Empower The Rich!

A mega-rich guy is trying to buy a legislative result and the NY Times applauds:

Bloomberg’s TV Blitz on Guns Puts Swing Senators on the Spot

By MICHAEL BARBARO

The commercial is an unambiguous appeal to gun owners: a middle-aged hunter, rifle in hand, vows that he will fight to protect the Second Amendment. But in a sensible, father-of-the-house tone, he also urges voters to support comprehensive background checks, “so criminals and the dangerously mentally ill can’t buy guns.”

The man behind the advertisement is not known for his kinship with the gun crowd: Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, the nation’s fiercest advocate of restrictions on firearms since the December rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

Determined to persuade Congress to act in response to that shooting, Mr. Bloomberg on Monday will begin bankrolling a $12 million national advertising campaign that focuses on senators who he believes might be persuaded to support a pending package of federal regulations to curb gun violence. The ads, in 13 states, will blanket those senators’ districts during an Easter Congressional recess that is to be followed by debate over the legislation.

One might think this next passage belongs on the editorialpage rather than a straight news story:

In a telling sign of how much the white-hot demands for gun control have been tempered by political reality, Mr. Bloomberg’s commercials make no mention of an assault weapons ban once sought by the White House and its allies, instead focusing on the more achievable goal of universal background checks.

One might say that the white-hot demand for a ban on assault weapons encountered the reality that such a ban made no sense.

Eventually the Times admits that Mr. Bloomberg may be a flawed messenger:

The N.R.A. plans to roll out its own lobbying campaign, using print and broadcast advertising to reach lawmakers during the recess. But its leaders said that their investment was unlikely to rival the intensity of Mr. Bloomberg’s spending, to be carried out through Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a group he co-founded.

“Can we match Mayor Bloomberg dollar for dollar?” asked Chris W. Cox, the group’s chief lobbyist. “No one can. We don’t have to.”

He predicted that voters and senators would resist a message from an out-of-state magnate who is associated with government limits on soda and salt.

“What he is going to find out is that Americans don’t want to be told by some elitist billionaire what they can eat, drink and they damn well don’t want to be told how, when and where they can protect their families,” Mr. Cox said.

Thomas E. Mann, a Congressional scholar at the Brookings Institution, agreed that Mr. Bloomberg “is not popular in many of the states he is going into right now.”

The Times resisted the temptation to denounce Mr. Bloomberg's opponents as anti-Semitic rubes... for now.

 

Comments

[Danube of Thought]

First.

[hit and run]

In a telling sign of how much the white-hot demands for gun control have been tempered by political reality

Yike.

The history of gun control is fraught with the racist desire to ensure the black man is unarmed.

NYT can't even hide it.

[Danube of Thought on iPad]

The polls would suggest that the white-hot demand comes only from what one might call political extremists, if that term weren't reserved exclusively for conservatives.

[richatuf]

third.

[Danube of Thought on iPad]

There is something seriously weird about Jemele Hill's hairline.

[AliceH]

Here's the HuffPo on the same subject (which somebody here might have linked yesterday).

My favorite part:

The new ads will air in 13 states the group believes are divided on gun control: Arkansas, Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, New Hampshire, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

I am not sure how they decided those are the 'divided' states on this issue, but cool. Spend the money. Spend ALL your money.

[Clarice]

Bloomberg's nuts. Better he should throw away his money while he's alive though. Otherwise it goes into a foundation run by less cuckoo lefties than he is.

[matt]

The great thing about Bloomie's campaign is that it will not change a single opinion.

Clarice, amazing Piece today!

[jimmyk]

Great Pieces, Clarice. I'm wondering how much of a role our estate tax system plays in encouraging the creation of these foundations. If so, it's just yet another way that tax dollars get diverted to lefty political causes. Yet one more reason to get rid of it.

[matt]

We should fund advertising in the urban areas explaining to the inner cities that they will be the ones most affected by background checks.

