Monday Morning Open Thread 10/26/2015
OT 10/26
As a west coaster, I do this in advance, which makes it difficult to be current on current events. So for inspiration I see what's up with this date using da kine wiki and other stuff which google dredges up. This has good points and bad points.
But wait! Nobody's been talking up Montenegro, so I can go there briefly. Here's some Montenegro news: Montenegro police throw tear gas on protest - SFGate
PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) -- Montenegrin police on Saturday fired tear gas at opposition supporters who hurled fire bombs and torches to demand the resignation Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic's government which hopes to steer the Balkan country toward NATO membership later this year.
...
Anti-government protesters gathered earlier at a central square, pledging to bring down the government. Opposition leader Nebojsa Medojevic shouted "the dictator must fall," referring to Djukanovic, who has been in power for 25 years and whom opposition accuse of authoritarian rule.Some of the demonstrators carried banners reading "No to NATO" and "For military neutrality of Montenegro." Zoran Kovacevic, a 57-year-old unemployed electrician said that "we are against NATO, but most of all we are hungry."
In short, we have yet another possible conflict over a country historically and geographically remote from NATO being included in NATO. Can anybody tell me what part of the North Atlantic is remotely close to Turkey, Ukraine, Montenegro and the like? Perhaps we need to change that to Nefarious Allies Taking Over or some such. I am reminded of the Teutonic Order and its rapacious quest for territory.
Oh, look, Wikipedia says (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montenegro%E2%80%93United_States_relations):
Military relations
The United States has an active policy regarding military cooperation with Montenegro’s military forces, mainly to improve Montengrin standards necessary for eventual membership in NATO.[6] Public opinion in Montenegro regarding NATO membership has been cited to be very negative, largely due to the bombing of FR Yugoslavia.[7][8][9] In August 2006, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld paid an official visit to Montenegro, seeking support for the War on Terror and overall American geopolitical goals in Europe.[10] Following the Secretary's meeting with Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Đukanović, it was announced that Montenegro had agreed in principle to aid the US efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, although no specific pledges of aid were made.[11]
United States Navy in Montenegro
The United States Navy has maintained a regular presence on the Montenegrin coast since 2003.[12][13] The United States has on many occasions sent destroyers to the port of Bar for naval training, exercises, and regular patrol of traffic in the Mediterranean Sea.[14][15]
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OK, I'm going to skip today in history. This is a pretty uninspiring day in history, for me at any rate. That leaves births and deaths, but, first;
is it "denizen's chili" or "den of zen chili"? OK, so much for that.
Some birthday data: On this day, in different years, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Georges Danton, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi and Evo Morales were born. Now where else will you find that entire crew all in the same sentence. One can take that anywhere. There is a natural tension between Danton and the Shah and between Hillary and Evo, but what of Hillary and the man on the Peacock Throne? Can you answer without considering the role of young Kermit Roosevelt? Is he even relevant?
Mahalia Jackson, Bootsy Collins, and Natalie Merchant were also born on this day. Perhaps a tune or two befits the day.
There came a time, decades ago, when I reached my saturation point with respect to spirituals. Hence, Mahalia gets short shrift cause that's mostly what I find when I search her name on you tube. This isn't one by the way.
Mahalia Jackson - Summertime
I have not, it now seems to me, listened enough to enough of Natalie Merchant.(OK, I got carried away here)
Natalie Merchant - Which Side Are You On
Natalie Merchant - Carnival
Natalie Merchant - Wonder
Natalie Merchant - Motherland
10,000 Maniacs - These Are Days
10,000 Maniacs - Candy Everybody Wants
Bootsy, however -- he is a different phenomenon entirely.
Bootsy Collins (Wind me up) P-Funk
Bootsy Collins - Bass Solo
Parliament - Give Up The Funk
Bootsy Collins - I'd Rather Be with You + Bass Solo (Live in Copenhagen, July 8th, 2014)
So this is the 26th, and el wikipedio tells us that:
26 is the only integer that is one greater than a square (25 = 5^2) and one less than a cube (27 = 3^3).[1]
A rhombicuboctahedron has twenty-six faces.
When a 3 × 3 × 3 cube is made of twenty-seven unit cubes, twenty-six of them are viewable as the exterior layer.
In base ten, 26 is the smallest number that is not a palindrome to have a square (26^2 = 676) that is a palindrome.
Iron is element 26, and I'm not going to be ready for Iron Maiden early Monday, so here's some Iron Butterfly:
And here's some "science"
I'll no doubt arrive late, but it would seem that an open thread is open ab initio, so don't wait for me, talk among yourselves (or to yourselves for that matter, I do at times.)
Though it has is own open thread, I think I'll crosspost this to Daily Kos because Montenegro, so you can diss me in multiple places if you so see fit. Otherwise, play nicely.
Comments
Great Open Thread!
Good morning el and 99%'ers. The left shift key is broken on my hand me down laptop that my husband resurrected after I killed my other laptop. So sometimes, it is hard to type when I have to use the right shift key instead. That is what I get for not being more careful with my old lappy.
