Rex Kickass

Another reason he should be booted from the caucus. He's not even pretending to be part of the party anymore, why should he get the benefit of party seniority?

Marriage Equality may be stalled in New Jersey... But its a reality in D.C. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/gay-marriag...tory?id=9344029

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Dec 15, 2009 -> 01:09 PM) What obvious differences are there in our lives now that there is a Dem controlled Congress and Executive branch? I'd wager to argue that our recession would be a fully fleshed out depression right now without the intervention of a Dem controlled Congress and Executive branch. We've seen a ton of work to change the way our relations operate with dozens of states, allys and enemies. We've taken steps to close the prison in Guantanamo Bay. Fully funded Amtrak and actually started working to improve our mass transit infrastructure. Restored funding for Byrne grants which look to fix crime issues in inner cities. Added 2 million acres of land to federal protection. Lily Ledbetter Act.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Dec 15, 2009 -> 11:55 AM) Doesn't matter. Might as well merge the 2 threads as both parties, with very few exceptions, are nothing but corporate shills. Actually, no they aren't. Not at all. There are plenty of things not to be happy about with the DNC and the Democratic leadership - but because five or six senators are holding legislation hostage and the Senate majority leader doesn't have the balls to force something through doesn't make them all corporate shills. If that were the case, any health care reform bills would have never gotten through committee.

QUOTE (FlaSoxxJim @ Dec 14, 2009 -> 07:10 PM) That's a big load you're heaping on the Breeders. I think Kim and Kelley Deal can handle it.

Miss Platnum - Chefa Bran Van 3000 - Cum On Feel The Noize Cold War Kids - Relief MSTRKRFT - Neon Knghts The Pixies - Is She Weird? Otis Redding - Hard to Handle Spank Rock - Top Billing from Far Left Fox - Only You Can Kanye West - Stronger James Brown - Bewildered and the bonus "one more hour til I can leave work" track: Jay Z - Ignorant s***

We all know that 8 wasn't the magic number thanks to Jon and Kate. But that 18 kids and counting family is still together so.... I'm gonna go with somewhere in the 15-20 range.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 14, 2009 -> 04:38 PM) LOL. 1994. Nice timing. Funny he didn't fight it from 1984 to 1993. Actually, he proposed it in 1995. While in the minority.

So the vote was postponed to hear more testimony before the Assembly Judicial committee - with a hope of passing it first and then moving it to the Senate. Except no hearing date has been set. (That was supposed to take place instead of the Senate vote, but didn't.) No date has been set on the vote. January 3 has been thrown around. This would leave somewhere around 16 days to get the measure passed and signed into law by the Governor before Corzine hands over the Governor's seat. When Christie gets in, even if the measure passes - it will be vetoed. A lot of gay citizens have been lied to about support for marriage equality and they are angry. State Senators are suddenly finding themselves with protesters outside of their house and at family events because of their sudden lack of support for equal rights in New Jersey. There are other electeds (Corzine's running mate and State Senator Loretta Weinberg, notably) who are asking the community to respect legislators' families and privacy and refrain from reaching out to these suddenly unavailable elected officials outside of their offices and state houses. It's kind of funny in a way, by not getting this passed despite their previous promises, they are disrespecting a lot of families in New Jersey - who just want equal protection under the law.

I've finally found the motivation to go workout regularly. I overpay for a way too nice gym and I am completely broke. So I feel like I'm flushing money down the toilet if I'm not there 3 times a week at least. Mostly cardio, as that's what its always been - although I've started doing some light to moderate weights twice a week focusing on my upper body since there isn't a lot of development there. I've also fallen in love with Spinning. Now that the cycling year is basically up, I'm in the spin room at least twice a week - often riding for an hour by myself in the room just to kick my own ass as hard as I can. It's been two months since I really started and I'm down about 10 pounds give or take a pound.

And Marriage Equality is probably dead. http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/...e-equality-vote Translation: we don't have the 21 votes we need to get it through the Senate so we're sending it to another committee so that we can let it sit and wither with a whimper.

QUOTE (jasonxctf @ Dec 8, 2009 -> 07:25 PM) i guess i dont understand that argument. if you are a DE incorporated business, but reside in CA, do you have to follow DE pollution laws or CA? does that mean that if I drive my car in a state where the MPH is 45 on the highway, I can go 55, because I've got an Illinois Drivers License? I would just think that you have to play by the rules in the state you are in, not one where you "artifically" call home. The reason is an anagram: ERISA. It makes the state incapable of requiring ERISA capable companies to recognize a civil union thanks to federal language like Defense of Marriage Act. From the commission's report.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Dec 8, 2009 -> 10:51 AM) So is there actually a chance it is signed into law before Christie is inaugurated? The biggest hurdle it has is Thursday. If it gets 21 votes in the Senate, it goes to the assembly. If the votes to pass it are in the Senate, the votes to pass it are in the Assembly. If it passes the Senate, it will be on the Gov's desk by Christmas I figure. However, the 21 votes may be too tall an order.

