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Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The media handbook says “controversial” is the most negative description that can be used for a Republican.

Baby steps, because the Republican Party is full of angry babies.

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

Tick tock motherfuckers!

New McCarthy, same old McCarthyism.

He really is that stupid.

President Musk and Trump are both poorly raised, coddled 8 year old boys.

Mediocre white men think RFK Jr’s pathetic midlife crisis is inspirational. The bar is set so low for them, it’s subterranean.

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

Give the craziest people you know everything they want and hope they don’t ask for more? Great plan.

Just because you believe it, that does not make it true.

When your entire life is steeped in white supremacy, equality feels like discrimination.

This isn’t Democrats spending madly. This is government catching up.

Too often we confuse noise with substance. too often we confuse setbacks with defeat.

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

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

Boeing: repeatedly making the case for high speed rail.

People identifying as christian while ignoring christ and his teachings is a strange thing indeed.

Innocent people do not delay justice.

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

Hell hath no fury like a farmer bankrupted.

There is no right way to do the wrong thing.

The words do not have to be perfect.

Peak wingnut was a lie.

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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Wednesday Night Open Thread

Wednesday Night Open Thread

by John Cole|  September 16, 20098:04 pm| 88 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

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Today was a good day:

stretch

I love this time of year. Sunny, cool, clear skies. Summer just gets too hot for me, but spring and early fall are just perfect.

Also, don’t forget about Radio Kaos tonight, dj’d by one of our readers. I’ve listened two weeks in a row and like it. RSS feed here.

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Previous Post: « Maybe They Are On To Something
Next Post: Faces of Health Care »

Reader Interactions

88Comments

  1. 1.

    Mnemosyne

    September 16, 2009 at 8:07 pm

    Damn, those are some big paws!

    Our big black-and-white boy does that, too — spreads his front toes out and uses them like fingers. If he had an opposable thumb, we’d all be doomed.

  2. 2.

    Bad Horse's Filly

    September 16, 2009 at 8:10 pm

    I don’t know if the link will work, but Littlebrit posted this in another thread and it made me feel better, so I thought I’d bring it to this thread.

    @Litlebritdifrnt
    http://ia311028.us.archive.org…..5.13.0.pdf

    A Georgia Judge smacks the treacle out of Oily Titz. The opinion is a thing of beauty, it is snark, wrapped up in rainbows, with cherries and sprinkles on top, and makes Titz look like the total and utter birfoon that she is. I want to have Judge Land’s babies.

  3. 3.

    The Grand Panjandrum

    September 16, 2009 at 8:11 pm

    I just wrote a long off topic comment in the last thread. If you haven’t read this post by TNC I recommend it to everyone. It is exceptional.

    Have a good’un Cole and the Gang. I’ll turn on Radio Kaos after I finish telling a bedtime story to my second graders. Cheers!

  4. 4.

    JK

    September 16, 2009 at 8:13 pm

    Orly Taitz gets laughed out of court
    http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/09/16/ga_dismissal/index.html

    CNBC’s Maria Bartiromo Pretends Her Medicare Flub Never Happened
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/16/cnbcs-maria-bartiromo-pre_n_288991.html

  5. 5.

    Dreggas

    September 16, 2009 at 8:15 pm

    Must be nice, we’re gearing up for the Santa Ana winds next week.

  6. 6.

    Bad Horse's Filly

    September 16, 2009 at 8:15 pm

    Is that adorable cat polydactyl? What a cutie.

    On a different track – it’s a little odd, being in the middle of the country and suddenly have a terror suspect having his house searched and the news full of theories and inuendo. I think about it when I travel, but with the exception of the DNC last summer, I feel pretty distant from terrorism here. It will makes us all think differently if this turns out to be real.

    And if not, this guy’s life is ruined.

    http://www.denverpost.com/ci_13349618

  7. 7.

    JK

    September 16, 2009 at 8:18 pm

    Paging Fat Slob Rush Limbaugh

    Army reservist beaten in front of child
    http://www.ajc.com/news/clayton/army-reservist-beaten-in-138917.html

  8. 8.

