happythoughts

*Sigh* The great thing about reality shows is that they aren't reality shows. If I really wanted to watch a reality, I'd watch home movies of my family. They are fun to watch because the people on them act like its reality, but in reality, its not reality. And that's what makes reality shows sometimes more fun than watching fictional show...watching people more delusional than myself. That's right...sometimes its all about me. So? It's not reality. It is fiction. Not just any fiction, but the Perfect Fiction. It is entirely possible that 95% of all "relationship" books are purchased by women. 90% of all "chick flicks" either arrive at an end where 2 people are having a perfect relationship, or they end where the woman finally resolves all her conflicts with her controlling mother. There was a "reality" show where everyone stays in a 5-star resort in the Bahamas. All the women are bikini-clad, or less, models who tried to get the guys to cheat on their g/f. (Yes, that was a real show) I thought it was an excellent concept.

I've never watched the show, but I like that concept of a show where you win one of the other contestants.

Actually, the whole question distills down to one persons definition. Pelosi's. She has established that she thinks it is. She has said two things. 1- waterboarding is torture. 2- she didn't know it was going on. Did she know that torture, by her definition, was occurring? That is what she stated. True or not?

Political cartoonists are starting to recognize the Obama policies. (How long before SNL picks this up and the pendulum swings the other direction? ) A policy is either good or bad, regardless of the party. Somehow, the DEMs aren't getting upset about Obama implementing the REP programs. This should be interestingly. One party is happy that their programs are being used. The other party can't complain because it is their candidate who is using them.

Pelosi isn't in trouble. There is no DEM supporter on this forum who has any problem with lying. The three excuses are: - She had a good reason. - Everybody does it. - DEMs don't worry about character. Not a tiny bit. Don't we remember the recent Hillary campaign? She lied about something every week during her campaign. The DEMs didn't even begin to care. They were going to vote for her. Of course, her hubby lied under oath. No big deal there either. DEMs only regard dishonesty as a problem when it is a REP that is caught doing it. It is actually not a problem then either, it is just a political opportunity.

It is an animated GIF. Some browsers don't show them as well. It is a guy doing a flip.

interesting flip I thought it was entirely cool.

It's coming. Something fades... a couple of years and the infomercials begin. "A limited offer. We will be ending this offer when the orders stop." I just watched the end of Leno. It was M&M. He came out and was trying to project the "white boy who has to fight his way through the hood" image. Didn't work. Once you are over 30, you should be able to go to the bathroom without getting your lunch money stolen. Rapping about it just makes you sound whiney. He jumped around, grabbed his crotch (ala Michael Jackson - so that added that extra appeal). He came across like a demented Dr. Seuss. "I gots my bitches. My crotch has got itches. My shirt needs stitches." This guy is going to be 81, in a nursing home, and telling the clerk, "Yeah, these bitches love me." Class, no doubt.

Here is the real beauty of it... Obama follows several courses of action that some people, including Obama, criticized when Bush did it. When Obama does it, those same people have nothing to say about his new policies. There will, of course, be some spin. "It's different. It part of The Change." I think Obama is a person of action. Most leaders realize that plans will be slightly modified as they are put into action. Nice to see.

Obama restarts military tribunals today He may turn out to be one of the best REP presidents. "provided that they are properly structured and administered" ...this is what we call spin. The spin to make the back-pedaling ok. He is going to trip if he back-pedals and spins at the same time. McCain offered some support, but the ACLU was furious... about this too. Of course Bush established it. Detainees were a new concept. During the Pres BJ admin, no one was ever detained except for wearing a skirt.

At some point, shouldn't Austin Powers be jumping out and screaming, "That's a man, baby!"

True. Not by executive order. He is getting his legal counsel to come up with a new twist. US News The media is not his buddies today. ABC news What? Did hear "national security"? Is he using Bush's speech writers now? CBS Three weeks? He barely got Flip out of his mouth, when it was time to talk Flop. Here comes the missing biggie... Remember the "signing statements" that Obama criticized Bush for? They "interpreted" legislation. Used to "spin" the definition of legislation. Wait to see how his legal team uses this to get out of the photo jam. ...and next up to bat? The Obama Signing Statement Legal Team...

