Open Thread

I don't know about you, but it's been a brutally long week here at DarkSyde Manor. So thank the powers that be it's Friday and have an open thread & video on me courtesy of our friends at the National Center for Science Education.

And speaking of science, I should have a panel announcement in the next week or so for Netroots Nation 2008, the subject of which will be reviewing past damage to science policy and repairing same after the disasterous Bush Administration thankfully ends.

•  I'm

  now taking suggestion for the science panel title: Restoring Science after Bush, Repairing Neocon Damage to Science Policy, etc. The winner wins ... something.

  by DarkSyde on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 02:48:59 AM PDT

  •  Department of Denial

    Global warming is all Bushs fault!

    I cant be expected to stop flying and driving and buying stuff. Its a good thing we can be honest now about how it was all Bush. Noone else. I have a love your mother bumper sticker!

    by Pattern Math on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 02:54:51 AM PDT

  •  How about...

    "Very late renaissance: what to do when the dark ages end again."

    by juliewolf on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 02:58:37 AM PDT

  •  Relighting the Enlightenment: Restoring Science..

    to its Rightful Place in the 21st Century

    by Jimdotz on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:10:01 AM PDT

  •  Science: The Restoration

    That would be a great title, and topic.

    Great video - they didn't mention how they are funded. Do you know? That's an organization I'd be proud to donate to.

    Lisa

    by Boston to Salem on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:11:15 AM PDT

    •  that's my theme too - see below comment n/t

      by LokiMom on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:45:44 AM PDT

    •  Science: The Renaissance

      or reawakening. Or restoration. But, restoring would actually be a step backwards. Getting back to where we were in 2000 would not be enough.  Forget restoration. Let's leapfrog some (many) dated standards, and apply the best science now.

      by agnostic on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:19:17 AM PDT

      •  Science: Sprung!

        Science didn't just "go into hibernation".

        Team Bush and the looney people locked it up.

        Stifled it.

        Tread upon it.

        Science has been assaulted and kidnapped and raped and forced into prostitution for the Rightwing.

        Note how damaging pharmaceutical meds can be allowed on the market due to republican control. Science is "OK" when it directly contributes to the GOP.

        by xxdr zombiexx on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:21:57 AM PDT

        •  How about...

          "Science, we're here to rescue you!"

          a la Luke Skywalker.

          Lisa :)

          by Boston to Salem on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 06:04:41 AM PDT

  •  Operation Science Freedom. We'll be greeted as

    educators.

    by geez53 on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:44:41 AM PDT

    •  I'm licensed.

      My crappy opinions mean a lot more mow.

      Officially.

      Wheres' the nearest cakewalk?

      by xxdr zombiexx on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:22:46 AM PDT

      •  mow=now. sigh....

        by xxdr zombiexx on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:23:03 AM PDT

        •  No problem, I'm fluent and licensed in typos,

          been reading through them (many my own) since '94 ;}

          by geez53 on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:45:04 AM PDT

    •  Is it FL or GA that has a new bill

      to pass a law to guarantee academic freedom whereby insuring that any teacher wishing to teach ID may do so without fear of retaliation?

      I think the ID people's latest stealth crusade is to expand the definition of educator so that it includes all sorts of people who will back ID. We saw some of that last election cycle in SC for the education dept slot.  

      by entlord1 on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:42:43 AM PDT

      •  Don't know about Georgia

        But one in Florida just passed the senate.
        http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/...

        I'm glad we homeschool. I can teach my child evolution without all the phony "alternative theories".

        by red state liberal on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 06:04:20 AM PDT

  •  We need more Eric Hillises

    n/t

    by Crisis Corps Volunteer on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:26:53 AM PDT

    •  He had a great quotable in that video

      If we couldn't learn real science because of a board member's personal opinion, then we would be handicapped. And I didn't think science should be based on somebody's religion.

      As Alan Alda said about this...(see my sig line)...

      by sawgrass727 on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:46:17 AM PDT

•  I'm Comic-Relief

  Hi, everybody!!

  I hope you enjoy this comic moment, brought to you be the creators of my brothers and sisters.