    Leelee for Obama

    September 16, 2009 at 8:18 pm

    @Mnemosyne: I had a cat that actually had opposable thumbs! He was born near the Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant site on Long Island about 20 years ago.(go figure) He could pick up pieces of melon and garlic bread and eat them like a human. True story.

  9. 9.

    Mark S.

    September 16, 2009 at 8:21 pm

    So what happens if no bill comes out of the Finance committee? Do they just vote on the HELP bill? What if that doesn’t pass? Does the Senate then just vote on whatever comes out of the House? Can that be filibustered? Why is this process a billion times more confusing than that after school cartoon that made it seem so special?

    I don’t really give a fuck about it right now; I’m too busy laughing at Max Baucus. Oh, and that abstinence czar I mentioned in the last thread.

  10. 10.

    Shell

    September 16, 2009 at 8:22 pm

    Looks like that cat got drunk on printer’s ink. ;-)

  11. 11.

    John Cole

    September 16, 2009 at 8:22 pm

    @JK: At, of all place, the Cracker Barrel. Go figure.

  12. 12.

    Dreggas

    September 16, 2009 at 8:23 pm

    @John Cole:

    what you expected it to happen outside a waffle house? Maybe a Piggly Wiggly or Wal-Mart?

  13. 13.

    John Cole

    September 16, 2009 at 8:25 pm

    @The Grand Panjandrum: He is just great.

  14. 14.

    Bill E Pilgrim

    September 16, 2009 at 8:27 pm

    @Mnemosyne:

    Our big black-and-white boy does that, too—

    I think “President” is a more dignified way to refer to him, please.

    Oh wait, sorry. Cat thread. Never mind.

  15. 15.

    Brian J

    September 16, 2009 at 8:28 pm

    By now, I assume that most have read or at least heard about Matt Latimer’s excerpts about his time as a speechwriter during the economic crisis. Out of all the really gripping revelations that this guy wrote about, the one that stood out to me was the fact that Bush misunderstood what TARP was meant for. Bush apparently thought it was purely a matter of Treasury making money, as opposed to purposefully overpaying to inject ailing banks with capital.

    Maybe I missed something, but wasn’t it possible for the government to make money buying these assets? Was Latimer simply saying that while the president assumed this was the primary objective, that wasn’t the case, while not ruling out the possibility that the assets could be worth something?

  16. 16.

    Leelee for Obama

    September 16, 2009 at 8:32 pm

    @John Cole: TNC got it absolutely right. It isn’t new, it’s what Obama has always been doing, but for some reason, the right seemed to believe he would be different once in the WH. That man is comfortable in his own skin, and they can’t really get to him in the ways that they always used on Black politicians. It’s us they’re making crazy, or angry, or sad, or worried. I ain’t Barack, and I’m not able to react the way he does.

  17. 17.

    General Winfield Stuck

    September 16, 2009 at 8:32 pm

    @Mark S.:

    This is the next sho e to drop in the Senate. It is Harry Reid’s call as to what comes to the floor for action. Even if it gets a no vote in markup, it can still be sent to the floor with a negative recommended action. Reid can then accept it, or not, or any of the other bills, or all of them to be voted on.

    It is Reid’s choice to select a myriad of options. But all of the bills< I think, have the recon. process trigger if any senator want to pull it, then it’s Thunder Dome time.. ONe or more bills go in, and only who the frack knows what comes out, if anythin.

  18. 18.

    Tom

    September 16, 2009 at 8:32 pm

    Didn’t have to use your A-K?

  19. 19.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    September 16, 2009 at 8:35 pm

    @JK: I hate that woman with a passion, she was on MJ yesterday saying “no no no it is not racist to hold up a sign with the President of the United States head photoshopped onto a witchdoctors body” no it is not racist, all you people who say it is racist are simply stupid. I think the collagen injections into her lips have seeped into her brain, she has obviously lost it. AND I hate the fact that you can actually tell from day to day WHEN she has had those injections cause her lips look extra pouty just after the shots and she looks like a wide-mouthed bass, and why the fuck won’t she wash her hair?

