Back To The Future

Newt Gingrich assures a radio audience that "'Kids shouldn't work in coal mines".  Breakthrough stuff.

Politico notes Gingrich's use of his Enhanced Auto-Distract functionality:

This is the kind of statement that probably falls into the "if you have to say it ..." category. Gingrich has not backed away one inch from his suggestion that public school children be paid to do some work around their schools. He has now spent well over a week trying to clarify what he meant, however, and that kind of time isn't a luxury he'd have in a general election.

OUCH:  A vigorous Newt-blast from Ramesh Ponnuru of Bloomberg and NR.  The intro:

Before Republicans put Newt Gingrich at the top of their party, they should consider what happened the last time he led it.

In the mid-1990s, Gingrich was the de facto head of the Republican Party. He helped lead it to victory in the congressional elections of 1994, which brought about real accomplishments such as welfare reform. But once he attained power, both his popularity and that of his party started to plummet. In the aftermath of his leadership, a Republican was able to take the presidency only by pointedly distancing himself from Gingrich.

Conservatives who dislike George W. Bush’s compassionate conservatism have Gingrich to thank for it. After Gingrich lost the budget battles with President Bill Clinton, it took 15 years for any politician to take up the cause of limited-government conservatism that he had discredited.

Although Gingrich isn’t solely responsible for the Republican policy defeats of those years, his erratic behavior, lack of discipline and self-absorption had a lot to do with them.

Then Ramesh drops the gloves.

Comments

[centralcal]

New, thread and some new news:

NBCPhiladelphia reports Montgomery County,PA Commissioner Jim Matthews, the brother of “Hardball” host Chris Matthews, has been arrested on charges of perjury. The arrest is a result of an 18-month investigation into campaign contributions and expenses reported by Matthews.

Ah, yes, corruption does run in liberal circles, does it not? Oh wait, it says he is a Republican. Yikes!

[Jane]

Can I ask a dumb questions? (try and stop me)

Is it possible to create a parallel internet when the government encroaches too much on this one?

[Neo]

Obama Administration to Slash Foreign Aid

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Obama administration will begin considering how countries treat gay and lesbian citizens when making decisions about allocating foreign aid, an official familiar with the decision says.

[narciso]

It's probably illegal to be one, over there, cc; like I was pointing out in the earlier thread, Newt has given this topic of practical
over theoretical education, a fair amount of though, going back to his Ph.D thesis on Belgian educational policy in the Congo, forty years ago;

http://www.scribd.com/doc/74196290/Gingrich-Belgian-Education

AS one of his more honest critics put it,
they loved Wilson's Congressional Government, because he concluded the founders were ultimately wrong,

[Clarice]

At this point in the game free publicity every day is a plus. The low info voters who have no idea what the issues or facts are are voting for celebrities not their favorite NRO pundit.

[Jim Ryan]

Jane, I'm way too ignorant to answer that question, but just try to stop me. Answer: you'll need $trillions to create the infrastructure.

[narciso]

I figure from some of the sources that he can understand, if not fluent in French,

A more honest review than Hoschild, of the paper, in some ways;

http://robertpaulwolff.blogspot.com/2011/11/newt-gingrichs-doctoral-dissertation.html

[Rocco]

Great idea Newt! I can see those 4th graders picketing at recess now. IBHM...International Brotherhood of Hall Monitors.

daddy, please take a few brews with you when you venture out with the dogs.

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/03/9195424-alaska-man-stranded-in-snow-3-days-survives-on-frozen-beer

[Danube of Thought]

And having invested those trillions, Jane, there's no way to keep the government's hands off it.

Climbing out of LAX headed for JFK. In-flight Wi-Fi for $14.95. First Bloody Mary on order.

Minus 19 at Raz today.

[Clarice]

We still have no wifi on flights LAX from Dulles. Sigh.

[Rocco]

This seems a bit far fetched but DEBKAfile is reporting that the drone captured by Iran was controlled by Iranians from a distance and guided across the border where it obtained minor wing damage while landing.

http://www.debka.com/article/21545/

[Clarice]

More than far fetched--utter B.S.

So is the US govt's claim that the drones cannot be made to self destruct when we lose track of hem. Something's fishy about the whole drone business.

