Sunday Morning

Clarice starts us up.

Comments

[peter]

f i r s t ?

[peter]

It's the birth anniversary of Brazilian singer Elis Regina, LUN.

[gmax]

Beasts

From the last thread, you offered a recommendation on dining establishments on the Emerald Coast. Fire when ready sir! And thanks in advance, though you have a high bar to get over to even match RSE's Paradis recommendation.

[James D.]

Well, that was a pretty dreadful collapse by Syracuse last night, wasn't it? At least they'll still be in the tournament, unlike my favorite team, St. John's.

Just a reminder - I've got my March Madness bracket tournament set up - it's on Yahoo, and all you good JOM folks are welcome to enter:

http://y.ahoo.it/rgwMUSZW

Just email me if you're interested, for the full rules - jamesd at elevendayempire dot com

[Old Lurker]

Tardy HBs to Porch, Marko, Sandy....

[Another Bob]

I continue to be surprised at the lack of interest in the Cyprus story.

Seems to me the EU/ECB has crossed a Rubicon, and it's likely to put ideas into certain heads in Washington.

[pagar]

Out of control -gun control!

http://legalinsurrection.com/2013/03/man-pulls-bodyguards-gun-on-burglars-guess-whos-facing-prison-time/#comments

[narciso]

Well it still happened over the weekend, so response will take a bit, the unstated notion, is that Cyprus is the repository of the assets of certain Russian 'entrepreneurs', so it's sort of like they robbed that mob controlled bank in the Dark Knight.

[Rick Ballard]

Backfiring BOzo buffoonery is going to become a staple over the next 46 months. The OPM Wars guarantee progressive stupidity will be on the front pages around the world on a daily basis.

The German blitzkrieg against private bank deposits in Cyprus should be this week's biggest example of progressive failure. Will depositors in Greece, Italy, Ireland, Spain and Portugal risk German mandated "investment" of 10% of their money on deposit in their failing local Zombanks? I have very sincere doubts about them doing so.

[Captain Hate]

Steve Latourette on FNS seems not to have missed any meals since he took his RINO ball home.

[Janet]

I linked this on the last thread - Elizabeth Warren aligns with daughter’s think tank on policy goals

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2013/03/16/elizabeth-warren-side-by-side-with-her-daughters-think-tank-on-policy-goals/#ixzz2No6t2bw7

Really interesting.

"In May 2012, Demos successfully sued the state of Massachusetts to send voter registration forms to the state’s welfare recipients — a move that was seen to have benefited Warren’s campaign, and which cost Massachusetts taxpayers $276,000. Demos’ board of trustees includes Benjamin Taylor, former executive editor and publisher of the Boston Globe, which was criticized for pro-Warren bias during her Senate campaign."

DEMOS headquartered in New York with their Chairman Warren Tyagi living in Pacific Palisades, California....directing Massachusetts politics.
Outsiders directing Mass. politics AND the citizens of Mass. take care of President Obama's relatives!
What a crap deal for the people that live in Mass.

[narciso]

Why is it so hard to understand that spurring economic activity, is the only way to increase revenue,

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/343192/corker-republicans-glad-look-additional-revenue-if-we-can-get-entitlement-reform-patri

Great Pieces, Clarice, I understand why some of the commenters on the board are cynical.

[Clarice]

Thanks, TM and narciso.

[Old Lurker]

Me too, C

[Jane - Mock the Media!]

Janet,

Warren's scheme revealed that we are giving welfare to millions of people who don't exist - when the voter registrations were returned with "this person doesn't live here" stamps. Wanna bet we are still paying into those bank accounts.

Steve Latourette on FNS seems not to have missed any meals since he took his RINO ball home.

Capn'

I am completely unfamiliar with this guy but I thought he was a dolt. Perhaps the fact that they couldn't find anyone else to take that position is good news.

[Captain Hate]

FNS's panel of experts was unwatchable today. Kristol has decided to launch a personal campaign against Rand Paul, Nina Easton says Repubs have to embrace homo marriage, Rove takes shots at Sarah Palin and Joe Trippi just sits back and laughs.

Thanks a lot, Ailes.

[Jane - Mock the Media!]

I'm pretty bored with the emphasis on Portman. When are we going to start pushing the fact that if you are a republican you can be for something or against something. As a liberal you must not deviate from the party line. Tolerance should be noted as our virtue not theirs.

