• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Before Header

  • About Us
  • Lexicon
  • Contact Us
  • Our Store
  • ↑
  • ↓
  • ←
  • →

Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

If you still can’t see these things even now, maybe politics isn’t your forte and you should stop writing about it.

“The defense has a certain level of trust in defendant that the government does not.”

She burned that motherfucker down, and I am so here for it. Thank you, Caroline Kennedy.

There is no right way to do the wrong thing.

They think we are photo bombing their nice little lives.

They are not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

Teach a man to fish, and he’ll sit in a boat all day drinking beer.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

Boeing: repeatedly making the case for high speed rail.

Balloon Juice, where there is always someone who will say you’re doing it wrong.

And now I have baud making fun of me. this day can’t get worse.

You are so fucked. Still, I wish you the best of luck.

Jesus, Mary, & Joseph how is that election even close?

My right to basic bodily autonomy is not on the table. that’s the new deal.

Do not shrug your shoulders and accept the normalization of untruths.

Let me file that under fuck it.

Books are my comfort food!

Fight for a just cause, love your fellow man, live a good life.

I like political parties that aren’t owned by foreign adversaries.

Republicans don’t lie to be believed, they lie to be repeated.

There are no moderate republicans – only extremists and cowards.

Giving in to doom is how we fail to fight for ourselves & one another.

Stop using mental illness to avoid talking about armed white supremacy.

Innocent people do not delay justice.

Mobile Menu

  • Seattle Meet-up Post
  • 2025 Activism
  • Targeted Political Fundraising
  • Donate with Venmo, Zelle & PayPal
  • Site Feedback
  • War in Ukraine
  • Submit Photos to On the Road
  • Politics
  • On The Road
  • Open Threads
  • Topics
  • COVID-19
  • Authors
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Lexicon
  • Our Store
  • Politics
  • Open Threads
  • 2025 Activism
  • Garden Chats
  • On The Road
  • Targeted Fundraising!
You are here: Home / z-Retired Categories / Previous Site Maintenance / Your Turn

Your Turn

by John Cole|  November 17, 20086:05 pm| 154 Comments

This post is in: Previous Site Maintenance

FacebookTweetEmail

Busy packing for the next trip. You fill me in on what is going on…

FacebookTweetEmail
Previous Post: « Speechless
Next Post: Clinton as Secretary Of State »

Reader Interactions

154Comments

  1. 1.

    That One - Cain

    November 17, 2008 at 6:10 pm

    I was reading I think on Huffington Post that Lieberman is likely to keep his chairmanship. Great. I hope they know what the fuck they are doing. In any case, he’s a short timer, he’s not going to make it after the next elections as Virginia is going to boot his ass out.

    cain

  2. 2.

    Comrade Stuck

    November 17, 2008 at 6:10 pm

    You fill me in on what is going on…

    Jesus stopped by, shook his head and said you fuckers are on your own. Then he left.

  3. 3.

    TheHatOnMyCat

    November 17, 2008 at 6:11 pm

    Obamania.

  4. 4.

    TheHatOnMyCat

    November 17, 2008 at 6:12 pm

    Virginia is going to boot his ass out.

    That bitch.

  5. 5.

    robertdsc

    November 17, 2008 at 6:17 pm

    Reading here has rubbed off on me a little bit. I was hoping the Steelers would win last night. LOL.

  6. 6.

    demkat620

    November 17, 2008 at 6:20 pm

    My Jack Russell has decided my bed is his bed and he gets next to me at night and lays his head across my neck and then…

    Oh you meant with the world

    Sorry.

  7. 7.

    jenniebee

    November 17, 2008 at 6:26 pm

    Newsweak hits a new low with a piece titled (I shit you not) "Is Obama the Antichrist?" Apparently, the Illinois Pick-3 numbers for the evening of Nov 5 were 666, and SNL alum Victoria Jackson is, like, totally sure he is the devil, plus:

    After years of tribulation—natural disasters, other cataclysms (such as the collapse of financial markets)—God’s armies will vanquish armies led by the Antichrist himself. He will be a sweet-talking world leader who gathers governments and economies under his command to further his own evil agenda. In this world view, "the spread of secular progressive ideas is a prelude to the enslavement of mankind," explains Richard Landes, former director of the Center for Millennial Studies at Boston University.

    Some gems:

    Mat Staver, dean of Liberty University’s law school, says he does not believe Obama is the Antichrist, but he can see how others might. Obama’s own use of religious rhetoric belies his liberal positions on abortion and traditional marriage, Staver says, positions that "religious conservatives believe will threaten their freedom." The people who believe Obama is the Antichrist are perhaps jumping to conclusions, but they’re not nuts: "They are expressing a concern and a fear that is widely shared," Staver says.

    and

    Strandberg says Obama probably isn’t the Antichrist, but he’s watching the president-elect carefully. On his Web site, he has something called the Rapture Index, a calculation based on signs and prophecy of the proximity of the end. According to Strandberg, any number over 160 means "fasten your seat belts." Obama’s win pushed the index to 161.

    Lord, help me Jesus…

  8. 8.

    Krista

    November 17, 2008 at 6:27 pm

    Busy packing for the next trip.

    Jeez, you’re traveling a lot lately. Is Tunch becoming unbearable or something?

  9. 9.

    Incertus

    November 17, 2008 at 6:29 pm

    Some "Christians" decided to take a shit on the gays in the Castro in San Francisco, and the locals were having none of it. They were either trying to start shit, or they were too dumb to play dead in a cowboy movie, but it’s a good thing the SFPD was there to escort them out of the area.

  10. 10.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    November 17, 2008 at 6:33 pm

    Virginia is going to boot his ass out.

    If it was up to us.. hell, I dunno. Virginia is ornery enough to elect that backstabbing noxious fucker.

  11. 11.

    Comrade Stuck

    November 17, 2008 at 6:34 pm

    "fasten your seat belts." Obama’s win pushed the index to 161.

    We won’t reach the "blastoff" number though, till Sarah Serendipity rides her Moose around the North Pole. Hey, it’s right there in Gideon’s Bible.

  12. 12.

    AkaDad

    November 17, 2008 at 6:35 pm

    I’ve decided to embrace change. I’m upgrading to 3 wetsuits and a dildo.

  13. 13.

    jrg

    November 17, 2008 at 6:36 pm

    Newsweak hits a new low with a piece titled (I shit you not) "Is Obama the Antichrist?"

    He’s Bat Boy – every self-respecting Christian knows that.

    I’d like to add that Hillary Clinton recently adopted an alien baby.

  14. 14.

    Damien

    November 17, 2008 at 6:39 pm

    Well, the new Star Trek trailer came out and it’s got lots of shiny lights and Dawson’s Creek look-alikes, but it still looks pretty cool.

    Oh, you meant politics maybe?

  15. 15.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    November 17, 2008 at 6:40 pm

    @jenniebee: My folks are in the one third of evangelicals who believe that shit. I can’t tell you how frustrating it is dealing with.. their.. fears, (for lack of a better description.)

    If I try to reason with them, they just murmur, "I don’t know, I don’t know.." or "You should really talk to our associate pastor, he really loves the Lord." If I ridicule them, they think their suffering for Jesus and start mentally counting their heavenly rewards. So we’ve settled into a cold-war style hostility on the subject.