[Rocco]

Oh, and stay away from the puffer fish.

http://www.canada.com/life/Diner+nearly+dies+after+eating+puffer+fish/5813855/story.html

[Rocco]

Operation Drone Runner, lol?

[Jane]

Why can't we just poach the infrastructure like they did with AT&T. I do think DOT has a point about trying to stop the government, but surely we are smarter than them.

[Geezer]

I had a paper route when I was in elementary school, I mowed lawns at a large apartment complex when I was in Jr High, and I worked in restaurants in Sr High.

I see nothing wrong with allowing children to learn the value of work for pay.

Sure, I'm a geezer.

[narciso]

I'm reminded that certain results are significant until they are not, in 1992, Harkin won Iowa, Clinton placed 2nd in New Hampshire, yet he was dubbed 'the comeback kid' I suppose because his future showing on Super Tuesday. Obama lost many primaries after
the Iowa primary, yet it didn't matter,

[bgates]

Sigh.

Nobody's happy.

[bolitha]

Well, I would prefer Newt not make explanations. People knew what he meant, and those who did not will never know.

[bolitha]

Or rather people who did know but refuse to acknowledge.

[centralcal]

Poor old, "investigative journalist," Bob Woodward, doesn't like sitting next to Al Gore. It is "taxing" and "unpleasant."

Woodward offered up another tidbit from the conversation with his dinner companion. The investigative reporter asked the politician, more than five years after leaving office, how much the public knows about what went on during the Clinton administration. Gore replied, “One percent.”

Woodward admitted that revelation made him feel a bit icky, saying, “I kind of died inside and have to confess to having an unclean thought.”

He then dug a little deeper, asking Gore, if the former VP were to write a memoir, how much Americans would know then. Gore retorted, “Two percent.”

[narciso]

Didn't we learn that lesson from the Simpsons,
Rocco,did they hack the drone's guidance systems, how would you do that.

[Jane]

BGates (Where have you been? Are you two-timing us?)

Your link doesn't work or at least it says it's not functional. I can't figure out if that was the intent.

[Danube of Thought]

Yeah Clarice, this is pretty rare. It's United's "Premium Sevice," which is a 757 that operates only on the JFK-SFO-LAX triangle. We are in biz, which is mighty fine.

We are going to spend a couple days with friends in CT, then train down to stay with my brother in Arlington and will catch the Army-Navy game at the Redskins' stadium on Saturday. I had intended to use the occasion to ask Clarice to meet me in that round bar in the Willard for a Martini and a salad, but there is going to be so much family in town for the occasion that the dance card has been filled in. Next time...

Beat Army.

[Dave (in MA)]

The bgates link worked for me.

[narciso]

It's a link to a Louis CK rant on one of the late night shows, I'm kind of mildly amused at that comment, somewhat like Coolidge's rejoinder to Dorothy Parker's bet, 'You lose'

Woodward missed the surge in 'State of Denial' much like Tom Ricks, it would mess up the template, he celebrated Greenspan, with an obsequious that would make Seneca
nauseous, He must have known with Mark Felt's status, that he was fighting a proxy fight with the administration, his dealings
with Casey, were famously duplicitous.

[Jim Ryan]

What?! Clinton getting big bucks monthly from MF to advise investment in euro bonds? Resulting in belly up? You couldn't have made that up.

[Jim Ryan]

Ugh. Doom.

[Cecil Turner]

I see nothing wrong with allowing children to learn the value of work for pay.

Which was his point, and well taken. Liberals are hyperventilating over his obviously correct remarks about the lack of work ethic in the long term unemployed population. Newt is rather well-qualified to opine on the subject, having negotiated significant welfare reform (one of his most important achievements as Speaker).

Besides, he's an idea man:

What if you mix the mayonnaise in the can, WITH the tunafish? Or... hold it! Chuck! I got it! Take LIVE tuna fish, and FEED 'em mayonnaise! Oh this is great. Call Starkist!

[Jim Rhoads a/k/a vnjagvet]

I was a bit surprised to see that cc's Woodward quote was from the speech he gave at the same event that Gore was his dinner companion. I wonder if Al joined in the hearty laughter that ensued.

[narciso]

It's too bad that Word Cup picking Octopus passed on, they could have done better with
an occasional extra fish.

[narciso]

You should have LUNed the Nighshift quotes, Cecil.

