Yesterday was another slow news day, so I wrote my first editorial of the year, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching Oregon best Wisconsin 45 – 38 in the Rose Bowl. It was a fast paced game, and I was thoroughly impressed with the Badger offence. I’m current with replies. Today I have chores to do.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today it took me 4:00 (average 5:08). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Final Fantasy Football Report:
Here is the final report for our fantasy football league, Lefty Blog Friends.
Congrats to Rob, Dusty and Robb!
Short Takes:
From Think Progress: On New Year’s Eve, a magnitude 4.0 earthquake struck northeastern Ohio, the second quake to strike the region in a week. Saturday’s earthquake, which occurred in an area not typically known for this type of natural disaster, is being traced back to fluid injection wells at a Youngstown fracking site. According to the Akron Beacon Journal, “the quake was the 11th over the last eight months in Mahoning County, all within two miles of the injection wells.” They also point out that injection wells have been linked to earthquakes in other states as well, including Arkansas, West Virginia, Colorado and Texas.
What better reason could we have that fracking should be banned?
From Hypervocal: Small-government conservatism: Where freedom and liberty are no match for faux patriotism.
A Republican state senator from Indiana has introduced a measure that would literally fine any and all singers of the United States’ national anthem who don’t meet “acceptable” performance standards of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at any event sponsored by public schools and state universities.
Scheeeesch! Busted for missing High C! What Teabuggery!
From Crooks and Liars: Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) held a press conference Wednesday to take credit for lifting caps on a Family Care program designed to keep elderly people out of nursing homes. What he didn’t include in the press event was that the caps he is lifting are caps that he imposed and that he’s only lifting them because the federal government ordered him to do so.
Wisconsin, make sure everyone knows that the feds made him do it, the lying sack of…
Cartoon:
11 Responses to “Open Thread-1/3/2012”
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Yes about those earthquakes – they are all hypothetical according to the industry – preexisting fault lines etc – what bull crap! It makes me so mad! – New York has several faults lines in the areas it wants to frack the daylights out of – we have one week to submit as many letters to DEP and Gov – and Senators and Reps – but I’m afraid it’s a done deal – we can only hope to hold it off for another month or so while they obligatorily read our letters! The big O should make a proclamation to ban it all together in this country until such time they can guarantee that there is no environmental or health impact – oddly here in NY they came up with an environmental impact statement over 1500 pages long and not one word to address health issues!!!!!
That got me on my high horse!
I agree with the Senator – having been trained as a classical singer – and Indiana State has one of the best opera departments in the US – there should be no excuse that a singer can’t sing a high m above high q or if it’s a coloratura soprano – throw in a high mosquito fart at the end! The way that song can be slaughtered is appalling – yes it’s not the easiest -but come on – there are good singers out there who can use an extra buck !
I agree.
But Lee, we’re talking about grade school events here. They don’t have money to a hire classically trained singer for the 2nd grade pageant.
In the early ’70s, there was another method of fracking that involved pumping a liquid high explosive into depleted oil wells and detonating it. Fortunately, the method was abandoned because of the hazards involved. Unfortunately, a number of people were killed before that happened. Wonder what the earthquake incidence would be like if that method were still in use.
I’d like to ask that Indiana senator two questions: first, who determines “acceptable performance standards,” and second, how does that square with the whole “getting the government off our backs” mantra the Repubs like to spout?
Amen John on the national anthem debacle.
I shudder to think of it John.
Acceptable performance is probably decided on the basis of political affiliation.
Congrats to Oregon! But a real tip-of-the-hat to the Pulaski High School Marching Band, of Pulaski Wisconsin, who appeared in the Rose Parade. They were playing “On Wisconsin” until they got to the Grandstand – and then switched tunes, unannounced, to “Sticking to the Union”. The lyrics are below, and it had the announcers flummoxed not know what was going on. There’s a Post at Daily Kos detailing the event – complete with a YouTube video.
I didn’t watch the parade, Nameless, but kudos to Pulaski HS!!
4:02 Close, but not quite.
Finally! I’ll be tough to beat on tomorrow’s too.
Football — I don’t understand the scoring etc of your Fantasy Football but I do understand the progression to the finals. Early on, I said that Texas Will Rise Again was going to be in the cellar because until Texas gets rid of Perry, they’re not going anywhere, even though technically there is no association! Progressive Underdogs had to win because they are progressive and underdogs. I was thinking that TeabagThrashers would be second, but I guess there was too much tannin in the tea and the thrashers got too much in their system and petered out. Playing Without a Helmet probably lost out because of one (or more) blows to the head. ManOnDog Santorum, who wudda thunk?! Hugos Renegades — never did have a feeling for them.
And the real football, I gave that up when I was 16, right after Gordy Prouse tackled me and damn near broke my foot and on a play or two later, Teddy Pease, who I had a crush on, tackled me and told me I had a big corner tear in the right butt cheek of my jeans! And it wasn’t a small tear — you could pass an apple through the hole! I do however listen to the football bits during Grey Cup and was happy that the BC Lions won the Cup in 2011.
Fracking Bloody Earthquakes! — Have you ever filled a balloon so full with water that the minute you threw the balloon and someone tried to catch it, it blew apart, usually in their face, not your’s? To me that is the lesson of fracking! Keep pumping water and chemicals into the earth and something has to give, usually the earth’s crust in the form of an earthquake! That’s the laws of physics or geoscience at work! There are enough ‘natural’ earthquakes caused by the moving tectonic plates of the earth without adding more. When will we learn? I suppose we won’t until personal and corporate greed are no longer at issue. I suppose we won’t until we replace fossil fuels with green renewable energy sources. I suppose we won’t until we learn to live more simply and within our means.
“The Star-Spangled Banner” — Has this legislator not got better things to do than criticise a singer? I agree with John Dasef when he says “first, who determines “acceptable performance standards,” and second, how does that square with the whole “getting the government off our backs” mantra the Repubs like to spout?” I’d also like to add one more — just because someone can’t sing the song in perfect pitch etc, does that make him any less patriotic? What would this idiot Indiana legislator say if Eric Cantor or John Boehner sang The Star-Spangled Banner sounding like a train wreck? Would he fine them? How far does he intend to take this? A national athem is intended as a rallying cry, not a performance.
Wisconsin — I suppose that is one way of damage control, even if he is being 100% dishonest about the why’s and wherefore’s. Scotty needs to be beamed up somewhere, anywhere but this planet! And Nameless, I love your report about the Pulaski Highschool Marching Band. That was a VERY patriotic thing to do — switching tunes to “Sticking to the Union” totally unannounced! as they came to the grandstand.
Cartoon — Great cartoon. Anybody who is blind enough to vote for a Republican/Teabagger really needs a reality check.
Lynn, that’s Teabag Trashers. In over ten years, this was my worst ever. I was second only to Rob in overall point score, bet everyone has the best days when they were playing me. I used to know a gal who liked playing football in my youth. My how she love to tackle the guys.
As a matter of fact I have and that is exactly what happens.
No he does not. The US Congress is no better.
Amen
Amen.