Today's TRMS
Rachel Maddow is live tonight with her pre-debate show. She will be talking to former Labor Secretary Robert Reich about the bailout bill that passes the Senate last night. Then David Bender joins Rachel to debate the debates. Why is it that everyone thinks Palin will fail when she is considered a superb debater in Alaska by the many people who've had to go toe-to-toe with her in the past? Do the negative trends mean that people are now inclined to see the worst? Is it even possible for there to be a winner tonight?
The debate
Hey Rachel..
If you could ask one question tonight, what would it be?
I don't think she will totally fail..I also don't think Sara America will be heads above Joe Biden. Let's home Biden has been practicing on NOT being condensending...
Let's hope the format will not be as awful as the presidential one...It will be interesting to see what her prep has been..too bad the debate won't be outside!!
My question
"Is that an antenna sticking out of that beehive?"
"I don't like to be pushin' athwart me betters."--Long John Silver
Question for Palin
"So tell the truth, Mrs. Palin - does Dino really have his own doghouse in your back yard, or do you let a baby dinosaur run free in Wasilla...?"
Yabba-dabba Yabba-dabba-dabba-do Now!
can you say AWESOME !
no other way to put it ,all along the LIBERAL MEDIA was trying to humiliate and slam SARAH PALIN . last night GOV. SARAH PALIN showed the WORLD she is straight up ALL-AMERICA . she is AWESOME !!!
I Can't Decide - Are You Actually THIS Stupid?
You're clearly dumber than Sarah Palin, who at least starting to realize how totally out of her depth she is - but then again, you're a Right-Wingnut Trollboy, so any ability to grow or learn is clearly beyond your ossified brain and inherently-limited intelligence.
You can't even spew a coherent Right Wing Talking Point - you just gibber with incoherent rage like some malicious version of a Monty Python Gumby, and you haven't even the brains to realize you're not even contemptible any more, merely pathetic. Is our disgust at your poo-flinging shenanigans honestly all the reinforcement you get out of life? Because your coming back and coming back for more after being repeatedly banned for trolling certainly makes it look that way....
darky boy,
there you go AGAIN with your slimy sarcastic insults. however this time i will not come back at you with YOUR STYLE verbage. by the way, isn't your candidate all about CHANGE !
Racist too, Apparently
One more time - to spank trolls, write aarsupport@gmail.com and report the troll's name to Bob....
BTW, Trollboy? You just proved my point about being incoherent even about Right-Wing Talking Points - to say nothing of totally missing the boat on what I saying to you...just like Sarah Palin....
Air America's Customer Service
To contact Air America's Customer Service, please email to:
aarsupport@gmail.com
Direct all correspondence to BOB, he is very helpful and extremely quick in his response.
Okay, my last comment was snarky and snide
Legitimately? "Mrs. Palin - Russia uses recent events to annex Georgia and Azerbaijan, then attacks Iran from those countries with an eye towards seizing and controlling most of the world's oil. Given our military situation in roughly the same as it is now, how would you deal with this issue if you were President?
"Mr. Biden - same question."
I'm sticking with mine
Yes, it's snarky; I believe in going with my strengths.
"I don't like to be pushin' athwart me betters."--Long John Silver
LOL
I just adore an honest man!
WE LIVE IN THIS WORLD OF CONFUSION: A SONG OF TRUTH IN 2008
ACTION SPEAKS : THIS WORLD OF CONFUSION
This song was written and recorded by Gloria J. Hunt Keith1971 Yet speaks out in 2008
We live in a world of confusion. People have problems they cannot face.
We have no true friends to turn to
We Must Turn To Our God's Love and Grace.
God gave His Only Son
To come down from heaven and live as One(human)
He lived here on this earth as a human
To show Us how to live In this land
Although No Sins He committed
But, He gave His life on calvary's cross
Not for Himself did He do this
But for us so our souls won't be lost.
In this world of confusion, there is but one we can trust
Trust God in the time of battle
Trust Him in every need
Trust Him when oppressions come
Have a Little faith as a grain of a mustard seed...
Trust God...
(ad-live)
You Must Turn To God's Love and Grace.
by Gloria Keith copyrights 1971
Plastic Jeeeeeeeeeeeezus
Plastic Jesus
Plastic Jesus
Riding on the dashboard of my car.
I don't care if it rains or freezes
Long as I got my plastic Jesus
Riding on the dashboard of my car.
I don't care if things get hairy
Long as I got my Virgin Mary
Riding on the dashboard of my car.
I think I'm going to go for the hat trick
Jesus, Mary, and Saint Patrick
Riding on the dashboard of my car.