[narciso]

It's not surprising that Bill Gates Sr, was an estates atty, that Buffett is so in favor of the death tax, it's almost as if they had skin in the game.

[narciso]

My local fishwrap is following the CCR/Levick playbook, playing up this fellow, who is a leader of the 'hunger strikes' which conveniently arise;

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/cnn-whitewashes-gitmo-detainee-s-career_591397.html

[narciso]

Begg, who recruited this fellow, also recruited Abdulmutallab, at the University of London.

[gmax]

I notice Capt Sodaban is not bothering to bring his campaign to Texas! I wonder why not? LOL

[narciso]

Captain Sodaban, heh, of course, my fishwrap sees the attempted attack at UCF, as just another
nail, to hammer gun control.

[gmax]

Can an avalanche start with a pebble rolling down a hill? Did a world war begin over an assassination of a small country leader?

The UK Independence Party leader said that the European Union had “crossed a line” by trying to extract funds from savers under the terms of the abandoned Cypriot bail-out.

Mr Farage said: “Even I didn’t think that they would stoop to actually stealing money from people’s bank accounts.

“There is going to be a big flight of money and that flight of money won’t just be from Cyprus, it will be from the other eurozone countries, too. There are 750,000 British people who own properties, or who live, many of them in retirement, down in Spain.

“Now that we see the EU are prepared to resort to anything to keep alive their failing euro project, our advice to expats living down in the Mediterranean must be, 'Get your money out of there while you’ve still got a chance’.”

And so it begins...

[gmax]

Did anyone see Charles Barkley asking the coach of University of Fla Gulf Coast, "Where the hell is the University of Fla Gulf Coast?" Sometimes the man just says what I am thinking. I am sure that is why he retains his job, despite at time being quite grating...

[narciso]

This all follows the Joyce/Saea Diamond template,

http://www.insidehighered.com/views/mclemee/mclemee290 (H/t; Ace)

[hit and run]

But in a sensible, father-of-the-house tone, he also urges voters to support comprehensive background checks, “so criminals and the dangerously mentally ill can’t buy guns.”

[narciso]

Is 'studied ignorance' the default setting, it's your job to know Chuck, then again apparently neither did the opposing team.

[hit and run]

.

[narciso]

Couldn't get a clue, if they were giving them away;

http://hotair.com/headlines/archives/2013/03/24/rove-i-could-see-gops-2016-nominee-supporting-same-sex-marriage/

You would think association with the 9/11 hijackers would expedite expulsion from this country, but no they classify this fellow Chehazeh as an 'indigent debtor' as a reason not to send him back to Syria, 12 years later.

[Jack is Back (Again)!]

MarkO,

Loved that link to the Grantland article on Duke but did you read the comments? Oh, Boy.

BTW, in case you are collecting more evidence that Obama isn't very smart and at the same time a nasty little man, then you'll like this slam by Niles Gardiner over at the Daily Telly.

[narciso]

If that seems more byzantine then usual, the same counsel for this fellow, are at the forefront of the other crusade;

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lavi-soloway/

[narciso]

Ah, Niles does bring the cricket bat,

[AliceH]

WooT! JamesD (and JOM)gets a shout out at AoS for his 4 books, now on Amazon.

Author J.J. DiBenedetto found out about the book thread from a commenter on the JustOneMinute blog who steered him in our direction. Most authors write their books and release them one at a time. But James is different. He wrote FOUR books and released them all at once. So here they are:

1. Dream Student (Amazon only)
2. Dream Doctor (Amazon - Smashwords)
3. Dream Child (Amazon - Smashwords)
4. Dream Family (Amazon - Smashwords)

Congratulations, James!

[Clarice]

good. James D!