  PS Yankees Rule.

  by Al Rodgers on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 02:57:39 AM PDT

  •  hi Al

    Yankees as in the ball club or Yankees as in the Northerners?  ;-)

    by LokiMom on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:46:46 AM PDT

  •  Mets rule

    Yankees suck.

    by Crisis Corps Volunteer on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:27:41 AM PDT

•  Just an early morning thought.

  If we organize government to deal with the vagaries of man and nature which we want to avoid or mitigate (incineration, incarceration, infestation, ignorance, injury, invasion), then science is one of our major weapons/tools.

  This might lead one to conclude that the Bush agenda cutting science was counter-intuitive.  But that would ignore the fact that Bush rejects the traditional role of government or simplifies it to just two functions: surveillance and lock-down.

  by hannah on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:01:52 AM PDT

•  "This critical thinking stuff is gobbledygook"

  "I'm sorry," he told me. "This critical thinking stuff is gobbledygook."

  A direct quote from one of the far rightwing numnuts on the State Board of Education. Yes, someone on the board of EDUCATION actually thinks that.  Welcome to Texas. It sucks down here.

  by amini1 on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:06:16 AM PDT

  •  That's better than my current favorite:

    Board of Supervisor Member (R, of course):
    "I'm all in favor of this Roadless thing. But I think that they should put roads in them, so people can get in to see what they look like!"

    by emmasnacker on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:46:02 AM PDT

  •  which is a real shame because

    U. T. is where I learned my hands on/critical thinking methods that served me well all my years of teaching science.

    by TexMex on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:25:31 AM PDT

•  Just a visual reminder

  of some of our opposition.  Behold Tony Zirkle, a Republican candidate for House from Indiana's 2nd district speaking at a celebration of Hitler's BD.

  

  Hat tip to pamshouseblend.com

  by bythesea on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:09:39 AM PDT

  •  I'm guessing they're not Obamamaniacs, huh?

    by Jimdotz on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:13:28 AM PDT

    •  To clarify

      unless it's a typo I understand this actual event was in Illinois, though the candidate is running in IN. Here's the link to the original story.  I guess I need to add another degree of hat tip to The Rude Pundit.

      by bythesea on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:20:00 AM PDT

      •  This bunch is still chasing the Blues Brothers. n

        by geez53 on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:56:24 AM PDT

        •  lol! n/t

          by bythesea on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:07:27 AM PDT

          •  and I still hate Illinois Nazis.

            by borkitekt on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:10:50 AM PDT

        •  I wish.

          actually, they have a lot in common with the neocons.

          by agnostic on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:20:16 AM PDT

          •  The Neocons have much in common with Nazis. ;}

            Not a chicken or egg arguement. I interchange them all the time and the sentence still makes sence. ;}

            by geez53 on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:50:24 AM PDT

  •  How fucking DARE they

    Display the nazi flag at the same height as the stars and bars.

    Please tell me this picture will hurt this... person's.... chances of election in Indiana.  And if not, how could Obama have a chance in Indiana?

    Lisa

    by Boston to Salem on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:14:01 AM PDT

    •  I have to imagine it will

      I mean just look at it.  Even many run-of-the-mill racist types would still be offended.

      by bythesea on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:16:37 AM PDT

      •  It makes me nauseous

        Seriously - I want to rescue that flag!

        Lisa

        by Boston to Salem on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:19:18 AM PDT

    •  The entire state isn't like this, but as you can

      probably guess, the extreme right is just that. Very happy to have 3 counties and the Wabash river between us.

      by geez53 on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:00:46 AM PDT

    •  Obama doesn't have much of a chance in IN,

      as the lastest polls on the FP show.  He can't win them all, and IN has a deep, deep well of racism (not that all in IN feel that way, as the Dem primary numbers show, but once you go statewide. . .not much hope).

      by catleigh on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 06:49:28 AM PDT

  •  Who's het guy in the portrait on the wall?

