daffs 2

Almost.  Just another week or two of warm weather and we will have daffodils, those harbingers of spring.

Everyone is sick of winter.  I like winter and I am tired of being cold.  Many western states have had the warmest weather on record.  Not us.

How are you going to usher in spring?

114 Thoughts to “Open Thread…………………………………………Tuesday, March 10”

  1. Friar Tuck

    someone needs to tell one of the sheriff’s trolls that you don’t use the expression “jiving and shucking” in articles criticizing women of color. It’s and extremely racist expression.

    Google the expression. Sheriff might want to take that comment down.

    Does Ole Friar have to be the PC police?

  2. @Friar Tuck
    That really is an expression to avoid at all costs. I would probably take down the comment. Shudder.

    Why is your buddy criticizing women of color?

  3. Pat.Herve

    Some very interesting testimony given to the Senate Budget Committee –
    http://www.budget.senate.gov/democratic/public/_cache/files/70913d8f-7954-4f75-a75e-1c71264b615f/blyth—senate-testimony-on-balanced-budgets-copy.pdf

    I do wonder if they will listen or just make it up as they go. In his testimony he describes investments that the US made and how it contributed to our economy in the long run and if you take out all that investment it will affect the long term economy. He also briefly talks about US demographics – something that many people do not understand.

  4. Wolve

    Two police officers ambushed and wounded by gunfire in Ferguson, Missouri.

  5. Furby McPhee

    I know we aren’t allowed to criticize Hillary Clinton here, so all I’ll say is it looks like even the New York Times is becoming sexist. They note that Hillary’s popularity drops when she gets more into politics and rise when she does apolitical activities.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/10/upshot/hillary-clinton-is-more-vulnerable-in-2016-than-you-think.html?_r=0&abt=0002&abg=0

    I sure hope she sees this article. In fact, I’m tempted to email it to her. Anybody know her email address?

    1. You apparently don’t know what you don’t know. There is no ban on criticizing Hillary if you are being rational and not being a smart ass. It is Bill who is the sacred cow, not Hillary.

      Just out of curiosity, why is that being sexist? I haven’t read the article.

  6. Furby McPhee

    There’s no ban, but despite three or four threads on the Senate GOP’s letter, there’s nothing on Hillary’s email. The stories are at least equal in media attention. The difference is that only one of them may have involved criminal actions. Care to guess which one?

  7. Wolve

    I thought Bill was a sacred bull.

  8. Pat.Herve

    There is an error on the Pi Day Comments.

    At 9:26 and 53 seconds am/pm you will get this – 3.141592653

  9. Wolve

    For the love of Mike, what the heck is going on with the Secret Service?!! Two apparently inebriated SS agents crashed their car into a White House barrier and disrupted a suspicious package investigation? One of the agents is the second-in-command of the Presidential security detail?

    The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is asking for an explanation. Elijah Cummings is furious and rightly so. In the midst of an era of terrorism, it seems that the news these days about the SS comes with stories about booze and prostitutes. Not good. Somebody needs to shake that place up.

  10. Rick Bentley

    Today I saw road rage. This nimrod was trying to take up the whole of the turn space in between the two halves of Ashton Road – over by the turn onto Lomond. He was trying to keep me from turning off onto the other part of the area. But he wasn’t very skillful at it, so i went right around him and then we were each sitting waiting to make our turn (in opposite directions).

    I heard him yelling at me, so i opened my window and yelled a few choice things back. I’ll spare you.

    Then this little old man with a Colonel Sanders beard jumps out of his truck, in the rain, wearing a garish shirt made out of American flags. He starts beating on my window and tearing at the door handle, screaming as he does it. For, maybe two minutes’ duration. I mostly just looked at him. Eventually I moved for my phone; before I could manage a picture or video of him, he went away.

    But he was absolutely bezerk. A bad driver, and a complete maniac.

    If anyone knows of some old guy with a Colonel Sanders beard, who dresses up in a clown outfit of American flags, please let me know who this guy is. He’s a menace, for sure.

    1. It sounds sort of like my husband until you get to the American flags. (different clown outfit) He also doesn’t jump anywhere. He is pretty gimped up.

      Sorry.

      Shall we light up his lights on the blog? LOL

  11. Rick Bentley

    I promise that I’m not looking to beat the old guy up. I passed on a chance at that today. But this really should be reported.

  12. Wolve

    You’re right Get a plate number or partial plate number?