(We proselytized this song to the Irish pubs of Sheffield, UK, singing it in four-part harmony after closing in that echoey moderne underpass.)
EDIT: Forget me: Paul Newman sang this song in Cool Hand Luke:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYqwYrbwHeM
Palin's Hand
Don't you think they are going to hide the receiver/transmitter into her bandage for her ear piece. Problem is she may answer Rove talking in her ear.
Palin's Hand
Seems odd that Sarah & Cindy have hand injuries??? Could this be the product of McCain's anger issue? Sorry! Someone had to say it!
Disagree with David Bender somewhat
I don't think Sarah Palin will necessarily bomb. I respect your input tremendously, but you were a bit too optimistic about her acceptance speech (you indicated she wouldn't come off well due to her lack of experience)...
I think when she is cornered as in a real interview she clearly does bomb--but a debate is very much a performance and very little substance.
I think she will do poorly only in proportion to the amount she is pressed on details, when there is follow-up and asked to clarify with examples.
The debate format doesn't allow for this follow-up really. Not in a real sense.
So I predict she will charm the pants off all those white guys who things she's an adorable straight talking gal from a small town.
I hope you are right David, and I'm wrong! :-)
skeptical2,
in your words ,my pants are off for SARAH. she is very beatiful ( actually hot ), but what is most BEAUTIFUL is her sincere and very CHRISTIAN outlook of the world and yes it is actually VERY REFRESHING ! again NEVER in our lifetimes have we had the oppurtunity to have a person LIKE US representing the everyday AMERICAN folk,, it is AWESOME !! THATS THE RIGHT CHANGE !!
Definately Empty
What does Sarah Palin's whiteness have to do with anything? and how can you be such a raging, hateful, ignorant, embarrassing racist and claim to have christian values? Jesus Christ didn't teach hate. He didn't teach intolerance. He didn't teach any of the things that you people who so boldly pervert his name have been preaching to the world. It is offensive to the real Christians, those of us who follow, above all things, the teachings of Jesus Christ. More than that, it is offensive to real Christianity and it is blasphemy against Jesus Christ. So, please stop claiming and mudding up my religion. It is perverts like you who have been using God's name to justify wars, hatred, slavery, oppression, greed, and just about everything that's been wrong in this world. Christians, take back your religion!! It has been hijacked by the likes of Pat Robinson or Robertson or whatever his name is. It has been hijacked by hypocrites like that Larry Criag who hates his own creation yet claims to have christian values. It has been hijacked by the mass murderer and terrorist George Bush who claims to pray everyday and seek God's advice. I think he was listening to the other guy, someone should say something to him. If you are in the business of HATE, you are NOT a Christian. It's that simple. I know you people tend to lose your capacity for thinking since you let the conservative noise boxes do all the thinking for you. But, try it sometime. Just take a moment everyday and think an independent thought. Allow yourself to be human. It's nice. But, if you continue to spew your misguided statements about the whiteness of Palin or the blackness of Obama, please do all intelligent Americans a favor and shut up. You really are an empty suit and I feel sorry for you.
The Debate
I would predict (unlike Steve Bender) that Palin will be very charming tonight, because a debate doesn't allow for much pressing on specifics. She clearly excels at connecting with folks with her personal tales and so forth..
Skeptical2 - In the End, She DIDN'T come off all that well....
After weeks of intense coaching, the best she could manage was repeating attack-ad talking points or "McCain is a Maverick!" talking points - and most of the time, she didn't even bother to answer the questions put to her, but repeated canned points over and over. Though she didn't "fail" in the sense that she managed to make it through the entire time without her head exploding, she was clearly vibrating with badly-supressed nerves, she lost her way in mid-peroration at least a half-dozen times, and her "folksy charm" came off as synthetic as THE DUKES OF HAZZARD movie.
There were only two times during the entire hour-and-thirty-two minute debate that I felt she actually came through as a person. The first time was during the discussion of same-sex marriage, where she presented a surprisingly heartfelt and nuanced stance - explaining passionately that while she strongly believes same-sex couples shouldn't be allowed the religious sacrament of marriage she doesn't feel there's anything inherently wrong w/same-sex relationships. She also reminded Biden that his and Obama's own stance on same-sex marriage is pretty much identical to hers, which he readily admitted to. Not what you want to hear if you support same-sex marriage, but given the usual homophobic frothing you get from the Religious Right a welcome change nonetheless. It was her best moment since she got introduced to the world outside of Alaska, IMO - and the sad thing is it probably cost her several points from the rabid lunatics that are the Right's "base".