    Is that... is that..what's his name the funny guy..umm Charlie.. something... Charlie Chaplain?

    by notquitedelilah on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:17:19 AM PDT

    •  Here he is

      in full glory:

      by litho on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:50:58 AM PDT

      •  I love that movie.

        by notquitedelilah on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:00:09 AM PDT

  •  Zirkle made KO's WPITW

    for that last night

    by nicolemm on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:58:28 AM PDT

    •  Good to hear. n/t

      by bythesea on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:35:38 AM PDT

  •  WTF?

    A "Happy Birthday Banner"??

    by LauraC on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:07:49 AM PDT

    •  I suppose

      they believe he can see it from Hell?

      by bythesea on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:09:46 AM PDT

  •  I was looking this guy up

    on Wikipedia.  He ran against Chris Chocola for the Republican primary and advocated the "return of the guillotine and lynch mob" as legal forms of execution (of course, that French form of execution has never been used in the United States and the lynch mob has never been a legal form of execution) in 2006.

    The guy should be the nominee.  He would make a wonderful face for the GOP.

    by Crisis Corps Volunteer on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:35:36 AM PDT

•  The Daily Show. AlQaida and Iran

  by notquitedelilah on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:11:39 AM PDT

•  The Daily Show, McCain

  by notquitedelilah on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:13:34 AM PDT

•  On June 3rd, Clinton Campaign goes underground

  I came to the realization that the Clinton campaign will not end on June 3rd regardless how many Pledged Delegates or Supers are in Barack's column.

  When Clinton says this is going to the convention, she means it. Barack could have a comfortable majority and it still won't mean Clinton will drop out. She may appear to suspend her campaign, but she won't really.

  The Clinton camp WILL switch to a Black-Operation and work with the GOP in trying to destory Obama over the summer. The GOP will do it directly on the Air and the Clinton Campaign will do it behind the scenes.

  Robo-Calls, Email Campaigns, Whisper Campaigns, Direct Mailers, Push Polls - expect the whole lot of these coming from the Clinton Camp over the summer.

  Remember Edwards' words -

  Comparing her to the "forces for status quo," Edwards said that Obama "believes deeply in change, and I believe deeply in change. Anytime you speak out for change, this is what happens. The forces for status quo are going to attack."

  Until Obama walks out of the Convention offically with the nomination Clinton will be on his ass like stink on shit trying to wrest this thing from him.

  by Jimmy Crackcorn on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:13:34 AM PDT

•  I really think that Obama needs to win BOTH

  Indiana and North Carolina to quiet all this talk that Obama can't win "white working class voters" (Indiana) and "big states" (North Carolina since it is the one of the top 10 biggest states in the U.S.).

  Right now polls are good that he wins North Carolina.  Polls are TIGHT in Indiana.  Indiana will all be about TURN OUT, TURN OUT, TURN OUT.

  by Drdemocrat on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:25:40 AM PDT

  •  See the diary on WSJ article

    I'm not sure the HRC piece of this is relevant any longer, except for the media, of course.

    by anotherCt Dem on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:31:13 AM PDT

•  The Colbert Report, Mariah Shriver

  by notquitedelilah on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:27:33 AM PDT

  •  she's awesome

    love how she "refrained" from dissing McCain :)

    by dsharma23 on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:35:41 AM PDT

•  3 on 3 basketball in Indiana TONIGHT!!

  Obama is playing the 3 on 3 basketball game tonight in Indiana.

  Should be a lot of fun!

  by Drdemocrat on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:29:19 AM PDT

•  On my way to work

  but just read Wesley Snipes is getting a three year prson sentence for tax evasion - wow!

  by anotherCt Dem on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:29:27 AM PDT

  •  what?

    wow. how many years did he evade I wonder?

    by LokiMom on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:35:13 AM PDT

    •  eight or nine

      by anotherCt Dem on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:37:38 AM PDT

      •  According to the Beeb

        he got one year in prison for each year he failed to file.

        Seems pretty harsh to me...

        http://news.bbc.co.uk/...

        by litho on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:03:56 AM PDT

        •  There's

          got to be more to it than that. He pulled some major fraud or owes zillions or something.

          by DarkSyde on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:15:03 AM PDT

          •  Naw, just one of those "Societal lessons" judges

            like to put out there from time to time. "See, we really do punish celebrities sometimes". Unless they're rich, sexy, young tramps from Hollywood.

            by geez53 on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:59:55 AM PDT

            •  Rich, sexy, white, young tramps . . .

              by catleigh on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 06:57:25 AM PDT

•  NC Republican party were set to air the

  controversial ad starting on Monday but North Carolina TV stations are REFUSING to air the ad.

