New York Times on Rudy 9iu11ani:
Perhaps he was living an illusion all along.
Perhaps we all were.
What’s on your mind today?
New York Times on Rudy 9iu11ani:
Perhaps he was living an illusion all along.
Perhaps we all were.
What’s on your mind today?
I suspect that if the USA has to choose between Shrillary and Osama, they’ll pick McPain.
Nope – Joy and Frolic. I’m betting on the young’uns, along with some of us geezers who never forgot.
Giuliani Completes His Collapse is the headline.
Funny how all last year, the media kept insisting that Giuliani was the front-runner and that McCain was dead in the water. These past two weeks, it’s been amazing to read that Giuliani imploding was a given, as is McCain’s front-runner status. Yet, on TV, these people are saying, “Well, you know pundits have been wrong saying that Giuliani was the front-runner.” Leaving me to yell at the TV, “Those ‘pundits’ were YOU!!!”.
Now I know remember why I don’t watch TV.
***
On the homefront, most of the water has been pumped from my basement. Much drama in that. Once I got the water down to an inch or so, I went down to the basement and what did I find tucked in the corner? A sump pump the previous owners left us. Fuckers. You’d think that they’d disclose a flooding basement.
My sympathy on the basement issue.
Don’t know where you live but around here, with our clay soil, if you have a basement you can assume it will be wet unless there is intervention (meaning sump pump). I’ve got 2 sump pumps plus battery backups. I learned once I was burned. And you can’t have enough redundancy when it comes to water. It takes no prisoners.
And yes, my soil is clay, so there has been “reflooding”. I’ve been trying to explain this to my husband, but he dismissed me this morning, “Since when did you become an soils engineer.” Ya know, he’s lucky he cooks, washes the dishes and watches the kids. Otherwise, I’d have to do something about him. ;P
Tell him you don’t need to be a soil engineer to know that water runs downhill. And a basement is definitely at the bottom of the hill.
Damn, I do that stuff too and still have to be the sump pump guy.
I think I’m gonna need to have a talk with my wife.
Aren’t you in California? If the basement flooded for the previous owners, I feel certain they’d be required to disclose that in a California re transaction. How long did they own it? How long have you owned it? You have had a decade of really dry weather, so it’s possible the previous owners didn’t experience flooding. Although the pump suggests…..
1st owner 1932 – 2004.
2nd owner 2004 – dec. 27 2009
3rd owner us
They should have disclosed that and the plumbing issues, the girl who grew up here told us about. And the neighbors said that even the 2nd owners had plumbing issues. None of that disclosed. My lawyer friend and realtor are working together right now.
Funny thing, the previous owners left a box full of hoses. I told him he can take it and he said, “Well, you might need them.” I just looked at him like he was crazy. There are 36 hoses of various colors and sizes there. Why would I need them?
Oh.
2006
My sympathies. Hope you can resolve it to your benefit.
I do too and hopefully soon.
If they have clay soil and have had a decade of generally dry weather, it is probably not surprising that with all the recent heavy rains that water might find its way into a basement. If clay soil does not get some regular moisture, cracks result in the soil which become conduits for water. Also the soil, as it dries, tends to pull away from foundations; creating pockets between the soil and the foundation. A perfect repository for water which has navigated through the crevasses and cracks.
My experience with our clay soil is the if it stays uniformly wet, we have the lot fewer issues. Long hot and dry spells around here always raise my concern level. Especially when it is forecast that dry spell will be broken by some torrential rains. They go so far around here as suggesting people water around their foundations during long spells of unusually dry and hot weather to help keep the soil around the foundation from shrinking and pulling away.
I was down in the crawlspace and underneath the laundry room and my bedroom (this is the side of the house the basement is on), the soil is now extremely cracked, about 2″ – 3″ in some places. It wasn’t like that after last years’ rains, so I’m assuming our recent storms washed some soil out. The worrisome part is that my house is also on wood stilts. The leg stands on a woodblock, on top of a concrete block or brick and that’s on top of a blog of concrete. And the soil around most of them has washed away, where there’s a pronounced slope. Now, I’m just trying to figure out the best way to fix that.
If the soil has washed away from around the concrete pads then that is probably not a good thing. If you start to lose soil stability around the concrete there is always the possibility in the future that it could start to move or sink. Is there any kind of perimeter drain around the house which would run water away from the house when it rains? If not, that certainly would help with future rain events.
