Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

In my day, never was longer.

The worst democrat is better than the best republican.

But frankly mr. cole, I’ll be happier when you get back to telling us to go fuck ourselves.

Anyone who bans teaching American history has no right to shape America’s future.

New McCarthy, same old McCarthyism.

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

A snarling mass of vitriolic jackals

No one could have predicted…

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

fuckem (in honor of the late great efgoldman)

Usually wrong but never in doubt

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

Insiders who complain to politico: please report to the white house office of shut the fuck up.

Come on, man.

“Jesus paying for the sins of everyone is an insult to those who paid for their own sins.”

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

I’ve spoken to my cat about this, but it doesn’t seem to do any good.

You cannot shame the shameless.

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

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

Their freedom requires your slavery.

I’m pretty sure there’s only one Jack Smith.

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318Comments

  3. 3.

    beltane

    I never want to see President McCain happy. He forfeited all rights to happiness after foisting Sarah Palin on an unsuspecting public.

  5. 5.

    Joy

    McCain’s from Phoenix. The UA is in Tucson–the democratic stronghold (at least from the Arizona perspective). I doubt he’s a Wildcat fan, unless of course they win. On the House side, the UA is in Grijalva’s district–I think he’s an alum too.

  13. 13.

    MattR

    So, my fantasy baseball league is looking for a new treasurer. Do you think “I can has ur $$?” is a good campaign slogan?

  15. 15.

    smiley

    My dilemma is whether or not I should go down the road to get a Whopper Jr w/cheese for a buck fifty after I just ate a bunch of General Tso’s chicken. I’m still hungry and I love me some cheeseburgers. Any advise is appreciated.

  16. 16.

    mcd410x

    He’s 5-foot-4, he’s 5-foot-4, we’ve got Arshavin, f*ck Adebayor!

    P.S.: If you’re not watching the end of the Humanitarian Bowl, you’ve missed a hell of a finish.

  22. 22.

    JGabriel

    John Cole:

    It basically boils down to who do you want to see happy tomorrow- President Nelson or President McCain.

    A less cranky Pres. Nelson might be easier to deal with re:HCR. A less cranky Pres. McCain still won’t vote for anything a Democrat proposes, so who gives a fuck whether he’s cranky or not. In fact, putting Pres. McPain in a good mood will prolly just make him horny for another war.

    So. Nebraska it is.

    What game are they playing again?

    .

  24. 24.

    Ripley

    How about President Gingrich? And Vice President Kristol? Are their cries to reinstate torture as the only sensible solution to Underpants Jihadists lost in a wilderness of (shudder) reason and diplomacy?

    Elitist fence-builder.

  29. 29.

    MattR

    Gotta love the Idaho coach. Anyone catch his interview before the second half started? He promised the second half would be some exciting football, and boy was he right.

  30. 30.

    Phyllis

    Was that the Idaho coach’s real voice, or was he channeling Harve Presnall (or maybe Louis Armstrong)?

  32. 32.

    General Winfield Stuck

    @Martin:

    Jeebus martin. wish you hadn’t posted that. Now my squirrel cage is turned on for it. Don’t get the same title with 6 DVD’s at only 50 bucks. versus the 199 dollar HD.

  34. 34.

    mcd410x

    If Suh fails to set the world on fire (or his undies) tonight, what happens to all the people who jumped on the bandwagon after the only time they’ve seen him play?

  35. 35.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    Looks like Smudge just got fixed, there is no ripping out of stitches issues? You should be grateful, within 1 hour of Ms. Peaches being fixed she had ripped out all of her stiches and her guts were hanging out. The Vet had to staple her into submission and wrap her up like a Mummy.

  37. 37.

    AhabTRuler

    @Litlebritdifrnt: They glued Momo, which is good because she was up and about from the minute I picked her up. When she got home she kept stumbling around trashed, trying and failing to eat, and in general acting like a frat-boy on Saturday. She just wouldn’t sleep it off.

  38. 38.

    WereBear

    @Litlebritdifrnt: I was a nut when Olwyn got fixed, I asked the vet for the plastic stitches and watched her like a hawk. And she was fine.

    Here’s a tip: cover the incision with some Neosporin or the like. It stops the itching, and the taste discourages licking and biting.

  41. 41.

    arguingwithsignposts

    @Litlebritdifrnt:
    No problems. She gets them out Saturday.

    ETA: If I could just get her to quit jumping on my head when I’m sleeping.

    BTW, for those who watch ESPN 360, be sure and listen to the end, because you can sometimes catch the announcers with their mics still on say something stupid. The last announcer said something about the “Humanitation Bowl” and asked to have a do-over.

  44. 44.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    @AhabTRuler:

    The glue didn’t work with peaches, after I picked her up from the vet I kept hearing a “thunk” sound in her box at the office, it was her tearing her stitches out one by one and her head hitting the top of the cat box every time, when I took her back to the vets they said “wooo, she has done a good job on them hasn;t she” they stapled her, wrapped her, and medicated her to the extent that she had no desire to rip the stitches out for at least 24 hours.

  47. 47.

    mcd410x

    Making wheat and lentil soup to have on New Year’s … no idea whether it’ll be edible or not. Only one way to find out!

  48. 48.

    Linkmeister

    My old address in Tucson was overrun by the U’s Medical Center. I guess that means my fraternity chapter can’t go home again.

    I guess I’ll root for the ‘Cats anyway.

  53. 53.

    SiubhanDuinne

    Since this is an open thread, I’d be grateful for some advice (the compleat NG upthread reminded me):

    I have pretty much decided to invest in a really good globe sometime in the next few months. I know I want a floor stand type (I do have a small desk model) and yes, size does count. I want minimum 18″ diameter, and beyond that as large as I can afford.

    Does any of you own a good globe? Any suggestions for the best brands to look for (the most familiar to me is Replogle, but I don’t know whether they’re the best). I would need to check this but I think someone makes an illuminated globe that you can toggle between physical features and political boundaries. Beyond accuracy and the physical/political thing, I want something where the stand is a decent-looking piece of furniture.

    It would be inaccurate to say that money is no object, but I haven’t priced globes recently and right now I’m not thinking about cost. When I narrow the options (assuming there’s a bit of a choice) I’ll see what I can afford. But that’s not where I want to start.

    Yes, I’ll do all the online research and due diligence before long, but I trust you guys just as much if not more (plus, you’re funnier). Anyone have advice? Thanks in advance.

  55. 55.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    The jumping on the head while sleeping thing, aint going to happen, cats are like that, my long lived baby Lari, insists on sleeping on my head, every night. Despite the fact that she has a million other places to sleep every night, on my head it is, whatever,=.

  56. 56.

    SGEW

    @SiubhanDuinne: Strangely (eerily?) enough, I was giving serious thought to buying myself a globe yesterday, for purposes of personal perspective. I’d love to hear any advice our beloved commentariat can give on the options available.

  59. 59.

    asiangrrlMN

    OK, ya’ll. I got my bro’s permission to post links to his photo albums from the trip (he’s the family photog).

    Day One, including Ju Ming Museum, a columbarium, and the ocean shore.

    Day Two, including the National Palace Museum, Taipei 101, and, most importantly, the night market.

    Take a look and be jealous, bitchez. Day Three will be posted sometime in the next fourteen hours or so.

  60. 60.

    Tokyokie

    I usually root for the team wearing red and white. Besides, I’ve always sorta liked the Bugeaters. Just my buddy Trent had remembered to take the corn hat I bought for him in Lincoln. Damned if I’m going to wear it.

  63. 63.

    jurassicpork

    Who’s to blame for Flight 253? Everyone but the President, as far as I’m concerned. He lost style points, is all.

