First Looks category archive
Facebook Frolics 0
The Crazification Factor 0
It’s a reliable, steady 27%. For example, from Delaware Liberal,
Backfire 2
Dick Polman dissects the Republican backpedaling from the decision by Senator Cruz-missile and his teabags to blow up the economy over the Affordable Care Act. It doesn’t seem to be working out all that well for the geniuses behind it.
A snippet:
(snip)
Anyone with a rudimentary knowledge of politics – a minority of a minority in one legislative chamber can’t outfight a president who handily won re-election – knew that the GOP would wind up the loser in a shutdown showdown. Indeed, the smartest conservatives knew it, and warned against it.
Instead, the saboteurs are currently looking for something, anything, that might pass muster with President Obama and help extricate them from their ill-fated drive around the ideological cul de sac.Expect the teabaggers to portray themselves as martyrs willing to nobly sacrifice themselves for the greater good. Heaven forbid they be seen as power-hungry hacks who think governance is a video game in which it’s okay to sacrifice the general welfare for hit-points.
Break Time 0
Off to drink liberally.
Drinking Liberally Norfolk Today 0
Now on Tuesdays for Norfolk (still Thursdays for Virginia Beach) to make it easier for persons with commitments on either day to catch at least one per month.
Drinking Liberally is a gathering place for liberals. Socialize and laugh in a friendly atmosphere.
When: 6 p., Tuesday, September 8.
Where:
Uno Chicago Grill
5900 Virginia Beach Blvd
(Janaf Shopping Center) (map)
Details here. Meetup page here.
Jon Stewart Skins a Fox 0
Excerpt:
“You hate the government, yet you wail like banshees whenever the . . . services you like are taken away.”
Via Raw Story.
Susie Sampson’s Sister Soldiers on 4
She needs the shutdown to stop. She’s starting to get silly.
Scam Alert: You Have To Enter To Win 0
A new wrinkle in scams, this one trading on Publishers Clearing House:
The scammer then transfers the money from the giftcards to himself.
It’s appeared California and likely is on its way to a cell phone near you.
I’m so old, I can remember when PCH was primarily a purveyor of publications and did not offer how-to sex DVDs.
Make TWUUG Your LUG 0
Learn about the wonderful world of free and open source.
What: Monthly TWUUG Meeting.
Who: Everyone in TideWater/Hampton Roads with interest in any/all flavors of Unix/Linux. There are no dues or signup requirements. All are welcome.
Where: Lake Taylor Transitional Care Hospital in Norfolk Training Room. See directions below. (Wireless and wired internet connection available.) Turn right upon entering, then left at the last corridor and look for the open meeting room.
When: 7:30 PM till whenever (usually 9:30ish) on Thursday, October 3.
Directions:
Lake Taylor Hospital
1309 Kempsville Road
Norfolk, Va. 23502 (Map)
Pre-Meeting Dinner at 6:00 PM (separate checks)
Uno Chicago Grill
Virginia Beach Blvd. & Military Highway (Janaf Shopping Center). (Map)
Special Drinking Liberally Virginia Beach Event 0
Join us for a special meeting where F. L. will report on the Living Liberally Leaders conference recently held in Madison, Wisconson.
When: October 2, 6:00 p. m.
Where:
Gordon Biersch
4561 Virginia Beach Blvd (Town Center)
Virginia Beach, VA (map)
More Adventures with iJunk 0
Thoreau summarizes:
The Los Angeles public school system has a well thought out plan for improving academic achievement:
1. Hand everyone iPads.
2. ???
3. Test scores!
Details at the link.
Break Time 0
Off to drink liberally.
Two Scoops of Black and Tan 0
I don’t drink much beer (any Sotch is better than every anything else), but I’m tempted to go buy some Yuengling (if I can get it here–haven’t looked) to celebrate the resurrection of Yuengling Ice Cream:
Drinking Liberally Virginia Beach Tomorrow 0
Fun and fellowship for liberals. Join us and talk about anything in a relaxed atmosphere.
When: Thursday, September 26th, 6 p.
Where:
Croc’s 19 Street Bistro
620 19th Street (Map)
More here.
Bird on a Wire 0
It seems to be a Thing. First there was this (picture at the link):
On Thursday, about 8:40 a.m., a helicopter swooped in beside the lines so a man perched on the edge of a platform could grab the bird.
Then they flew away together.
Now there’s this:
(I was tempted to file this under “wingnuttery,” but decided that would be cruelty to animals.)
Afterthought:
What is a heron doing in Yuma?