[Clarice]

Thanks Matt and jimmyk...It's odd, isn't it, that estate law limits the amount of time a testator can retain control f his money (Rue against perpetuities) but one can set up one of these tax free foundations, put the money there and let your designees do your bidding centuries after your departure? A lot of smaller foundations are set up to give the dumb kids something to do that keeps them in the public eye. Some deserve to stay on without spending down everything--those that are designed to support perfectly charitable institutions like schools or hospitals or almost all f whose efforts and funds go strictly to relief operations--like Americares or Smiletrain. But they are a drop in the bucket.

[Clarice]

*RuLe*

[rse]

Congrats james.

I don't see how Georgia constitutes a divided state. I keep hearing stories of how far people in the ATL metro area are driving to secure guns and ammo.

Maybe Reed said he hated guns too at some mayoral conference. Probably right before he went off to a "What more can ICLEI do for your town?" program.

Speaking of which it turns out the Sage Fndation also does studies on urban areas. It has done reports on LA, ATL, Detroit, and Boston. It is called the Multi-City study.

I have ATL in transit. Used of course. Here's the link if anyone else is interested. https://www.russellsage.org/publications/category/Multi-City%20Study%20of%20Urban%20Inequality

matt-you might find the LA one revealing.

TC or dave-bet the Boston one is a revelation of troubling theories taxpayers are still funding.

Also interesting given the insistence that what is wrong in urban areas is always the structural inequalities in the broader society. Never personal behavior or the kind of minimum wage and union rules a politician like fauxcahontas would come up with.

[Rob Crawford]

We should fund advertising in the urban areas explaining to the inner cities that they will be the ones most affected by background checks.

Interesting propaganda, but the reality is just the opposite. Unless you're referring to the law-abiding in the inner cities; they'll continue to be denied self-defense so that the Democrat's gang allies can continue to terrorize them.

[AliceH]

--We should fund advertising in the urban areas explaining to the inner cities --

Or...we could fund shotguns.

[matt]

That was the intention, Rob.

With 300+ million firearms in the country, the crims will always have a source. It pop or Aunt Maria in the inner city who is the victim.

Funny story. My aunt was on the way to the doctor's many years ago in New York and was robbed at knifepoint of her purse.

The funny part was that the only thing in it was a fecal sample.

[narciso]

Because as it turns out, more often then not, the same folks are against effective law enforcement, hence Quinn's anti-frisking campaign. hence the assault on the Condor proactive gang unit, over some regretable mistakes.

[Jack is Back (Again)!]

Clarice, your Pieces today inspired me to look into the Foundation business especially the giving part. It appears that the of the top 10 giving foundations 8 seem to be Big Pharma but I don't know if is giving to subsidize health care for the needy or something else. Gates is number one and gives over $2 billion a year.

Link

[narciso]

Q.E.D, or life imitating art;

http://hotair.com/archives/2013/03/24/fictional-gangster-rap-video-apparently-not-so-fictional/

[narciso]

Well regarding Obamacare in particular;

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/06/25/how-left-and-progressive-foundations-gave-us-obamacare-law-hated-by-so-many/

[maryrose]

clarice: Your Pieces today was informative and eye opening. Thank you for shining a bright light on it.
Butler and Marquette game was a nail-biter and I still want to know why that one basket didn't count. I feel like the Butler team felt they had lost already before that chance occurred ,by the mistake of the Marquette player. In March Madness you need to be talented and lucky.I was surprised by the Gonzaga loss but they looked flat from the get-go.They then proceeded to play catch-up the rest of the game.Wichita State coach and his kids at the end was cute.

[Danube of Thought on iPad]

"Sometimes the man just says what I am thinking."

I saw him interviewing Marshall Henderson and his coach together. He said to the coach, "when I see him play I say, there's sump'n wrong with that kid."

[maryrose]

narciso: So true about Obamacare. I wonder if we can ever turn this turkey into an effective insurance program. Why can't they just admit they made a huge mistake passing it as is and start to remedy the situation.Bammy's blunder can't hurt him. He's been re-elected.
OT: What does Romney see as his chief mistakes in his campaign?

