It’s just another cloudy, damp, cool, depressing day in New Jersey. I saw the sun, briefly, yesterday afternoon, but it isn’t scheduled to reappear until I don’t know when. My two weather forecaster widgets are in conflict. One says Sunday. The other runs out of days so that I have to go to the extended forecast to find out if there will ever be sun again. It’s like Seattle here, not that there’s anything wrong with Seattle- had I *chosen* to live there. But I’d rather be in Paris, sipping cafe au lait and munching a croissant as I read the news.
Ahhh, that’s better.
Obama takes tepid steps to re-regulate the finance industry. Mustn’t be too hasty, Haroooommmm. And forget real reform. That would be like “tilting at windmills”. I can almost hear him whining, “What do you want ME to do about it? I’m only the president, not God. Jeez, I get blamed for everything I do.” Hey, he wanted the job badly enough to screw the rest of us to get it. I think asking him for better performance is only reasonable.
Baseline Scenario interprets the entrails on the finance industry regulatory reform package. Simon Johnson says we need a fighter in the Obama administration. Um, yeah. How do they say it in England? “Not bloody likely.”
Getting back to last night’s discussion about mistrust and illusion over the news in Iran, Bill Keller at the NYTimes says you’re not paranoid if they really are out to shut you off from the outside world. Iran isn’t exactly 3rd world. Cell phones are ubiquitous there. Imagine if you were subjected to sporadic service on your phone for the last 5 days. I just have to wonder how long the country can disrupt its own telecommunications system before it causes irreparable damage to their economy.
Slate is wondering why Obama is taking a dispassionately Dukakis-esque attitude towards the turmoil in Iran. Yep, Moussavi is still pretty conservative but he’s taking on Khamenei. Surely, SURELY, that’s worth a “You go, Mir!” Slate thinks Obama’s 6000 word speeches are nuanced and complex. I think they consist of a neverending series of prepositional phrases that don’t connect anything and bear little relation to one another. But I can see where it is easy to get fooled. All that mind numbing rambling must mean something, right? You were just not paying attention. Anyway, someone is bound to bring up Iran again with Obama. It’s just so unfair. Is he supposed to have an opinion on everything???
Our friend Betty Jean Kling was in NYC for a Fire Dave Letterman rally. I wouldn’t want to mess with Betty Jean if I were Dave.
I’ve just started running and lo and behold!, there is already a new trend I have to learn. It’s barefoot running. Yeah, the theory goes if you can only get over the cuts and bruises of running in an urban setting without your shoes, you will develop good running posture and stride. For the sissies among us (moi!) who tremble at the thought of shedding our $100 Nikes to expose our bare tootsies to the sharp little bits of gravel we’ll be stepping on, there are huarache running sandals. Either way, painkillers are involved. It’s either motrin for the shin pain or topical anesthetics for the lacerations. Gosh! I’m so glad I decided to take up running. It feels soooo good when I stop.
Podcast du Jour: Molly and Kristen at Stuff Mom Never Told You explain what happened to the Obots last year when they discuss the roll of neurobiology in attaction. What happens when the Sizzle starts to Fizzle?
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Filed under: General | Tagged: barefoot running, breakfast read, David Letterman, finance regulatory reform, Iran election |
The Confluence 
I don’t get it. I am across Hudson and we have here a crisp, sunny beautiful morning!
CNN has a derisive coverage of the CBS protest (more media than protesters). But then turns around with a warm, loving coverage of Obama’s stumbling around – “he so busy”
When I got up at 5 am, it was glooooooomy. It cleared up in the past 15 minutes here. But the forecasters still disagree whether it will last.
I’m surprised CNN acknowledged the protest at all. I guess they decided to “pretend” to be journalists, but then couldn’t resist sneering, like the tea party coverage or anything Palin-related.
has berry come out with anything on his postion on IRAN other than im concerned
Um, no. That would require empathy for the plight of others, or at least a reasonable facsimile.
