European Tribune - Community, Politics & Progress.

Thursday Open Thread

by afew
Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 10:37:06 AM EST

OK, Fred, let's have some thread

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Thursday Open Thread | 107 comments (107 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

Can anyone from Spain (or not) tell me what's happening at the moment somewhere near Valencia?

When locusts move on, they leave nothing behind

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 10:40:57 AM EST

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 3)

The regional government is boycotting the national government's Education for Citizenship subject in secondary school by having it taught in English.

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 11:24:52 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 4)

The regional government has seized a bunch of Chinese-made sweets made with milk.

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 11:27:39 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

Some kind of gathering to do with the Civil War, but I can't work out if it's Republican or the others. (Because the people I know who are going have been fuzzy about it).

When locusts move on, they leave nothing behind

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 12:58:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 3)

I'll be visiting sassafras tomorrow and will then be offline till sunday evening. Going on a brewery trip around theaksons, so much Old Peculier in prospect. Apparently it ends at 4:00, which gives me time to roll round the corner to the black sheep brewery museum. Sunday could be painful.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 11:11:32 AM EST

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 1)

Kewl! Sounds like fun!

... um, but what's a theakson?

"Ideas or the lack of them can cause disease." - Kurt Vonnegut

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 11:43:33 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 1)

its old and peculiar.

Life should consist in at least fifty percent pure waste of time, and the rest doing what you please.

by ceebs (bunchofwankers (at) gmail (dot) com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 11:47:58 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 1)

explained

Life should consist in at least fifty percent pure waste of time, and the rest doing what you please.

by ceebs (bunchofwankers (at) gmail (dot) com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 11:49:32 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 1)

Thanks!

Definitely looks like something I could handle.

... or pass out in the attempt.

"Ideas or the lack of them can cause disease." - Kurt Vonnegut

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 12:09:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0)

Helen, please pass on a hug for me! I'm almost holding my breath for good news.

Our knowledge has surpassed our wisdom. --Charu Saxena.

by metavision on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 12:07:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 1)

What city is the brewery located in? I might be up for that same tour toward the end of my trip. Metatone got me into Old Peculiar several years ago.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 12:57:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 1)

It's in a small town/village called Masham in N Yorkshire. Nearest big towns are Ripon and Northallerton.

I'm staying nearby at a nice b&b with 8 real ales and a reputation for excellent food for tomorrow evening and then moving into Masham itself on the saturday. After the brewery visit, I imagine everybody else will be going home. However, I'm no stranger to solo pub crawls and flitting around will be fun, even if the weather forecast is rotten.

What trip is this ?

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 01:06:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 1)

I'm traveling for a year starting this November. I'll be in Europe late summer and early fall of next year. I'm planning on two to four weeks in northern England / Scotland and/or Ireland at the tail end of the trip.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 02:06:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 1)

As time gets closer let us know and I'm sure a few of us could travel up and see you. and I'm sure I could organise beery if required.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 02:37:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I'm out of a job (4.00 / 14)

That's 3 times in 13 months...

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 11:21:45 AM EST

Re: I'm out of a job (4.00 / 3)

Ouch. Good luck for the next search...

Auferre, trucidare, rapere, falsis nominibus imperium; atque, ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 11:34:51 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (4.00 / 3)

Oh shit, I'm sorry.

I'm not sure the City is hiring right now so I hope you have some good ideas.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 11:35:38 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (4.00 / 2)

Oh shit!

"Ideas or the lack of them can cause disease." - Kurt Vonnegut

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 11:41:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (4.00 / 2)

Oh crap. :(

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 11:43:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (4.00 / 2)

Shit... sorry to hear that.

Life should consist in at least fifty percent pure waste of time, and the rest doing what you please.

by ceebs (bunchofwankers (at) gmail (dot) com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 11:47:08 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (4.00 / 2)

Ouch. That's very unlucky.

by Metatone (metatone [a|t] gmail (dot) com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 11:58:42 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (4.00 / 2)

Sorry to hear... Consequence of the financial crash?

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 12:11:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (4.00 / 2)

Yup, though the company is still profitable and solvent.

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 01:16:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (4.00 / 3)

Really sorry to hear that, Migeru and I hope we see some light soon.