    I just gotta make it through two and a half days at Thanksgiving without losing it..

  16. 16.

    The Other Steve

    November 17, 2008 at 6:41 pm

    I’m afraid I have bad news for everyone. Terribly bad news.

    You’ll want to sit down and not take any sips of soft drinks when you read this. However, be sure to have a bottle of bourbon available to wash down the taste.

    Terry McAuliffe wants to run for Governor of Virginia

  17. 17.

    The Other Steve

    November 17, 2008 at 6:42 pm

    I just gotta make it through two and a half days at Thanksgiving without losing it..

    Remember, when the rapture comes you get all of their stuff.

    So it’s a good thing.

  18. 18.

    Quaker in a Basement

    November 17, 2008 at 6:45 pm

    Busy packing for the next trip.

    Well, don’t kill Hitler this time. I’m tired of cleaning up after you.

  19. 19.

    Tymannosourus

    November 17, 2008 at 6:46 pm

    My wife has become insufferable now that she actually read "The Godfather" by Puzo. I was excited to watch it last night b/c I just bought the trilogy on Blu-Ray, and she just wouldn’t shut up about how much better the book is than the movie.

    There, I feel better.

  20. 20.

    The Moar You Know

    November 17, 2008 at 6:47 pm

    @jenniebee: Thank you. I now feel bad for sincerely wishing that every one of those people you quoted dies in a fire.

    Same for Newsweek for publishing that kind of shit.

  21. 21.

    Matthew

    November 17, 2008 at 6:51 pm

    I have achieved total enlightenment and six minute abs. I think they were somehow related.

  22. 22.

    The Moar You Know

    November 17, 2008 at 6:52 pm

    @Incertus: Good piece. I lived there for five years; I appreciate that you tried to give the visiting evangelicals the benefit of the doubt, but the Castro doesn’t happen to be in the middle of the tourist section of town. You need to do a little work to get there. Not much, but enough. Those Taliban were there, deliberately, to try and start a riot.

  23. 23.

    Punchy

    November 17, 2008 at 6:52 pm

    Does that Rap?Sure! Index say what we as punks and clowns can do to push that baby to redline? I cannot imagine how much fun itd be 2 see 10 mill evangellys all Code Browning at the same exact moment….seriously, how can I assist in raising that to 180 or so?

  24. 24.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    November 17, 2008 at 6:53 pm

    @The Other Steve: If you think their leaving me their stuff, you obviously didn’t read what I wrote.

  25. 25.

    Laura W

    November 17, 2008 at 6:53 pm

    In case it’s not posted in a previous thread, a great Obama impression, lifted from Sullivan.

  26. 26.

    kommrade reproductive vigor

    November 17, 2008 at 6:56 pm

    @jenniebee:

    Highly unlikely: The TalEvangicals will StFu and leave us alone as they prepare for lift off.

    Entirely Likely: LaHaye and Jenkins will try to cash in with a hasty re-write of the Left Behind books. "The Eastern European head of the U.N. as the anti-Christ was a typo. We really meant African-American President of the U.S. Buy the corrected editions today. In bulk!"

  27. 27.

    Krista

    November 17, 2008 at 6:56 pm

    Thank you. I now feel bad for sincerely wishing that every one of those people you quoted dies in a fire.

    Really? I don’t feel bad about it at all.

    And the comments section is about 80% "WTF? Someone needs to lose their job, and now!" vs. 20% "Oh, but he does have an awful lot of characteristics in common with the anti-christ. I know! The anti-christ is prophesied to miraculously recover from a mortal head wound!"

    So basically, there are idiots out there who want to perform a heavy-caliber witch test on Obama.

    Lovely.

  28. 28.

    Brick Oven Bill

    November 17, 2008 at 7:03 pm

    Well it’s nice that we’ll have BushClinton International, LLC, in the White House for the third decade in a row. It will make things clearer for the slow ones.

    You guys really should read up on your Endtimes texts. Like it or not, they are tracking pretty well. I’d start with Zechariah. Then go to Isaiah. Neither is too long.

  29. 29.

    Comrade Jake

    November 17, 2008 at 7:10 pm

    I don’t know if Stanley Kurtz has ever been tortured, but now I think I know what it looks like. Good times.

  30. 30.

    Josh Hueco

    November 17, 2008 at 7:16 pm

    @Damien:

    I just watched it, trying to imagine it without having the Star Trek tag (and baggage) attached. Assuming it were just a generic space adventure it actually looks pretty good. I think the key is whether the Non-Dork† Community will be less wont to watch it because…looks both ways, leans in, whispers embarrassedly…it’s Star Trek.

    † Disclaimer: Josh Hueco has been a proud member of the Dork Community since 1974. Live Long and Prosper.

  31. 31.

    Bostondreams

    November 17, 2008 at 7:24 pm

    @That One – Cain:

    Did I miss something? When did Lieberman move out of New England? He’s Connecticut’s man in the Senate..

  32. 32.

    Conservatively Liberal

    November 17, 2008 at 7:26 pm

    You guys really should read up on your Endtimes texts. Like it or not, they are tracking pretty well. I’d start with Zechariah. Then go to Isaiah. Neither is too long.

    And morans like you have been predicting the Anti-Christ/end of the world for several hundred years now yet it has not happened. There have been so many Anti-Christs that it is impossible to count them all, yet here we are today.

    Things are "tracking pretty well"? When you have a one track mind, something like that is to be expected. People like you are the Charlie Browns of religion, you keep trying to kick the football of the Anti-Christ and never connect.

    Your problem isn’t that Lucy keeps pulling the football, it’s that Lucy was never there with a football to begin with. So you keep kicking air because that is all you know how to do. You have faith that one day you will connect with it.

    Just like I have faith that once again you morans will be proven wrong. Again.

  33. 33.

    telesilla

    November 17, 2008 at 7:26 pm

    @Josh Hueco:

    I’m just not sure; it just looks…not Trek-like and, as you say, kinda generic. I might give it a miss

    Oh, who am I kidding?

    I’ve been a fan since I was a tiny wee lass watching the original series with my dad and the last movie I saw with him was First Contact. I’ll see it and toast his memory with some diet coke.

  34. 34.

    Dennis - SGMM

    November 17, 2008 at 7:43 pm

    @Damien:
    I went and watched the Star Trek trailer. I for one am confident that they in no way substituted CGI and pretty faces for a good script, solid acting, character arc, etc.

  35. 35.

    Tsulagi

    November 17, 2008 at 7:49 pm

    Newsweak hits a new low with a piece titled (I shit you not) "Is Obama the Antichrist?"

    Piss on our religious nutjobs. Some Aussies have come up with a solution…

    AUSTRALIA’S sex industry is launching a new political party to counter the increasing influence of religious groups in politics and government.
    …
    Ms Patten said the party hoped to win seats in state upper houses and the Senate using the slogan "We’re serious about sex".

    Now that’s change I can believe in.

  36. 36.

    jenniebee

    November 17, 2008 at 7:55 pm

    @Brick Oven Bill:

    These fundies are all going to be so embarrassed when the Fenris wolf shows up.

  37. 37.

    Brick Oven Bill

    November 17, 2008 at 7:55 pm

    It’s spelled ‘moron’.

