Sunday Morning Open Thread

Happy Easter.

This WaPo article on Obama's failure to close Gitmo looks, well, exhaustive.  And exhausting.

Comments

[I Won]

How was I to know that the Republicans would play politics with the issue instead of doing what is right for America?

[Rick Ballard]

Clarice does an excellent job of illustrating the Buffoon's Beclowning this morning. Will BOzo blame evil speculators for the Q1 GDP slump or will he go after Paul Ryan and Scott Walker for creating a climate of political adversity which, like butterfly farts along the Amazon and hurricanes, have initiated another economic downturn?

We can only be sure that, when the results of his actions are negative, BOzo will disclaim any relationship between cause and effect.

[bgates]

BOzo will disclaim any relationship between cause and effect

Disclaim, hell. Cause and effect are co-conspirators out to get him every bit as much as supply and demand are.

[Captain Hate]

So Susan Collins pocketed 30 pieces of silver to sell Paul Ryan out. Have any other of the usual quislings jumped on board the Ho' Train (Scott Brown, I'm looking right at you) or does Collins get to keep the ill-gotten swag all to herself?

[clarice]

Thanks, Rick, But of course that's what he'll do though I think he's reached transparency level in the strawmen category.

[clarice]

You beat me to the punch,bgates and bested me as well.

[clarice]

In all fairness:
http://legalinsurrection.blogspot.com/2011/04/fairness-envy-and-jealousy.html

[Danube of Thought]

Minus 16 at Raz today.

Clarice, I think The Won shoulda consulted Bill O'Reilly, who knows chapter and verse about gasoline pricing.

[Pops]

So as I understand Obamas Libya policy, he acted to stop Khadafi from slaughtering some people in one attack in favor of slaughtering many more people over a longer period of time.

Perhaps the DoD could convince Obama to act faster if they showed how much fossil fuel would be saved by overthrowing Khadafi in a week, instead of a year.
That would make it a 'green' war.

[Captain Hate]

DoT, I know this is really subject to challenge, but I don't think O'Reilly has ever been dumber than when complaining about oil companies.

[clarice]

Now now, DoT from the idiot's spewing, I think BoR is his guide thru the trickiness of petro pricing.

[narciso]

Happy Easter, everyone, Jane, so sorry to hear about Amy's father,

Captain, I thought so, then I came across when
Sarah tried to explain when the Ryan Plan would kick in, and Bill was stuck in his own interior monologue, outloud, which reduced the 'sum knowledge of human knowledge'

[Extraneus]

Probably taught him the falafel thing, too. He's an expert at that.

[Jane]

father in law narciso - for some reason I think I should correct that as her father is alive and well.

And thanks.

[clarice]

Jane, I hope you checked your email. I sent you something you should know about yesterday.

[Take two aspirins and see Dr in the morining]

'BOzo will disclaim any relationship between cause and effect'

The only explanation for this degree of disconnect (Bush Wars and Bush Economic meltdown) is, encouragingly, massive guilt complexes. Your slavish support for all things Bush during those dark years, is the 'cause and effect' of our multiple crises.

let that guilt percolate a little longer, and you may find the remnants of your humanity. Let the bile rise until it can be expectorated, and the poison which afflicts you will diminish.

Easter Sunday would be a perfect time to confront your inner denialism.

[narciso]

Sorry about that, my mistake, Jane.,

[Army of Davids]

2% drop in the Labor Force Participation Rate.

uncertainty, mandates, taxes and regulations in ObamaCare a headwind to Main Street business, startups and job formation?

I think so.

[narciso]

"This is going to be great' no sarcasm whatsoever.

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/china-proposes-cut-two-thirds-its-3-trillion-usd-holdings

[MarkO]

Does anyone know why the Holder DOJ went after the Internet gambling sites? I know it is racist just to ask the question, but what the hell.

[narciso]

Very authoritative pieces, btw, clarice

[Danube of Thought]

I believe all the targeted banks are majority white-owned. Just sayin'.

[Rick Ballard]

Narcisco,

That piece should be entitled "Smart Commies Flee From Dumb Commie". They've pegged BOzo's ability to spin gold into straw and decided to withdraw from the Treasury market (that or they've hired PIMCO to manage their portfolio). BTW - they won't be dumping Treasuries, they will just let their portfolio, which is reasonably short term, roll off without buying any new issues.

Mad Ben better order some newer, faster printing presses.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Rick-

Watch the UK column of the TIC report go up even faster, as the Chinese say one thing, and buy through British banks in HK, which just happen to register as UK purchases.