Our knowledge has surpassed our wisdom. --Charu Saxena.

by metavision on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 12:14:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (4.00 / 5)

Damn Migs that sucks. I'll see what (if) i can do here, but check into the British Wind Energy Assoc jobs list and see if anything fits.

Skennah Kowa

by Crazy Horse on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 12:14:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (none / 1)

Could be useful...

BWEA30

BWEA is the UK's leading renewable energy business organisation. With over 400 members drawn from across the wind, wave and tidal industry, we represent well over 98% of the sector. Founded in 1978, BWEA is now in its 30th year. This Autumn, over 21st to 23rd October, we shall be hosting our annual conference and exhibition at the ExCeL Centre in London's docklands. BWEA30 will be one of the largest renewable energy conferences ever held in the UK. The event will be sponsored by leading wind energy developer, Renewable Energy Systems (RES), and we are confidently expecting in excess of 2,000 delegates and over 175 exhibitors from across the globe.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 01:36:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (none / 1)

Could be, thanks!

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 01:37:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (none / 1)

Try the oil industry...

I just talked to some people with stories from it, and they were totally insane stories, and the pay is wonderful... It's not like they don't need some kind of finance/math guys too.

But considering their stories, it might not be the right job for a family man.

Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.

by Starvid (arvid.hallen at gmail.com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 07:06:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (none / 0)

Hey, I'm job hunting too. Just got no useful experience (lousy cv - not that I can even write the damn thing) )and no contacts.

And now there's a recession. I guess I'll be serving behind a bar, about all I'm fit for. Shame there isn't a decent pub nearby where it might be a pleasure.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 01:58:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (none / 0)

NO comment.

Our knowledge has surpassed our wisdom. --Charu Saxena.

by metavision on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 02:01:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (4.00 / 4)

Convivial, but maudlin customer, alone at the bar before late night closing. Two daiquiris too many.

"Ever been in love?"

Barman polishes glasses and puts them on the illuminated shelves behind the bar.

"Nope. Been a barman all my life."

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 02:06:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

20 words. Twide in a row. (4.00 / 2)

Wow.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (jeromeguillet@yahoo.fr) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 03:35:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

That would be (4.00 / 2)

'twice'

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (jeromeguillet@yahoo.fr) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 03:36:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: That would be (none / 1)

Your mind works in peculiar ways J. It is an advantage.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 03:56:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (4.00 / 2)

I have no job this evening and I'm going to a sub-insurgent dinner of the local loser party to break the current grandfathered committee. Something as the infighting of the French socialists, but smaller and more stubborn.

Our knowledge has surpassed our wisdom. --Charu Saxena.

by metavision on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 02:08:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (none / 1)

More stubborn? Heh...

When locusts move on, they leave nothing behind

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 02:40:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (none / 0)

I'm sorry for you.

Would you mind to give a hint in what branch(es) your last three jobs were or what you have done there?

Lich King/Caribou Barbie 08
Pain brings Katharsis

by Martin (weiser.mensch(at)googlemail.com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 12:20:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (4.00 / 3)

I've been in finance.

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 01:14:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (none / 1)

Be honest - you're Mr Connecting Numbers ;-)

I commiserate. Personally I think you should be in academia. But what do I know?

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 01:29:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (4.00 / 2)

Academia.

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 01:33:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (none / 1)

Thanks - my first real laugh of the evening......

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 02:06:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (none / 1)

Read the lot - it's not that long and nothing has really changed since the book was written.

Then tell me if you're still laughing.

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 03:14:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (none / 0)

Of course I am still laughing.

You don't need to understand to grasp small town politics.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 04:08:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (none / 0)

What are you talking about?

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 04:17:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (none / 1)

Every little microcosm on this planet has its own rules. There is no game without rules.

Humour is about breaking those rules. To expose them as rules. To reveal the arbitrariness of all rules.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 05:04:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (none / 0)

Sorry to hear about your job (belatedly).

Do you subscribe to the viewpoints in that book? I've only read the first 3 chapters so far.

--
$E(X_t|F_s) = X_s,\quad t > s$

by martingale on Fri Oct 3rd, 2008 at 10:10:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (none / 1)

Any port in a storm. You could always pack your nose. And you might get some material for future writings. But I truly hope you quickly find a job commensurate with your abilities and training.