The second time was in the middle of some comment about her kids going to public school in Wasilla - for just a few seconds there, she stopped beating the "I'm Just Jane Six-Pack Soccer Mom" drum and sounded like a real human being who's genuinely proud of her kids and what they've accomplished. She also came off well in the introduction to Biden and after the debate was over (certainly better than Mean Mister Mustard McCain did!), where she showed a good bit of that charm and grace that her supporters find so endearing. Then again, so did Biden - and he showed it throughout the debate, even when disagreeing with her strongly.
In the end, the debate managed a feat I'd thought impossible - it made me feel a little bit sorry for Sarah Palin. Not because "the Libburul Media" is picking on her by bringing up the less savory aspects of her prior life and career, not because she's shackled herself to a vituperative losing proposition - but because in little glimpses here and there, I can see she's realized just how totally out of her depth she is. When at the end of the debate, she briefly leaned against Biden and confessed with a soft shaky laugh "That's HARD!", I saw someone who thought she was tough enough to play in the biggest league there currently is, the Whole Wide World, maybe start to dimly understand just what she's gotten herself into, and instinctively reach out to a man she's been told is The Real Enemy because she now knows that he knew that all along....
...or maybe I'm just a sentimental middle-aged guy with a soft spot for a cute soccer mom, like Pat Buchanan is. ::shrug::
DO WHAT ?
GOV.PALIN made OBAMA look like the ELITIST typical politician he is. GOV. PALIN showed and proved to all the HATERS ( radical far left ) that she is plenty CAPABLE ,even if there is on the job training aspects ( same for OBAMA ). remember FOLKS it is obama/biden vs. MCCAIN / PALIN ( not bush/cheney )
I'm Sorry - Did a Troll Just Buzz By?
This blog needs a No-Pest Strip, clearly....
Ick
You got a little troll goo on your shirt there. Here, lemme...yup, that's got it. :-)
:) Thanks, Leopardgrrl1
Kind of like cockroaches who fly, trolls - but since I lived in New York City for over a quarter-century, I'm USED to stomping cockroaches....
Rachel Respect
Rachel,
I intended to come here and give my opinion, but OMG. This place is a disaster. I thought I could give a good opinion as a proud American, a proud USAF veteran, as an American citizen and the son of a German war orphan. I know what this country can be capable of. How come Sarah Palin is the height of your discussion. What is wrong with you... If you truly got it about this country you would discuss the only decent option which is John McCain. Let's talk about topics. If foreign oil is so taboo, why did FDR (the best democrat president ever) stand so strong to ally with Saudi Arabia at the end of WWII to ensure we had the oil to boost our industrial growth and economic superiority in the World through the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's. (Here's a note, during the 1st Iraq invasion, Saudi Arabia offered to pay $50,000 in gold to every American in Kuwait who fought for their cause. Our government declined because not every American in the service was not afforded the opportunity to fight.) If the Iraq war is so bad, why did we oust and eventually kill Sadaam. We may not have found WofMD, but we found a population next door to our biggest Mideast Ally, that wanted us their for assistance to stability. This same occupation makes Iran (our biggest mideast enemy, nervous). We know what's going on there. If occupying is such a problem, why did we wait so long to leave Germany. (Is it because they loved us there, well we loved being there) Guess how many countries we occupy, and some of there peeps don't like it. I'm sure we mean well, but you are still a little green. I hope your listeners take the time to understand more about our countries place in this world.
Awesome
I hadn't heard the 'Sarah America' thing yet, got a huge laugh! Idenil
Biden/Pain.. oops..my bad..typo:Palin Debate/Joe Six Pack Remark
I am a new fan of your show, Rachel. It is exciting, informative, humorous and delightful. Congrats on your show. I hope that it continues for a long, long time.
This being said, one comment I would like to make post-debate, and while it may not be on the top of the priority list at the moment, this is about her "Joe Six-pack" remark.
Alcoholism is a major problem in our country. For Gov. Palin to bestow blatantly the title "Joe Six-Pack" upon the working class, which she proclaims so dearly, to reach, with her apparent humor, was a huge mistake. It only demonstrates her ignorance about this issue. Clearly, a thoughtless comment, Gov. Palin needs education about the disease of alcoholism, which costs our nation dearly, not only financially through loss of employment, failing health concerns, which impact those dealing with these issues deeply.
How could she for a moment think this would be an endearing remark by those families who suffer? I think it was in extremely poor taste and extremely insensitive. If this is a display of her “folksy” leadership style, count me out.