That could be disputed if Clinton was a) a woman or b) alive. The DEMs have only one hope - that SNL will do some more comedy and make people quit discussing issues and facts. Remember when Clinton lost the Pres bid and Quade said to drop it because it was dead news? Hmm... like Palin... who isn't running for VP anymore? All this focus on Palin seems to smack of misdirection. I wouldn't want to discuss the current administrations programs either... especially if I had spent the last year attacking the same agenda when it was exactly what Bush was doing. There are no issues for the REPs to investigate. They just grab some popcorn and watch the DEMs implode. In his four months in office, Obama issued directives and stated support for almost all of the Bush policies. Let's review... Detainees... no trial, no release. or, use of the military tribunal approach that he scorched Bush over... ...After promising to end all those programs. Using the McCain tax plan... except for the good parts... ...after putting it on his campaign website about how bad it was. Directing his legal counsels to find a legal standing that allows him to keep the photos secret... after promising the ACLU that he would allow access through the FOIA. If I was a DEM, I'd avoid discussing the issues like the plague. Let's watch SNL tomorrow night.

If you google "Obama" and "Military Commissions", you will get a million hits. Obama was adamant (in his campaign) about his opposition to them. With the revised strategy, he will not use them where the normal court system works (category 1). He will use them for category 2 and 3 prisoners. (Even though the courts for cat 3 seem suspiciously similar to a definition of "secret courts".) So, what we have is the Bush system, only in the US and not Gitmo. Not an improvement. However, I do applaud the new transparency. From Jan to May, he has announced his new intentions.

Originally, he had an objection to a couple of things. One, the unlimited detention without trial or release by Bush. Two, the use of military commissions by Bush. This change from the campaign rhetoric was defined back in January when he issued his original directives regarding Gitmo. Among them was the division of the detainees into 3 categories. Category two is detainees with war crimes that will be tried by military law. AG Holder has given his support to this idea (by including a nebulous and meaningless disclaimer). The third category is made up of people who will never stand trial and never be released. Why not leave them in the custody of the Marines? clicky

This is both true and (in my estimation) fair. Think of it as a "flat tax." Fair using what measure? It is not a "flat tax". It is a graduated tax based on the product price, not road usage. A flat tax would be when everyone pays the same. Large trucks pay higher tolls on toll roads than cars. Usage of the road should be defined by vehicle weight because that is what causes the most wear.

Yahoo news Ok... yes, everyone realizes the danger. So, once again, what was the point of closing Gitmo? Why do they want to bring them to the US and warehouse them forever? If they escape in Cuba, that seems like less of a problem. Also, the Marines are guarding them there. Plus, if they are kept in the US, what about the other issues? Information exchange with other prisoners? Discussions with lawyers are priviledged communications. Wanna bet that there are Jihadist lawyers? Planning done from inside our borders. He has consistently been against the Bush policy of military courts. What is the Obama alternative when dealing with secret documents and testimony?

I agree. Once the fact is stated that torture was used, there isn't any more value added to releasing pictures. They would just be inflammatory. The ACLU is claiming that this is a flip-flop on his campaign promise of "a new age in govt transparency". I don't see how more pictures would help anything.

This week, where I work, we got a couple of ex-IBMers. Super-qualified, excellent skills. This is the basic problem with the Obama show. Promises without foundation. There is no linkage between a good education and job prospects in the US. Obama keeps harping on the educational system while our current unemployed are skilled and educated. IT workers: US? $35 an hour. India? $9 an hour. China? $6 an hour. Also, IBM isn't going to drop their billable-rate either. This isn't saving the business-consumer one cent. My new co-workers are part of the original 5,000 IBM jobs being cut. Another 4,000 to follow by the end of 2009. The jobs are going to China. However, IBM wants stimulus money. US citizens pay their taxes and the govt uses that money against them? By giving it to companies so that they can hire workers in other countries? CNN IBM

Tequila... I don't miss tequila.

So, when I am unemployed, can I drive as fast as I want and not pay a fine? In Florida, your vehicle license fee is based on the weight of the vehicle. It is a usage tax because a heavy truck wears the road more than a small car. Someone told me that in Calif the license tag fee is a percentage of the value of the vehicle. So, a new Ferarri pays more than a used dump truck. These laws are just an example of "tax that guy instead of me". The largest segment of society (the non-rich) will happily vote to tax people making more money. "Rich" is defined as anyone making twice what an individual is making.

My one guess.

In 'n Out Burger Carefully trim the "b" and the "r" off of the In 'n Out bumper sticker.

Castrol "Think with your dipstick" (No, I don't make this stuff up)

64% of men say that the first thing that they notice about women is their eyes. 81% of women say that the first thing that they notice about men is that 64% of them are liars.