Not too much luck viewing the Perseids this year. Full moon and too many clouds make viewing almost non-existent. I keep thinking there might be less overcast outside of town. Has anyone seen anything that looks like a meteor shower?
Google sky map for Android is a big help as is Star Walk for ipad. Does anyone else have any software recommendations?
He already did that when he pushed through Obamacare. The business community seems to be responding back in kind.
@Kelly, are you forgetting that the president isn’t part of the legislative branch?
@Moon-howler
Are you suggesting that Obama didn’t have any part or influence in the legislative process surrounding Obamacare? You are, of course, remembering that the President can veto legislation, right? That hero can be over-ridden, of course, but the legislative branch strives rather hard to pass only legislation that the President will sign.
Yes, but to suggest that he did it alone is also a distortion. @pokie
That veto can be overturned……darn auto-correct.
Tea Party’s heyday may be coming to an end, say political experts
By Alexander Bolton – 08/14/11 02:57 PM ET
The reign of the Tea Party may be coming to an end in Washington, according to academic political experts who say polls show a backlash against the conservative movement.
Two national polls released this month by CNN and The New York Times in conjunction with CBS News showed the Tea Party’s unfavorable rating at an all-time high
http://thehill.com/homenews/news/176799-tea-partys-heyday-may-be-coming-to-an-end-say-political-experts
Bye bye tehadis!
That would be good news if you ask me.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/61368.html
Looks like our Bob for Jobs has found himself on track for
some new ones.
[Ed. note: link didn’t work. I fixed it. MH]
It looks like Bob for jobs wants to be picked as a VP. I guess we could go further and do worse. He isn’t nearly as embarrassing as Cuccinelli.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/61368.html
The youtube of the kidney stone was..memorable. I’ll have to pass that along..
As for raw milk. I don’t see why the federales should be involved. At most if state commerce comes into play they should insist that a label be slapped on it that says something to the effect that consumption may pose a risk like eating raw meat, eggs, fish, etc.
Just the idea of Federale Revenuers staking out ol Bessie the Cow to see if the farmer would milk her and then sell the raw milk off the tap to an ‘unsuspecting chef’ that wants a different flavor.
I get the same feeling anytime I go to North Carolina and am told at an Applebee’s that I can’t have a steak at Medium-Rare because of “state law”. They have to cook it medium. I can’t get a cut of meat made the way I want because some government official thinks he’s smarter than me.
“I have to take issue with ‘what liberals did to Ms. Clinton and Ms. Palin.’ You are kidding me, aren’t you?”
I stand by this. I think any female candidate for POTUS is done for the next 20-30 years. When the media finds it perfectly acceptable to question the qualifications of a woman to be in office because of migraines (makes me think that MSNBC fears PMS) or asking a candidate about submissiveness versus subservience. Mind boggling to me but I guess it’s fair game for any female presidential candidate according to our current media.
Revisiting Starry’s comment about Iran and nukes. I think he took that from Santorum’s playbook. Saying that we shouldn’t explore war as the first options with Iran is different than saying arm them. Paul was saying that we should continue to seek diplomatic accords rather than simply sabre rattling. Honestly, I would think Starry would support this as it’s not that much of a departure from Obama’s current thinking —
“While this may have seemed like an extreme position to Americans whose only source of information on Iranian/U.S. relations is media propaganda, it is in fact quite sound, and part of an already existing strategy. The Obama administration has acknowledged that Iran deserves a seat at the international table. In 2009, he told the Iranian people that “The United States wants the Islamic Republic of Iran to take its rightful place in the community of nations. You have that right-but it comes with real responsibilities.” Iran and the United States also are trade partners.”
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/08/12/benzinga1854956.DTL#ixzz1V6tg1gsQ
I think his positions are now more mainstream as the populace has become war weary and are looking critically at how to put our fiscal house in order.
Do you not feel it is govt’s job to protect us from food that might make us sick? I see that there is an e-coli scare in the southeast announced today. Should we be like African nations where disease ravages so many? Raw milk has the potential to kill.
When I was growing up, Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle was still being discussed. People of my generation all really liked the idea of having the meat inspection act.
If you don’t want your meat inspected and you want to drink raw milk, buy a farm, and leave the rest of us alone.