[Another Bob]

narciso, if dinging the oligarchs was the point, why start with €0 accounts? Would be interesting to see the flow of wire transfers out of Cyprus over the last week or so.

Rick Ballard: Agreed. But it's the two precedents of: 1) overt wealth confiscation; and 2) de facto elimination of deposit insurance that are worrying to me. That the money in Cyprus will go to keep the 'acceptable' oligarchs whole is insult to injury.

[Threadkiller]

"Seems to me the EU/ECB has crossed a Rubicon, and it's likely to put ideas into certain heads in Washington."

Indeed.

From January:

The U.S. Treasury, in order to avoid default, has resorted to an eyebrow-raising move: it has borrowed from the federal employee pension fund as the country nears its debt ceiling.

http://moneymorning.com/2013/01/16/u-s-debt-ceiling-government-borrows-pension-funds-to-avoid-default/

[Rick Ballard]

Narciso,

I'll buy the "Russian mob" angle if Schaeuble's headless body is found floating in the Rhine next week.

The Cypress action is a test of Germany's ability to discipline those shiftless southern Europeans and make them follow the scientistic principles which the Germans absolutely know to lead to the best of all possible worlds. It didn't work for them when they tried it with guns and it's not going to work without guns either.

[Clarice]

I can't imagine the EU will last much longer. This has to lead to an even greater crisis of confidence.

[Ignatz Ratzkywatzky]

May have been linked before but here is a devastating look at the GAO report on Obamacare from AEI.
It's worse than we thought, a phrase that is oddly applicable to everything this puke of a president does.

[hit and run]

Speaking of the White House tours (and Obama's Joe Izuzu-like claims), I heard from a source -- who I trust to have completely made it up -- that the Koch brothers are in negotiations with KBR to contract for a detail that would provide security for White House tours on the Koch brothers' dime. The security professionals contracted through KBR would be made up entirely of former secret service agents.

Also, just because they want to, the Koch brothers have asked Halliburton to play the middle man in the negotiations with KBR, its former subsidiary.

[hit and run]

Cheney will oversee the security detail and overall operations.

[Threadkiller]

Thanks for the heads up on the FNS panel, CH. I will go repair my sprinklers instead of watching it.

[narciso]

Blackwater, or wharever their name is this week,DynCorp, Triple Canopy handle security.
not KBR, also smaller outfits like the late
Chris Kyles.

[Jack is Back]

I've stop watching Fox ever since they decided the best person to cover the conclave was Shemp! There have been rumors that Murdoch is backing Hillary for 2016 and I think there is an evolutionary change in the way Fox is reporting and opinionating national politics. Look at the Five, more libertarian than conservative with the doltish counterweight of either Rotund Bob Beckel or Copy Cat Juan Williams.

A sure sign of the times was Palin leaving but then they also gave the axe to that flaming idiot Dick Morris. There just seems to be different feel to their programming and editorial direction.

OT: on Twitter, this "FoxNewsSunday ‏@FoxNewsSunday
Bill Kristol @NinaEaston @KarlRove & @JoeTrippi discuss the future of the GOP in Panel Plus: http://fxn.ws/YkbGdx"

My reply: "Lets hope they have less to do with it than Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Scott Walker."

[Threadkiller]

Enjoyed the Pieces, Clarice.

I'm not suggesting the right hire online trolls, a la the left, but rather that they develop systems that allow them to respond online to obvious lies and factual misstatements...

I am doing my best. ;-)

[jimmyk]

Great Pieces, Clarice, and thanks for the shoutout.

Your last point calls to mind Caddell's point about how the Dems "play to win" while Rs are content to be the Washington Generals against the Harlem Globetrotters. I don't know that Rs can get away with adopting Dem tactics, but we need to close ranks around our nominees.

For example, for outreach to poor and minorities, rather than "community organizing," which is a euphemism for extortion and coercion, Rs could get more involved in direct voluntary aid.

Jane, re Portman, I think there would be less criticism if he had held these views all along, as compared to undergoing an Obama-like transformation. Most of us can respect differences of opinions based on principles, but not based on poll-reading or pandering.

[rse]

henry-are you around?

