Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

How any woman could possibly vote for this smug smarmy piece of misogynistic crap is beyond understanding.

Republicans want to make it harder to vote and easier for them to cheat.

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

If America since Jan 2025 hasn’t broken your heart, you haven’t loved her enough.

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

I swear, each month of 2025 will have its own history degree.

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

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

Their shamelessness is their super power.

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires Republicans to act in good faith.

If you’re gonna whine, it’s time to resign!

Dumb motherfuckers cannot understand a consequence that most 4 year olds have fully sorted out.

It is possible to do the right thing without the promise of a cookie.

The “burn-it-down” people are good with that until they become part of the kindling.

Republicans: slavery is when you own me. freedom is when I own you.

No Kings: Americans standing in the way of bad history saying “Oh, Fuck No!”

Usually wrong but never in doubt

Make the republican party small enough to drown in a bathtub.

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

I’m starting to think Jesus may have made a mistake saving people with no questions asked.

Fundamental belief of white supremacy: white people are presumed innocent, minorities are presumed guilty.

The gop is a fucking disgrace.

The arc of the moral universe does not bend itself. it is up to us to bend it.

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Reader Interactions

170Comments

  2. 2.

    MikeJ

    Ahhh. NYT linked to balloon juice in a Tiller post. No onder there’s an uptick in loons here today.

  8. 8.

    Colette

    @robertdsc:

    Hillary in a headscarf is nice.

    Eh, so what. I wore a headscarf when I visited that mosque (and every other one I visited in Egypt). One of the guardians actually thanked and complimented me for doing so. It’s such a basic mark of respect that I really hadn’t thought much about it, but those small indicators of respect, courtesy, or just acknowledgment that your ways aren’t the only ways in the world can go a long way – as both Hillary and Obama are smart enough to know.

    Edit: dunno why, but I assumed you were being sarcastic. Apologies if you’re not.

  9. 9.

    schrodinger's cat

    Hillary in a headscarf is nice

    Why does she wear those monochromatic pant suits in hideous colors, they don’t flatter her at all. May be Michelle could give her some fashion tips.

  12. 12.

    Zifnab25

    The NYT? No freakin’ kidding. Hey! If you guys are reading this?! You know who sucks? George Will. Just say’n.

  15. 15.

    The Saff

    What’s the link to the NY Times piece? I was looking at the post on Obama’s Cairo speech around lunchtime (EDT) but then had to do other things. Now I see there are about 300 comments.

  17. 17.

    BenA

    @Da Bomb:
    I just sort of wish that brand of special would wander back over to the comment section of FDL or wherever it came from… I like it over here because there’s a decided lack of self-rightiousness and self-importance.

  18. 18.

    kay

    @schrodinger’s cat:

    I like how HRC looks. She looks like most of the women of her age that I work with. The pantsuit, the clunky, colorful jewelry, the scarves.

    She probably wears them because they’re easy. Order, like, ten, and you’re good for a year. She spends half her life in an airplane.

  20. 20.

    gbear

    WHATEVER it is, it’s going to have to change a WHOLE LOT before it’s GOOD enough for ME!!

    Oh, excuse me, this is a new thread…

  21. 21.

    NonyNony

    @MikeJ:

    Ahhh. NYT linked to balloon juice in a Tiller post.

    I actually just dropped by to point this out to the proprietors. And to point out that someone might want to drop a line to the NYTimes and point out that the story they attribute to DougJ actually came from deekaa6. (i’m trying to figure out how to do this without just posting it on the comment thread, where I’m sure it won’t be read by the folks who need to fix it).

    They even link to the goddamn story that has deekaa6’s attribution on the top of it and a link to the original comment. It’s not like DougJ was passing this off as his own story. Yeesh.

  22. 22.

    Da Bomb

    @BenA: You know there was some interesting comments and conversation going on and then somebody went crazy…

    It just went to hell in a hand basket from there. I am going charge it to da game!! LOL!

  26. 26.

    The Saff

    I’m working at home today and there’s major Galtage on the part of the cats.

    Seems like pets should always precede an open thread.

  27. 27.

    Little Dreamer

    One commentator there, Doug J., told of learning – in the eighth month of pregnancy, that the twins his wife was carrying were conjoined, and were connected in such a way that “at best only one child would survive the surgery to separate them and the survivor would more than likely live a brief and painful life filled with surgery and organ transplants.” Doug and his wife made their way to the Wichita clinic…

    Really Doug, I had no idea!

    This is what qualifies as reporting these days?

  28. 28.

    Common Sense

    Yeah I saw that link to deekaa6’s tragic story in a sports forum a few days back when the conversation veered to Tiller as well. It’s making the rounds and having an impact.

  31. 31.

    Death By Mosquito Truck

    So has an auto-erotica asphyxiation accident claimed another victim in David Carradine?

  37. 37.

    AhabTRuler

    @J.: As i do not suffer from that disability, I have plenty of time to pimp my kitty for the crowd’s enjoyment. If you are looking to pimp your own pet, I recommend posting yer own pics and linking to them, as Cole is a slacker on the pet pics.

  40. 40.

    Crashman06

    @Laura W: Probably not, but auto-erotic asphyxiation is a tad risky… You’d have to be lucky to last to 71 with a fetish like that.