No, he hasn’t. Oddly enough, I’m okay with that. While Mir, might be in our best interests, I’d actually like the will of Iranians to prevail.
Did anyone read Sibel Edmonds take yet? (She thinks that some of the protesting and definitely the coverage by US interests is contrived)
I’m also kind of freaking because I just read an economist’s position on what this meeting in Russia means to this country and its economy. He makes Nourel Roubini look like an optimist.
I’m not so sure. The Twitter feeds from Iran were a lot more informative and interesting a couple of days ago. Now, there’s not much new material. I think we have to consider the possibility that the twitter phenomenon was largely genuine and now that there is a crackdown, there will be less information coming out. It’s consistent with real unrest and government steps to prevent it.
MAYBE, and this is really tinfoily, the doubt is the thing that is being deliberately spread. Iran really, REALLY doesn’t want other governments to see their officials as illegitimate. Let’s keep our eyes on facts that can’t be faked. The truth will out.
a number of commentators have questioned why O hasn’t said much about Iran – I scratched my head and asked: perhaps he’s trying to figure out how he can say anything when the US primaries were rigged. 😕
That would pose an element of ironic justice.
There has been so much confusing and contradictory stuff I haven’t tried to follow it closely.
I don’t like the blackout moreso than I care about the results of the election. If you aren’t duing anything wrong then you generally don’t complain about transparency.
I do hope the truth does come to light. The Iranians deserve democracy and everyday I see this I am reminded that we thwarted their democratic process to further our own ends. I hope that history isn’t repeating itself and we aren’t attempting to manipulate things because we don’t like their leadership at this time.
Well said! I agree.
In full agreement with everything you said cwaltz!
Speaking of Roubini:
Roubini sees weeds amid green shoots
Roubini, who rose to prominence for predicting the global credit crisis, tore down the “green shoots” theory that a rebound is imminent, saying there was a significant risk of a “double-dip” recession where the economy expands slightly only to begin contracting again.
He pointed to the growing divergence between business sentiment surveys, which have been improving in recent months, and industrial production, which is down sharply and receded another 1.1 percent in May.
http://www.reuters.com/article/InvestmentOutlook09/idUSTRE55F4ET20090616
I read a piece int he Star Ledger this AM about Hal Ashby the director of Being There with Peter Sellers and Shirley McClain and it reminded me of my comments during the primary and again during the election of how O reminded me of Chance, the character Sellers played – the innocent feeble-minded simpleton who grows up in the home of a wealthy recluse in Washington, D.C. tending the garden and watching TV. his only social and cultural education has been television. When his benefactor dies, Chance must vacate his home.
Due to a minor car accident he meets industrialist Ben Rand (Melvyn Douglas) and his wife Eve (Shirley MacLaine). They misinterpret his name as “Chauncey Gardiner”, (rather than “Chance the gardener”.) They think he’s a bankrupt businessman and interpret his bewildered silence as brilliant wisdom.
Ben is dying while an advisor to the US President (Jack Warden). Chauncey meets the President and his remarks about seasonal changes in the garden are misinterpretted as profound economic/political advice. The President’s impressed, and Chauncey rises to political heights as a mysterious sage, & homespun philosopher.
When Ben dies, his Board decide that Chauncey Gardiner is the best candidate to become the next President of the US.
So it occured to me that perhaps O is just doing everything he is told – thrilled that are gifting him because they love him and believing that he deserves it all because he is such a good person. Michelle on the other hand… 👿
Ok, so maybe not so innocent, hmmm, manchurian candidate of sorts? He’s certainly being used to further gain for other than for the American people.
Great movie. “I like to watch.” I think O sees his role as Supreme Salesperson. He’s said that himself: “Just tell me what you want, and I’ll sell it.” Hence, the neverending boring speeches RD so aptly described. The question is, who’s giving the orders? $$$
he says we shouldn’t mettle..lol.