Rainy day here in western NC. We're predicted for more rain all day tomorrow and most of Wed. Oh well, I have lots to do inside anyway.
Thanks for the very cool open thread today. There are so many neat little tidbits of information in today's open thread.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Thanks & thanks for dropping by. Foggy, cool & damp, here.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Try Deoxit on the spill lap top
Deoxit is the best thing for intermittent connections.
http://www.caig.com/
Try Guitar Center, Sam Ash or Radio Shack. Don't settle for contact cleaner.
The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -
Thanks Tim
I tell my husband about this. We dried it out thinking that would do the trick, but the keyboard has never recovered. The one I am now using is okay except for the one shift key and I am working around that.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Happy Monday!!!
My boss is letting me telecommute for this week, since most of the team is on the road and the only other guy who is there every day is on the road as well. So here I sit, in my pj's on my (falling apart, seemingly) futon. Glad I'm saving on fuel and sanity. I curse a whole lot when I'm driving...should record my commute one day and see what turns up. Then again, maybe not.
The Walking Dead. I have a depressed feeling like after watching the Red Wedding on Game of Thrones a couple of years back. It's going to be one of those weeks. Thankfully there's always chocolate. A pack of Ferro Roche candies should fix things.
I went to the USWNT versus Brazil soccer match at the Citrus Bowl yesterday afternoon. US Women's won 3-1. Fun friendly match to watch, and my first, actually. Alex Morgan is really fast in real life. I mean, wow. Hope Solo had some amazing saves. Megan Rapinoe had a sweet assist via a well-placed cross in the final minutes that made the crowd go wild. And...like in any sport, everyone hated the refs. Brazil's Marta is a serial flopper. All in all a good time was had.
Alex Morgan helps U.S. overcome Brazil 3-1
While I could have walked to the Citrus Bowl with my friend, we opted for the free shuttle (Orlando's trying to figure out this whole mass transit thing--still on training wheels...but they're trying), then legged it back. Not that bad of a walk...during the day at least. When the new soccer stadium gets built, it'll be even a closer walk from where I live.
I took a look at the GOS over the weekend. Pretty tame fare. Aside from the JJ Dinner stuff, that is. Sanders had a great speech, and I hope he continues to display the contrasts between him and HRC. He's got to do it enough that it becomes a problem for HRC to bust out her verbal gymnastics.
Quantum mechanics is weird.
'Zeno effect' verified: Atoms won't move while you watch
I'm going to present this whenever someone says HRC won the 1st debate in scientific polls.
Tim Cronin on Twitter
One of the many things that I love about NYC are its little pockets of forgotten history. And yeah, I still want to move back there.
7 of NYC’s Abandoned Subway Stations: City Hall, 18th St, Worth Street, Myrtle Ave, 91st St
Ben Carson is insane. Or at the very least a depraved sociopath.
'Reasonable Person' Ben Carson Compares Women Seeking Abortions to Slave-Owners
Thanks for sharing Natalie Merchant. She's been a favorite of mine for a really long time. Still have a couple of her albums in my iTunes. The fact that Wonder debuted in 1995 makes me feel really old. I had just graduated high school and remember turning up the radio when it came on while I was driving to what was then Seminole Community College (now Seminole State College of Florida). Those were good days.
The refrigerator is not your friend
The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -
New York -> Moving back
Plus the south does not have good bakeries or delis. And no cold weather bar culture.
I have been contemplating the possibility of going back to Pittsburgh. Except I would have to move my household. Hopefully I can get Thing1 and Thing2 to take most of the furniture. I think Thing1 would probably follow me. Not because we are that tight. Because, Pittsburgh.
The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -
I love New York City
but it has 58,000 homeless. Most were made homeless through eviction and reno-viction. Low income rentals are disappearing. (this appears to be a problem in most large North American cities ).
Our politicians tell us that our homelessness is caused by poverty. If it is caused by poverty why are 90% of the homeless, men? If the cause were poverty wouldn't both genders be effected more equally?
To thine own self be true.
I have one CD of Natalie Merchant - solo & early,
which was my sole exposure before this OT. This 10,000 Maniacs stuff seems to be fun & interesting.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Morning folks...
thanks for the excellent OT, el, and thanks for the crosspost. Off to work, see ya's.
Life is too short, take a break
The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -
Thanks for dropping by.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Thanks El
Nice funkin' open thread.
The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -
As for the news
The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -
Thanks, Tim.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
When a combat mission isn't a combat mission
just another broken promise
Thanks for stopping in. I recall seeing some wildly
mornic attempt at deeptive rhetoric that tried to convey the impression tht suddenly something special happened and he heroically stepped foreward to intervene, but essentially dismissed it as the usual BS.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Good Morning! some tragic news from Canada
A whale watching boat carrying 24 passengers and 3 crew sunk off northern Vancouver Island. 5 British Nationals drowned, 1 missing, 21 people were pulled out of the water, a few seriously injured. Many stories are coming. in. The NYTimes was the lamest. They didn't interview many on the scene rescuers. What I have read so far was that not all the passengers were wearing life jackets and didn't have time to put them on as a big wave knocked over the ship. All the passengers were on one side of the ship to watch sea lions on the rocks. They were in an area that one old sailor said no ship should have been on that day at that time. The tides influenced the strength of the waves.
