Rex Kickass

It absolutely would be news and it would absolutely would be covered. The only problem with the disparity of the kind of coverage that Obama gets and McCain gets is that Obama has a really really really really amazing advance team. If you are at all familiar with the technical parts of how a campaign looks, the way that Obama is pulling this off is pretty amazing. The only thing that makes him look at least a little bad is that he cancelled a stop to see wounded veterans because he thought it would be in appropriate to visit as part of a campaign funded tour. (Which might explain why it was never listed as an event for press) The truth is that the bulk of the disparity in coverage so far this summer can be attributed to something, in my honest opinion. Obama stands for something. McCain stands for what Obama isn't and is running a campaign that looks and feels like an anti-Obama campaign instead of a pro-McCain campaign (perfect example is the green screen speech.) When he does introduce new positions and ideas and platforms, they're virtually ignored because McCain can't even get the names right in his speech. (see Project Lexington, Lexington Project or Project Runway 6) McCain is spending the summer trying to define what Obama stands for, but it isn't working because Obama is defining what Obama is standing for. McCain is not defining what McCain stands for. If he could do so, and do so in a way where he doesn't trip all over himself to do it, I think we'd see the campaign coverage disparity even out somewhat.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Jul 23, 2008 -> 11:49 AM) See I guess that's what I'm getting at. There are ways to manipulate the real interests of the US (either for good or for bad) by letting candidates do this. And Tex I get your point, but at the same time, if you need to show the American people you have the experience, maybe you really don't have enough experience to be running... If that had been the case, we would have reelected Carter in 80, Bush in 92, elected Gore in 00, and Richardson would have the Dem nod this year. Experience does not necessarily make you good or particularly well suited for foreign diplomacy. I think Reagan showed that in 1980, I think that Bill Clinton showed that as well during his presidency. Both did fairly well on the foreign relations aspect as President.

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Jul 23, 2008 -> 11:41 AM) So do I, but I don't like the spectator sport it's being made into. I agree, I think the Presidential race has been less about issues and more about perception. This is no different.

I think its perfectly reasonable for political figures in our country who have a good possibility to become our head of state to meet with political leaders of other countries.

QUOTE (sox4lifeinPA @ Jul 23, 2008 -> 08:54 AM) Haven't read it, but heard good things. I'm pretty much reformed, redemptive historic when it comes to my theology, but I'm always willing to rethink my perspective. I'm not a fan of Marcus Borg, but the questions he raises cause me to think. Same with the Yooma guy. Now that I'm unemployed after friday, I'll be reading alot more. I'm putting that, along with "The Reason for God" by Tim Keller on my list. Donald Miller is most excellent. He has three books, if I'm not mistaken, and they're all good. I also like Anne Lamott a lot too.

25 or 6 to 4?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 22, 2008 -> 03:35 PM) Just to see if I can make anyone's head explode...you know...if there was a fairness doctrine in the law, covering newspapers, I think that would have required the NYT to print that piece no matter what McCain said in it. Actually, the fairness doctrine would not have required the NYT to print the same piece, if it had been applied to newspapers the way that it was applied to broadcast outlets.

If Man is 5 Then the Devil is 6 Then God is 7. This Monkey's Gone To Heaven.

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Estelle Getty, the diminutive actress who spent 40 years struggling for success before landing a role of a lifetime in 1985 as the sarcastic octogenarian Sophia on TV's "The Golden Girls," has died. She was 84. http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/22/e...obit/index.html

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jul 21, 2008 -> 08:59 PM) Rejecting the letter is definitely crappy journalism. And whomever on the editorial board made the call, I'd have to guess, has a port list. It was not a letter, it was an Op-Ed piece. Big difference.

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Jul 21, 2008 -> 03:56 PM) It does help him with parts of the GOP base. The New York Times is a great fund raiser for him. If they ran the op-ed, nobody would be talking about it.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jul 21, 2008 -> 01:03 PM) That's s***ty. I can't think of a single valid reason why they shouldn't run the response. Disappointing to say the least. If they ran the op-ed, there'd be barely a flutter. By turning it down, it helps McCain more honestly.

QUOTE (FlaSoxxJim @ Jul 17, 2008 -> 01:46 AM) Brian, just to hear him do Heroes and Villains. But be prepared for some rough patches through the night. I went to go see Ted Leo and the Rx. Brian was playing on Coney Island and storms were threatening, the show at Battery Park had more opportunity to hide from bad weather. Frankly, I prefer remembering Brian Wilson as the reclusive mentally injured genius that he was in the 60s and 70s. Don't get me wrong, I love that he's fully functioning and making new music and such, but I feel like I'm going to an Oldies show if I go see him, and I worked enough of those in Michigan to never want to see another one again. Ted Leo was great btw. He plays faster live than he does on the album.