A little off topic: An Obot called Bob H. opined on a Hullabaloo thread that we may win in Pakistan and get out.
http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/its-democrats-war-now-by-digby-and.html
Oh, and I go by “Monster from the Id” on Hullabaloo.
Um, last I checked we weren’t “in” Pakistan.
We are bombing them daily with drones and killing civilians, aren’t we?
But wow! Those commenters at Digby are really waking up to what Obama is! And we were the stupid ones?
Well if Bob H. says it’s true–then it MUST be! 🙂
by him be so silent on this issues i think its going to come across to alot of people science he doesn’t really seem to be condemning the IRAN elect . its will look like he has no prob with a rigged elect .. oh wait he had no problem with rigging the Dem primaries & GE elect ..my bad
BREAKING!! Obama killed a fly!!
No really – he did. With his bare hands!!!
What a hero!
That’s nothing – he can turn waffles into whine
ROTF!!
LMAO! And remember how he was put in office: An army of loafs and phishes.
That is a great line! 😆
So what, my kid did that just this morning….
rofl…
Heh, gotta love our media. Always covering all the “important” stuff. I mean who cares that Russia, Iran, China and a whole heap of other nations are meeting to discuss the dollar and declined to have us there while having the discussion?
I SAW IT……but, the best part was how he had to stop giving his answer to the interviewer’s question and he did it saying
“we need to stop for a second, and we’ll pick up again at…..” repeating one of his earlier phrases!!
There had to have been a prompter on the wall behind the interviewer for him to be able to “pick up” his answer again at an earlier point.
I saw that video–they actually had the video on a news site, with the snickering, sycophantic interviewer giggling like a school girl–so pleased just to be in His Majesty’s presence. I rarely watch anything O says or does, because I can’t stand to look at him, and this was no exception. He preens, and fancies himself some kind of suave Rat Pack God. It reminded me of guys in high school/college who are always trying to be “cool.” Everything seems so arrogant, artificial and self-referential to me.
BTW: the reporter was a man, not a woman–giggling.
This could explain a few things:
This is all based on the assumption that Mousavi actually lost.
That’s super-neocon Robert Kagan. So glad he’s supporting the “Democratic” Prez.
Ooops, I see he isn’t supporting O’s position. But I’m hesitant to buy anything Kagen says.
Democratic principles be damned! Don’t want to encourage that freedom of speech and liberty stuff. Mousavi–under the bus.
This “liberal” compares Betty Jean Kling and the other protesters to Nazis:
http://liberalvaluesblog.com/?p=8936
BTW … someone has been working very hard sprucing up this site and just wanted to give you a thumbs up. It looks great!!!
That would be Katiebird! She has done a fantastic job, hasn’t she? What would we do without her?
She has indeed done an outstanding job. Thank you katiebird!
standing and applauding Katiebird….
(BLUSHING)
Thank you!
I really want to know when sexism and misogyny became “liberal” values. Can’t these a$$hats call themselves something else? Like, say, a$$hats.
That’s a good idea…..a$$hatvaluesblog.com. Perfect.
Evidently they only support the right to protest when its something they agree with, how positively “progressive” of them. Someone should explain to them that freedom of speech doesn’t just apply to comedians.
OT, but someone in the healthcare thread asked me if there was any organization that doctors could join if they wanted UHC. There is. It’s called Physicians for a National Health Program, and they have a LOT of good info on their site and in the FAQs.
http://www.pnhp.org/
Great article on there called “The AMA Does Not Represent Us”
Barefoot running? Yeeee-ouch!
I wish I could remember the woman’s name, but there’s a woman in Africa that runs marathons wearing her shoe of choice … Jellies. Can you imagine? How frick!n painful would those blisters be?
From Cannonfire:
Obama considering an executive order to block prisoner abuse photos release.
Health Care Reform legislation to contain provision to prevent expansion of a government run single payer system.