  38. 38.

    Josh Hueco

    November 17, 2008 at 7:55 pm

    @telesilla:
    Yeah, I agree. As a standard space adventure I think it’s okay, but as a Trek story it doesn’t quite feel right. I understand the need to discard some of the Trek confines and start over, and I think that if it sticks to providing background narrative on each of the main characters it could be good. That said, I’m having trouble buying the whole James Kirk as Aimless Bad Boy thing; I always saw his appeal as being a swashbuckling Eagle Scout who you could take home to Mom…who would probably then fuck your mom, but you wouldn’t care because hey,it’s Captain Kirk.

  39. 39.

    Dennis - SGMM

    November 17, 2008 at 7:57 pm

    Apparently, ol’ BOB isn’t aware of all internet traditions.

  40. 40.

    kommrade reproductive vigor

    November 17, 2008 at 8:01 pm

    Now that’s ^diaper change I David Vitter can believe in.

    Fxd

  41. 41.

    Conservatively Liberal

    November 17, 2008 at 8:02 pm

    It’s spelled ‘moron’.

    Apparently, ol’ BOB isn’t aware of all internet traditions.

    No shit Sherlock. ;) Like Peanut would say; "eeeoooowwwww" while passing his hand over the top of his head.

  42. 42.

    Comrade Stuck

    November 17, 2008 at 8:02 pm

    @Josh Hueco:

    I always saw his appeal as being a swashbuckling Eagle Scout who you could take home to Mom…who would probably then fuck your mom, but you wouldn’t care because hey,it’s Captain Kirk.

    L O L

  43. 43.

    bago

    November 17, 2008 at 8:05 pm

    In other news, we must be the greatest generation, because the bailout just got more expensive than World War 2.

  44. 44.

    demimondian

    November 17, 2008 at 8:07 pm

    @Brick Oven-mitt: No, ‘it’ is spelled I-T.

  45. 45.

    Paul in Boca

    November 17, 2008 at 8:11 pm

    @Brick Oven Bill
    edumacate yourself here

  46. 46.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    November 17, 2008 at 8:12 pm

    @bago: Yeah, cuz the greatest generation is determined by who can pass the biggest debt along to our grandkids. (With the runner-up prize going to the generation that can bitch the most about union workers getting paid more $ per hour.)

  47. 47.

    Nicole

    November 17, 2008 at 8:15 pm

    Today, while someone at work asked me to google the name of Benjamin Franklin’s wife and mistress (long story, but it involved two turkeys), I found Franklin’s Advice to a Young Man on the Choice of a Mistress:

    http://www.swarthmore.edu/SocSci/bdorsey1/41docs/51-fra.html

    It’s over 250 years old and still hilarious.

  48. 48.

    jrg

    November 17, 2008 at 8:15 pm

    It’s spelled ‘moron’.

    The hell it is.

    Don’t discuss the whole "end times" thing on this godless website, BTW. The infidels must not know that Jesus is in a space ship on the other side of the moon, but you have to drink a bottle of Drain-O before he beams you up.

  49. 49.

    Brick Oven Bill

    November 17, 2008 at 8:22 pm

    There is no ‘moran’ in my dictionary. No scrabble turn for you. And Obama probably is not the Anti-Christ. Although that is one hell of a job interview questionnaire he’s putting out. Provide copies of everything you’ve ever put out over the Internet for our review? Preferably printed out? Wow.

    Watch your spelling.

    The thing about the scriptures is that they can be self-fulfilling prophecies. Islam tells Muslims to drive the Jews out of Dar al-Islam, and talks about bright, shiny lights above Baghdad. Then there is Zechariah 13:8 and all of Zechariah 14 , and it doesn’t look too good for Ahmedinejad.

    But that is what Ahmedinejad seeks, irony of ironies. That is one reason why I think it will be an interesting century. And why dark-of-the-moon periods between now and January are something to watch.

  50. 50.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    November 17, 2008 at 8:26 pm

    There is no ‘moran’ in my dictionary. No scrabble turn for you. And Obama probably is not the Anti-Christ. Although that is one hell of a job interview questionnaire he’s putting out. Provide copies of everything you’ve ever put out over the Internet for our review? Preferably printed out? Wow.

    It was written that the AntiChrist shall be thorough and methodical in his hiring process. Zechariah, I believe.

  51. 51.

    Incertus

    November 17, 2008 at 8:27 pm

    @Josh Hueco: I tend to think it’s a bad idea because the genius of Star Trek has been the forward look. That’s a big part of why Enterprise sucked so hard–though there’s a great bit in the new Futurama movie where the head of Takei is flying a ship and slams it into one flown by the head of Bakula while saying "thanks for ruining the franchise!" Prequels can work, but when the premise of your franchise is always the next adventure, then the backward look loses the whole spirit of the thing.

  52. 52.

    Conservatively Liberal

    November 17, 2008 at 8:27 pm

    There is no ‘moran’ in my dictionary bible.

    Fix’d.

    Nope, just the moran that is looking for it.

  53. 53.

    demimondian

    November 17, 2008 at 8:27 pm

    @Brick Oven Bill: You’re missing a lot of things, including any connection to the consensual reality the rest of us share.

    You can have a turn, too, though — at least if you want one.

  54. 54.

    raff

    November 17, 2008 at 8:29 pm

    "…I found Franklin’s Advice to a Young Man on the Choice of a Mistress

    Funny stuff from randy ol’ Ben. Adding: in my neck of the woods we call "the odd Half of a Pair of Scissars" a knife. Which is to say that an unmarried man, however ‘incompleat’, still has his uses…

  55. 55.

    Xanthippas

    November 17, 2008 at 8:30 pm

    You guys really should read up on your Endtimes texts. Like it or not, they are tracking pretty well. I’d start with Zechariah. Then go to Isaiah. Neither is too long.

    Strangely, many people have read those books without arriving at quite the conclusions that you do.

  56. 56.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    November 17, 2008 at 8:32 pm

    Strangely, many people have read those books without arriving at quite the conclusions that you do.

    Sinners, I think they’re called.

  57. 57.

    iluvsummr

    November 17, 2008 at 8:38 pm

    Just stumbled on this gem from the Chronicle of Higher Ed:

    ‘Brainwashed’ Students Oust New Hampshire Treasurer
    Sour grapes always go well with insults. For proof, see Carol Elliott, who has blamed her recent political defeat on “brainwashed” college students. You know, the ones who voted her out of office.

    Last week, Ms. Elliott, a Republican, lost her post as treasurer of Grafton County, in New Hampshire, to Vanessa Sievers, a 20-year-old Democrat from Montana who happens to be a junior at Dartmouth College. The margin of victory was about 500 votes, but in Hanover, home to Dartmouth, Ms. Sievers won by more than 2,400 votes.

    In an interview with the Valley News, of White River Junction, Vt., on Tuesday, Ms. Elliott said heavy turnout among college students had doomed her candidacy. Most “real people,” she said, had supported her and not her opponent, whom she deemed a “teenybopper.”

    Like many defeated politicians, though, Ms. Elliott looked to the future. She mused that she might seek a seat in the state legislature, so she could “change the law.” Apparently, she meant the law that allows temporary residents — not to mention the young and the brainwashed — to run for local offices. —Eric Hoover

    The ‘teenybopper’ showed up in the comment section of the piece to give her own take on the election (link might not work — think it requires a subscription)

  58. 58.