If sanity be culturally normative, then by the norms of this culture I claim insanity.

by ARGeezer (argeezer a in a circle yahoo dot com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 02:35:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Any port in a storm (4.00 / 2)

teach.gov.uk looks pretty good from where I sit.

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 03:15:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Any port in a storm (4.00 / 2)

They're always crying out for male maths teachers.

Life should consist in at least fifty percent pure waste of time, and the rest doing what you please.

by ceebs (bunchofwankers (at) gmail (dot) com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 06:54:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Any port in a storm (none / 1)

The tube is plastered with ads for maths/science teachers for Central London. And the pay they offer is good.

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 07:25:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Any port in a storm (none / 1)

plus they're willing to pay all your tuition etc.

if you want any background reading, I'm sure I can lay my hands on a signed copy of This if you want one.

Life should consist in at least fifty percent pure waste of time, and the rest doing what you please.

by ceebs (bunchofwankers (at) gmail (dot) com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 07:45:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (none / 1)

Read about halfway through the bit on the Debasement of Undergraduate Education, and it's spot on. I've made some of the same arguments myself in other contexts. Good to have the link to send people.

by Zwackus on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 09:53:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (none / 1)

Sorry to hear that news!

I told Bush; don't play chess with the freakin' Russians.

by LEP (rafifoon@yahoo.com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 12:33:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (none / 1)

In the US a common practice is to lay people off and then re-hire them as consultants.

Any chance of doing that, there?

Och nu den svenska kocken bakar en Alaskan älg jägare. Bonk! Bonk! Bonk!

by ATinNM on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 12:36:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (none / 1)

I doubt it. If they were going to require my services they would have retained me.

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 01:14:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (none / 1)

Aaargh! Sorry this is happening to you again.

When locusts move on, they leave nothing behind

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 12:53:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (4.00 / 2)

No jodas...Mierda..

Lo siento

ya explicaras en detalle.

A pleasure

I therefore claim to show, not how men think in myths, but how myths operate in men's minds without their being aware of the fact. Levi-Strauss, Claude

by kcurie on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 01:35:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (none / 1)

A terrible time for that. And why did I and everyone else give the comment a (4)? We need a Holy Shit and hang in there comment category that doesn't fit into the numerical average format. (HS)?

If sanity be culturally normative, then by the norms of this culture I claim insanity.

by ARGeezer (argeezer a in a circle yahoo dot com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 02:30:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (none / 1)

Sorry Migeru, hope you find something new soon and hopefully to your liking.

by Fran (fran at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 03:57:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm out of a job (none / 1)

Sorry to hear that. I hope you'll find something soon...

Europeans think a hundred miles is a long way. Americans think a hundred years is a long time.

by Bernard on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 05:19:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 3)

On sometimes forgets that the majority of people is new to the internet, and will fall for every old trick.

Some idiot troll sent a devious spam to every employee in my company who shares my initial: a crude presentation full of concentration camp images attacking Iran over the Holocaust. Of course -- as, I guess, intended -- it brought two anti-semites out of the woodwork. But what followed those was a serial display of the elemental spam mistake: about 50 people just hit reply and responded with "Please leave me out from this email list, don't clog up my letterbox!" and variations -- thereby, of course, clogging up each others' letterboxes... I just kept deleting them and cursed in the silence of my room.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 12:20:59 PM EST

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 3)

(Another example: over the past six months, my lowest-level boss was sweating over a couple of English-language e-mails he got, not sure what to do about them -- then got me to read them, after which I had to explain to him what spam is.)

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 12:24:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 3)

Having spent eight years dealing with countless junk emails I can sympathise. explaining what is actually going on gets real old, real quickly.

(We did have a drunken discussion of extension emails, and decided to take it that they all worked as advertised and see what the result was. by the time we'd come to the end of the six month period where we instituted some new filtering equipment we reckonedon average we'd been offered around 20 metres of extension)

Life should consist in at least fifty percent pure waste of time, and the rest doing what you please.

by ceebs (bunchofwankers (at) gmail (dot) com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 12:41:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 4)

Next you'll have to carefully explain him that this nice lady in a small African country doesn't really want to share millions of dollars...

