog, or the quality of our debates, has gone down terribly over the past few decades look upon Bernard Shaw 23 years ago and despair. Despair!
***
Science denier Dr. Tim Ball argues that CO₂ is a trailing indicator of global temperature, not causal. Say what?
Hat tip to Ace of Spades, Olivia Newton John provides theme song for Barack Obama’s jobs bill. We can’t wait!
Speaking (with reverence) of the magical ONJ, the title track from the movie Xanadu (yes, that’s Gene Kelly doing a little roller-boogie at the beginning).
Xanadu is one of my guilty pleasures. I know it’s a bad movie, yet I love it so. I’m not the only person who knows it’s a bad movie: on the DVD release, which I have, the DVD extras feature a stunt person, one of the costumers or a key grip or somebody, and a “renowned fan” of the film. Not a single major actor (especially not ONJ) was apparently willing to discuss the movie (in fairness, most of those interviews are freebies, and the participants get no compensation).
But there’s a great dance number with ONJ and Gene Kelly in the middle of the movie. It’s dreamy. However, searching for ONJ performing “Xanadu” (I love that song), I ran across this from the 2002 Grease DVD release. OMG! John Travolta and ONJ reunited to sing “You’re the One That I Want! OMG! OMG!
Laterz! — KW
Filed under: Uncategorized |
All Things in Moderation 
Read the last sentence.
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McWing, he was probably in on the raids huh? Sounds like the cities are a little tired of being occupied. Hey you might be interested in this. Looks like our daughter picked a winner.
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I was a great fan of Sen. Bentsen. When WJC chose him as his first SecTreas, the style was like oil on water. After the election but before the Inauguration, Bentsen was invited with the entire prospective Cabinet to a meeting. My Senator appeared in suit and tie.He found the rest of the team in tee shirts and jeans. They were to play touchy feely games to get to know each other. I do not know whose idea that was, but Bentsen, when asked to engage, said "No, thank you."Then he quietly left.
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Not that Obama was in on it, as in coordinating it (my God he has a lot of time on his hands if that's true) but I'm sure that White House political operative was coordinating with the various Mayors about the timing. They'd be stupid not to. Obama and the Democrats have embraced OWS, but the narrative maintains by the media, that it's just a bunch of good natured kids pissed at those greedy banking bastards, is hard to reconcile with drug overdoses, rape and murder. That narrative is starting to penetrate the MSM firewall. As a result, the WH now wants to distance itself from it. Heck, even the founder from Adbuster's has admitted they're losing control of the narrative. I'll try and find the link.
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Here's the link, Lms.
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Nice find, Lms. Shades of Atlas Shrugs.
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but I'm sure that White House political operative was coordinating with the various Mayors about the timing.I agree, but I don't really find it that interesting that he was gone when it happened. It'll be challenging for them moving forward with an occupation and no place to occupy, which will probably nip this movement in the bud.BTW, when was the last time we only spent 17% of GDP, the 1920's?
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"Nice find, Lms. Shades of Atlas Shrugs."I don't get it, because she's going to be working for an oil company?
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McWing: Other mayors say there wasn't any coordination. From what I've seen/heard about Mayor Quan, she strikes me as a bit of an airhead.
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Incidentally, I don't know about other cities, but I do know that Occupy SLC was a good liberal movement in that they had at least five recycling containers for every garbage can that I saw when I was down there–and the SLCPD handled closing it down well from what I've seen–but they didn't have nearly enough porta-potties/hand wash stations for the number of people down there. Porta-potties are one of my specialties, given my role as race director for the Race for the Cure. :-)Which, BTW, I may be hitting all of you guys up to sign up for our "Sleep In for the Cure" next May–you get the t-shirt but don't have to run a step! 🙂
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lms/McWing:Shades of Atlas ShrugsEllis Wyatt!
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Ah, now I get it, even in Colorado, lol.
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Michi, can I just buy the t-shirt and skip the sleep-in and the race? If so, I'm in.
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I had to Google that, Scott, and I have to say that I didn't miss a thing by not reading the book, based on the excerpts quoted on the web site I read. Ayn Rand certainly was a bad writer. . .But sounds like you hit the nail on the head as to what McWing was referring to.
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Oh, yeah, lms. I'll even send you a race bib if you like! 🙂
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What's funny scott and mcwing, she turned down three biggies to work for them so she could stay in CO for awhile, lol. She even turned down the company that's funding her research and education to their amazement. They told her going in though that she wasn't under any obligation, lol.
