Black Cats and bottle-rockets, baby!

Wooo Hooo! Proud to be an American, through and through.

(Wait- can L I B B I E S be that?)

Independent Redneck Va. Comment collapsed by the community

This here one is for my friend Newday

Well it’s coming up on that time of the week. I don’t know about you’ll folks but I’m about wore out. But as usual we’ve all had a good time. Giggled a little at each other. Tweaked each other a mite. Had to rub on a bruise or two. Don’t look like no permanent harm has befallen anybody. So before I slide on out the door down to the Dew Drop Inn to make sure the Juke Box has gotten refilled with all the latest requests and we’ve got that extra bartender to make sure that everybody gets their favorites just right I want to pass on a thought or two.

Now ranking right up there with Christmas the Fourth of July is about my favorite holiday. Guess it stems from my early days down in Carolina when everybody had a week’s vacation whether they wanted it or not. Yep that’s right folks back in the day all the mills and furniture factory’s shut down for a week at Christmas and Fourth of July and off we all went to the beach or the mountains depending on your predilection. Course that was better than back in West-by-God West Virginia where the Coal companies didn’t give you any time of at all. Just worked a fellow to death and thru him aside when he was all used up. Sometimes I think that our Republican brethren want to bring those bad old days back.

So needless to say this is a BIG weekend down at the Dew Drop Inn full of God, Mother and Apple Pie. Now for the God part we’ve done collected every Preacher Man, Imam, Rabbi, Tibetan Monk and Spirit Warrior around to call down the blessings of the house. All except the Baptists. All of the denizens of the Dew Drop Inn are Godless Heathens according to them. So screw ‘em if they can’t take a joke we’re going to have a good time anyway.

Then there’s the Apple Pie part. Now for desert at every cook-out, cook-in and cook around we got Apple pie. Made from every kind of Apple that you can think of from Granny Smith to Golden Delicious with the exception of Horse Apples. Got French Apple, Dutch Apple, Apple Crumb and plain old ‘Merican Apple. We got Ice Cream, Blueberries, Strawberries and just about everything else that don’t creep or crawl to go on it. Or you can have it plain and unadulterated. You just live like you want to live there Bunky.

Now as far as Mother’s go we got them all. We’ve got long ones and short ones and weight-challenged ones and skinny ones. If you’ve lost your Mom or simply do like what the good Lord gave you then feel free to borrow one of ours. Plenty to go around. Over at the Comeback Inn Mother’s and our Wounded Warriors stay free all weekend.

As always my thanks and appreciation to our hosts for their time, giving me a little place to stand, a subject to comment on, a forum to put it in, and their indulgence when I don’t quite get it right or get a little off subject. I purely do appreciate it. Hope you’ll have a fine weekend and good fun among folks that you know and love. To my fellow participants keep well, keep safe, and keep the faith. We’ll make it. See you’ll next week

Barkeep set everybody up a round somebody throw a Quarter in the music machine and let’s get this little shindig started before the RH ex ST figures out where me and old Hi-Tech are at and drags us back up on the Hill.

Christopher Reeve
So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable.

Clara KCMO Comment collapsed by the community

Yep,...a 4th of July BBQ is on the agenda! Cannot wait for a tall mojito! I make the BEST baby back ribs,...I won 1st place on HuffPo a couple of years ago for my recipe:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/02/top-10-barbecue-recipes-b_n_225261.html

Nothing better than some caramelized sugar! Happy Carnivore Day!

Mark, Domenico and Ali, you all are saints for putting up with the ration of crap that NO doubt causes your collective cups to runneth over!

Happy Independence Day!

What an honor to be awarded anything in Tim Russert's name! Good luck to Alex!

As someone whose posts have been routinely collapsed and deleted by the FR regular lefty liberals, I have to say I find it Hillaryous that they are now whining and complaining about it happening to them:

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Independence Day to all the FR conservative posters!!