I was following up on the authors of some troubling reports from a taxpayer funded commission that is largely off everyone's radar screen and it quickly led to to the world of educational data mining, which is about to have it 6th anniversary conference this summer. Plus cloudmining. So the brouhaha over the potential for abuse of assessing for personal attributes is nothing. These people have already set up the operations.

Anybody else with thoughts can join in. It's one thing to know this would be valuable but apparently virtually every vendor who is a 501(c)(3) now has access to this data under a Jan 2012 Exec Order relaxing FERPA. And the foundations are getting and passing on to the for=profit arms that created them.

[Clarice]

TK, you onery debbil.

I don't know why anyone watches any tv news anywhere. So I can't share disappointment with FNC. when Britt Hume retired I turned off the set. ot even sure I know how to turn it back on any more.

hit what a good idea. As usual.

[narciso]

Trippi's the only one on that panel, with any understanding of insurgent organizations, the others are like the three chimps in the tale.

Yesterday's offering of Carlos Slim's cribsheet offered to Ben Rhodes, the minder for General Rhodes and one of the architects of the Cairo speech.

[sbw]

Clarice's Pieces: being pelted and online comments polluted with mud flung from the bogs

We need to enter "boggers" into the urban dictionary.

Boggers: spammers who pollute blog comments with dirt and lies.

[sbw]

I submitted it.

[narciso]

This is what the Compania de Conquistador has in store for Spain,

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s Christmas wish list includes further value-added tax rate hikes, making it even cheaper to sack workers, an overhaul of the pension system to lower benefits, the elimination of partial retirement, the removal of tax deductions for contributions to private pension schemes, the withdrawal of some fiscal breaks on existing mortgages on the family home and a tightening of the conditions for entitlement to unemployment benefits.

[narciso]

Some steps are warranted but others are an invitation to be gored by the Bulls at Pamplona.

[Danube of Thought iPad]

Thanks for the Pieces, C, and congrats to Jimmyk

[matt]

clarice;

Thank you for pointing out the presidents clouds and our sunshine. It has been grim.

I find it interesting that the EU is penalizing private account holders for the Cypriot government's financial pecadilloes. How is this correct and right?

And how does this affect Turkish Cyprus? And how the hell did Greek Cyprus become a recognized state in what is supposed to be an egalitarian EU? Greek Cyprus is basically Mini-Greece.

As to Cruz, Paul, Palin etc. the Republican establishment can blow it out their collective kiesters. McCain feels like the dinosaur he is and the Washington way of life is threatened. They will use any means necessary to retain power.

The thing is that events will eventually overcome inertia. We have a number of "early adopters" in the Conservative movement now; people like Mamet, who understand the threats to our economy and our rights pose by the Left. I would rather have had him on the podium. We need a universally recognized voice to stake our claim in a manner which will defy misinterpretation.

Believe it or not, conservatism needs to be recognized as the new cool. Just look at what the "me" generation has wrought. And it is our children who will pay the price.

The whole argument over sequestration and fiscal cliffs and reduced budgets has devolved into kicking the can even further down the road while the Democrats try to spend even more profligately.

$5.00 gas? Your insurance just went up 50%? You are earning $12/hr working at Walmart with a college degree? Thank a Democrat.

[Rick Ballard]

Another Bob,

Perhaps the EUrocrats are hoping the reaction will be as tempered as it was when the Govmo BK trustee robbed the pension fund holders of Govmo debt in order prop the unions? The Japanese devaluation on top of Mad Ben's attempted devaluation is accelerating the tempo of the OPM War.

I could use a little less "What's next?" excitement.

[DrJ]

sbw,

I've seen what you call "boggers" called "pigeons." That is, they fly in, crap all over the place, and then flutter off.

[jimmyk]

Some steps are warranted but others are an invitation to be gored by the Bulls at Pamplona.

There's a parallel between these austerity measures in Europe and Bambi's response to the sequester. The whole idea is to inflict pain on the public rather than on the government. In some cases it's necessary (like pension reform), but the idea is to turn citizens against those who would dare shrink the government. It's a clever tactic, no doubt straight out of Alinsky or his ilk.

[RichatUF]

Great Pieces this morning Clarice.

When they do so, I sure hope they develop some smarts about new media and how to use it to their advantage.

Yes. Although listening to some of the Sunday talk shows, I'm not sure the Reps are learning the right lesson.

Seems I missed a bunch of stuff too so any birthdays I missed: Happy Birthday.