[Ranger]

Hmmmm... Rush was just talking about the news that the Volt has had serious battery problems all along, and the information was suppressed. He pointed out that apperently the NTSB new about the problems as well, and helped cover it up. If true, then Obama has managed to corrupt one of the most important organizations in the US Government. We trust the NTSB to keep the entire transportation system in this country operating safely. Good thing Obama didn't bail out America Airlines, or we would have to question the entire application of airline safety rules.

[narciso]

'What happens at Govmo, stays with Govmo' meanwhile Toyota, is a non union competitor,
they deserve the Full Luigi Vercotti treatment

[Captain Hate]

Ranger when you consider the wildly inaccurate crop predictions by the Ag Dept, is there anything left in which to place any degree of trust?

[narciso]

You mean Valentine, and Winthorpe, didn't corrupt the system, sarc.

[Cecil Turner]

Rocco,did they hack the drone's guidance systems, how would you do that.

I don't know that much about the subject (and most of that is dated), but I did do a few mishap investigations on old UAVs back in the 90s, and the control systems were basically R/C kits. Also, remember the insurgents hacking video a couple years ago?

It wouldn't surprise me at all to find they were trying to hack the drones, nor that that particular model wasn't encrypted (or that someone was careless and turned the encryption off . . . something that used to happen a lot for comm gear back in the day when you couldn't get it to work properly). Just saying it doesn't sound completely implausible on its face.

You should have LUNed the Nighshift quotes, Cecil.

Sorry. (A little, at least.)

[Ranger]

Hmmm... Hot Air has a post up that is very interesting:

Video: US approved large escalation of legal gun sales to Mexico

It seems that a lot of the American made guns going to the cartels were actually sold to local governments, then diverted after they were shipped.

Apperntly, the Obama administration new the loss rates on these sales were close to 25%, and actually approved even more weapons to be sold.

[Benjamin Franklin]

Which scenario do you prefer, Bedford Falls or Pottersville?

http://themoderatevoice.com/130926/pottersville-revisited/

"Here’s what I think Capra is telling us: there are good capitalists and evil capitalists… capitalists who enrich the community and capitalists who enrich themselves at everyone else’s expense. When the latter breed of capitalist is allowed to triumph, the result is Pottersville — in short, economic and spiritual devastation for the “99 percent.”

Moral of the story: The good capitalists — the George Baileys of the world — are indispensable bulwarks against the unrestrained greed and ruthlessness of the big-money interests. In short, the George Baileys have to prevail or we’re toast."

[Captain Hate]

I think Beeks has been up to some sort of misdirection, narc. While avoiding gorillas, of course...

[GMAX]

Given the links posted by Pagar and Threadkiller, I am wondering if they care to comment on this development:

Occupy Wall Street protesters are planning a national day of action on Tuesday, Dec. 6 to "stop and reverse" foreclosures.

The "Occupy Homes" movement is holding actions across 20 cities in the country in support of homeowners and people fighting to have a home.

[Jack is Back!]

narciso,

Your link on Newt's dissertation was terrific, especially, as here, the comments.

The reason the docs were in French is pretty simple: That was the language of Belgium at the time of Leopold II. Flemish didn't become the official language of Flanders region and one of the 4 Belgian languages until 1935 IIRC. My wife's family learned at school in French although spoke Dutch at home. To this day, the upper crust of Flanders, still speak French in social settings like at the golf club or academia. Everyday life is Flemish but not for the hoi-polloi.

The fact that Newt appealed to his dissertation director's background as a Belgian in choosing the subject matter only shows clever political skills on his part. Plus it may have been somewhat esoteric for Modern European History studies but I will wager that most humanities dissertations have equal trivial and esoteric subject matters.

BTW, my wife knows the family of Professor Laurent (the ones that stayed behind). Her father was the President of the University of Antwerp and an academic. I have to pass on the dissertation to the good Doctor Professor for his reading pleasure:)

[centralcal]

Rush is saying he thinks the whole OWS protest thing was created to hurt Romney. That he is the only candidate Obama can tie to Wall Street.

[narciso]

He was a VP at MF Global, when they got him back from Africa.

[Rocco]

Senator Wants Law Targeting Suspect Chinese Defense Electronics

It just doesn't make sense. If we had control of that drone, why wouldn't we crash it into the ground if we knew it was going down? This drone landed with minimal damage. Why would we land a drone in enemy territory, unless it's a trojan horse

[narciso]

I figured you would some more insight into it JiB, It struck me as a very perceptive document, of course to the Times it would be like chimps apprehending Hamlet.