    So why’s the GOP trying to make hay out of this, why are the Dems letting them and where does the GOP get the nerve to point to Obama’s so-called inefficiency?

    And, uh, since we’re talking about appropriate responses, how come more hay isn’t being made about Dick Cheney secretly releasing from Gitmo those two masterminds of the Flight 253 attack? At least, that’s what Rep. Massa of New York is saying.

  65. 65.

    WereBear

    @asiangrrlMN and Chat Noir too!: Thank you… yes, she is :)

    When people ask how she is doing, I say, “Ten months old, and has my guy almost completely trained.”

    I didn’t pick her for looks; here’s her origin story. I picked her because she made eye contact right away, and when they took her out of the cage, saying, “She’s not that affectionate…” she proceeded to wrap herself around my neck and purr up a storm.

    Just waiting for the right people to spoil her, I guess. Which is what she got.

    Love that Smudgie! Gosh, they grow up so fast.

    And while we are talking about love, thanks for that chat about Honeycrisp apples. Finally found some… and they are everything ya’ll said they would be.

  66. 66.

    Corner Stone

    @mcd410x: It’s funny but I’ve been wondering something similar.
    Most people have seen the dude once and fell face first into the hype. What happens next?

  68. 68.

    beltane

    @SiubhanDuinne: When I was in college I worked for the Rand McNally store in NYC which stocked a very large selection of globes. There were only two brands: Replogle and another one whose name escapes me. The brand whose name I can’t remember (I think it started with a C or K) made a better quality globe, although the choice of bases was limited.

    Even back in the late ’80s an 18″ globe on a basic stand was close to $100. I have no idea what it would cost now.

  70. 70.

    Corner Stone

    @SGEW:

    for purposes of personal perspective

    I find this amusing. Not jabbing you or anything, just the idea that a globe could provide perspective seems funny to me.

  73. 73.

    Brian J

    Via Felix Salmon, a pretty cool business/financial aggregator that brought me to this guy’s site. I don’t really know who he is, even as his site describes his career, but I did read through parts of this post, where he starts to describe how he thinks we’re headed for some sort of political and economic meltdown. It’s a wee bit over the top, to say the least, even if he does touch on some points some might agree with. It’s really more of an articulate “You kids get off my lawn!”

    Here are some key parts:

    But backing up a moment, I’m writing between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. The frenzied distractions of the holidays ongoing for much of Q4-2009 are still in force. In a week or so, when the Christmas trees are hauled out to the curbs (and it turns out that municipal garbage pickup has been curtailed for lack of funds) a picture will start to emerge of exactly how retail sales went leading up to the big climax. My guess is that sales were dismal. Reports of such will start a train of events that sends many retail companies careening into bankruptcy, including some national chains, leading to lost leases in malls and strip malls, leading to a final push off the cliff for commercial real estate, leading to the failure of many local and regional banks, leading to the bankrupt FDIC having to go to congress directly to get more money to bail out the depositors, leading again to rising interest rates for US treasuries, leading to higher mortgage interest rates for whoever out there is crazy enough to venture to buy a house with borrowed money, leading to the probability that there are few of the foregoing, leading to another hard leg down in house values because so few are now crazy enough to buy a house in the face of falling prices – all of this leading to the recognition that we have entered a serious depression, which is only a facet of the greater period of hardship we have also entered, which I call The Long Emergency.

    This depression will be a classic deleveraging, or resolution of debt. Debt will either be paid back or defaulted on. Since a lot can’t be paid back, a lot of it will have to be defaulted on, which will make a lot of money disappear, which will make many people a lot poorer. President Obama will be faced with a basic choice. He can either make the situation worse by offering more bailouts and similar moves aimed at stopping the deleveraging process – that is, continue what he has been doing, only perhaps twice as much, which may crash the system more rapidly – or he can recognize the larger trends in The Long Emergency and begin marshalling our remaining collective resources to restructure the economy along less complex and more local lines. Don’t count on that.

    One wild card is how angry the American people might get. Unlike the 1930s, we are no longer a nation who call each other “Mister” and “Ma’am,” where even the down-and-out wear neckties and speak a discernible variant of regular English, where hoboes say “thank you,” and where, in short, there is something like a common culture of shared values. We’re a nation of thugs and louts with flames tattooed on our necks, who call each other “motherfucker” and are skilled only in playing video games based on mass murder. The masses of Roosevelt’s time were coming off decades of programmed, regimented work, where people showed up in well-run factories and schools and pretty much behaved themselves. In my view, that’s one of the reasons that the US didn’t explode in political violence during the Great Depression of the 1930s – the discipline and fortitude of the citizenry. The sheer weight of demoralization now is so titanic that it is very hard to imagine the people of the USA pulling together for anything beyond the most superficial ceremonies – placing teddy bears on a crash site. And forget about discipline and fortitude in a nation of ADD victims and self-esteem seekers.

    http://kunstler.com/blog/2009/12/forecast-2010.html#more

    dailycurator.com

  75. 75.

    martha

    @jeffreyw: You rang? Glad you liked the pozole! It’s been one of our favs for years… Give my congrats to the Mrs. on her retirement. I’m so jealous I could cry.

  79. 79.

    WereBear

    @SiubhanDuinne: I understand the impulse, but personally I would only get an electronic globe, which would not only be cool looking, but able to be upgraded.

    I took geography in 7th grade, and half of what I learned is now totally useless, especially in Africa and central Europe.

    Imagine, you get this lovely globe… and some dustup results in a new country… and bang! Just like that.

    Your globe is wrong.

    That would bug the heck out of me.

  82. 82.

    El Cid

    Yay! Ben Nelson’s got friends in the states, and once again Republicans discover the importance of equal treatment under the law. Meanwhile, it appears to have all the substance of typical Republican-generated maneuvers:

    13 state AGs threaten suit over health care deal

    By MEG KINNARD, Associated Press Writer Meg Kinnard, Associated Press Writer – 20 mins ago

    COLUMBIA, S.C. – Republican attorneys general in 13 states say congressional leaders must remove Nebraska’s political deal from the federal health care reform bill or face legal action, according to a letter provided to The Associated Press Wednesday.

    “We believe this provision is constitutionally flawed,” South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster and the 12 other attorneys general wrote in the letter to be sent Wednesday night to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid…

    …Republican U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint of South Carolina raised questions about the legislation, which they said was amended to win Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson’s support.

    “Because this provision has serious implications for the country and the future of our nation’s legislative process, we urge you to take appropriate steps to protect the Constitution and the rights of the citizens of our nation,” the attorneys general wrote…

    …While it’s not uncommon for states to challenge federal laws in court, one legal expert said political bluster was likely behind the letter.

    “I do think that it is some combination of the losers just complaining about the officiating, or complaining about how the game was played, in combination with trying to make the bill look as seedy and inappropriate as possible, for political purposes,” says Andy Siegel, a former University of South Carolina School of Law professor now teaching at Seattle University School of Law.

    “It is smart politics to try to tarnish it and make it look less like an achievement and more like some sort of corrupted bargain,” he said.

    Really? “Bluster”? Associated with leaders of South Carolina? Hard to believe, I know.

  87. 87.

    beltane

    @Brian J: The analysis of American society in the 1930’s seems way off the mark from everything I’ve ever heard or read outside of idealized Hollywood films. The union busting of that era and of the one that immediately preceded it was brutal to the extreme and often resulted in large numbers of deaths and injuries. Rural poverty was on a scale almost unimaginable today, and the major cities were more densely populated than today, with large, unassimilated immigrant populations that did not speak any recognizable form of English. Scores were often settled with fists. Furthermore, in the absence of TVs and other personal entertainment devices, people tended to be more connected to their communities, which made organizing a mob much easier than it is today. (Even if people wanted to riot today, land use patterns have made it an inconvenient option).