[Danube of Thought on iPad]

Speaking of Henderson:

"Before graduating from high school, Henderson was arrested and sentenced to 25 days in jail for trying to buy $800 (59 grams) worth of marijuana with counterfeit money. Following that arrest, he was placed on probation. While on probation, he failed a drug test, testing positive for alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine. This, combined with his failing to perform community service as dictated, caused his probation to be revoked by Tarrant County in Texas."

[narciso]

I'm reminded of this attempt at inquiry into the matter, described by the chief investigator;

http://realityzone.stores.yahoo.net/hiddenagenda2.html

It sounds crazy, but reality doesn't look any more logical

[Jack is Back (Again)!]

DoT,

Sounds like he will fit right in with the NBA. Ahia State wins on a buzzer beater 3.

And at the Arnold Palmer in Orlando we have a tornado watch and severe thunderstorm. Which means in an hour we will be next. Got 6" of rain in 1 hour last evening. Couldn't see 5 feet in frot of us - a real gullywasher.

In his Angelus today, Pope Francis announced he is going to Rio in July for the World Youth Day. Cha,Cha,Cha!

[MarkO]

JiB, thanks for the link. I think the college in Durham needs to embrace its inherent snottyness. Condescension, smugness, and unctuousness can be excellent qualities. Certainly not attributes celebrated at the college of John Edwards, 7 miles down the road.

Wine and cheese, indeed.

[Danube of Thought on iPad]

"I wonder if we can ever turn this turkey into an effective insurance program"

It's a tragically horrible mistake to try, Maryrose. Once again, with its tinkering around the edges of this Rube Goldbergian nightmare, the GOP is reduced merely to claiming that it's the more efficient manager of the welfare apparatus. Who cares if they are?

A united, principled party would declare its willingness to work on bipartisan legislation, but only after this partisan, corruply-enacted mistake is repealed in its entirety. Never happen.

[Ignatz Ratzkywatzky]

--It appears that the of the top 10 giving foundations 8 seem to be Big Pharma but I don't know if is giving to subsidize health care for the needy or something else.--

One of the lessons you learn at the oncolgist's office is just how much the big pharmaceutical companies subsidize their drugs through tax exempt foundations.
Almost every chemo drug has a program covering or partially covering deductibles and copays either directly from the company or an affiliated foundation and it isn't just for the indigent.
Most of them will cover people up to five times or more the supposed poverty rate, some of them have no income limits and none that I know of require anything more than the patient's word for income verification.

[narciso]

If you're going to argue for Duke, who not use the last three reasons, the first four seem beside the point, I konw, snorfle.

[Ignatz Ratzkywatzky]

--Some deserve to stay on without spending down everything--those that are designed to support perfectly charitable institutions like schools or hospitals or almost all f whose efforts and funds go strictly to relief operations--like Americares or Smiletrain. But they are a drop in the bucket.--

Who decides what's "perfectly charitable"?
Abolish them all. If it's a good idea it will be funded.
How did charities or charitable work exist before there was an income and estate tax to avoid?
The estate tax only existed originally for short periods to fund war related expenses and, as with so many awful things, only became permanent around WWI.

If the country could maintain the impressive range of hospitals, orphanages and private welfare organizations when it was as relatively poor as it was prior to the income and estate taxes imagine what it could do today, especially if welfare was left in the hands of the private sector as it should be and taxes were commensurately reduced.

[MarkO]

"Snorfle?" "Snorfle?" Shirley you jest.

[rse]

Ignatz just said what I was going to. That is subsidizing drugs.

The Duke Endowment supports Duke along with Davidson, Furman, and one other school but it is not Duke University's money. It just gave $45 million last fall to Davidson to reinvent the nature of liberal arts education. It also has pulled them all heavily into the green movement.

