ThinkFast: October 26, 2007
ThinkFast: October 26, 2007
The White House has agreed to let Senate Judiciary Committee leaders Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) “view the legal memos underpinning the administration’s warrantless surveillance program” so they can consider legislation that would give telecommunications companies immunity from privacy lawsuits.
Former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-TN) said he doesn’t share Dick Cheney’s views of executive power. “No, I think the constitution in times of war, especially, is very definitive about that,” he said. “[I]t’s divided power in the constitution. Our founding fathers divided that up. … So no one branch of the government can misuse power.”
According to new U.N. report on climate change, “the human population is now so large that the amount of resources needed to sustain it exceeds what is available at current consumption patterns.” The speed at which mankind has used the Earth’s resources over the past 20 years has risked “humanity’s very survival,” the study concluded.
“House Democratic leaders” are “privately surveying their members” to determine “support for a criminal contempt resolution against White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers for shunning congressional subpoenas in the U.S. attorney investigation,” which could happen “as ealy as next week.”
International human rights groups have filed a lawsuit in France against former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld for allowing torture at detention centers in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay. The groups say that Rumsfeld should be detained when he visits France on Friday for authorizing human rights abuses.
During a tour of the California disaster area yesterday, President Bush couldn’t resist taking a shot at Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco, blaming her for Katrina. “It makes a significant difference when you have somebody in the statehouse willing to take the lead,” Bush said of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The House yesterday voted 265 to 142 to pass a revised SCHIP bill that sought to address concerns of conservative lawmakers. But two fewer Republicans voted for the new version. The vote tally “fell seven votes shy of the 272 needed for a veto-proof two-thirds majority.”
And finally: Bush’s Iraq policy is less popular than ghosts. “A poll released yesterday by the Associated Press made it official: Americans are more likely to believe in ghosts (34 percent) than to believe that President Bush is doing a good job with the war in Iraq (29 percent).”
What did we miss? Let us know in the comments section.
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Enough of this nonsense. Join the Insurgency.
http://www.tshirtinsurgency.com
October 26th, 2007 at 9:04 amAccording to new U.N. report on climate change, “the human population is now so large that the amount of resources needed to sustain it exceeds what is available at current consumption patterns.†The speed at which mankind has used the Earth’s resources over the past 20 years has put “humanity’s very survival,†the study concluded.
That’s the 800lb gorilla that no American politician will touch with a 10-ft pole. Babies. The precious little babies that everyone loves so much are literally eating us out of house and home. No more than two kids, people–or you’re part of the problem. Cutting emissions in half means nothing if the population doubles.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:07 amIf France detains Rumsfeld, it would be a dream come true.
Will the Bush/Cheney criminals attempt to block arresting Harriet Miers and Josh Bolten for contempt of Congress?
October 26th, 2007 at 9:10 amRumsfeld arrested in France….That will be his biggest ‘Shock & Awe…’
October 26th, 2007 at 9:13 amNO IMMUNITY FOR TELECOM COMPANIES! Unless, of course, they agree to sing like canaries as part of the deal.
Bush and Cheney have far less desire to protect the telecom companies than they do to protect their own backsides. The last thing they want is for the slime to ooze out for all to see if any lawsuit against a telecom ever hits court.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:16 amFormer Sen. Fred Thompson (R-TN) said he doesn’t share Dick Cheney’s views of executive power. “No, I think the constitution in times of war, especially, is very definitive about that,†he said. “[I]t’s divided power in the constitution. Our founding fathers divided that up. … So no one branch of the government can misuse power.â€
OK, Fred’s got it right. He talks the right talk (on this issue, anyway). Now, if he’s elected, can we trust him to walk the walk as well? Especially since he would be handed the toolbox Bush and Cheney have built?
October 26th, 2007 at 9:17 amInternational human rights groups have filed a lawsuit in France against former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld for allowing torture at detention centers in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay. The groups say that Rumsfeld should be detained when he visits France on Friday for authorizing human rights abuses.
Aren’t the French the same people who sunk one of Greenpeace’s boats when Greenpeace was trying to protest – of all things – a French nuclear test?
October 26th, 2007 at 9:18 amNow, if he’s elected, can we trust him to walk the walk as well?