Don't you think she was making a slightly sterotypical remark as we conjur up visions of big bellied workers wearing t-shirts toting the old six pack while watching TV and munching on potato chips?
Thanks for a wonderful show. I just adore it and you!
Kneadstoknow
Air America's Customer Service
To contact Air America's Customer Service, please email to:
aarsupport@gmail.com
Direct all correspondence to BOB, he is very helpful and speedy in his response!
Polly, Done
So now Trollboy's proven to be not just racist, but homophobic as well?
No WONDER he's such a big McCain-Palin supporter....
Nazi Trollboy - YOU Are The Weakest Link
Good-bye.
Ya know,
. . . I know some other kids like you who are also good
at creative writing and have hours to kill on their computers.
How did you get your job of propaganda spewer, and how well
does it pay?
There are lots of kids wasting their time flipping burgers and selling fries
when they could be doing what you are doing, without ever even having to
change their pajamas, as I assume you don't.
Since you are almost done here, maybe you could show us how someone else
might follow in your footsteps. If they tried to discuss things in a civilized way,
we might even welcome them to stick around. That could be a big help for you, because once the election is over, you will need a job, and if you learn how to be nice to others instead of just SHOUT at them, then maybe you could work your
way up from third shift assistant janitor to being a seller of french fries.
Good luck in your new career.
I Don't Think McDonald's Would Take Him, MikeG
He clearly suffers from some sort of serious, but nonspecific, personality disorder....
...I know! He could be a standup comic for "Catch A Falling Conservative" in Butte, Montana! They'd love his splenetic anti-liberal gibberish there....
EMPTY SUIT IS A PIG
SARAH PALIN IS NOT GOOD FOR MAKING BABIES, LOOK AT BABAY PALIN.
mid east from where we stand
I just want to say that i wish you would interview people from the middle east who are living in the west. I am an Australian who was born and raised in Australia to lebanese immigrants. I went back to work in Lebanon as an adult and learnt so much. Understanding the culture allows you to understand the realilty behind foreign politics in these regions. Ask us who have lived the politics in both worlds what we see...I love your openess and your obviously sincere search for understanding politics in foreign countries. Come with me to Lebanon and I guarentee you will learn so much about middleeastern politics from real people.
McCain Surrogate Interview
It was by no accident that they put the prettiest woman in the McCain campaign on tonight. I hate her.
But Rachel was so gracious, because she could have eaten her up so easy. Good move Rach.
Ug
I groaned when I saw it was her. She's one of the worst at just spitting out talking points relentlesly and illogically. As seen here (4:10 into it):
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=184086&title=Sarah...
The start of the interview with Rachel was okay, but halfway though she started pushing the rhetoric as if she was giving a partisan speech, not having a conversation.
Sarah the Parrot Palin
Sarah "Polly wants a cracker" Palin did nothing in last nights debate except parrot all of the Republican talking points. She showed a great ability to mimic human speech. Caw, Caw oil. Caw, Caw victory for the surge. Caw Caw I'm a mayor, Caw Caw I'm an energy expert. Caw Caw Obama will raise your taxes. Caw, Caw "wink". Caw, Caw, I'm a soccer mom. Caw, Caw I'm a maverick.
She evaded any question of substance. She further stated that she would refuse to talk to the mainstream media except FIXed News--sorry oxymoron! She has the maverick style of Dick Cheney who constantly told interviewers " I won't answer that question". Just what we need in a Vice Presiden, a person who claims to be a maverick and a changer but can't or won't tell you what and how she will change anything. Well we need to send her a big box of crackers and lots of newspaper since McCain and his campaign iare putting her in a cage, clipping her maverick wings and teaching her to mimic more RNC talking points. She will only be allowed out at Republican controlled events and continue to CAW.
Shock Documentary: How the GOP Steals Elections in Ohio!
Shock Documentary: How the GOP Steals Elections in Ohio!
Please spread the word! We need to stop
the Republicans from stealing this election
yet again in all the crucial states. Please
watch this:
http://www.freeforall.tv/
More power Rachel!
Rachel
So, if Obama can be attacked for living in the same neighborhood as Ayers and sitting on a CHARITY board with him and having ONE meeting in his house like 13 years ago, WHY on earth doesn't Sarah Palin's "First Dude" have to talk about his interesting little group that hates America so much that they want to succeed?? She is married to a guy who hates this country so much, who thinks "america is imperfect enough" (wink) to create civil war and break away. I, for one, would be VERY happy to see her be a citizen of the country of Alasky. That way, she really CAN have trade and energy agreements with Russia as Putin rears his head (!!!) and floats above her country. So, here's my question: why haven't people been asking her about it? I know the McCain people don't really frequent your show...but are you at least trying to ask them?