Moon,
We were married in May, and returned in November. Very close family friends own 130 acres, that used to be a horse farm. Paddocks and old hayfields, broken by stands of Cedar. A very special place for Me & Mrs. T. We were married on the front porch of the historic farmhouse, and the big ol’ tent reception in the back. Viewing the Leonids was an annual thing for us for many years. Need to get back out there this year, and bring our daughter.
There are no laws preventing people from drinking raw milk straight from the cow if you choose. What you can’t do is sell raw milk commercially.
Thank you for clarifying that point, Starry. I somehow overlooked the simplicity of that explanation. Good one!
And George Will says Ron Paul will not win the Republican nomination because Republicans do not support Iran aquiring nukes (duh)
http://www.hapblog.com/2011/08/george-will-doesnt-believe-bachmann.html
I love the stock market. Nothing can kick you in the nads and humble you and then get right back up and soar like an eagle. Nice job today, Bulls. You did me proud.
PS Has anyone seen Rick around lately? I always miss him when he takes a vacation from us.
Hmmm, I have a hard time seeing a viable commercial market for unpasteurized Milk. But then again, California exists, so I suppose anything is possible. I guess it’s a small (small, small) commercial market…a local thing. But again, if there are people who want to buy it (and endanger their lives in the process), then as long as I don’t have to pay for their medical care, they should be able to do it. Now if you really want to know why Paul won’t be the nominee, it’s because people don’t really want freedom anymore. Most people will fall for just about anything they are told. Nobody likes to question authority anymore. Freedom….true freedom……is not easy and takes a lot of work. You actually have to decide things for yourself, such as: “I know this unpasteurized milk could very well hurt me, and this pasteurized milk is much safer……but I JUST CAN’T DECIDE!!”
After learning that my distant ancestors in the Caucasus mountains were known to drink Mare’s milk………I still get the willies thinking too much about milk.
Why I vote for Ron Paul, and why I agree with his stance on Iran and Nukes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujl_sTPZPLY
I’ve said for years, to anyone who would listen that Israel, if the US didn’t stop them, would handle Iran in a matter a days if they had to. Iran might get a nuke? Israel has 300. Paul also explains the difference between isolationism (which he is always accused of by folks who don’t understand) and free-trade.
@Starryflights
One can also buy a share of a herd to get access to raw milk. Why one would want to, I do not know, there are easier ways to catch many bacterial based diseases.
Why do people want to drink raw milk? That sounds totally gross. Pokie, mare’s milk makes me want to projectile vomit.
I won’t able to stomach any of the 2012 election choices (so far), but at least the White House is honest about the fact that the only jobs they are willing to aggressively save will be their own:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/14/us/politics/14econ.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all
well, here is a CEO with an idea – stop all political donations until Congress gets it act together – if they will not listen to an S&P downgrade, maybe they will listen to their campaign contributions – http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44152381/ns/business-us_business/#.TkmwQGHyCAg
oh, and he says that companies should start hiring, as he has done.
“Why do people want to drink raw milk? That sounds totally gross.”
I think eating foie gras is gross but some people think of it as a delicacy.
I didn’t (at least here) mention that the FDA needs to go away so I’m not sure where — “If you don’t want your meat inspected and you want to drink raw milk, buy a farm, and leave the rest of us alone.” — came from as you are left alone if the State allows intrastate purchase and consumption and those that are inclined to find those sources willing to sell the product. You can still go to Wegman’s and buy the 2% D from your friendly corporate dairy.
I want to say on Food Network they’ve talked about how some Chefs are trying to tap into that market to discover new flavors.
I guess the “rawers” will have to be happy doing things in dark back alleys..
Ok, this is funny.
http://www.grazeonline.com/articles/europerawmilk.html
Many vending machines are owned and operated by licensed farmers who provide only their own milk. In some cases, farmers can receive streaming updates of milk temperature over their cell phones. Government inspectors have cards allowing them to enter the machines and inspect premises at any time.
I can see why Big Coke, Big Diary, Big Water and Big Sports Drink want local dairy farmers crushed..
@marinm
I think they can do what they want on their own property. They just can’t see the milk commercially.
What kind of nut wants to buy milk that could easily carry bacteria?
OK, how about this…if people want to do something like drink raw milk that could endanger them….isn’t that evolution at work weeding out those who should be weeded out?
@pokie, yes. But….there are kids who have stupid parents. I suppose we should protect them.