And Happy Govt Dependence Day to all the FR lefty liberals!!

Their not whining and complaining Joe, their making fun of you and your GOP/TP buddies. Your just not vary smart are you. That's from watching to much Fox (aka GOP/TP propaganda machine).

Thanks Red I was going to wait until all our friends had they’re little fit and carry on but I see you’ve already taken care of it for me. Which points out part of what I’m going to say and that is friends do things for friends.

In my best Jeff Foxworthy:

You may be taking your blogging activities just a hair to seriously when you have to take down everybody that you don’t remotely agree with to make a point.

You may be taking your blogging activities just a hair to seriously when you have to have multiple screen names and such like to carry on your blogging activities.

Seriously folks. I’m going to use Spanky as an example( no attack Spanks). Now me and Spanky don’t hate each other. Most of the time our style just doesn’t fit one another. Quite frankly Spanks has a tendency to go on and on about one thing or another and most of the time I don’t have time to do the dozens with him. So I more or less ignore him. As I’m sure he does me. That’s the way it works folks. I don’t even keep him on ignore author because I’m not tempted to go to far in the few times that we have to play with one another.

Now there is a few that I do keep on ignore because of a certain little thing they do that just drives me crazy. Ain’t going to tell you what it is because then all I would get is posts from those folks.

The long and short of it is you ignore what you don’t like. If you think that person is going to push your buttons to the point that you just can’t help but get in trouble with Newsvine then put him on ignore author. Trust me it just ain’t worth getting your bowels in an uproar over. Some of you’ll folks are taking life and blogging way to seriously when you can’t lighten up a little and have some fun on Friday afternoon. Whether it’s my kind or Spankys kind.

Joe Albany,

Can you really claim "routine deletions"? I am actually not aware that you've EVER been deleted. PS. You can go through your history and re-post anything you've had deleted OR you can notify the moderators and if it shouldn't have been deleted, they will put it right back up there for you. Have you tried helping yourself out? Or is it easier to blame others?

Are you suggesting the same (or worse, deletions due to inappropriate flagging as advertising) hasn't happened to conservative bloggers, Jody?

Newsvine has a problem.

Their flagging system encourages abuse.

Mixed bag - wasn't their a breaking newstory last week on the FR libs R us conspiring to collapse posts?

Perhaps this is their goal to also collapse their own posts and blame someone else, guess they have no shame.

Thanks Mark!

Not sure if you're aware of it, but, this has happened on every thread this afternoon.

Newsvine has the capability to track who is doing this (they have done so in the past).

Anyway, here's wishing you and the rest of the FR Crew a Happy & Safe 4th! Hope no one overdoses on BBQ! ;o)

Mark, you certainly don't owe ME an apology, though it's appreciated. I appreciate all of your hard work (as well as the rest of the FR staff) and it frustrates me to see this obviously coordinated effort to destroy your blog.

Thaks Navy. We do really need to do something to stop it.

Jody there is one thing I am certain of - we ALL have far more common ground than differences.

I suspect that I am not the only one that will tear up at a 4th of July parade this weekend.

Spanky, enjoy the weekend it appears that the libs are collapsing their own posts. FR rarely has the number oif posters to collapse lib posts.

Not a moment too soon, Mr. Murray.

Spanky--I knew that eventually we'd find something we agree on! Happy 4th to you and yours.

Mark,

I thought that MSNBC has zero control of newsvine, why just last week you were saying that you could do nothing and have no contro. now you are saying . "WE" are going to change the system. Things are not adding up with your comments. I see that when its the Leftist that are getting collasped you jump right in to defend. but when its people on the Right you remain Silent. Who wouldhave thought..

steve

don't be so ridiculous and petty. we targeted our HACKED material and you and your 'friends' targeted the entire site. those claiming an honor high road over the last two weeks sure have a funny code of honor. and SELECTIVE to boot. But carry on,...the 'footprint' being left by each vote should be of interest to SOMEONE in charge, right?