    Okay bitch fest off.

  20. 20.

    Annie

    September 16, 2009 at 8:40 pm

    I agree with John. Nice day. Sat on the patio with a glass of white wine, the two “purring monkeys,” and thought about everything I didn’t do today. But, given the beauty of the evening, that was ok, too.

  21. 21.

    Laura W

    September 16, 2009 at 8:43 pm

    @The Grand Panjandrum: KO is doing a very nice disturbing job along these lines tonight. Catch the #3 story replay. I mean, if you can bear it.

  22. 22.

    CalD

    September 16, 2009 at 8:54 pm

    Here’s an item:

    http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2009/09/the_baucus_bill_cbo_luvs_it.html

    I’ll be derned.

    (h/t Politicalwire)

  23. 23.

    geg6

    September 16, 2009 at 8:56 pm

    I had a lovely 24 hours. Took a boat ride with my John and some old friends from my boating days with the ex after work last evening, an absolutely grand evening weather-wise. Went to dinner at a restaurant along the river which is an old (early 20th c) lock house from when the lockmasters and their families literally lived on the job. They have courtesy docks and a lovely patio overlooking the Ohio. Nice. Had a grilled salmon, spinach, and strawberry salad. Then we took a slow cruise from one end of our pool of the Ohio to the other, drinking frozen margaritas. It was lovely. Went to work today and had one of the most pleasant days of work that I’ve had since bills came out on mid-July and the least stressful since freshman move-in day three weeks ago. Life is good in my little world.

  24. 24.

    Betsy

    September 16, 2009 at 8:57 pm

    @John Cole:
    Ah hell, beat me to it.

    @Tom: You must be around my age. That was the first thing that sprang to my mind.

  25. 25.

    General Winfield Stuck

    September 16, 2009 at 8:59 pm

    @CalD:

    That’s interesting. Though pretty far in the weeds for me to get. I trust Ezra about as much as anyone to understand this stuff, so maybe it could be a good starting point subject to amended improvement. And I still don’t have a clue about the coops, but don’t trust them, as per look what happened with Blue Cross/Shield.

  26. 26.

    arguingwithsignposts

    September 16, 2009 at 9:11 pm

    I’m reposting my comment from the previous thread, because i think the Cartman comparison is very apt.

    @DougL (frmrly: Conservatively Liberal):

    I am going to enjoy seeing (and sad to say, I have) wingnut heads exploding across the country.

    Well, I can’t say I’ve enjoyed it. I just wish payback was more of a bitch like advertised. They suffer no noticeable consequences and pretty much keep on screaming. Hell, I think they like being the permanent minority, as it fits their asshole dispositions better (They’re overgrown Cartmans: “Screw you guys, I’m going home!”)

  27. 27.

    JK

    September 16, 2009 at 9:19 pm

    WTF is wrong with the great state of New Jersey?
    (or Joyzee as locals pronounce it)

    Extremism in New Jersey
    h/t http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2009/09/extremism-in-new-jersey.html

  28. 28.

    arguingwithsignposts

    September 16, 2009 at 9:34 pm

    So I get to the WNOT and everyone’s in a previous thread pissing match with Makewi. {sigh}

  29. 29.

    CalD

    September 16, 2009 at 9:34 pm

    @General Winfield Stuck:

    That pretty much sums up my read as well. Anyway it’s nice to hear that Baucus’ subcommittee has at least something to show for the last nine months — perhaps they haven’t all just been sitting around throwing spitballs at each the whole time after all.

  30. 30.

    JK

    September 16, 2009 at 9:45 pm

    Meet the man who changed Glenn Beck’s life
    h/t http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2009/09/16/beck_skousen

  31. 31.

    Mark S.

    September 16, 2009 at 9:45 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    Thank God I missed that, and I’m not going to check in on it. Makewi annoys the shit out of me.

    @General Winfield Stuck:

    Thanks for the response. It’s still a big clusterfuck.