[Captain Hate]

re Portman, I think there would be less criticism if he had held these views all along, as compared to undergoing an Obama-like transformation. Most of us can respect differences of opinions based on principles, but not based on poll-reading or pandering.

This plus Portman can't seem to connect the dots and see how the left would use gay marriage as a weapon against religion. I'm really hoping he gets a primary challenge.

[marlene on Kindle]

I hope everyone will read the book of the playwright Matt mentioned.Auto correct will not let me type his name.This is too funny,when I try,the name Janet appears!
JiB,A1A is less busy today,the bikers are heading home.Scout has watched hundreds of motorcycles roar by without barking,but he goes nuts when a bicycle goes by.

[narciso]

Brainslugs in the Reservoit I see;

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/boehner-wont-commit-gun-control-says-we-will-review-it_707724.html

[AliceH]

--Jane, re Portman, I think there would be less criticism if he had held these views all along, as compared to undergoing an Obama-like transformation.--

I haven't really been following this, so maybe there are details I'm missing.

Portman's son came out in 2010. Portman announced his changed views last week.

Unless Portman spent the last two years declaring his opposition to gay marriage, I'm not convinced his conversion was all that "sudden" or hypocritical.

So, has he been vocally against gay marriage up until this past week?

[Danube of Thought]

I have seen the future, and it is Illinois.

[Soylent O' Red]

The whole idea is to inflict pain on the public rather than on the government. In some cases it's necessary (like pension reform), but the idea is to turn citizens against those who would dare shrink the government

The remedy is, of course, to expose this at every turn. Point out the manifold instances of waste, fraud, abuse, corruption, and stupidity. Offer alternative courses of action. Just as the public can be polarized to "get theirs" through the vote, that polarization can be used to advantage to get people to vote to keep those they deem unworthy from "getting ours."

Ever seen a politician worrying about how to pay his mortgage? Do you suppose Sasquatch and Malaria are worried about paying off student loans? How did a no talent daughter of Fellatio Bill and Shrillary manage to land in tall cotton as a result of her parents influence? How much do you suppose that outfit Moochelle is wearing cost the taxpayers? How about the vacations, the parties, the golf outings, when we are paying high gas prices and contending with inflation that none of these creeps will admit is happening?

Our goal should be to turn people against government for a generation, because it's not a legitimate broker of "fairness".

They will use any means necessary to retain power.

Point this out as well. Policy is being made to entrench power and preserve the status quo. Name names and give examples in the most brutal and vivid language. Go full Thomas Paine on them.

At this point, I have absolutely no problem with a scorched-earth campaign of turning the populace against ALL members of the ruling class. Lump them all together and destroy them. We used to tar and feather shitbirds like those we have in Washington now. TImes, unfortunately, change, but the mindset should be revived.

Yes, this will make governing more difficult for any future Republican leadership, but that is how it should be. Being a politician should be a crappy job, and difficult.

[Captain Hate]

So, has he been vocally against gay marriage up until this past week?

He was a co-sponsor of the Defense of Marriage Act.

[AliceH]

--He was a co-sponsor of the Defense of Marriage Act.--

No dispute that he USED to be strongly and overtly opposed to gay marriage, however DOMA was enacted in 1996.

My question was referring to whether Portman was vocally against gay marriage between the time his son informed him of being gay, sometime in 2010, and now.

[Jane: Mock the Media]

Jane, re Portman, I think there would be less criticism if he had held these views all along, as compared to undergoing an Obama-like transformation. Most of us can respect differences of opinions based on principles, but not based on poll-reading or pandering.

I understand that sentiment, particularly if your belief is founded in your religion. However it certainly is possible that Portman's son is the first gay person he has ever known.

Around here it would be pretty tough to believe gays should not be parents, when the best parent I've ever known is gay. It would be a whole lot easier to feel that way if the worst parent I have ever known is gay - and on and on.

Since there is a whole lot of evidence that Obama has been sleeping with men for a long time, it seems rather political and hypocritical that he ever didn't believe in gay marriage. It's not the same with a guy like Portman, I don't think.

There is also something to be said about this being a state issue (marriage) and no one should give a rat's ass what any politician believes in the first place.

And think of it this way - if Portman had changed from being for gay marriage to being against it, would the uproar on the right be the same?