  Good for them!!!

  by Drdemocrat on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:32:15 AM PDT

  •  That include...

    The major networks who've been giving the ad all kinds of free airplay to discuss the "controversy"?

    by ArchTeryx on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:14:35 AM PDT

    •  The reality is that there is going to be these

      kind of ads in the Fall so having them out now and talked about as being really bad, may be helpful to Obama in the Fall.

      They have been branded as beneath McCain and the Republican party so that when they do air in October, people will know that.

      by Drdemocrat on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:21:49 AM PDT

    •  It's the new free air time gimmic. Started with

      the Swiftboat ad, when somebody actually paid for air time to run it, but got even more free air time through the news cycle. The New stratategy via Huckabee is to declare an ad too controversial and demand that your supporters pull it, on que, every CNN and Fox talking head will air a "leaked" copy to fully explain what you weren't supposed to see.
      All it costs you is production expenses and you get more free primetime than you can pay for.
      Think of it as a legal campaign contribution from the media bosses.

      by geez53 on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:26:27 AM PDT

  •  Keep on reminding everyone about

    Jesse Helm's "white hands" ad against Harvey Gantt. Jesse got reelected but the jobs still left. Dogwhistle politics do not solve real world problems.

    by entlord1 on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:45:08 AM PDT

•  Sigh. Stripped of my TU status again.

  Kos giveth, Kos taketh away.

  by Yosef 52 on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:36:10 AM PDT

  •  what's TU stand for?

    by dsharma23 on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:37:00 AM PDT

    •  trusted user status

      comment, reply, write diaries - and you get to be a TU too - read the FAQ, full of this kind of info!

      by LokiMom on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:42:18 AM PDT

  •  What did you do, you rascal you?

    by notquitedelilah on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:37:11 AM PDT

    •  He misspent his time

      Yosef probably spent time with his work and family that he should have spent posting here. Bad priorities, if you ask me.

      < /snark  >

      by Dump Terry McAuliffe on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:05:56 AM PDT

    •  I dunno.

      I guess I haven't been tossin' enough donuts.

      by Yosef 52 on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:06:21 AM PDT

      •  Or tossin' too many ;}. Or it could be that when

        Hunter and ct are pouring all that data back into the severs with a bucket, you bounced off the funnel. Might want to lick a stamp on an email if you think it was an honest mistake.

        by geez53 on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:33:31 AM PDT

  •  Mojo Friday Today

    So be sure to attend and you'll get your mojo back soon enough...

    by ebbinflo on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:08:48 AM PDT

•  Do you folks ever head to

  anti-Obama sites? Like Taylormarsh.com?

  It's pretty entertaining. I think we need to invade their sites and kill them with kindness.

  by dsharma23 on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:39:24 AM PDT

  •  What a joke!

    With a link to an article calling Jimmy Carter a bigot, you don't have to go too far to see what a crappy site it is.

    by TampaCPA on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:04:11 AM PDT

    •  that's why the site is so freakin

      entertaining. They claim to be Democrats, but I got banned a while ago for arguing with folks who were going to vote for McCain if Hillary didn't win.

      by dsharma23 on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:05:55 AM PDT

      •  You want to see some real whack jobs,

        click over to hillaryis44. A gallon of bile suspended in a 55 gallon drum of Pepto Bismol.
        You have to send them a sample of Blue hair to complete your registration.

        by geez53 on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:37:50 AM PDT

        •  whack jobs?

          how about folks that say

          "Rise, Hillary, Rise"

          when Hillary was leading by a point sometime in last week's gallup's tracking poll.

          I thought that was pretty nuts.

          by dsharma23 on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:50:07 AM PDT

  •  No. I NEVER head to anti-candidate sites.

    The Main Pro-Candidate site gets sickening enough....