Europeans think a hundred miles is a long way. Americans think a hundred years is a long time.

by Bernard on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 05:23:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

Reminds me that once, back in the day when the Beeb had a primitive email system, somebody once sent an email to everybody. Something like 25,000 recipients. And more than 100 people replied to all.

It took 2 days to get the email system working agian. :-)))

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 12:41:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 5)

Oh, I forgot the best thing.

One lady in some leadership position asked the system admins about this "virus". The sysadmins of course answered that no, there is no infection in those emails, it 'works' by getting people to reply to everyone else. And so what is she doing? She hits Reply to everyone, and dispenses the good news...

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 01:02:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

Hahaha. The capacity of people to do teh stupid knows no bounds.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 01:08:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

To be honest, I have been through this, too -- but that was maybe ten years ago.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 01:13:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 3)

Ooh! Trippy!

(Google c. 2001)

"This is nothing compared to how Putin rigged Eurovision."

by poemless on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 12:23:40 PM EST

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 1)

Huh, the number of results for my name has increased by 1000 times. And it used to be me for the first page or two.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 12:44:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Sumo culture question (none / 0)

Perhaps not the best time to ask when it's night for our Japanese residents, but hope they catch it: what's the deal with the fish?

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 02:07:13 PM EST

Re: Sumo culture question (4.00 / 2)

Turbot-charged.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 02:10:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Sumo culture question (4.00 / 2)

you can tune a piano but you can't tuna fish.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 02:26:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Sumo culture question (none / 1)

You're just bloofin'....

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 02:27:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Sumo culture question (4.00 / 2)

don't get crabby.. I'll tell my dad, eel sort you out.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 02:29:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Sumo culture question (none / 1)

Are you sure you want to go the distance with the punsters? ;-)

We have vays of castigating ze mortal equus....

<all points bulletin: punsters on deck. Theme is marine. Advance party - go!>

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 04:02:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Sumo culture question (none / 1)

Now that's just being shellfish...

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 06:14:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Sumo culture question (none / 1)

unless you're playing bass, of ocurse.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 02:28:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Sumo culture question (4.00 / 3)

There are lots of strange Shinto ceremonies involving fish. I don't think he's going to hit someone with it, though.

In the town I used to live in, I went to a ceremony at the local shrine which consisted almost entirely of a guy cutting up a fish with a big knife. It was interesting, but bizarre.

Sumo, being the most Japanese of sports, has lots and lots of shinto connections, and thus many connections to Shinto ceremonies.

Although it would be really cool if he had to hit someone with that fish.

Which is NOT a tuna. A proper tuna is too big to pick up.

by Zwackus on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 10:00:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

McCain is pulling out of Michigan.

Bye, John!

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 03:22:04 PM EST

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 1)

Right now, unless something happens like Martians landing, I think "Bye john" applies to his whole campaign.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 03:35:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0)

He didn't have much choice there. Two of the country's top pollsters have put him down by 10 and 13 points in Michigan respectively. These big Rust Belt states are expensive to play in.

Now the question becomes: Will he pull out of Pennsylvania? Penn seems to be following Michigan's lead now, and the margins there are exceeding the MI ones in many polls (top pollsters put Obama ahead by between 8 and 15 points).

Apparently McCain's losing his base. Obama's polling close to even with him in Central PA ("Pennsyltucky"), which signals a blowout for the states as a whole, since Obama will win Pittsburgh by a solid margin and Philly by an unimaginable one. Also, again, signals that Obama has somehow made inroads into Appalachia, which, I think, has caught everybody off-guard.

Note his schedule too upcoming: Colorado and Missouri.

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 03:45:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0)

Solid Clintopublican territory.

Formerly.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 06:43:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0)

It's getting better in other places too. Interesting statistic from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution today: 40% of early voters are black (compared with 30% of the state's population and 25% of the '04 electorate). I'd be worrying a bit if I were them, because that's precisely what Obama needed -- actually a little better than he needed -- to pull off the upset there.

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 07:12:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 1)

That's what you get for trying to make life difficult for blacks on polling day. Serves them right.

by gk (g k quattro due due sette "at" gmail.com) on Fri Oct 3rd, 2008 at 12:12:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0)

Which might be the intended purpose - early voting, easier to rig.

