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Well no matter how many times you declare the Nobel Prize is lacking, you got to admit that it's got more cred than an Oscar or Golden Globe.

Krugman on "Gore Derangement Syndrome" (BTW the reading NY Times columnists online no longer requires a subscription )

I guess I'm totally out of this conversation. What the hell did Reagan do that deserves the Nobel Peace Prize? Accelerating the demise of the Soviet Union by bringing the world to the brink of nuclear destruction a few times? Giving arms to the Iranians and importing cocaine from Nicaragua? Perhaps it would be for liberating Grenada? C'mon guys, which one of these things do you want to give Reagan a peace prize for? :head scratching gremlin:

from nobelprize.org "Indications of changes in the earth's future climate must be treated with the utmost seriousness, and with the precautionary principle uppermost in our minds. Extensive climate changes may alter and threaten the living conditions of much of mankind. They may induce large-scale migration and lead to greater competition for the earth's resources. Such changes will place particularly heavy burdens on the world's most vulnerable countries. There may be increased danger of violent conflicts and wars, within and between states." So there's your answer. Anything else you want to parrot from RushLimbaugh.com?

Then pledge to KPLU instead!

Oh Peter, When will you learn that "Islam" does not equal "Iraq". In fact, before we invaded it had a secular government! Back to the books for you!

Great thread! A couple of responses to various topics herein: 1. Living in sin -> more breakups. I'd bet one reason this may be true is a bit of the "boil the frog" syndrome. When they first get involved a lot of people don't realize how committing living together can get, especially if it goes on a while, dwelling gets consolidated, stuff gets bought with common money, etc. So some people may think, "it's just a tryout phase" with the misperception that it will be easy to back away if one becomes disenchanted. But it ain't. And it's harder to back out of the eventual marriage deal. People who start their commitment by living together many times have not agonized adequately over the decision. 2. wood nymphs and gay climbing partners: I can see how wives could start getting uneasy feelings like this. For the wife/husband of a committed climber they probably feel a lot of the negative parts of being the "other woman" due to all the attention and time climbing takes away from the relationship. But how it's different from someone being, say, a "football widow", is that the climber is often far away, incommunicado for days (and night!) at a time, instead of being kept tabs on, comatose on the couch.

Even the Marines are looking to get out now! Marines looking to shift to Afghanistan

Yes Blake does seem like a smart chap. But how is that relevant? Ted Kaczynski is a math whiz, but it's probably good he didn't win in court because of it. ...and yes, we did learn something here. School of hard knocks for sure

yeah...or exactly like

... and it might have been based on what Blake said too. But let's assume it wasn't. Let's suppose Blake said nothing or, at least, nothing that the judge felt was relevant to the sentencing: There is currently strong popular sentiment against lawyers using frivolous lawsuits, "getting off on a technicality" has always been abhorred. If the judge thought Blake was just showing up hoping to get the case kicked due to the prosecutor being too busy that day, or just trying to get the fine kicked down $25, many people would feel that the judge would be justified to assess punitive damages on him for frivolous use of the courts. Think of it as a plaintiff in a frivolous lawsuit having to pay the court costs of the defendant. Judges are smart people. I'm sure they can spot someone trying to play the system a mile away. They're not your run-of-the-mill powerless bureaucrat you can wheedle down just by wasting their time. If you're going before a judge, it's a good idea to make sure you have an actual reason to be there, and a reasonable argument. They can also be arbitrary and capricious. Best not to treat going before them lightly.

Why? This will increase his (executive branch) power even further. After all, the executive branch is the one that enforces the laws (unless a special prosecutor happens). Plus 389-30 seems fairly veto proof. Why do you think he vetoed that SCHIP thing? I can't think of a worse thing (politically) to veto in order to demonstrate fiscal restraint. The only other thing I can think of would be the cigarette tax thing.