[Benjamin Franklin]

He's just not that smart.....

http://www.theonion.com/articles/in-major-gaffe-obama-forgets-to-dumb-it-down,26820/

CINCINNATI—In a serious miscalculation that may prove devastating to his bid for a second term, President Barack Obama neglected Tuesday to simplify a statement to the point where it could readily be grasped by anyone with the vocabulary of an 8-year-old. "Instead of saying, 'There are many global variables at work here, and unless they all fall into place, we could find ourselves back in a recession,' he should have just said, 'Times are hard. We gotta be strong,'" said Washington Post political correspondent Brian Meltzer, noting that Obama's statement during a speech on job creation was met with dumbfounded looks and audible gasps from the crowd. "Americans are so used to meaningless homespun homilies, they don't know what to do when they're treated like thinking adults. The president has to understand that if he goes out there throwing around words like 'currency' and 'economy,' he'll end up being branded an elitist." In an attempt to correct the error, Obama concluded his speech with the words "Jobs good. No jobs bad. God bless America.""

[narciso]

'Forget it Jake, it's Chinatown' Rocco, may be it's a Persian horse,

[Captain Hate]

Tammy Bruce is on a hilarious rant about Crazy Uncle's ad freaking out about Newt.

[Cecil Turner]

If we had control of that drone, why wouldn't we crash it into the ground if we knew it was going down?

Again this is dated, but we used to lose control of them fairly often (by flying them out of range, usually). And once they lost contact, they had no control. That was back when they were pretty cheap. I'm sure it's changed a lot as the price tag goes up.

A little googling turned up this accident report from a 2006 crash (essentially, the operators switched control consoles and goofed up the tranfer resulting in lost comm and a crash). I see from it that they had Iridium (SatCom) capability, and a lost comm procedure programmed, so the line-of-sight problems that plagued the old program isn't necessarily the last word, but the cited mishap rate means they still crash 'em fairly often.

[jimmyk]

we used to lose control of them fairly often

In fact I heard a report, perhaps unreliable, that it was precisely that: They lost control of this one.

[Stephanie]

Life, the Universe and Everything...

or Why You Should Learn to Love Some Islam

LUN

[Appalled]

Ben:

Due to a pledge I made yesterday, I'll go off topic and engage you on that absurd post on It's A Wonderful Life instead. Because that post was really dumb -- trying to find political meaning in a work of art usually is pretty futile, and I can see the shades of Capra, Jimmy Stewart, and Lionel Barrymore visiting your blogger on x-mas night in order to whap this schmuck upside the head.

The vision of the movie really is a study on how George Bailey never really got to do what he want, and how being a nice guy basically brought him to one of the scarier emotional moments in studio era film. (Did I mention Jimmy Stewart is scary good here? Who needs method acting?) I think this plot is what attracted Capra to the film -- he was probably working some personal thing out through this movie, and we can be grateful for the result. If the film had been what the Moderate Voice blogger was ranting on about, we probably would have been watching Meet John Doe (lesser Capra), or one of Dalton Trumbo's unfortunate scripts.

A work of art is rarely going to conform to the ideology of those watching it. Heck, because of the collaborative nature of movies, a good film is really unlikely to conform to the ideology of its makers -- if only because realistic characters have a way of behaving in ways unforseen by either Marx or Adam Smith.

[Thomas Collins]

Thank God nannyism hadn't completely taken over when I was young. Starting at 8 years old, in the summer, I helped an uncle and aunt in their deli/convenience store on 74th and 1st in Manhattan. I waited on customers, moved boxes, cleaned the toilet in the back and brought back takeout Chinese to my aunt and uncle. I'm sure today's nannies would have found my aunt and uncle in violation of several child labor laws. Not to mention that I was paid in kind (free room at their West Side apartment, all the salami sandwiches and Haagen Dazs ice cream I could eat, and being treated to the best Armenian restaurants in Manhattan). Oh, by the way, my uncle smoked his cigars inside the store, which I'm sure today's Ruling Class Bloomieberg Nannies would decry.

[centralcal]

I guess the "bad optics" of his snippy interview with Brett Baier and his complaints afterward, have caused Mitt to re-think his media strategy?