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Kevin:What I remain struck by in this video is both the inappropriate personalization of Bernard Shaw's question and Dukakis's mild, professorial answer. I've always thought that the question was a gift to Dukakis, and he totally blew it. The personalization of the issue provided Dukakis with a perfect opportunity to both humanize himself and make a principled argument against the DP. Imagine if he had said something like: "You bet I would favor the death penalty in such an instance. In fact I imagine I would want to mete out the punishment myself, with my own hands. But there's a reason why we don't allow victims or their relatives to determine the punishment for crimes committed against them. We have a criminal justice system based on exactly that, justice, not personal vengeance. And so my emotional reaction about a personal circumstance, regardless of how understandable it might be, is irrelevant to the policy question." Followed by a detailed explanation as to why he opposes the DP as policy.Instead he came off as an unemotional policy geek. He totally flubbed it.
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Good Lord, Scott, this is twice in one month that I've agreed 100% with you!
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Mich:I didn't miss a thing by not reading the book…Alas, I'm almost certain you have. And there's only one way for you to find out.
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Mich:Good Lord, Scott, this is twice in one month that I've agreed 100% with you!Feels good, doesn't it? You should try it more often.
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Scott: Instead he came off as an unemotional policy geek. He totally flubbed it. Indeed he did. But you gotta admit, Bernard Shaw (he who cannot take sides with America, it would be unjournalistic) just seems creepy asking the question. It's like, "Dude, come on!"
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"Thunderstruck" yes, Scott. "Atlas Shrugged"? Not a snowball's chance. She's a terrible writer just from the little bit I saw, and there are too many truly good books in the world to read. 🙂You should try it more often.Rest assured, however, that you aren't drawing me over to the dark side. . .
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Baby steps, Mich, baby steps.
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[snort]Clearly it's time for me to re-emphasize my good bleeding heart, tree-hugging, Pinko Commie credentials by coming up with a political post!
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michijnc's been trying the same thing with me, haaaaahaaaaaaaa, they don't know us very well. And btw, I read Atlas, it was a terrible book. Sometimes I think about breezing through it again because it was such a long time ago, but I just can't make myself do it.
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lms–We look so cute and malleable, but little do they know. . .
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Good evening, all. Especially you, our mia Mr. McTroll. Are you a conspiracy theorist by nature?I tried on more than one occasion to read Rand and never got far.Probably here only momentarily. Working extra lately and for foreseeable future, so partly just tired. But tonight I'm trying a new eggplant (vegetarian) pasta recipe. We shall see.
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Hi, okie!Good luck with the eggplant pasta. I'll be interested in a review.
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Hey, Michi. I'll give you a report soon on the pasta. Next recipe post that goes up, I have a couple of little ones that do not merit a post of their own (e.g., parmesan pepper salad dressing).
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Maybe we could do a bunch of little ones this weekend. I've got a great recipe for brined potatoes, but it also doesn't need a whole post to itself.Maybe a salad dressing post and a side dish post!
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BTW, okie, how did the housepainting go?
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House painting is finally done, but not before some adverse consequences. Grrr. But thanks for asking.Let's do a montage of little recipes after Thanksgiving . . . maybe leave this Saturday for sharing Big Day ones?
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The 57 page long television address.So bad, L. Ron Hubbard as a copy editor would have improved it.
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That said, michi, I maybe cannot wait for the brined poatoes recipe.
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Mark, while I'm here, what television address?
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Yes, Mark. What television address?
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okie:Brined PotatoesLarge stock pot (much higher sides than you'd normally use)Two or three boxes of kosher saltFingerling or new potatoes4 T unsalted butterFreshly ground black pepper to taste1 T fresh chives, chopped (or other herb that you like with potatoes)Dump a box of salt into about two quarts of water in the stock pot and begin heating, stirring occasionally. When all of the salt is dissolved as the water heats, dump in some more salt. Keep adding salt as each infusion is dissolved until the water is boiling (you want a pot with really high sides so that the salt water doesn't spatter all over the stove).When the water comes to a boil, put the potatoes in the pot and cook until done (about 25 minutes for fingerling potatoes). Remove the potatoes and set on a cooling rack for about five minutes; as they cool, a lovely salt crust will appear on them.Toss the potatoes with the butter, pepper and herb and serve.These potatoes are even good when cold, so go ahead and make more than you think you'll want.