This seems like a step in the right direction. ---------- WASHINGTON -- The House passed a bill Thursday that would make all private contractors working in Iraq and other combat zones subject to prosecution by U.S. courts. It was the first major legislation of its kind to pass since a deadly shootout last month involving Blackwater employees. Democrats called the 389-30 vote an indictment of the shooting incident there that left 11 Iraqis dead. Senate Democratic leaders said they planned to follow suit with similar legislation and send a bill to President Bush as soon as possible. ---------------- Though I sorta wish the Dems didn't feel the need to grandstand that this was an "indictment". Talk about poor winners. full article on washingtonpost.com

I don't see how you can say this. Though I don't know the exact specifics of the ticketing, there's nothing posted here that indicates the ranger was exceeding his mandate. He was just doing his job. Just like you were doing when you turned in that student's I-Pod to the authorities. In both cases the rule that was being enforced are not obviously terrible or illegal. It's part of the job, and taking that job knowing you have to enforce this kind of stuff does not make you evil or a dick.

With all the Mt. Hood hoopla this year, as well as the recent missing hiker and dead climbers dramas, this was probably not a good time to argue that because you were experienced climber guys that you didn't really need to follow the govt.-mandated safety procedures. Obviously the prosecutor's gist was aimed right at that current hot button.

I wonder if they are excited about the possibility of attacking Iran too?

Why hasn't anybody consider the "Federalism" plan proposed to the Senate and recently passed with like 75 votes? Actually why has there not even been any press on this? Is it an inherently shitty idea? I don't think so. Sounds like the best possible plan now, split up those warring clans, but try to give them enough unity so that none of the three parts ends up being a failed state. You are right. The UN isn't going to do shit. Even if there was any chance they could, why would they. Bush ignored and belittled them continually on his rush to war. They're probably saying some variation of the KkkKkK creed of "fuck those guys let them rot". Which will ultimately collapse and we'll have the exact worse case scenario that people are warning against now if we pull out. Only with the slow bleed option we just get MORE American lives wasted as well as $300,000,000 per day. The military people over there are smart, know what's going on better than us, and seem to be actually getting more latitude from the administration in terms of working on solutions. I think if they (the brass in Iraq) thought that a border lockdown would do any good, they would do it. The fact that they don't leads me to believe that the threat of arms and militants being supplied by Iran and Syria is being greatly exaggerated by GW Bush and company in order to beat the drum for expanding the war to Iran.

Damned activist judges! Did he give a reason for quadrupling the fine? Was it perhaps $60/night?

Look, I'd way rather have the government spending too much money on some highly-trained soldiers when the alternative is coercing people to fight (via drafting my kids, luring high-schoolers with free video games, or backdoor drafting current enlistees who have already served their time and want out) then paying them shit. Guess that shows what a tax and spend liberal I am. I'm really surprised the fiscally responsible/baby eater republicans on this board are so pro-Blackwater. This whole mess could be done a hell of lot more cheaply if we just started drafting poor people (i.e. those without college deferments). What I don't like about this "Blackwater" business is that it appears we don't have a lot of control over these guys and they're making us look bad. That is very poor strategy in a "hearts and minds" guerilla war, and is going to end up just getting more people killed (Americans and Iraqis).

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That mighta been my first 9 at Index. I remember vacillating forever in that awkward pod before the steepness, then pulling through up the slimy thin hands crack left of the big flake. Don't know what I was thinking. Sketchy! Then when I'd just pulled out of the pod I was stopped dead. A cam on the rack had gotten caught in the sling I'd placed at the stance, so I had to reverse the moves and do it again. I made that one a bit harder than it needs to be! Congratz. Cool to see someone so stoked moving through the grades at Index. Now you've got a good dozen classics to work through at your new level.

It's not what you think, it's how you think.

Git 'er done, Superfun!

We are hoping Seahawks, Pink and KKK will sign up.

And why is that? Is it because microwave popcorn is delicious and people will soon be enjoying themselves and you hate the smell of people having fun? IS THAT IT?