23 Comments

• 1. Some Assembly Required  |  April 4th, 2008 at 10:32 am

  Did anyone happen to see the Toronto vs. Ottawa game last night. Tucker laid out Alfredson with an elbow, brutal hit. I would not be surprised if a suspension is to follow. This is the prime reason why fighting needs to remain in hockey. Players need to be reminded that cheap and dirty hits will not go unpunished on the ice.

• 2. Joe  |  April 4th, 2008 at 10:45 am

  Hey SAR… nah, hockey isn’t for me. Especially now that baseball season has started! Time for the Red Sox to repeat.

  Hey… did anyone see this? How does this fit in with the…. “The Economy is moving along swimmingly” crowd?

  April 4 (Bloomberg) — The U.S. lost jobs for a third consecutive month in March and the unemployment rate rose to the highest level since September 2005, pointing to an economy that may already be in a recession.
  Payrolls shrank by 80,000, more than forecast, after a decrease of 76,000 in February that was more than initially reported, the Labor Department said today in Washington. The jobless rate rose to 5.1 percent from 4.8 percent.
  Job losses have shaken consumer confidence, contributing to a weakening in spending that has almost stalled growth. The report reinforces forecasts that the Federal Reserve, whose Chairman Ben S. Bernanke this week acknowledged the economy may face a recession, will need to do more to prevent further deterioration.
  “You can pretty much write off the next few months of consumer and labor-market data,” said James O’Sullivan, a senior economist at UBS Securities LLC in Stamford, Connecticut, who had forecast a job decline of 75,000. “The weakness is feeding on itself. Job cuts are leading to weaker consumer spending, which will in turn lead to more job cuts.”
  From Bloomberg

• 3. Arctic Fox  |  April 4th, 2008 at 11:19 am

  And in other news:

  Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has ordered a stop to all operations against “people who carry weapons” in the country.

  This comes a day after he promised to continue to pursue criminals and outlaws in all provinces.

  Remember what I was saying earlier this week about Maliki losing face? First he says “Hand over your weapons unconditionally by March 29th” and then can’t enforce that. Then he says “We’ll go after them wherever they are for as long as it takes” and he can’t even make that happen.

  Poor guy is going to suffer as hard a defeat in October as McCain is in November.

• 4. Arctic Fox  |  April 4th, 2008 at 11:32 am

  I’m also following the trial of the eight accused of plotting to blow up aircraft, and it suddenly struck me.

  There’s an investigative reporter named Roger Cooke. He used to work for the BBC, doing a program called “The Cooke Report”, then he switched to ITV doing a TV show of the same name.

  One of his investigations involved smuggling enough nuclear material to make a small bomb through customs at Heathrow, and at JFK. And he managed to do it - at both ends - relatively easily.

  My point is, it’s very convenient just how much evidence these apparent bombers have left for police to find. If I was EVER going to commit a criminal act, evidence would be the LAST thing I’d leave around, yet the prosecution has said it has everything from martyrdom videos to handwritten instructions on how to assemble explosive devices, all found in searches of residential properties relating to the accused.

  I mean, what the HELL? You’re a terrorist, in a country hostile to your activities, where if you get found you WILL be in serious trouble… does it strike anyone else as odd that they would keep such information at home, rather than say keep their martyrdom videos in a private bank box or their plans on highly encrypted biometric USB sticks that would wipe themselves if interfered with? Such things are easy to come by for the general public.

  And yet we have these eight people NONE of whom have apparently taken ANY security precautions whatsoever, and are, in fact, LESS prepared than the thieves portrayed in the film “reservoir dogs” who did their planning in a neutral location away from home where their plans couldn’t be found by the police.

  If common criminals (and the film WAS supposed to be a pretty accurate portrayal of criminal behaviour) take such precautions against getting collared, why do these eight make it so easy to catch and punish them?

  It doesn’t add up.

• 5. NeoClown  |  April 4th, 2008 at 11:37 am

  “John McCain went hunting today. He said he killed a goose. He didn’t bring Cindy along because he was a little rusty and he was afraid he might kill the goose that laid the golden egg.” –Jay Leno

  “John McCain met with the AARP. They were having their convention. He gave a speech, then McCain introduced his retirement plan — his wife, Cindy.” —Jay Leno

  “In an interview in Harper’s Bazaar, Cindy McCain said she doesn’t much care for the title ‘first lady.’ You know the way the campaign is going, I think you’ll be OK. You got nothing to worry about.” —Jay Leno

  “Cindy McCain said today that only an idiot would fail to support her husband’s healthcare plan. See I’m confused, I thought she was John McCain’s healthcare plan. And his economic plan, and his retirement plan. Am I wrong?” —Jay Leno