    I can't imagine one more site is even needed.....

    by xxdr zombiexx on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:59:19 AM PDT

    •  taylormarsh

      happens to be a very pro-clinton/pro-mccain site

      by dsharma23 on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:04:26 AM PDT

      •  Not going there either.

        I have long had more than enough information to choose either-or.

        by xxdr zombiexx on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:55:46 AM PDT

•  DarkSyde

  Yay on the panel for NN. I wish I could attend. Alas, family duties in CO that weekend.

  For the panel title, something along he lines of a restoration theme would be good.  Restore the Balance, Restore the Science, Restore our Rights, Restore (insert any number of things here that Bush et all fubared....voting rights, environmental policies, education policies around science, etc etc...balance to government branches, Restoration of the land, water, air protections....you get the idea.)

  It has also been a long week here in Seattle. It is 3.40 a.m. and Loki my dog has been up all night with some kind of flu/diarrhea/pacing thing that he's had for two days now. He's finally settled in for the night, but I am so dang tired now I can't sleep. Sucks since I have a 7 a.m. meeting at work.

  Ah well, at least it is not Monday. :-)

  Thanks for the videos everyone!

  by LokiMom on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:41:11 AM PDT

•  Bravo for the symposium

  I've been participating in such symposia on a national level for 30 years, and I have to say it hasn't done much good. 3 Supreme Court decisions, National Standards...and nothing.

  Those idiots who say: "I'd vote for McCain..." do you realize what you'd do to SCOTUS? If another case hits SCOTUS before a conservative judge changes, we lose science forever.

  by MrMichaelMT on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:55:06 AM PDT

  •  Nice try Michael

    but the nitwits who go on about voting Republican over Democrat are just whiney children.

    Once the nomination is done and people get over this friggin' nominee spasm, we'll focus on McCain and that hot air about voting for him will dissipate.

    I am certain of it.

    by xxdr zombiexx on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:58:07 AM PDT

    •  From your lips

      to the electorate's ears...

      by litho on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:04:50 AM PDT

•  I received the following email this morning.

  Hi,

  I just signed MoveOn.org Political Action's petition stating :

  "John Hagee continues to blame the people of New Orleans for the catastrophe of Katrina. Senator McCain: If you reject intolerance and bigotry, stop seeking the political support of John Hagee and other hate-mongers."

  Click here to learn more.
  I also wrote:

  Hurricane Katrina was NOT the judgment of God against the city of New Orleans, no matter what McCain's sponsor "Rev." John Hagee says.
  Thanks,

  (Name omitted)

  I would encourage every Kossack to sign.

  by Kimball Cross on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 03:58:29 AM PDT

  •  I signed, and offered the following comment:

    "Reverend Hagee's logic is twisted. If Katrina truly was a judgment of God upon New Orleans, why did the French Quarter suffer (in relative terms) less damage than the Ninth Ward?"

    by Dump Terry McAuliffe on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:15:28 AM PDT

•  On Morning Joe today

  Joe actually sounded even handed compared to Craig Crawford who is so biased in favor of Clinton that he is painful to hear.

  by rccats3 on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:22:29 AM PDT

•  The diaries are all missing from my front page

  In fact the whole right column is gone.

  I can search and stuff through other routes, but no diaries anywhere!

  by lgcap on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:26:05 AM PDT

  •  hmmm ... maybe try logging out, then

    logging back in?

    by PhillyGal on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:50:00 AM PDT

    •  Nope

      I'm having the same problem. Logged out and in several times. When I log out then the diaries show up, but when I logged back in they disappear on the front page.  The whole right side of the screen is gone except for the State of The Nation logo at the very top.  Why would some of us be having a problem but not all of us???  I've been here for years so it's not like the system doesn't recognize me.
      Someone needs to report this "pretty please"??
      Many thanks cuz I'm sure lgcap and myself aren't the only ones that are having this problem.

      by nabwilson on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:30:26 AM PDT

      •  gosh, beats me, but good luck --

        and keep posting in Open Threads for help -- you're right that you guys aren't alone in this, I'm sure

        by PhillyGal on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 06:12:43 AM PDT

      •  Do you use XP? nt

        by lgcap on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 11:15:16 AM PDT

•  Bless you Dark Syde.

