Open Thread for Wednesday, July 16, 2014

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It’s been a busy day with little time for blogging, but here’s some stuff for y’all to chew on:

  1. Columbia OKs spending $35 million on new stadium — The money will be borrowed, and paid back with meal taxes over the next 30 years.
  2. Israel Agrees to Brief Truce, but Gaza Invasion Is Seen to Loom — The biggest news story in the world today, it would be the lede were this a VFP. WashPost reports that Chance of ground invasion is ‘very high’
  3. Court upholds Assange arrest warrant — This guy, Snowden, still at large. Only one of these we’ve managed to prosecute is Bradley Manning, who says he’s not Bradley Manning any more. So our prosecution track record isn’t great on protecting classified material.
  4. Cursing the lack of darkness — I listened to this report while driving to Aiken this morning, and it occurred to me — I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Milky Way. You?

Or whatever y’all want to discuss…

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15 thoughts on “Open Thread for Wednesday, July 16, 2014

  1. Bryan Caskey

    I was surprised you didn’t notice that “the border is secure” according to our Senate Majority leader.

    Let me see if I have this straight: The border is secure, but we have to spend almost $4 Billion on the tens of thousands of people our secure border just let in? Right, I’ll get on that straight away, Senator….

    Either you believe that US Citizenship is a global human right that people are entitled to without any conditions or rules attached to it, or you’re in favor of having rules.

    Open borders or border with rules. Saying “I side with the rule of law, but this is a horrible situation for many people brought as kids” is not inconsistent. You can believe that someone should be deported and also recognize that it’s heartbreaking for them. That’s how the rule of law works.

  2. bud

    I’d be ok allowing virtually ALL of the border kids to stay. They’d eventually make very good, hard-working citizens. Plus it’s the humanitarian thing to do. In a nation of 300+ million we can absorb several hundred thousand if need be. In the end we’d be a stronger, more productive more compassionate nation that would go a long way toward making us a model for other wealthy nations to emulate. And it might help tamp down the problems in central America. After all if there are no more people to abuse the waring gangs might see that they’re petty issues are only destroying their nation. In the immortal words of Ronald Reagan “Mr. Obama, tear down that wall”.

  3. Norm Ivey

    Growing up in the desert of southern Arizona, there were many nights where we could see the Milky Way. We traveled out west last summer, and I made a point of finding a dark highway, pulling over and showing my bride just how many stars there really are. And that’s not some sort of euphemism.

  4. robert ariail

    Last time I saw the Milky Way- at least for sure – was at Philmont scout ranch in New Mexico. It was grand and I’ve missed seeing it living back in civilization.

  5. Rose

    We saw the Milky Way while camping in Death Valley National Park, and out on the ocean on a cruise. Absolutely incredible how much we miss from light pollution.

  6. Silence

    I saw the Milky Way from deep in the Amazonas state in Brazil. Also from far out to sea, and in the Sahara desert. A few other times in my travels as well. It’s hard to find somewhere without much light pollution, though.

    1. Bart

      The last time I saw it was in the desert when I was working in the ME. In the middle of the desert without any other light sources around, on a clear night, it is an amazing view. Kinda puts things in perspective.

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