  13. Rick Bentley

    No – because of the angles of the cars, couldn’t see it. I chose not to get out of the car, due to the traffic close by on both sides and the rain.

    But his clownish garb was so distinctive that I wouldn’t be surprised if someone knows who he is.

  14. Cargosquid

    Imagine the headlines at the first Walker/Clinton Presidential debate.
    He’s a gentleman, and offers his hand….then, his arm…to escort her to the center of the stage.

    Headline: Clinton leans on Walker to cross stage. or Clinton uses Walker on stage. Or any variations…..

  15. Cato the Elder

    @Rick Bentley

    Bring the yellow tape and the chalk.

    A missed opportunity, for sure.

  16. Ed Myers

    Could someone more in tune with the southern social conservative movement explain the danger to religious freedom if transgendered people are permitted to use the restroom of their chosen gender. I don’t understand the theological basis for the outrage. Based on fundraising letters it appears this is the follow-on to gay marriage once the Supreme Court rules and the gay issue stops being a fundraising spigot for a while. How is someone harmed knowing that there might be a woman with a penis in the stall next door but isn’t harmed at all knowing that a lesbian might be in the other stall?

  17. Wolve

    Will the lesbian and the woman with a penis hook up?

  18. Rick Bentley

    I also don’t understand why some socially conservative people want to see gender defined by genitalia. Even if you attempt to label people that way, there are herrmaphrodites in the world.

    Gender is a fluid concept. That’s the truth.

  19. Wolve

    Wolve :
    Will the lesbian and the woman with a penis hook up?

    Right there in the stalls?

    1. Other than I don’t think they are interested in each other, probably not.

      There was a famous “cubical arrangement” at one of the stores over at Manassas Mall.

      I find the lengths (no pun intended) some people will go to just to have sex to be…laughable.

  20. Rick Bentley

    Is that something you’d like to see? There’s stuff like that all over youporn and redtube; it shouldn’t be hard for you to find.

  21. Wolve

    Rick Bentley :
    Is that something you’d like to see? There’s stuff like that all over youporn and redtube; it shouldn’t be hard for you to find.

    Ah, Mr. Bentley, you know well how to navigate to that stuff then? Show it to Ed. It might change his opinion on the unisex bathroom business.

  22. Wolve

    Chris Cabrera, Vice-President of the National Border Patrol Council Local No. 3307, in recent testimony before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee:

    “I want to be crystal clear — the border is not secure.”

    Mr. Cabrera says that the DHS is misleading the country on illegal immigrant apprehensions along the southwest border and on the status of border security. Six out of ten illegal immigrants who attempt to cross are NOT apprehended. And Border Patrol officers are being punished through reassignment to bad postings if they dare to report catches of more than 20 illegal border crossers at a time. So they fudge the totals to avoid punishment.

  23. Scout

    Saw my first crocus of the season today while dog-walking. How’s that for excitement? Not quite up to the trans-gender bathroom issues, but, for me at least, it was inspirational after a tough winter.

  24. Ed Myers

    I was interested in the theological perspective and the religious liberty interest but apparently we can’t get past prurient interests. I’ve never encountered people having sex in the bathroom (or at least I never noticed.) I’m sure the sht stinks no matter what the depositor has for a package or what gender they think they are. I’m just trying to figure out how one’s religious freedom is affected. Do conservatives pray in the bathroom and need a buffer from sexual perversion? Or do they fear LGBT cooties that might stick to toilet seats and dirty their religiously clean butts; maybe even infect them causing them to turn into lesbians? Oh Lord!

  25. Wolve

    It’s all your fault, Ed. You should stop using such vivid descriptive language, thereby distracting from your point. I mean, really, my man, you think presenting a picture of a lesbian in a bathroom stall next to “a woman with a penis” is going to lead to serious discussion? Well……..maybe chez Jon Stewart…….

  26. Wolve

    “LGBT cooties” does not sound like the makings for serious discussion either, I would think. As for prayer in the john —-I imagine Martin Luther might have engaged in that. Historians say that he had a very bad, long-term case of constipation.

  27. Friar Tuck

    Readers might want to check out the story on Jeb Bush and his connection to corruption. Readers, pay careful attention to a familiar name from Prince William County.

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/jeb-bushs-tie-to-fugitive-cuts-against-savvy-business-image-he-promotes/2015/03/18/0a627a84-c804-11e4-b2a1-bed1aaea2816_story.html?hpid=z1

    Funny how trouble just always seems to follow certain people around.