[narciso]

It's remarkable that what has been obvious for millenia is dismissed, then again I suspect who is Dan Brown's agent;

http://www.americanthinker.com/2013/03/the_historicity_of_the_resurrection_of_christ_comments.html#disqus_thread

[narciso]

It is part of 'the Strange New Respect' concurrent with his attendance of the dinner, while the filibuster was going on,

[Threadkiller]

Here is the taste-test quote again:

"WASHINGTON —Following President Obama’s lunch meeting with Senate Republicans on Capitol Hill, Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins described the food served and said the president was not able to eat since his “taster” was not present.

“University of Maine recipe for healthy lobster salad —I pointed that out to the president in keeping with the first lady’s initiatives and Fox Family Potato Chips made in Aroostook County where I’m from and wild blueberry pie full of anti-oxidants, see this was a healthy lunch as well. We did have a little ice cream on the pie too, also made in Maine, Gifford’s Ice Cream. So in all seriousness this was well received,” Collins told reporters on Thursday after the meeting at the Capitol.

“He looked longingly at it,” Collins continued. “He honestly did look longingly at it, but apparently he has to have essentially a taster, and I pointed out to him that we were all tasters for him, that if the food had been poisoned all of us would have keeled over so, but he did look longingly at it and he remarked that we have far better food than the Democrats do, and I said that was because I was hosting.”"

Hmmm....

According to the Hanafi scholars, the only living creatures of the sea that are permissible are those that are in the form of a fish with an exception of the hagfish and eel. (Ibid). (these 2 even though they are not in the form of a fish they will be permissible to consume).

Hence, according to the Hanafi scholars, it will not be permissible to eat oyster, oyster extract, shrimp and lobsters. It will be permissible to consume shark as it is in the form of a fish.

And Allah Ta'ala Knows Best

I see.

[gmax]

Per the AP Cyprus about to get a whole lot more interesting. If I had any Euros in an Italian or Portuguese bank, I know where I would be standing on opening tomorrow!

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) - Cyprus' parliament on Sunday postponed a debate and vote on a controversial levy on all bank deposits that the cash-strapped country's creditors had demanded in exchange for (EURO)10 billion ($13 billion) in rescue money.

The vote, which had been expected later Sunday, has been pushed back to Monday afternoon, parliamentary official Antonis Koutalianos said.

The announcement set off an immediate scramble among top European officials, with reports that the European Central Bank was pressuring Cypriot authorities to hold the vote without delay.

The stakes are high for the tiny island nation of one million people, because a rejection of the levy by lawmakers could push Cyprus into bankruptcy and possibly out of the common euro currency. Officials also fear a massive run Tuesday on Cypriot banks - after a national holiday on Monday - no matter which way the voting goes.

[jimmyk]

Unless Portman spent the last two years declaring his opposition to gay marriage, I'm not convinced his conversion was all that "sudden" or hypocritical.

Your point seems to be that perhaps it was only a response to learning about his son, as opposed to pandering. Fair enough. I would still argue that it is not principled, which was the main point. It may be understandable, but for someone whose views had been, in his own words, "rooted in my faith tradition that marriage is a sacred bond between a man and a woman," doing a 180 because of one's son is not an example of steadfastness. He could and should certainly be supportive of his son on a personal level, while nonetheless adhering to his faith. And if this is a deeply personal decision, why write an op-ed about it?

[Cecil Turner]

Kristol has decided to launch a personal campaign against Rand Paul, Nina Easton says Repubs have to embrace homo marriage, Rove takes shots at Sarah Palin and Joe Trippi just sits back and laughs.

As political analysts, these folks have a vested interest in promoting establishment GOPers (where their connections and inside knowledge mean something). And post-triangulation, the GOP establishment is rapidly approaching a slightly watered-down version of the ruling democrat socialists. I think Paul is a bit of a nut (Fils slightly less than Père), but still is vastly preferable to the likes of McCain or Romney.

Fox News also appears to be hewing closer to the Times-approved framing of major news stories, making it daily less distinguishable from the rest of the MSM.

[hit and run]

I agree Soylent. I had a rant a while back about getting even those on the dole to go scorched earth with cries of...