    Americans might have tough looking tattoos nowadays, and maybe we don’t dress up to go to baseball games, but we’ve become a tame, placid, overweight society of couch potatoes.

  88. 88.

    beltane

    @WereBear: That’s a very good point. I worked at the map store from 1988-91 and just about everything outside of the western hemisphere changed during that time period. It would suck to be the person who spent $1,000 on a globe in 1988.

  89. 89.

    RedKitten

    Lovely to see an open thread — I’m totally HCR-ed out. (Probably because it’s just so damned frustrating watching your country make things as complicated as is humanly possible.)

    Just an FYI: new Sam pics at my URL, and a Sam video here.

  90. 90.

    jwb

    @General Winfield Stuck: Deafening. My favorite part, though, was seeing the fans ride the refs even when the Cats were up by 50. Sheesh. They just never let up. (And that night, no one headed to the exits early, either.)

  91. 91.

    arguingwithsignposts

    The worst part of Nebraska winning so handily in the first half is listening to the announcers fellate the cornhuskers.

  93. 93.

    freelancer

    The worst best part of Nebraska winning so handily in the first half is listening to the announcers fellate the cornhuskers.

    Fixed. ABC/ESPN and their analysts usually love to hate on Nebraska since Osborne left, so this is sweet sweet music.

  94. 94.

    arguingwithsignposts

    @Brian J:
    Just joshin’, meaning that that was a damned depressing read in the middle of an open thread that’s been mostly light-hearted.

    ETA: if you want more of that kind of stuff (I’ve sworn off economics blogs for the past week), I’d suggest The Automatic Earth too.

  95. 95.

    madmommy

    @RedKitten:

    As cute as he is in pictures, the cuteness increases exponentially in video form! All of those sensory stimulators right in front of him, and he’d still rather chew on his chubby little fists. Those excer-saucers are awesome, next up is a jumper that hangs from the door jamb. An excited little one can really get some big air with those things!

  96. 96.

    Corner Stone

    Awwww, poor Mike Leach. Sounds like a wounded little puppy.
    Waiting to see more deets but it sounds like Leach did nothing to mitigate what was going on.

  98. 98.

    SGEW

    @Corner Stone: I like to have a visual representation of where I am. Literally. Like, Joe Biden literally (i.e., literally literally).

    Plus, I’ve been re-reading some historical naval fiction recently, and I like having a visceral reference to what the “far side of the world” really means.

  100. 100.

    arguingwithsignposts

    @freelancer:
    Wait, strike my comments earlier about the Big 12 Championship game. I misread your earlier comment to read: “when will we (Arizona) get an offense?”

    ETA: Nebraska does have an awesome defense.

    I still don’t care for the announcer fellatio. They do that for whoever’s winning anytime. Sort of like the MSM does with the GOP.

  101. 101.

    Corner Stone

    @SGEW: Nah, I’m with you. I guess it’s just that a globe seems so 3rd grade to me.
    We have a couple big poster sized (3 feet plus wide) Atlaii in the house we reference all the time.
    The only globe I’ve seen recently was a blow up plastic one about basketball size.

  102. 102.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Corner Stone
    @SGEW

    I probably wouldn’t have phrased it like that, but I think I know what SGEW means by getting a globe for “personal perspective.”

    @WereBear: I didn’t know there was such a thing as an electronic globe. Thanks, will have to look into that. Certainly I’ve wondered about staying on top of shifting national boundaries, name changes and the like (and what does one do about the shrinking polar ice caps?)

    @beltane: Probably closer to $1,000 by now for a good 16″-18″ globe with floor stand. Certainly several hundred bucks. (This is one very solid reason why I’m not in any hurry — this is not meant for impulse shopping.)

  103. 103.

    jeffreyw

    @martha: The pozole was just excellent, great flavor, it’ll be on my must do again and again list. Mrs J sez, poor Martha, tell her to hang in there.

  104. 104.

    demkat620

    @RedKitten: Oh my! That’s a ton of cute right there!

    Have you sat and watched him sleep for an hour yet? I used to love to watch my son sleep. Just lay on the bed and watch him breathing and sighing.

    Best. thing. ever.

  105. 105.

    Malron

    Man, this is total bullshit on ESPN right now. Earlier today, Texas Tech fired football coach Mike Leach because of an incident with one of his players. I’m watching the halftime show of the Holiday Bowl between Arizona and Nebraska. Mark May and Lou Holtz are trashing Leach while the third anchor in the studio read some comments from a player ripping on Leach. The player is son of former SMU player Craig James. James is the one who alerted the TT chancellor that Leach was mistreating his son.

    The problem? Craig James works for ESPN and is in the midst of calling the Holiday Bowl between Arizona and Nebraska.

    Its gotta be the worst conflict of interest from ESPN since the hosts of NFL Live tried to gloss over Rush Limbaugh’s comments about Donovan McNabb.

  106. 106.

    MikeJ

    Since this is an open thread and we have a number of Pratchett fans here, I will quote the BBC7 home page:

    New Year on 7: Radio 7 presents a season of radio adaptations of some of Sir Terry Pratchett’s best known works. And Newsjack returns for a second series.

  108. 108.

    R-Jud

    @RedKitten: He really is so cute.

    Mine stood up in the middle of the room this morning and tried to take a step. I thought I was hallucinating. I guess it’s time to find a giant baby hamster ball.

  112. 112.

    Steeplejack

    @SGEW:

    [. . .] I like having a visceral reference to what the “far side of the world” really means.

    Mmm . . . Aubrey-Maturin. I have been thinking about rereading those. It has been a while. And I gave my brother this book for Christmas.

  113. 113.

    arguingwithsignposts

    @Keith:
    hahahahahaha

    Why does Rush hate America. Think of the optics!

    If Rushbo were to pass (not that I’m seriously wishing it … er), who would be next in line of succession for leadership of the GOP?

  115. 115.

    ajr22

    I heard the school had problems with Leach regarding his contract negotiation, but the second I saw that story I knew he was history. The other day during an NFL game they ran a commercial about kids having concussions reporting them and not being afraid to speak out. It is clear the NFL is under tons of scrutiny, because there is no way that commercial runs even 3 years ago. So when I read Leach locked a player in the closet cause he had a concussion it was pretty clear he was gone.

  116. 116.

    gnomedad

    @Keith:

    Conservative radio talk host Rush Limbaugh was rushed to a Honolulu hospital

    I hope he has his birth certificate with him.

  117. 117.

    arguingwithsignposts

    @Malron:
    Thankfully, on ESPN360, they showed a touching story about a small boy who lost his eyesight and got to hang out with the USC Trojans, whom he adores. Nice story, even though I despise the Trojans.

  120. 120.

    SGEW

    @Steeplejack: Get out! The HMS Surprise was an actual commissioned frigate? I had no idea; tho’ I guess I shouldn’t be too . . . um . . . startled? . . . to find that he picked an historical ship.

    Just looove the series. The second read through is so, so worth it.

  122. 122.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    @r€nato:

    I knew I should have picked Rush for my 2010 celebrity death pool.

    Don’t be so set on that. It’d be just like Rush to make sure he dies in 2009, just to screw people like you over… too, also.

  123. 123.

    Keith

    @r€nato:
    I had him on my 2009 list after his bloated CPAC appearance (he slimmed down fast though). Plus he loves his nicotine and red meat.

  125. 125.

    kth

    So when I read Leach locked a player in the closet cause he had a concussion it was pretty clear he was gone.

