Tag: Open Thread

Nov 30 2009

Afternoon Edition

Afternoon Edition is an Open Thread

Now with U.S. News.  39 Story Final.

From Yahoo News Top Stories

1 Switzerland confronts backlash over minaret ban

by Peter Capella, AFP

1 hr 13 mins ago

GENEVA (AFP) – Switzerland confronted an international backlash and charges of intolerance on Monday as the country’s Muslim leaders urged calm over a shock vote to ban new minarets.

The Vatican joined Muslim leaders in expressing dismay after a referendum on Sunday voted for a constitutional ban on the construction of towers attached to mosques from where the faithful are traditionally called to prayer.

Some 57.5 percent of those who cast ballots supported the measure amid a high turnout by Swiss standards of 53 percent.

Nov 29 2009

Weekend News Digest

Weekend News Digest is an Open Thread

Now with World and U.S. News.  57 Story Final.

From Yahoo News Top Stories

1 Rumsfeld decision let Bin Laden escape: Senate report

AFP

Sun Nov 29, 11:27 am ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Osama bin Laden was “within the grasp” of US forces in late 2001 but escaped because then-defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld rejected calls for reinforcements, a hard-hitting US Senate report says.

The report, set for release Monday, is intended to help learn the lessons of the past as President Barack Obama prepares to announce a major escalation of the conflict, now in its ninth year, with up to 35,000 more US troops.

It points the finger directly at Rumsfeld for turning down requests for reinforcements as Bin Laden was trapped in December 2001 in caves and tunnels in a mountainous area of eastern Afghanistan known as Tora Bora.

Nov 29 2009

Holiday Blah’s Open Sub

Last day of the long Holiday weekend…. I am feeling really blah, but I’m lurking and wandering around reading. I’m sure someone is cooking up some brilliant essay full of insights and observations and more, but I got nothin’.  Is it just me?  Yo.

So… Open Thread must be on holiday too. This can fill in as a sub? Meh. 🙂

I can’t give you anything but love, baby.

That’s the only thing I’ve plenty of, baby.

Dream a while. Scheme a while.

We’re sure to find

Happiness, and I guess

I can’t give you anything but love.

Nov 29 2009

Nike!

Well here’s the last of my Thanksgiving Marathon posts and frankly I’m not sorry to see them go because the research is taking forever.

And you miss stuff, like I almost missed AMC’s Batman triple feature.

In fairness, it does start at 2:30 am which is why I’m posting early and will post promote this so I don’t drive down any more of the Front Page than I need to.

Updated twice!  Now with Listiness!

Nov 28 2009

Afternoon Edition

Afternoon Edition is an Open Thread

Now with U.S. News.  38 Story Final.

From Yahoo News Top Stories

1 Bomb attack blamed in deadly Russia train disaster

by Kirill Kudryavtsev, AFP

15 mins ago

UGLOVKA, Russia (AFP) – An elite passenger train carrying hundreds of people from Moscow to Saint Petersburg was derailed by a bomb attack that left dozens dead and nearly 100 injured, officials said Saturday.

The attack occurred late Friday about 400 kilometres (250 miles) northwest of Moscow in a forest where the same train, the Nevsky Express, popular with tourists and commuters, was hit by a similar bomb attack in August 2007.

“We are indeed talking about a terrorist attack,” Vladimir Markin, spokesman for the federal investigative committee, was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency.

Nov 28 2009

Saturday Morning Marathon

Well, Thanksgiving is starting to pass and programming returning to normal.  We still have many Marathons running in some places you might not expect.  By the time you read this VH-1 and ESPN will have already started their morning (which I’m beginning to suspect is a feature not a flaw).

We also have some double features-

  • ABC Family– Richie Rich and Richie Rich’s Christmas Wish starting at 11 am and going until 3 pm.
  • FX– Ice Cube in Are We There Yet and Are We Done Yet from 11 am to 3:30 pm.
  • Spike– Lethal Weapon 2 & 3 from 1 pm to 6 pm and double Forrest Gump from 6 pm to Midnight.
  • Comedy Central– has Barbershop and Barbershop 2: Back In Business from 2:30 pm to 7 pm.
  • Oxygen– is running back to back Legally Blonde from 8 pm to Midnight.

Your ‘regular’ Marathons look something like this-

  • ESPN– Sports Center 5 to 10 am.
  • VH-1– Jump Start 5 to 9 am.  Trading Spouses: Meet Your New Mommy noon to 8 pm.
  • MTV– World’s Strictest Parents 6 to 11 am.
  • Oxygen– America’s Next Top Model 8 am to 8 pm.
  • History– Ice Road Truckers 8 am to 8 pm.
  • TV Land– Married With Children 8 am to 6 pm.  Roseanne 10 pm to 2 am.  Three’s Company 2 to 6 am.
  • Discovery– Dirty Jobs 10 am to 3 am.
  • MSNBC– Lockup (various varieties) noon to 7 am.
  • Tru TV– World’s Wildest Police Videos noon to 6 pm.
  • Bravo– America’s Next Top Model noon to 10 pm.
  • Disney– Sonny With A Chance 2 pm to 7 pm.
  • TLC– What Not To Wear 4 pm to 2 am.
  • TV Guide– Look-A-Like 4 pm to 8 pm.  My Fair Brady: Maybe Baby 10 pm to 2 am.
  • A&E– Criminal Minds 7 pm to 11 pm.
  • Nick– George Lopez 10 pm to 6 am.