  The average Jane/John are so removed from any thought of science that it's not been hard for Bu$hCo to wreck at will by changing the facts to fiction.
  We who work for environmental causes have seen it over and over again. Change or ignore, and get what Corprate wants, water and air be damned.
  So thanks, a million trillion times over. Sorry, I keep forgetting that a million is not worth much any more.

  by emmasnacker on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:34:17 AM PDT

•  Diary Coming On Wednesday, April 30th.....

  ....entitled "The Last Day Of Autism Awareness Month - Are You Aware?", in relationship to the film "One In A Million" I am making about my daughter, who has Asperger's Syndrome, a high functioning form of/cousin to autism, depending on which expert you ask.  This will be the launch date for a special part of my website, whereby people will be able to gift towards the film, along with buying merchandise in advance of the film, which has relevance beyond the film itself, 20% of the proceeds going to Autism One.  My film will focus on hope, and not rely on scare tactics, and be immersive, with a wall to wall soundtrack, as opposed to relying on narration (personal stylistic choice).  Here's the trailer, hope you enjoy.....

  Thanks so much for your minute during Autism Awareness Month, and the height of silly season - hey did you read?

  According to the WSJ, Obama IS the nominee!!!

  by tkmattson on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:34:29 AM PDT

  •  recced for issue posting.

    I have learned quite a but about Autism in the last 5 years.... mostly that folks are still absolutely baffled by it.

    Now that I stand to re-enter the mental health treatment field I will be a lot better funded with info about developmental disabilities.....

    by xxdr zombiexx on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:52:50 AM PDT

    •  Make Sure To Keep Your Eyes Open For My Diary....

      ....Next Wednesday.  Probably will post about 8AM CST.  Hopefully, if it gets knocked down by all the news, and Clinton drama of the day, some kind FPer will dig it out of the dirt, to include with the "in case you missed it" diaries.

      by tkmattson on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:00:29 AM PDT

•  Wilder thinks that the BEST VP for Obama is Kaine

  I really like Webb but I think another great VP candidate for Obama is Kaine.

  Wilder thinks that Kaine should be on Obama's shortest of short list for VP for he is white, southern, Catholic, pro-gun rights, and the governor of Virginia.  He thinks that Kaine would help Obama carry Virginia.

  I remember that Kaine was one of the very first people to endorse Obama and he and Obama really get along really well.

  by Drdemocrat on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:35:36 AM PDT

•  EPA scientists told to skew findings

  I hadn't seen this frontpaged anywhere. Hey, even if it was on the front page, it should get BIGGER PLAY .. . this is our only planet after all. THe article was in the second section of the paper.

  WASHINGTON — - Hundreds of Environmental Protection Agency scientists say they have been pressured by superiors to skew their findings, according to a survey released Wednesday by an advocacy group.

  The Union of Concerned Scientists said more than half of the nearly 1,600 EPA staff scientists who responded online to a detailed questionnaire reported that they had experienced political interference in their work.

  read the rest here. Or maybe on the front page of SOME newspapers.

  by katier on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:44:29 AM PDT

  •  Thank you for posting issues.

    by xxdr zombiexx on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:51:10 AM PDT

•  Sigh ... is it morning, already!?

  

  Hi there :)

  by PhillyGal on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:48:59 AM PDT

•  If you haven't seen it yet

  go over and check out Liberal Youth's diary on campaign fundraising.

  Excellent research, objectively argued, it absolutely deserves a place on the rec list.

  And y'all know, I'm not a huge diary pimp.  This is a good one.  Go check it out.

  by litho on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:49:03 AM PDT

•  GROUNDHOG DAY!

  How many more days before we can talk about something else?

  Many have thought or wished it was over,,,but it just keeps going and going and going.....

  6 more weeks of Candidate diary frenzy...choking our substantive issues writing?

  6 more weeks of appearing like a Gambler's Anonymous meeting... everybody arguing about math and probability...like a bunch of lottery ticket scratchers claiming today will be the day.