Comment by missmolly — October 26, 2007 @ 9:17 am
No.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:19 am“It makes a significant difference when you have somebody in the statehouse willing to take the lead,†Bush said.
You’re preaching to choir on this one Bush. Now if only you’d step aside and let someone competent run the country.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:22 amEven those of us without advanced science degrees can understand that if we use the earth’s resources faster than they renew, the planet will eventually be used up. We can also see this process accelerating as world population increases.
But there are far too many people who share the Ann Coulter philosophy of “God said, ‘Earth is yours. Take it. Rape it. It’s yours.’ ”
They aren’t worried because they figure the rapture is coming before we reach critical shortages.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:23 am“It makes a significant difference when you have somebody in the statehouse willing to take the lead,†Bush said.
It also makes a significant difference if you stop “spinning” the Katrina disaster and pretend that Gov. Kathleen Blaco didn’t ask for help.
She did, and you failed. Miserably. Again. And again.
Can 20 Jan, 2008 come too quickly for America to recuperate from the egregious behavior of the Bush Administration?
October 26th, 2007 at 9:25 am“Bush’s Iraq policy is less popular than ghosts.”
Let’s be fair — just because people believe in ghosts doesn’t necessarily mean that they like ghosts or that ghosts are popular with them in any way. I believe that George Bush exists, but it doesn’t mean I like the way he handles his job.
Still — it’s a fun statistic, though.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:25 amThe House yesterday voted 265 to 142 to pass a revised SCHIP bill that sought to address concerns of conservative lawmakers. But two fewer Republicans voted for the new version. The vote tally “fell seven votes shy of the 272 needed for a veto-proof two-thirds majority.â€
I doubt anyone will be able to change the minds of any of the Congresspeople — they have all gotten to the point where they are locked into their positions.
The SCHIP bill and so many others will have their best chance if they are revisted in January 2009 — after many of the Republicans have been purged.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:27 amThe problem now is Congress has freely given its power to the Unitary Executive.
I used to say “One Party Rule” but the Democratic Party has been compliant. They have yet to filibuster a bill which increases the War-Time President’s power.
Nader was right after all. It doesn’t really matter, Republican or Democrat, the ruling class owns them.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:28 amThis isn’t anything in the news, just something I wanted to share with you all. Last night I had the privilege of attending a Holly Near concert. I saw her last year and knew I needed to see her again this year. All I can say is WOW. What a powerful woman and a wonderful singer. Holly is very political and a lot of the concert was her talking about what’s going on in the world around us. Her message, and many of her songs, are one of hope and faith that we will get through these troubling times and come out better people in the end. She also told a very touching story about how she became an activist during the Vietnam War, and I would like to share it with you.
She was attending UCLA and she was overwhelmed and very shy since she came from a very small town in Northern California. Every day when she went to the student union for lunch she would see a Philosophy teacher standing in the quad holding a sign that said “Out of Vietnam Now!” Sometimes 1, 2, 10 students would join him and sometimes he was spat on and his sign ripped from his hands. She said she wondered why he was doing it. Why was he standing there day after day suffering humiliation and insults? Why didn’t he get out there and do something that would make a difference? Then one day she realized that he WAS making a difference, a difference with her. Every day she thought about the war and what it was doing to our country. And one day she tore out a piece of paper from her notebook and wrote “Out of Vietnam Now!” on it and joined the professor. That was the birth of her political activism.
Her message was that we can all make a difference. We can do it by talking to people, walking in parades or just standing on the side of the street with a sign. One person CAN make a difference. Every Monday when I drive home through downtown Corvallis I see a handful or two of hardy souls standing in front of our courthouse with protest signs. I always honk my horn and give them the “thumbs up”. Next Monday I am going to be on the sidewalk with them.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:30 am“It makes a significant difference when you have somebody in the statehouse willing to take the lead,†Bush said of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
It also makes a difference when the victims are people you care about, such as well-to-do conservative voters. One wonders if Bush would have the same attitude if the fires were burning down the barrios of Los Angeles.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:31 amNature will achieve a balance. For a clue, look to what predator species in the wild do when there is not a great enough food supply.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:33 amNature will achieve a balance. For a clue, look to what predator species in the wild do when there is not a great enough food supply.