  32. 32.

    Punchy

    September 16, 2009 at 9:46 pm

    Today was a good day

    Ice Cube is preparing the copyright infringement legalese as I type….

  33. 33.

    Hypatia

    September 16, 2009 at 9:46 pm

    This is the best thing I have read at the NY Times for a long time:

    http://judson.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/15/cracking-the-spine-of-libel/

    The way the end notes are done is perfect.
    And the comments are good also.

  34. 34.

    freelancer

    September 16, 2009 at 9:52 pm

    @Hypatia:

    That is a great brief on the Singh case.

  35. 35.

    JK

    September 16, 2009 at 9:57 pm

    @Hypatia:

    Very interesting story. Thanks for the link.

  36. 36.

    Demo Woman

    September 16, 2009 at 10:02 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts: Definitely not worth visiting down stairs. At least BOB entertains us with his pizza recipes.

  37. 37.

    arguingwithsignposts

    September 16, 2009 at 10:05 pm

    @Demo Woman:

    Yeah, I wondered why the dearth of comments, so I checked it out, but thanks to Cleek, it seems to be a heated conversation about pie.

  38. 38.

    arguingwithsignposts

    September 16, 2009 at 10:11 pm

    Wow, that Olbermann takedown of the PR spin on Palin’s speakers bureau bio is classic. I don’t think I could possibly write that much bullshit in concentrated form.

  39. 39.

    gnomedad

    September 16, 2009 at 10:11 pm

    @Hypatia:

    The way the end notes are done is perfect.

    Wow, no kidding; I nearly fell off my chair. Actual journalism!

  40. 40.

    gocart mozart

    September 16, 2009 at 10:17 pm

    Decision in the Oily Taint, JD,DDS,LMT case. The Court quotes “Unlike Alice in Wonderland, simply saying something is so, doesn’t make it so.” There is also a dig, “even a junior high civics student would know . . . ” Awesome bitchslap by Da’Judge. Also, Court orders Taint’s client to pay defendants legal fees.
    http://ftpcontent.worldnow.com/wtvm/ConnieRhodesvsArmy.pdf

  41. 41.

    Laura W

    September 16, 2009 at 10:19 pm

    @Demo Woman: I am so glad you said that. I knew you’d come to grow fond of him if you would only just give him time to grow on you (insert fungus, mold or bacteria joke here.)
    And you reminded me that a mere two hours ago I was lamenting my loss and pleading to the stars above: WHERE OH WHERE IS OUR BOB?

    I know he loves it when I post Joni videos for him:

    There’s a man who’s been out bakin’
    in an oven full of bricks

  42. 42.

    freelancer

    September 16, 2009 at 10:19 pm

    @Demo Woman:

    BOB got scrubbed this morning, as did my comment screaming at him for being such a Baucus (too soon?)

    He went into this really repugnant, vile racial tirade about how white people aren’t gang members but every other ethnicity has gang members. I think he’ll be gone for a bit.

  43. 43.

    arguingwithsignposts

    September 16, 2009 at 10:20 pm

    @gnomedad:

    And the NYT blogs are actually on wordpress, as a recent blog post pointed out.

  44. 44.

    gocart mozart

    September 16, 2009 at 10:22 pm

    That was the full 15 page Court decision by the way, not a news article. Read the whole thing. Funny as hell.
    http://ftpcontent.worldnow.com/wtvm/ConnieRhodesvsArmy.pdf

  45. 45.

    Laura W

    September 16, 2009 at 10:22 pm

    @freelancer: Sigh.
    OK, that Joni’s for YOU then.
    Why can’t BOB just BEHAVE?
    Such a bad, bad, nasty boy.

  46. 46.

    arguingwithsignposts

    September 16, 2009 at 10:24 pm

    @Laura W:

    Indeed, BoB was a harmless enough troll when not going off on the racist, sexy, creepy path. Not like Makewi or Phil, who bring a different level of detestability.

  47. 47.

    Jay in Oregon

    September 16, 2009 at 10:27 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    I’m not. I’ve got better things to do right now than indulge trolls.

