I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

Yes, Bren, it looks like you and I (and Kam) have a good rivalry going for the Seahawks/49ers game next week! I doubt I'll watch but I like the excitement it gives our city.

And Kam, there's definitely an east coast bias in the national broadcast.

Mary

Loved the way this article was written.   http://www.addictinginfo.org/2014/01/12/right-wing-bridgegate-dishonesty/  Just so very, very thankful I am not a Rt. Wing Nut.  Of course, it is the whole point, but I don't feel sooooo extreme about politics no matter how I am registered.  The sense of odd entitlements, even to pretending that anything scandalous is given far too much attention by the LEFT.  I find that totally laughable since so many of the RT. Wingers have mocked, criticized and otherwise kept up denying Pres. Obama's abilities.  The long list of achievements which they haven't been able to quell says it all.

Jackie

I think, if people start looking into it, they'll find the Bridgegate is not an isolated incident  - they will find lots of examples of political payback.  The stories have been circulating in New Jersey for years, but Christie had managed to shrug them off.

Couple interesting things emerged over the weekend:

1. An incident I had forgotten.  Back in 2010, New Jersey missed out on a grant for Race to the Top.  A guy named Bret Schundler was Christie's appointment - who screwed up the application.  When New JErsey lost out, Christie went on television and blasted the Obama administration.  Basically, there had been a presentation of New Jersey's application for the Race to the Top, with NJ people meeting with the federal grant people.  Schundler had forgotten to include date from 2008 and 2009.  Christie claimed on NJ television that Schundler and his team had presented the data orally at the meeting, but Obama's people had refused to accept it.  Then the video came out, showing that Schundler and his team had been dumbfounded when asked about 2008 and 2009, and came up with nothing.  Christie then went on television again and fired Schundler, saying he had lied to Christie about what had happened in the meeting, and the first rule is that you don't lie to the governor.  Except that Schundler  had e-mails - which demonstrated that he didn't lie - that christie knew very well what had happened - and that it was Christie who was the liar.   He did the same convincing job of lying about Bret Schundler on television.  he looked so sincere, and so injured.  This was an in-state thing and blew over, because Christie at that point was not considered a front runner for the Repubican presidential nomination - and because Christie was a teflon guy - up to now.

2. This is a new motive theory that Steve Kornacki on MSNBC's UP  uncovered.  Apparently, the bridge closure threatened to derail a billion dollar development in Fort Lee.   The whole project was being sold on the easy access to the GW Bridge.  With two lanes from Ft. Lee shut down and the resulting traffic jam, the investors were hesitating.  the deal hadn't been formalized yet.   One of those distressed e-mails frm the mayor of Ft. Lee was in fact talking about his concern that this would derail the project.   I wonder if somebody wanted in on the deal and was being shut out.   

Sigh.  Same old same old.  Corruption just seems to feed itself.  Why doesn't honesty and a willingness to work for the common good have a stronger pull?

I think power is also a powerful aphrodisiac. Christie didn't need to shut down a bridge or steal Sandy money to win the election. He was 30 pts. ahead! I believe he did it because he could and relished his perceived ability to play God with people's lives.

I certainly remember Sandy.  When people disappear from a thread I always hope that it is because they are doing so well that they just move on.  I know, a bit naive.   Please send my thoughts her way.  Thanks for the update.  

Here's my four year-old baby Tank.  I love him to pieces.

PiP .. thanks for the note about Sunny210 (Sandy).  I'll pass on your best wishes to her.  She has been Stage IV for quite a long time and she's having really bad lung issues right now.

hugs,

Bren

Alyson ... I'm so jealous!  I want to go to Canada with you too.  Will you be able to meet up with all our friends in the Ontario area?

hugs,

Bren

Bren - sorry to hear about Sandy - she's had a long, long fight - really a hero to so many.  I hope this is just a "bump" in the road for her...

It's been such a hard few years, Apple, Athena, I still miss RobinWendy, tho I don't post on the Stage IV threads, I've been inspired by so many of the posts there.

When is it going to  become obvious to government types that email is not and never has been private?  Anyone with "administrator" access can read anything on anyone's computer on the network.  No, it doesn't take a high rank to have "administrator" access.  It is usually held by low ranking computer techs like Edward Snowden.  There always has to be someone that can access all parts of the network in order to keep it running and to provide Help Desk assistance. 

notself - what makes me REALLY giggle, is they thought it was "unofficial" because they were using their personal emails....gurgle, chortle, spewing tea, really, these are the people who GOVERN parts of this country.  AND, please, please, please let's remember it happens in BOTH major political parties, as a new Politico/The Hill book is about to make more public than some of us would wish.

Our Town, btw, is so true.  Wish it were funny, but I think it's tragic.

Speaking of books, LOVING Donna Tartt's first: The Secret History.

If I could post pics, I would send the cartoons I got in an email this am from Prickly City cartoons - will see if I can post a link...

http://www.gocomics.com/pricklycity/2014/01/14

yraml I will be joining you in rooting for the hawks - though I do think they will have their hands full.  We got a hotel on Saturday so we could watch them and the saints.  The hawks won, but it was far too close for my happiness.

We have Sirius radio but don't listen to much news, though we did listen to some of the brouhaha over bridge gate.  Anyone who honestly believes that Christie didn't know about it is IMHO a fool.

We are in Phoenix right now getting the oil changed.  We'll probably spend much of the day around here and then head east some more.  

Hi Guys,

Just a quick note for now. 

Gumby ... I'm really enjoying hearing about your travels.  Supposed to be in the 70's in Phoenix today!  Hope you're enjoying your gypsy retirement!

hugs,

Bren

;-)))  PIP - don't tell ;-)))  I'm just about to finish Book I in it.  I really liked Goldfinch, that was my first.  But I do LOVE how she builds her characters. A better balance for me than most of the current fiction, which I find too much plot/action dominated.  I was definitely meant to live in an earlier day when ti comes to preference in fiction.  George Eliot being my all time favorite.  Oh, well, Jane Austen too.

Yeah, how about manning up Fats and saying, just for once, I MADE MISTAKES. I double dare you.