    It wasn’t a closet, and that was an egregious bit of exaggeration from the Craig James camp. More like a garage if your garage is air-conditioned. Call it a shop. Craig James’ son wanted to skip practice entirely because he had a concussion. Usual protocol is that you are still required to attend, but watch from the sidelines. James kid says daylight too bright, aggravates concussion. Insists on sunglasses, which pisses off Leach (definitely a borderline-Asperger’s affectless kind of guy), who says, in that case, go to the shop (my word, not Leach’s), but you have to stand up the whole time, just like if you were on the sideline. No one was even with James to hold him to the requirement to remain standing.

    No doubt total dickishness from Leach, but no question of any real health hazard. This has nothing to do with concussions and everything to do with the friction between the Texas Tech A.D. and Leach, and a kid with a big shot dad. And as 104 points out, Craig James’ status as a college football analyst is simply untenable given how he leveraged that status to facilitate Leach’s firing.

  126. 126.

    Ty Lookwell

    I wonder who would his inherit his estate (only 2 days to go to beat the Death Tax, hang on big guy…)

  127. 127.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    @keestadoll:

    Can you imagine the conspiracy firestorm that will develop if…oh dear God.

    Aw geez… you don’t know the half of it… from KITV.com, in Honolulu:

    Coincidentally, his (Limbaugh’s) visit comes at a time when two of the nation’s most powerful Democrats, President Barack Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, are also staying in Hawaii.

    It’s a perfect shit storm forming up…

    I can see Glenn Beck blubbering hysterically about “Which of them held Rush down and which one plunged the knife into his heaving chest, over and over and over??”

    ***visual of Beck making frantic stabbing motions in the air, kinda like Anthony Perkins, from Psycho***

  128. 128.

    gwangung

    @kth: Yeah, that’s pretty much what one of the beat writers for a Dallas Ft. Worth paper said on the air on a local radio station: Leach got railroaded after an improbably short investigation.

  129. 129.

    ajr22

    Me and my brother have been tossing around a theory. Is Rush heavy into coke/amphetamines? I mean the fat man lost that weight pretty quick and he seemed really fidgety during his leno appearance. Im not saying its true, but im just asking questions.

  131. 131.

    arguingwithsignposts

    Wow, the Idaho-Boise State game was waaaayy better than this blowout.

    @kth:
    Leach had also apparently ticked off the chancellor and president as well. He didn’t have a lot of friends up the chain.

  132. 132.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    @ajr22:

    Is Rush heavy into coke/amphetamines?

    More likely Viagra™ and little brown boys…

  138. 138.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    @JGabriel:

    Glenn Beck. As if you had to ask.

    Wouldn’t the Cardinals have to meet first, and we’d all be waiting for the tell-tale white smoke?

  139. 139.

    Martin

    Hmm, so Obama decided to have Rush killed while on vacation?

    Never let a good opportunity go to waste. Credit to Obama for being pragmatic.

  141. 141.

    ajr22

    @kth: True the story was more complicated, but I was just saying how damning that initial report was. As I said earlier he was already having problems with his higher ups, and that first story was so bad that no matter what the truth was Leach was screwed.

  143. 143.

    Bruce (formerly Steve S.)

    Conservative radio talk host Rush Limbaugh was rushed to a Honolulu hospital

    Drama Queen Limbaugh obviously doesn’t think we’re at war.

    BTW heart attack is a potential side effect of Viagra.

  144. 144.

    Brian J

    @beltane:

    Regardless of your thoughts or my thoughts about the alleged problems of [email protected]arguingwithsignposts:

    If I can try to cheer you up with my probably unrealistic, slightly naive thoughts, I’ll do so.

    Perhaps our “best days” are really behind us, but maybe not. There are some pretty enormous problems this country is facing, but when you think about it, most of them don’t require ludicrously complex solutions or answers, like curing a disease might. Take health care, for instance. The political will to enact changes is obviously a different animal, but more or less, we have a bunch of a decent ideas of how to control costs. Nothing is concrete, of course, which is why the bills call for a lot of experimentation. But if we do that, both private and public health care programs become far less of an albatross, and we have solved the biggest long term problem that this country probably faces.

    There are other areas, like education and especially global climate change, where the solutions are a lot less clear, and how to implement them even less clear. But generally speaking, a lot of the problem seems to be a combination of beating back special interests and summoning the resources, financial or otherwise, to get things done.

    It’s not going to be easy. I certainly imagine that repairing the damage done by the financial crisis will take a long time. But it’s not as if we are completely in the dark of what to do or how to do it. There are worse places to be starting from.

  145. 145.

    JGabriel

    The Republic of Stupidity:

    Don’t be so set on that. It’d be just like Rush to make sure he dies in 2009, just to screw people like you over…

    Given that the estate tax is repealed for 2010, I’m sure Limbaugh’s heirs are praying he recovers … at least until Friday.

    .

  146. 146.

    Steeplejack

    @SGEW:

    From the description:

    There is no more famous a vessel in naval fiction than HMS Surprise, the principal ship in Patrick O’Brian’s much-celebrated Aubrey-Maturin series of novels. Yet this 28-gun frigate also had an eventful real career serving in both the French and then the Royal Navies. It was captured from the French in 1796 and took part in the famous cutting-out action on the frigate HMS Hermione, which the Spanish had taken after a savage mutiny. In 1802, after the Peace of Amiens, HMS Surprise was decommissioned and delivered into the fictional captaincy of Jack Aubrey.
    __
    This sumptuous new volume narrates the career of HMS Surprise in both her historical and her fictional roles and presents an all-embracing construction and fitting history. In addition to historical illustrations, maps, artifacts, and photographs, thirty-five paintings, some specially commissioned, have been contributed by Geoff Hunt, whose art graces the covers of Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey-Maturin novels. Fifty line plans have been drawn by the marine draftsman Karl Heinz Marquardt.

    The book was shrink-wrapped, so I am eagerly awaiting my next visit to bro’ man’s house to look through it. I will probably get a copy for myself in any case.

  147. 147.

    KCinDC

    Speaking of Limbaugh, while he was on vacation, his guest host unleashed the crazies on a small business near Richmond, Virginia, which he accused of taking stimulus money. Apparently that was erroneous, but it’s not clear to me what the scandal would be if it had. Somehow people who work at places that offer massage don’t count as part of the economy.

    Anyway, the punchline is that the owner of the spa whose phone lines were deluged by ranting dittoheads is himself a teabagger.

  148. 148.

    Bruce (formerly Steve S.)

    I can see Glenn Beck blubbering hysterically about “Which of them held Rush down and which one plunged the knife into his heaving chest,

    Let’s not wait for clumsy right-wing conspiracy theorists to start this one, let’s give it legs it ourselves.

  149. 149.

    Stroszek

    After days like today, it’s important to remind oneself to remember that the New York Times is and will continue to be a neoconservative rag.

  150. 150.

    PanAmerican

    Shit, they’ll keep him on the machines if it comes to that. On the flip side, If he wasn’t already, he’s gonna be paying out of pocket for healthcare. Hang in their six more years Rush, and… socialized medicine!

  151. 151.

    KCinDC

    Maybe Rush’s near-death experience will lead to a conversion and he will renounce conservatism and dedicate himself to making the world a better place.

  152. 152.

    Tomlinson

    @SGEW:

    The second read through is so, so worth it.

    So are the third and the fourth, FWIW. Then I had to take a break for a few years.

  153. 153.

    JGabriel

    Stroszek:

    After days like today, it’s important to remind oneself to remember that the New York Times is and will continue to be a neoconservative rag.

    … that employs Paul Krugman. They’ll always get bonus points for that.

    .

  154. 154.

    JGabriel

    @KCinDC:

    Maybe Rush’s near-death experience will lead to a conversion and he will renounce conservatism and dedicate himself to making the world a better place.

    Better yet, maybe his insurance company will deny him coverage based on an undisclosed previous heart condition and recision (recise?) his fat, artery-hardened, ass.