Rick Perry on illegal immigration:
Nonetheless, Perry parts from many Republicans on the question of tighter immigration laws. He generally opposes them. In 2007 he called for completely open borders with Mexico, urging the “free flow of individuals between these two countries who want to work and want to be an asset to our country and to Mexico.” He pushed for building the Trans-Texas Corridor, a toll road that would run from Mexico through Texas and be managed by both governments. Perry has also defended Texas’s policy of giving in-state tuition to illegal immigrants, opposed building a fence along the U.S.-Mexican border, criticized Arizona’s tough anti-illegal immigration law, and dismissed the prospect that verification systems like E-Verify will substantially reduce illegal immigration.
http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/15/rick-perrys-bushian-foreign-policy/?hpt=hp_bn2
That’s interesting. I didn’t know he supported open borders. Perhaps he wouldn’t be such a bad choice.
The open borders really should make short work of Rick Perry unless he does some quick back-pedalling.
Starry, do you really support open borders?
The issue with selling raw milk is that the American consumer is stupid, and the American courts pay out money for being stupid. I can no longer get a hot cup of coffee from McD’s because of it. Someone will buy the raw milk, get TB, and sue the farmer (and the store, and the truck driver, and the truck manufacturer, and the bottle manufacturer, and the cooler manufacturer). I think today, many people forget why the milk was pasteurized in the first place, and think it is no longer needed, but to keep people healthy, you have to have the herd (of people) kept healthy. Similar to many that do not want their children vaccinated – it is because of the vaccines that the diseases are no longer an issue, and then people say, well, I do not need to vaccinate – and then you have the number of cases such as measles on the rise. So far this year, there have been about 120 cases of measles – a low number, but it was once near 0.
Thanks for this reminder. Wasn’t small pox once associated with raw milk also or did I dream that one up?
I was about to ask the same question. Out of the three top contenders, I would place Bachman at the top of “Most Conservative” list on immigration, with Romney next and Perry third. However, a Governor of a border state with a high hispanic population would take a very different approach to the issue, then would a Governor of an interior state. Not trying to defend Perry’s positions here. Quite the contrary. But, they are all politicians in the end.
I don’t drink cows milk at all, whether pastuerized or raw. I drink almond milk, coconut milk, and on rare occasions, soy milk. I have to wonder about the first man or woman who looked at a cows teat and said “hey, that looks pretty good…I wonder how the stuff that comes out would taste?” That is not to say I don’t like cows milk, and I do serve it to my daughter. I like cheese and ice-cream too. But why anyone would want to drink raw milk is beyond me. But, if they want to do so, and are aware of the risks, they should be allowed to, IMHO. Just look at sushi. Any raw animal protein consumed poses some risk. Vegetables, unless you grow them yourself and know exactly what was used to fertilize them or protect them from pests, pose some risk. Why should raw milk be any different?
Sorry to depart from the raw milk issue but I get my nourishment from malt, barley and hops which likely kills smallpox if ingested in large enough quantities. Saw this in the Post and figured it needs a little dissection:
“Covington said that as supervisor, he pushed for a resolution in 2005 that halted residential growth for a year and advocated for another measure last year that stopped residential building until three new schools opened this fall. Covington said that while he has been in office, 11 schools opened in Brentsville, including the governor’s school and an alternative school, and countless road projects were completed, including the widening of Linton Hall Road.”
The resolution in 2005 was for far less than a year and expired virtually the day after the election at which point it was business as usual. Hurrah for Wally the environmentalist, recycling last a campaign ploy from the last election, wonder how much paper he saved.
He advocated a measure that stopped residential building until three new schools opened, well thank you very much Wally, those schools were desperately needed in large part due to your actions and should have been built before the houses. I guess you deserve a hearty slap on the back for your magnaminous gesture. Now that the schools are built I guess its time to start building again so any gains realized are quickly wiped out.
Lastly, road projects and particularly Linton Hall, really Wally, you’re going to credit for that, the shear chutzpah is astounding.
I support Rick Perry’s position on immigration matters – free flow of individuals between two countries who want to work.