  42. 42.

    gbear

    @Dreggas:

    That’s going to be a weird story to watch play out. Turner was saying stuff about how he thought his listeners had enough bullets to take his hate-objects out, which strikes me as certifiably threatening, but the crazies are going to see this as the first battle in trying to put them all into ‘re-education centers’. It’s going to be extremely not pretty.

  47. 47.

    Dreggas

    @gbear:

    Yeah there are a few diaries on the rec-list at dKos about this including ones reprinting email threats a diarist received from Turner and those were turned over to the police as well.

    It won’t be pretty to watch this unfold.

  48. 48.

    gbear

    @Death By Mosquito Truck: Guess I couldn’t say, I turn 55 in a couple weeks and the urge has never crossed my mind, but I’m kind of boring that way.

    Maybe I should broaden my horizons… in a non-lethal way, of course.

  51. 51.

    dlw32

    David Carradine apparently committed suicide. I’m shocked and saddened. I have very fond memories of Kung Fu as a kid.

  54. 54.

    Da Bomb

    @dlw32: I just watched an old movie with David Carradine and Chuck Norris the other night.

    Lone Wolf McQuade? I think. The movie oozed with cheesy action.

  55. 55.

    gbear

    bundling

    Given what bundling did for the stock market, I’m not putting it anywhere near my manhood. Sorry. No.

  56. 56.

    Ninerdave

    @Laura W:

    Oh, my! Never heard of such a thing.

    The practice was limited to the winter and sometimes the use of a bundling board, placed between the boy and girl, ensured that no sexual conduct would take place. More often, this rule was merely implicit, and was not always honored. In Colonial America, for instance, there are known instances of bundling leading to premarital pregnancies

    Ya think?

  57. 57.

    gwangung

    Mixed feelings about Carradine.

    Despised Kung Fu. Hollywood Orientalism. And if you had to have it, how about some…ahem…authentic Asian actors. Like….Bruce Lee? (And I definitely didn’t appreciate the eyelid appliances).

    Apparently, Carradine couldn’t escape the stereotyping from the series, coming back for a revival, and couldn’t transcend it, constantly taking roles in martial arts movies. That became more of a pity for me than annoyance.

    But still working at 71 is not a bad thing at all…

  58. 58.

    MikeJ

    I just watched an old movie with David Carradine and Chuck Norris the other night.

    His best role had to be Woody in Bound for Glory, shot by Haskell Wexler.

  60. 60.

    Persia

    Re: Carradine– Apparently the original BBC news report said he had rope around his neck ‘and genitals,’ which is where the autoerotic suspicions come from.

  62. 62.

    Laura W

    @Ninerdave: Nor had I until Bill E. Pilgrim turned me on to it, so to speak.
    I just love the idea of being wrapped in blankets and forcing the man to talk to me all night without touching me.

  65. 65.

    AhabTRuler

    @Persia: The have cleaned up the language a little, it now reads:

    the 72-year-old was found naked by a hotel maid in a wardrobe with a cord around his neck and other parts of his body.

    This, of course, leads me to ask: do the hotel’s maids often do their work whilst traveling around in a wardrobe?

  66. 66.

    gex

    @Laura W:

    Thai police told the BBC the 72-year-old was found by a hotel maid sitting in a wardrobe with a rope around his neck and genitals on Thursday morning. The US star was in Thailand filming his latest film Stretch, according to his personal manager Chuck Binder. Mr Binder said the news was “shocking”, adding: “He was full of life, always wanting to work… a great person.”

    Seems pretty clear cut. Can’t believe the media is calling this a suicide and not an accident.

  67. 67.

    Death By Mosquito Truck

    Can’t believe the media is calling this a suicide and not an accident.

    He prolly died before orgasm. Without the presence of ejaculate, it’s a suicide.

  69. 69.

    Death By Mosquito Truck

    I finally get to showcase my expertise on Balloon-juice. (Masturbation)

  70. 70.

    2th&nayle

    So what are they trying to say? That he had the singular sensation of coming and going at the same time? Well, bless his heart, where ever he is! RIP.

  72. 72.

    Death By Mosquito Truck

    @Laura W: Yeah, but I can’t compete with this:

    I only regret that I have to go do something else for two hours right now

  73. 73.

    Comrade Dread

    Yeah there are a few diaries on the rec-list at dKos about this including ones reprinting email threats a diarist received from Turner and those were turned over to the police as well.

    It won’t be pretty to watch this unfold.

    Should I consider myself blessed that I have no idea who Hal Turner is?

  75. 75.

    gbear

    @Comrade Dread:

    I didn’t know who he was until yesterday (although I think I’d heard about some of his escapades before that). Grade A hate-spewing creep who, unfortunately, may have some minions. Not much else you need to know.

  76. 76.

    John Cole

    I just got back from Kitty Prison. Was not as impressed with Shayla this time around.

    I did, however, find a dog who I am going back to check out tomorrow. 4 year old terrier/chihuaha mix named Missy, who was rescued from a crazy cat lady who had 22 cats and 4 dogs. Missy is a touch neurotic and afraid of everything, but very sweet. I’m going to visit her this next week and see how things work out. It took an hour, but I got her to stop shaking and to lie down while I pet her, but she is going to need a lot of work.

    I wasn’t even going to look at dogs today, but as I was leaving, I saw her through the glass looking at me and she was just so sad and scared.