I hope no one collapses my backyard barbque tomorrow!

Happy 4th of July to everyone!

Clara, by your own admission, you were not hacked. You were in a position similar to a company whose marketing department sent out for publication a full patent application, rather than advertising material.

Could not blame the magazine, or the reader- blame the idiot who sent out the wrong materials- or, in your case, the idiot who left the door open.

That said- I think it is patently absurd that you actually went ahead with your collapse-a-thin, knowing that most regular readers were aware of your plans.

Then again- you are not subject to the code of honor, and Murray has just stated that the system will be changed. So, win win for your Klub!

I guess when Eric comes back to spew forth homophobic, anti- Semitic garbage, you guys will just cheer him on!

Bill T, Happy Fourth of July to you as well!

So far your barbque is ok, but unless we change the direction the country is now headed, there's no guarantee of that continuing. Future backyard barbques could very well be deemed unsafe without certain permits by a government that's quickly becoming more assertive in our freedoms.

During the COLLAPSE, the belief was that it was HACKED. It was LATER indicated to be compromised. When Newsvine's OWN page said:

A private discussion board that is only ever visible to group members.

We took Newsvine at their word.

You continue to present as one of the most vile people in existence. Your implication that we've done this is FALSE and you know it; but that has NEVER stopped you from spreading your fertilizer.

There is a digital footprint for EVERY collapse and the moderators and system KNOWS who did the collapsing. Your absence until now is quite transparent; but I'm sure in your twisted mind the ends justify whatever means.

Pardon me while I soak up a tad more of your 'honor'! Simply PRICELESS!

Geez, NoJoe, paranoid much?!

Yoo hoo - Clara-

Clara KCMO (Apr 4, 11:45 AM): I am so frustrated by First Thoughts I want to scream. I am not usually a proponent of collapsing for comfort; but when you scroll through there, only LIBS are silenced. I personally think that is hideous! You all do what you want; but I am going to collapse every single thing out there. If this gets ugly enough - FR will have to deal with it. I refuse to let them spray their graffiti on OUR house!

JoAnne in PA (Apr 4, 11:49 AM): Ron - I expected the collapse this morning, since all I really did was let JAS1 push my buttons. IR put up a really good post on Friday on the Week Ahead about what a junkyard it's turning into and either Mark or Domenico - I think Mark - already responded and agreed, so I'm not sure what else we could tell them. Unfortunately, I've got a big work project the next day or two that's already behind schedule, so I'm going to be pretty scarce too - which really ticks me off, because it makes it look like they scared us away. @$#!&@!*!!!!!

JoAnne in PA (Apr 4, 11:50 AM): Clara - That's a great idea - what would happen if every single post on there got collapsed today?

There is more- but, as you say, every time the "inflammatory", "no value" or "advertising" flag gets used, there is a digital footprint.

I am pretty sure that even Dennis does not have the skills to assign the flag to another poster.

Oh, by the way-

This is a public forum- it does NOT "belong" to you, or the members of your cabal.

Conservative viewpoints are not "grafitti" sprayed on "your house".

Whatever your "special relationship" with Murray, et al, happens to be.

No Joe proves that privacy and discussion among friends is not something she respects. How sad that NJNB's life revolves around reading other people's mail and then posting some of it ensuring that what is posted is OUT of context.

no joe, no bo, nj

Clearly Clara was venting about the fact the rightwingers had collapsed all the LIBERALS' posts on APRIL 4th. What part of that do you not get?

PS posting the transcript of a private chat room is about as "off topic" as it gets.

NoJoe -

What I thought I was saying in private I am as happy to repeat in public as you seem to be. I literally meant every single post - yours, mine, Clara's, Feisty's, JoAnna's, everyone's. At the time, it seemed like the only way to get the moderators attention on the collapsing issue - an issue which I've written posts against as much as (if not more) than anyone on here. Anyone is free to check the First Read Archives. You know, the public ones.