"REDUCE THE SIZE OF GOVERNMENT NOW!!!! (because so much of the taxpayers' money that I should be receiving goes to a bunch of bureaucrats now, and I want that money too)"

If a lot of people who currently vote for the D's truly understood that "waste, fraud and abuse" was built directly into government operations in an unstated but deliberate way so as to enrich those in the bureacracy, rather than to help those for which the public goal of a certain program says it was designed...

...they just might change their minds about the necessity of 2nd amendment rights as a means to resist, and where necessary overthrow, tyranny.

[jimmyk]

Republican Senator Susan Collins described the food served and said the president was not able to eat since his “taster” was not present.

Someone linked an article about the Secret Service's policy about tasters, which seemed to indicate that it was only a requirement on overseas trips. So it still leaves open whether it's been expanded under Barry, or whether he uses it as an excuse.

But TK, maybe he's secretly Jewish.

[Jack is Back! (On his iPad)]

DrJ,

Your 12:04 is a perfect descrption of QA auditors:)

[narciso]

Well they have inflicted Rich Sanchez, at the rush hour, for reasons passing understanding,

NewsCorp backs Cameron, which as the titular head of Conquistador operations, has flubbed the whole project as Rajoy is doing now,

[Threadkiller]

"maybe he's secretly Jewish"

He has removed that suspicion:

http://m.nypost.com/p/news/national/bam_blows_candles_XpnqlitFiIsEqLVNREEYtM

[AliceH]

I would think those who oppose gay marriage would be better served by countering Portman's arguments and explanations rather than spending all the energy on not just questioning his motives but actually assigning them.

Even if the mind-readers are right, so what? How does that look to a LIV? I think it would look like ad hominem attacks, with the big take away being "Portman stands up to extremists".

[rse]

Cecil-Rupert through subs is heavily involved with this Corporatist public/private/politically connected economy. This is a political model that creates lucrative conflicts as a means of making people too good of an offer to refuse. Right now too many Rep's are either knee deep in the benefits or oblivious to the realities.

[Danube of Thought]

I need no further proof. The man is clearly a Muslim.

A conspiracy so vast...

[Threadkiller]

"I need no further proof. The man is clearly a Muslim."

It is settled then.

[narciso]

No, that's more like Sunshine, Florida; and the fifty seventh state, but you would think either Emmanuel or Lew would have informed him.

[Jack is Back]

Well, DoT, he does have one of their traits. He likes to kill other Muslims:)

[Old Lurker]

Like Clarice I'm off all TV news and Fox became too much for me when they gave Shep a raise to $7M a few years ago and when Brit Hume retired.

When I fantasize about being really rich, after I buy a jet I would buy CNN for about a buck and throw in 50 cents for WaPo and make them a modern equivalent of the Federalist Papers printing press.

[jimmyk]

Alice, there's no mind-reading involved, he was quite explicit.

To my mind, this is just an issue for his suitability as a national candidate. If he can change his mind on this because his son is gay, what happens if his son is unemployed? Will he then favor extension of UI benefits? And if his son were to get a minimum wage job would he then favor raising the minimum wage? And so on. This is not about gay marriage per se.

[Soylent O' Red]

So it still leaves open whether it's been expanded under Barry, or whether he uses it as an excuse.

He drinks alcohol, and has eaten shellfish and pork in the past, so clearly Muslim food restrictions aren't such an issue.

It's not an excuse. It feeds his narcissism.

"We, your Sovereign, are important enough to require a food taster to preserve our Royal Lives and digestion."

[Clarice]

jimmyk, I just realized that I'm in luck--the Romney campaign--which must have been awash in dough--never cashed my contribution check.

[jimmyk]

Clarice, maybe after Romney's performance in the third debate I should have contacted my credit card company and protested the charge of my contribution.

[Soylent O' Red]

never cashed my contribution check.

Stop payment! Stop payment!

[gmax]

Think this lesson has begun to dawn on the Eurozone as yet? Monday could be quite destabilizing, just watch and see:

Citizens in the rest of the euro zone now know that, if push comes to shove, their insured deposits could be grabbed too.

[Captain Hate]

He could and should certainly be supportive of his son on a personal level, while nonetheless adhering to his faith. And if this is a deeply personal decision, why write an op-ed about it?

I didn't have a need to know about Portman's homo son but he decided that he wanted to blab this info to the MFM. Will he tell about any of his son's risky practices? Does he think all homos support gay marriage? Will he start bashing the Red Cross for not letting his son donate blood? If his son was Islamic would he be against Israel?