QUOTE (jasonxctf @ Dec 8, 2009 -> 10:19 AM) why isnt the current law being enforced? It's difficult to enforce. Roughly half the employers in New Jersey don't have their corporate base in New Jersey, so they can argue they are exempt from recognizing civil unions. The argument that they'll take to the court is "If it was supposed to be marriage, they'd have called it marriage." It took weeks of arm twisting to get UPS to recognize civil unions and that came direct from the Governor himself. If the Governor had to do that with every company that chooses not to recognize civil unions but does business in New Jersey, it would be a nearly 24/7 job. Vermont voted to change its law from civil unions to full equality this year, because civil unions just aren't equal and they never will be. There was a state commission on this issue to measure the law's effectiveness and whether it provides an adequate measure of equality. They said it doesn't. http://www.gardenstateequality.org/civilun...0the%20CURC.pdf

As you may have heard, New Jersey's top White Sox fan Jon Corzine did not win reelection last month. However, he's still the governor for another month or so - and the NJ Senate and Legislature is currently in a lame duck session. On the docket? Marriage Equality. This right was overturned in Maine on Election Day. It was up for a vote in the Senate and lost in New York. This week, it is New Jersey's turn. The state already has civil unions or "everything but marriage." It's supposed to provide every right and responsibility that marriage provides - except it really doesn't. Employers are choosing not to honor the civil union legislation and it's virtually unenforceable. Story after story come out of spouses unable to get insurance for their family because the ERISA qualified corporation they work for does not honor the civil union law in New Jersey. There have even been instances where spouse's bodies weren't released to their partner because they weren't "married." It passed committee yesterday 7-6 and goes up for a vote on the Senate floor. If it passes the Senate, assembly assent is assured and Corzine has said he will sign it into law (Incoming Governor Christie has said he would veto the measure.) The Senate passage is all but assured. The votes were there, according to Garden State Equality, prior to the election - but with an incoming GOP governor who opposes marriage equality, as many as 6 votes may have dropped off. This vote needs 21 Senators approval to pass. New Jersey is not a referendum state so with passage, it would essentially need a constitutional convention to get overturned.

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Dec 7, 2009 -> 02:07 PM) Where's the Ensign like "RESIGN" comments? Oh wait, it's different. (Yes, it is, slightly, but the poor judgement for power isn't different). That's fine with me. He should resign. And then Tester could replace him with a better Democrat.

Syd Dale - The Riviera Set Pierro Piccioni - Traffic Boom The Beach Boys - God Only Knows John Legend - If You're Out There Whale - Tryzasnice Big Brother and the Holding Company - I Need A Man To Love Daft Punk - High Life Jamiroquai - Cosmic Girl Deee-Lite - p****cat Meow The Gay Blades - O Shot Bonus 11 Iron&Wine with Calexico - 16, Maybe Less

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/04/a...s_n_380130.html

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 4, 2009 -> 09:45 AM) Yeah I saw that this morning. I am more optimistic about the economy right now than many in this forum, but even I did not expect any notable drop like that. But really, of all those numbers, the most important one to me is the 11,000 job losses. That is getting damn close to zero, which means there is some significant hiring going on, which I did not at all expect at this stage. I think the next really interesting inflection point will be in early January, when we see the December (and holiday season) retail numbers. It's seasonally adjusted too, if this was a "regular" month, it would have shown job growth in six figures.

Unemployment rate drops from 10.2% to 10.0% Underemployment rate drops from 17.5% to 17.2% Average work week jumps from 33.0 to 33.2 Average weekly salary up. Total jobs lost for the month drops from 111,000 in October to 11,000 in November.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 3, 2009 -> 10:32 AM) I pretty much agree. I think some aspects of TARP could have been handled better, but considering the time constraints they were under to act massively, they did reasonably well, IMO. The Stimulus Bill, so far, appears to have partially addressed some short term employment issues. And that is worth something. But I think long term, its a pretty big bust. We'll see if I'm wrong in the next few years. A stimulus bill is, by definition, a short - medium term push, no?

Denmark doesnt appear to be recognized.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 2, 2009 -> 01:10 PM) He left out the M and M's... Whether that was an M and M or not is still up for debate.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Dec 2, 2009 -> 01:03 PM) a friend of mine told me that Frank's staff is all handsome young guys that look like Abercrombie models. lol, more power to him, I would do the same thing and hire a bunch of busty young interns if I thought I could get away with it. Not entirely true. But probably pretty accurate.

12/12 as well.