Woodruff had no children and always told his wife's nieces that he would cover ed and deb parties but they would not get his money. When he died each of the 3 or 4 nieces got one of his homes. Each worth about $2 million when he died. His death also changed Emory Law because they no longer had to rely on tuition income. So once they no longer liked the credentials of a potential incoming class, they stopped enrollment. Really turned that law school around within about 5 years.

[rse]

Ford, No 12, and Hewlett, No 14, are heavily involved in a great deal of what I track. Ford did not wait a second before starting its agenda.

[Jack is Back (Again)!]

This is the best analysis of the Cyprus situation and what it means to the Eurozone that I have read. Very compact and interesting.

A sample:

"Where does this leave the rest of the eurozone? If the Cypriots fail to impose the lion’s share of the costs onto foreign creditors, some eurozone governments (not least the German one) could face insurmountable political obstacles to a bail-out of the country. However, if Cyprus imposes a big haircut on large (mostly foreign) creditors, the rest of the eurozone would have more political wiggle room, possibly opening the way for a workable deal. If not, the outcome will be an uncontrolled default. Cyprus would not necessarily have to leave the currency union, but in reality would probably have little choice because the Cypriot central bank would need to print money in order to keep the country’s banking sector afloat."

[Janet]

narciso's 2:36 link goes perfect with Clarice's Pieces today. Wow.

[Threadkiller de ruina]

Jane, I don't know if you still need help with your heater. If you still do, rest assured that smooth operators are standing by.

[Jack is Back (Again)!]

“I do think there are certain times we should infringe on your freedom,” he said on Sunday morning.

Guess who?

A. Adolf Hitler
B. Joseph Stalin
C. Pol Pot
D. Michael Bloomberg

[jimmyk]

Once again, with its tinkering around the edges of this Rube Goldbergian nightmare, the GOP is reduced merely to claiming that it's the more efficient manager of the welfare apparatus. Who cares if they are?

So true. It was a mistake to go along with repealing the device tax, though it was just a symbolic vote. Rs should respond to every effort to "fix" Obamacare with, "We had nothing to do with it, you passed it over our objections. The only fix you will get a single R vote for is to repeal."

[Jack is Back (Again)!]

Whoa Nellie!

The A-10 aka Temple taking it to Big Ten aka Indiana. Up by 3 at the half. They sat Zeller with 2 PF's most of the last part of the 1st half.

[Clarice]

Have to check out narciso's link. Iggie beat me to the draw on Big Pharma--they are very generous too in donating (often almost expiring but still good)medicines to relief outfits.

[Ignatz Ratzkywatzky]

I'm going with (D) Bloomberg unless it was at a seance.

[Jane - Mock the Media!]

TK,

I just want to know what the possible culprits are. If you know. Merci!

JIB,

My Orlando connection just called. He got hit with the tornado which he says started a Bay Hill and continued into his neighborhood. Just trees down that he knows of. Apparently the 82 degree temp is down to 53.

[narciso]

Well the Reese committee did do pioneering actually the only investigations in the area.
But you see the Nye Commission, which poisoned
the interwar attitude toward disarmament, that needed to go forth, The Church Committee has simular effects in foreign policy and corporate
understanding,

[Jack is Back (Again)!]

I am not impressed with the Indiana coach. He seems to be in permanent crisis and frazzled.

BTW, Gregg Anthony impresses me more than any of the other pundits. Not bad for a Running Rebel but then he worked for the ultimate guy in a crisis and frazzled.

[Captain Hate]

There is something seriously weird about Jemele Hill's hairline.

What is this comment in reference to? Jemele is an idiot but I didn't see anything about her in the thread.

Ohio State was *extremely* lucky to win today. Barkley is in HOF mode calling out the dimwit refs.

[Jack is Back (Again)!]

Jane,

It decided to go south of us toward the Cape. Nice and sunny here but hot and humid. According to the weather guys they had over 1,700 lightning strikes in the last hour of the storm in Orlando area.