They've played this game for years, as a "show of displeasure".

And the make up of that portfolio is pretty spread out, not front loaded, at least as I understand it.

[mockmook]

Mad Ben better order some newer, faster printing presses.

Posted by: Rick Ballard | April 24, 2011 at 12:49 PM

Nah, just get a jump on printing up more $100,000 dollar bills (with Wilson's mug).

Plus, we will need those to buy a hamburger soon.

[mockmook]

Speaking of blame...

The GOP needs to be careful in how they go about this debt limit standoff. They need to be at DEFCON PROPOGANDA level 11.

If the Dems play it right, they can stick the the GOP with the blame for any upcoming economic pain.

[Jane]

Clarice,

I haven't checked my work email. Can you send it to FWDAJ@live.com?

[Agent J. (formally known as "J"..]

So, I ask myself, will silver go through 50$ this week, then I read narciso 12:32 post, now I wonder if it will make 60$ this week..

[clarice]

Yes, Jane. I'll find and re send it.

[Rick Ballard]

Mel,

My understanding is that their holdings generally recapitulate issuance. That would mean <4 years to clear their holdings. I don't believe their announcements any more than you do but I do believe that they simply aren't generating enough free cash flow to buy the spackle necessary to patch all the new cracks in the facade.

I wish there were spackle contracts available - worldwide demand is right through the roof.

[Danube of Thought]

Watching C. wallace previously recorded, as always. First guest was Michael Bloomberg. I said to myself, "it is not possible for this man to speak a single sentence that is of interest to me." I hit the quadruple-speed fast forward, and he was gone from my screen in a flash.

It's been a good mornig.

[Captain Hate]

Does anyone know why the Holder DOJ went after the Internet gambling sites?

Judging from what has motivated him previously, probably a lot of "his people" were suffering massive losses.

[clarice]

My guess is pressure from black churches to do something about sin..Since they can't do anything about booze, drug, pornography or abortion without losing their base, this seemed the safest target.

[Janet]

Does anyone know why the Holder DOJ went after the Internet gambling sites?

It happened around the time DC was gonna start allowing internet gambling areas (not sure if my terminology is correct).

[MarkO]

I posted something and it vanished. As soon as I post it again, it will show up next to the re-post. Oh, what to do?

[MarkO]

I tried again with the same result. I have offened the posting gods.

[Janet]

Really sorry about Amy's father-in-law, Jane. It's good that her kids could be with Aunt Jane....Grandparents are so special.

[Captain Hate]

Did you put a really long URL in, Mark? That's the only time that this wonderful software has kicked one of my comments.

[Extraneus]

4/12: Washington, D.C., first to approve Internet gambling

4/15: After New FBI Crackdown on Internet Gambling, Poker Players Mourn

[MarkO]

My Captain, no. I did speak disapprovingly of the President of the USA.

[Extraneus]

Turkmenistan goes crazy for horse holiday

ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan – Wearing a blue caftan and shaggy sheepskin hat, Turkmenistan's president looked every part the accomplished horse-riding tribesman as he effortlessly cantered on his jewel-adorned stallion before cheering crowds. The crowning touch came when a white dove gracefully landed on his right shoulder.

And we're stuck with girly-pitch mom jeans.

[Danube of Thought]

Ronaldus Maximus coulda done it at a full gallop.

[pagar]

"Does anyone know why the Holder DOJ went after the Internet gambling sites?"

Money that the Obama Administration thought belonged to them was being taken by others. That simply can not be allowed.

[clarice]

http://iowntheworld.com/blog/?p=72586

Cause it's Easter..

[jimmyk]

Does anyone know why the Holder DOJ went after the Internet gambling sites?

Not enough donations to Obama's campaign coffers from the proprietors of the sites?

[Army of Davids]

Fun times in Syria. Will Hillary drag the Nobel Peace Prize in to that one too?

Why not? 3 wars (4 if you count Mexico) What's another war? It's the humanitarian thing to do.

[Army of Davids]

Will Hillary drag the Nobel Peace Prize winner into Syria too?

[Gmax]

Brit Hume is one of the most insightful guys out there. So it was music to my ears when he said what I have been saying. If the election were today, Obama would lose and probably lose big. Juan Williams wanted to be his smarmy and dismissive self.

That is ok since I think the Grand Canyon low that comes from the beatdown for the progs will be amplified by the cognitive dissonance. If you listen to Kos paid pollster, PPP(D) you would get the impression that Zero is running away with it.