    Josh Hueco

    November 17, 2008 at 8:45 pm

    @Incertus:

    Agreed about Star Trek being at its best when forward looking, but I guess it depends on what type of future you’re envisioning. TNG had many good episodes and characters, but I never warmed to the whole Future-as-Pangalactic-UN-in-Lycra-Jumpsuits-with-Music-by-Steve-Roach thing. DS9 was a nice antidote to this (I won’t even talk about the execrable Voyager and Enterprise). I’d love to see a new Trek that had a healthy balance between the optimism of TOS and the grit of DS9. If the new movie is a step forward in that direction, great. If not, then there’s always reruns…

  59. 59.

    iluvsummr

    November 17, 2008 at 8:46 pm

    @iluvsummr: Oops — looks like there was a blockquote problem.

  60. 60.

    Brick Oven Bill

    November 17, 2008 at 8:46 pm

    It is not my intent to get into scripture, but the only way I can think to melt a man’s eyes and tongue while he is still standing on his feet in open warfare is through radiation. But there are limitations to my knowledge that I recognize. Perhaps Martha Stewart has a recipe that I am not aware of.

    More disturbing to me is that prospective federal employees now have to disclose if they, or their family members, own firearms. That is kind of weird.

  61. 61.

    freelancer

    November 17, 2008 at 8:49 pm

    The thing about the scriptures is that they can be self-fulfilling prophecies. circles of logic

    Shorter B.O.B. :"The Bible is the inerrant word of God because it says that God wrote it. Therefore, it’s probably likely that we’re in the endtimes. Just look at the Moon!"

    Wow, just wow.

  62. 62.

    Comrade Stuck

    November 17, 2008 at 8:54 pm

    I won’t even talk about the execrable Voyager and Enterprise

    I agree on Enterprise, but not Voyager. I liked it because of the marooned premise of the show. And DS9 was absolutely great the first few seasons, or until they got a new Dax and jadzia left. Terry Farrel was just too hot to leave IMO.

  63. 63.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    November 17, 2008 at 8:55 pm

    @Brick Oven Bill: Yeah Bill, you should start getting nervous because we’re coming after you next even though you’re clearly not qualified to do much more than paint lines on parking lots.
    Your guns are useless in the face of our radiation thingies.

  64. 64.

    bago

    November 17, 2008 at 8:56 pm

    BOB, you might want to look into napalm. Real close.

  65. 65.

    Dennis - SGMM

    November 17, 2008 at 8:56 pm

    More disturbing to me is that prospective federal employees now have to disclose if they, or their family members, own firearms.

    Just those who serve at the pleasure of the president. All other federal employees are subject only to those disclosures mandated by Civil Service rules.

  66. 66.

    Dennis - SGMM

    November 17, 2008 at 8:57 pm

    @bago:
    Or white phosphorous.

  67. 67.

    Josh Hueco

    November 17, 2008 at 8:59 pm

    @Comrade Stuck:

    Sorry, but Voyager just never clicked for me. ‘Execrable’ is too strong a term, I admit. But it just never seemed to go anywhere IMO. I always thought DS9 was pretty good consistently, but it did start to decline towards the end because it seemed to me they were trying to wrap everything up. I always liked the themes of colonialism, liberation, and religion that were woven throughout. But yeah, losing Terry Ferrell was definitely not a good thing.

  68. 68.

    Steve

    November 17, 2008 at 9:00 pm

    Or white phosphorous

    Or Greek fire.

  69. 69.

    boonagain

    November 17, 2008 at 9:00 pm

    Did BOB just correct the spelling of ‘moran’? He must not be a spoof then .

  70. 70.

    Incertus

    November 17, 2008 at 9:03 pm

    @Josh Hueco: See, we’re going to disagree here–and vehemently, in fact–because I find DS9 tedious, but thought Voyager captured the spirit of the original better than any of the other series. And Janeway would have beaten the shit out of any of those other captains in battle, ship-to-ship or otherwise.

  71. 71.

    Dennis - SGMM

    November 17, 2008 at 9:05 pm

    Arianna Huffington is filling in for Rachel Maddow tonight. Hope Huffington kept her day job.

  72. 72.

    Josh Hueco

    November 17, 2008 at 9:06 pm

    @Incertus:

    And Janeway would have beaten the shit out of any of those other captains in battle, ship-to-ship or otherwise.

    LOL :)

    I guess we will have to disagree. I always thought Voyager was ‘tedious’ throughout. Oh well…we all apparently agree that Enterprise sucked though.

  73. 73.

    freelancer

    November 17, 2008 at 9:06 pm

    …to melt a man’s eyes and tongue while he is still standing on his feet in open warfare is through radiation. [snip]…Perhaps Martha Stewart has a recipe that I am not aware of."

    Non sequitur idea salad. BOB has Got to be a spoof. He’s approaching the Palinanity threshold.

  74. 74.

    Brick Oven Bill

    November 17, 2008 at 9:06 pm

    Last response.

    Men, in times of turmoil, turn to religion. Regardless of whether the Bible is the word of God or collections of stories from ages past, it is recognized as a religious document. Whether we want to admit it or not, there is a move against Israel. The Bible is a very important book, will probably become more so, and you should read it.

    The dark-of-the-moon has nothing to do with religion, it has to do with targeting and air defenses.

    Some of you guys sound angry. Napalm?

  75. 75.

    Dennis - SGMM

    November 17, 2008 at 9:08 pm

    Last response.

    Promise?

  76. 76.

    djork

    November 17, 2008 at 9:11 pm

    Serious Question for the drinkers (that means all of you):

    Beer before liquor makes you sicker, etc…etc…..

    Where does wine fit into the equation?

  77. 77.

    Steve

    November 17, 2008 at 9:15 pm

    Serious Question for the drinkers (that means all of you):

    My version of the axiom is that if you go from high ABV to low ABV you’re fine, but going the other way is a recipe for disaster. So following wine with beer is fine, but following beer with wine is probably not such a good idea.

  78. 78.

    Josh Hueco

    November 17, 2008 at 9:15 pm

    @djork:

    Beer before wine, feelin’ fine? I think that’s what a buddy told me once. Never tried it out though.

  79. 79.

    djork

    November 17, 2008 at 9:18 pm

    I can’t imagine drinking liquor and then wine or vice versa. Something about the acidity of the wine, I guess.

  80. 80.

    demimondian

    November 17, 2008 at 9:23 pm

    @Camp Oven Bill: Go away, idiot.

  81. 81.

    dobrojutro

    November 17, 2008 at 9:24 pm

    B.O.B.

    You guys really should read up on your Endtimes texts. Like it or not, they are tracking pretty well. I’d start with Zechariah. Then go to Isaiah. Neither is too long.

    That is spot-on. It is a little frightening – the Ill. pick 3 is no mere coincidence. If you add 666 to 11.5.08, it equals a number in sanskrit that means you are a total jerkoff.

    Can’t you end-timers make like Koresh/Jim Jones/Comet cult and just bail early?

  82. 82.