  Please don't rec this comment.

  by xxdr zombiexx on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:50:13 AM PDT

  •  6 weeks... Hoping for just 6 and I'm thinking

    4 months till the Convention and it looks like that's where this is going.. sigh

    by ebbinflo on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:57:45 AM PDT

    •  You mean we'll hear this shit for

      four more MONTHS?

      Please tell me I misread.

      by xxdr zombiexx on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:07:32 AM PDT

      •  Late August is the Convention

        Hard to type that even without almost tearing up but true.. Maybe we'll get lucky and it will end b/f then but might as well prepare for the worst...

        by ebbinflo on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:11:07 AM PDT

•  (Sigh)

  CNN "Breaking news" reports the UN is announcing a global food crisis due to steeply rising costs.

  In other news, CNN is also reporting that our "economic stimulus" checks will be arriving earlier.

  Oh.
  Frickin.
  Boy.
  I.
  Can.
  Hardly.
  Contain.
  My.
  Enthusiasm.
  Or.
  Relief.

  by Stand Strong on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:52:16 AM PDT

  •  I am putting my money in the septic tank.

    No... really!

    I can't think of a better use of Bush's dirty money than to repair the septic drain field.

    by xxdr zombiexx on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:06:34 AM PDT

    •  wow - where do you live?

      here septic fields went out with Ike, too much leaking into the surrounding bodies of water.

      by wondering if on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 06:09:50 AM PDT

      •  Georgia.

        My house was built in 1970 - ages before anybody here heard of "the environment".

        It was "out in the sticks" until about 3 years ago - and now is surrounded by splotches of crappy artificial neighborhoods.

        Still, no possibility of tying into city water for several years.

        Properly built and maintianed septic systems are pretty efficient and effective... but out of sight - out of mind. People don't maintain them right and pow - leakage and such.

        Mine's simply 38 years old.

        by xxdr zombiexx on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 06:24:05 AM PDT

        •  If it gets totally beyond repair you might think

          about an aerated system. They're cleaner and will last longer.

          by geez53 on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 06:31:55 AM PDT

          •  Just paid $750 for a soil test.

            the "Soil Scientist" will determine what gets installed and where.....

            I just want it done.....

            It's gonna cost about as much as roof PLUS some internal remodeling.

            (sobs deeply)

            by xxdr zombiexx on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 06:35:09 AM PDT

          •  I will get it done right

            and it will be a selling point for the place IF and when the economy stops drowning in the toilet.

            by xxdr zombiexx on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 06:36:23 AM PDT

            •  No City or County plans for a new system?

              by geez53 on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 06:50:19 AM PDT

        •  ah - 1958 the Seattle metro area voted in

          regional waste water treatment and sewer systems.  

          The house that we lived in was only 8-10 years old, but friends in houses from the 30s and 40s had problems with their septic tanks and/or fields.  The glaciers left layers of sand/gravel and clay, if you were unlucky your yard might have a clay floor a few feet down which sort'a messes up most septic field systems.

          House I'm in now is over a century old, must have been on sewer system for at least half of that time.

          by wondering if on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 08:19:04 AM PDT

      •  You'd be surprised how many small towns, villages

        and subdivisions IN THIS COUNTRY lack central sewer service. I've worked around sewage a lot, but it never bothered me till one day, we had just set down to lunch, I looked up to see two 5 year olds playing in a "black water ditch" while some Reaganite Rethug Rep on the radio was calling our sewer project "typical Democrat pork barrel spending". That made me lose my lunch.
        You can imagine what types of microbes those kids were being exposed to before i ran them out of the ditch, you can also imagime those kids running right back to the ditch when we left for the day.
        Basic Public health and safety are not pork barrel.

        by geez53 on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 06:25:09 AM PDT

•  and what about science education?

  I am traveling this morning back home from Edmonton but will there be anything on science education?
  I am particularly concerened at the state of science education in light of NCLB and how they are going to stat testing for it without taking best practice of teaching science to kids by using hands on methods.
  I am excited and will log back on later in the day to see what is going on. Right now I am planning on being there in Austin.
  It is where we do our research and where I graduated from!
  Chirp chirp

  by TexMex on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 04:59:08 AM PDT

  •  I

    have a speaker in mind who will address science ed in the context of evo vs creationism. Not sure, but I think there may be an entire separate panel dedicated to education in general.

    by DarkSyde on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:01:42 AM PDT

•  Quick word o' thanx to Kos.