Auferre, trucidare, rapere, falsis nominibus imperium; atque, ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Fri Oct 3rd, 2008 at 04:40:45 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0)

With Virginia lost (it seems,) North Carolina going, the Florida GOP freaking out, having to shore-up Missouri, West Virginia (Gianormous endorsement there, today,) and New Hampshire along with Ohio getting closer and closer to flipping.

He is, as we say, spread a mite thin.

Too bad (giggle-chuckle-guffaw)

Och nu den svenska kocken bakar en Alaskan älg jägare. Bonk! Bonk! Bonk!

by ATinNM on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 04:32:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 1)

Ohio has already flipped. Last two polls, from Quinnipiac (slight pro-D house effect) and DemocracyCorps (slight pro-R house effect), have had Obama up by 8 and 6 respectively. Every aggregation site now has him winning it, as do the betting sites.

Ditto Florida.

I don't think Virginia is lost to McCain, but I do think Obama is building a decent lead. I expected him to win it by about two or three. Right now he seems to be leading by between four and six (maybe a little better with the reverse-Bradley Effect and ground game).

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 04:49:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 1)

I'm willing to call Virginia based on the '06 Senate campaign. You live there. You tell me. (Oh. You did tell me. OK -- never mind. ;-) But I'm still willing to call it; I think Obama will get a big boost from the AA military vote down in Norfolk - usually a GOP area.

Ohio: I distrust Good News from Ohio. Been burned too many times. Thus my caution.

Florida: Unless something breaks the current Obama trend and starts for McCain Real Soon Now it's slipping from his grasp. He can still pull it out. Another state I've been burned by before -- and not just in 2000.

Bradley Effect: One thing people keep forgetting is Bradley was in the running for THE most corrupt Mayor LA has ever had. And that's saying something. People up in NoCal were polling off the label, going Democrat, until they learned what a scuzball he truly was.

Och nu den svenska kocken bakar en Alaskan älg jägare. Bonk! Bonk! Bonk!

by ATinNM on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 05:16:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 1)

There's no evidence for a Bradley Effect anymore. Like I said, the evidence actually points the other way. Nate Silver did a good essay on it.

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 05:25:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 1)

I never thought of it as the Bradley effect, but rather as the Alabama miscegenation effect. A proposition to eliminate this clause from the Constitution got 20% opposition in the polls (reported in the national press), but 38% opposition in the election itself (reported in the local press only). I remember this well, as it was the first time I used the internet to get news that the local press was ignoring.

I doubt this effect is that relevant any more.

by gk (g k quattro due due sette "at" gmail.com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 05:32:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

Drew, seen this?

McConnell used a WW II veteran in an attack ad and twisted his words. Now that guy is rightfully pissed and Lunsford has counter-attacked using the same veteran calling McConnell a sleaze-bag liar.

YES!

I'm running around screaming and scaring the cats.

Och nu den svenska kocken bakar en Alaskan älg jägare. Bonk! Bonk! Bonk!

by ATinNM on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 06:43:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 1)

Awesome. I really think we can win that one.

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 07:05:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]

A thought (4.00 / 3)

Weren't there lots of predictions that the crash would happen after the Olympics, as the Chinese finally decided to stop coddling the US once no damage could be done to their big event.

I haven't seen any mention of this yet anywhere... Thoughts?

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (jeromeguillet@yahoo.fr) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 03:37:55 PM EST

Re: A thought (4.00 / 2)

Thoughts:

It seems like the system fell apart all on its own. No "uncoddling" from the Chinese required.
It is after the Olympics and the crash is here... so maybe... but I can't trace a causal path.

by Metatone (metatone [a|t] gmail (dot) com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 03:57:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: A thought (none / 1)

I don't remember that so much as the Chnese were stamping down on anything domestically that would interfere.

There's another diary that mentions the idea that the chinese have orchestrated this. I cna't see it myself as they are owed so much money it's really shooting themselves in the foot.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 05:05:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: A thought (4.00 / 2)

Re timing of crises, I suspect that the Bush administration was hoping to keep the financial ball in the air through January, crashing then, enabling them to then say "See what happens when you elect a Democrat?"