    .

  157. 157.

    freelancer

    @KCinDC:

    Maybe Rush’s near-death experience will lead to a conversion and he will renounce conservatism and dedicate himself to making the world a better place…

    by getting a tracheotomy.

    There, fixed that for you.

  160. 160.

    SIA aka ScreaminginAtlanta

    @Keith: Wow. The comments are…interesting.

    Lord Jesus, Please surround your son Rush with powerful ministering angelic forces. No weapon formed against him shall prosper. And every tongue that rises up against him shall be condemned. Get well soon Rush. We The People of America LOVE YOU! Amen!

    Whole ‘nother universe out there.

    Gah.

  162. 162.

    Martin

    @Bruce (formerly Steve S.): Ok!

    I offer that Rush was in Hawaii on vacation, but also got an offer from a true patriot in the Hawaii State Department of Health to give Rush an unauthorized look at the document that officials have been passing off as Obama’s long-form COLB, but which is most obviously a fake. In the best illustration yet of Obama’s dictatorial reach, word of this arrangement was leaked to ol’ Barry Soetoro but only after Rush had the evidence. Knowing that this leak would ruin his scheme for the Islamososhulist takeover of America, Obama demanded that the Secret Service ‘take care of the problem’ by introducing a compound acquired by Barry’s good friends in North Korea into Rush food, causing a massive heart attack. So far, only Rush’s immense love for America has permitted him to not succumb to this act of high treason.

  163. 163.

    Comrade Mary

    Shit. Very bad day in Afghanistan. Four Canadian soldiers and a journalist were killed by a roadside bomb and eight Americans were killed in a suicide attack.

    The reporter’s blog, last updated yesterday, is here. That was her report of her second last day on this earth. I wonder what stories everyone else there, Afghan and foreign, civilian and military, could share if we could have had the same access to their lives.

  165. 165.

    Belafon (formerly anonevent)

    @SGEW: To be picky, you pronounce the “h” in historical, so it’s “a historical” not “an historical.” Just like you say “a unicorn” not “an unicorn.”

  166. 166.

    ajr22

    @KCinDC: Mr. Burns: You know, Smithers, I think I’ll donate a million dollars to the local orphanage. When pigs fly!
    [both Burns and Smithers start laughing, but then a pig flies by their window]
    Smithers: Will you be donating that million dollars now, sir?
    Mr. Burns: Hmm, no I’d still prefer not.

  167. 167.

    Steeplejack

    @Tomlinson:

    That’s where I am now. Haven’t read them in about five years, except for snatches here and there when I run across one of the books, but I have been feeling the urge to go back through the whole series.

    Also feeling the need to (re)acquire the series, because I gave away a lot of copies in evangelist mode.

  168. 168.

    Martin

    @JGabriel: He’s got a $400M contract. Clear Channel will pay any amount out of pocket to get him back on the air. Rush doesn’t need insurance.

    His world is not like your world.

  169. 169.

    SIA aka ScreaminginAtlanta

    @arguingwithsignposts: True. Just spewing vile venom five days a week. I noticed how many of the commenters said “we need you Rush”. Yes. Yes, Rush Limbaugh has done nothing but good for the country. God help us if something should happen to him.

    DougJ’s quote keeps coming to mind on an hourly basis lately: “We’ve had a good run.”

  170. 170.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    Bruce (formerly Steve S.)

    Let’s not wait for clumsy right-wing conspiracy theorists to start this one, let’s give it legs it ourselves.

    Hey… I’ve done my part. I planted the seed… and clearly, Martin here has been watering it…

    I offer that Rush was in Hawaii on vacation, but also got an offer from a true patriot in the Hawaii State Department of Health to give Rush an unauthorized look at the document that officials have been passing off as Obama’s long-form COLB, but which is most obviously a fake.

    Nice work, Martin. That could have come straight outta the comments at Red State…

  172. 172.

    General Winfield Stuck

    @Anne Laurie:

    LOL,. Maybe I shoulda named him Elmo. He is so smart and well behaved and sweet, I don’t know if he thinks his year ended better than expected. But choosing him sure topped off mine that way.

  173. 173.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    @Martin:

    He’s got a $400M contract. Clear Channel will pay any amount out of pocket to get him back on the air. Rush doesn’t need insurance.

    Clear Channel is in financial trouble, in part due… to… this contract. If Rush dies, Clear Channel is off the hook for that $400MM…

  174. 174.

    JGabriel

    KCinDC: Honestly, I would far prefer a chastened, newly liberal, Rush to a dead one. But between the current Rush and a dead one … I’m indifferent.

    Ok, I fail. That’s a lie, the latter part anyway. I won’t be indifferent. I’m trying to rise above my baser impulses here, but the real truth is that if Limbaugh kicks the bucket, it’s gonna feel like an extra day of Christmas. To me, anyway. It just feels so fitting to start off a new decade with the death of conservatism’s most consistent symbol for the past two to three decades.

    I guess I’m a bad, bad, person. Or a sinner in my heart.

    My only saving grace here is that I was honest about one thing: I’d still prefer the liberal Rush to a dead one. I don’t want to see conservatives dead; I just wanna see’em crestfallen.

    .

  175. 175.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    And every tongue that rises up against him shall be condemned.

    Aw geez… I shoulda read those comments before gittin’ so snarky. I guess I’m just flat out screwed…

  176. 176.

    Martin

    And since I’m in a wingnut frame of mine, I’ll toss out a 2nd one, also fitting of RedState:

    “Anyone know if Hillary was meeting with Obama? After all, we know that she’s killed before…”

  179. 179.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    but the real truth is that if Limbaugh kicks the bucket, it’s gonna feel like an extra day of Christmas.

    Rushmas???

    Hey… Cole!

    Are you ready for the blow back yer gonna git from the righties if Rush does die? We’re being… how shall we say… none too delicate here about this…

    I can see it now… ‘And in the wake of Limbaugh’s passing, posters at political blog Balloon Juice made the following mean, nasty comments…

  180. 180.

    Tomlinson

    @Steeplejack:

    That’s where I am now. Haven’t read them in about five years, except for snatches here and there when I run across one of the books, but I have been feeling the urge to go back through the whole series.

    Exactly so. That Geoff Hunt book, which I just ordered, might be the kick that gets me going again. I’ve been waiting until I *really* want to start again…

    I never gave mine away. Never had much luck with evangelizing. I figure these books are like black licorice. You love ’em or you hate ’em.

  182. 182.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    @JGabriel:

    You and me both. I doubt we’ll be the only ones though.

    Just as long as I don’t take the fall all on my own…

  184. 184.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    Martin

    “Anyone know if Hillary was meeting with Obama? After all, we know that she’s killed before…”

    Oooooooo… nice… and how’sabbout this fer a lead in…

    ***best John Stossel impersonation***

    First… it was Vincent Foster…

    Next… the 3,000 plus who died on 9/11…

    And now… our very own beloved Rush Limbaugh…

    Who’s next?

  185. 185.

    JGabriel

    @The Republic of Stupidity:

    Hey… Cole! Are you ready for the blow back yer gonna git from the righties if Rush does die? We’re being… how shall we say… none too delicate here about this…

    I expect Cole will be here soon, or maybe tomorrow, excoriating those of us who’ve said some pretty insensitive things here about Limbaugh. And you know what? He’ll be right.

    But. I really can’t help how I feel about the guy. Limbaugh, whatever his personal convictions, has been a mouthpiece for, and rabble-rouser of, the evil, misogynistic, racist, proto-fascist right for over two-decades now, and the bastard has it coming.

    .