  28. Wolve

    Everybody enjoy the snow?

    1. Not enough of it. Happy Spring, Wolve.

  29. Wolve

    Same to you, Moon.

  30. Wolve

    A reminder of how fragile life can be. Lisa Colagrossi, reporter for WABC-7 Television New York City, out on assignment. She suddenly says something is wrong and loses consciousness. Dead the next day at a hospital. Brain aneurysm. Age 49, married, two sons. Gone just like that.

    R.I.P.

    1. That is horrible. We had that happen to an inlaw 2 summers ago. He seemed like the picture of health. Bad head ache. He never woke up.

      The family dedicated the 4th of July to Jerry. It was his favorite holiday! RIP Jerry.

  31. Lyssa

    Returned to the area last week from sunny Florida to snow at BWI!

  32. Cargosquid

    Well…..

    The game has begun.

    Ted Cruz has announced his run for the presidency.

    I can see a Walker/Cruz ticket. I would rather Cruz become the GOP “Ted Kennedy” and become Senate Majority Leader.

    1. Running finger down throat over both of them.

      Cruz is just a nutwing. Walker is a union buster.

      What happened to normal republicans? Are there none left?

  33. Rick Bentley

    Astonished that Darren Sharper gets 9 years jail time for a series of druggings and rapes of women. Jails were built for people like Darren Sharper.

    1. Whoever that is….9 years for rape is simply not enough time.

  34. Cargosquid

    @Moon-howler
    These are normal Republicans.

    What you want are called Democrats.

    1. Not necessarily. I want Republicans along the line of Daddy Bush before he got turned.

  35. Cargosquid

    @Rick Bentley
    Just nine years? Should have been nine years for each charge…served sequentially.

    1. No. 20 years for each rape.

  36. Rick Bentley

    Yeah Cargo, he got some kind of plea bargain where the states are letting him serve time for the rapes in parallel. He got a 20 year sentence but will serve about half.

    I don’t understand this, at all. I don’t think we’ve heard the last of this. It’s outrageous.

  37. Cargosquid

    @Rick Bentley
    And people wonder why other people get fed up about the justice system. It seems that real crooks end up skating while those that shouldn’t even be arrested get the shaft.

    1. Most people with court appointed lawyers get longer sentences than those who come in with a private attorney.

      So I think it is fair to say that poor people (or less affluent people, if you will) get longer sentences. Often the very rich are the skaters.
      I am unfamiliar with the person you are outraged over. He probably needs the death penalty if he is a rapist.

  38. Wolve

    Moon-howler :
    Running finger down throat over both of them.
    Cruz is just a nutwing. Walker is a union buster.
    What happened to normal republicans? Are there none left?

    Running a finger down the throat doesn’t really work very well anymore. I tried that with Obama — twice.

    1. I guess we are just wired differently.

      Find me a national Republican that doesn’t make me sick please.

      Still better, can I just sit the 2016 election out?

  39. Cargosquid

    @Moon-howler
    “Still better, can I just sit the 2016 election out?”

    Go right ahead. You have every right.

    Well..unless Obama’s desire that voting become mandatory ever comes into being……

    1. I don’t mind voting, I just don’t want to hear about it for 2 years.

      I don’t think Obama wants to make voting mandatory. That is a lofty goal. Perhaps we all, in our pipe dreams, think it should be part of citizenship.

  40. Pat.Herve

    cruz – “I’m all you’re entitled to, so just give me your vote and watch what happens.” –
    ROTF LMAO.

    1. Did he really say that? I am in a gullible mood today.

  41. Jackson Bills

    Looks like that POS Bowe Bergdahl is going to be charged with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy.

    1. Good. They have the evidence to charge and try him.

  42. Ed Myers

    This is a very disturbing story. It includes all the hot elements of the cultural war topics discussed on this blog: 1) spanking, 2) assertion of male dominance in a family, 3) sex abuse, 4) religious freedom.

    http://www.loudountimes.com/news/article/spiritual_warfare_at_sterlings_cavalry_temple_church898

  43. Furby McPhee

    @Jackson Bills & Moon-howler
    But Bowe Bergdahl served with “honor and distinction” according to the White House. Former President Obama says he has “no regrets” over releasing five Taliban enemies for this American born one. “Sgt. Bergdahl has missed birthdays and holidays and the simple moments with family and friends.” Obama said at the time. Biden was “elated” at the swap.

    How dare the Army threaten to make Bergdahl miss more birthdays and holidays away from his family!