As for now, you might need to consult a local “expert” to determine if you are facing a potential problem with the structural integrity of your foundation and supports. Once things start to move around it can get bad really quickly. Cause, generally speaking, a house is a pretty heavy thing to support, weight wise.
That’s why I was yelling at my babies this morning to stop jumping.
Don’t make a joke about that. A friend of mine had a house rented out to some college students, and they partied and danced so hard that they actually managed to shift the house off of its supports.
Just wanted to mention this, and was waiting for an open thread. I somehow managed yesterday to make the brilliant move of deleting a diary of mine that was on the recommended list and had comments. I went into the diary to select and copy the text, my mouse slipped, and I apparently hit a “delete” button. I don’t recall being presented with an “are you sure you wanna do this?” prompt. Can’t imagine I could have clicked two separate buttons before catching myself.
If you were one of those who commented on that diary, I apologize. My only defense is that technology hates me. Seriously…yesterday afternoon I went to teach my class at the community college, and every time I go to that one campus, some new piece of technology decides to screw with me. In spite of the fact that I’m careful to arrive an hour early “just in case”, I always end up scrambling to implement a plan B, or a plan C mere minutes before class is supposed to start.
Court cuts fuel and electricity to Gaza.
A link to Michael Neumann’s website, devoted to I/P issues. Some brilliant arguments by a great thinker.
http://members.tripod.com/mneumann/mnisrael.htm
notice all the presidential candidates with the attractive young wives have already dropped out.
Doubt Michelle Obama would be happy with this comment :>)
I have a total girl-crush on her!
I meant to say “old men” with young attractive wives.
Or “old” ugly men. Come on, Fred Thompson is hideous. He looks like a balding Lurch…and sounds it, too.
Of course, Michelle Obama is FIERCE. I look at her with absolute awe, I really do. She’s really got it together. I guess I have a girl-crush, too.
The new MSM black blog? There was a great story on there regarding Mrs. Obama called The Real Prize.
Damn straight. Truth be told, I thought the same thing.
And here’s something else that I never thought I’d feel. Seeing Obama with his daughters reminded me that that was the first time I saw someone who looked like my Dad and me (when I was their age) running for president.
I know, I know. But still. That image was powerful, and struck me in ways even I was unprepared for. That I just never expected to ever see my experiences mirrored in such a way.
Sad…and telling, isn’t it?
I completely know what you’re talking about. And the author touched on the complexion issue and I nodded. Beyond the fact that he didn’t marry Heidi Klum, I still expected Tracy Ross or Halle Berry, KWIM?
I do. And don’t get me wrong, I love Halle and I love Tracy. But he married a woman…NOT a “12 year old”, a person who is every bit as brilliant as he, a woman who is just STUNNING!
(sigh) I always wanted to be that tall. Didn’t quite make it, though.
I also saw their wedding picture. They’re just a gorgeous couple…and not by Madison Avenue’s standards, either.
Maybe they’ll catch up after his Inaugural.
I listened to Obama’s entire Denver speech live streamed from a Denver TV station. He was an hour late because they had to set up speakers in two overflow locations. People were reported to have started lining up at 4:30 am for the 10 am speech. If true, that is amazing given that we had -23 deg F wind chill here in the mts last night.
He has definitely hit his stride as a speaker. He made no bones about contrasting himself to the policies and politicians of the past–on the war, bankruptcy and other progressive issues . No doubt he was trying to make a strong contrast between his approach and policies to those of Hillary.
Anyone else listen or watch?
I just posted in another thread that I saw part of the transcript at Matt Yglesias site and I was happy he was moving toward a politics of contrast. I’ve been wanting him to do that.
If anybody finds it on youtube, I’d like to see it.
I think the transcript is on the Denver Post’s web site.
transcript and video is now up at the edwards site.
lTMF’sA
He has hit his stride as a speaker, but he can only get in front of so many people in these events. I hope he brings it tomorrow night in the debate, where millions will watch him one on one with Hillary. Look the part, be serious but not frowning, smile once in a while, don’t be petty with her.
I wouldn’t get your hopes up. He’s gotten better at debates but he’s not great. And he’s not going to magically get great overnight.
But maybe “nasty” Hillary will show up and remind all the white men how they hate when their wives and mothers give them “the look”. She had “the look” on in South Carolina as she stood at the podium staring him down. That was probaly worth a percentage or two to him.
Yes, sexism is a good thing when it benefits your candidate. 😉
Apropos last night’s DL, I have a call into Abbott labs to find out where they get their opium. Waiting to hear from them.