In fact, if they did, they might run across this exchange we had back in November:

From you: "Well, JoAnn, I think you might have a point, but, too often, it is completely one sided.

As I recall, some time ago you expressed concern about collapsed posts- I pointed out that I had never seen anything in any of your posts that would warrant your getting legitimately collapsed.

A couple of weeks ago, someone appropriated Fiesty's name, and I took the time to notify her on her Vine page, since I had not seen her on that thread, (I mean the REAL Fiesty, for the sake of clarity). I, for one, try to stay on the issues, not the posters.

You seem to do the same.

Unfortunately, we are in the minority."

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/11/08/5428261-first-thoughts-obama-in-defeat#c19204897

To which I replied:

"NoJoe -

FYI, I did actually get collapsed three times a couple weeks ago - not because I broke the rules in any way, but because I was defending the First Lady against a bunch of lowlife thugs who swarmed the site that day to contribute nothing but a bunch of sick, unprintable insults about everything from her face and figure to her education and color - and yet I'm the one who got collapsed. Go figure.

But see, right there's the problem - I barely get started here, and already I'm hurling terms like "lowlife thugs" around myself - though I doubt that I actually offended any of them; they have no interest in serious debate and unlike the regular posters on here on both sides, they revel in their ignorance and racism. Them I can ignore.

But I'm finding it a little harder to ignore your saying "I, for one, try to stay on the issues, not the posters. You seem to do the same. Unfortunately, we are in the minority." Sorry, but I'm just not feeling the "we" here. Rarely a day goes by when you don't refer to liberals at least once as being Messiah-worshipping and delusional at best and liars and thieves at worst. And many of these liberals - myself included - are the ones who have rallied around you on many occasions in the past when you were experiencing both the fears and the joys of your little princess's experiences. It's invariably the regular liberals - and only the liberals - who do so. You always seem grateful for the support - but then the next minute it's right back to couching your "debate" in the same derogatory personal terms as ever.

Maybe you're one of those people who are able to separate the political from the personal in your mind - I never have been. It's kind of like the old argument that always comes up when a politician is caught cheating on his wife and his defenders immediately claim the one thing has nothing to do with the other. Sorry, but I'm of the opinion that how someone treats their family, their friends, their community, and even their opponents on a daily basis has EVERYTHING to do with their politics - and vice-versa. We're not discussing sports or music or fashion here; we're talking about some of our most fundamental values and beliefs - and if you say I'm "delusional" about mine, well, I kind of take that personally. And when you insult many of the people on here who I admire and respect, you're insulting me too.

Look, it's not just you, and it's not just me - though as I said above, I'm making an honest effort from here on out to try and clean up my act. Are you willing to say the same? I let you slide last week on the crack about how I need to get out and travel more, despite the fact that I don't think I've ever been condescended to quite so......condescendingly before. I'd actually settle for just retiring the daily litany for a while. Barack Obama is the President, not the Messiah. We don't worship him, we respect him. And the sky is not plaid, in Obama-land or anywhere else.

Deal?

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/11/08/5428261-first-thoughts-obama-in-defeat#c19213961

I stand by what I said.

I was taught by my parents that, just because the curtains are open, it does not mean that you should look in. It especially does not mean that you take some pictures and then publish them in the local newspaper.

Evidently this is not the same lessons others on here have learned.

Looks like it's time for Newsvine to make some changes in the flagging system, eh?

There's been a long history of abuse, and things aren't getting any better.

They're getting worse.

YOu think?

I might be a good idea in general, but on a fairly contentious political blog? The evidence is now undisputed.

Feisty-

I'm not threatened by any of your comments.

I do not inappropriately flag comments, and I honestly can't remember the last time I flagged a comment for any reason whatsoever.

As is usually the case, you're barking up the wrong tree.

Whatever...

Happy 4th to all!