    I sure hope you two aren’t suggesting that Obama made a poor decision? Be careful there. It’s only OK to criticize Obama from the left. Any criticism from the center or right is racism.

    PS: Remember how The Executive decided this swap was so urgent that He couldn’t be bothered to inform Congress of the prisoner swap as the law required? I hope you aren’t having any doubts that maybe, just maybe, congressional oversight as required by law, would have been a good thing here.

    1. Where is this coming from? I don’t see why Jackson is getting blamed for anything. Wild hair this morning?

      Bergdahl is being court martialed. Good. That’s what should happen to him.

      You were willing to hang him without evidence gathered? How un-American.

      I don’t mind that there was a prisoner exchange. He is ours, even if a POS. If I criticize Obama it would be for a Rose Garden press conference. There was too much up in the air for that.

  44. Furby McPhee

    @Moon-howler
    I guess I should have used a sarcasm sign. I’m pretty sure Jackson has been falsely accused of being a racist (aka criticizing Obama) enough times that he understood I was joking.

    Here’s what Obama should have done with Bergdahl: Nothing. There are American soldiers who deserted in the Korean War who have spent 60 years in North Korea. And we do nothing to try to bring them home. Berghal deserted and renounced his citizenship. He isn’t one of us anymore. If the Taliban kills him, that’s not our problem. Bergdahl wasn’t captured by them, he deserted to them. Sadly, real American soldiers lost their lives trying to find this deserter. And even more sadly, more Americans may someday lose their lives because we released 5 big league terrorists to get him back.

    The Executive didn’t notify Congress like he was supposed to and released 5 senior Taliban members into the wild. And for what? To get back, to use your words: A POS. How can anyone possibly think that was a good deal?

    But the White House won’t admit they screwed up. At least Reagan had the honesty to admit his arms for hostages deal was a mistake. Why can’t The Executive fess up that he made a bad call? Instead, the White House lies and claims this POS (again, your words) served with “honor and distinction”.

    I guess we now know what the White House sees as honorable and what is distinguished military service.

  45. Wolve

    Spring is breaking out all over.

    So is war.

    Saudi Arabia and a long list of Arab allies, including far off Morocco, have started an air war against the Houthi Shia rebels in Yemen. Saudi ground troops are being brought up to the Yemen-Saudi border. Egypt says that they already have four ships off the Yemeni coast ready to collaborate with the Saudis in the ground war by making amphibious troop landings on the Yemen Red Sea and Indian Ocean coasts.

    Tehran is screaming bloody murder about it all. In the meantime, Shi’ite militias in Iraq are refusing to proceed into Tikrit to take the city if the US and other alliance aircraft are used for bombing, even though Baghdad requested the air support. One militia outfit has threatened to sit down on their weapons. Another threatens to just pull back. Some are threatening to try to shoot down our planes if they see them over Tikrit. Tikrit is surrounded and ISIL is believed to be outnumbered; but the siege has stalled. And the Shia fanatics so hate us that they want no air support and apparently would prefer to become martyrs in urban combat. While we are negotiating with Tehran in Switzerland over nukes, we and the Iranian Quds forces and Iraqi Shia militias mutually refuse to coordinate anything with regard to the war against ISIL in Iraq.

    I need a couple of aspirin.

    1. I confess. I gave up trying to figure out all the sides.

  46. Cargosquid

    The White House told Congress to mind its own business when the GOP stated that they wanted to change DC’s gun laws.

    Heh….the irony….

    1. So why is something ironic. Fill us all in.

      Have you been out of town.

  47. Cargosquid

    @Moon-howler
    Just been busy.

    Actual control of DC is under Congress. Congress is the one that supposed to be making the rules for DC.

    They ARE minding their actual business. That’s the irony.

    1. Oh ok. I didn’t know what you were referring to. I guess you aren’t a home rule person? I think it is atrocious that Congress is still in control of DC, if for no other reason, taxation without representation. I have no problem with them being in control of federal property. However, other non federal property, hands off.

    2. Please note that your absence was noted. I saw you on Facebook so I knew you were alive.

  48. Cargosquid

    Saudi Arabia is being threatened with suicide bombers from Yemeni rebels.

    As you sow….so shall you reap.

    1. yes and no. Yes. What you said. Paybacks suck. No. The behavior is totally unacceptable regardless of who is on the receiving end.

  49. Cargosquid

    @Moon-howler
    I agree.

    But that is the reality.

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