    Good to see you here.

  48. 48.

    Linkmeister

    September 16, 2009 at 10:27 pm

    Mary Travers of Peter Paul and Mary has died.

    She was 72 years old. I remember hearing their music on the radio in the early 1960s; they marched with Dr. King at Selma and in DC in 1963.

  49. 49.

    JK

    September 16, 2009 at 10:28 pm

    @gocart mozart:

    Orly Taitz needs to go back on to the Colbert Report to salvage her reputation.

  50. 50.

    arguingwithsignposts

    September 16, 2009 at 10:29 pm

    OMG, Glenn Beck draws a connection between himself and Murrow. I’m going to puke.

  51. 51.

    freelancer

    September 16, 2009 at 10:30 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    Why are you watching Glenn Beck?!

  52. 52.

    gocart mozart

    September 16, 2009 at 10:30 pm

    I know, who would want her to clean their teeth now.

  53. 53.

    arguingwithsignposts

    September 16, 2009 at 10:30 pm

    @freelancer:

    Olbermann just played a clip.

  54. 54.

    arguingwithsignposts

    September 16, 2009 at 10:32 pm

    @Jay in Oregon:

    You too man. hope your week is going better.

  55. 55.

    IndyLib

    September 16, 2009 at 10:33 pm

    I love have a Pres who is a geek. Apologies if this has been posted already.

  56. 56.

    Demo Woman

    September 16, 2009 at 10:39 pm

    @freelancer: He doesn’t learn. Are we sure that it wasn’t BOB at the Cracker Barrel in Atlanta last week?

  57. 57.

    Mark S.

    September 16, 2009 at 10:40 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    Indeed, BoB was a harmless enough troll when not going off on the racist, sexy, creepy path. Not like Makewi or Phil, who bring a different level of detestability.

    That’s pretty much my sentiments exactly, though I’m not sure who Phil is. BoB actually cracks me up when he’s not being racist. Makewi’s just a lying piece of shit.

  58. 58.

    arguingwithsignposts

    September 16, 2009 at 10:40 pm

    @Demo Woman:

    FSM, that was a disgusting story.

  59. 59.

    freelancer

    September 16, 2009 at 10:41 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    I bet I’m about to see it. Fear for me.

  60. 60.

    JK

    September 16, 2009 at 10:42 pm

    @freelancer:

    Maybe he was trying to reconnect with his inner raving, drooling, bedwetting lunatic side. That’s my excuse for watching Beck once every 3 or 4 months. Watching this jackass should be considered a form of enhanced interrogation.

  61. 61.

    arguingwithsignposts

    September 16, 2009 at 10:42 pm

    @Mark S.:

    I’ve only seen Phil crop up a couple of times, but he’s on level with Makewi, from that experience. Others could speak to it better. I seem to recall having to invoke the pie filter earlier this week when I was down. Not only was he an asshole troll, but he was attacking personally as an asshole troll.

  62. 62.

    Demo Woman

    September 16, 2009 at 10:43 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:
    The DA reviewed the Cracker Barrel surveillance tape and plans on additional charges.

  63. 63.

    arguingwithsignposts

    September 16, 2009 at 10:44 pm

    @freelancer:

    Haha, we’re both streaming the internet feed. :) So much wingnuttery. I wonder if KO just sits in his office and thinks “so many possibilities” every day.

  64. 64.

    arguingwithsignposts

    September 16, 2009 at 10:45 pm

    @Demo Woman:

    Good for that. I hope they throw the book at him. The only sad part is he won’t learn, but he’ll find some racist crackers in jail to hang out with. Fucker.

  65. 65.

    Mnemosyne

    September 16, 2009 at 10:45 pm

    @freelancer:

    He went into this really repugnant, vile racial tirade about how white people aren’t gang members but every other ethnicity has gang members.

    I would love to see his discourse on what the difference is between the Crips and the Gambino crime family.

  66. 66.

    arguingwithsignposts

    September 16, 2009 at 10:47 pm

    I like Melissa Harris-Lacewell. That is all.

