Thursday Open Thread
In the one short day, when I had no net access to you all, although I never left my house and sought no wars or battles, the wars found me. It was either defend myself and fight back , or let them win. I was preemptively invaded by two enemies in one day: Comcast and Red Lobster. (Details to come in a separate story. )
For now, I just wish to notify you that I did survive the shock and awe phase and to express my glee at being back among friendly faces. I am intact and safe here in my little bunker, planning a strategic counter attack on both fronts. I intend to win and I will not withdraw my forces until I do. 
So! Whassup with you all?
Good morning all!
I’m leaving today for Spain to visit my girlfriend. I’ll be gone for a little over 2 weeks.
Last time I went to Europe, the Abu Ghraib scandal broke while I was having a beer in a pub in London Gatwick.
I am sincerely hoping for a better news cycle this time around.
Comment by ejmw — February 22, 2007 @ 8:55 am
Adios ejmw. Have a wonderful trip. By the time you get back we’ll be well on the way to getting Cheney in prison.
Best of luck in your battles, Scribe. I don’t know about Red Lobster, but Comcast can be formidable. I am on your side.
Comment by Alice — February 22, 2007 @ 9:25 am
Thanks Alice, and I sure hope you’re right! I see that GQ is going to publish articles of impeachment for our beloved veep in their March issue. From their presses to the floor of Congress, I hope!
Comment by ejmw — February 22, 2007 @ 9:35 am
Have a wonderful time ej. I hear Spain is wonderful.
Check this little gem out. I was shocked to get it from my repub sis this AM.
http://aclu.org/pizza/images/screen.swf
Comment by alohaleezy — February 22, 2007 @ 9:43 am
Hey, Canada has given Al Gore a new nickname: The Goracle
It’s the headline on the front page of the National Post today.
Comment by spiderleaf — February 22, 2007 @ 11:00 am
Enjoy Spain ejmw! I’m jealous!
Scribe… don’t let those captains of the seafood industry get a foothold into your territory… they’ll force you to eat shrimp for the next 20 years.
Comment by spiderleaf — February 22, 2007 @ 11:32 am
Ah but Spidey, it is Red Lobster that has to worry about me, from here on!
Have a wonderful trip,ejmw and a grand time with your girl!
Comment by scribe40 — February 22, 2007 @ 11:59 am
Happy (con)trails EJ :o)
scribe, cover yourself in melted butter and run (swim) for your life! :o)
Comment by supersoling — February 22, 2007 @ 12:20 pm
Oh I intend to cover myself in melter butter that will drip down my front while I sit enjoying plenty of shrimp and lobster, on THEIR dime! (THEN I’ll swim away.
Comment by scribe40 — February 22, 2007 @ 12:38 pm
Ok…gotta ask as it seems I missed something about RedLobster and you scribe. What’s that? If you don’t mind me asking. And everyone stop talking about food. I am so hungry right now!!
Comment by alohaleezy — February 22, 2007 @ 1:04 pm
Thanks for the kind wishes everyone! Heading out to the airport shortly. I’ll be thinking of you guys while I’m away…If I get a chance I’ll pop in to say hi and maybe post a pic or two
scribe, good luck in your battles! Sounds like most of the focus is on Red Lobster right now, but watch out for ComCa$t…I’ve dealt with them many a time, and they are a defiant and hardy foe indeed.
Comment by ejmw — February 22, 2007 @ 1:38 pm
Hello everyone, just dragging myself in here as part of my long trip of recovery which is very slow.
Has anyone watched that mess of a hearing on Anna Nichole in Florida, I have never seen anything like it, must be a Bush judge appointee, doesn’t give you hope about judicial system, not that I had any.
Comment by diane101 — February 22, 2007 @ 2:22 pm
Too late to wish ejmw a good trip; he’s prob’ly left already.
Leezy, that ACLU pizza ad is incredible! I’ll be forwarding that link to everyone I know.
Scribe, I know Comca$t and can figure out what’s happening there but what did Red Lobster do to you? Or fail to do, as the case may be? Can’t wait to hear that story.
It’s a beautiful day in eastern NC today. Spring is coming. The daffodils are blooming and I feel fine.
Comment by sjct — February 22, 2007 @ 2:31 pm
Diane…what did the doc say? Hope you are doing better. Take it easy and don’t try to rush the recovery. The body doesn’t lie. Saw the Smith debacle at lunch. It’s hard to believe MSNBC was covering iot for three days live. The judge is a whacko. Must be a W friend as you say.
sjct…glad you like the video. Just how close to that are we? Makes one wonder….alot!
Comment by alohaleezy — February 22, 2007 @ 3:36 pm
Aloha, doc gave me prednisone pac to take for 5 days, which surprised me but I guess/hope he knows best and I am chronic asthmatic. BTW I haven’t smoked for 2 weeks now and think I have quit, yay for that. Very high bp which he will check again when sickness is over to see if illness was cause.