Eyarrrrrrrr!
"Pirate debate!" It be ye idea who's time be come!
"I don't like to be pushin' athwart me betters."--Long John Silver
I like
that idea!
Bandaged Hand?
Sarah Palin is going to the debate with a bandaged hand? Just what kind of electronic communications device can one fit into the palm of a bandaged hand?
No vice presidential debate drinking game?
I can't just drink randomly. Oh, wait... never mind.
Two points about Palin MAYBE being a surprisingly good debater
1) It seems to me that some of the pundits and producers might be afraid that listeners won't tune in because the results are pretty much assumed, so in order to generate more interest the media is hyping her as a "debate-dark-horse".
2) So she won against a few Alaskan debaters; so what? Sorry if this sounds "elitist", but Anchorage ain't DC.
"I don't like to be pushin' athwart me betters."--Long John Silver
How now, brown cow?
No teleprompters tonight! Go Biden!
THE CHOICE
Lookie, lookie! This might not be so surprising, but look at the text in this endorsement...all I have to say is OUCH! In contrast, the "Editors" point out how Obama has done just that: Leading & Inspiring, but also following up his promise for change with thought, strategy, work and action.
==============================================================
"The Presidency of George W. Bush is the worst since Reconstruction, so there is no mystery about why the Republican Party—which has held dominion over the executive branch of the federal government for the past eight years and the legislative branch for most of that time—has little desire to defend its record, domestic or foreign. The only speaker at the Convention in St. Paul who uttered more than a sentence or two in support of the President was his wife, Laura. Meanwhile, the nominee, John McCain, played the part of a vaudeville illusionist, asking to be regarded as an apostle of change after years of embracing the essentials of the Bush agenda with ever-increasing ardor...
...At a moment of economic calamity, international perplexity, political failure, and battered morale, America needs both uplift and realism, both change and steadiness. It needs a leader temperamentally, intellectually, and emotionally attuned to the complexities of our troubled globe. That leader’s name is Barack Obama."
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2008/10/13/081013taco_talk_editors
==============================================================
And here are some more comments about this amazing article.
"It is notable, too, that in an essay of this length, only a single paragraph is devoted to McCain's "cynicism" in choosing Palin. That said, on this, the day of the Vice-Presidential debate, it's the one everyone will read it looking for."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/02/the-emnew-yorkerem-endors_n_131...
==============================================================
I wonder what the final ratio of win to loss will be on November 4th...
.
Bingo games for the debate
Biden-Palin online bingo
http://backupbrain.com/palinBingo/
Palin bingo (you have to print these cards out)
http://palinbingo.com/
Alaska voted right at least once
This is the website of Maryline Blackburn, the woman who beat out Sarah Palin for Miss Alaska. I don't know about the talent segment or any other factors that contributed to her win, but when it comes to simple looks, in this swashbuckler's humble opinion, Ms Blackburn has got the Hockey Pitbull beat seven ways from Sunday. Good work, Northern Star State!
This time.
http://www.marylineblackburn.com/photoalbum/album0.html"I don't like to be pushin' athwart me betters."--Long John Silver
once again,
your simple minded little sarcastic insults once again. thats all you OBAMA NUTZ have to say ( THE RADICAL FAR LEFT WINGNUTZ AT THEIR FINEST ).
Well, enjoy the debates, ya'll
I got a book to read, and one to write.
"I don't like to be pushin' athwart me betters."--Long John Silver
Is It Just Me, or Is Palin Just Regurgitating Talking Points?
I'm with friends watching the VP debate, and I have an observation: I guess Palin just repeats Right-Wing talking points, then tosses in a bunch of personal anecdotes to make her seem "folksy. The thing is, you can hear her just open wide and spew without any real connection between mouth and brain - like "Taliban in Iraq" or "Obama is irresponsible and naive", over and over.
Oh, and Sarah? It's "nu-CLE-ar", not "NU-cu-lur"....
Pronounce-iating
So, she was coached well enough to pronounce the name of the Iranian president (whose name I can neither spell without looking, or look up, cuz I'm lazy) but chose not to pronounce nuCLEAR correctly? Just like Bush all right.