  67. 67.

    arguingwithsignposts

    September 16, 2009 at 10:49 pm

    @Mnemosyne:

    I’m assuming he would count Italians as among every other ethnicity. I’m not sure who he thinks are “white people,” because the English have gangs too.

  68. 68.

    arguingwithsignposts

    September 16, 2009 at 10:53 pm

    Listening to Wendell Potter’s interview on KO, I was reminded of something I don’t see mentioned enough in the whole discussion of mandates: the effect on the consumer economy. We start hitting people with a $21,000 extra cost (just pulling a figure out of my ass there), it’s going to hit their spending tremendously, and that’s going to keep the great recession going much longer. 70 percent of the economy based on consumer spending, middle class spending, and they’ll never spend again.

    If these people are seriously thinking this health care mandate is going to be a good thing, they’re idiots.

  69. 69.

    freelancer

    September 16, 2009 at 10:53 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    I just puked into my mouth a little bit. I’m gonna get a soda, I’ll be back into a bit.

  70. 70.

    Jay in Oregon

    September 16, 2009 at 10:58 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    Up and down. I got a copy of that “Feel Good” book but haven’t had the time to crack it open yet.

    I may be heading home to sleep in my own bed; I’m pretty sure my wife will not be there, though. Which is fine. (By that I mean, we have a spare bedroom; not that we’re trading places.) It’s still a waiting game; I have to keep working on my stuff.

    I had a rather tense conversation with my father; he’s fairly pragmatic and his opinion consisted largely of “If she thinks she’s going to be happy without you, why not let her?” I had to politely but firmly tell him that this is my marriage and my wife and I will conduct my affiars as I see fit. I stopped short of pointing out that he left my mother after 29 years of marriage for an “old flame” and ended up slinking back because it didn’t work out, so I don’t consider him a moral authority on marriage.

  71. 71.

    freelancer

    September 16, 2009 at 10:58 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    I like her too, but Michael Musto is such an unfunny freak, as far as gut-churningly annoying bores go, it’s a toss-up between Musto and Andy Dick.

  72. 72.

    JK

    September 16, 2009 at 10:59 pm

    arguingwithsignposts

    Melissa Harris-Lacewell was interviewed on 2 programs today to discuss Joe Wilson dickish outburst and Jimmy Carter’s comments about racism

    http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/episodes/2009/09/16/segments/140816

    http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec09/rage_09-16.html

  73. 73.

    arguingwithsignposts

    September 16, 2009 at 11:04 pm

    @Jay in Oregon:

    Keep hanging in there. As I’ve said before, I’m rooting for love. Divorce sucks. Always. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy … well, in the current state of affairs, I might be lying there. :)

    But I just spent two years going through that particular hell, so it’s a fresh pain. Hasn’t healed yet, not because the relationship was particularly “good” (whatever that means), but because it’s a huge … i don’t know that I have the words to describe yet.

    I’m DEFINITELY not a moral authority on marriage, so take whatever I’m saying with a grain of salt. But I’m pulling for the best outcome.

  74. 74.

    arguingwithsignposts

    September 16, 2009 at 11:06 pm

    @freelancer:

    I like her too, but Michael Musto is such an unfunny freak, as far as gut-churningly annoying bores go, it’s a toss-up between Musto and Andy Dick.

    I never got the Musto appeal. I also don’t get the appeal of Maddow’s sidekick. I wish they both (KO and RM) would get rid of the dime-store comedians, or at least hire a Maher or someone who could actually bring the “A” game for these little tete-a-tetes.

  75. 75.

    freelancer

    September 16, 2009 at 11:10 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    I think it’s corporate welfare for hacks who are even too lame for Open Mic Night. Plus you don’t want the people you bring on to upstage you.

  76. 76.

    arguingwithsignposts

    September 16, 2009 at 11:15 pm

    @freelancer:

    Plus you don’t want the people you bring on to upstage you.