Suddenly finding himself a distant second in many state and national polls, GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney will make his first Sunday talk show appearance since March of 2010 when he appears on “Fox News Sunday.” Host Chris Wallace will sit down with Romney in Charleston, SC on Saturday, Dec. 17 with the interview airing the following morning. Romney will be on for the whole hour.

[rse]

porch-

I was checking on a story that the Council of Great City Schools that makes sure all the urban school districts are implementing comparable bad ideas so that no one moves beyond their group identities had given a job to one of the cheating admins from APS. It was also bothering me that the school districts in ATL who refused to sign on to Race to the Top ended up with supers from CGCS districts with stories that sounded planted and insincere. Anyway, in tracking I saw one of the prime purveyors of bad ed ideas over the last several decades who I have long since mastered. Tracking the most recent iteration of her work brought me into your school district.

I will explicitly incorporate it into describing what is happening now and what it links to and what the real intent is in the so-called reading wars. That's the long term scenario though and will not be available as a fix this school year. In the interim, email me if you see or feel a problem and we will try to come up with a patch that fits your busy life.

[bolitha]

I think that all this Republican "Newt can't win and he is a horrible person, etc.)" will backlash. What do you all think?

[Captain Hate]

Tammy Bruce, while readily admitting that Newt wouldn't be her #1 choice in a perfect world, is giving one of the most impassioned endorsements of him as an alternative to Duke and Duke that I think I've ever heard anybody do on his behalf.

[Cecil Turner]

In fact I heard a report, perhaps unreliable, that it was precisely that: They lost control of this one.

I think that's the odds-on favorite (and the DEBKA article looked to be pure speculation). However, the usual way to find out you've "lost control" is when you signal the UAV to do something and it doesn't respond appropriately (often accompanied by a loss of video or other signal). And that might well be indistinguishable from being hacked.

(Though it also occurs to me that sending up a hacking signal could be extremely hazardous to your health . . . if anyone was looking for it with the appropriate tools. I'd file this one under "dubious.")

[Benjamin Franklin]

"engage you on that absurd post on It's A Wonderful Life instead. Because that post was really dumb -- trying to find political meaning in a work of art usually is pretty futile, "

What pledge? To exhibit the same Igiocy of your handlers at JOM?

Really, you can't be so stupid as to believe what you said about art/politics, but I am making a bold assumption in that premise.

Am I giving you too much credit?

Google 'art as politics' and see what you encounter...

It won't be 'sour' Grapes of Wrath, I assure you

[MCL]

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/10/virus-hits-drone-fleet/

From a couple of months back.

[narciso]

He really was, but this was already apparent in Mr. Smith, he knew unlike Brando that less is more. Capra had a small town skepticism of
large institutions, but he always believed that the individual could make a difference,
This is what separates him and the Tea Party, from the OWS.

[centralcal]

I agree bolitha. I think the backlash is already showing itself in the polling. I think Mitt is reluctantly have to change his media strategy, not merely due to Newt's surge, but because he remains stagnant and unpopular with huge swaths of voters.

Mitt may well be our candidate, but I don't think it is quite going according to his plan or that of Duke and Duke crowd.

[centralcal]

edhenryTV Ed Henry
All this planning for Kansas speech and President slips up at top: "it is great to be back in the state of Tex--oops, State of Kansas"

[Jane]

I don't think I can listen to Mitt for a whole hour.

[Appalled]

Ben:

Well, that was polite. I think I must have stepped on what of your corns...Dang, I thought old movies were a safe topic.

I swore off Gingrich chatter -- because he's been around and the people here (as opposed to the world at large) know who he is, what he has done, and even, I would submit, what he is likely to do.

Yeah, back to off topic, I find that most great art is not terribly political -- mostly because the world does not behave in the ways ideologies suggest, and most great art is in some way a reflection of that world. I think sort of a thought experiment for you would be to seek out the films of Dalton Trumbo, the member of the Hollywood 10 who was really, really guilty, and also really really talented -- sometimes.

Pick out the ones you like. Something like the Magnificent Andrew? Or something like Gun Crazy, which Trumbo wrote under a pseudonym.