VP Debate
Apparently, Gov. Palin shares more than just philosophies with President Bush. She consistently mis-pronounces "NUCLEAR" as nucular
Ｐａｌｉｎ ｈａｓ ｓａｉｄ ”Ｍａｖｅｒｉｃｋ” ｆｏｒ ｔｈｅ ｓｅｖｅｎｔｈ ｔｉｍｅ！
Ｄａｋｅ ａ ｔｒｉｎｋ －
Ｉ ｍｅａｎ， ｔａｋｅ ａ ｄｒｉｎｋ．．．．
Sorry About That Last One
My EEE PC has some English-Chinese typeface switching feature that isn't documented - and when I posted that last night from a friend's house during the debate, I couldn't figure out how to switch it back.
It says, in case you can't read it:
"Palin has said 'Maverick' for the seventh time! Dake a trink -
"I mean, take a drink...."
:D
Was there a moderator
I guess the psuedo-controversy of Gwen Ifill did its job on her. Palin took control and spouted whatever talking points she wanted and flat out refused to answer questions. Ifill made no attempts to reign her in or at least bring her back on topic. Very disappointing.
VEEP Debate Rules
Per The Nation Magazine, the McCain demanded, and somehow got, a change in the rules that prevented follow-up questions.
disappointing to you,
you said IT, took CONTROL !! SARAH PALIN showed the world she is perfectly CAPABLE. MIDDLE CLASS AMERICANS that are currently supporting OBAMA ( the white folks ) are going to DROP like flies ( off the OBAMA band wagon ) and give their VOTE to MCCAIN / PALIN.
I though i was watching the
I though i was watching the Stepford wife,or Kendra from the Playboy show.She kept having to look at her note 's to get the programed message.I'm going to talk direct to the American people just did'nt fly
The writer of this AP piece...
...should be told that there's a difference between "objective" and "objectional" reporting.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081003/ap_on_el_pr/vice_presidential_debate
"Palin stands her ground" is only one instance of a pretty pro-Caribou attitude throughout the article. But then, it is the AP.
"I don't like to be pushin' athwart me betters."--Long John Silver
Ugh
The governor from our state (HI) is now on Countdown... Really wish she was back here while we go through crisis (and they cut back on many stuff) instead of stumping for Palin. Blech.
Post Debate Analysis
A pig in lipstick is still a pig, even when you teach it to bark and do tricks for 90 minutes. Palin is a joke, an inarticulate, stupid joke.
Last Week,
I was suddenly diagnosed with heart disease
and spent the next six days in a process that
climaxed with open heart surgery on the Friday
of the First Debate.
I had no internet, no MSNBC, no Air America, only
an occasional New York Times to keep me connected.
Throughout that time, I knew that the good folks here
at TRMS Blog would be carrying on and raising the hell
that I could not even know about. This kept me from stressing out
and it probably saved my life - - so I want to thank you guys for always
fighting the good fight, and for doing what is fair and decent instead of just taking easy shots and working to build conflict.
Before going in to the hospital, I had just heard that a "letter to
the editor" I had written which criticized the actions of the "College
Republicans" was to be printed very soon, with my real name prominently
attached. A Mystery Phone call came in the dead of night on the day of publication: two chortling college students: "I think we've found him,"
they laughed before hanging up.
When I got home, my computer seemed to have been hacked and
unable to access the web through browsers or web-mail. Although it
turned out to be a modem glitch - a modem that has run continually for
years without any such glitch - I could not help but feel that some kind of
hacker bomb had been sent my way (I remembered Polly's similar
experience).
It made me wonder if there is some kind of easily obtained bug or worm
that might be used to create a wide-spread (but ultimately "harmless")
computer break-down that could be used as a weapon against liberal
bloggers as we countdown to the crucial days of this campaign.
Any insight on this?
Oh, and when I finally heard Rachel opening her show again yesterday,
tears just kinda kept spurting out of my eyes. Tears of gratitude for Rachel
and her work and her team and all of us here at the blog.
Thanks, Guys, and and all my newly 'whole-hearted' Love to You All . . .
Gotta sleep now.
My dear
My dear MikeG,
Take care of yourself. You are your own best friend; meanwhile, we are all pulling for you! And for Obama, because if he "loses," I have to abandon this country and two generations of my family.
Regarding computers: In late August, one of mine was taken down by a drive-by attack initiated by an email disguised as a month-late response to an AAR trouble ticket. Keep your antivirus programs up to date, friends. I recommend cnet.com's free antivirus protection over the slow, lazy behemoths Norton and McAfee. Check the reviews and download one or more of those free, better programs, please.
