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Oh gifted one..... just how do you force someone to keep talking?

What he meant was "force them to keep talking or have the vote. Under the rules as understood up until now, they have to keep talking, or at least "holding the floor" or the filibuster is over and the question can be called. Didn't you ever watch "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" with Jimmy Stewart? There have been some really funny incidents during filibusters. Such as putting screen up so the member can relieve himself (or herself in at least one State Legislature). But important point is that the filibustering Senator must keep talking to hold the floor, he must already have that recognition, else a vote on issue in question can take place. He must also stay on the floor of the Senate. Time outs for a 3 day weekend are normally not allowed.

If you want to end a filibuster, you must get a supermajority of votes to do it. The Republicans don't have the necessary 60 (IIRC) votes, so the filibuster continues. If the shoe were on the other foot, the lamestream media would be whinning about shutting Congress down, not doing the important work of government, etc, etc.

"Such as putting screen up so the member can relieve himself (or herself in at least one State Legislature)."

I believe the incident to which you are referring happened in a Board of Alderman's meeting in the City of St. Louis! Which can hardly be compared to the US Senate, one hopes......

If I understand the 'rules' correctly, we aren't in an ACTUAL filibuster yet. What we have at the moment is an 'open debate', which is why you see the Senate conducting other business, switching off between the Dems and the Republicans, recessing, and going home at night. A true filibuster would involve one party speaking continuously and refusing to yield the floor to the other party.

Every time....and it has to be up to 10 times now...Frist calls for a vote on the nomination, the Dems object (essentially saying they want more debate).

Now....Frist can call for cloture (close off the debate).

In order to do this the following must happen:

1. Wait two days after a filibuster begins.

2. Obtain sixteen signatures on a motion to invoke cloture.

3. Wait another two days before the Senate can vote on cloture.

4. Make sure that three-fifths of the Senate (sixty Senators) vote to end debate.

5. Endure an additional thirty hours of debate before the final roll call vote on cloture.

It's those pesky 60 votes we are seeking at this point.

Democrats say they will filibuster until they get more information from the nominee about his legal views. Democrats have complained that Estrada is a stealth nominee who refuses to state his positions on issues that are likely to face the court.

Republicans have long considered that a bluff and Tuesday they called it, offering to compile a written list of additional questions from both parties to pose to the nominee.

"I will work toward getting answers to any reasonable list of questions that can be worked out on both sides of the aisle," said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn.On Wednesday, Bush repeated the offer, saying he would make

Estrada available to any senator who had questions despite what he called a "double standard" placed on the nominee.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,79594,00.html