Nov 27 2009

Afternoon Edition

Afternoon Edition is an Open Thread

Now with World and U.S. News.  42 Story Final.

From Yahoo News Top Stories

1 Dubai debt scare rattles world markets

AFP

1 hr 20 mins ago

NEW YORK (AFP) – US stock markets tumbled on Friday as fears of debt defaults bred fresh concern for the world economy, while Europe shares recovered slightly from Dubai’s shock request to suspend major loan repayments.

Investors had “headed for the exit door” after the Dubai government’s investment vehicle Dubai World sought to suspend debt payments for six months, IG Markets analyst Ben Potter said.

The price of oil slumped to a seven-week low point close to 72 dollars and the dollar struck a 14-year low against the yen.

Nov 27 2009

Marathon Friday Morning

This is too hard and yet a public service.

The problem is that you only get a 3 hour slice and then you have to track 20 layers of channels.

Until 8 pm it looks kinda like this-

7 pm Update!–

  • Spike– Band of Brothers starts @ 9 am and continues until 11 pm.
  • A&E– Criminal Minds starts @ 8 am and continues until 11 pm when it is interrupted for CSI: Miami and then returns at midnight for 3 more episodes.
  • E!– Keeping Up With The Kardashians starts @ 9 am and finishes @ 4 pm with a break between noon and 2 for Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami
  • Discovery– Deadliest Catch @ 9 am and continues until 3 am.
  • TLC– Say Yes To The Dress @ 6 am and continues until 1 am.
  • USA– NICS starts @ 6:30 am and stops @ 12:30 for Monk.  White Collar starts @ 1:30 and continues until 7.
  • SciFi– James Bond starts @ 8 am and continues until 5:30 am.
  • FX– That 70s show starts @ 8 am and finishes @ 5 pm.
  • Travel– Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmer starts @ 9 am and continues until 8.
  • TV Land– Sanford and Son starts @ 9 am and is replaced @ 4 pm by Andy Griffith until 10.
  • VH-1- Jump Start starts @ 5 am and continues until 11 am.
  • Tru TV– Haunting Evidence starts @ 9 am and is replaced by Forensic Files @ 3 pm until 6 with 6 more episodes from 9 to midnight.
  • Food TV– Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives starts @ 2 pm and continues until 11 pm.
  • TNT– Charmed from 8 am to 11 am.  Law and Order after that until 7.  300 at 8 pm with a repeat at 10
  • Bravo– Real Housewives of New Jersey starts @ 8 am and is followed by Goodfellas @ 5 pm with a repeat at 8.
  • ESPN– Sports Center 5 am to noon.
  • Animal Planet– I’m Alive starts @ 1 pm and is interrupted at 10 pm, 1 am, and 5 am for Pit Bulls and Parolees.

Nov 26 2009

Afternoon Edition

Afternoon Edition is an Open Thread

Now with after nap update and World and U.S. News.  68 Story Final.

From Yahoo News Top Stories

1 German military chief quits over Afghan strike

by Simon Sturdee, AFP

1 hr 4 mins ago

BERLIN (AFP) – Germany’s top general quit on Thursday over an air strike in Afghanistan on two fuel tankers hijacked by the Taliban in which dozens of civilians are thought to have perished.

The resignation, announced in parliament by Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg together with that of a senior ministry official, followed press revelations that a military report about the September 4 strike was suppressed.

The news came at an unfortunate time for Chancellor Angela Merkel, as parliament was debating extending the mandate for the German mission in Afghanistan. Even before the air strike it was opposed by a majority of voters.

Nov 26 2009

Raiders @ Cowboys

Fuck the Cowboys.

Not only are they the division rivals of my team (to the extent I have one.  Week 12?  Seems about time to shift my attention from Baseball.) the Giants, but they are also the most arrogant team in the NFL.

America’s Team?

Fuck you.

I have hopes for an upset since it’s always a pleasure to see the ‘Boys lose but I have no expectations the Raiders can deliver.

Nov 26 2009

Packers @ Lions

Pfft.  Did I mention I’m only half troll?

This would be a fight to the death except that there’s not much honor in slaying a troll.  The Lions are a pathetic program and have been for years.

Yet I am conflicted by my troll heritage and natural sympathy for the underdog.

Nov 26 2009

Parade Open Thread

tiggerHappy Thanksgiving!

You know, back when I worked retail I was always happy to come in on holidays for a few reasons not the least of which was the time and a half.  It was also dead slow which appeals to my laziness.

But most of all I felt I was providing a public service for people who needed stuff when most places were closed.

Just so I’m happy to provide a little light entertainment for you this Thanksgiving in case you need an excuse to get away from your relatives.

Or at least it will give me an excuse to get away from mine.

Anyway I’ll start off this morning with a Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade Open Thread.

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