Comment by Briseadh na Faire — October 26, 2007 @ 9:33 am
Soylent Green?
October 26th, 2007 at 9:34 amDoes anyone know if it is legal for a convenience store to swipe your driver’s license if you buy beer or cigarettes?
October 26th, 2007 at 9:35 am17: mmmmm! Soylent Green!
October 26th, 2007 at 9:36 amAccording to new U.N. report on climate change, “the human population is now so large that the amount of resources needed to sustain it exceeds what is available at current consumption patterns.â€
And those resources include oil. We have already reached “Peak Oil” and are now on the downside. Many people really don’t realize that oil is a finite resource and one day we will have used it all up. What then? If we want to survive as a species we need to find a way to cut our dependence on oil and develop renewable sources of energy. If we don’t, we are doomed as a species.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:37 ami was up early, planning to be on the road… have since cancelled…
i heard this on morning joe:
after a news report about leahy wanting “waterboarding” designated as torture , joe said that a report in NEWSWEEK several years ago stated that those techniques, “call them torture if you want”, have given up lots of valuable information… mika (sp?) brought up john mccain, that HE said it didn’t work… and joe said, “IT WORKED ON JOHN MCCAIN”…
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN???
October 26th, 2007 at 9:37 amWHAT SECRETS DID MCCAIN GIVE AWAY???
…
“Many people really don’t realize that oil is a finite resource and one day we will have used it all up. What then? ”
Titan.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:39 amYes, Mother Earth is beginning to rid herself of the most destructive parasite ever.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:39 amStrike on Iran Would Roil Oil Markets, Experts Say
Price Hits Record Close; U.S. Tightens Sanctions
By Steven Mufson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, October 26, 2007; Page A01
A U.S. military strike against Iran would have dire consequences in petroleum markets, say a variety of oil industry experts, many of whom think the prospect of pandemonium in those markets makes U.S. military action unlikely despite escalating economic sanctions imposed by the Bush administration.
The small amount of excess oil production capacity worldwide would provide an insufficient cushion if armed conflict disrupted supplies, oil experts say, and petroleum prices would skyrocket. Moreover, a wounded or angry Iran could easily retaliate against oil facilities from southern Iraq to the Strait of Hormuz.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/25/AR2007102502840.html?wpisrc=newsletter
October 26th, 2007 at 9:39 amThe White House has agreed to let Senate Judiciary Committee leaders Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) “view the legal memos underpinning the administration’s warrantless surveillance program†so they can consider legislation that would give telecommunications companies immunity from privacy lawsuits.
If Senators Leahy and Specter wish to retain any respect from the American people, they had better come to the conclusion after viewing the legal memos that no sound basis exists for granting the telecoms immunity. Because the fact is that no sound basis can exist for doing what they did. The Fourth Amendment is pretty clear that warrantless searches are unconstitutional. How could they possibly read an exception into those words for what they wanted to do?
The telecoms had every right in the world to refuse the administration’s illegal, unconstitutional requests. Even fear of retribution (as apparently happened to Qualcomm) would not be justification for violating our privacy rights. My true hope is that in addition to saying “No” to telecom immunity, the Judiciary Committee uses this newfound information to expose other crimes committed by the president and his people.
Impeachment of Bush and Cheney cannot come soon enough. Impeach and remove Cheney first, confirm only a Vice President nominee whom they would accept being president, wait for that person to be sworn in, then impeach and remove Bush. This way, Speaker Pelosi avoids making it look like she favored impeachment so she could become president.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:39 amOne wonders if Bush would have the same attitude if the fires were burning down the barrios of Los Angeles.