    Actually heard an interview with Larry King on Bill Maher where he said the opposite. He wants the subject to talk and talk while he asks a few questions. I think that’s the best interviewer, when you let the subject be in the spotlight. Takes a special ego, though. (not that I’m saying LK is the best example of that, but it’s a good philosophy)

  77. 77.

    Ash Can

    September 16, 2009 at 11:22 pm

    @geg6: That sounds simply grand. I love those old, quirky buildings with great histories.

    @Linkmeister: Mary Travers? Oh, how sad. I’m so sorry to hear that. Peter, Paul and Mary defined an era. And dang, she had a great voice.

    BTW, for all of you Peter, Paul and Mary fans out there, if you have a yen to hear their music and/or reminiscences about them, I’m pretty sure that WFMT (the Chicago fine arts radio station, available on line) will pre-empt at least some of their programming tomorrow for some retrospective on Mary Travers and PP&M.

  78. 78.

    Ash Can

    September 16, 2009 at 11:26 pm

    And PS, WFMT will probably pre-empt pretty much all of its Saturday night programming, which is dedicated to folk music, for Mary Travers retrospectives.

  79. 79.

    Jay in Oregon

    September 16, 2009 at 11:42 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    Well, the first crack in the family dynamic has appeared. After the conversation with my father, he sent me an email where he told me she is not welcome in his house. I replied that I understand his feelings and hope that if we can work things out, that he will change his mind.

    I do not plan to tell my wife about this conversation. Not until we’re on a stronger footing. My wife was not happy with my father leaving my mother — for Chrissakes, he waited until after the weekend where I proposed to ask my mother for a divorce! — but was willing to accept and forgive him after he went back.

  80. 80.

    arguingwithsignposts

    September 16, 2009 at 11:49 pm

    @Jay in Oregon:

    See, I don’t get that. I don’t get that you would actively dig a hole in the heart of your blood relatives for something that’s so intensely personal. I have kids. I don’t know what will happen when they grow up, but I hope I won’t have that attitude. Life is too short.

    The weird thing is that people say when you get older you get more conservative. I’m finding the opposite. I get more liberal. I *want* to forgive more, even though the goopers test that theory.

  81. 81.

    Jay in Oregon

    September 17, 2009 at 12:19 am

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    I’m talking to my mother right now; she believes that if we work things out, my dad will come around.

  82. 82.

    arguingwithsignposts

    September 17, 2009 at 12:29 am

    @Jay in Oregon:

    Oh, that’s confusing. I thought you were talking about your wife not being welcome in your house (too many personal pronouns).

    Either way. best of luck. The later the evening gets, the more dark I feel.

  83. 83.

    arguingwithsignposts

    September 17, 2009 at 12:30 am

    father’s house. damned non-edit function.

  84. 84.

    Morbo

    September 17, 2009 at 12:50 am

    It was indeed a good day.

  85. 85.

    Jay in Oregon

    September 17, 2009 at 1:44 am

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    Yeah, my bad. My father said my wife is not welcome in his house.

    Granted, they live in Alaska and I live in Oregon so it won’t make a big difference day-to-day, but that may make things awkward for his 75th birthday celebration in the summer of ’11.

    I’m home. Things are polite but strained. It will take time.

  86. 86.

    Lesley

    September 17, 2009 at 3:54 am

    John Cole and other cat lovers/owners. This book was made for you.
    Glamourpuss: The Enchanting World of Kitty Wigs

  87. 87.

    asiangrrlMN

    September 17, 2009 at 8:41 am

    Seriously, Cole? This is the way it’s gonna be? Whenever I am off the grid, out comes the cute animal pics for the open threads? All right, all right, I get your point. Harumph.

    Wah. So Makewakiki is messing up the righteous Balloon Juice Race Gang thread? I knew he was trouble when I saw he’d commented. Damn. I thought it would be so much fun to see who was on which team.

    arguing and Jay, good to see both of you still posting.

  88. 88.

    Jay in Oregon

    September 17, 2009 at 8:47 am

    @asiangrrlMN:

    Glad to be here. Keep sending good thoughts and prayers our way.

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