    Clio

    November 17, 2008 at 9:25 pm

    I also feel the need to jump in and defend Voyager. I thought it was a lot of fun and i loved the whole idea of them being in the delta quadrant on their own, having to be clever about supplies and power sources, and meeting all kinds of crazy aliens. It was very wild west to me. They only had their wits and each other. Plus my group of friends in college invented this alternate version of Voyager where Janeway is known as "Chainway" and she is basically this chain smoking, whiskey drinking, crazy dominatrix bitch. She gives the crew bizarre orders, uses male crew members for sex, and regularly executes crew members at her whim. Watching the show with that bent is hilarious. Yes, my friends and I smoked a lot of weed in college. Unfortunately for me, I happen to be out at the moment, a toke would probably help with the nausea I’m feeling about Newsweak’s journalism standards.

  83. 83.

    Comrade Jake

    November 17, 2008 at 9:29 pm

    The Guardian is reporting that HRC will accept the Sec. State job. Take it for what it’s worth.

    Commence team of rivals/circular firing squad.

  84. 84.

    BlueIA

    November 17, 2008 at 9:30 pm

    The Guardian scoops basically every U.S. media outlet??

    HRC to accept SoS
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/17/hillary-clinton-secretary-of-state

  85. 85.

    Josh Hueco

    November 17, 2008 at 9:31 pm

    @Clio:

    Plus my group of friends in college invented this alternate version of Voyager where Janeway is known as "Chainway" and she is basically this chain smoking, whiskey drinking, crazy dominatrix bitch. She gives the crew bizarre orders, uses male crew members for sex, and regularly executes crew members at her whim.

    Haha…I would have watched that religiously!

  86. 86.

    Dennis - SGMM

    November 17, 2008 at 9:34 pm

    @Comrade Jake:
    The Guardian kind of skipped over how they know this. Not that they might not be right but, "The Guardian has learned," isn’t very substantive.

  87. 87.

    Comrade Stuck

    November 17, 2008 at 9:34 pm

    @Incertus:
    @Josh Hueco:

    I’ve been thinking lately about a new trek series, and had the idea of maybe resurrecting the The Traveler theme with Wesley Crutcher or somebody else looking for something, maybe the end of the universe or God or something. It would be premised on metaphysical and spiritual storylines. Now that the Science Fiction horror years of GWB are coming to a close, we can maybe consider other realities, while we’re cleaning up the mess the fool has made. Something to consider while gathering cow chips for fuel.

  88. 88.

    Dennis - SGMM

    November 17, 2008 at 9:38 pm

    I’ve been thinking lately about a new trek series, and had the idea of maybe resurrecting the The Traveler theme with Wesley Crutcher or somebody else looking for something, maybe the end of the universe or God or something.

    He could look for The Restaurant at the End of the Universe.

    Speaking of which, how is it that the Hitchhiker books have never been made into a decent movie or TV series?

  89. 89.

    Delia

    November 17, 2008 at 9:43 pm

    @dobrojutro:

    This is all wrong. In an earlier age the Endtimers had picked 1666 for the end of the world. It was a logical choice. England had just been through its Civil War and Cromwellian dictatorship, and that particular date has more sixes in it than can be expected for a very, very long time. But all they got was the Great Fire of London and an outbreak of bubonic plague. Bummer.

    Then there all the endtimes people expected when Napoleon was the AntiChrist. Or all the different endtimers in 19th century America who went off to found different religious sects when their Apocalypse didn’t come. Maybe Bill needs to build some more brick ovens.

    On a happier note, the puppies over at puppycam are very active right now.

  90. 90.

    Josh Hueco

    November 17, 2008 at 9:45 pm

    Now that the Science Fiction horror years of GWB are coming to a close, we can maybe consider other realities, while we’re cleaning up the mess the fool has made.

    Well, Star Trek was originally about humanity finally getting its act together after a global shitstorm of war, despotism, and (I assume) economic collapse (and I guess we can add environmental collapse on top of that too). I wonder what Roddenberry would have envisioned Trek being like if he were his then-young self today?

  91. 91.

    Church Lady

    November 17, 2008 at 9:47 pm

    @Incertus-

    Sort of OT, but that link you provided mentioned Brother Micah. He and his crazy ass wife show up at my daughter’s college for a couple of days every spring on their SEC tour and parade around in front of the Student Union preaching hellfire and brimstone. Sometimes they drag along some kid that seems to be somewhat developmentally slow. What’s bizarre is that the students actually look forward to his visit every year. It’s like some sort of ritual marking the advent of Spring. He draws quite the crowd, all there to make fun of him, film his rantings and then post them on Youtube. Some of them are pretty funny, and during his 2007 visit one of my daughter’s friends really got into it with him. If you’re even remotely interested, look at the Brother Micah/Ole Miss clips on Youtube. There are also some other really funny ones that were taken at Florida State (also a school that looks forward to his annual visits).

  92. 92.

    Josh Hueco

    November 17, 2008 at 9:51 pm

    @Comrade Jake:

    If that’s the case…I’d wager that this whole ‘team of rivals’ thing really means the Village is still running the show (ie Gates as SecDef, Hillary at State, Lieberman still possessing intact kneecaps and rectum), while allowing the young buck/outsider Obama to appear mavericky and magnanimous.

  93. 93.

    Dennis - SGMM

    November 17, 2008 at 9:52 pm

    @Delia:
    Read somewhere (And I wish that I could find the link) about some endtimers in 18th Century New England who were so convinced by their preacher that the end of the world would occur on a certain date that many sold or gave away all of their possessions in advance of it. They all gathered together on the big day and…

  94. 94.

    Delia

    November 17, 2008 at 9:53 pm

    Speaking of which, how is it that the Hitchhiker books have never been made into a decent movie or TV series?

    Well, the BBC TV series from 1981 isn’t bad. It’s only six episodes but it captures something of the spirit of the original.

  95. 95.

    Dennis - SGMM

    November 17, 2008 at 9:54 pm

    @Delia:
    True about the spirit. I think that the technology of the time and BBC’s notorious parsimony kept that series from being as good as it might have been.
    I’m probably romancing books that are little known to anyone under forty anyway.

  96. 96.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    November 17, 2008 at 9:55 pm

    @Dennis – SGMM: .. and? Do tell. The fucking suspense is killing me. Was it the end times or not?

  97. 97.

    Dennis - SGMM

    November 17, 2008 at 9:57 pm

    @Just Some Fuckhead:
    Well, everyone was killed but Hell didn’t arrive until January, 2000.

  98. 98.

    Delia

    November 17, 2008 at 9:58 pm

    @Dennis – SGMM:

    I don’t have citations, either, but I think that’s correct. And I think the progenitors of the Seventh Day Adventists did the same thing in the early nineteenth century. They developed into their present form after they missed their end of the world.

  99. 99.

    Incertus

    November 17, 2008 at 9:59 pm

    @Church Lady: The first time I saw him was three years ago during my first semester at this campus. I had seen his type–we had a guy we nicknamed Moses at the University of Arkansas, who was so obnoxious that the Christian groups on campus petitioned to get him thrown off–but that was my first experience with him personally. Now it has become a ritual for me as well, and I think some of the seniors are beginning to get into it as well. One of my students did a feature on him for the school paper, which was appropriately snarky.

  100. 100.

    Comrade Stuck

    November 17, 2008 at 10:00 pm

    On a happier note, the puppies over at puppycam are very active right now.

