doktrgroove

I'm on business in the LA area and haven't a clue what to do with myself. I'm off until Monday, searching the web for something to do and it's all "touristy" stuff, walk of fame, Mann's, Vince Beach. Deal is, I don't wanna spend a fortune parking anywhere and I want to be able to get some sun somewhere that's safe without getting hounded.

Help a guy out! Thanks!

It's a simple question. Yes or no?

Look at this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7S7jEl8OeQ

In my opinion, this CLEARLY shows the President of the United States deferring to royalty. I find it distasteful. The White House denies this. According to an Obama aide as reported on Politico, "It wasn't a bow. He grasped his hand with two hands, and he's taller than King Abdullah."

If he bowed to King Abdullah out of respect, just say that's what it is and move on. Don't deny it. It's clear in the video that Obama does not grasp the king's hand with both of his hands. The president's left hand does not rise to grasp the king's hand until after he bows.

Anyway.....10 points for the answer of yes or no with a good explanation that doesn't attack anyone. Surprise me because as always my expectations aren't very high.

I travel about 50% of the time for work. Today, I was in Jacksonville, FL. My team decided to drop into Applebee's for lunch. I had a hard time finding a parking spot, The place was PACKED! These were middle class people not looking to score on the McDonald's $1 menu to save money.

Also, the 4 planes I was on this week were all full as were all of the bars and restaurants in the airports. Before I left, I was at Wal Mart and it too was PACKED with long lines.

I understand that people are loosing their jobs and some industries are having problems but honestly, many Americans over extended themselves with credit cards and mortgages they couldn't afford. I know I had a bunch of maxed out credit cards that have since been paid off and I just don't take advantage of bad credit card offers anymore.

I guess my question is do you believe the economic "catastrophe" that the president is pitching if we don't spend trillions of dollars that we'll need to borrow or are most people just regrouping and being smarter about what they spend on? Less spending on $5 coffees will hurt some baristas but.....that's the market.

Today, I saw a clip of Maxine Waters stating that as a liberal, she would socialize, then stopped herself and continued to say that government should control all of industry.

I hear that as a nationalization of all business. I've worked for a successful, thriving, growing profitable company with a sizable and growing international business. We export a lot of our goods. I can't possibly see the government doing a better job managing us.

Maxine Waters' vision scares the HELL out of me. How do any of you feel about it? Is this what we have to look forward to? Is this the change we can believe in?

I have a small family with just my sons, my dad, sister and her partner plus I'm single for the first holidays in 10 years. I've been giving my sons cash for years but I've already told my dad and sisters that the time we'll spend together is priceless and gift enough so no need to shop and they agree.So besides the cash I'll give my sons, that's about it for me this year.

What about you?

Or should we just live through the pain now and get it over with so we don't strap our kids with more debt?

I'm seeing leaked information about who is being sought for the Obama administration. There appear to be a lot of people that have been in Washington for quite a while.

I'll admit, I did not support the President Elect and since he was elected I accept him as the next president. I was wary though of being sold an unattainable Utopia.

Anyway, it appears that, to quote a classic Who song, "meet the new boss...same as the old boss" is gonna apply in many ways. What do you think?

It's reported that the New York Times has rejected an editorial from John McCain after having printed Barack Obama's piece entitled "My Plan For Iraq". The reason for the rejection is that it should "mirror" the Obama piece and that it didn't offer new information.

I honestly believe this is complete F-ing Bulls**t! It has never been more clear how much the media has a hard on for Barack Obama.

My question is: Is rejecting John McCain's rebuttal to the Obama editorial fair? If you think it is then why? I don't want to read about your opinion of other media outlets, this is about the NYT.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/30/america/30t...

I'm speechless. Is it cool for the New York Times to publish some of this information? Should they be publicly commenting on ongoing operations?

I think it almost borders on treason, regardless of what one thinks of the war.

Sometimes, I believe the talk from some people about renewable energy is just that; ALL TALK. In a presidential election year, there are many people throwing a lot of BS around, but I honestly do not believe they are serious. I think it's just a way of demonizing one's political opponent.

Let's take for example Senator Kennedy, an early endorser of Barak Obama. Candidate Obama has really been pushing the idea that we're gonna suffer high gas prices until we develop renewable resources such as wind and solar. Well, Mr, Kennedy was one of the most vocal opponents of a wind farm placed several miles off of the coast of Cape Cod. A perfect example of "Not In My Back Yard". My question would be; if not there, where?

Would any of you like to see a wind farm on an open piece of land where you live? If not, why? It wouldn't bother me. Maybe they can even put those fake branches on them like cell towers to help make them blend in.

Thoughtful answers only please.

It is reported that Senator Obama would institute a windfall profit tax on oil companies so that the US can use that revenue to assist Americans with their energy costs?

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSWAT0096...

Does anyone here believe this to be a real solution? I mean, does anyone expect that the feds will actually be able to offset our energy costs by instituting higher taxes on oil companies?

Intelligent answers only please, regardless of which party you belong to. This is not a Democrat vs Republican question. This is a question about policy.

Have at it :-)

Senators Clinton and Obama stated that regardless of advice from military commanders or consequences that within 60 days of inauguration, they'd both start pulling troops from Iraq.

This question is not geared towards your opinion on the war, it's geared towards what you might think is the right thing to do from this point.

It's my belief that both candidates are pandering to the anti-war movement to get votes and that once elected, they'll realize that loosing that ground to Iran is too dangerous to take a chance on.

I'm disturbed by their pandering for votes and that they're both disingenuous. Are you?

Seems like she's coming under someone's negative influence. Don't get me wrong, she 's free to think whatever she wants, it's just a little "out there" in my opinion.

What are your thoughts? Career builder or career breaker?

UUGGHHH!!!!!!

Is anyone else as sick as I am hearing this line of BS from the Senator from New York?

It's been my position throughout the campaign that Hilary Rodham Clinton is a disingenuous panderer. Take a look at this story from CBS News (not a centrist or right leaning organization by the way).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bfn...

I can't get past the BS from her here. This is what I expected from her and here is a great example.

For 10 points: Give me the most credible explanation for this lapse by her and justify why she should be handed the keys to the country.

Please.....impress me.

I say NO!

The rules were very clear when these two states decided to hold their primaries early. Should the rules be changed now or should Florida and Michigan live by the consequences of their decisions?

Hilary Clinton continues this line of "tested and ready on day one" as the reason she should be president. Will someone PLEASE tell me how she has been tested and how she is ready more than anyone else that already hasn't been president previously. I'm NOT GETTING IT!!! Can you help me understand???

Mr. Obama is effectively taking the knee after the snap as he's now starting to cut off national media coverage. Mr. Huckabee has no chance of catching Mr. McCain. Ms. Rodham Clinton's campaign is in complete disarray and is making moves out of desperation. To deny these facts would be to admit ignorance.

I offer: TEN POINTS.......to whoever can offer a comment that I find to be informed, and thoughtful, regardless of whether you agree with me or not.

Check this out. What do you think of this?

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=4...

Now for you youngins, I'm not really interested in what you've got to say. (Sorry but not really.)

This question is for everyone else. Read the article first and then type your mind. I await eagerly :-)