[Stephanie]

A little post it on some good news from my daughter's school about tuition. 25% of the students there graduate in less than 4 years, btw. That might have something to do with them pricing tuition at a flat rate and students taking heavier loads to get done quicker. Amazing what you can get a student to do with a little incentive, ain't it? K is taking 7 classes next semester. Woot!

LUN

[Captain Hate]

Going on FNS is a big mistake for Mitt imo and furthers his image as a flip-flopper after pointedly turning down the invitation previously. I'd respect him more if he stuck to his guns and told Ailes and Wallace to pound salt.

[Dave (in MA)]

Obummer and Kathy S. want to make abortion pills available OTC: http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/obama-fda-considers-putting-morning-after-pill-supermarket-shelves_611641.html

[jimmyk]

I think Mitt is reluctantly have to change his media strategy

How does the mere fact of an interview with Chris Wallace indicate that? We'll only know if in the interview he actually changes the message, or at least repackages it significantly. He's dug himself into a hole a mile deep with Romneycare, but perhaps if he turns that into a 10th amendment thing (stealing from Perry a bit), maybe he can turn it to his advantage. But to do that he'd need to talk about eliminating the DofEs, also stealing a page from Perry (hopefully without the brain cramp).

But my guess is that it will be the same old Mitt, for better or worse. I thought the Baier interview wasn't so bad, it was just that Baier reported that Mitt whined about the questions afterward.

[narciso]

Who was it who said, 'there's nothing new under the sun,' rereading Tuchman's Proud Tower, shows something never change, and not in a good way;

[Appalled]

Ben:

Oh, and by the way, when it comes to John Ford, I'll pick The Searchers, anyday, and when it comes to Steinbeck adaptations, Of Mice and Men (both the one with Lon Cheney and the one with John Malkovich).

I admit to not being a great fan of Grapes of Wrath. It's fairly preachy, and accentuates Fonda's self-righteous acting style.

[jimmyk]

Oops, CH answered my first question while I was posting. I guess I'd missed that. Why did he turn his nose up at Fox? And how does that square with the Baier interview?

[jimmyk]

Obummer and Kathy S. want to make abortion pills available

Sure, why not--put 'em right in the candy aisle.

There will be more of this. As with Obamacare, they want to implement as much of their agenda as possible before getting thrown out on their ears, on the theory that once in it's hard to get rid of.

[centralcal]

jimmyk: Mitt was the ONLY candidate who refused to appear on Special Report with Brett Baier and the Center Seat segment (one candidate only, questions from Brett and panel of 3).

Later, he agreed to talk to Brett, but Brett had to go to him - Mitt - no panel, etc. Brett asked questions (including one from each of the Center Seat panel) that ticked Romney off early in the interview.

[Captain Hate]

Obummer and Kathy S. want to make abortion pills available OTC

You don't have to be pro-life to find this a horrible politicization of health care in the name of appealing to zealots with cold feet. The former meme used to be to keep abortion between a woman and her doctor (with any males being omitted from the equation); now that formulation's getting tossed.

jimmyk, about 3 weeks ago at the end of the FNS frankly tedious interviews with all Repub candidates, one per week, Chris Wallace made a point of saying that Romney had declined the opportunity. I can't speak for him but it seemed obvious he didn't feel that he needed to do it.

[narciso]

Birds of a feather, flock together, maybe Warren might have been better, gulp;

http://biggovernment.com/jberlau/2011/12/06/richard-cordrays-heroes-occupy-banks-and-private-homes/

[Neo]

At #OccupyPortland's new encampment, local businessmen drug dealers wielding skateboards surged in, ate some food, and spat in some occupiers’ faces while demanding they leave.

[Captain Hate]

Scottie Centerfold was the first to fold on Cordray? Well that's a shocker...

[Jane]

I see Bambi is going to tie foreign aid to gay rights. I see a huge savings coming our way. And I guess that means we will be quitting the UN. Finally! An outcome I can agree with!

[narciso]

I think this step is known as bargaining;

http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2011/12/newtwening-it-cannot-be-denied.html

[narciso]

It's like they are auditioning to be included in your Pieces, Clarice

http://blogs.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/timblair/index.php/dailytelegraph/comments/diesel_and_bus/

[Captain Hate]

I see Bambi is going to tie foreign aid to gay rights. I see a huge savings coming our way.

Does that mean the palis have to stop lying about Arafat dying of AIDS?