    I want to crawl through the monitor and be puppy licked silly!

    Thanks for that link, Delia

  101. 101.

    Blue Raven

    November 17, 2008 at 10:00 pm

    @Dennis – SGMM:

    The BBC had quite a lovely TV miniseries based on the first book/radio show in the HHG trilogy. Why not the rest? No clue from this fan shy of managing a successful seance.

  102. 102.

    Comrade Jake

    November 17, 2008 at 10:01 pm

    @Josh Hueco:

    Right. Or Obama actually knows what he’s doing. Given the available evidence to date, that’s what I’m going with.

  103. 103.

    Delia

    November 17, 2008 at 10:03 pm

    I’m probably romancing books that are little known to anyone under forty anyway.

    Not necessarily. My son, who’s now in his late twenties, read them all when he was in high school.

  104. 104.

    Dennis - SGMM

    November 17, 2008 at 10:03 pm

    @Delia:
    Reminds me of the quip about the inscription on the atheist’s headstone: "Here lies an Atheist: All Dressed Up and No Place to Go."

  105. 105.

    Comrade The Other Steve

    November 17, 2008 at 10:07 pm

    Star Trek will be cool.

    Quantum of Solace was cool.

    Nerds shall perish when the rapture comes.

  106. 106.

    Josh Hueco

    November 17, 2008 at 10:13 pm

    @Comrade Jake:

    Hey, it’s just a thought. My inner Democrat/Cubs fan/knight of infinity is a bitch sometimes.

  107. 107.

    Comrade The Other Steve

    November 17, 2008 at 10:13 pm

    Leave Box Office Bob alone! He may look like a spoof, but I’m confident he’s the real deal. A genuine grade A wingnut.

    Ever since Darrell was banned, we’ve had a shortgage of nuts.

  108. 108.

    Conservatively Liberal

    November 17, 2008 at 10:28 pm

    Leave Box Office Bob alone! He may look like a spoof, but I’m confident he’s the real deal. A genuine grade A wingnut.

    Agreed. We need someone around here that has a sign on their back that says Kick Me!

  109. 109.

    Punchy

    November 17, 2008 at 10:36 pm

    That Bible Fuck showed up on my campy when I wuz da undygrad, and I tried to buzz him on my bike. Couldn’t get thru my classmates 3 deep mocking him. I had planned to snatch his bible, since it appeared 2 b the source of his fucktardery

  110. 110.

    Delia

    November 17, 2008 at 10:42 pm

    Oh well, let’s change the topic. This one should be good for some weeping and gnashing of teeth and other signs of Schadenfreude.
    Focus On The Family is cutting jobs! It seem they spent half a mil on Prop 8, and now they’ve got to cut 202 jobs or 20% of their work force.

    Times is tough all over.

  111. 111.

    Comrade Stuck

    November 17, 2008 at 10:51 pm

    Well, as expected Obama will indeed follow the traditional "let’s look forward, not back" model for incoming preznits.

    "Both for policy and political reasons, it would not be beneficial to spend a lot of time hauling people up before Congress or before grand juries and going over what went on," Litt said at a Brookings Institution discussion about Obama’s legal policy. "To as great of an extent we can say, the last eight years are over, now we can move forward — that would be beneficial both to the country and the president, politically."

    I don’t have a need to see prosecutions of those involved, but damn it we need to know what happened. If this story is true, and Obama doesn’t plan to pursue learning the crimes of GWB, it is then my first disappointment in him. Though it is deferred until he’s in office and it becomes official policy.

  112. 112.

    kommrade reproductive vigor

    November 17, 2008 at 10:52 pm

    @Church Lady: Indiana Univ. had a guy like that who actually got a mention in Rolling Stone. The only good thing about him were the hecklers he attracted.

    I can’t remember his name (and neither can the S.O.) but I know there are a few former Hoosiers in here with better memories.

  113. 113.

    tripletee

    November 17, 2008 at 10:52 pm

    @Clio:

    Janeway is known as "Chainway" and she is basically this chain smoking, whiskey drinking, crazy dominatrix bitch. She gives the crew bizarre orders, uses male crew members for sex, and regularly executes crew members at her whim.

    Except for the "male crew members" part, that’s a pretty good description of Admiral Cain on BSG. Cain was played by Michelle Forbes (Ensign Ro on TNG) and BSG is exec-produced by Ron Moore (TNG/DS9/Voyager producer).

    Clearly this is another sign of the End Times. Contact Brick Oven Bill for the best place to buy duct tape and plastic sheeting.

  114. 114.

    Xanthippas

    November 17, 2008 at 11:00 pm

    Ever since Darrell was banned, we’ve had a shortgage of nuts.

    People actually get banned from here?

  115. 115.

    Jeff

    November 17, 2008 at 11:06 pm

    It seems Sullivan really does not like Jonah Goldberg:

    A word to Hilzoy: as anyone who has tried to read his book will testify, Jonah isn’t that bright, alas. He’s aware of the broad contours of conservative thought but he has learned them by rote. And so any specific attempt to apply them specifically to a changing world can befuddle him into incoherence, or, more often, snarky recitation of bromides. Think Palin with a college degree that isn’t about being a sportscaster. Which makes him qualified for the Supreme Court in the current GOP, but not exactly a sparring partner to equal Hilzoy.

    Talk about your smackdown.

  116. 116.

    demimondian

    November 17, 2008 at 11:09 pm

    @Xanthippas: Actually, according to our hosts, Darrell wasn’t banned. He just left after a particularly inappropriate and vicious exchange with one of the then-regulars.

  117. 117.

    Cain

    November 17, 2008 at 11:10 pm

    @Church Lady:

    Sort of OT, but that link you provided mentioned Brother Micah. He and his crazy ass wife show up at my daughter’s college for a couple of days every spring on their SEC tour and parade around in front of the Student Union preaching hellfire and brimstone. Sometimes they drag along some kid that seems to be somewhat developmentally slow. What’s bizarre is that the students actually look forward to his visit every year. It’s like some sort of ritual marking the advent

    I think every university has one. I think at Purdue it was Max. I don’t quite remember his full thing. But yes, he preached the same thing and it was fun watching people try to have discourse with him. If anything I think it made a lot of people more liberal. :-)

    cain

  118. 118.

    demimondian

    November 17, 2008 at 11:11 pm

    @kommrade reproductive vigor: Brother Jed. He did the whole upper Midwest — back in the day, I used to drive down from Madison, where I was a grad student, to visit the then-future FDDD in Bloomington. I’d get a double dose of Jed.

  119. 119.

    Cain

    November 17, 2008 at 11:13 pm

    @kommrade reproductive vigor:

    I can’t remember his name (and neither can the S.O.) but I know there are a few former Hoosiers in here with better memories.

    I think you’re talking about bible max or something like that. I can’t quite remember his full thing. I really want to say "Mad Max". :-) But yeah, he did both IU and Purdue.

    cain

  120. 120.

    Jeff

    November 17, 2008 at 11:13 pm

    @Xanthippas: From what I remember, it takes a lot and most have been allowed back.

  121. 121.

