Nostalgia reverberated this week, as forons celebrated the life of Walter Cronkite, bygone summers and social liberalism of yore. If it weren't for a even-keeled few keeping the rest on track… oh, wait.
Funny and absurd
Re: Racial Slurs Against Obama Children on Free Republic
Post by Madsci Fri Jul 17, 2009 9:18 pm
The Prez said we all need to be better parents. So all you parents stop spending so much time on the internet and interact with your kids.
Your wife would probably prefer you let that one go.
Re: What haven't you checked off your summer to-do list?
Post by Stomach Sat Jul 18, 2009 10:20 am
Summer of '85 - get on that cute girl that lives behind me.
Still unchecked.
I wonder if she is still cute. She probably doesn't drive that red truck anymore, boy did she look good behind the wheel of that thing.
Re: Man Offers $500 for a 6-year-old
Post by narcoleptish Tue Jul 21, 2009 5:04 pm
Man, I remember the days when it was safe to take a random "building inspector" home from a bus stop. Those were good times and you never knew what was going to be "inspected". Ahhh the 70's. Kids were cheaper too.
No good can come from a Madison cab.
Re: The Wisco to be renamed to, um, The Wisco
Post by kiwiwannabe Thu Jul 23, 2009 8:19 am
The Wisco Disco, like a lot of nicknames of bars and restaurants in this town, most likely started with a stoned cab dispatcher late at night sending a driver there for what would most likely be a no-load.
There's not much to do for amusement on the graveyard shift but carry home the drunks, play Madison trivia, and come up with funky names for the establishments in the area.
I know that's the first time I ever heard it, circa 1980, behind the wheel of my cab. Can anybody pre-date that with a reference?
I never saw a sign calling it that either.
Smart and sharp
Civic duty: A bureaucratic pain in the ass.
Re: Jury duty for US District Court?
Post by minicat Fri Jul 17, 2009 5:07 pm
Always call Friday afternoons (or whenever it is they instruct you to check - I can't remember for sure) and make sure they didn't cancel on whether you have to show up Monday morning. It's not a bad idea to check again over the weekend, just in case the automated phone thing didn't get updated.
I got this jury duty call a couple years ago. I was scheduled to go in several times, and it was canceled at the last minute. Ended up with the on-call situation lasting pretty much until the three months was up, and then had to finally go in right at the end. It took about half a day to be dismissed in one of the final rounds before selecting the jury.
Yeah, it pretty much screwed up any other plans that summer.
Re: And that's the way it was...RIP Walter Cronkite.
Post by klambake Fri Jul 17, 2009 9:40 pm
JFK's assassination, the moon landing and the Vietnam War - amazing times reported by "Uncle Walter". RIP and thank you Mr. Cronkite.
Re: Bizarre Stimulus
Post by Cortez Tue Jul 21, 2009 1:51 pm
Question: all arguments aside, I'm not detecting a lot of confidence that the stimulus will have a significant effect, would that be correct? Not long ago, everybody was arguing about the folly of the prior stimulus act. Moreover there was great debate among the Democratic party over the current stimulus act - debate over "will it work?". Do we think that it will? Do we think that it is? What do we expect in the coming years? I'm always thinking about that. 61% of Americans say they do not expect it to work - not because they hate Democrats, they just don't think it will work. Its definitely not seen as having a positive effect in Wisconsin. All blame aside, a lot of liberals that I talk to have concern that the effort will be derailed in some way or just thought it was a bad idea. I guess I have my opinion but what good does it do me to pass judgement. Personally I just see how its being used and I wish we were better than that as a nation. I do wish they'd sent some to me ;)
Re: Federal health care
Post by makmadison Wed Jul 22, 2009 11:09 pm
tonight the President said: "This isn't about me," he said. "I have great health insurance, and so does every member of Congress. This debate is about the letters I read when I sit in the Oval Office every day, and the stories I hear at town-hall meetings...This debate is not a game for these Americans, and they cannot afford to wait for reform any longer." Give me or us the coverage you, Mr President, and Congress have. If we cannot have the same coverage you have, the debate is over.
Re: Henry Louis Gates Arrested - Racial Profiling?
by boston_jeff Thu Jul 23, 2009 12:42 pm
A Fine Mess:
-The president openly admits that he doesn't know all the details, and then criticizes the arrest as "stupid."
-Gates says he was profiled, but the officers were responding to a citizen call.
-After showing his ID, the officers back off. According to witnesses, Gates insults and yells at the officer outside. He is placed under arrest.
-In the photo it is clear he is yelling--but he is already handcuffed.
-Gates claims he was asked to come outside so that the officer could give him his badge number and name, which Crowley had refused to do (according to Gates).
-Crowley claims he already gave it to Gates and implies that his patience was wearing thin at this point--after allegedly being yelled at and insulted.
I have no idea what the legal issues are here, but there seems to be little going on racially. Anyone would be asked for ID after a citizen report of a burglary. If Crowley cuffed Gates to shut him up, it can be viewed as an abuse of power, but no one knows what Gates was saying or doing. If Gates tried to incite Crowley, that just doesn't seem necessary either.
Everyone loses here. And its too bad after such good publicity for Massachusetts after gay marriage, universal health care and the decriminalization of marijuana. I think race is a hugely important issue in our society, but I'm not sure if this situation is going to help.