  78. 78.

    Anne Laurie

    Can’t believe the media is calling this a suicide and not an accident.

    A thousand editors are frantically trying to decide which term is less liable to get them sued by an angry family member. Another thousand, from the official infotainment wing of the industry, are curled up on their office floors squicked out by the thought of anyone past the age of 29 even wanting to have sex.

  79. 79.

    Death By Mosquito Truck

    Can’t they just call it an accidental suicide? Without a note, they’ll never be able to prove it was intentional.

    Of course, it’s entirely possible he was a victim of the soon-to-be-notorious Bind, Hang & Masturbate (BHM) killer.

  80. 80.

    jibeaux

    @John Cole:

    My son noticed on his school lunch menu, which also features important info like National Frozen Foods Week or whatever, that June is Adopt a Shelter Cat Month.

    I have two kids but I don’t want the extra responsibility of a cat and I don’t particularly like them, and now — because of a school lunch menu — I’m doomed.

  81. 81.

    tripletee (formerly tBone)

    @John Cole:

    I wasn’t even going to look at dogs today, but as I was leaving, I saw her through the glass looking at me and she was just so sad and scared.

    Wait until you get her home and Tunch tries to eat her.

  82. 82.

    John Cole

    @jibeaux: If you have two kids, you won’t even notice the burden of a cat. Scoop the shit every morning, throw down some food, and then prepare to be ignored.

  83. 83.

    gbear

    @jibeaux:

    Tell the kids that June is also GLBT month and that you’d rather focus on that. That’ll quiet ’em down quick.

  84. 84.

    binzinerator

    @Laura W:

    I just love the idea of being wrapped in blankets and forcing the man to talk to me all night without touching me.

    Christ, that reminds me an awful lot of the first six months of my first marriage, which is exactly why…..damn…

    Patricia? That’s you, isn’t it?

    Never did find a man who was able to do that while being madly in love with you, did you?

  85. 85.

    tripletee (formerly tBone)

    @Death By Mosquito Truck:

    Of course, it’s entirely possible he was a victim of the soon-to-be-notorious Bind, Hang & Masturbate (BHM) killer.

    Why not Bind, Tug and Kill (BTK)?

  86. 86.

    jibeaux

    Ah, differing advice.

    I don’t really want the hair, furniture abuse, vet bills, or another item in the vacation planning checklist, either. But I’ll let you know how it turns out.

  91. 91.

    gbear

    @John Cole:

    Scoop the shit every morning, throw down some food, and then prepare to be ignored.

    That’s a pretty good summation, but you forgot the part about the non-stop worry whenever you try to take a trip anywhere for more than two days.

  94. 94.

    AhabTRuler

    but you forgot the part about the non-stop worry whenever you try to take a trip anywhere for more than two days.

    I recommend a Siamese, that way, when you get back, you can hear all about it.

    I made the mistake of leaving Momo in the bedroom with the door closed for 20 minutes. The rest of the night, she was all “meow, meow, meeeeoooow, meow, meow, MEOW!” And bear in mind that she doesn’t talk as near as much as a purebred does.

  95. 95.

    Laura W

    @Carrie: Don’t get emotionally invested in this, Carrie, I warn you. John’s been trying to decide on The One since last November, at least, when he decided to get a friend for Tunch for Christmas. It’s best to just detach and distance yourself. Turn it over. Be the flow. The erratic Roller Coaster Ride of Caring will kill you.
    Or so I’ve heard.

  96. 96.

    Comrade Dread

    I don’t really want the hair, furniture abuse, vet bills, or another item in the vacation planning checklist, either. But I’ll let you know how it turns out.

    Outdoor cats are nice. I have two that came with my house (one was abandoned by her owner, the other abandoned his owner.)

    Just put food and water out, pet them when you want to, and they will pretty much ignore you until a cool winter evening when you’re trying to leave to take your wife on a date and they are refusing to move from the warm hood of your car despite the nice kittie shelter with clean blankets that you spend $50 on sitting on the front porch.

  97. 97.

    geg6

    Laura W: This is where we part ways on the twins from different mothers thing. I spent 18 years with an asshole who, though he would not recognize the term, thought bundling WAS sex (unless, of course, it was with someone else). I’ll keep my cuurent man and no damn bundling, thank you very much. Oh, and I meant to tell you last night that my Crackberry won’t let me use the little arrows to reply. I’ll try to remember to reference the post number when in those long threads. But remember…I’m menopausal and you know we females lose our minds when that happens, so I may forget.

  98. 98.

    Anne Laurie

    I did, however, find a dog who I am going back to check out tomorrow. 4 year old terrier/chihuaha mix named Missy, who was rescued from a crazy cat lady who had 22 cats and 4 dogs. Missy is a touch neurotic and afraid of everything, but very sweet. I’m going to visit her this next week and see how things work out. It took an hour, but I got her to stop shaking and to lie down while I pet her, but she is going to need a lot of work.

    Poor little punkin! The good news is, if you *do* bring Missy home and work with her, she’ll bond to you like Velcro. The bad news is, once she’s bonded, she will HateHateHATE your every potential romantic partner for the rest of her life. So you have to weigh the date-bait advantages of a guy toting a cute lil fluffy doggie who obviously adores him versus said fluffly doggie’s snarling, tantrums, and potential shoe-befouling / panty-eating revenge against your dates.

    Of course, that means that if you adopt Missy, certain persons among the BJ commentariat would legally be required to stop giving you grief over your, ahem, monastic social life.

    If you do decide to bring her home with you, will the shelter let you drop off a new crate for her to field-test a fews days in advance? Since she’s spooky about changes (and who could blame her) giving her the opportunity to establish her new ‘den’ as a Safe Place before she’s hit with the stress of adapting to you & your apartment & of course The Great & Mighty Tunch might be helpful. Depending on what the shelter volunteers can handle, even leaving a old t-shirt or towel that smells like you & Tunch in the kennel with her before you bring her home might help her cope.

  100. 100.

    Brachiator

    @MikeJ:

    His best role had to be Woody in Bound for Glory

    Do you realize how unintentionally suggestive this is?

    Sorry. Couldn’t resist.

    On the other hand, Bound For Glory is a great movie.

    … shot by Haskell Wexler.

    Haskell Wexler actually knew Woody Guthrie, from their days in the Merchant Marine and had hoped to direct a film about the musician, but was glad to do the cinematography for director Hal Ashby.

    It’s odd that Carradine’s death is being called a suicide. I wouldn’t think that a person would go through the elaborate rope-work, with the implied sexual aspect, if the intention was just to die.

  105. 105.

    Laura W

    @tripletee (formerly tBone):

    Dutch Oven
    verb
    1. to fart under the bed covers while in bed with another person, then pull those covers over their head so they’re forced to smell it.
    I Dutch Ovened my girlfriend last night.

    Point very well taken.

  106. 106.

    geg6

    Anne Laurie, I must disagree. My man’s two rescued dogs, both found in horrific circumstances, are definitely bonded to him. But they absolutely adore me, too. Especially Henry, who is the bestest damn dog who ever walked the earth. No dispespect to Otis, either, as he’s the second best.

  107. 107.

    dmsilev

    @John Cole:

    @jibeaux: If you have two kids, you won’t even notice the burden of a cat. Scoop the shit every morning, throw down some food, and then prepare to be ignored.

    Hang on a sec. Are those the instructions for the cat, or for the kids?

    -dms

  109. 109.

    Da Bomb

    @John Cole: You also forgot about the incessantly meowpurrscreaming and the string of positions, yoga-like and acrobatic that are involved in a cat licking its nether regions.

  110. 110.

    Brachiator

    @MikeJ:

    That was the first Steadicam movie, IIRC.

    Probably the first, but there may be a little dispute or confusion over this:

    Bound For Glory includes the now-leg endary shot in which Steadicam inventor Garrett Brown descends from a cherry picker, picks up Guthrie (David Carradine) in a migrant camp, and walks with him through the crowd. It was one of the first times the new device was used in a major feature, and it spawned all the imitators.

    According to Wiki, “Marathon Man (1976) was the first feature released with Steadicam shots (although these were shot after Bound for Glory)”

    I just love the idea of being wrapped in blankets and forcing the man to talk to me all night without touching me.

    I would bet that very, very, very few men would think of this as a favorite fantasy.

  111. 111.

    Laura W

    @Brachiator:

    I would bet that very, very, very few men would think of this as a favorite fantasy.

    Oh c’mon all y’all. I was half kidding.

    Besides, IIRC, you posted a charming screed months ago about giving your wife what you know she wants and needs, which is not necessarily what you want and need, right? I’ve always associated you with that post, which I can’t find now to save my life, of course.
    But it was lovely.

  112. 112.

    Brachiator

    Oh c’mon all y’all. I was half kidding.

    I took your comment in all good fun and humor, even if that did not come through clearly in my reply.

    I blame WordPress.

  113. 113.

    Laura W

    @Anne Laurie:

    A thousand editors are frantically trying to decide which term is less liable to get them sued by an angry family member.

    I’ve watched Tweety, Ed, and Bri Bri Williams thus far. Not one mention of his death. (Unless I was in another room and missed it.)
    The silence is deafening.

  115. 115.

    Brachiator

    @Xanthippas:

    I predict Magic in 6. Okay that’s more of a wish, but still…

    I have to go with Lakers in 6. But it may be a tougher series than some might think.

    Meanwhile, big OT: Britain’s parliament has been rocked by scandals, as MPs have been forced to resign over abuse of expenses. What they could get away with when the economy was good, becomes intolerable when times are bad.

    And now it may sweep the Prime Minister from office (Coup de grace for Brown? Minister No3 quits Cabinet and thrusts a dagger into Gordon’s heart)

    James Purnell sensationally quit the Cabinet last night in a move designed to end Gordon Brown’s premiership within days. The young Blairite pretender left the Prime Minister on the brink by resigning and telling him to leave Number 10 for the good of the party.

    Look for wingnuts here to start pushing for a parliamentary system.

  116. 116.

    tripletee (formerly tBone)

    @Anne Laurie:

    potential shoe-befouling / panty-eating

    Let’s be honest – there’s a good chance of this happening on one of John’s dates, dog or no dog.

  117. 117.

    freelancer

    The crazies have been amusing me rather than the usual ‘head-exploding stupidity’ that just hurts.

    Rush Limbaugh: “It’s really uncool to be white male today.” & “On minorities: “The days of them not having any power are over, and they are angry”
    Pam Gellar (beyond spoofable): “The media can spin their subjugation and adulation a million different ways, but America did not vote for a “Muslim presidency,” which is what this is. Obama deceitfully hid his Muslim background and schooling and his agenda.”

    Drexl Spivey: He must have thought it was white boy day. It ain’t white boy day, is it?
    Marty: No man, It ain’t white boy day.

  118. 118.

    Azhrie139

    A lurker here. Completely off topic, but I was feeling trollish. Email to new AEI blog:

    “I am somewhat grateful for AEIs expansion into satirical blogging a la Jon Swift, Wonkette, Rumproast, Balloon Juice. I think that many blogs on the internet too frequently take themselves too seriously and are not willing to indulge in humor. However, I do have a concern. AEI has long been know for its upstanding, independent peer reviewed research into many foreign policy and domestic issues. What is AEI doing to insure that this more light hearted endeavor will not endanger AEI’s reputation by those who might misinterpret it? Especially since there is some limited evidence that nearly half the population may be unable to adequately process sarcasm . In any case, I look forward to laughing it up in future months.”

    Response pending.

  119. 119.

    Carrie

    @Laura W:
    I know, you’re right….but goddamnit, I just wish he’d get one and be done with it.
    I’m falling in love with all of these beasties as mister procrastinator is dragging us along on this roller coaster ride.
    GAH!!!!!!
    I’m just gonna skip over any post/comment he starts with “so I went to the pound today….”

  120. 120.

    Laura W

    @tripletee (formerly tBone):

    Let’s be honest – there’s a good chance of this happening on one of John’s dates, dog or no dog.

    Not to mention that our host has already publicly stated that he would “not want to be a member of any club that would have him as a member” (as pertains to marriage, IIRC?), so I’m thinking that Little Missy may have a very pampered and loving new life ahead of her. I mean, with no competition and all.

    @Carrie:

    I’m just gonna skip over any post/comment he starts with “so I went to the pound today….”

    That’s my girl. It’s tough, I know. How well I know. But honestly, how much anticipatory heartache can one animal-loving commenter bear?

  121. 121.

    tripletee (formerly tBone)

    @Laura W:

    I’m thinking that Little Missy may have a very pampered and loving new life ahead of her.

    All I know is, if he starts posting pictures of her dressed up in pink doggie sweaters and little booties, I’m out.

  122. 122.

    tc125231

    @Zifnab25:

    The NYT? No freakin’ kidding. Hey! If you guys are reading this?! You know who sucks? George Will.

    No shi*t.

  125. 125.

    Anne Laurie

    @geg6:

    My man’s two rescued dogs, both found in horrific circumstances, are definitely bonded to him. But they absolutely adore me, too. Especially Henry, who is the bestest damn dog who ever walked the earth. No disrespect to Otis, either, as he’s the second best.

    Geg6, it wounds my feminist heart to admit this (/sarcasm), but boy dogs and girl dogs are different. The Spousal Unit & I brought our girl Flicker, aka Buta-Hime-Sama (Most Honorable Princess Pig), home from the breeder just before her first birthday. She was going through an unfortunate adolescent stage & looked like the papillon version of Sandra Bernhardt — all mouth, legs & attitude. The SU wasn’t sure at first sight that he could live with such a ‘funny-looking’ dog, but Flicker courted him assiduously & shamelessly… while ignoring me as much as she thought she could get away with. It’s been almost 15 years since then, and for approximately 14-and-3/4 years Buta-chan has been Daddy’s Little Princess… while I have been assigned a dual role: half Wicked Stepmother, half Inferior Goshdarned Maid Servant.

    Miss Princess also shares her home (not graciously) with 3 cats and two rescue papillon boys. Both Zevon and Sydney pay slightly more attention to me than to the SU, all things being equal, but neither of them makes a giant friggin’ all-singing all-dancing production over it. I’ve been lucky enough to get to know dogs of all breeds, backgrounds, and dispositions over the past 30 years, and it’s been my experience that if there is going to be jealousy & possessiveness & Drama, at least 75% of the time it’ll be a female dog ‘resource-guarding’ her human male companion. Doesn’t mean I don’t love my girls, or that I’d want to discourage anyone from adopting one, but I also believe in the Fair Warning principle for dogs who’ve already suffered the trauma of losing one or more homes.

  126. 126.

    Laura W

    @asiangrrlMN: Yes, thank you for noticing. That would be my Sadie, AKA, Perfect Low Maintenance Cat. Here she is, refreshing BJ on Inauguration Morning.

    And here she is in her BJ debut. That feels like forever ago by now. I think this site ages you quickly.

    She is the most undemanding, acquiescent, loving, easy going cat ever. I furminated her today for 5 minutes and got enough fur to re-carpet the living room.

    Annie is her nemesis. Annie has picked on Sadie mercilessly since I fostered her, two years ago. I fought adopting Annie for months specifically BECAUSE she tormented Sadie so. Drove me mad. Annie is a little instigator. For whatever reason, she lives to bully Sadie, but pretty much leaves the two geriatrics, and the dog, alone. I am forever telling them to “Be nice to your sister”, breaking up fights, and trying to reward them with Temptations within inches of each other. Baby steps.

  127. 127.

    asiangrrlMN

    @Laura W: Aw, poor Sadie being picked on like that by Annie. The funny thing is that Sadie could probably take down Annie if she wanted. I can’t get over how beautiful and stunning Sadie is. I love her paws, too. Wow. I only have two cats (both boys, brothers), so I have never had to deal with the cat hierarchies. Sure, my boys fight from time to time, but they really are bonded.

    I hope Annie simmers down around Sadie. They could be great friends. They look like they’re taking steps in that direction.

    Dang. I just took one more peek. Sadie is truly one of a kind.

  128. 128.

    Little Dreamer

    When someone puts a bajillion links (#344) in a post after calls for the president to be physically removed from his chair, dragged and taken out to be verbally assaulted (#253), do you just automatically take that post out of moderation and allow it to be posted?

    Is that thread being moderated?

    Has anyone seen what mclaren is doing? Why does it seem no front pagers are aware of what is going on over on the “The Part That I Think Will Resonate” thread?

  130. 130.

    Laura W

    @Steeplejack: I think there have been four new open threads opened since I saw this post from you and went to fetch you a song.

    If you will meet me at John’s open hockey whatever thread, I will post for you there.

  131. 131.

    Wile E. Quixote

    @The Saff

    I’m working at home today and there’s major Galtage on the part of the cats.
    Seems like pets should always precede an open thread.

    Yeah, my neighbor’s cat Ringo went Galt in my garage and I didn’t know about it until I got home this afternoon and found a note from my neighbor asking to let him out and another note from his daughter saying that she would give me a dollar if I bought Ringo back. I let Ringo out (he’d been there since last night) and went over and apologized for his inadvertent captivity (he apparently walked in while I had the door open and didn’t get out before I closed it) and told Delia that she didn’t have to give me a dollar for letting her kitty go.

  132. 132.

    Steeplejack

    @Laura W:

    Yeah, what the hell is going on?! I get home on a rare early evening from the part-time gig, I put down the hard hat and the Malcolm X lunchbox by the door, I fix a drink and fire up the computer, and suddenly I’m doing a full Danny Thomas spit-take because there is a Balloon Juice thread with almost 400 comments. In 10 hours. Not involving cats.

    I remember the favorite-driving-music thread or the book-readin’ thread getting to 200-300 comments, but that was over several days, and I got a nosebleed a couple of times and I think I actually passed out once. And I had to sleep for 20 hours or so afterwards to recuperate. This is a whole different thing. Frankly, I don’t know if I can step up my game to this level.

    Is this all because the New York Times deigned to recognize DougJ’s touching abortion story? And that wasn’t even by him, anyway.

    Okay, will hotfoot it over to the hockey thread to rendezvous with you there.

  135. 135.

    Laura W

    @Steeplejack:

    Yeah, what the hell is going on?!

    Honestly? I wouldn’t even worry about scanning the thread. (Because I monitored it for you, for most of the day.) It was mostly a few regulars accusing another regular of being a troll, with others jumping in here and there. Frankly, nothing new. Nothing interesting. Just the usual bantering, goading, provoking and egging on for the sake of…Uh…I honestly don’t know why it’s interesting or time-worthy for these folks, but to each their own.

  136. 136.

    Anne Laurie

    I fought adopting Annie for months specifically BECAUSE she tormented Sadie so. Drove me mad. Annie is a little instigator. For whatever reason, she lives to bully Sadie, but pretty much leaves the two geriatrics, and the dog, alone. I am forever telling them to “Be nice to your sister”, breaking up fights, and trying to reward them with Temptations within inches of each other. Baby steps.

    I feel your pain. Zevon & Sydney are engaged in a constant low-grade guerilla war for Alpha Dog status. Zevon’s got the edge in experience & ‘territorial ownership’, but Sydney’s got the advantage of youth & drive. Sooner or later, Sydney’s gonna WIN, but so far Zevon’s determination & my own rank favoritism have kept Puppybastrd’s vast ambitions divided between sniping & sucking-up. Objectively things would be quieter around here if the Spousal Unit hadn’t committed the venial sin of ‘impulse adopting’ Syd Viscous, but as the SU rebuts, how many people are lucky enough to have the time & attention to re-train an “unhousebreakable” two-time-loser who was also the World’s Ugliest Papillon?

    (Ironically, if I were still energetic enough to pursue AKC obedience / agility titles… the reason, Spousal Unit reminds me, I nagged him into letting me get our first dog decades ago… Sydney is a far better prospect, because he’s not only smart & speedy & physically sound, he’s only the second dog we’ve ever owned who actually likes Knowing Stuff and practicing his skill sets. As the saying goes, be careful what you wish for!)

  138. 138.

    Elie

    My two guys, Bill and Buddy alternately fight and then snuggle together.

    Bill is the senior citizen at 17 years. Buddy is 10 and I think that while he does chase and torment Bill from time to time — he also keeps Bill “young” — and I see Bill stalking and jumping Buddy as well from time to time.

    Buddy always eats whatever Bill is eating — he will pick to eat from Bill’s bowl even if his own is full. Says something about the biologic imperative for greed and envy doesnt it?

  139. 139.

    Laura W

    @asiangrrlMN: There are so many brilliant and funny people who hang out and comment here. I mean, really crazy smart funny people. Unfortunately, the threads are so often easily derailed into nonsensical rehashing of the same two points/sides of a story, over and over, for 400 comments, or regulars who know better fighting with a spoof troll just to hear the sound of their own voices. Or people responding to every single other poster just to feel heard and seen.

    So much brilliance and potential in one place. I guess we all have our individual motives for posting and participating.

  140. 140.

    Steeplejack

    @Laura W:

    I like 12-string guitars. I like Joni.

    Was coming back from an art exhibition Sunday night with two yoots, and her version of “Woodstock” came on the radio. Mentioned how much I liked it and that I hadn’t heard it in a while, and I was shocked–shocked!–that I had to explain the whole thing. Felt like a pedantic dillweed, but the kids have to be skooled, damn it. The future is in their hands.

  141. 141.

    Wile E. Quixote

    @Anne Laurie

    Miss Princess also shares her home (not graciously) with 3 cats and two rescue papillon boys. Both Zevon and Sydney pay slightly more attention to me than to the SU, all things being equal, but neither of them makes a giant friggin’ all-singing all-dancing production over it.

    You have a dog named “Zevon”? You are so cool.

  142. 142.

    Anne Laurie

    You have a dog named “Zevon”? You are so cool.

    Nope, but Zevon is!

    (Someday I’ll share the story of how he earned that name.)

  143. 143.

    asiangrrlMN

    @Laura W: I admit, I participate from time to time, but for the most part, when I realize that it’s just going around and around and around, I step back.

    @Chuck Butcher: Ooooh, I missed you posting that here. Still just as damn sexy the second time around.

  144. 144.

    Little Dreamer

    Excuse me for creating a problem here, but I would like someone from the blog to visit the “The Part That I Think Will Resonate the Most” thread and check out the advocating of violence that is going on there (dragging Obama out of the White House by a million protestors and verbally assaulting him).

    I am about to notify the FBI. I have not done so yet. I will reconsider doing so if the proprietors of this blog address this situation (notice I am not asking that you perform any certain acts, just address it, please).

  145. 145.

    SrirachaHotSauce

    @Laura W:

    Are you serious? You’ll do twenty posts on the level of “I’m on my period and flowing really heavy today” and you are going to crap all over other posters because you don’t like the thread?

    Jesus. At least the “Mclaren goes crazy” thread was about a subject related to the top post, and current affairs. Not about somebody’s personal deep thoughts about their own personal deep thoughts about whether they are in the mood for a personal deep thought.

  146. 146.

    Laura W

    @SrirachaHotSauce: Yeah, I’m serious. I don’t talk about my menstrual flow here. Find one link to one post where I’ve mentioned my period here to back up your bogus assertion that I’ve done 20 posts on that subject.

    That thread was tedious and redundant. That’s my opinion. Take it or leave it. Since when do you care what I think anyway? I didn’t mention you by name anyway. Feeling guilty about something are we?
    Have you run out of other regulars to bully and I’m up again?
    Leave it alone. It’s best. Trust me.

  147. 147.

    SrirachaHotSauce

    That thread was tedious and redundant. That’s my opinion. Take it or leave it. Since when do you care what I think anyway? I didn’t mention you by name anyway. Feeling guilty about something are we?
    Have you run out of other regulars to bully and I’m up again?
    Leave it alone.

    Ah, the “How dare you bash me” crap you always do.

    Leave it alone? Who appointed you the “thread scanner” to browse a heated topic and then sit over here and crap on the participants? And then of course, be immune to any criticism of it. I mean, how dare anyone say something untoward about you?

    You want to suit up and do the I Don’t Like You routine with me, Laura? Strap it on and let’s go. Bring your A game.

    No, the hit and run is your style. You know what that thread over there was about? Even crazy-ass mclaren deserves this nod: It was about people standing up for what they thought. Something you might try sometime. You really want to crap on the people in that thread? Well here we are, the floor is yours. Crap away. But first wear your raingear, because crap flies both ways.

    Oh, sorry to step on your five thousandth Joni Mitchell worship thread.

  148. 148.

    Laura W

    @SrirachaHotSauce: Oh Good Lord. I had no idea my opinions mattered this much to you. Apparently I’ve hurt you. Gosh you sound angry. I apologize. Really. I had no idea you had this many repressed, hostile feelings where I was concerned. I thought you had grown sorta tolerant, at least, of me, if not semi-affectionate. Where on earth is all this coming from, I wonder?

    Well, I will certainly spend some time having a bunch of personal deep thoughts about this whole interaction as soon as I can be sure I am in the mood to have some personal deep thoughts about this whole interaction.

  150. 150.

    SrirachaHotSauce

    @Laura W:

    You do that. But whatever you do, don’t ever take a strong position on something and then have to defend it against a hail of bullets.

    You might bore the pet bloggers, and we all know, that’s the most important thing. Right?

    mclaren is crazy … seriously, crazy, which is what most of the latter part of that hateful thread is about …. but at least he will go toe to toe and defend his view. For that I give him at least a one-day pass.

    Seriously, you should try that some time. Maybe you could start a flame war over some wine preference?

    Screw you and your zinfandel! Put a cork in it!

    Heh.

    People come here with all sorts of different agendas, Laura. Different styles, different ways of interacting. I’m really sorry that some of it has to be about subjects that are not an alcoholic beverage or a pet or a popular music preference. Really, I am. I apologize to you for that.

  152. 152.

    Laura W

    @SrirachaHotSauce: You said:

    It was about people standing up for what they thought. Something you might try sometime.

    I said:

    That thread was tedious and redundant. That’s my opinion. Take it or leave it.

    I believe I’ve met your criterion.

    And I honestly don’t know why one comment from me could rattle you so much. Sounds like you’ve got some issues to take up with me, or someone else. Hope you work it out soon. Night night, TZ.

    Edit: If you’re really interested in strong position taking, you can look back through the abortion threads. I think I was pretty firm there.

  153. 153.

    SrirachaHotSauce

    @Laura W:

    Tedious and redundant.

    Translation: What, no Joni Mitchell? What, people expressing strong (maybe even CRAZEEEEEE) opinions about stuff that I’m not interested in?

    Bo-Ring! Who let THEM in here? Eeew.

  154. 154.

    SrirachaHotSauce

    Sounds like you’ve got some issues to take up with me

    Uh, that might require having an actual argument, and that’s against your policy, apparently.

    Let’s talk about cats. That’s a nice safe subject.

  155. 155.

    SrirachaHotSauce

    Edit: If you’re really interested in strong position taking, you can look back through the abortion threads. I think I was pretty firm there.

    I am glad to hear that. Perhaps eventual agreement is possible here. Ya never know.

  158. 158.

    JPK

    Haven’t heard from John in awhile. Hope he’s not mopping the bathroom again preparatory to a shower. He may not luck out this time, and there’s definitely a vibe going through all over this place tonight. Best wishes to all…

  159. 159.

    Steeplejack

    Lots o’ crazy flying around tonight. Was not prepared for all-night Bergman on Turner Classic Movies–Ingmar, not Ingrid–to be a palliative. Wild Strawberries now, Persona and Hour of the Wolf to follow. Good times. At least the Swedish sounds nice. And I had forgotten that Max von Sydow was ever young. Well, relatively young.

  162. 162.

    TenguPhule

    Let’s talk about cats. That’s a nice safe subject.

    No it’s not.

    Let’s talk about food.

  164. 164.

    Persia

    @AhabTRuler: It’s a dirty job but someone’s got to do it.

    Food is not a safe subject. I’m up at this stupid hour because I had too much fried chicken. Ah, but it was so tasty.

  166. 166.

    Wile E. Quixote

    @AhabTRuler

    @Persia: I hear ya. I am up b/c unemployment + daytime naps = late nights.

    Yeah, same here. I’m torn between finding another job in IT or just chucking it all and spending the rest of my days working on creating the greatest dick joke of all time. I’ll probably just get another job in IT though (hopefully) because I like working in IT and having a house and eating regularly and stuff and I’m not sure that I’m cut out for the kind of rigorous and thoroughgoing regimen of self-denial and ascetism that a quest to create the greatest dick joke of all time would entail. But a man can dream, can’t he?

  167. 167.

    AhabTRuler

    @Wile E. Quixote: Yeah, well, I read your post in the other open thread, and, well, between you, me, and the NYT staffer who has been cherry-picking these comments, stick with IT, it will be safer for all of us.

  168. 168.

    grendelkhan

    @Laura W: It was mostly a few regulars accusing another regular of being a troll, with others jumping in here and there.

    Well, someone recognizes me. Thanks. While I’ve gotten personal attacks before, being labeled a troll is something new.

    Yesterday seems profoundly… surreal, in retrospect. I suppose this is why it’s a bad idea to let myself get so involved. This is also, I think, the first time I’ve ever been directly involved in stirring up a thread (though this wasn’t my intent) for the host to come in with the nuclear option. I didn’t know people did that sort of thing.

  169. 169.

    grendelkhan

    Pardon me; the edit window expired, so I’ll finish up here.

    No, I don’t think there’s anything productive about fantasies of violent revolution–for several reasons, there–but I’m disappointed that John sees the entire thing as a waste of time that has made him dumber for reading it. It was at least somewhat edifying for me, and I thought I was starting to have a good back-and-forth with kay. Oh, well.

  170. 170.

    Common Sense

    @grendelkhan:

    FWIW I appreciated your input and thought you were jumped on a bit (the Clinton/voter/too young to know anything type posts in particular), but that tends to happen to everyone ’round these parts. Take solace in knowing that those hurling spooftroll accusations around are pretty much universally on their umpteenth handle themselves and just take it for granted that’s what everyone else does too.

    That being said I do agree with John and others’ take that you can’t just take everything immediately, but rather have to change the mindset of people to make permanent change. I saw this mindset in Obama early on actually. There was an interview he gave that came to the blogosphere b/c the righties lost it over something (I forget what exactly — IIRC it had something to do with what he looks for in a judge, but it didn’t mention empathy). In this interview Obama criticized social movements of earlier eras for acting to quickly through court rulings, leading to a sustained resistance by some activists bolstered by polls showing the majority of Americans are “on their side.” I liken it to the abolitionist movement. A huge number of them were immediatists and wanted immediate repeal of slavery. There were also many (among them Lincoln) who were abolitionist, but gradualist. They believed in stifling slavery’s growth and allowing it to strangulate slowly. Not as morally righteous but a lot more doable.

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