Comment by missmolly
That is a rhetorical question, isn’t it? Of course the attitude would be different if the disaster was in a place where the faces weren’t white. While watching coverage of the fires on Countdown last night they interviewed a man who lost his home in a similar kind of fire four years ago. He had his picture taken with Bush who pledged the government’s help. Four years later he has received zero help and has not been able to rebuild his home. Anyone who believes Bush when he says he is offering his help is a fool.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:40 ami was going to ask, “why DIDN’T pelosi wait till monday for the chip vote”
but then i read this (from first link):
But Republican leaders insisted that the changes were nowhere near enough. Republicans used votes to adjourn and other maneuvers to try to derail the vote.
missmolly’s correct: “they are locked into their positions.”
the repugs will do whatever they can to thwart any dem move…
October 26th, 2007 at 9:41 am…
“House Democratic leaders†are “privately surveying their members†to determine “support for a criminal contempt resolution against White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers for shunning congressional subpoenas in the U.S. attorney investigation,†which could happen “as ealy as next week.â€
If there’s anything about the Democrats in Congress that frustrates me more than anything else, this has to be close to the top of the list.
This should be a no-brainer! WHY are they wringing their hands, surveying each other, and engaging in dialog ad nauseum instead of doing the obvious? Bolten and Miers showed unmitigated contempt by ignoring their subpoenas. Citing them for contempt is the obvious course of action (citing them for inherent contempt would be even better, but I’m not holding my breath).
If Joe Citizen shows contempt for the law by committing a crime right in front of a police officer, would the officer arrest him and charge him with committing said crime? Or would he survey his fellow officers to see if there was support for making the charge stick? Or write a harshly worded letter to Joe Citizen requesting that he comply with the law?
Get a grip, Democrats!
October 26th, 2007 at 9:43 amWHAT DOES THAT MEAN???
WHAT SECRETS DID MCCAIN GIVE AWAY???
Comment by katy
The names of the players on a football team. They wanted him to give them names and ranks of members of a certain brigade. So he gave them the names of the players on his favorite football team. Most experts agree that intel gained through torture is notoriously unreliable.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:45 amOnto the Hague for Rummy! It’s just the beginning I suspect.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:48 amThey aren’t worried because they figure the rapture is coming before we reach critical shortages.
Comment by missmolly — October 26, 2007 @ 9:23 am
Sadly, this is quite true. Some people beleive the end of the world is coming, though I think people have been prediciting the end of the world since the beginning of civilization.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:48 am#30 Bilbo: Amen!
October 26th, 2007 at 9:49 amThe groups say that Rumsfeld should be detained when he visits France on Friday for authorizing human rights abuses.
Now that would make my day, my week and my month! If only it would happen.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:49 amMissMolly: Bolton and Miers need to be pitched into jail on contempt of congress charges. What the heck are they waiting for?? Christmas??
October 26th, 2007 at 9:50 am“It makes a significant difference when you have somebody in the statehouse willing to take the lead,†Bush said of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:50 amWhat a baffoon. And living here in SD I can truthfully say no comparison can be made to the devestation of Katrina and the fires of San Diego County. True, many homes were lost, and recovery will be tough for thousands, but hell we’ll be playing football this Sunday at Qualcomm if the Mayor gets his wish.
The Dems have already caved $25 bil. on S-CHIP. One more round of vetoes and the bill should then be brought down to a manageable size that the Pres. will gladly sign.
Comment by TCDon — October 26, 2007 @ 9:45 am
Ã¥nd next year the Dems will triple it, you will lose again. and america’s children will win, for a change. why does the right hate kids?
October 26th, 2007 at 9:50 amUnless and until these dems in congress begin to do the bidding of the people by ending this amoral, illegal war, stopping the illegal spying without defacto immunity to the bush sycophant telecoms who knowingly violated the law, and bring the thugs in on contempt charges, they jeopardize their stature in 08.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:51 amLefty: Is this bigot mafioso “don” Mr. P dressed up in his Halloween garb?
October 26th, 2007 at 9:52 am272 votes is nowhere near 2/3 of the House, which has 435 seats, 433 of which are occupied. Is it 2/3 of a quorum that is needed? 272 happens to be 2/3 of those who voted (i.e. not counting those who abstained). What is the floor for a quorum in the House?
