Barack Obama

[randolph]

Originally Posted by CreativeMind

Nice advice, there's just one problem.
Speaking as a resident, NOTHING is more fucked up than California's state government.
Seriously, it's about as incompetent as you can get.

Washington DC is an incredibly close choice -- it would seem to be the obvious choice -- but at least Washington can swerve left... right... left... right... constantly weaving in the middle of the road and SORT of have some forward momentum that eventually gets somewhere.

In comparison, California is like a blind person driving a car, with the wheel turned hard to the left. And as a result it just goes round and round in circles, and never goes anywhere and never gets anyplace.

You've heard the phrase "As California goes, so goes the rest of the nation?"
HEAVEN FORBID!!!!

No doubt Sacramento is fucked up. However, I much prefer to live here than anywhere in the Middle East. Canada or Australia might be good alternatives. At least in Canada they know how to control their banks and the Aussies like their beaches. Does anybody have a really good government? Er, how about Iceland?

[Jenae LaTorque]

Originally Posted by randolph

No doubt Sacramento is fucked up. However, I much prefer to live here than anywhere in the Middle East. Canada or Australia might be good alternatives. At least in Canada they know how to control their banks and the Aussies like their beaches. Does anybody have a really good government? Er, how about Iceland?

On the news - Iceland is in such a mess that McDonalds has pulled out

[ila]

Originally Posted by Jenae LaTorque

On the news - Iceland is in such a mess that McDonalds has pulled out

Actually the owner of the McDonalds franchises in Iceland gave up the franchise because McDonalds made it too expensive to run. The owner wasn't allowed to use any local products in his restaurants. Instead he had to import everything from Germany to stay within the terms of his contract. The news reported that the owner will reopen his restaurants under a new name and use local products rather than import everything.

[randolph]

Originally Posted by ila

Actually the owner of the McDonalds franchises in Iceland gave up the franchise because McDonalds made it too expensive to run. The owner wasn't allowed to use any local products in his restaurants. Instead he had to import everything from Germany to stay within the terms of his contract. The news reported that the owner will reopen his restaurants under a new name and use local products rather than import everything.

So what are they going to serve, steamed fish burgers and lava cakes?

[The Conquistador]

Originally Posted by randolph

So what are they going to serve, steamed fish burgers and lava cakes?

No. They will start serving generous amounts of lutefisk! Bleh!!!

[randolph]

From Kevin Drum;

From the Los Angeles Times, here's the latest on the healthcare front:

Backed by some of the most powerful members of the Senate, a little-noticed provision in the healthcare overhaul bill would require insurers to consider covering Christian Science prayer treatments as medical expenses.

The provision was inserted by Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R- Utah) with the support of Democratic Sens. John F. Kerry and the late Edward M. Kennedy - both of Massachusetts, home to the headquarters of the Church of Christ, Scientist....The spiritual healing provision was introduced in the House by Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.), whose district includes a Christian Science school, Principia College.

I have a conflict of interest here since I come from a Christian Science background, but holy cow does this seem like a bad idea. Just a really, stupendously bad idea. It's true that not everything that seems like a slippery slope really is one, but this really is one. If it passes, can you imagine how this would play out among the Colorado Springs set within a few years? The mind reels.

[randolph]

Bear kills militants in Kashmir
By Altaf Hussain
BBC News, Srinagar

A bear killed two militants after discovering them in its den in Indian-administered Kashmir, police say.

Two other militants escaped, one of them badly wounded, after the attack in Kulgam district, south of Srinagar.

The militants had assault rifles but were taken by surprise - police found the remains of pudding they had made to eat when the bear attacked.

It is thought to be the first such incident since Muslim separatists took up arms against Indian rule in 1989.

Bodies found

The militants had made their hideout in a cave which was actually the bear's den, said police officer Farooq Ahmed.

The dead have been identified as Mohammad Amin alias Qaiser, and Bashir Ahmed alias Saifullah.

News of the attack emerged when their injured comrade went to a nearby village for treatment.

"Word spread in the village that Qaiser had been killed by the bear," another police officer said.

A joint party of the police and army personnel went into the forest and collected the bodies of the two militants.
Police say they also recovered two Kalashnikov assault rifles and some ammunition from the hideout.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/h...ia/8339549.stm
Published: 2009/11/03 12:28:41 GMT

Hey, we have been missing out. We should train bears and release them in Afghanistan to eat all those terrorists hiding in caves.

[ila]

Originally Posted by randolph

From Kevin Drum;

From the Los Angeles Times, here's the latest on the healthcare front:

Backed by some of the most powerful members of the Senate, a little-noticed provision in the healthcare overhaul bill would require insurers to consider covering Christian Science prayer treatments as medical expenses.

The provision was inserted by Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R- Utah) with the support of Democratic Sens. John F. Kerry and the late Edward M. Kennedy - both of Massachusetts, home to the headquarters of the Church of Christ, Scientist....The spiritual healing provision was introduced in the House by Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.), whose district includes a Christian Science school, Principia College.

I have a conflict of interest here since I come from a Christian Science background, but holy cow does this seem like a bad idea. Just a really, stupendously bad idea. It's true that not everything that seems like a slippery slope really is one, but this really is one. If it passes, can you imagine how this would play out among the Colorado Springs set within a few years? The mind reels.

Randolph, when quoting sources, such as in the post here that I am quoting, ensure that you put quote tags around the quote and credit the source.

Dont' know how to quote?
Highlight the text that is to be quoted and the click the quote icon in the grey area at the top of the post dialogue box. Then after the first [QUOTE] and inside the brackets and to the right of the QUOTE put in an equal sign = and then type the name of the source. Then click Submit Reply.