So not only will the f*cker not push for UHC, he is actually going to put in a provison to BLOCK it from ever expanding to that???
So much for the deluded bots who claimed “It’s genius! See, he is only compromising to get a foot in the door, then he’ll expand the program later….”
Word to sick and under/uninsured Americans: Obama’s just not that into you.
Actually he lied to the ‘bots to get in the door, and now he’s stomping on them. What a bunch of morans! We tried to warn them….
I hear the big dawg was trying to explain to the blogger boyz that they needed to focus on issues.
Yes, they were a bit silly to believe everything they were told – now how to we help them heal their wounded pride and come to their senses?
Why not? Wasn’t the Executive Order Bush’s route of choice to get what he wanted?
He’s signed more than any other pres so far. More than if the last 4 presidents combined.
I really do think he’s morphing into a dictator.
Anything he wants badly enough he signs an EO to get. Anything he truly won’t allow get squeezed into something else with the hopes no one will notice. And anything he wants people to think he supports, when in fact he doesn’t, gets blamed on Congress.
Kinda OT but an interesting slice of life. I was talking to an obot co-worker yesterday and I mentioned the news story about the State Dept. asking twitter to reschedule maintenance so Iranians could tweet uninterrupted. And he started to go off on Obama, pretty much saying that he’s acting like jr. jr. and he needs to get off his ass and start enacting some of the change he’d promised. He was rather strident in his rant until a black co-worker walked up and then his tune changed and he softened his tone and started going on about how he completely supports Obama. At that point I just walked away. Ya gotta love this new “post-racial” era.
LOL!
Yeah, because LYING to people of color about one’s real thoughts and ideas shows SO much respect for them.
white guilt in action.
I argue with grown adults I respect and view as equals. I smile and placate my 2-year-old granddaughter.
Um…who’s the racist, here?
It’s called patronizing. Whether done to women or minorities it’s bigotry. When it’s done to spouses or children it’s called survival. Yes dear. 🙂
I have to be honest with you guys, when my black Obot friends start talking about “He Who Must Not Be Middle Named” I am often dishonest.
When they say, “Did you see his Hopiness…Oblahblah this, and Oblahblah that.” I go into my Vinne Barbarino routine, “Whuh?”
They say, “Don’t you think he sounded great Oblahblah this and Oblahblah that?” And I say, “Wheah?”
Until they get tired of talking to me. Or they say, “Why am I even talking to yuo, you supported Hillary you ‘Uncle Ron.’ ”
It just isn’t worth the argument. They literally can not process any criticism of W2. The conversation immediately becomes personal and heated.
Generally speaking I let the Obots talk and I try to give them very little back. It is just easier, arguing is pointless, when it comes to Obama most of my black friends are a lost cause anyway.
The other day a friend at our church picnic, a friend (huge B0 fan) noticed my Hillary for President cap and said, “oh, are you supporting Hillary for 2016, or 2020?”
I kid you not.
I said “whenever she’s ready to run, I’ll be there 100%”
It seemed like an innocuous comment to me, but he got right up and walked away without a word.
Very sensitive, his fans.
RD,
Harry Reid is up for re election. Does anyone have any idea if they are actually going to primary him or are the “progressives” going to give him a free pass for everything he has done or hasn’t done?
I wonder if there will be any discussion of the Federal government telling California to go fly a kite, regarding their economic predicament.
It’s so nice to be reading Riverdaughter in the morning:
Reminds me. Did you see Obama on network news last night…ABC, I think. He was being interviewed and a fly was buzzing around him. He swatted, and killed, the fly which turned the cameras to the dead fly on the floor.
BUT, here’s the part people may have missed. When the fly was bothering him, he said they were going to stop the interview and he “would pick up again at …..” His interview was obviously crafted for him!!! I didn’t see a teleprompter, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t a big screen on the wall behind the interviewer.
Good catch.