The question now is whether they will be able to keep the Iraq/Afghanistan ball in the air for the next month or until January. A collapse right now of the stability situation in the middle east would completely and totally undermine Bush's "legacy."

A big mess for Obama or McCain to clean up, in any case. I wonder if Obama is suitably FDR-like...

by asdf on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 07:02:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Some thanks (4.00 / 3)

It's been almost two weeks since the meetup and I still have not passed on the thanks of Ingrid for the collection that was done for L'Etoile de Martin then.

So, here it is, belatedly: many thanks to all that contributed!

And a reminder to the French donators: the association is now reconnue d'utilité publique so your contributions qualify for the usual tax deduction.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (jeromeguillet@yahoo.fr) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 03:41:06 PM EST

Coming up this evening (4.00 / 3)

From the Institute for Improbable Research

Thursday night, October 2, offers two events -- one right after the other -- that might be surprisingly similar:
7:30 pm (US eastern time)--The 18th First Annual Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony
9:00 pm (US eastern time)--The US Vice Presidential Candidates Debate

Any prize planned for Palin?

by gk (g k quattro due due sette "at" gmail.com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 05:39:24 PM EST

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 7)

There is more money being spent on breast implants and Viagra today than on Alzheimer's research. Pretty soon, there will be a large elderly population with perky boobs and huge erections and absolutely no recollection of what to do with them.

Hahahaha

by vbo on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 08:04:44 PM EST

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 3)

Wow, Biden and Palin are fighting, at least on taxes, on pretty standard-issue Socialist vs Conservative grounds. I'm enjoying this, although I wish Retarded Palin has shown up.

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 09:18:41 PM EST

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 1)

Biden: "So, under John's plan, you're going to have to replace a $12,000 health plan with a $5,000 tax credit. I call that the ultimate Bridge to Nowhere."

(crowd laughs)

Joe's slowly heating up.

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Thu Oct 2nd, 2008 at 09:22:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Ig Nobel winners (4.00 / 5)

2008 Ig Nobel winners announced

BIOLOGY: Marie-Christine Cadiergues, Christel Joubert and Michel Franc for discovering that fleas that live on a dog can jump higher than fleas that live on a cat.

CHEMISTRY: Sheree Umpierre, Joseph Hill and Deborah Anderson for discovering that Coca-Cola is an effective spermicide, and C.Y. Hong, C.C. Shieh, P. Wu and B.N. Chiang for proving it is not.

What about Pepsi?

by gk (g k quattro due due sette "at" gmail.com) on Fri Oct 3rd, 2008 at 12:18:03 AM EST

Re: Ig Nobel winners (4.00 / 3)

The second is not without importance, since urban legends abound and may help get nice girls into trouble. (Maybe Palin's daughter was a believer). See Snopes.com on spermicidal Coke.

When locusts move on, they leave nothing behind

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Fri Oct 3rd, 2008 at 02:12:47 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Ig Nobel winners (4.00 / 5)

Because I have a relative with Crohns disease, their father goes to the major Crohns charitys council meetings where they are asked to approve research funding. he recounts the tale of one very earnest researcher who was well on the way to getting his funding for research into a theory that there was a link between Chrohns and youthful eating of Cornflakes. Anyone even half convincing usually gets money unless they're a reaaly obvious lunatic, and he was well on the way to getting his cash when he got assigned to the nutter pile by blurting out that his theory was that it was only Kellogs.

Life should consist in at least fifty percent pure waste of time, and the rest doing what you please.

by ceebs (bunchofwankers (at) gmail (dot) com) on Fri Oct 3rd, 2008 at 02:34:31 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Ig Nobel winners (4.00 / 2)

On the other hand, if Palin herself was a believer, she would have banned it from Wassilla city offices....

by gk (g k quattro due due sette "at" gmail.com) on Fri Oct 3rd, 2008 at 03:02:00 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Ig Nobel winners (4.00 / 3)

Well, in abstinence-only circumstances (such as prevail at Wassilla City Hall), Coke is just a refreshing drink like the Lord meant it to be.

(It's plainly the Devil who finds mischief for idle Coke to do...)

When locusts move on, they leave nothing behind

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Fri Oct 3rd, 2008 at 03:13:15 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Thursday Open Thread | 107 comments (107 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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