127 Thoughts to “Open Thread……………………………………….Tuesday, February 22”

  1. Cargosquid
    February 24, 2011 at 1:07 pm

    @George S. Harris
    Actually, I agree with that. That’s why the taxpayers had BETTER BE the boss. Usually, they are not. If we want the reps to listen to us, we have to figure out how to become the boss.

    @Moon-howler
    The good thing is, we can always count on extremists to overdo things so that everyone notices. They make it easy next election.

    You just described the entirety of American politics in two sentences.

    I just thought I’d give you a wake up with that idea of Cooch…..of course, that’s AFTER he’s governor of Virginia.

  2. Starryflights
    February 24, 2011 at 1:43 pm

    Rush Limbaugh binges on anti-Michelle Obama vitriol

    By Dana Milbank
    Wednesday, February 23, 2011

    Rush Limbaugh thinks Michelle Obama is a big, fat idiot.

    The broadcaster announced during his show Monday that the first lady “took the kids out to Vail on a ski vacation, and they were spotted eating, and they were feasting on ribs – ribs that were 1,575 calories per serving with 141 grams of fat.”

    Actually, the restaurant put the calorie count at 600, but Rush was determined to chew out Obama. “The problem is – and dare I say this? – it doesn’t look like Michelle Obama follows her own nutritionary, dietary advice,” he said. “I’m trying to say that our first lady does not project the image of women that you might see on the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.”

    Limbaugh is in an excellent position to make this observation, being perhaps the finest example of the male form since Michelangelo sculpted David. In 2009, he went on a fad diet, full of controversial supplements but little exercise, and lost 90 pounds. Such crash diets are dangerous – and, sure enough, Limbaugh wound up in the hospital at the end of the year with chest pains. Judging from recent video footage, he has regained most of the bulk.

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/22/AR2011022205740.html?tid=wp_featuredstories

    I sure don’t want to see Rush Limbaugh in a speedo. He is very fat, and a hypocrite.

  3. Moon-howler
    February 24, 2011 at 2:01 pm

    @Cargo, and so American politics begins to resemble a game of ping pong.

    I wouldn’t count on kookoonelli as governor. It just doesn’t have a good ring to it.

    Can you imagine the amount of money that would pour in to this state from both sides.

  4. Moon-howler
    February 24, 2011 at 2:04 pm

    The student who planned the bomb attacks on the US has been in the country since 2007 on a student visa. So much for the Rio Grande theory I was hearing earlier.

  5. Cato the Elder
    February 24, 2011 at 2:07 pm

    Ugly ugly ugly. There’s your failed bounce. Also, silver looks to be rolling over here so all you nouveau riche folks might want to consider ringing the register at least a little bit.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUk8OuF1C-A

  6. Moon-howler
    February 24, 2011 at 2:24 pm

    @Cato, very very FUGLY. I don’t own enough to sweat the silver. It appears that gold and silver are running in opposite directions lately.

  7. Cargosquid
    February 24, 2011 at 3:08 pm

    @Moon-howler
    Just think of the amount of material Virginia bloggers would have 🙂

  8. Cargosquid
    February 24, 2011 at 3:13 pm

    @Cato the Elder
    Soooo….buy nickels?

    @Moon-howler
    http://www.kitco.com/market/

    Here’s the quotes.

    So, buy 50% gold and 50% silver?

    I just wish I had available cash back when gold was $850 and silver was $15. All I have is an old 401K.

  9. Moon-howler
    February 24, 2011 at 7:23 pm

    No kidding@Cargo.

    I find what happened today in the state senate very wrong and very depressing.

    I feel like it is just a war on women. That coupled with the war on public employees is just a little much.

    I am watching Son of the Morning Star…speaking of people who have been screwed over.

    I need to renew. Sometimes things are just dead wrong.

  10. marinm
    February 24, 2011 at 10:23 pm

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703408604576164290717724956.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

    Oh, To Be a Teacher in Wisconsin
    How can fringe benefits cost nearly as much as a worker’s salary? Answer: collective bargaining..

    * this is an op/editorial for those that would rather skip it

    1. Moon-howler
      February 24, 2011 at 11:12 pm

      @marin,

      it sounds like some of those sitting on the other side of the table don’t really understand collective bargaining.
      How much would you pay them, Marin? What do you think they are worth? Think $35k is enough?

      Social security and medicare are not benefits. All employers pay those fees.

  11. Morris Davis
    February 24, 2011 at 11:40 pm

    marinm – The figures in the op-ed that are attributed to an unnamed financial planner for the City of Milwaukee schools (not the whole state) don’t make sense. He or she includes employee contributions with the employer contributions and then adds a percentage that’s based on what the system spends on their obligations to retirees compared to teacher wages. That’s what President Bush would call “fuzzy math.” The figure I’ve seen most often is an average of $81K. When you consider that every teacher has a college degree and a majority also have a masters that figure doesn’t seem too high. http://politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2011/feb/23/eric-bolling/fox-business-news-eric-bolling-says-wisconsin-teac/

  12. Raymond Beverage
    February 25, 2011 at 8:17 am

    PWC Precinct Data available over at Virginia Virtucon….and if you look down in the comments, one poster has already down the breakout math for everyone (so no worries about fooling with the spreadsheet). Interesting reading of the numbers and the shifts.

    http://virginiavirtucon.wordpress.com/2011/02/24/pwc-precinct-level-census-data-now-available-for-the-general-public/

  13. marinm
    February 25, 2011 at 9:29 am

    @Moon-howler

    @Morris Davis

    I think I’ve read that base salary is in line. I’d drop the pension plan, put them on a 401/403 w/ upto a 6% match and have them pay around the national average for health insurance.

    Mo, good link. I’ve seen it before but it’s good to all work off the same numbers.

    Why are we paying more for a Masters? Do the students really get anything more out of it? I don’t think it should be part of the salary equation.

  14. Lafayette
    February 25, 2011 at 9:37 am

    @Raymond Beverage
    Thanks for the link. Mom’s numbers make sense, but the reality is it won’t happen. Redistricting is a top concern of mine this year. It’s hard to tell what district WestGate will end up in before this process is done. I’m looking forward to seeing the maps that the spoke of at the Committee of 100 last week, that would be prepared by college students. I know many people planning to follow this redistricting closely.

  15. Lafayette
    February 25, 2011 at 9:43 am

    Moon,
    Time for a new open thread. Don’t forget to mention our gathering this Sunday and red velvet cake. 🙂

  16. Moon-howler
    February 25, 2011 at 9:51 am

    They are at vpap…the maps.

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