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Mark, in some paperbacks the radio address is 90 pages long. I never read that section, ditto for Roark's jury address in The Fountainhead. Which is, by the way, the more interesting read.Okie, not a conspiracist by a long shot but with the OWS roundup coordinated w/Mayors while Obama out of town is a little too obvious, no?
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Michi, in Atlas Shrugs, John Galt gives a very long address to the public about, in essence, Objectivism by, if I'm remembering correctly, a radio.
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Gotcha. Thanks, McWing!
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okie/Mich:I think Mark is referring to John Galt's speech at the end of Atlas Shrugged. It was basically an explicit introduction to that which was implicit throughout the story itself…objectivist epistemology, metaphysics, and philosophy. Good stuff!
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McWing:Definitely radio.BTW, I have first edition copy. It was a gift from a friend of mine on my 40th. I've never had it officially appraised, but I believe it's worth a not insignificant amount of money.
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Scott–You'd still have to pay me to read it though. But looks like a sweet little "investment". I'll have to price my first edition Mark Twain one of these days. . .
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Mich:I'll have to price my first edition Mark Twain one of these days. . .Now that is impressive.
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Thanks! It also was a gift, so I've never tried to find out how much it might have cost.
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Mich:Here's a taste to appall the liberal in you all the more. One of my favorite parts of the book…Fransisco's Money Speech.
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And with that, I am off to bed.
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Both of you have nice books, IYKWIMAITYD! I honestly wouldn't know which one to take. My Uncle is an author and told me once that Hemingway wrote that "All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn… American writing comes from that. There was nothing before. There has been nothing as goo since."I managed to work that into a completely unrelated test question and aced that class! The lesson I learned? Find the Prof's favorite author and know some quotes from their work and about their work.Scott, may have to wait till morning but do you prefer Atlas Shrugs to The Fountainhead? Just curious.
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Money will not purchase happiness for the man who has no concept of what he wantsI agree with that. But, honestly, I couldn't read much further than that. . . lms, okie, MsJS and I will lure you to the side of Truth, Justice, and the American Way yet.
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Find the Prof's favorite author and know some quotes from their work and about their work.You were wise beyond your years, McWing. Many an undergraduate never figures that out; it has even been known to work on me when I've found out that a student has actually read one of my papers! 🙂 Not that I'm my own favorite author (that would be Charles Dickens, with Chaim Potok and Mark Twain in a close heat for second), but the principle applies.Still crazy at work?
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It's loosened up some but I'm finishing a project so it's still pretty busy. As I say, if it weren't for all my customers, I could get a helluva lot of work done.
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Darn customers!
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McWing:do you prefer Atlas Shrugs to The Fountainhead?The Fountainhead is, I think, a tighter story line and an easier read. But I really like the broader themes of Atlas Shrugged. I've recommended both to lots of people. Pretty much everyone who read The Fountainhead on my recommendation has really enjoyed it. But mixed reviews for Atlas Shrugged.I suspect that the objectivist themes are more acceptable to liberal-minded readers on the smaller, more individual scale that is represented in The Fountainhead than when writ large across all of society as they are in Atlas Shrugged.
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I"ll chime in late in agreement with Scott. That's exactly how I thought Dukakis should have reacted. I'd like to hunt the bastard down, shoot him, and leave him in an alley. That's vengeance, not justice.On other debate flubs, I think Russ Feingold blew it last year. Ron (now Sen.) Johnson made the flat statement that government doesn't create jobs. I think the answer should have beenTell the police who guard your community that they don't have real jobs. Tell the teachers who educate your children that they don't have real jobs. Tell the soldiers who are fighting and dying that they don't have real jobs. Tell the doctors and nurses who care for them that they don't have real jobs. These Americans have real jobs and I stand with them.BB
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McWing: Scott, may have to wait till morning but do you prefer Atlas Shrugs to The Fountainhead? Just curious.I'm not a big fan of either, because Rand's fiction writing style exhausts me. I much prefer her straight essays. Her fiction reminds me of L. Ron Hubbard's Battlefield Earth, his epic sci-fi novel that's actually more of an allegory for Scientology (and, in my opinion, was not written by L. Ron Hubbard).
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" My first reaction to his question, however, is: holy crap, what kind of question is that, you sick freak? I would not do well in the debates."You might do better than you think – Duke, were he to have provided your first reaction as his answer, would have done substantially better in the debate than he did. Any answer that displayed some emotion would have been more than acceptable.
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