  186. 186.

    kommrade reproductive vigor

    Oh, he just had some chest pains. He’ll be in observation for 24, get out and inform everyone he’d have died under the Soc ia list Death Program Obama wants to put in place.

    In the meantime, my prayers and best wishes go out to … the switchboard workers at the hospital he was taken to. You just know they’re receiving a shit ton of calls from people who demand to know Rush’s status and pitch fits when the operators won’t tell them.

    To say nothing of all the collect calls they’re having to turn down.

    And every tongue that rises up against him shall be condemned.

    And every tongue that goes down upon him shall be lifted to everlasting glory, Hallelujah!

    Seriously, if snarking on some fat stupid draft dodging former welfare shill drug addict is all it takes to get to Hell, I say we get wasted, strip down and have a massive Crisco party.

  187. 187.

    Jamey

    Guess God’s calling in that talent loan…

    I don’t like speaking ill of the dead, so instead I’ll wish every possible harm to that whoreson Rush while satan’s phlegm still courses through his veins.

  190. 190.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    @JGabriel:

    I expect Cole will be here soon, or maybe tomorrow, excoriating those of us who’ve said some pretty insensitive things here about Limbaugh. And you know what? He’ll be right.

    I know…

    ***hangs head…***

    I have a problem… don’t I?

  191. 191.

    Corner Stone

    @JGabriel:

    I expect Cole will be here soon, or maybe tomorrow, excoriating those of us who’ve said some pretty insensitive things here about Limbaugh. And you know what? He’ll be right.

    What we should all be asking ourselves at this moment is – what kind of letter did Rush write his grandkids after Obama’s election?
    For that is the true measure of a man.

  193. 193.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    @General Winfield Stuck:

    Can’t be his heart. Don’t got one.

    Not to worry… I hear Cheney is having a spare mechanical one airlifted to Rush as we snark.

  194. 194.

    Karen in GA

    @JGabriel: IIRC, when Krugman first joined the NY Times, his columns were mainly dry economic analyses. The Bush campaign’s lies during the 2000 campaign, and the media’s failure to point out that they were lies, turned him into something else.

    And just to throw in my own opinion, which is based on my faulty memory: I don’t think the Times expected that, and I wonder how happy they were/are with it.

    Again, that’s IIRC. I could be wrong — I wasn’t paying very close attention back then, beyond knowing I sure as hell wasn’t voting for Bush.

  195. 195.

    The Grand Panjandrum

    Just saw this come across the wire:

    It’s been a heck of a year for mega-pastor/bestselling author/power broker Rick Warren of the enormous Saddleback Church. It started out with Warren’s invocation at the historic inauguration of one President Barack Obama – and it concludes with Warren asking his flock to cough up nearly $1 million in just two days to keep the church out of the red.

    I thought Oral Roberts died earlier this year.

  196. 196.

    Bruce (formerly Steve S.)

    And every tongue that rises up against him shall be condemned.

    It’s true. Look where Al Franken ended up.

  197. 197.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    @kommrade reproductive vigor:

    Seriously, if snarking on some fat stupid draft dodging former welfare shill drug addict is all it takes to get to Hell, I say we get wasted, strip down and have a massive Crisco party.

    Welllll… YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAW!

    Booma-chucka booma-chucka booma chucka booma chucka…
    Booma-chucka booma-chucka booma chucka booma chucka…
    Booma-chucka booma-chucka booma chucka booma chucka…
    Booma-chucka booma-chucka booma chucka booma chucka…

  200. 200.

    Beej

    @freelancer: Lincoln Southeast High School band was in San Diego. They’d been invited to be in the Holiday Bowl parade and other festivities. They apparently left before the blizzard. The U of N Chancellor asked them to fill in for the U of N band. They did an admirable job for having only 24 hours notice.

  201. 201.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    The Grand Panjandrum

    I thought Oral Roberts died earlier this year.

    Well… I guess that means someone’s prayers came true…

    I know… I know…

    I’m SOOOOOOOOOO going to Hell…

  202. 202.

    arguingwithsignposts

    @JGabriel:
    It says he was golfing. How can the leader of the GOP not cut short his vacation to comment on the latest terrorist attack? Why does he hate America so?

  203. 203.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    @NickM:

    Anyone suspect wetsuits were involved?

    Rush in a wetsuit?

    Thanks a lot, pal…

    Now all I can picture is the Goodyear Blimp…

  204. 204.

    Steeplejack

    @Tomlinson:

    Never had much luck with evangelizing. I figure these books are like black licorice. You love ‘em or you hate ‘em.

    Sometimes you gotta give ’em the first taste for free to get ’em hooked.

    I had a woman friend who I knew would love the series if she just gave it a chance, but she was put off by the misconception that they were just men’s “adventure” novels–sword-fightin’ and swashbucklin’ and stuff. She always laughed when I compared O’Brian to Jane Austen. She stopped laughing after I finally got her to read Master and Commander.

    I was first drawn to The Frigate Surprise because it looked like one of those great David Macaulay books about the ins and outs of some huge, complicated structure (Castle, Pyramid, etc.). And I thought it would help me visualize better the mise-en-scène of O’Brian’s novels. I should probably go ahead and order my own copy.

  205. 205.

    Mister Papercut

    @KCinDC:

    Anyway, the punchline is that the owner of the spa whose phone lines were deluged by ranting dittoheads is himself a teabagger.

    I was going to see if John had seen that story yet and what he thought. Shorter Teabagger businessman: “Gubmint Programs Is Capital-B Bad Until It Personally Benefits Me In Some Way.” The irony is pretty delicious.

    But then I leave the Intertubes for a couple of hours to come back and find it in a Rush Limbaugh prayer circle. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, y’all.

  206. 206.

    Bruce (formerly Steve S.)

    I expect Cole will be here soon, or maybe tomorrow, excoriating those of us who’ve said some pretty insensitive things here about Limbaugh. And you know what? He’ll be right.

    So we need to get in as many tasteless remarks as we can before tomorrow morning.

  207. 207.

    Punchy

    excoriating those of us who’ve said some pretty insensitive things here about Limbaugh. And you know what? He’ll be right.

    I wont be the one to apologize to wish this man the equivalent karma for all dirty, racist, hate-filled shit he’s spewed over the years. If that payback tallies out to an early end, I wont be grieving. And Cole can ban me for that statement if he wants.

  208. 208.

    cleek

    the least any of us can do is to not pray death upon another. so, whatever Rush’s current health problems are, i hope they get fixed as quickly as possible.

    because he is a toxin on our politics, however, i’d still like him to quit public life – by his own choosing, of course. and if a near-death experience is what it takes to get him to that point, that’s fine with me, too. if not, that’s his conscience, not mine.

  210. 210.

    rob!

    If Limbaugh does die in the next 24 hours, it’d be a HELL OF A WAY to kick off 2010. That’s all I’m saying.

    Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go pray for the first time in my entire life…

  211. 211.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    … and it concludes with Warren asking his flock to cough up nearly $1 million in just two days to keep the church out of the red expectant mother quiet.

    Since I’m going to Hell… what the hay… might as well double down and try running the table.

  213. 213.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    cleek

    … however, i’d still like him to quit public life – by his own choosing, of course.

    Trust me… after the life he’s led, if Rush should die of a heart attack, it will be of his own choosing…

    Me, personally… I’d rather see him finally get caught in bed w/ a dead woman or a live boy.

  214. 214.

    rob!

    Btw, it’s OBVIOUS that the guy the Obamas hired to put the whammy on Limabugh in Hawaii is the same guy who the Clintons hired to silence Vince Foster. And just who happens to be Obama’s SOS? Hillary CLINTON.

    IT ALL FITS!

  215. 215.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    So we need to get in as many tasteless remarks as we can before tomorrow morning.

    Here here!

