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bignose

Published Letters: 579
Editor's Choice: 22

Friday, May 30, 2008 06:47 AM

Personal attacks?

I donno Shooter. I don't think Glenn is making personal attacks - He is attacking the things they do.

For example, if I said, "Shooter is an idiot" that is a personal attack.

If I said "The things Shooter says are idiotic," for such and such reasons, that is not.

I think Glenn laid out his case pretty well leading up to making those statements, and although they are colorful adjectives, they do seem to apply, at least to me. If you don't think that Politico is a pernicious, destructive cesspool, that they are, in fact, fair and balanced centerist non-haters, write about how you see this being so.

Refute the substance, you idiot.

Friday, May 30, 2008 09:35 AM

Reality Kid said this:

"Whether it's "anti-war" or "terrorist", "muslim" or "the left", what needs to stop is the pervasive practice of labeling."

I agree I agree, but the problem of this isn't just on the right. We on the left have our own ghosts to banish on this front. Not only do we reduce to shorthand whole groups like "Hillbillies", but within our own ranks we browbeat each other with "Obamabots" and "Shrillary" (Just visit War Room to get and earful of this crap). Even reducing people to The NRA or NASCAR Crowd limits our ability to think about these people as..well..People.

It's demeaning, and dismissive, and used in lieu of real discussion and engagement.

As a fairly liberal guy living in a rural state (Vermont), I can say from experience that with a little effort, understanding is possible. By both parties.

Friday, May 30, 2008 09:39 AM

Oops..

Mr. Dirks beat me to the punch.

Great minds, and all that...

Friday, May 30, 2008 10:28 AM

LWM

By Parties, I actually meant the two people have a hypothetical discussion.

To answer your question briefly, yes, everyone knows about Bernie. Sander's status as a "Socialist" is well know throughout. Also well known is his status as someone who is not a "Native Vermonter" - He's a (Self-described) New York Jew. Yet every time he was reelected to the house, he pretty much cleaned up, no matter who his republican opponent was. In his Senate run, he faced a very well known multi millionaire who poured his fourtune into his campaign. Sanders slogan in response: "Sanders: Experience money just can't buy"

Valkerie: That was a good answer, also.

Monday, June 2, 2008 05:48 AM

Suggestions,

Which I don't think anyone else mentioned:

"The Man Fron Snowey River" - A classic for kids who love horses

Generally, videos of music are great. TMBG did a video "The ABC's" or something like that which is cool, and the Phish live video was pretty good, also...but the one that my older son watched about 1000 times:

"Stop Making Sense"

A classic that still kicks ass. Great for dancing

Monday, June 2, 2008 06:17 AM

At the risk of pointing out the obvious:

"o no, the Constitution does not put Congress on an equal footing with the executive in matters of national security."

That's true. Only congress has the power to declare war - At least, that's what I always thought.

Also, Glenn: In your second sentence, you start with "Last April", but then talk about a conversation "yesterday" - A little confusing from a timeline perspective.

Monday, June 2, 2008 06:31 AM

Booomama

Yes yes, Milo and Otis is terrific - I forgot about that one.

Also, typo correction - "Snowy", not "Snowey"

Aghh.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008 05:42 AM

Learnin'

See, McCain has been learnin' things. He's on what we call a learnin' curve. That's some learnin' that's not exactly straightforward - It's got whatcha call "subtleties". And those subtleties make the facts a little bit curved. You can still get from point A to point B. You might call a Sunni a Shia, but they're still Eye-rackies. Some of them are, anyway. That's the important thing.

See, McCain ain't like Bush. He can learn things. He can change. He's not inflexible. He doen't just stick to some facts. There are lots of facts out there. Facts are just things that are written on pieces of paper. Paper ain't always flat. It can be curved. It can be flexible. Like facts.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008 09:30 AM

In a related story...

Male scientists are more likely than female scientists to chose a subject that involves watching bikini-clad women.

Monday, June 9, 2008 09:16 AM
Original article: "Top Chef's" top dog

Okay, Tom

I ate at Grammercy Tavern twice - one in front and one in back. Some of the best food I have ever eaten.

But...

Don't be dissing Julia.

From Wiki:

"A chef is a person who cooks professionally. In a professional kitchen setting, the term is used only for the one person in charge of everyone else in the kitchen, the executive chef."

Julia cooked as a profession. Maybe not in the same way you do, but you need to put down your knives, and bow down before the legacy of the woman who awakened America's taste buds, and started the food revolution to which you owe your career.

Monday, June 9, 2008 05:02 PM
Original article: Touché, Senator McCain

"Liberals and Democrats often say..."

Time was, these were synonymous.

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