    Cain

    November 17, 2008 at 11:14 pm

    @demimondian:

    @kommrade reproductive vigor: Brother Jed. He did the whole upper Midwest—back in the day, I used to drive down from Madison, where I was a grad student, to visit the then-future FDDD in Bloomington. I’d get a double dose of Jed.

    Doh, that was the name "Brother Max"! I don’t remember Brother Jed at Purdue though.

    cain

  122. 122.

    demimondian

    November 17, 2008 at 11:16 pm

    @Cain: In my case "the day" was a long time ago. After all, FDDD and I have an almost-twenty-year-old son…and he was born some years after we got married.

  123. 123.

    Jeff

    November 17, 2008 at 11:16 pm

    Wow, I feel deprived that my campus did not have a preacher like that.

  124. 124.

    Comrade Stuck

    November 17, 2008 at 11:16 pm

    To follow up on Tim’s Locomotive Breath, a rousing rendition of Aqualung

  125. 125.

    demimondian

    November 17, 2008 at 11:19 pm

    Jed was awesome. He’d come and stand in the middle of State Street, and start spouting the vilest, most disgusting Anti-Semitic *crap*. Seriously neo-Nazi shit.

    Once he had a crowd? He’d start preaching.

  126. 126.

    Cain

    November 17, 2008 at 11:26 pm

    Jed was awesome. He’d come and stand in the middle of State Street, and start spouting the vilest, most disgusting Anti-Semitic crap. Seriously neo-Nazi shit.

    Once he had a crowd? He’d start preaching.

    Hahah.. yeah, yeah Brother Max did the same thing. It was ridiculing him. We were all a bunch of people headed for hell. He almost never preached about love or anything like that. It was always hellfire and damnation and women.

    cain

  127. 127.

    Church Lady

    November 17, 2008 at 11:30 pm

    Incertus- Being somewhat oblivious (sadly, becoming a more normal state as I age), I didn’t initially notice that you were linking to your own blog. Duhhhh.

    I took the time to read about a month back. Congrats to you and Amy and your fellow compatriots. It’s a good blog.
    I loved the Halloween photo of your friend’s kids – very, very cute. I noticed that you teach at FAU and, yes, it’s also on Brother Micah’s regular rounds, as witnessed by the YouTube postings. Looking at the places he goes, I guess he likes warm weather. Probably a good thing, as I have a feeling that he just might be spending the afterlife in hell.

  128. 128.

    Church Lady

    November 17, 2008 at 11:35 pm

    Perhaps Micah is the son of Jed. The preaching style seems pretty dead on, but Micah doesn’t spout off about Jews. His favorite topic is gays, closely followed by crack whores (i.e. all sorority girls). He even has a "homo song" that he wrote himself and likes to serenade the crowd with. I hear he’s up for a Grammy this year.

  129. 129.

    Incertus

    November 17, 2008 at 11:35 pm

    @Church Lady: He’s part of something called Miami Street Preachers or something like that. It’s always the same old schtick with him, though–girls are all whores, boys are all masturbators, everyone is going to hell, blah blah blah. This year he added Obama is the antichrist to the repetoire, and that anyone who voted for him is going to hell for supporting an abortionist. My reaction was "all the stuff I’ve done in my life and the Obama vote is what puts me in hell? Standards are slipping these days."

  130. 130.

    Xanthippas

    November 17, 2008 at 11:38 pm

    From what I remember, it takes a lot and most have been allowed back.

    Well that’s what I was thinking, given the standards around here. I figured you’d have to plausibly threaten death against someone to get banned from here, and even then probably only for a probationary period.

  131. 131.

    Tymannosourus

    November 17, 2008 at 11:58 pm

    Man, when, oh when will Conan finally take over for Leno?

    He sucks out loud.

  132. 132.

    Big E

    November 18, 2008 at 12:00 am

    •-> saw this, anybody hear anything more concrete about this?

    The USG Open Source Center translates an article from the Persian Afghan press alleging that French troops were at one point close to capturing Usamah Bin Ladin in Afghanistan, but that American forces stopped them from doing so. It says that a forthcoming French documentary containing interviews with the French soldiers provides proof for the allegation. The argument is that the Bush administration needed Bin Ladin to be at large in order to justify its military expansionism.

  133. 133.

    Tymannosourus

    November 18, 2008 at 12:07 am

    @Big E:

    Even if there were a story there, if you combine french soldiers with the afghan press, you’ve just guaranteed yourself zero credibility among the American public.

  134. 134.

    Dennis - SGMM

    November 18, 2008 at 12:14 am

    @Big E:
    Although I wouldn’t put it past Bushco it’s more likely that bin Laden is still at large because the Bush administration couldn’t find a bowling ball on a billiard table.

  135. 135.

    demimondian

    November 18, 2008 at 12:21 am

    @Xanthippas: The set of people who’ve actually achieved banning can be counted on the fingers of one hand, and John has never banned anyone for more than a few days.

    I seem to remember Tim putting the hammer down on somebody just a few weeks ago, though, during a particularly heated exchange about…oh, yeah, civil unrest following Obama’s election. Yeah, there it is: he banned Tenguphule.

  136. 136.

    Eric U.

    November 18, 2008 at 12:54 am

    there is a preacher at Penn State who I always hated, but then he recorded a station ID for the student radio station. Of course it ends "and you are all going to hell"

    He replaced this older guy that comes back occasionally. When I was a student, he was outside the building where I had a class. That was a waste of my time, there was so much shouting going on you couldn’t hear anything.

  137. 137.

    rachel

    November 18, 2008 at 2:22 am

    @Dennis – SGMM:
    Whoever they were, I’m sure you’ll find them in here somewhere (probably in the "Charismatic doomsayers and their sheep from the Reformation through the 19th century" section). If you don’t find the bowl of nuts you’re looking for, there are many similar in there.

  138. 138.

    rachel

    November 18, 2008 at 2:27 am

    @demimondian: I’m not sure I was around for that. (Or maybe it was because by the time Darrell finally bailed, I’d become so disgusted with him that whenever I saw his name on a post, I’d usually just scroll on by without reading it.) What happened?

  139. 139.

    Bob Barbaque

    November 18, 2008 at 2:44 am

    Moran is acceptable south of the Mason-Dixon line,
    the Yankees prefer the vulgar pronunciation and spelling M-O-R-O-N.
    See how this sounds:Hey Morons,Get a brian!
    See,that is B-A-D!
    That said,I’m off for a game of slap and tickle and a tall cool julep.

  140. 140.

    Brick Oven Bill

    November 18, 2008 at 2:51 am

    If Paulson says on, then we will know.

    Scanner Dan for you legitimate folks. Madison; 1990s.

  141. 141.

    AnneLaurie

    November 18, 2008 at 3:19 am

    I’m probably romancing books that are little known to anyone under forty anyway.

    Anyone who loved Douglas Adams should check out Terry Pratchett. The BBC actually did a pretty fine adaptation of HOGFATHER… a solstice heart-warmer where Death has to take over the duties of a parallel universe’s Santa Claus in order to prevent the end of the world. Unfortunately, since it was only a three-hour miniseries, they had to leave out some of the finest bits concerning Hex, a super-computer in a world where magic is more reliable than science…

  142. 142.

    flavortext

    November 18, 2008 at 4:22 am

    If Paulson says on, then we will know.
    Scanner Dan for you legitimate folks. Madison; 1990s.