  “The Homeland Security Director said in a press conference that several of our major financial institutions are in danger of being hit by terrorists. When John McCain heard about this, he immediately placed Cindy McCain in an undisclosed location.” —Jay Leno

  “Cindy McCain has a book coming out. I believe it’s called ‘It takes a villa.’” —David Letterman

  “Cindy McCain is on the cover of Newsweek magazine. John McCain said he first noticed her when she was on the cover of another magazine, Fortune.” —Jay Leno

  “John McCain’s wife Cindy is on the cover of Newsweek magazine this week and they said that if he is elected president, she will be the oldest first lady in American history. But that doesn’t bother John McCain, he said, ‘To me, she looks like a million bucks’” —Jay Leno

  “In his big victory speech last night, Senator McCain said that he wanted to defeat the Hollywood democrats and the ‘economy of privilege.’ Then he hugged his wife, Cindy, heir to a multi-million dollar fortune.” —Jay Leno

• 6. js  |  April 4th, 2008 at 11:45 am

  A roommate-finding site cannot require users to disclose their sexual orientation, a U.S. appeals court ruled on Thursday, in the latest skirmish over whether anti-discrimination rules apply to the Web.

  The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals said Roommates.com, which obliges users to list their sexual orientation, was different than Internet sites where people can volunteer or withhold personal information.

  To inquire electronically about sexual orientation would not be different from asking people in person or by telephone if they were black or Jewish before conducting business, the panel said in an 8-3 ruling that partly overturns a lower federal court decision.

  “If such screening is prohibited when practiced in person or by telephone, we see no reason why Congress would have wanted to make it lawful to profit from it online,” 9th Circuit chief judge Alex Kozinski wrote. “Not only does Roommate ask these questions, Roommate makes answering the discriminatory questions a condition of doing business.”

  http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN0347688720080403?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&rpc=22&sp=true

  There goes another judge turned lawmaker.

  Sexually deviance should be a primary concern to good people everywhere, and that lifestyle is not condusive to a good, moral, society.

• 7. Joe  |  April 4th, 2008 at 12:07 pm

  js,
  You do bring up some odd things.

  Are you saying that someone looking at an appartment in person SHOULD be asked their sexual orientation? You’d be ok with that? If not, what is the difference of asking it online?
  If you can’t ask in person, you can’t ask online. Why is that a stretch? Does the online piece ask if you are white, black, latino or anything else?

  There is no sugar-coating this… This is a pretty stupid statement.
  “Sexually deviance should be a primary concern to good people everywhere, and that lifestyle is not condusive to a good, moral, society.”

  Don’t fear people that are different than you. THAT is what is “not condusive to a good, moral, society”

• 8. Dasein Libsbane  |  April 4th, 2008 at 12:56 pm

  js,

  The 9th circuit will (again) be overturned. This is a specific type of living accommodation that involves roommates, and the questioning is allowable under law provided the questioning is affirmative (JPL could better explain this).

  At the University we offer housing and apartments for “alternative lifestyles” and for race-based preferences such as the African-American student hall and the La Raza complex.

  Roommates have a right to know if a person will be compatible and not a threat to their mental and physical well being. A single woman doesn’t want a lecherous male roommate, and would feel ill at ease with a lesbian for the same or similar reason; likewise a male might fell uncomfortable with a homosexual as a roommate and has every right to know if that is a possibility.

  Likewise religion and ethnicity are fair questions for a roommate to ask if the living accommodations are to be an exercise in compatibility.

• 9. Dasein Libsbane  |  April 4th, 2008 at 1:13 pm

  And, as long as this is open thread, Spook, didja see this? Aaron already owes my charity $100 because 2007 wasn’t the hottest on record, now we find out tempratures haven’t increased since 1998. (As if some of us ever thought it was.)

  Aaron already owes my charity $100 because 2007 wasn’t the hottest on record, now we find out temperatures haven’t increased since 1998. (As if some of us ever thought it was.) 10 years, that’s a trend, right? Maybe the UN is in the bag for “Big Oil.”

• 10. Dasein Libsbane  |  April 4th, 2008 at 1:15 pm

  Liked it once they’ll love it twice.

• 11. js  |  April 4th, 2008 at 2:09 pm

  Sexually deviance should be a primary concern to good people everywhere, and that lifestyle is not condusive to a good, moral, society.

  its true joe

  do some research instead of making up stories, you might figure out why ive told you so many times that its better for you to shut your mouth and leave everyone wondering then it is to open it and prove you are a foo

  DL;

  Thats exactly what I was saying, these people dont have the right to legislate, and thats exactly what the 9th is doing, enforcing laws that dont exist, thereby establishing precedent.

  they need to fire a few justices, maybe then they would wise upl

• 12. SteaM  |  April 4th, 2008 at 2:16 pm

  js,

  Whatever.