I also have a call into Chuck Schumer’s office (and his aide in judiciary) about Mukasey’s pre-confirmation promises re: waterboarding, and his failure to keep that promise today. I’m wondering what chuck will do now that his good, trustworthy friend has proven to be a liar. Waiting to hear from them, though I don’t expect a call back. I’ll just call them tomorrow. And the day after. And the day after.
Finally, no one anywhere in DC will confirm for me whether A) my “stimulus that isn’t” check will be taxable income and B) whether that “stimulus that isn’t” will ultimately be deducted from the refund I expect in early 2009. Various bloggers have said this is the case, but I want to hear it from the Beast Itself.
speaking of living an illusion, the egomaniacal nader is trying to grab some of the spotlight:
l felt an urgent need to hurl a hard object at the screen when l read that.
lTMF’sA
Talk about delusional. I think there are too many Dems. who regret their wrong-headed vote for Nader.
I swear, he’s turning into Alan Keyes…the perennial presidential candidate, hearing the deafening call from three people and his dog that people heed his wisdom.
Anyway, I hope your basement woes lessen. It’s such a pain in the @$$, I know. We’re still fighting to get our $$$ back from the pipe problems of this autumn. Yeesh.
How much money is the GOP willing to dump into Nader’s run this time.
Good question. But since it seems to me that they are by and large not as energized, I dunno. It’ll be something, though.
I knew his ego couldn’t stay in check for long.
Nader had the audacity to tell Bloomberg. Stay out of the presidential race. Another guy who thinks he owns a franchise.
instead, practice your fastball for a few weeks, then take that hard object to a Nader event.
I’m not near a teevee so I couldn’t watch, but it looks like John Edwards gave one hell of a concession speech. Here’s the transcript.
The big mistake people like Giuliani make is in thinking they can be the next George W.Bush.A man like Giuliani looks at Bush and says if that imbecile can get elected President,I have a more than even chance.
That,of course, assumes that the field hands in Poppy Bush’s plantation are the equals of the prodigal son.
In variable degrees the other candidates like Huckabee,McCain,Thompson also suffer from the delusion of equating themselves with their privileged massas.
The Democrats are SHOCKED!!! SHOCKED I TELL YOU, that AG Mukasey is now “contradicting the openness he displayed in his confirmation hearings” by refusing to tell them shit about this administration’s waterboarding torture practices.
Feingold says, “this seems somewhat unacceptable……”.
Sometimmmmmmes……..well, I’m just embarrassed at how, even after seven years of this, the Dems still have fits of apoplexy that Republicans lie.
Fool me once………, well you know the story.
Wonder what Timmy Russert thinks about this:
After I almost choked, given her late husband’s writings, I was struck by this:
OK, can I admit to feeling like I’m living in bizarro land: Billary race baits, and yet is supported by Sheila Jackson Lee, Charles Rangel (which I understand), Maxine Waters (which I definitely DO NOT understand), Stephanie Tubbs Jones, John Lewis, Andy Young and Maya Angelou. Maya Angelou!?!? Now that really hurts me to my soul.
The people who are appalled at their behavior include John Kerry, Patrick Leahy, Ted Kennedy and…Elizabeth Moynihan.
Geez…
So does the New York Post.
Link
very anti-Clintons
Bleh. I could do without that, personally.
That’s pretty big. That’s really big. And I’m totally with you regarding Bizarro World. I’m still stunned on that one and I’m lost as to why those people choose to accept the racism. Over at Jack and Jill Politics, rikyrah calls them Handkerchief Heads for Hillary.
Rikryah beat me to it only because I don’t have a blog! Trust me…she, me and everyone else.
Billary must really have them by the “short and curlies” for them to accept this. I just don’t understand. Outside of Rangel and Angelou, I am REALLY starting to wonder what they have on them. Especially Maxine Waters. Her entire reputation rests on her being no-nonsense and uncompromising. I remember how enamored the Clinton Admin was when she was CBC chair…which is to say, not very.
Chits are one thing, your self respect–quite another.
I posted it to my blog, but I had to share. Slate has a video called Hillary’s Inner Tracy Flick. It’s hilarious.
and just laughed and laughed.
I’ve never even seen that movie but it didn’t matter.
As RandyH mentions below, it is like watching mini-Hillary. Even when Clinton decided to run for Senator of NY, I immediately thought of this movie.
That was good.
Recently, one of the cable channels was running that movie “Election” and I watched it. The whole while, I thought of that character as Hillary Clinton as a teenager.
OMG, that is so perfect. VERY funny. Election has got to be one of the best movies ever.