Dive into the internals in the next PPP(D) poll and then go look at the 2008 and 2010 exits. He his using a turnout model that exceed almost without fail the exits from 2008! If you believe that, I have some real estate to sell you, its going to appreciate greatly in the future!

[Gmax]

I thought some of you were kidding about the reason for the crackdown on internet gambling sites. Probably has absolutely nothing to do with the District of Columbia going into internet gambling. LUN if you think I am joking.

[matt]

Happy Easter all. Obama got his Easter basket out here in California, I guess.And he even went to church this morning. I am going to assume that he is in full campaign mode again.

Nice piece, Clarice, and unfortunately not far off the mark.

As to the Chinese U.S. debt holdings, they have the choice of devaluing their dollars as they divest, which will mean further inflation in commodities prices, most likely. I don't know if there has ever been such an economic situation.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Happy Easter!

I am fixing leg o' lamb with pan-roasted potatoes today. We won't eat 'til late because son had to work until 6 AM and he is sacked out and will sleep until this afternoon. We'll eat about 7 pm and then he'll have to head back to work at 9 pm. It is a pain to have to work these holiday dinners around his work schedule, but I just thank the Lord he is working this year.

Easter is a time of celebration. I'm celebrating that my d-i-l gave me an Easter basket last night filled to the brim with CADBURY EGGS. It doesn't get much better. :)

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

He his using a turnout model that exceed almost without fail the exits from 2008! If you believe that, I have some real estate to sell you, its going to appreciate greatly in the future!

I think there will be a huge turnout, so he is probably right to use that turnout model. However, I think the huge turnout will come from the right.

[pagar]

"that they simply aren't generating enough free cash flow to buy the spackle necessary to patch all the new cracks in the facade."

It's not the Chinese,but it sure looks like a crack in the dam:

http://4closurefraud.org/2011/04/24/in-citigroup-case-a-crack-in-wall-streets-defenses-investors-awarded-a-total-of-54-1-million-in-a-securities-arbitration-case/

A new record! Wonder what the lawyers got?
-------------------------------------------
Speaking of new records, here is a new record for the rip-off artists.

http://4closurefraud.org/2011/04/24/robo-signed-27-job-titles-for-brian-burnett-of-indymac/

Employed by 27 firms to rip off the American public.

Amazing!

[daddy]

Caro,

Thanks for the Mark Steyn KinderEgg smuggling update on the other thread. Pressures really on now for Jane to smuggle in some Kinder-eggs for Amy's kids.

Illegal trafficking in KinderEggs would be a great way for Jane to secure her reputation as Mark Steyn's favorite on the next NRO cruise, when those 2 are swapping law-breaking stories and swilling martini's on the quarterdeck.

But on the other hand, can you imagine if she has to admit to him that she didn't try to smuggle in KinderEggs, especially after having read his NRO account of Custom's harassment this morning? Man, that'd be a tough one for "Mark Steyn's favorite" to explain.

So Caro, lease keep us posted on how goes the crime spree.

My money says Jane breaks the Law. Get your bets in JOMer's:)

[Threadkiller]

Happy Easter!

[rse]

Happy Easter.

It's a lovely day. Hope everyone enjoys themselves.

It's my mom's bday and my youngest bought a unicorn pinata and put a tea towel over my mom's eyes and insisted she take a few swipes with the bat.

My younger sister had sent lilies to decorate all over the church as a surprise and then put an announcement in the church bulletin celebrating both my mom and her thoughtfulness.

Yes. That was a deliberately ambiguous antecedent.

I brought a ham and forgot the very cute card.

Rick-Just bought 3 more Revel books used going back to the Totalitarian Temptation. There is no question that's where the bear went to hibernate. Not sure if it ever really slept.

[Jane]

I can already feel Eric Holder breathing down my neck!

[Sue]

I got another annoying virus on my computer shile visiting Hot Air. This is the 3rd or 4th one I've gotten from that site. It's almost not worthy going over there.

[Sue]

Too bad I can't blame the virus for typos. ::sigh::

[Mark Folkestad]

Sara, I hope that this won't make you queasy. A country music station in St. Cloud, MN just had a promotional event where they deep-fried Cadbury Eggs. The sheer decadence sickens me.

[daddy]

Jane,

If you do decide to do the crime, just enter "Chocolate" on the customs form. Works every time for me.

Sorry about Amy's F-i-L.

[Jim Rhoads a/k/a vnjagvet]

Clarice has obviously bugged the Oval Office. Or else she is channeling bgates. The characterizations are perfect.