October 26th, 2007 at 9:52 amleftcoast: Katrina will be part of the Bush legacy – total incompetence masquerading as legitimate government.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:53 amI don’t think TCDon is P. He is a dumb jerk, but he is not out of control like P.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:54 amStrike on Iran Would Roil Oil Markets, Experts Say
Price Hits Record Close; U.S. Tightens Sanctions
Comment by impeachcheneythenbush — October 26, 2007 @ 9:39 am
The longer I watch Bush/Cheney the more I believe they are actually trying to keep the price of oil high. Oil is currently overpriced, but Bush’s saber-rattling has an ill effect on the market and keeps oil prices unneccesarily high.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:54 amTCDon is to old to be Mr. P
October 26th, 2007 at 9:57 amThe groups say that Rumsfeld should be detained when he visits France on Friday for authorizing human rights abuses.
Would that be today or next Friday? It would certainly brighten my day to see him in handcuffs today.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:57 amThe groups say that Rumsfeld should be detained when he visits France on Friday for authorizing human rights abuses.
Now that would make my day, my week and my month! If only it would happen.
Comment by bilbobaggins — October 26, 2007 @ 9:49 am
They should tell him, “Only we’ll only hold you six days, six weeks, we doubt it’ll be more than six months,” and see how comfortable he is with that answer.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:57 amveritas-SD is such a republican stronghold. They couldn’t help their small minds from making comparisons to Katrina.This tragedy was tailor-made for a photo op. It made me sick to see Bush barely able to even make a speech. He sounded like a total dry drunk.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:58 amAh, the quid pro quo of the political world. Now, just add a large chunk of money, much of which has been stolen from the American public fashioned through the war on terror.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:59 amAmerica just begins to suck a little more each and everyday.
Not saying SD has small minds. Bush admin. had small minds.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:59 am“the human population is now so large that the amount of resources needed to sustain it exceeds what is available at current consumption patterns.â€
Read about Peak Oil, folks. In about 40 years the world is going to change in drastic ways when oil production begins it’s dramatic bell curve decline. And no, it’s not conspiratorial, it’s science.
October 26th, 2007 at 10:00 amhow about calling this a “freeze out friday” on the troolls…
do NOT address them directly…
DO address their LIES and MISinformation with facts…
but, please, no stupid, childish arguements… please…
October 26th, 2007 at 10:04 am…
272 votes is nowhere near 2/3 of the House, which has 435 seats, 433 of which are occupied. Is it 2/3 of a quorum that is needed? 272 happens to be 2/3 of those who voted (i.e. not counting those who abstained). What is the floor for a quorum in the House?
Comment by VerbalKint — October 26, 2007 @ 9:52 am
The 2/3 is based on total number of voters, not total number of seats in the house. A quorum, however, is based on a majority of filled seats in the house…that is 50% plus 1 of the total of 433 occupied House seats.
October 26th, 2007 at 10:05 amhow about calling this a “freeze out friday†on the troolls…
do NOT address them directly…
DO address their LIES and MISinformation with facts…
but, please, no stupid, childish arguements… please…
…
Comment by katy — October 26, 2007 @ 10:04 am
Someone always crumbles. Or snaps. Or announces that they can’t help themselves, but they just gotta bash trolls.
Hi, my name is Gummitch and I’m a trollbashaholic.
I’ll try to get through the day.
October 26th, 2007 at 10:07 amRead about Peak Oil, folks. In about 40 years the world is going to change in drastic ways when oil production begins it’s dramatic bell curve decline. And no, it’s not conspiratorial, it’s science.
Comment by Candyce — October 26, 2007 @ 10:00 am
I’ve been reading a bit about that Peak Oil stuff in Greg Palast’s latest book (”Armed Madhouse” – go out and buy it today). We were supposed to have already reached our peak some years back based on the 1950s estimate where that term originated. We have gone way past that point, of course. Venezuela has vast reserves of oil previously deemed too cost-ineffective to be worth extracting. But now that oil has reached the highs in price that it has, Venezuela is in a position to dwarf Saudi Arabia in oil reserves. And that, my friend, is why the Bush administration has treated and called Hugo Chavez “dangerous”. Because his oil supplies threaten to make the Saudi’s (who, as we all know, are close personal friends of the Bush family) oil supply seem insignificant by comparison.
October 26th, 2007 at 10:12 amBush could kill and eat a newborn baby in the Rose Garden in front of TV cameras and the Democrats would “talk” about impeaching him.
But hey – that’s progress. At least impeachment would be back on the table.
/sarc off
Sorry to be such a complete cynic. I wish I wasn’t.