Seattle just reached day 28 yesterday of no rain, blue and sunny skies. It’s just a little overcast where I am right now. Sorry the weather in NJ is so unpleasant.
You all have an impression of Seattle that keeps us from getting any more overcrowded than we already are.
There’s a real misconception about weather in the NW. I lived in Portland, Oregon, for two years. When I moved there I received several umbrellas as leaving gifts. Yes, there’s lots of rain in the winter, but the summers were hot and dry. I’m now living in Pennsylvania and there’s tons more rain … and it’s year round. But it suits me. I’m used to it having grown up in England.
Paris!
Ah Paris.
Paris.
Le style……anyway — it’s foggy here too, for days and days and it seems like ages since it has been hot.
Thanks for the break from all of it with that great picture.
Cwaltz — the situation out here is terrible. My state has been full of very generous Dems all these years.
We are the orig Statue of Liberty state, but?
Dunno. It’s going to get worse I feel.
I still like Jerry Brown, best. Hope he runs.
He’s a Dem we could all understand, too because he is like us.
A really real Dem.
Brown sounds like a real charecter and someone who PUMAs could identify with.
I wonder if Boxer realizes what a slap in the face this is to the state of California. Evidently we can bail out banks in Britian but bailing out one of our own states is out of the question.
This is classic Jerry Brown!
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_12605194
going after toxic dumping — and he goes after cheats and stuff…
The way Dems used to!
I’m very worried about all thos program cuts?
Because, well. Calif. has been very generous. Generous to a fault.
When that generosity stops there will be crime?
Ugh.
I wish they would put their thinking caps on.
ps: Boxer, Feinstein, Capps — I will never vote for them again.
Pelosi should be given the boot as well.
Nobody help Hillary out here. She won anyway.
They didn’t help her.
I will not vote again for any.
of them.
Jerry yes. Jerry is great. Once a native, always a native.
It’s true.
He will be inheriting a mess from the Term. But, he will know how to lead. If he wants to take it on.
Feinstein was/is a good friend and supporter of Hillarys, no?
Pelosi should be given the boot. She should have been given the boot when she declared accountability off the table. Alas, we have a bunch of capitulators and apologists running the party now. There favorite motto is “we’re gonna hold their feet to the fire……..someday”, it fits quite in with the “we’re keeping our powder dry” motto that the Congress has. It just sucks that we have to have the leadership that THEY deserve as well.
I believe Feinstein is a good friend of Hillary. I don’t remember if she ever actually declared a preference in the primaries though
Feinstein stood up for Hillary very early on – more than just friends, BFFF (Best Feminist Friends Forever).
Even loaned her the house in DC to meet with BO to discuss his theft of the party.
Although I disagree with Feinstein on some issues (she pi**es me off on FISA), her support of Hillary keeps me wanting to vote for her.
Another rainy day here in SW Va. Yesterday was gray and rainy too. At least my plants are happy.
I think they consist of a neverending series of prepositional phrases that don’t connect anything and bear little relation to one another. But I can see where it is easy to get fooled. All that mind numbing rambling must mean something, right?
LOL! I don’t get it either. Love having RD back in the house, and the Paris picture made me ache for a creamy bowl of milky latte and a chocolate coissant…
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/31403354#31403354
Very interesting summary of what’s happening in Iran. Obama gives a brief statement, bloggers could get in trouble (of course), and the information seems to support numerous sides of the discussions that have taken place here.
Seattle has had an unprecedented 28 days (?) of dry weather…although lately it’s that overcast, warm, humid sort of “dry” that feels like a dog is panting on the back of your knees….only in this case it’s Clifford the Big Red Dog, so you get that whole body effect.
It is not always raining here…which is a secret I’m not supposed to reveal.
Congratulations to Jane Hamsher, the crew at Firedoglake and other non-cheetoh bloggers who almost succeeded in pulling off an upset yesterday by lobbying House progressives to vote against the war supplemental, reminding them that 51 members had earlier this year signed a statement saying they would not vote for any more war funding that didn’t contain a timetable for withdrawal. In the end, 32 kept their promise and voted against the supplemental.