QUOTE (knightni @ Jul 20, 2008 -> 03:06 PM) AIGH! HE DOESN'T DIE? NOW YOU'VE RUINED THE MOVIE FOR ME! Batman doesn't kill. Unless its collateral damage for not killing someone.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 18, 2008 -> 12:46 PM) A couple of extra forms? HA! Now that is funny. We are talking about the federal government here. The same groups who brings you things like passports, social security, welfare, medicade, and all of those "couple of extra forms" offices that are so effecient and clean. I'd be willing to bet that a government run agency for this stuff would double the average time required to close on a house. Given that a passport is actually the definition of proof of citizenship, there should be some red tape involved to getting one. Still, the process - compared to what other countries require - is pretty painless. The processing times have gotten reasonable again as well since Congress decided to fund the office to employ more than a couple hundred people to process them.

QUOTE (shipps @ Jul 20, 2008 -> 11:11 AM) I couldnt disagree with you more on this.I dont know any other actor that could have delivered the little subtle details in his lines and mannerism's as Ledger did.He was absolutely stunning and frankly I wasnt even thinking about him being dead, I had no emotional attachment to him. If sucking on your gums and having a creepy laugh is Oscar worthy, there are about six people who ride my subway line that deserve a statue.

I thought the movie was good, but not Oscar worthy. Heath Ledger rocked this role because the character was written amazingly, not because he was any creepier than any other guy would be in that kind of face. He does a good job, but people are only saying Oscar because he's dead. Christian Bale, by the way, is American Psycho all over again in this movie. I kept expecting him to tell Harvey Dent that Whitney Houston's first album had five number one singles and sold 14 million copies.

QUOTE (TheOcho @ Jul 19, 2008 -> 07:33 PM)

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jul 18, 2008 -> 07:29 PM) Well in the case of Governors and Presidents, they aren't legislators, so obviously they don't "vote". They sign bills and treaties and pass executive orders and do other vote-like things, and the same type of standard should apply (IMO) to that work. A big problem is how the Senate does its business. Which is slow. Roll Call votes rarely happen when they're supposed to happen. So a Senator sometimes sits around all day waiting for the vote that may never actually materialize.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jul 18, 2008 -> 06:07 PM) All the more reason for the importance of showing up for votes. You're absolutely right. And the candidates do show up, when they are needed for votes. Many Senators do, in fact. Say what you want about Ted Kennedy but the dude came from his brain cancer treatments to vote for his consituents on Medicare funding last month. (So, coincidentally, did Obama) Should a Senator resign from his position to campaign for higher office? Ideally, yes. But it doesn't tend to work. Just ask Bob Dole. For that matter, why is a Senator more needed than a Governor? or a President? There's something to be noted on here. They don't vote on things. Why should they be allowed to play hooky?

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jul 18, 2008 -> 01:43 PM) Look, here is an analogy. Being a Senator is a job - they do it full time (at the national level anyway). They probably only spend 10% of their time in voting activities, maybe less. So does that make voting less important than the other 90% of their work? Consider this. Your average computer programmer, working at a software company, may spend 10 to 20% of their time actually coding software. The other 80 to 90% of their time is spent on documention, testing, communications, project management, training, and all sorts of other activities. But what if we used bmags' line of thinking here? That voting doesn't matter? For a programmer, if they aren't coding, they are accomplishing very little for the company. They are failing. And all that other stuff is lead up. Its done FOR the coding to occur. Same with a Senator. All the other stuff they do is the dance before mating. Its setting the table for the real show, the real event, which is passing legislation. That is their primary job, just as producing software is for a programmer. You can't program 60% of the expected code and be successful. And you can't vote 60% of the time and be a successful Senator. I would argue that a big chunk of that work is not done by the Senator but by his staff.

I thought that was Jethro from the Beverly Hillbillies.

It's funny how the mountains are such an important part of the race, but more often than not, it's the time trialers who grab the Yellow Jersey.

The Tour is an awful event to see live. It involves waiting for hours, and seeing the riders for all of a few seconds. I saw the end of the 2003 stage where Lance Armstrong won his fifth straight. If you are in Paris for the final stage, you'll see the riders 10 times because the final stage consists primarily of laps through a route near the Arc de Triomphe. What's horrible is that they don't allow you a view of the podium or stands if you aren't a VIP spectator. Cadel Evans still with the yellow jersey and a 1 second lead. Christian Vandevelde of the US in third and just 38 seconds behind.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 18, 2008 -> 01:14 PM) Rex in bikershorts!!!! Don't make me show you one.