Another leg o' lamb in the oven, Sara. With potatoes and onions browning around the meat. MMMMMMM.

I wish I hadn't missed the Brit and Juan show this morning.

[daddy]

Sue,

I have never ever had a virus on my MacBook.

For the computer guys out there, are Apple computers somehow immune to virus's, or have I just been lucky?

[RichatUF]

A Happy Easter to all. Trying to catch up with all the threads and comments.

pagar-

It is almost as if this is a branch and sequel to the subprime fiasco. Maybe a jubliee is in order and a free home to anyone who is a year behind in his mortgage payments.

larry-

Good to see you in the comments and my prayers for your continued recovery.

Jane-

My prayers and well-wishes to Amy's father-in-law.

hit-

I hope your father-in-law is doing better.

Rick-

I'm trying to puzzle out how the Japan situation is going to work itself out over the coming quarters. It seems that inventories in the US are going to be consumed and not replenished. Housing is going to be modestly negative and import prices are going to jump (clothing, Japan supply disruptions, and wage costs passed through from China). I'm not sure how exports are going to close that entire gap and I'm skeptical of the recent business cheerleading translating into cap-ex.

[Sue]

Daddy,

I think it is because the majority of users are PC users. If we all switch to Mac, they will start targeting Macs.

Drives me bonkers. It is a fake virus alert with a name that sounds like it is legit. The one yesterday was vista-something-or-other. Anyway, just be careful if you get an alert from an anti-virus program that isn't the one you have installed.

[Jack is Back!]

daddy,

I am a Mac user and never had a virus. Most viruses are written in Mac and target PC's. That is a simplistic expalnation but the only one I have.

Happy Easter, all.

[harrjf]

Apple's aren't immune to virus infestation, it is just a different operating system. A virus designed to take advantage of a hole in Windows wouldn't find the same hole in Apple's OS. Same for LINUX vs Windows. You don't see as many viruses because they seem to write them for the mass market, ie Windows. 90% vs 10% population or some such thing. Don't kid yourself for a moment, Apple's IOS has holes. Anything written by humans has flaws. Damn humans.

[daddy]

Clarice,

That really is an excellent Pieces.

It struck me that a call could also have come in from Hollywood.

Last week actress Kate Walsh and actor Ted Danson both called for ending all Offshore Drilling, and last November Danson was the star witness testifying to the Fed's up here in Anchorage against offshore drilling. Danson, because he had just finished making a Save The Whales movie with Drew Barrymore, had suddenly become "an expert" on all things Alaskan. Amazing how that happens.

[harrjf]

Want to avoid a lot of PC problems? Don't use a login account with supervisory privileges. Pretty much stops things from installing on your PC. If you can't, they can't. Didn't give the Kids accounts with supervisory permissions and never had a virus on their PC and they did everything they could as you might expect. Sure they had to ask me to install software but the inconvenience payed off.

As far as Hot Air, I think that it some of the sites they send you off to.

[RichatUF]

Rick-

BTW - they won't be dumping Treasuries, they will just let their portfolio, which is reasonably short term, roll off without buying any new issues.

Wouldn't that also act as a stealth devaluation of the rmb against the dollar? They can go around the world hoping to gain a signorage advantage while at the same time weakening their currency against their biggest export market? So much for the emergence of the strong Chinese consumer and Chinese domestic demand.

[Sue]

I think it is the advertising that has the virus. Each time it has happened I have just opened their site.

[Barbara]

Happy Easter to all at JOM!

[narciso]

well I generally avoid, going to Hot Air, and Politico, since they seem to be where I've caught the variety of viruses, yet like Michael Corleone 'I keep getting dragged back in' Yes Ted Danson, has a new book out,
Oceana, just like Douglas Brinkley, had something out earlier, attesting to the perfect idyll that Alaska was, before the hand of Mordor, touched it,

[Jane]

I wish I hadn't missed the Brit and Juan show this morning.

You didn't miss much. Juan tried to dominate the conversation - like he does every week. Once again, he annoyed but failed.

[narciso]

I think this review of Atlas Shrugged, is the best, surprising that it has been so rare among most, Roger Simon, the good one, has been dissapointing in this regard, as has Kyle Smith, who has become much of an all around hack:

http://www.blackfive.net/main/2011/04/atlas-shrugged-part-1.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Blackfive+%28BLACKFIVE%29

[Jim Rhoads a/k/a vnjagvet]

Jane, I'm always thinking Brit is dying to say "Juan, you ignorant slut".