Cheetoh-land continues to be a write-off, just like those members of Congress who signed the withdrawal timetable letter earlier but didn’t have the cojones to stand by their words yesterday (more interested in bowing to Obama than representing their constituents); but there are still some blog groups trying to make a difference rather than just pontificating. IMHO, this was a fight where we should have joined our PUMA muscle with Firedoglake and the others to fight for a specific issue.
Wow, it really makes me happy to know that Firedoglake did this! This is very news. I have been wondering whether the gay bloggers I know are going to follow through with boycotts and so forth, and this gives me some real hope that people are not going to keep giving Obama a pass even if they voted for him! Thanks for posting this. I wonder how the anti-war people who voted for this shill justify their vote or if they feel taken.
If they have a D after there names it’ll be hunky dory just you wait.
It’s great news, but I don’t think FDL wants to be associated with us.
HELP REQUEST: Does anyone know about any women’s advocacy groups nationally, or specifically in San Francisco, that provide support to divorced women fighting custody battles etc. with ex-husbands? I have an old friend with three kids who is constantly being dragged into court by her ex over ridiculous accusations. The judge is odd and inconsistent, recently ordering an entire year of psychoanalysis for the son (2x/week) that my friend is required to pay for, up to $37,000. This is after $250K legal fees over 7 years. I suggested she see if there are any advocacy groups that can led a hand, but she doesn’t know where to look. Ideas?
I don’t know of any specifically, but when my sister was looking for this, I used Martindale Hubbell, a lawyer search site, and I looked for lawyers who specialized in domestic violence-divorce. I found two who were linked to women’s advocacy center, so not just lawyers but other professions too. This was for Oregon.
Thanks!
Tell her to get a mediator. The court should have already recommended this.
Yea, she’s already gone that route. I was just wondering if there were independent women’s groups that offer additional support. Thanks.
Whoo-hoo! Went for followup testing after the work fitness challenge. I dropped my blood pressure by 15 points. Excellent! My team is in 7th place (out of 50) but after all testing is finished, we could move up quite a bit.
Outstanding! Congratulations!
That merits a hot diggety damn in this old nurses’ book.
congrats R.D.
Ya’ll have no idea what Seattle summers are like. Sure our winters are cold, wet and rainy, but in the summer we enjoy our 75-85 days with low humidity and daylight from 430 am til about 10 pm. The secret is that during the summer we don’t get that much rain. But if you want to propogate the idea that it always rains over here go ahead. It keeps the riff-raff out.
Hey, stop that!
I always tell people how dreary it is here and end with “You would HATE it.” There are enough people here. We don’t need anymore. Sheesh!
I’m glad that we had a little rain last night. The grass is already getting brown.
Please! Take our rain. The clouds moved in about an hour ago and it’s about 68 degrees outside. It is going to be like this until a hurricane disrupts the jet stream. We’ve had years like this before where it rains constantly, the temps rarely reach 80 and the ground is so wet it resembles jello. Sucks. Big time.
I would LOVE to. Sixties and drizzle is what this blonde hair blue eyed gal can handle.
I now must admit that I have been too harsh on B0.
This morning he signed a memorandum granting benefits to the spouses of gay federal employees.
He doesn’t say what benefits are included, but we know for sure that health benefits and retirement benefits ARE NOT included.
Does this mean our spouses can come to the Christmas party and eat as much as they want? Golly gee, thanks Obama!
it.s something..but not nearly enough.
I ALWAYS learn something new when I read the Breakfast Read!!
Running barefoot and following the links.
I’m in the middle of researching Geothermal — and what would happen if an operator for oil companies went into developing countries and locked up Geothermal — and then did nothing??
On islands where there is potential — why no Geothermal power generation?? I’m seeing a pattern develop — and I hope that I’m wrong.