October 26th, 2007 at 10:19 amhow about calling this a “freeze out friday†on the troolls…
do NOT address them directly…
DO address their LIES and MISinformation with facts…
but, please, no stupid, childish arguements… please…
…
Comment by katy — October 26, 2007 @ 10:04 am
I’ll take that pledge.
October 26th, 2007 at 10:21 amI’ve been reading a bit about that Peak Oil stuff in Greg Palast’s latest book (â€Armed Madhouse†– go out and buy it today). We were supposed to have already reached our peak some years back based on the 1950s estimate where that term originated.
—–
In any case we need to get off oil. If we don’t change our ways I hope I do not live long enough to see the resource wars ramp up.
October 26th, 2007 at 10:25 amGood morning, my name is Nevar, and I’m a trollbasher.
October 26th, 2007 at 10:27 amI recognize my habit, and this is the first step towards refining and perfecting my on-line life.
I agree to participate in todays ignorance of ignorance,
to the best of my abilities.
In any case we need to get off oil. If we don’t change our ways I hope I do not live long enough to see the resource wars ramp up.
Comment by deebaser — October 26, 2007 @ 10:25 am
I totally agree. And despite the right’s visceral hatred of the man, I applaud President Carter’s efforts to do just that. But I could tell the battle was lost when Ronald Reagan, as one of the first things he did upon taking office, ordered the removal of the solar panels Carter had installed on the White House. The message from the right-wing was unmistakable: The Environment can go screw itself, there’s money to be made!
October 26th, 2007 at 10:30 amComment by katy — October 26, 2007 @ 10:04 am
I’ll take that pledge.
Comment by toasterhead — October 26, 2007 @ 10:21 am
Hey, I had this figured out months ago.
October 26th, 2007 at 10:35 amSen. Schumer:
“If there was a less ideological president, the business community would be happier because there would be much more confidence that somebody was dealing with [the subrpime crisis]â€
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5942e130-832d-11dc-b042-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1
October 26th, 2007 at 10:35 amhow about calling this a “freeze out friday†on the troolls…
do NOT address them directly…
DO address their LIES and MISinformation with facts…
but, please, no stupid, childish arguements… please…
…
Comment by katy — October 26, 2007 @ 10:04 am
I’ll take that pledge. But is there a support line I can call if I should experience a moment of weakness?
October 26th, 2007 at 10:35 amComment by deebaser
Are you un chien Andalusia?
October 26th, 2007 at 10:35 ami have to say, Whack-A-Troll can be so much fun.
On the other hand, I’ve seen just how crazy you can drive a troll w/ the techniques katy laid out above.
Just keep pointing out the comments don’t make sense. Makes their heads explode everytime.
October 26th, 2007 at 10:37 amTCDon is to old to be Mr. P
Comment by Nevar — October 26, 2007 @ 9:57 am
Furthermore, TCDon has a much better command of the English language than Mr. P ever did.
October 26th, 2007 at 10:37 amI’ll take that pledge. But is there a support line I can call if I should experience a moment of weakness?
Comment by missmolly — October 26, 2007 @ 10:35 am
Click on my name. :-)
October 26th, 2007 at 10:38 amSorry, but I don’t think I can take the pledge to ignore them completely. Some things just have to be refuted, but I can pledge to use mature language and to avoid name-calling of the person making the ridiculous claims. I might, however, have something to say about the kind of people who think things like they do.
October 26th, 2007 at 10:41 amI admit, I can be a jerk — it comes with the job. People pay me $300 + an hour to be a jerk.
-Comment by TCDon — October 26, 2007 @ 10:03 am
Wow, 300 hundy an hour? That’s a lot of money.
Now, when it gets cold outside, is the dunking booth heated? And is it one of those booths where people get prizes when they hit the target with the softballs? Do those prizes come out of your pay?
October 26th, 2007 at 10:44 amwayne s. – point out where i suggested that anyone “ignore them completely”…
you should read my comment again…
…
great idea, zooey!
October 26th, 2007 at 10:49 am…
You are right, katy. You did not suggest that we “ignore them completely”. I was wrong. (Wouldn’t it be nice to hear either of our Presidents say that?) Does that mean I can get out my great big sledge hammer and go to town on the things they say?