[narciso]

David Stockman, is thicker than adamantium, isn't he, it's not a new conclusion.

[Jane]

He certainly should Jim. Hell, I yell it every week. I think Juan has gotten more cocky since he got fired from NPR and it isn't pretty.

[larry]

I think Brit is too much of a friend to expose Juan. They've been on that round table together for a long time. I think Brit is not only the sharpest on the air, but a genuinely good guy.

[clarice]

When he retired, I stopped watching tv. I know he's on the sunday panels but it's not enough reason for me to turn on the idiot box.

[rse]

clarice-

Thanks for the adorable animals posting.

[JM Hanes]

MarkO:

"Does anyone know why the Holder DOJ went after the Internet gambling sites?"

Indian casinos have a friend in Obama?

[Janet]

Great point JM Hanes! Barack Black Eagle of the mighty Crow Indian Nation comes through!

[JM Hanes]

Pete Wehner put up a nice Good Friday column over at Commentary.

[cathyf]

Sue, I accidentally installed that fake "anti-spyware" virus on one of the customer service PCs at work (we've got 90 macs and 12 windows machines -- which ones do you think cause all the problems?) I was logging on as the admin, checking to see if AVG was up-to-date, and it popped up a panel that looked a lot like AVG offering an update so I took it, and 2 seconds later went ACCKK! I got it off using malwarebytes. I've had really good luck combining malwarebytes and AVG -- they each find things that the other doesn't find.

[matt]

what really bothers me is the ban on imported salamis and meats...fascist bastards....

do they have kinder egg sniffing dogs yet?

[RichatUF]

Jane-

Sorry that did come out right. My condolences to Amy's family and my prayers.

[RichatUF]

matt-

do they have kinder egg sniffing dogs yet?

Don't give them any ideas.

[Jane]

Rich,

It came out just fine. Thank you.

[narciso]

Clearly if we don't ban the kinder eggs, 'the terrorists have won,' facepalm with an octopus,'

[narciso]

On a similar note, they come in on approach,
and then 'auger in':

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-democrats-working-class-problem/2011/04/19/AFBKSnQE_story_1.html

[Extraneus]

Remember when Alexander Britton ("Brit") Hume was targeted by Clinton for asking imperious questions, then resigned from ABC News and signed with the fledgeling Fox News and ended up as possibly the best news man in the business, on a network that allowed reporters to criticize Clenis at will? (At his last news conference as ABC's chief White House correspondent, President Clinton told him, "I think all of us think you have done an extraordinary, professional job under Republican and Democratic administrations alike.) One of the great stories in the history of American journalism.

I didn't remember his son, Sandy Hume, a reporter for The Hill, who broke the story of the aborted 1997 coup by Rep. Bill Paxon against Speaker Newt Gingrich and committed suicide out of shame for a drunk driving arrest.

[MarkO]

The venerable Cokie Roberts, Democrat by birth, affiliation and temperament, and another objective ABC News reporter, today laid down a full house of race cards when she cunningly said: "The bad part about this is that it's acceptable to say that he's a Muslim because the same people won't say, 'I don't like him cause he's black'" What an unctuous daughter of the War of Northern Aggression.

[Extraneus]

what really bothers me is the ban on imported salamis and meats...fascist bastards....

What??? All the low-carb soprasetta I've been eating is domestic?

[MarkO]

Brother Obama might call that a false choice. You see, it is possible actually to despise Obama and ignore altogether his early religion and his race. Because our Belle thinks only in those terms, likely her pea brain could not comprehend the cornucopia of faults, actions, inactions, political beliefs and general unattractive qualities that lead millions of people to not like Obama.

[Janet]

Brit Hume did a great interview with my pastor in 2004 at Christmas.
Part 1
Part 2

[narciso]

True, but the Lady of the Glanisters, will brook no disagreement with that premise. I found uber wasp Sherman McCoy caricature Howard DEan, equally insufferable, as I would
Magda 'Fidel is our Teacher' DAvis, on the day of Ctluthu's rising, she would end up in Congress

[Extraneus]

Very interesting interview Janet. Don't know if you'd or he'd agree, but I think he looked better with the 'fro.

[Jack is Back!]

Palin the clairvoyant, at the LUN.

[glasater]

Have read that Hong Kong Kai Tak airport is one of the most dangerous places for aircraft to land. Here's the reason why and do check out the location of the ends of the runway if you take a look at the video:

Heck of a cross wind