[narciso]

Was Admission, a Dantesque exercise, you betcha, in the LUN

[narciso]

The gig was up, that's why he resigned;

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/03/24/leader-western-backed-syria-rebel-coalition-resigns/

[Chubby]

((Mr Farage said: “Even I didn’t think that they would stoop to actually stealing money from people’s bank accounts. ))

I read an article yesterday that pointed out that at least the levy is transparent, unlike covert theft via inflation.

I wonder if Merkel is all upset about Cyprus not going for the deal because it was a trial balloon.

[Jack is Back (Again)!]

Chubby,

Read my link at 3:24 from the Centre of European Reform. Germany has decided to stay put and why not. The DM is worth a hellva lot more than any Euro will ever be.

[Chubby]

((Where does this leave the rest of the eurozone? If the Cypriots fail to impose the lion’s share of the costs onto foreign creditors, ...))

the only place they could have earned enough to pay depositers up to 6% interest was from Greek bonds, and they can't get blood from a stone.

[Danube of Thought on iPad]

Anthony has been a declared Republican since his UNLV days.

CH, I see Jemele on Sports Reporters most Sunday mornings. I just assume the entire civilized world watches.

Horrible late charging call saved the Buckeyes' bacon.

[Captain Hate]

CH, I see Jemele on Sports Reporters most Sunday mornings. I just assume the entire civilized world watches.

Dear God, why would anybody put "Micheal Jordan is overrated" on anything other than an unintentional comedy show.

This Temple/IU game has been horribly reffed too; if Temple loses those zebras should steer clear of the Illatropolis.

[daddy]

Somewhat in line with Clarice's excellent pieces today, I'd love to know who's paying for this:

Bill Ayers is now a feted ‘visiting scholar’ at Minnesota State University Moorhead

School officials at Minnesota State University Moorhead have selected left-wing radical and admitted terrorist Bill Ayers as the 2013 College of Education and Human Services “visiting scholar,” according to Campus Reform.

...MSUM proclaimed that Ayers’s campus-wide address would be called “Teaching from the Heart: Education for Enlightenment and Freedom.”

Social justice was the big theme of his visit.

But of course.

[daddy]

Terrific game Temple/Indiana.

50 seconds to go, IU by 1, and Temple with the ball.

Temple's Wyatt has been amazing.

[rse]

Have not looked at narciso's but my understanding is that the Reese committee hearings stopped after some lives were threatened. But no one ever sued the person who stated that the foundations in the 50s saw their mission as transitioning the US toward the Soviet model.

I have the precise names in my notes somewhere but I believe Charlotte Iserbyt is the source.

Off to mop. The cat hair from 5 cats, 2 of which are black, has to go.

[Danube of Thought on iPad]

So LaSalle is the A-10's last hope for the Sweet 16.

[hit and run]

DoT:
I see Jemele on Sports Reporters most Sunday mornings. I just assume the entire civilized world watches.

Call me an uncivilizationist. Wouldn't know a Jemele from gym bag.

Most unfortunately, I think I am about to encounter my first televised interaction with March Madness. Against my counsel, it appears the consensus is to go to a pub or sports bar for dinner. But being an uncivilizationist, it is not entirely unexpected that my counsel go unheeded.

At least there will be beer.

[Chubby]

Jack, when I first read your post, I was looking for a link to the story you were referring to and couldn't see it .. I was looking below your italicized quote not above. I've now read it.

[gmax]

If Cyprus goes back to some kind of drachma based currency, the value of it will be hammered by a skeptical public. Either way the depositors are getting a haircut, its unavoidable since the banks are closed and you can not withdraw your funds and get them to safety. Screwed and tattooed brought to you by the same folks who brought you the Euro.

[Chubby]

((Screwed and tattooed brought to you by the same folks who brought you the Euro.)

and Cyprus is just the first example. once achieved, the model will be applied elsewhere.