Portman decided to make his son's life public and base a policy decision on an aspect of his son's life. Let's have a full discussion of all the implications.

[AliceH]

--an issue for his suitability as a national candidate--

Ah. I had considered Portman to be a likely national candidate exactly never, so you can see why I failed to see the fierce urgency of attacking him now to ensure it.

[jimmyk]

When I fantasize about being really rich, after I buy a jet I would buy CNN for about a buck and throw in 50 cents for WaPo and make them a modern equivalent of the Federalist Papers printing press.

Serious question: Why don't the evil genius Koch brothers or Sheldon Adelson do this? I presume the "buy a jet" part is already taken care of.

[sailor]

Well, I must be really dumb. Had no idea that the Euro could take money from private deposits ie in Cyprus. Will that eventually happen in the US????

[Cecil Turner]

A conspiracy so vast...

BLT appears to have more in common with Nation of Islam than it does with any Christian church I've ever been in. And judging strictly from observation, I'd note Mr Obama quotes himself far more often than a higher power. Not to put too fine a point on it, it seems the distinction between Christian and Muslim might be less than critical in this case.

[Jane - Mock the Media!]

It may be understandable, but for someone whose views had been, in his own words, "rooted in my faith tradition that marriage is a sacred bond between a man and a woman," doing a 180 because of one's son is not an example of steadfastness.

Jimmy,

I agree. I was unaware of that. And I also agree about the op-ed.

CPAC was a real up I thought. The young bucks really captured the weekend. The Sunday shows did everything they could to transport us back to McCain like status quo.

There is a new conservative TV station starting up in July. We need to make sure it gets picked up by all the cable companies.

TK,

I want to know how many of Obama's foodtasters have died since 2008.

[DrJ]

jimmyk,

I read a rumor the other day that the eeevil Koch brothers were bidding for the Tribune, which includes the LA times. I've no idea if it is true.

[jimmyk]

I had considered Portman to be a likely national candidate exactly never

Well, I guess I'm not so omniscient. He was on nearly everyone's (not yours evidently) short list for Romney's VP. It's also an issue for his suitability as a Senator from Ohio, but I'll leave that to Ohioans to worry about.

[Captain Hate]

Ah. I had considered Portman to be a likely national candidate exactly never, so you can see why I failed to see the fierce urgency of attacking him now to ensure it.

He's a Senator from the state where Ann and I live so we have a parochial interest in what he says or does; kind of like you were when some people here (not I) were taking shots at a candidate in your state last year.

[Soylent O' Red]

I see TCM is running "The Quiet Man" opposite AMC's "The Walking Dead".

TCM is obviously run by Unionists forcing that decision on me.

I wonder how Joe Biden categorizes dragging your wife halfway across Ireland by her ankle. Is that a "garden variety" dragging?

[Ignatz Ratzkywatzky]

-- It's a clever tactic, no doubt straight out of Alinsky or his ilk.--

It just prolongs and deepens the eventual collapse or decades long decline.
What's sickening is to consider the trillions of pointlessly uncreated wealth it causes.
The left assuages what conscience it has by pretending that just means smaller yachts for fewer billionaires but of course what it really means is undeveloped medicines, uninvented solutions to a myriad of problems and most of all the continued grinding poverty of countless billions in the undeveloped world.

[gmax]

I'd say that the seepage into conscienceness had begun judging by the wailing from Barclays PLC:

The decision to impose losses on Cypriot depositors is the latest erosion of bondholder protection at European banks and an “ominous” sign of how bailouts are being handled, Barclays Plc (BARC) said.

[Clarice]

I think the food taster was a poor joke he made to avoid breaking bread with Republican Congressmen.We've seen him stuffing his mouth with fast food all over the country--waffles to chili dogs to fried chicken ==with no tasters in sight.

[AliceH]

He was on nearly everyone's (not yours evidently) short list for Romney's VP

True, I didn't think he'd be chosen for two reasons: 1) he's been more a behind-the-scenes/support guy forever and 2) didn't think they'd weaken the Senate position by taking away a solid R Senator. I would not have been surprised to be wrong, though. Not being omniscient, just having a working theory-style opinion.

-- kind of like you were when some people here (not I) were taking shots at a candidate in your state last year--

So, I'm consistent. I pretty much always hate it when people take shots at the person but not the idea or position or opinion or strategy etc.