And btw, Tea Party Congressman Austin Scott of Georgia sure sounds like an open borders guy based on this article I posted several days ago. Most of the immigration hawks who participate on this blog were conspicuously silent about it:
http://live.washingtonpost.com/Austin-Scott-betrayed-his-Tea-Party-Milbank-chat.html
Starry,
I wouldn’t say illegal immigration is a TEA Party issue, per se, although I will acknowledge that your average TEA Party member is anti-illegal immigration. Same could be said about the issue of abortion, or a whole host of social issues. My understanding of the core TEA Party platform was small government, fiscal responsibility. I think that anytime you have a conservative grassroots organization, there is going to be some overlap. But we should avoid lumping all the issues under the TEA Party umbrella, whether in our support of, or opposition to.
Case in point: The recent artillery duel between Elena and Greg over the Rural Crescent. If one reads the accusations and counter-accusations, attacks and defense without a complete understanding of the core issue, you could end up with a headache in your eye. I know I did. If you can peel the rehtorical onion, and understand that ARC wants to preserve the rural character of parts of western PWC, and view the back and forth through that prisim, you might understand what the issue of signing a pledge is all about. When you muddy the waters with whether or not an ARC member is “pro” or “anti” illegal immigration, things get more than confusing. Here we have candidates that have signed the pledge being supported by bvbl, and candidates who have not signed it being opposed. But then again, some who declined to sign are being supported, and others opposed by the same blog. Much of the opposition revolves around an unrelated issue: illegal immigration. I haven’t commented to date because:
#1. I don’t live in the county. For me it’s like watching the superbowl or world series, when neither team is “my team”. I’m just watching for the love of the game.
#2. I understand that issue-based advocacy often times aligns people who would disagree on a host of other issues, but on the issue at hand, they agree.
But I digress. The TEA Party is not, (according to my understanding) a pro or anti-illegal immigration group, regardless of any majority opinion of it’s constituant members on the issue. It is a low-tax, small government group, engaged in an effort to force the Federal government to operate within the bounds of the US Constitution.
There is no doubt that Perry could very well have troubles with those for whom illegal immigration is a big deal (like me). As I have pointed out earlier, though, there is quite a trend of illegals going home because by comparison, the unemployment rate is very low in Mexico (4.9% vs. over 9% here). I’ll be honest with you, I think maybe we have bigger problems right now than illegal immigration. I agree with any who say social conservative issues are a dead end now. But I’m also quite sure I’ll sit here and watch folks tear themselves apart over social conservative issues.
Slowpoke, all three of the top contenders have issues that voters will need to make decisions on. Romney has Romneycare. Perry illegal immigration. Bachman, close alignment with the TEA Party. Each voter will have to look at the total package when casting their primary vote. When you have imperfect people seeking office, there are no perfect candidates.
@Steve Thomas
And the problem mainly is that ARC has nothing to do with illegal immigration, despite one bloggers attempt to do a massive shot. He knows better.
I very much hate the notion that any American has to goose-step in formation over a set of issues. As a thinking person, I should be able to pick and chose my issues and not have one bleed onto the other one.
As we have talked about, Steve, real progress comes from finding common ground, rather than always trying to have people tearing at each other.
After the primary dust has settled, some mighty nice people might all want to be on speaking terms. I appreciate that there are so many people out there willing to serve the people of Prince William County. We will get fewer and fewer people willing to serve if they just don’t want to get caught in the cross-fire.
People should note that moonhowlings.net has had little to say about those running for supervisor as far as the election goes. We don’t feel that we have any greater insight than anyone else.
I’m really surprised at the lack of outrage at yesterday’s tangle between Obama and a tea party person. I thought sure that was “right down your alley” around here!
I might not have seen it, pokie. I had a busy day yesterday, holding down the fort. What happened?
@Moon-howler
“And the problem mainly is that ARC has nothing to do with illegal immigration, despite one bloggers attempt to do a massive shot. He knows better.”
My point exactly. Just as those who would incorrectly ascribe all kinds of tertiary socal issues to the TEA Party agenda to advance some argument they are trying to make, the same tactic was used to attack ARC’s agenda. What gives it away is the selective application of the “standard”. Kind of like trying to paint HSM as a 2nd Ammendment group, just because many within their leadership were pro-2nd Ammendment. The real issue and the externally applied issue have nothing to do with each other. Nor are they mutually exclusive.
@Moon-howler
At a rally, a tea party dude got in Obama’s face about Biden calling TP “terrorists”. It frankly got uncomfortable.