All the best,
Buxtehude_Barbarossa
Also AVG has a free (and quite good) antivirus
http://free.avg.com/ - their for-pay "security suite" is supposed to be good, but suffers from the same problems as most "security suites" (mega bloatware, slows your system to a crawl). I also hear Norton Internet Security 2009 is a lot better, and a lot more lightweight, than any previous version of Norton Security software - or any of the competition. I'm using NIS 2008, which is actually not too bad when it comes to how much of your system resources it uses. Whichever you use, run a complete system scan just to be sure - in fact, you should do that once a week anyway just to be safe, and if you're not an online security expert (and I mean "expert" - which I'm not, just more of a "superuser") you should probably be running security software to scan your e-mail and be sure you have a firewall up (WinXP SP2 has a good software firewall built in that's on by default, and any router you'd use to connect a broadband connection to multiple computers is an excellent hardware firewall) from non-political but certainly malicious users.
As for your modem - have you tried another modem with your system? If it's an internal dial-up modem, and your computer's not adequately cooled or protected against power surges and brownouts, that can cause devices like modems (or hard drives, or memory or even processors) to die on you. Also, sometimes devices - Just Stop Working for no readily apparent reason anyone can point to, which often gets mentioned under the catchall terms "bit rot" or "cosmic rays" (no, I'm NOT kidding about that last one).
While it's certainly possible some Righttard script kiddie punk may have written a virus and pwn'd your modem, my suspicions are that their finding your PC and targeting it specifically while you were in the hospital with your PC presumably off are highly unlikely. Targeting someone specific, or even a specific demographic like online liberals, isn't that easy to do using straight technology - they'd have to do some social engineering first like set up a bogus liberal site that loads malware onto your system, or send you a phishing e-mail from some popular liberal cause.
Also, if they WERE going to get you, they wouldn't simply disable your modem which is a relatively easy fix - they'd either give you something incredibly destructive that'd wipe your hard drive while mocking you the whole time...or they'd give you something you'd never find out you had, but which grabbed all your passwords and private information, and rerouted all your e-commerce transactions (like donations or online purchases) to the RNC.
Anyway, nice to meet you! :) I think I must have wandered on here after you went into the hospital. Glad to hear you're back at home and convalescing....
MIKE!
I am so sorry to hear about your surgery and illness and once again feel so helpless not being able to help. It is so frustrating, but please do know I wish you the very best and will keep you in my thoughts! Please remember to do what the Doc tells you and get plenty of rest. My other half had open heart surgery about 3 years ago so I do remember the program, it was a long and slow recovery but one that culminated in feeling so much better. My best to you and your family during this time.
As far as having a hacker getting into your computer, yes it can and has been done but is especially easy if you don't have the proper protection (firewalls, anti virus and malware programs) and even then it is still possible. I am case in point. I don't want to go into it in detail here and now, but yes you can be hacked. Now whether those kids who called you are the hackers, well that's something that you most likely won't know. I would recommend bringing your puter to a reliable tech guy/gal or have them to your home if you have the time. Get the proper software protections but know that there are still ways to infiltrate.
Now to bed with me! Please feel stronger tomorrow and know that we will keep you in our thoughts.
SingSing...
SingSing...
Don't deny your true nature. Don't let yourself be distracted. There's a lot of flack flying around, and we need you.
"Going to do heem lefthanded."
"What?! You know what a hurry we're in!"
"If I use my right, over too quickly."
MikeG
Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Take very good care of yourself. And keep us up to date.
MikeG
Thanks for sharing your story with us. I hope you return to 100% as soon as possible. That said, take things slowly and steadily. We look forward to having you back here on a regular basis soon.
All the best,
chemgirl
Thanks -
all you lovely folks,
for the nice thoughts and wishes.
Hope to be back in the fray ASAP.
paranoia will
DESTROY YOU !! just like SARAH will DESTROY the OBAMA campaign.
Empty Suit,
What a disgraceful response to a fellow poster who just learned of his own extreme illness. You have proven your lack of any humanity much less self respect.
POLLY,
there was no response from me about your sick friend , none what so ever ! i really don't care to be that personable with STRANGERS in the virtual world .
however,
how many of your RADICAL far left wing nut friends were ( when TONY SNOW was in remission with CANCER ) saying that they wished his CANCER would come back, let me guess YOU were one of THEM !!!!
The subject of Tony Snow & you using illness to mock others
Not that you asked in any kind of mannerly way, but I was truly sorry for Snow and even used to speak with him occasionally in IM.
I never agreed with him on any subject of note, but I thought him to be a fair and decent man with a bad boss.
no mocking
you are merely lying , and speaking of LYING tune into HANNITY AND COLMES tonight and SEAN will tell you how many times BIDEN lied last night .
i apologize,
for saying you were that nasty and saying those things about SNOW , however you cannot DENY that MANY, MANY of the agents of the RADICAL far left were and thats a DAMN shame isn't it.