    I hear it’s amazing when the famous purple-stuffed worm in flap-jaw space with the tuning fork does a raw blink on Hari-Kari rock. I need scissors! 61!

  143. 143.

    Person of Choler

    November 18, 2008 at 5:51 am

    These days you don’t see many of the old time gospel howlers like Brother Micah roaring about the end times and hell fire to come.
    They’ve been replaced by global warming doomsayers who have substituted Dr. James Hansen for John of the Apocalypse and swapped IPCC reports for the holy gospels.

  144. 144.

    Ash Can

    November 18, 2008 at 6:23 am

    @Big E:
    Re the bit about Osama bin Laden being found but not captured in Afghanistan, a Google of "Tora Bora" will give you all you want to know and then some.

  145. 145.

    Atanarjuat

    November 18, 2008 at 6:25 am

    If you’re reading to the end of this thread, Mr. Cole, then here’s a small reminder:

    Be sure to pack your digital camera USB cord (or whatever link your camera uses to transfer files to the PC/laptop). You’d forgotten it when you last travelled, which is why we never saw the photo of that Obama supporter with the purple hair (or was it pink? I forget the exact hue).

    – Country First.

  146. 146.

    MR. Bill

    November 18, 2008 at 6:57 am

    Good Morning! Early voting began in Georgia for the Senate Runoff (as well as some other downticket runoffs) yesterday, and there were lines in Metro ATL counties..
    http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories//2008/11/17/georgia_early_voting.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab

    I plan to go vote the next time I go to town. It’s sad the Senate Democrats have to come to terms with that mendacious quisling Lieberman without knowing fer sure if Franken and Martin are in the Senate (much less Ted stevens.

    Martin needs some killer ad that is pitched to the downhome
    sensibility… not so slick, maybe corny, but something for the bubba who is sick of the Republicans…

  147. 147.

    bago

    November 18, 2008 at 7:03 am

    Science. It works, Bitches!

    OT: 4:04 am. Sleep not found.

  148. 148.

    Dennis - SGMM

    November 18, 2008 at 7:42 am

    @rachel:
    Thank you! These days, it’s kind of refreshing to read some of the other people who declared the end of the world – and were wrong.

  149. 149.

    rachel

    November 18, 2008 at 7:47 am

    @Dennis – SGMM: You’re welcome. :D
    I came across this site back in ’99 when everybody was convinced the Y2K bug was going to end the world as we knew it. Those were the days.

    Edit: everybody with a certain mindset, that is.

  150. 150.

    harlana pepper

    November 18, 2008 at 7:47 am

    Generally, life here is one long gray repressive bore interspersed with some Obama hate here and there. It sucks but it pays the bills.

  151. 151.

    kommrade reproductive vigor

    November 18, 2008 at 8:50 am

    @Cain: Mad Max! That was the dude. A friend who’d grown up there told me about him but some things must be seen to be believed.

  152. 152.

    demimondian

    November 18, 2008 at 9:27 am

    @rachel: Meh. Darrell had a particularly bad day, and one of our regulars who rarely engaged him directly seems to have lost his or her cool and went totally Kung Fu Master on Big D.

    Fortunately, Tim deleted the exchange that followed, but it started with the regular correcting Darrell, ending his or her posting with the line, "Now why don’t you go back to having sex with your mother the dog?" and went downhill from there.

  153. 153.

    TheHatOnMyCat

    November 18, 2008 at 10:20 am

    @rachel:

    Ah, Y2K flame wars. Good times, very good times.

    New standards for Proof by Assertion were set then which may never be improved upon.

    We used to skewer the doomsayers on a daily basis and watch them run out and buy more ammunition and survival supplies.

    Jan 2, 2000 was pretty enjoyable. All the doomsaying lizards ran under the nearest rocks and disappeared.

  154. 154.

    rachel

    November 18, 2008 at 10:47 am

    @TheHatOnMyCat: And Alma Geddon posted frequent updates to that site I linked to for Dennis. Let’s see, what did she say about Gary North…

    Gary’s one of those sorry little losers who thinks he’s never gotten enough attention in life and who, as a consequence, spends nearly every waking moment pining for the end of the icky, ookie civilization that has the Godless audacity to ignore him. Being a devout Christian Reconstructionist, (sort of a modern-day Fifth Monarchy Man, only minus the funny hat and knickers) his usual baddie-whomper of choice is God’s Wrath. But that got set aside under a tactical tea cozy once Gary laid his eyes on Y2K. It was love at first byte. Envisioning scenes of global electronic anarchy bringing the whole secular world to its nasty knees, he immediately set out to spread panic about the bug as far and wide as he possibly could.

    Subscribers to Scary Gary’s pitiful newsletter and listeners to the Art Bell show (you didn’t think he’d be the crank who got away, did you?) were treated to a litany of kooky catastrophe claims and even nuttier suggestions for dealing with them. From running off to build survival fortresses out in the boondocks, to buying diesel Mercedes Benzes, North’s fans and followers had no dearth of pointless and bizarre activities to keep themselves busy with right up to Jan. 3. What they’ll be doing nowadays is anyone’s guess. But, don’t be surprised to find a slew of Mercedes diesels cluttering up the used car section of your local classifieds in the coming years.

Comments are closed.

Primary Sidebar

On The Road - PaulB - Olympic Peninsula: Lake Quinault Loop Drive 5
Image by PaulB (5/19/25)

Recent Comments

  • Aziz, light! on War for Ukraine Day 1,180: The Cost (May 19, 2025 @ 11:23pm)
  • Jackie on Monday Night Open Thread (May 19, 2025 @ 11:21pm)
  • Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom on War for Ukraine Day 1,180: The Cost (May 19, 2025 @ 11:15pm)
  • Kayla Rudbek on Monday Morning Open Thread: Another Week (May 19, 2025 @ 11:13pm)
  • Nettoyeur on Monday Night Open Thread (May 19, 2025 @ 11:11pm)

PA Supreme Court At Risk

Donate

Balloon Juice Posts

View by Topic
View by Author
View by Month & Year
View by Past Author

Featuring

Medium Cool
Artists in Our Midst
Authors in Our Midst
War in Ukraine
Donate to Razom for Ukraine

🎈Keep Balloon Juice Ad Free

Become a Balloon Juice Patreon
Donate with Venmo, Zelle or PayPal

Meetups

Upcoming Ohio Meetup May 17
5/11 Post about the May 17 Ohio Meetup

Calling All Jackals

Site Feedback
Nominate a Rotating Tag
Submit Photos to On the Road
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Links)
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Posts)
Fix Nyms with Apostrophes

Hands Off! – Denver, San Diego & Austin

Social Media

Balloon Juice
WaterGirl
TaMara
John Cole
DougJ (aka NYT Pitchbot)
Betty Cracker
Tom Levenson
David Anderson
Major Major Major Major
DougJ NYT Pitchbot
mistermix

Keeping Track

Legal Challenges (Lawfare)
Republicans Fleeing Town Halls (TPM)
21 Letters (to Borrow or Steal)
Search Donations from a Brand

PA Supreme Court At Risk

Donate

Site Footer

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Comment Policy
  • Our Authors
  • Blogroll
  • Our Artists
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 Dev Balloon Juice · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!