[narciso]

The interview linked was with Norman Dodd, who was Iserbyt's source, he was the one who related
Rowan Gaither's statement, and was not sued for it.

[Dave (in MA)]

Drudge has a rumor that Assad has been shot by his own bodyguard.

[daddy]

Can you imagine how much good Bloomy's $12 Million might have actually done if it was spent to inform the public on the particular horrors of Dr Gosnell's murderous Abortion Factory.

That is publicity that could actually save lives to the tune of thousands if not millions.

Astonishing to me how little press that horror show is getting stateside.

[rse]

It's been a couple of years since I read all that but it was quite memorable. The facts of what has gone on since support it. I almost fainted when one of the Ed Lab partners left H to go be Director of that Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences that Ralph Tyler started with Ford seed money.

Quite a few of the Gordon Commission members have done at least one stint there.

[narciso]

Which seems a little cointerintuitive in light of what he was involved in part, but possibly not;

http://www.rand.org/about/history.html

[Clarice]

Lots of reports today that Assad was shot dead by one of his Iranian bodyguards. I suppose we won;t know for several days whether the reports are true or not.

[Clarice]

Gateway Pundit's been doing regular updates on the Assad story.

[narciso]

What was that line from Godfather, the soldiers are paid to fight, the rebels are not (hence are more motivated)

[sbwaters]

Assad - you sure he isn't in Cuba for extended cancer treatment?

[narciso]

It's not out of the question,

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2013/03/breaking-assad-shot-by-iranian-bodyguard-hospitalized-in-damascus/

[narciso]

It seems a little odd with Khatib stepping down,
coincidentally,

[Jane - Mock the Media!]

I love this update from Gateway Pundit:

UPDATE: Assad’s inner circle says the reports are not true – the dictator is in high spirits and will deliver a keynote speech within days (unless he’s dead).

[jimmyk]

Speaking of Cyprus, daughter and I saw Verdi's "Otello" at the Met, last night. It's set in Cyprus, and early on this line from Iago got a good chuckle from the audience:

All Cyprus rejoices--
It’s a night of joy!

There is no joy in Cyprus tonight, I don't think.

[bgates]

so criminals and the dangerously mentally ill can’t buy guns

I think it's important that criminals and the dangerously mentally ill aren't allowed to make decisions about firearms purchases, which is why I oppose any effort by Congress to get involved.

[Danube of Thought on iPad]

"Wouldn't know a Jemele from a gym bag."

I often have trouble with that myself, and I watch the show regularly.

[narciso]

I got on my Renaissance roundabout with this tale by Slocum, Iago, which is about the title character, but more importantly the political environment in early 16th Century Venice, in the aftermath of the loss at Marignano, among other elements.

[Jack is Back (Again)!]

Indiana showed today they are way over-rated and I still have a hard time understanding how they were picked number 1 preseason. The A-10 were impressive but not enough juice to see it to the sweet 16. I still believe that at the end of the day its going to be a SEC team v. a ACC team.

But then I bet on the 49er's .

[Frau Fernseher]

OT - thanks, narciso, for the Briscoe County tip. It was new to me and I ordered the set. With all the "stuff" going on,* I appreciate the diversion.

*Trying to figure out the attacks:
Boy Scout homosexuality = OK
Catholic Church homosexuality = not OK
Yeah, I figured that the church/religion was the target, not really the activity.

[daddy]

I think I am about to encounter my first televised interaction with March Madness. Against my counsel, it appears the consensus is to go to a pub or sports bar for dinner.

Do it for the children, Hit.

[gmax]

So Jemele Hill's bio lists Skip Bayless and Jim Rome's shows as credits. No WONDER I did not know her from a Cypress bank depositor... ( Bayless is a no talent hack and Rome seems to think rudeness is an endearing quality ).

[Threadkiller de ruina]

Jane, tell me more.