• 13. Some Assembly Required  |  April 4th, 2008 at 3:15 pm

  Joe, I enjoy playing baseball but I lack the attention span to watch a full game. Though I must say I am guilty of jumping on the Red Sox bandwagon. Hockey and Football are sports that I watch when I can. Sadly I usually only pay serious attention in post seasons or during championships such as the World Cup and the summer Olympics in China. Assuming of course they are not boycotted.

  “Sexually deviance should be a primary concern to good people everywhere, and that lifestyle is not condusive to a good, moral, society.” - js

  Ok js, what constitutes as sexual deviance? Ask anybody, a good active sex-life is not only good for you but can help you live longer. It’s also a great stress reliever. You are really starting to sound like a man who needs a little deviance in his sex life.

  I assume your referring to homosexuals here. So let me ask you sir, who are YOU to tell someone they are morally inferior? Do you honestly believe that a good moral society is defined by sexual preference? Do you hold some high office with the catholic church or does God speak to you?

• 14. Some Assembly Required  |  April 4th, 2008 at 3:16 pm

  I meant European Football or Soccer in my post above.

• 15. Joe  |  April 4th, 2008 at 3:21 pm

  SAR, the NFL is by far the best sport to follow, watch. Been a Patriots season ticket holder for 16 years now. The NHL and NBA are just so difficult to watch now-a-days.

• 16. Some Assembly Required  |  April 4th, 2008 at 3:34 pm

  I’ll agree the NFL is a fan sport no question there. I’m a Colts fan myself. Not a hardcore won but I like to see them win. Have to say I bet against the Pats in the superbowl. Was one amazing game but Manning came through huge. I wouldn’t imagine you were to happy about that though.

  Again I agree with you about the NBA. But most certainly not about hockey. I think it contains the best of both worlds, the hits and strategy of football with the speed of basketball and some great goaltending.

  With that I’m off for the weekend.
  Cheers

• 17. Artic Fox Hunter  |  April 4th, 2008 at 4:49 pm

  Artic Fox-

  The post you made in #3

  Al- Malaiki trying to take peoples guns.

  Isn’t that kinda exactly what the democrats are doing by putting Hillary and Obama up to run for president.

  The Republicans will have to run the ads and do the work to bring light to the issue (It is not going to happen on its own), Before campaign finance reform kicks in. We have to bring up voting records, and make people aware of the gun ban schemes of the Clintons and extremist democrats like Ted Kennedy, Chuck Schumer, Diane Feinstein.

• 18. Joe  |  April 4th, 2008 at 5:01 pm

  Hunter,
  Al Maliki is talking about those insurgents carrying weapons.

  He had a stiff deadline for them to turn them in on March 29th. He then caved and made that date April 8th. Now this.

  How are you trying to compare this to Democrats? There isn’t anything even within eye contact.

  As for those “extremist democrats” (by the way, I love how you use “extremist” just how McBush uses “extremists” when talking about insurgents) who are going to take away your guns… it isn’t going to happen.
  As for you thinking Dems want your guns, check out H.R. 2640.

  Here is what the NRA has to say about it…

  The NICS Improvement Amendments Act (H.R. 2640) would require federal agencies to provide relevant records for use in NICS. It would also provide financial incentives to states to do the same, by rewarding states that provide records to NICS and penalizing those that refuse to do so over an extended period of time.

  Some pro-gun groups have claimed that H.R. 2640 would “prohibit” thousands of people from owning guns. This is not true; these bills would only enforce current prohibitions. In fact, H.R. 2640 would allow some people now unfairly prohibited from owning guns to have their rights restored, and to have their names removed from the instant check system.
  The following are the key provisions of H.R. 2640, introduced by Reps. John Dingell (D-Mich.), Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.), Lamar Smith (R-Tex.) and Rick Boucher (D-Va.), which passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote on June 13, 2007.
  …

  Notice all those D’s that are attached to those who introduced the bill.

• 19. kimberly4victory  |  April 4th, 2008 at 6:22 pm

  Artic Fox: Maliki did this so those who want to lay down their arms can do so.

  Did he really “cave” or is trying to give peace a chance?

  In other news … Ranty Rhodes is now going after her employer for firing her. Someone please get the popcorn (or the earplugs).

• 20. kimberly4victory  |  April 4th, 2008 at 9:36 pm

  Many Iranian youths rallied in streets across the country, shouting “Death to Ahmadinejad,” in celebrations marking the end of the Persian calendar year.