  Looks like he got the message from a mountain of complaints that those ultra-lame, snotty and utterly unfunny "Things Older Than McCain" videos were inappropriate.

  I don't object to making age an issue per se.  Even an occasional cheap shot is perfectly fine (hey, funny is funny!) ... but those spots weren't the least bit clever.  They were lame and offensive wastes of time.

  Since I took the time to complain ... it's only right I return to take the time to thank.

  by RavinDave on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:01:02 AM PDT

  •  What is included in JohnMcCain's healthcare plan?

    Depends.....

    by xxdr zombiexx on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:16:19 AM PDT

    •  Depends on what the insurance and managed care

      lobbies write into his proposals.
      Unless there are big gains and few replacements in the Senate, AND massive demonstrations in front of Congress don't hold your breathe for any quick changes.

      by geez53 on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 06:41:06 AM PDT

•  a science panel?

  some minor suggestions

  NASA (A WHOLE SLEW of things here) Flat-earthers, UNTIE!

  EPA - the wholesale destruction of the EPA libraries, places I visited and did research, the loss of access to individuals, the destruction of millions of man-hours of careful work, records, and knowledge, THIS WAS A SCIENTIFIC CRIME. Again, too many issues to put down in a response.

  Forest Service - coal, oil shale, roads, access, ground water polution

  FDA - yes, let's import billions of raw materials, finished and semi-finished drugs, precursors, enzymes, and components from China, without quality control, YET INDICT RETIRED PEOPLE FOR IMPORTING DRUGS FROM CANADA!

  Or how about the schizo approval process of female- related drugs, compared to Viagra - heh. Washington pols really do think through their penises.

  HHS - Paying for fucking PURITY BALLS and pushing abstinence, despite all evidence to the contrary?  WHen did STD transmission hit the latest all time high? Last fucking year.

  damn, I get angry just thinking about every single travesty this admin has concocted and created.

  by agnostic on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:17:00 AM PDT

  •  I

    believe there is a panel still in the planning stages that if approved will be exclusively dedicated to space exploration led by a NASA moderator. The will almost certainly be separate panels on related to on completely about the environment and energy/policy, both of which will touch on the EPA.

    FDA, dunno, I'll have a spekaer who will be talking about biotech, could be some overlap. On religious objections to biotech and medcial treatments, again my biotech perosn will look at that.

    So based on what little I know, I think each of those topics you bring up will be discussed specifically or at least in passing.

    by DarkSyde on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 08:52:36 AM PDT

•  New Poll in Indianapolis Shows...

  Senator Obama leading Senator Clinton. Check out this story from this morning's Indianapolis Star:

  http://www.indystar.com/...

  by CityLightsLover on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:22:39 AM PDT

•  HELP! FIOS Took My Keith Fix Away!!!

  I live in NJ, and because we were economizing we switched all of our phone, Internet, and cable over to Verizon and their new FIOS service.

  The service is great... except I can't get MSNBC.

  Any other New Jersey-ites with this issue?  Have you gotten any resolution?  PLEASE HELP!

  by pkohan on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:25:37 AM PDT

  •  what browser are you using

    I found that with my comcast service here in chicago in combination with firefox - I could not watch MSNBC - however when I switched to ATT and used firefox - no problem. of course I don't know if they just updated their websites compatibility.

    by TheRareWmichD on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:28:19 AM PDT

•  in the huffpost

  it says that the MSM - wapo, tnr, time, are abandoning ship on Obama - reading it, it sounds like they're just parroting the clinton office. I don't know about anyone else but I stopped reading TNR and never purchased Time - however with Wapo, I'm disappointed but not surprised. Good to see a lead on clinton in Indiana.

  by TheRareWmichD on Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 05:26:28 AM PDT

  •  Probably just keeping the conflict alive.

    I'm sure they can do the math and see that nothing short of a SD coup d'etat will save Hillary.

    They are selling a product.