[Captain Hate]

Tammy Bruce just pointed out the problems that can happen with the morning after pill being taken by young people that are a month pregnant. And how this is impairing the relations between a child and parent.

And the FDA is supposed to rule on this with NO public comment?

[Ranger]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Obama administration will begin considering how countries treat gay and lesbian citizens when making decisions about allocating foreign aid, an official familiar with the decision says.

Hmmm... I'm confused. I thought cultural imperialism was bad? I guess its ok to impose some values on other people, just not other values.

[bgates]

I see a huge savings coming our way.

I see a lot of money that's no longer going to those horrid African countries that refuse to arrest George W Bush getting bundled up for an historic and unprecedented offer of foreign aid to Iran, a nation that doesn't have any gay rights problems because there are no gays there.

[Ignatz]

--Oh, and by the way, when it comes to John Ford, I'll pick The Searchers, anyday--

Appalled is A-OK in my book.

[Ignatz]

--I see Bambi is going to tie foreign aid to gay rights.--

Ought to save a few billion with that wave of liberal minded Muslim Brotherhood and Salafists taking over the bloomin' Arab Spring.

[jimmyk]

I see Bambi is going to tie foreign aid to gay rights.

If the usual pattern holds, we will see a spate of articles about how hard it is to be gay in Israel, without a word about Muslim countries.

[Threadkiller]

Gmax, will you post a link please. I would like to make gratuitous comments about other posts at your site, and pretend it is relevant to what you are posting. That is how we disarm an argument, right?

Thanks.

[Dave (in MA)]

"It is great to be back in the state of Texas."
--D'OHbama, while in Kansas.

[Ignatz]

--What pledge? To exhibit the same Igiocy of your handlers at JOM?--

Gosh, note what a dope a troll is a few hundred times and he seemingly never gets over it.

[Melinda Romanoff]

It means nothing, other than the gifting is just going to be harder to find.

[Clarice]

hoi-polloi doesn't mean what I think you think it does, JiB.

Thugh it sounds as f it oughta.

[centralcal]

Rush was practically foaming at the mouth over this today, and Michael Walsh picks up on it as well:

Republicans on a private Republican National Committee conference call with allies warned Tuesday that party surrogates should refrain from personal attacks against President Barack Obama, because such a strategy is too hazardous for the GOP.

“We’re hesitant to jump on board with heavy attacks” personally against President Obama, Nicholas Thompson, the vice president of Tarrance Group, a Republican polling firm, said on the call. “There’s a lot of people who feel sorry for him.”

The stupid, stupid, stupid party. Dear gawd they never learn!

[Melinda Romanoff]

Oh, and they can fund raise off of the prospect of the gift.

I know, shocking. (yawn)

[Porchlight]

In the interim, email me if you see or feel a problem and we will try to come up with a patch that fits your busy life.

Thank you, rse. I may need a refresher on your email address...

Also, OT, thank you to Janet for recommending the Learning Wrap-ups for kids' math skills! I ordered one of each kind and they arrived lightning quick. Really neat tools. The only problem my daughter has is that the riveted keys are a little big for her hands. But she'll get used to it.

Will look at the other great JOM recs after Christmas...

[Charlie (Colorado)]

It just doesn't make sense. If we had control of that drone, why wouldn't we crash it into the ground if we knew it was going down? This drone landed with minimal damage. Why would we land a drone in enemy territory, unless it's a trojan horse.

You know, I'm having second thoughts about the trojan horse notion (yeah, I know, you didn't see my first thoughts.)

The first thoughts were that these things are intended to be semi-autonomous, and might well (at $6 million a pop) be told to land themselves more or less clean when it's been long enough since last contacted.

The second thought is that, if so, it'd be pretty easy for any viral program to say "I've got this much fuel and I'm over Afghanistan pointed west, turn of the radio receivers."

[Neo]

"Layoffs too often became permanent, not part of the business cycle. And these changes didn't just affect blue collar workers. If you were a bank teller or a phone operator or a travel agent, you saw many in your profession replaced by ATMs and the internet," President Obama said at a campaign event in Kansas.

Somebody really ought to tell him that this kind of stuff is called .. get this .. "Change"
Obama can't handle "Change"

[sbw]

We are not attacking Barack; we are pointing out the flaws in his policies. And if his lemmings think we are attacking the man, well, that is their problem.