    And I’m definitely doing my part…

  216. 216.

    ajr22

    @Corner Stone: Am i mistaken, or did i just miss the snark? I thought Rush has been married three times and has zero kids. Its probably for the better, because we don’t need anyone spawning more Liz Cheneys.

  217. 217.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    @rob!:

    Btw, it’s OBVIOUS that the guy the Obamas hired to put the whammy on Limabugh in Hawaii is the same guy who the Clintons hired to silence Vince Foster. And just who happens to be Obama’s SOS? Hillary CLINTON.
    IT ALL FITS!

    Connect the dots, people… connect the dots…

  218. 218.

    Martin

    @jwb:

    Ooh, good point.

    Our operatives were wrong about the Secret Service. Barry knew this situation was critical and brought in the big guns. He flew Nancy Pelosi in to use the liberal secret weapon. Under cover of hotel room service, Nancy slipped Rush the super-secret Ghey Pill under development by the Pentagon since the 70s. Still not perfected for use in water supplies, it does work effectively in single-dose form and has been key to Democrats securing majorities in congressional districts around the country in places like San Francisco, West Hollywood, Ansley Park, and Key West. Obama had hoped to convert Rush to a homosexual soshulist and use him as a mouthpiece against American morality. The pill had never been used on an individual possessed of such pure conservatism as Rush, and it placed considerable stress on his heart. We call on all Americans to pray for Rush’s swift heterosexual recovery.

  220. 220.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    @Martin:

    We call on all Americans to pray for Rush’s swift heterosexual recovery.

    Talk about miracles… this would be better than the fishes and the loafers…

  221. 221.

    eemom

    re Rush: only the good die young.

    And……WTF’s he doing in Hawaii? Doesn’t he know that REAL Americans vacation in Texas? Was he born in Kenya too?

  224. 224.

    Tomlinson

    @Steeplejack:

    I had a woman friend who I knew would love the series if she just gave it a chance, but she was put off by the misconception that they were just men’s “adventure” novels—sword-fightin’ and swashbucklin’ and stuff. She always laughed when I compared O’Brian to Jane Austen. She stopped laughing after I finally got her to read Master and Commander.

    The only success I ever had was with an Austen fan, yeah. But I had this guy start at Post Captain, both because that was the book that hooked me and also because of the whole Pride and Prejudice riff.

    I can remember the exact sentence where I knew I was hooked, the one where Admiral Haddock says that the sailors probably know how to deal with blood stains.

  226. 226.

    soonergrunt

    Regarding Mr. Limbaugh-
    This is what happens when you have the body and soul of a total fucking pig.
    Boys and girls, there is a lesson here=
    Don’t take addictive drugs for which you have no prescription.
    Don’t eat the equivalent of the food budget for five third-world-families each year.
    Don’t smoke.
    Don’t be a hateful shitbag with no redeeming values whatsoever.
    I hope that he doesn’t die. Really. I hope that he strokes out and spends the next ten years wearing adult diapers (if he doesn’t already) and drooling on the barcolounger.

  227. 227.

    kommrade reproductive vigor

    because he is a toxin on our politics, however, i’d still like him to quit public life – by his own choosing, of course ^because there really was no way even he could spin those glossy 8×10 color photos of his midnight visits to the petting zoo^.

    Fxd.

    But I hope Rush recovers. Also. Because while he was sick God told him to quit radio and run for president.

    and it concludes with Warren asking his flock to cough up nearly $1 million in just two days to keep the church out of the red

    Ak! Snark … overload … [gurgle]

  228. 228.

    Tomlinson

    @eemom:

    And……WTF’s he doing in Hawaii? Doesn’t he know that REAL Americans vacation in Texas?

    The state is not only mysterious and unamerican, but also dangerous. But anyone who watch the Brady Bunch probably knew all of that.

  229. 229.

    Tomlinson

    and it concludes with Warren asking his flock to cough up nearly $1 million in just two days to keep the church out of the red

    Something REALLY fishy here. Warren says that donations fell off a cliff in the last weekend? I really doubt that. Something very not right.

  230. 230.

    Steeplejack

    @Tomlinson:

    Gotta pack it in for the night, but this discussion has got me thinking about rereading the series in ’10. Will have to see if I can dig up my copy of Master and Commander or if I need a new one.

  232. 232.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    @soonergrunt:

    Thank God you came by, man… after reading YOUR comments, I can only say… I’ll get off w/ a slap on the wrist and several decades in Purgatory…

    You… on the other hand… are going Straight To Hell™.

    Express Ticket… One Way… No Refunds, No Exchanges…

    All Sales Are Final!

  233. 233.

    kommrade reproductive vigor

    @Tomlinson: Oh come on. They looked at their end of year finances and found they’re 900K in the hole. Happens to everyone.

    Heh.

    And Wonkette has won the internons. Again. Also.

    RUSH LIMBAUGH is in “serious condition” at a Hawaii hospital, and we shall save the Death Jokes until he earns them the old-fashioned way.

  234. 234.

    Bruce (formerly Steve S.)

    [Practice for tomorrow]

    Forgive me John Cole for I have sinned.

    I have taken the Lord’s name in vain.

    I have touched myself in the privates.

    I have called Rush Limbaugh a fat, stinking, smoking, drug-besotted, hate-filled sex tourist when, in fact, he does not stink.

    I shall say a hundred Hail Baracks and adopt a dozen cats.

  235. 235.

    Elie

    @eemom:

    Ha,ha,ha, LOL!

    Life is queer aint it? Really. What IS he doing there?

    I have been thinking about the plaque he has been laying down in those arteries with all that HATE and for such a long time….I bet the inflammation in them ole arteries of his is bad — real bad given his extreme ranting and probably long history of bad metabolics along with it.

    He earned all of this…ALL of it…all by himself and he should reap the rewards of his efforts…

  239. 239.

    CaseyL

    @General Winfield Stuck: @soonergrunt:

    I hope that he strokes out and spends the next ten years wearing adult diapers (if he doesn’t already) and drooling on the barcolounger.

    This.

    With just enough awareness to know exactly what is happening to him… and only able to communicate by pointing to letters on a board.

    Now that, my friends, would be justice.

  241. 241.

    JGabriel

    soonergrunt:

    Don’t take addictive drugs for which you have no prescription.
    Don’t eat the equivalent of the food budget for five third-world-families each year.
    Don’t smoke.
    Don’t be a hateful shitbag with no redeeming values whatsoever.

    Fuck. I’m doomed.

    .

  242. 242.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    @Bruce (formerly Steve S.):

    [Practice for tomorrow]
    Forgive me John Cole for I have sinned.
    I have taken the Lord’s name in vain.
    I have touched myself in the privates.

    Uh, Bruce… word?

    You were doing fine w/ that list… I was right there wid ya… until that last one…

    And now I hate to say it… but yer on yer own.

  244. 244.

    MoeLarryAndJesus

    If Rush dies in Hawaii does that mean he has to be buried in Kenya?

    I hope he doesn’t die right away. I’d rather see him do a Schiavo. Imagine the fun.

  245. 245.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    Or this version, for that matter…

    On the other hand… if reincarnation is real… who will Rush come back as?

    Oooooooooooo… new contest!!!

    I say… the late, great, Divine, especially the Divine from Pink Flamingos

  246. 246.

    YellowJournalism

    If Rush dies, you’re going to see Fox News go through the equivalent craziness of CNN’s MJ coverage.

    As others have said, I would prefer the glee of a PR nightmare rather than death just so we don’t have to hear people on news shows trying to say something good about the man just to avoid backlash from the wingnut set.

    Actually, if he lives, this might be a PR nightmare depending on why he started having chest pains. People should look under his bed for drugs and boys clues.

  247. 247.