Comment by diane101 — February 22, 2007 @ 3:55 pm
YEAH!!! Hang in there with the not smoking kiddo!1 It will be nine months for me on the 26th. I feel so much better most the time.
As for the elevated BP if you taking any cold medicines they will tend to do that. If you have high bp anyway be very careful about both presripts/otc medicines. I always check now because it pretty much caused my TIAs. Hope you up and around soon. I would love to drive up for a visit one afternoon. Call me when you are up to it.
Comment by alohaleezy — February 22, 2007 @ 5:51 pm
Hey all, I just got home from our meeting with Rep. Betty McCollum and I’ll tell you that I’m proud to be represented by this woman. Her “advance” people had said we would have 20-30 minutes but she stayed and chatted with us for over an hour. Real down to earth and committed.
We (several of my board members came with me - one is the city council president and one is a school board member, so they know her well) spent most of our time talking about the agency I work for and our efforts with kids and families in this city.
But there were a couple of other interesting political things that came up. As she talked about her desire to help with some of these issues, she said the Dem leadership was limited in what they could do very fast. That’s because the Republican leadership, after they saw that they lost the midterms, just sat back and didn’t do anything on developing a budget between the election and the new congress. That leaves them with having to put together two years of budgets and a continuing resolution just to keep things in place. So when it comes to dometic policy, they are a bit overwhelmed with all there is to do.
Also, if Teacher Toni sees this, I didn’t bring up NCLB in the meeting, but spoke with her aid about it after the meeting. He said Rep. McCollum supports scrapping the whole thing and starting over, but that will be difficult to do given Sen. Kennedy’s collusion with crafting the legislation. I let him know a bit about the personal story you shared and that we are wearing down our teachers and loosing too many good ones to all the bs. The school board member in attendence was part of that discussion and totally agreed with what I was saying.
Comment by nlinstpaul — February 22, 2007 @ 6:23 pm
I just have one thing to add about our meeting with Rep. McCollum. She said she’d like to pass on information about our work to Representatives Barbara Lee (from Berkeley) and John Conyers!! She thinks the Congressional Black Caucus would be interested in our work in keeping African American kids out of the justice system.
Comment by nlinstpaul — February 22, 2007 @ 6:37 pm
That’s awesome nl. Thanks for the report.
ejmw, have a great trip.
diane, get well soon!
Comment by blueneck — February 22, 2007 @ 6:43 pm
Late to the party as I can only get here in the evening. Have a great trip, ejmw! Fight those battles, scribe! Good luck quitting, diane!
Comment by boran2 — February 22, 2007 @ 7:28 pm
ej, looking forward to the pics…
Nancy, is it alright if I call you that? I never thought to ask before :o) But I deeply respect your commitment to those kids, and it’s pretty damn cool that you went to bat for Teacher Toni :o)
Diane, keep away from the smokes, cuz ya gives me hopes :o) And hope you’re back in fighting form soon :o)
Boran2, is it possible to make it here by mid-dusk? LOL!
Comment by supersoling — February 22, 2007 @ 8:09 pm
Hey NL! I saw your comment! Thanks for the shout out to your rep! I appreciate it - tons! I’ve got my sight set on David Bonior, John Edwards’s campaign manager. He’ll be at a local Detroit watering hole on Saturday, after the state Democratic Convention. If it doesn’t conflict with the Chinese New Year celebration - I intend on cornering him, even for only a minute!
Comment by Teacher Toni — February 22, 2007 @ 8:16 pm
Hey NL! Thanks for the shout out to you rep about NCLB - I really appreciate it! John Edwards, campaign manager for John Edwards is going to be at a local watering hole on Saturday, and if it doesn’t conflict with any family obligations, I indeed on bending his ear for a couple of minutes.
Comment by Teacher Toni — February 22, 2007 @ 8:37 pm
Aaack! I have tried twice now to post a thanks to NL. Will this post work?
Comment by Teacher Toni — February 22, 2007 @ 8:38 pm
WOW Nancy…that is really great to hear. Love your dedication and going to bat for Teach.
Comment by alohaleezy — February 22, 2007 @ 8:52 pm
congratulations, Nancy! that’s a lovely example of working ‘in’ the system
dahr jamail was on flashpoints today
& I’ve got another l’il history thang up:
war & death: remembering Manny Babbitt - “we disown them”
Comment by arcturus1 — February 22, 2007 @ 9:11 pm
Best wishes for a speedier recovery, Diane.
Bon voyage, ejmw!
Hi to the rest of you hippie type folk.
Is winter over yet??
Comment by liberalcatnip — February 22, 2007 @ 9:55 pm
4:443am and the rain and wind woke me up at 3:30am. UGH! We “need” the rain but I need my sleep…lol. So no honey…winter is not over and it looks like it may be a long one.
Hope you all have a cozy day.
Comment by alohaleezy — February 23, 2007 @ 6:45 am
Congrats and thanks again, Nancy. I don’t know anyone who “walks their talk” any better than you do, day in and day out.
Comment by scribe40 — February 23, 2007 @ 10:44 am