Rex Kickass

NSS: I'd love to see the Kurds get their own state, but the Kurdish region has had its own problems - namely sponsoring PKK terror attacks inside Turkey, a NATO country. Bad enough that a couple months ago, Turkey threatened to take preemptive action in Northern Iraq. We've got a lot of problems with each nationality. The Kurds are the ones we hear about least because their target is Turkish and not American.

I'd disagree with you on their being no side worth taking on any issue. For US interests, I'd back the Sunni. Or at least the secular. We don't want a country too closely allied with Iran. The more I see stories like this though, the more I think we've squandered any opportunity. http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeas...on.com+%2F+News

I think that there are ways to quell the fighting in Iraq, but most of them are not military solutions. The problem is, I wonder now if our time to make it happen has passed.

Had JFK not died, he probably would have been defeated by a GOP candidate other than Goldwater in 64.

Black Friday morning shuffle Yes - Owner of a Lonely Heart Pixies v Run DMC - It's Gigantic Billy Bragg - The Red Flag Frank Black - Nimrod's Son The Beatles - Revolution (Electric Version) Yoko Ono - Walking on Thin Ice (This is the song that John Lennon was holding the master tape of when he was murdered) Stevie Wonder - Contusion The Replacements - Unsatisfied Bis - Shack Up

Your evening shuffle: Bobby Womack - Across 110th St Aphex Twin - Donkey Rhubarb Gnarls Barkley - The Last Time dEUS - Roses (Love this song, its just a constant building with a sudden ending) Soul Coughing - Lazy Bones Mono - Life In Mono Billy Bragg - From a Vauxhall Velox Vinicius de Morais - Minha Namorada Frank Black - Dance War Peaches - f*** The Pain Away (going to see her Friday in NYC)

QUOTE(EvilMonkey @ Nov 22, 2006 -> 02:11 PM) ", dozens -- if not hundreds -- of voters have reported problems at the polls." There is a pretty big difference between 36 and 200. or could it be that the writer wants to make it appear to be worse than it is by including the 'if not hundreds' part? Plus, beacuse she won one country, she should have won the other 3? "Her experts claim that because Jennings won in Sarasota by a 52 percent-to-47 percent margin -- the only county she carried -- she would have picked up the bulk of any votes that were lost." Earlier it said the district spread over 4 counties, with the supposed problem in one. So we have 36 vs 200, and 1 county vs 4. Looks like alot of 'ifs'. We also have 18,000 voters who didn't cast a ballot for Congress but did for Agricultural Commisioner in an urban area of Florida. It's possible that happened. I just doubt that would be very likely.

It looks like the undervote cost Christine Jennings a seat in the US Congress. She lost by 339 votes. 18,000 people didn't cast a vote for Congress. The votes that didn't get cast for Congress, did go heavily in her party's direction. The voting machiines in this district have no paper trail. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/...headlines-state

QUOTE(Kid Gleason @ Nov 22, 2006 -> 11:38 AM) Yesterday sucked. Let's see if Chumley can do better today. The starting tune, to set the thing off right is going to be "Stand And Deliver" by Adam And The Ants. Now, on with the shuffle: I was listening to that song last night. Wasn't Bow Wow Wow, Adam and the Ants without Adam and with a female singer?

Your morning shuffle brought to you by the mid 1990s. Bjork - Hyperballad Fiona Apple - Shadowboxer Soul Coughing - Soft Serve Bis - Action and Drama Momus - Lucky Like St Sebastian Rammstein - Benzin Gil Scott-Heron - Whitey on the Moon Royksopp - Looser Now Andrew W.K. - Don't Call Me Andy The Replacements - Message to the Boys

Actually ground Boca. I don't use ground beef or turkey anymore because of how dirty that meat is when it gets to you. You can't taste the difference.

If you could be any flavor ice cream, what flavor would you be and why?

I shall eschew the pedantic turkey this thanksgiving in lieu of more exotic fare. Say hello to Vegan Sloppy Joes!

One more before bed: 1. Yoko Ono - It's Gonna Rain (Living On Tiptoe) 2. Lou Reed - Wagon Wheel 3. Marvin Gaye - Gonna Give Her All The Lovin I Got 4. Mocean Worker - Move 5. Pat Boone - Smoke on the Water 6. Peaches - Get It 7. The Streets - Two Nations 8. Suicide - 96 Tears 9. Basement Jaxx - U R On My Mind 10. Gnarls Barkley - The Boogie Monster The Bakers Tenth: Def Leppard - Photograph

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Nov 21, 2006 -> 10:20 PM) So out of the 200 or so people on my flight to Jakarta, not one of them was following the religion as tightly as a few american muslims. Now being that I was the outsider looking in here, wouldnt they act like themselves on this plane going home. Maybe again these were just moderate muslims who dont follow it as strictly as their american bretheren. But then again logic points out that out of the 200, I am sure there was probably someone that was more strict. Well I decided to call a co-worker who is Indonesian, and a muslim. I asked him how he coped going back for a wedding a few weeks ago, with not being able to pray. He said that he said his prayers just like usual. He said that they are supposed to stand before Allah as part of the prayers, however that on flights due to flight restrictions it is okay to sit and say their prayers and that is what he used to say. This is what his Imam had taught him back in Indonesia. There are disputing reports about where the imams were praying, first and foremost. Were they doing it on the plane? Or in the terminal? It's fairly unclear first and foremost. It's also fairly unclear exactly what the three imams were doing when they were standing up in the plane - since the chronology isn't clear. They could have been putting stuff in an overhead bin, for all we know. We weren't there and the articles don't appear clear enough to say with any certainty what was happening in the plane, and at what point during boarding procedures the imams were asked to leave the plane. Is it possible that the imams were being disruptive to the point of being necessarily removed from the aircraft because of their on board behavior? Possible. But in that case, you'd think the airline would have more of an answer other than "we're looking into the matter." Is it possible that passengers and flight attendants acted out of an irrational fear because there were people dressed differently, speaking a language that wasn't English and appeared to be praying? Frankly, that's more likely. Personally, I think the imams should try to fly on Northwest whenever possible from now on. Given that one of their major hubs is Detroit, it makes them more likely to be aware of exactly what a threatening behavior from an observant muslim maybe.