The company had 2 accidents on record, the last one incurred 2 deaths. The small town of Tofino has 10 whale watching companies, it's one of the main tourist attractions.
The Canadian Transportation Board will investigate this tragedy and it's a sure bet that this company will be out of business. The whale watching industry needs to be more closely monitored for certain.
The companies in Victoria go out in zodiacs and every one of the passengers wears a jumpsuit and life jacket. I was quite shocked to learn that all passengers in Tofino were not wearing them. That has not been confirmed. More facts will be coming in. I think the CBC is the most trustworthy:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/tour-vessel-sinks-off-tof...
To thine own self be true.
Thanks for the local angle and local detail. The
articles I saw didn't go into the matter too thoroughly. Sounds like one of those treacherous patches of water and maybe an overloaded boat. The normal carrying capacity of certain types of vessels is deceptive, because under normal conditions all of the passengers aren't clustered in one area. Way back when there used to be a lot of ships lost due to shifting cargoes, the same type of effect.Natalie Merchant
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
It wasn't overloaded, it was actually a ship
I shouldn't have called it a boat. It could hold 72 and it only carried 27 including 3 crew members. But all the passengers were on the same side to get a view of the sea lions on the island and some people think that was part of the problem combined with the heavy waves.
To thine own self be true.
By overloaded, I meant situationally overloaded.
It cancarry 72, maybe even 100 i perfectly glassy weather. However, knowing that everybody on board will cluster at prime viewing spots then its carrying capacity is situationally reduced. Toss in a known rough patch of water and mderate seas, and the situational safe load goes down even further.
Example - a racing 8 (crew shell) holds 8 plus the cox. If, however maneuvers are intended which will cause one side and only one side to ship oars, the thing will flip in a heartbeat. That is a known hazard (no allowances can be made for that one, however).
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
It wasn't overloaded, it could hold 72
and it only carried 27 including 3 crew members. But all the passengers were on the same side to get a view of the sea lions on the island and some people think that was part of the problem combined with the heavy waves.
The whole whale watching industry needs to be reined in. One protected marine sanctuary "Race Rocks" reported 25 zodiacs coming to watch one whale in one afternoon. Not only are they lax in passenger safety, they are lax about the safety of the sea mammals. Sometimes there are sightseeing helicopters hovering to add to the chaos for the animals.
sorry for the duplication. I got called away and got distracted.
To thine own self be true.
The Guardian
covered the story. Here's the link. http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/oct/26/five-britons-killed-as-ca...
Guatemalan comedian wins presidency in landslide
link
Speaking of Perez, it seems VP Biden had something to do with that.
Thanks for the news. We'll have to see what goes down.
Inexperience is bad enough, but in a country with Guatemala's history it is particularly troubling. The phrase "center-right" is geneerally not pleasing to my ears either.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
A comic for Pres.
sounds like a good idea right about now. Seems around the world voters in elections are rejecting the corrupt Oligarchical Collectivists. The best antidote to fear is a good laugh. I'm really getting fed up with the Democratic apparatchik and the D partisan faithful spreading fear as there only issue. Fear the RW and now fear any candidate of pol who tries to rock the oligarchical boat. Those boats that were going to raise on the tide of global corporatism are now carrying refugees, the collateral damage, from the inevitable world these evil fuckers created. Lets hear it for the comics and the far lefty socialists who they say will cause the RW to win because the people won't vote for a comic, a son of Trudeau, a democratic socialist, far leftie, anti-austerity, and is against endless bloody war crimes.
I'm guessing the voting block people ignored
in Canada were the Conservatives who had turned against their leader and quietly voted Liberal. The Liberal vote was way over the top compared with the polls. Same thing could happen in the USA if sane Republicans who won't vote for crazy Republican candidates and vote Democratic instead.
To thine own self be true.
Afghanistan asks Russia for weapons
link
Iraq too.
Full circle. We created Al Qada for what, now?
concerning
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Baghdad's Shia armies go nuts
these are our allies
hmmm... those american allies remind me of...
Our main ally, the KSA (kingdom of Saudi Arabia) was always nuts
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/29098-meet-saudi-arabia-s-new-fran...
China's hard landing
But Chinese millionaires have plenty of money
to buy up buildings in NYC, Chicago, Vancouver, BC etc. causing the cost of housing and renting to shoot up.
To thine own self be true.
Obama the warmonger
special forces
Without a nation's permission, isn't that spying and terrorism?
Or to look at it another way, a kind of worldwide secret police under American control?
Not if we do it, we're exceptional.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --