Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Let’s delete this post and never speak of this again.

I’d try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

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

I know this must be bad for Joe Biden, I just don’t know how.

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

This really is a full service blog.

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

Everybody saw this coming.

if you can’t see it, then you are useless in the fight to stop it.

Putting aside our relentless self-interest because the moral imperative is crystal clear.

Putin must be throwing ketchup at the walls.

Being the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace.

Despite his magical powers, I don’t think Trump is thinking this through, to be honest.

I did not have telepathic declassification on my 2022 bingo card.

They fucked up the fucking up of the fuckup!

We cannot abandon the truth and remain a free nation.

If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!

In my day, never was longer.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Fuck these fucking interesting times.

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

Republican obstruction dressed up as bipartisanship. Again.

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Reader Interactions

81Comments

  1. 1.

    Hunter Gathers

    I’m going to got out on a limb and say that the Detroit Lions will win a game this year. You could say that they’re due.

  3. 3.

    Martin

    Joe seems to think that Tom won’t remember what it feels like to earn $15M to work for 15 minutes.

  4. 4.

    Bad Horse's Filly

    OT: Between brushing the cats and cleaning the house, I just watched the pilot episode of Leverage (streaming, Netflix). Yummy. Can’t believe, as a Closer and Saving Grace fan I missed this TNT original. (I blame that gawdawful pilot about the ad agency for making me skittish). Glad it came up in a open thread last night.

    I’m still not getting RSS feed in IE, but I do get it on IGoogle, so have no idea what’s going on there. All my other RSS feeds seem to be fine. Not a biggy, I check in here twice a day, regardless.

  5. 5.

    Max

    I am so ready for football season. My Bills have their season opener against the demon-seed Patriots on Monday night.

    For a Bills fan, this is the best time of the year, when I can be hopeful of things to come and excited for my team’s chances.

    The worst time of the year is immediately after their first play of the year, when I realize that we will yet again miss the playoffs.

  6. 6.

    James K. Polk, Esq.

    I’m on NFL fan hiatus until zombie Al Davis is summarily dispatched. Is it possible to stage an intervention?

  8. 8.

    geg6

    Yes, it is a good thing. If only to get the idiots who obviously are unfamiliar with the Steelers and the Rooneys to STFU about how the Steelers would be a good fit for Michael Vick. Are you fucking kidding me? The Black and Gold dump drama queens, they never take them on once the drama has unfolded.

  9. 9.

    smiley

    Just wondered over to Atlas Shrugged on a whim and, hoo boy, there’s some seriously scary shit there. I know that’s a shocking surprise to everyone here. Judging by that, in addition to the increase in anti Obama letters to the editor in the local paper, I starting to get seriously worried about some of my fellow citizens (cue steve s). Obama Derangement Syndrome is reaching epidemic proportions.

  10. 10.

    burnspbesq

    I do not get, and never have gotten, why otherwise sentient beings are interested in the NFL. But it’s not my place to kill the buzz, so I will just STFU until February. Knock yourselves out.

  12. 12.

    Joel

    I’m liking the Patriots this year.

    Go Tom Brady’s knee, go!

    Also, Leigh Bodden. Great under-the-radar signing.

  13. 13.

    smiley

    I grew up playing and loving football. I was a Cowboys fan as a kid because we were in their media market and the home-state team, the Saints, were so very, very bad for so many, many years. I became more of a Saints fan again during the Mora era when they finally started winning. I’ve lived the the media markets for 6 NFL teams since then and I’ve never been able to “get into” any of those teams. I check out how the Saints are doing every year, but because I can only watch 2-4 game a year, I don’t follow them all that closely. Now college football, OTOH, I’ll actually pay for pay-per-view to see my team play their non televised games. Because I went to one of the major football program schools, I only have to do that 1-2 times a season. Luckily.

  15. 15.

    Nylund

    I grew up in the Bay Area, huge Niner’s fan. Often saw Montana, Young, Rice, Craig, Lott, etc. at the local burger joint and as a kid got to thank them in person after a great game (even went to school with Roger Craig’s daughters for one year).

    But that was a long time ago and the Niners just make me sad now. I’m now fully absorbed with my SF Giants trying for the playoffs this year, so its I’ll be sad to see baseball end and football begin.

    Plus, I kinda love how in baseball there is a game almost every day, and it lasts for months and months. The whole “one game a week and the season is over in just a few months” of football seems like a lot of build up for very little actual game watching. Have a couple busy weeks or go on a vacation, and its like you missed half the season.

    But whatever, at least I’m no longer in Canada forced to watch unholy amounts of hockey.

  16. 16.

    Redshirt

    I am ready for some football. Big time. I am so excited for Fantasy Football this year. I’m doing research for weeks now.

    Also, in a bold prediction, the Patriots will win the Superbowl.

  18. 18.

    Sarcastro

    I do not get, and never have gotten, why otherwise sentient beings are interested in the NFL.

    Ditto. College ball is where its at!

    And you guys got your proball on my college ball! Please I beg of thee Der Flugenspagmonst, let this Kiffin guy be better at UT than Oakland. I know, I know; You answered my fervent prayers to sack the shit out of the fat ignorant redneck Fullmer and it is presumptuous for me to ask for more, but if ye do this for me I will gladly sacrifice a yak to you… or an Alabama fan. Your choice big guy.

  19. 19.

    Linkmeister

    Is this antipathy toward baseball a reaction to the admitted awfulness of the Pirates over the past umpty-fratz years, or is there more to it than that?

    To each his dagnab own. The Thump & Sprawl industry bores me to distraction.

  20. 20.

    burnspbesq

    @Sarcastro:

    “I will gladly sacrifice a yak to you… or an Alabama fan.”

    There’s a difference?

    And for the record, when Duke gets to a bowl game next season, I will stick a small piece of something dog-gack-orange in a pocket somewhere, as a small gesture of thanks for sending us David Cutcliffe instead of keeping him as your own head coach.

  21. 21.

    KG

    It’s almost football season? Huh, never would have noticed it here in southern California. Not much of a football fan these days, a passing interest in the Chargers, Niners, and possibly the Cardinals. I do tend to prefer the college game, but the hype, year in and year out about the same five teams, is starting to grate… the world according to ESPN and all that.

    I am going to miss this baseball season, with the Dodgers and Angels currently sitting with the two best records in baseball. But then I remember that basketball season is also near a return, and I figure I can go on.

  23. 23.

    KG

    I should add, it’s tough to be a football fan when your colligate alma mater didn’t have a program (Long Beach State) and there hasn’t been a pro team in your market for over a decade.

  24. 24.

    burnspbesq

    @Ben Richards:

    It does? No, I don’t think it does. What explains it is that I grew up as a soccer player in a town where soccer has always been bigger than football.

  25. 25.

    Tim (The Oher One)

    Tate at #14, you’re outta line !

    I am w/ KG, the Angels are rocking my world.

    Football (college) is fun. This year (due to #2 son’s enrollment) I’ll be cheering on the Humboldt State Lumberjacks in DIV II

    Still though; it’s like checkers to chess boys and girls.

    Baseball; the greatest game ever conceived.

  26. 26.

    Ash Can

    The long dark period (I think some of you call it baseball season summer) is about to end.

    Thanks fucking loads for rushing the season. You all might be looking forward to overcast 36-degree days with freezing drizzle, but not me.

  27. 27.

    Indylib

    I’m usually very excited for the beginning of football season, but I have a sneaking suspicion that my Broncos are in for an ugly season this year. New coach, new quarterback=crappy offense. I can’t imagine having to come in and try to start a new offensive program following on the heels of Mike Shanahan. I think we’re going to look like shit for at least the next 3 years, longer if the new coach doesn’t manage to stay.

  28. 28.

    KG

    Tim (The Other One) – I’m actually (much) more of a Dodger fan, but it’s always nice to see both local teams playing well. Keeps the dream of a Freeway Series alive.

  30. 30.

    MikeJ

    Five seconds of “action” followed by five minutes of standing around. American football is duller than cricket, and that’s saying a lot.

  31. 31.

    Punchy

    Indy– yes, your Bronx are so fucked. Take it from a die-hard Bears fan…….Kyle Orton couldn’t complete a bomb if he was trained by the Shia in Iraq. You’ll have BMarsh bitchin in every interview by week 3.

  32. 32.

    Comrade Darkness

    @Bubblegum Tate: Are you kidding? Half the MLB roster would drop dead of heat stroke if not a heart attack if they had to briskly walk 18 holes. Please.

  33. 33.

    Bob In Pacifica

    Out here in Ninerland we are ready for a resurgence. Things are looking up, talent is up, ass-clowns Nolan and Martz are gone. The future’s so bright I gotta wear shades.

    After Warner starts getting his AARP subscription and the guy who’s related to the woman on that morning talk show ends up on his back a couple of times it’ll be smooth sailing to the division title.

  34. 34.

    Jen R

    For you Rachel Alexandra fans, she’s running in the Haskell Invitational against colts this afternoon. It’s probably on teevee, or you can watch a live stream at monmouthpark.com. Also.

  35. 35.

    Indylib

    @Punchy: Yeah, I’m not too impressed with Orton so far and I’m less impressed with the new head coach that decided to trade him for Cutler. I’m not expecting anything this year except fugly, fugly football at Mile High.

  38. 38.

    Svensker

    @Max:

    I am so ready for football season. My Bills have their season opener against the demon-seed Patriots on Monday night.

    Go Bills! Not that I’m a Bills fan particularly, but it’d be lovely if they beat up the Patsies. I’m just really hoping the buzz that Bill Billyclub is going to pick up Michael Vick is true — it would be so fitting.

    God, I love football. And I’m a Jets fan. Just sucker-punch me now, somebody, please.

    Baseball, basketball, soccer? Meh. Football should be on all year — I’m hoping the new League will mean more football to watch. Huddle!

  39. 39.

    Argive

    @Mike E:

    Go Phillies go!

    John, you should be proud of your baseball team. They’re about to set quite the record: most consecutive losing seasons, with 17.

    Baseball; the greatest game ever conceived.

    Fucking A right.

  42. 42.

    JK

    OT

    Does anyone know of any Job Openings for an online researcher or fact checker in the New York City area?

  43. 43.

    Kryptik

    Sorry, JC, but unlike most WVers, I never gelled much on Steelers ball. I have little vested interest in any pro team these days to be honest. The only reason I have my eyes out on this season are two reasons. 1) the Pat White experiment in Miami (fingers crossed) and 2) seeing Slaton make a Pro Bowl this time around (again, fingers crossed).

    Aside from that, wake me when the playoffs come. Or when hockey season starts up again.

  44. 44.

    eric

    As a NYG fan let me just say that I pray for superbowls every year, but waxing the ‘Boys in that sepulcher they call a stadium is giving rise to druidian rituals.

    Love college games more but the season is so tainted by the BCS as to ruin the whole enterprise. Also.
    Eric

  45. 45.

    JGabriel

    amorphous:

    WORLDNETDAILY FOUND THE BIRFSERTIFIKIT!

    HAHAHA! The birthers claim that Obama’s “Certificate of Live Birth”, which is basically a certified state document meeting the legal requirements for proof of birth, doesn’t prove that Obama was born in Hawaii.

    But a “Kenyan Certified Copy of Registration of Birth” is PROOF that Obama was born in Kenya!

    I thought conservatives were against citing foriegn documents and rulings in American cases?

    .

  47. 47.

    General Winfield Stuck

    that light at the end of the tunnel is a Brown train comin’ to run over dem Stealers.

    uh oh. did I say that.

  49. 49.

    dan robinson

    What is the level of government funding for the NFL? Does the NFL have a business model that is sustainable without government largess?

    Here in the Seattle area, one of the richest men in the world, Paul Allen, got the people and the government to build him a new stadium for the use of his NFL franchise.

    I think we need to socialize the NFL.

  51. 51.

    JGabriel

    JK:

    It’s disgusting and disgraceful that Alessandra Stanley was not fired.

    But Hoyt said that Alessandra Stanley is:

    … much admired by editors for the intellectual heft of her coverage …

    Yep. Hoyt actually used “Alessandra Stanley” and “intellectual heft” in the same sentence.

    I’m so embarrassed for my hometown paper.

    .

  52. 52.

    Cat Lady

    @JK:

    Some day I want a job like all of these hacks have that pays really well, gets you on TV and/or published, and that has no apparent standards or accountability. I am definitely doin’ it wrong.

  56. 56.

    General Winfield Stuck

    @JenJen:

    O/T, but Ford reports its first monthly sales gain in almost 2 years, and the WSJ calls the Cash-For-Clunkers program “wildly popular”:

    Which is exactly why wingnuts are attacking it with fury. An extra 2 billion to keep it going will increase the deficit you know. The current GOP is like having the old Soviet Union as the loyal opposition.

  58. 58.

    JK

    @JGabriel: As a New Yorker, I’m embarrassed as well. On the plus side, they do publish Paul Krugman, Nicholas Krisstoff, and Frank Rich.

    As a bibliophile, the NY Times deserves some credit for being the only newspaper in the country that still publishes a stand alone book review section on Sunday.

    @Cat Lady: As someone who is long term unemployed, I’ll settle for a job that pays a living wage.

  59. 59.

    Martin

    Is this antipathy toward baseball a reaction to the admitted awfulness of the Pirates over the past umpty-fratz years, or is there more to it than that?

    I think it’s due to low-attention span. The entire NFL season, in it’s most distilled form, is only about 12 hours long. To make up for that, they invented beer commercials and weekly commentary marathons, where in a given day more hours may be devoted to discussing a given team than the team will play in an entire season.

    College ball is an entirely different animal. Well, that’s true for every sport. Somehow money just wrecks the shit out of all sports.

  60. 60.

    Martin

    O/T, but Ford reports its first monthly sales gain in almost 2 years, and the WSJ

    Funnily enough, the same thing happened to the banks when we threw billions at them.

    At least this way people get a car out of it, rather than a smoldering crater where retirement plan used to be.

  61. 61.

    JK

    @JGabriel: I meant to include Bob Herbert in the list of NY Times columnists I look forward to reading.

    The edit feature doesn’t seem to be working on Balloon Juice today. I wasn’t able to edit my previous post.

  62. 62.

    Common Sense

    @dan robinson:

    I think we need to socialize the NFL.

    Need to? The NFL takes all revenue and distributes it equally — you know,” From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.”

    The NFL (in particular small market teams a la Green Bay and Pittsburgh) is a shining success story of socialism.

  64. 64.

    gex

    @Martin:

    College ball is an entirely different animal. Well, that’s true for every sport. Somehow money just wrecks the shit out of all sports.

    This caused a spit take.

  66. 66.

    JenJen

    @Martin:

    At least this way people get a car out of it, rather than a smoldering crater where retirement plan used to be.

    Which is why it doesn’t bug me so much! There’s also the added benefit of an incentive to replace older guzzlers with more fuel-efficient vehicles, and the secondary-market it creates. It’s not as if it reduces guzzlers immediately, but it certainly hastens their demise, and has the added benefit of bumping a certain segment of the struggling economy. I think it’s about the most we could expect out of modern policy, and if we encourage something like this, and it proves “wildly popular”, we could maybe get a whole lot more on the other side.

  68. 68.

    RandomChick

    Here’s another OT: Anyone ever hand-raised mockingbirds? A nest and two babies fell out of a tree in our backyard yesterday. After watching the parents scold and freak out for a couple hours, we decided they had no more idea how to solve the problem than we did.

    We’ve been taking care of them for a little over 24 hours so far, feeding a dog food/ baby food mix. They have healthy lungs, screeching for food, which they seem to have a good appetite for.

    Also, I’ve learned that mockingbirds have disgusting smelly super-poo.

    They are cute though, and my dog seems to like them. I’m open to hand-raising suggestions.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/randomchick2/3782753190/
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/randomchick2/3781954131

  69. 69.

    Colette

    @Nylund:

    Often saw Montana, Young, Rice, Craig, Lott, etc. at the local burger joint

    Would that be Joe’s Cable Car on Mission near Silver? I live a few blocks from there. Great burgers, mediocre fries, hilariously kitschy decor.

  70. 70.

    Martin

    This caused a spit take.

    Fair enough so. Money in college sports is a cancer, but it hasn’t ruined the sports nearly as much as the pros. They do seem to be trying hard enough to catch up, however.

  71. 71.

    Linkmeister

    @Martin: You could be right. I notice that Baseball Tonight on ESPN is typically a half-hour long, whereas the nightly NFL highlights shows on the network are double or triple that. Then there’s the Monday Night Football pregame and postgame snoozefests.

    Without the NFL ESPN would still be showing billiards and poker . . .oh, wait.

  72. 72.

    smiley

    @RandomChick: Wildlife rescue organizations will know what to do. Hopefully you have one or more in your area. Otherwise, call a vet, local animal shelter(s), or even better yet, the one or more veterinarian college(s) in your state.

  74. 74.

    General Winfield Stuck

    California is going to Pot. So I just watched on CBS nightly news. Medical Marijuana Law seems to have spawned a lot of aches and pains amongst you left coasters.

    Funny all the different things they’re putting weed in these days. I wontz me a Lollypot. No wonder you guys give wingnuts the vapors.”:—)

  75. 75.

    Chup

    Football season is around the corner?

    I say this as a lifelong Texan of damn near fifty years and a football player (of fairly decent ability, I must say :) ) of ten years —

    I couldn’t give a shit.

    I discovered a couple of years ago that my life was much better without football. `Especially the fake professionals who are supposedly college students. I don’t blame the players — I blame the “adults” who use them. The NFL has become unwatchable because of the commercials and the idiotic replay rules that wiped out any flow that the games may have had.

    My lovely wife also likes that I don’t bother with it anymore. Fall is the best time of the year in Texas — there’s no sense in wasting the years we have left on games that don’t really matter to us.

    Don’t worry — I’m not trashing anyone who likes the game — it’s just not for me anymore.

  76. 76.

    Comrade Darkness

    @Linkmeister: Well, the walk briskly to get out of the way, then they stand around and wait their turn. It’s a lot like soccer that way…

  77. 77.

    Redshirt

    The greatest thing ever invented in the history of mankind – and I’m not exaggerating – is the RedZone channel on Direct TV’s NFL Ticket.

    It is also the greatest crime in the history of mankind that I am not allowed to order this product. What the heck?!

  78. 78.

    Gus

    Crap, once baseball’s done, I won’t be paying any attention to sports until spring training and the NCAA basketball tourney.

  80. 80.

    Chinn Romney

    My interest in all sports keeps diminishing with each passing year. The Big Papi news pretty much killed the Red Sox for me. I still like my local Single A team though. I love the slow pace, it’s the single biggest charm of the whole damn sport.

    Football has always bored me, but the Patriots annoy all the right people, especially the most obnoxious people on the planet – NY Jets fans – so I’ll continue watching out of the corner of my eye for a while.

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