I get very crabby listening to bitchy outrage, even on those (rare) occasions when it's justified.

[Ignatz Ratzkywatzky]

--Around here it would be pretty tough to believe gays should not be parents, when the best parent I've ever known is gay.--

This is kind of what Portman did; take a personal anecdote or interest and extrapolate it into policy.

The best evidence I have seen is that the biological mother and father in an intact family make the best parents.
Seems logical to me that any thing which tends to weaken or make more difficult attaining that ideal is bad for kids.

[narciso]

I do vaguely recall this, among other threads;

http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2012/05/vp-picks.html

[Captain Hate]

I get very crabby listening to bitchy outrage, even on those (rare) occasions when it's justified.

I've explained very well why I was outraged by what Portman did. But keep acting like you're arguing things on a much higher plane; it's very entertaining.

[AliceH]

On that note, I'm putting myself in time-out.

[Lesley]

Brava Clarice. How I appreciate your brilliant ability to weave your "pieces" into the big picture tapestry.

Thank you, thank you TM for giving me an intellectual home since before the Plame days.

And thank you to all my friends here, whose personalities, opinions, and humor have been an almost daily part of my life for more than ten years.

Soylent, I still owe you and your buddies a golf game. :)

[Ignatz Ratzkywatzky]

--I pretty much always hate it when people take shots at the person but not the idea or position or opinion or strategy etc.--

Pointing out someone now holds a position contrary to one he previously held and he arrived there not only through spurious reasoning (ie, my son is gay so now it's a good thing, but it was a bad thing when it was other people's sons) but in direct contrast to the principled method he arrived at his original position doesn't seem to be taking shots at him.

If it is, I'd suggest Portman is, at best, an attractive nuisance who invited whatever criticism he gets by making it about his son.

[Clarice]

Way too generous, Lesley. I just steal from everyone here and cut and paste.

[narciso]

There is an art to the borrowings though,

[Threadkiller]

From last year:

"Finance Minister Kikis Kazamias accused Standard and Poor's rating agency of bias and improper behaviour in downgrading the Cyprus economy to near junk status.

Finance Minister Kikis Kazamias has described the decision of Standard and Poor's to downgrade Cyprus economy credit rating as arbitrary and unsubstantiated, accusing the agency of serving other expediencies.

In statements today at the Ministry of Finance, Kazamias said that Standard and Poor's decided yesterday to downgrade the credit rating of the Republic of Cyprus by 2 notches due to the following reasons: (a) the deep political, financial and monetary problems within the euro area and (b) the exposure of the Cypriot financial system to the Greek economy.

The Ministry of Finance, he noted, expressed its deep distress at the decision of S&P’s , noting that “this decision can justifiably be considered arbitrary and unsubstantiated”.

Kazamies raised questions on the time the Agency chose to take this decision just two days after the European Commission had welcomed the measures taken by Cyprus to consolidate its public its finances, completely ignoring this fact, which was considered an important negative factor in its previous assessments. ''

He added that the Agency completely and arbitrarily ignored the fact that Cyprus is one of the few countries, which have met their financial needs for 2012.

He also said that it has completely ignore the positive momentum being built regarding the prospects of the Cyprus economy following the publication of the results demonstrating the existence of significant gas reserves in EEZ of Cyprus.''

Kazamias noted that the Agency completely and arbitrarily denied the right of the Republic of Cyprus to appeal the above decision, as its fixed practice was so far.''

''With such behaviour, Cyprus is essentially paying for the dispute, in my personal view, which exists between the dollar and the euro,'' he concluded.

Cyprus is one of the nine eurozone countries which have seen their credit ratings downgraded by Standard and Poor's.

The downgrade - which included stripping France of its top AAA rating - was announced on Friday.

Italy, Spain, Cyprus and Portugal were cut two notches, with the latter two given ''junk'' ratings. Germany kept its AAA rating.

Austria, Slovakia, Slovenia and Malta were the other countries downgraded."

http://famagusta-gazette.com/cyprus-fury-at-sp-downgrade-p14158-69.htm

[Lesley]

Clarice, you are master weaver, doesn't matter where you get your thread.

[Captain Hate]

You're too modest by half, Clarice. You insert a lot of additional value to your C&Ps