@Pokie, are there links to a video? I expect it will make me very uncomfortable.
http://foxnewsinsider.com/2011/08/16/video-tea-partier-confronts-obama-over-terrorist-comments/
I thought the guy acted like an AH. There is protocol when addressing a president, regardless of who it is.
The secret service should have gotten the Prez out of there. I just think it was an example of very bad manners. I guess the Prez should be commended for talking to the buy. Many before him would not have.
And you are right, Pokie, it was very uncomfortable.
Replace terrorist with extremist. They’re on both sides.
I am more comfortable with the word extremist, Juturna. “Terrorist” is reserved for something else.
The pentagon is talking about overhauling the military retirement system. The suggestion is to turn it all over to a 401k to save money.
There goes the incentive to serve.
Question- Do retired military (after 20 years) get a housing allowance on top of their retirement? Is it 50% of the 3 highest pay years?
Moon,
I actually like the idea. Today, if you voluntarily leave the service, get forced out due to manpower cuts, or receive a hardship discharge, and you haven’t served 20, you get NADA. The problem is, “the pension” is always sold as a differred compensation benefit. At least this way, you can get something to put toward retirement.
Presently, I believe you get 50% of your monthly base pay (average of your last three years of active duty) for 20 years, and fractionally more for any time between 20 and 30 years, to a max of 75%. The only other benefits are PX and medical, continued use of some base facilities. No Basic Allowance Quarters (housing) or Basic Allowance Subsistance (food).
That’s definitely a side I didn’t think about–that under 20 years you get nothing. Would the 401k be vested before year 20?
I would always elect to get a pension over a 401k if those were my only 2 choices.
Well, I guess our Pat.Herve should toss out any ideas of a vacation in Paris or sunbathing on the French Riviera. High end dairy products in France are almost all made from raw milk. In fact, making French cheese with anything but raw milk is akin to gastronomic heresy. Something to remember while taking your cafe-au-lait in that quaint little bistro on the Left Bank and watching the world walk by. Just what IS that “lait” in your “cafe”? In fact, if you are inclined to patronize your local “auberge” or invited to a wine and cheese party where your host or hostess offers a selection of gourmet foreign cheeses……..
Amidst all of the political and economic turmoil, how did I miss this critical news?
http://news.starbucks.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=504
@Emma
Sorry, but that was announced a month or two ago. Green Mountain stock shot way up that day. They are also doing Dunkin Donuts K-Cups as well. Green Mountain has been doing just fine lately.
I knew about Dunkin’, but somehow I was out of the Starbucks loop. I really need to pay more attention to current events.
Steve is not quite correct about those being forced out before twenty getting nothing. Most of the time a military member forced out due to manpower cuts will receive a lump sum payment. It is nowhere near as lucrative as a military retirement, but it is usually a substantial amount (several $20,000s).
Michele Bachmann turns her re-writing of history inattention to a more modern milestone in America’s story. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/61493.html
@Kelly3406
Perhaps it varies with different branches of the service? Yes or no?
Military retirement is the same for all services. It takes the average of the highest 3 years multiplied by 2.5% for each year of service with a minimum of 20 years to qualify for retired pay, so at 20 years you are eligible for 50% of your 3-year base pay average. Base pay does not include any other forms of compensation a service member might get like housing allowances, special duty pay (like flight pay or submarine duty pay, or medical specialty pay), or hostile fire pay. As an example, a person who enlisted at age 18, served 20 years, and reached the grade of E-7 would earn a little over $2,000 a month in gross pay. When you retire you also have to pay for Tricare (medical insurance), although it is very cheap compared to other insurers. You also have the option to buy life insurance and what is in essence an annuity for a surviving spouse if you happen to die first. The life insurance and annuity are cheaper than comparable civilian plans, although they are not cheap. Some states exempt military retired pay from state income tax (Virginia is not one of those states). The other benefit that is pretty substantial is educational benefits for the veteran and, depending on the date of retirement, his or her dependents. Here’s a link to a site where you can calculate retired pay at different ranks and different lengths of service. http://militarypay.defense.gov/retirement/calc/02_highthree.html
Military Retirement: for those of us in the service before September 8, 1980, it was the 50% of only base pay at 20 years, then 2.5 for each year after added in, to the max of 75% if you serve a full 30.
Just a clarifier….being one of those who came on before the shift to the High Three.