Good-Bye, You Assaultive, Vindictive, Disgusting Little Troll
This goes beyond the pale, even for YOU....
How much money per post are
How much money per post are trolls getting these days? Do you get more money sometimes TYPING IN ALL CAPS LIKE YOU'RE YELLING AT ALL THE SCARY LIBERALS!!!!???? Just wondering, since you're so full of crap even you can't be as stupid as you're representing yourself. I hope. Please. Don't really be this dumb.
Who said that?
Post a link. I don't believe you.
Palin
Is is just me or did Palin sound like she was talking to a 10 year old during the debate?
I see a Saturday Night Live skit this weekend with Tina Fey as Palin and she answers every debate questoin with:
Maverick... Wassila... energy... Maverick...I can see Russia...McCain...Maverick...Maverick...Maverick.
Maverick Maverick Maverick!
PenguinPete! Great moniker!
Here's an article to pass along to any fence sitters we may encounter:
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/make_believe_maverick_the_re...
Palin, well coached, but...
she once again came across as arrogant! Senator Biden obviously cut her some slack, yet she continued her scripted attacks. One could see the relief on her face when she realized she had a prepared response to a question.
Her failure to offer an answer to specific questions remains unchanged. For example her global warming response was what? Alaska is an Arctic State...and...ah...John McCain suspended his campaign:) And what about the "Whoa Joe" thing? Then there was the issue about all the Executive Decisions she has made. Let's see, 18 months a Governor? She tried to imply years and years of experience. Mayor perhaps? I think her executive over site was pretty much limited to the Library and Museum in the fair city of Wasilla. Oh! and maybe the "Hockey Rink"! (Serious legal problems there).
Bottom line is, Palin has the same mind set as the rest of the Republican Party and that is that if they say it enough times, then it becomes a fact.
Not so this time!
All in all, her snarky attitude and disrespect for a senior statesman exemplifies her lack of poise for the second most powerful position in the world! How would she treat a senior statesman of a foreign country? With the same lack of respect she projected to Senator Biden?
She is and has always been a detriment to the McCain camp! Unless she can be taught diplomacy in the next week or two, she will remain one of the primary reasons for the demise of the campaign.
grumpy dude,
you are KIDDING yourself. GOV. SARAH PALIN may not be appreciated by you ( obviously ), however the GENERAL PUBLIC appreciates her and in one month YOU will all see !! MIDDLE AMERICA will be heard , thanks to PALIN !
Biden clearly has more tollerance than I do
Or he's really good at faking it.
I managed to get through a little more than half of the debate (thanks be to the YouTube). I'm sure I'll see the rest, at some point... As soon as I've stopped my brain from imploding from listening to Palin's tripe, for 45-50 minutes... There were several times when I was convinced that Joe Biden was almost as confused by her "responses" as I was.
SAB Special Item
The BBC has a good item covering this year's Ig Nobel Prizes, which reward scientific achievements that "cannot, or should not, be reproduced."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7650103.stm
I am especially fond of the Nutrition prize which, this year, was awarded for a study showing that food actually tastes better if it sounds crunchier. My dog already knew this. One of my favorite sounds on the whole earth is the sound my dog makes when eating potato chips or Bugles. It makes me very happy.
Caveat Chemgirl: Best if you don't read the Ig Nobel chemistry award this year. Really. Don't. Really.
The real ones
Keep yer eyes peeled - next week is Nobel week:
http://nobelprize.org/
Monday - Physiology/Medicine
Tuesday - Physics
Wednesday - Chemistry
Thursday - Literature
Friday - Peace
Monday, Oct 13 - Economics
===============
IgNobel: Coca-Cola = spermicide ... or not? Lordy.
Lordy, What?
I TOLD you not to read it. Sheesh.
Argh!
Those research projects are all good projects! I hate this.
Is all publicity good publicity, even when it's this kind of publicity that can get your funding revoked?
On a much, much darker note
The BBC releases its 1970s nuclear bomb script, to have been read on-air in the event of an all-out.
The article has video of Harry Shearer reading the script:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7648042.stm
For the full text of script, go here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/03_10_08nuclearattack.pdf
One of my poli sci professors at Chapel Hill was in the Pentagon during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and he described very well to his students the events and the emotions of Pentagon personnel when the bombers were dispatched. This BBC script sends the same chill down my spine that my professor's account did.
Take a deep breath.