  The last Wednesday of the Persian calendar is celebrated as the Fire Festival in Iran, with bonfires and firecrackers marking the occasion.

  In the western city of Ahvaz, angry mobs declared “Freedom is our legitimate right” while demonstrators in the western city of Sanandaj shouted “Death to (Iranian President Mahmoud) Ahmadinejad,” Ynetnews reported Wednesday.

  The police in Tehran were out in force and, though they were met with a barrage of firecrackers, the situation didn’t escalate beyond what is typical for the Fire Festival, local reports cited in the news report said.

  Ahmed Raza-Radan, the police chief in Tehran, warned demonstrators against violating the rule of law in a news conference.

  “The police force has resolved to detain any party-goers who break the law. The secret police will have full control, and will not hesitate to photograph citizens for evidence,” he said.

• 21. Dream Zone  |  April 5th, 2008 at 10:06 am

  Why do Republicans hate the military? GOP fights againts providing them with adequate equipment, fails to provide them with adequate medical care, and now belittles them.

  GOP congressman Patrick McHenry called a guard (US military) at a Baghdad checkpoint a ?two-bit security guard? in a brief appearance Saturday night at a Lincoln County Republican Party event.

  McHenry’s speech was filmed and is making the rounds on YouTube

• 22. Artic Fox Hunter  |  April 5th, 2008 at 11:08 am

  Joe, some democrats like Bill Richardson, John Dingell, Jim Webb, ect. These kind of democrats got the 2nd Amendment right. The DNC has decided to ignore common sense and put the worst candidates they have out to run for president, when it comes to 2nd Amendment issues. When people who enjoy hunting and shooting, take a good look at these extremist records, they will have no choice but to vote McCain.

  Joe- If you think Hillary is going to protect your 2nd Amendment rights. You better look into it a little more. The Clintons earned, what a 109 million this year. You think they are for the working class?

  Anti-gun Bills Hillary Clinton Cosponsored: Congress:
  S. 368: Massively expand federal funding and control of local law enforcement. 110th
  S. 456: Treat firearms offenses as though they were Mafia or gang-releated crimes. 110th
  S. 527: Redefine more handgun ammunition as “armor piercing”. 109th
  S. 578: FBI to maintain gun sales records of persons on “watch lists” for 10 years. 109th
  S. 620: Reinstate the expired ban on semi-automatic firearms and magazines. 109th
  S. 645: Semi-auto ban plus a ban on some youth sportshooting competitions. 109th
  S. 935: Fifty-caliber ban. 109th
  S. 22: Omnibus gun control: gun show ban, lifetime juvenile offender ban, FBI record-keeping, much more. 108th
  S. 448: Huge bill including a magazine ban, gun show ban, mandatory trigger locks, one-handgun-a-month, etc. 108th
  S. 1034: Semi-auto ban reauthorization. 108th
  S. 1431: Vastly expanded semi-auto ban reauthorization (more guns banned plus other anti-gun provisions). 108th
  S. 1774: Permanently ban polymer-framed (so-called “plastic”) firearms. 108th
  S. 1807: Gun show ban. 108th
  S. 1882: FBI to maintain gun sales records of persons on “watch lists”. 108th
  S. 1983: National ballistic registry of all new fireams, plus increased BATF power and funding. 108th
  S. 2109: Ten-year extension of the semi-auto ban then in effect. 108th
  S. 16: “Crime bill” including: gun show ban, lifetime juvenile offender ban, FBI record-keeping, much more. 107th
  S. 767: Gun show ban. 107th
  S. 924: Expand federal police power, specifically the federal government’s role in “firearms-related incidents.” 107th
  S. 940: Gun show ban included in a large education bill. 107th
  S. 1253: Register lawful gun buyers for a minimum of 90 days. 107th
  S. 1788: Audit background check information; make it available for both criminal and civil inquiries. 107th

  Barack Obama
  Supporting concealed carry for citizens10 Anti-gun
  Banning many common semi-automatic firearms11 Anti-gun
  Disallowing self-defense in towns where guns are banned12 Anti-gun
  Imposing one handgun a month restrictions13 Anti-gun
  Requiring lock up your safety trigger locks14 Anti-gun
  Protecting gun dealers from frivolous lawsuits15 Anti-gun
  Outlawing gun confiscations during a national emergency16 Pro-gun
  Squelching the free speech rights of gun owners17 Anti-gun
  Restricting the interstate sales of firearms18 Anti-gun
  Repealing the gun ban in Washington, DC19 Anti-gun

• 23. congressive  |  April 5th, 2008 at 4:17 pm

  It’s not Iran. BUSH AND CHENEY BEST BUDDIES are funding al Qaeda.

  How do your Republican heads not explode?