The evening shuffle. Perhaps a little less British than last time. dEUS - Nine Threads (Belgium) Serge Gainsbourg - Du Jazz Dans Le Ravin (France) Frank Black - Nimrod's Son ( ) Duran Duran - Girls on Film ( ) Rinocerose - Skin (France) Electric Six v Blur - Gay House ( v ) Muse - Supermassive Black Hole ( ) The Replacements - I'll Be You ( ) Billy Bragg - Strange Things Happen ( ) Gil Scott-Heron - The Revolution Will Not Be Televised ( )

Correct, Iceland is now fully admitting to commercial whaling, but strictly limiting the quota to between 30 and 40 whales. (30 minke and 9 fin). There are approximately 44,000 Minke Whales in Icelandic waters. 39 whales a year is a sustainable harvest of one of the few natural resources that Iceland has available to it to feed its population. And it was delicious. http://www.flickr.com/photos/rexkickass My pics from Iceland.

Yes. I thought the "Revolution" working title it had was much cooler.

If that's how the conversation started - no. But something tells me that there was something between being deplaned and handcuffed that happened that led to the latter from the former.

Where does it say in the story that they were standing after the doors closed? From the chronology the story implies, the imams were praying during boarding. They might have been standing to do things like put a bag in an overhead bin for all people know. It's tough to get the real story in a situation like this. There are 100+ witnesses, but the story is often colored by fear... and the eyewitness accounts are often colored about what people think they see and what they think is happening. Just like when you go through a rough patch of turbulence. People might think the pilot is wrestling with the control of the plane because of what they feel and fear, although the pilot probably isn't touching a single control because of what he knows. I don't think this particular incident is a set up. At the same time, I don't know that the Imams were particularly friendly or personable during this situation. It was most likely a little bit of inappropriate behavior on both sides.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Nov 21, 2006 -> 08:11 AM) It is different, Rex. Because the Democrats prmoised to LEAD instead of being a roadblock. But they just can't do it. I'm not talking about the judges because I don't know, but I am talking about Bolton. As I said earlier, the Democrats admit (most of them who aren't cowtowing to the hard left) admit that Bolton has proved himself worthy of the job. But they refuse to compromise to get him a vote. Besides that, the key vote on Bolton at the time was Chafee, and he's a Democrat anyway who stayed Republican to get $$$$$ for Rhode Island anyway, which is another hypcritical irony, but that's another thread. The man has done well, even by your accounts, for the most part. But nooooooooo, he can't get a vote all because of prior partisan bickering, and it's baloney. But WAIT! The Democrats are the new party of prinicpals and ideas. They won't play political posturing horses*** games because they're DIFFERENT! Nevermind. No they're not, but according to a lot of you, it's all justified, hence the tag 'it's always different'. I won't dive the thread off again. Back to the 'draft' attention. Kap, if the President thinks he has the support to get Bolton reconfirmed - why doesn't he renominate him when the new Congress takes up its seats in January? Didn't Bill Frist even say that he wouldn't let most of these renominations take the floor in the remainder of this session? Because it was inappropriate? It's pretty hard to be a roadblock majority two months before you are a majority - so I guess what you're accusing the Democrats of is pretty impressive. We have no idea what a Democratic controlled Senate will or will not block in terms of nominations. I can tell you that in 2001 and 2002, the Dems kept something like three judicial nominations from Confirmation when they had control of the Senate last. So, if this is any indication of what will happen in 2007 and 2008 - George Bush ought to be happy, he'll still get most of what he wants. But not necessarily all of it. Because the role of the Senate is to advise and consent on nominations. The President's perogative is to nominate as he pleases - not be a rubber stamp.

QUOTE(DBAH0 @ Nov 21, 2006 -> 07:48 AM) Off to Japan or Norway for you then. It was Iceland, thank you very much

Ten Random songs in your MP3 player starting.... NOW! 1. Gomez - How We Operate 2. The Streets - Pranging Out 3. Gil Scott-Heron - Home Is Where The Hatred Is 4. Antonio Carlos Jobim - How Insensative 5. Billy Bragg - The Marriage 6. The Beatles - And Your Bird Can Sing 7. Flaming Lips - Do You Realize 8. Serge Gainsbourg - Love On The Beat 9. Sergio Mendes - E Menina 10. Phoenix - Napoleon Says

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Nov 17, 2006 -> 10:30 AM) Anyone? Wean oil companies from their subsidies for production of crude oil. Offer replacement subsidies for research and development in alternative forms of energy - specifically biofuels, hydrogen cells, and natural gas among others. Require a 20% increase in CAFE standards for vehicles sold in the US within five years. Force energy companies to move forward with utilizing alternative energy patent designs for efficient usage of oil or alternative fuels that they are sitting on. Establish a use it or lose it policy on those patents.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Nov 20, 2006 -> 02:23 PM) I don't know about property taxes, but I remember when they passed the 2% "litter tax" it put Chicago at the top for sales taxes. I know their basic sales tax is 9.75%, which I don't believe anywhere in the US surpasses either. Their sin taxes are also extremely high when compared to the rest of the countries big cities from what I remember reading the last time they jumped the taxes on cigs. Utica, NY comes close at 9.5% sales tax. NYC is actually under 8.5% surprisingly.