(And of course Zooey had a great idea with her post. She often does. :) And yes, I admit I have a certain bias toward the website to which she linked.)
October 26th, 2007 at 10:58 amI understand wanting to refute a phony argument w/ facts. You have to look closer at the troll’s statement before replying. If the statement is full of undefinable terms – “tree hugger, libtards, etc” – there’s no fact to refute it because it’s an irrational comment.
Call it an irrational comment and stop. It works really well. If you try to refute a meaningless statement or an irrational one w/ facts, you’ve allowed the troll to get into the conversation and they can start arguing.
THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED in facts. If they jimmie up a quote, or use false stats, prove them prove. But for hyperbole or meaningless, undefinable terms? You can’t refute irrational comments w/ facts. You simply point out the comment is meaningless and stop.
October 26th, 2007 at 10:58 amIn any case we need to get off oil. If we don’t change our ways I hope I do not live long enough to see the resource wars ramp up.
Comment by deebaser — October 26, 2007 @ 10:25 am
Yes, but what about our children, grandchildren and their children? Just what kind of a world do we want to leave them?
“We were instructed to create societies based on the principles of Peace, Equity, Justice, and the Power of Good Minds. Our societies are based upon great democratic principles of the authority of the people and equal responsibilities for the men and the women. This was a great way of life across this Great Turtle Island and freedom with respect was everywhere. Our leaders were instructed to be men of vision and to make every decision on behalf of the seventh generation to come; to have compassion and love for those generations yet unborn. We were instructed to give thanks for All That Sustains Us. Thus, we created great ceremonies of Thanksgiving for the life-giving forces of the Natural World, as long as we carried out our ceremonies, life would continue. We were told that ‘The Seed is the Law.’”
http://www.kahonwes.com/iroquois/document2.html
October 26th, 2007 at 11:01 amComment by Wayne A. Schneider — October 26, 2007 @ 10:58 am
Aw shucks, Wayne… :-)
October 26th, 2007 at 11:11 am“It makes a significant difference when you have somebody in the statehouse willing to take the lead,…â€
Translation:
“It makes a significant difference when you have as victims rich white conservative Republicans or poor black liberal Democrats.”
October 26th, 2007 at 11:14 amPeople pay me $300 + an hour to be a jerk.
-Comment by TCDon
He’s a lawyer.
October 26th, 2007 at 11:18 amYou do notice how quickly TCDon split when no one would argue w/ him…
October 26th, 2007 at 11:21 amwayne, you got it… tros @ 10:58 am has is right…
it’s the damn bickering…
i grew up with 7siblings… i got quite enough of the bickering…
i’m all for facts, refuting with facts, the occasional *snap!*…
but the damn, infantile bickering…
ugh…
it’s ok to not have the last word.
October 26th, 2007 at 11:23 am.
it’s ok to not have the last word.
.
Comment by katy
That’s very true, katy, thank you.
October 26th, 2007 at 11:27 amSometimes the person who has the last word,
also has the burden of wondering why no one responded to them….;)
You do notice how quickly TCDon split when no one would argue w/ him…
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — October 26, 2007 @ 11:21 am
That proves he’s a lawyer. :-D
October 26th, 2007 at 11:27 amBravo, President Clinton! Well said and well done:
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c68_1193347304&p=1
October 26th, 2007 at 11:38 amPeople pay me $300 + an hour to be a jerk.
Comment by TCDon — October 26, 2007 @ 10:03 am
The idiot puts in one hour of work a week and makes $300 and he thinks he gets paid $300 per hour.
October 26th, 2007 at 12:15 pmShayne, you nailed it….Blessings……P.S. You got the last best word’s…
October 26th, 2007 at 12:27 pmCaption contest:
Leahy, thinking to himself:
“Hmmmm. The letters on Arlen’s nameplate are bigger than mine. That doesn’t quite seem fair.”
October 26th, 2007 at 3:35 pmTC is likely one of those lawyers that sends you a giant Christmas card every year to remind you that you paid 5,000 dollars for them to blow you off, and not return your phone calls.
October 26th, 2007 at 6:42 pm