my MIL makes the really exaggerated sneery faces and say, "well what do you expect from the government!" and I have to point out again that she's a government employee.

In theory the US is a democracy. (The theory breaking down in the face of lobbyists, high cost of campaigning, etc.) So, for US speakers, at least, that's the same as saying, "Well, what do you expect from us?"

Oh, right. I'm planning to purchase a ridiculously expensive computer this weekend.

That sounds like fun, something new and shiny.

Basically, there's a point when the Obama-hating stops actually being about (or, hell, making the excuse that it's about) anything at all and just turns into randomly pointing fingers at nothing.

Yeah, on all sides of the political fence, for that matter. Once people've made up their mind, that's all they see.

Yeah, on all sides of the political fence, for that matter. Once people've made up their mind, that's all they see.

Eh, I don't really think there's an equivalence here.

Eh, I don't really think there's an equivalence here.

I have some seriously Obama-hating leftist friends. They are often just as irrational and tinhatty about it as the right wing ones.

I slso have some friends who take any strong criticism of Obama as "Obama Hating". He is expanding the war in Afganhistan, planning to shrink but not end the war in Iraq, and seems to be getting us into a war in Afghanistan. I don't hate Obama - in fact this is pretty much what he promised. But I consider this a non-trivial problem, and it is a matter of moving in the wrong direction not just moving too slowly. And I really get pissed at being accused of Obama hating when I point this out. And I know that is not what you are doing. Just pointing out there is an oversensifity on the part of some people to react harshly against any critique of the current admin.

oh dear dog I have not accomplished much today.

I slso have some friends who take any strong criticism of Obama as "Obama Hating". He is expanding the war in Afganhistan, planning to shrink but not end the war in Iraq, and seems to be getting us into a war in Afghanistan. I don't hate Obama - in fact this is pretty much what he promised. But I consider this a non-trivial problem, and it is a matter of moving in the wrong direction not just moving too slowly. And I really get pissed at being accused of Obama hating when I point this out.

Yeah, see, that's not what I'm talking about when I talk about the tinhattery.

My weekend: DH is going away for about 5 days. Wah. I will miss him.

Typo Boy! I posted this much earlier today and this seems up your alley.

I have a question. My FIL mentioned something about how a scientist that Al Gore quotes or uses or something, now is predicting a cooling cycle. I couldn't say anything about this since I didn't know anything about it.

A brief bit of research does indicate there is indeed some truth to this. From what I can determine this doesn't refute CO2 driven warming, it just means a cooling cycle will mute the effect for a period of time. Does anyone know much about this? It made me curious, but looking up objective info on global warming is difficult.