    Brian J

    @Karen in GA:

    I’d say they are pretty happy, because he’s not writing anything far out there. He may be wrong, or he may have opinions that someone disagrees with, but I don’t think anyone but the most insane partisans on the other side would say he’s an embarrassment to the page. I have no data to back this up, but I suspect that they are happy because his column attracts so much attention, much more of it positive than someone like Maureen Dowd.

    I’d be more curious to know exactly how other economists view his columns. I’ve always found the complains that he’s somehow disgracing the profession bizarre. Aside from his single payer stance, I can’t think of a single issue where he’s outside the standard left-of-center mindset. (I don’t mean that as a criticism, by the way.) That doesn’t stop some on the right from pissing and moaning because he expresses an opinion that they disagree with, of course.

  248. 248.

    YellowJournalism

    @Bruce (formerly Steve S.):

    I have touched myself in the privates.

    I have called Rush Limbaugh a fat, stinking, smoking, drug-besotted, hate-filled sex tourist when, in fact, he does not stink.

    As long as you didn’t do the former while saying the latter.

  250. 250.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    @YellowJournalism:

    People should look under his bed for drugs and boys clues.

    Hey… that’s not fair. I made a similar comment hrs ago and it’s STILL hung up in moderation.

    Perhaps I shouldn’t have used the word V*I*A*G*R*A…

  252. 252.

    hamletta

    @The Republic of Stupidity: Don’t insult the memory of the great Divine like that.

    Thanks to all for the tip on the new Master & Commander book. My dad is nuts for those books, and his birthday is coming up in a few weeks. Since he’s not speaking to me, and I probably can’t afford it, maybe my brother and I can go halvsies on it.

    If he’ll speak to me. Family. Can’t live with ’em, can’t push ’em down a well.

  253. 253.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    @YellowJournalism:

    As long as you didn’t do the former while saying the latter.

    Eeeeeeeeeeew… please pass the brain bleach & steel wool…

    On the other hand… keep goin’… I’m being pushed farther and farther back in ‘This Way To Hell’ line w/ every comment.

    Christmas… by the time you boys are thru, I’ll be up fer Sainthood… heh…

  255. 255.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    @JGabriel:

    I don’t know about reincarnation, but if there’s a just hell, Limbaugh’s coming back as a Gitmo detainee.

    Uh… fire hydrant on a planet of dogs?

  256. 256.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    @omletta:

    Don’t insult the memory of the great Divine like that.

    I’m sorry… I apologize…

    I won’t do it again… tonight…

  258. 258.

    hamletta

    @Brian J: I agree. Krugman’s status as Chthulu of The Order of the Shrill only came about because of some right-wing blogger’s complaint that he was fine on economics, but when he wrote about politics, he became “shrill.”

    Seeing as how he subsequently got a blog on the NYT site called “The Conscience of a Liberal,” it’s hard to see where the paper had the same complaint.

  259. 259.

    ==-+

    As others have said, I would prefer the glee of a PR nightmare rather than death just so we don’t have to hear people on news shows trying to say something good about the man just to avoid backlash from the wingnut set.

    I can actually say something positive about Rush and mean it. He is a fantastic, talented, world class broadcaster.

    He’s also a self-absorbed, fear mongering, racist, piece of shit, who I wouldn’t piss on if he lit his crotch on fire (as I heard someone did a few days ago on a plane) and he is largely responsible for the state of dysfunction in out national discourse.

    My only regret is it’s a heart problem which will take him out quick…I was hoping for something slow and painful, like terminal cancer

  262. 262.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    @==-+:

    My only regret is it’s a heart problem which will take him out quick…

    Truthfully?

    When someone Rush’s age, and w/ his medical history and general lack of conditioning, has a heart attack and hours later is still hospitalized… that’s not a good sign.

  266. 266.

    Elie

    @==-+:

    We’ll see

    There is a small population of “cardiac cripples”. People with fragile, fragile hearts that never get well enough to be considered recovered but have frequent episodes of chest pain and weakness.

    Of course we have no idea and perhaps he will recover uneventfully. Looking at his physical state, one has to assume his metabolics are horrible and have been for a while. That makes it hard to launch a good recovery. If he has diabetes (part of that whole metabolic thing), the outlook is not good and in fact would probably be guarded at best..

    Instinctively, we all know that someone does not do that to his body unless there is some sort of real pain and messed up thing inside. Dont get me wrong, no matter how we eat and exercise, we are all headed for the great beyond sooner or later. However, he has seemed to explicitly temp the fates through the serious weight and behavior issues — the ongoing anger, negative stuff—.. there is just no fooling your inner you. Sadly, he may have made up this horrible person to get wealth and notoriety, against his real inner proclivities. If that is the case, he will suffer even more. Your body always knows who you really are and that stress and alienation from that center is going to play out in your health.

    I dont know what his family situation is, but I wish the best for his mother, father and sisters/brothers. It is very hard to lose your kin…if he has been a good relative that is…

  267. 267.

    VladCat

    I hope Rush does recover so he can continue his street outreach program with underage Dominican prostitutes.

  268. 268.

    MoeLarryAndJesus

    The latest news is that he may need a heart transplant, but the only other 300 pound weasel in the world isn’t a good match. How sad is that?

  269. 269.

    ==-+

    @The Republic of Stupidity:

    When someone Rush’s age, and w/ his medical history and general lack of conditioning, has a heart attack and hours later is still hospitalized… that’s not a good sign.

    Which is my point. Rush, Bush, Cheney…the lot of ’em. I’d like them to feel the fraction of the pain that they’ve caused millions of people around the world with their “ideology”.

    And also why, I could never be a doctor, or nurse like my life partner, I think some people…child molesters for example or say Cheney don’t deserve a place on this earth. My partner has to take care of anyone…it’s a moral and legal obligation. Me? I’m a lesser person, I might Oops! Forget to give a med when one is needed.

  271. 271.

    Elie

    @The Republic of Stupidity:

    Totally agree

    Of course they could be covering his condition with more protectiveness.

    That said, this guy looks like a bad case: obese, probably diabetic or close, high blood pressure probably, high pressure job which makes him be a bad guy. People pooh pooh that, but dentists do horribly with heart disease because they internalize how people “hate to go to the dentist”. Limbaugh knows he is hated and unless he is totally schizophrenic, that has a potent effect over time.

    I dont know his family situation, but I wish them peace through this. It is horrible to lose a loved one (if that indeed is what happens) — just horrible. He could be the worst person in the world, but if he is yours, it hurts a lot…

  273. 273.

    General Winfield Stuck

    UPDATE: KITV now reports that Limbaugh was sitting in a chair in his 9th floor hotel room at Kahala Hotel and Resort when paramedics arrived. Kerr said sources said Limbaugh told emergency crews that he was having chest pains and had been taking medication for back trouble.

    You can fill in the blanks

  274. 274.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    @Elie:

    That said, this guy looks like a bad case…

    Don’t forget the rapid weight loss… be kinda weird if El Rushbo pulled a Karen Carpenter on us, huh?

  276. 276.

    Elie

    Which is my point. Rush, Bush, Cheney…the lot of ‘em. I’d like them to feel the fraction of the pain that they’ve caused millions of people around the world with their “ideology”.

    But that is why I dont like the pathos and relief of dying for them. I want them alive and suffering through condemnation, isolation and rejection.

    Death is too good for them… too good..

    There was a book/movie Marathon Man, where a guy was tortured by having his tooth drilled to the heart of the nerve. The nerve root was stimulated to elicit pain and then filled and calmed down to be exposed again later when the torture was renewed for a certain purpose. THAT or something like that is what I would want for these jokers.

    Death is to good, too good. I want them awake and aware…

  277. 277.

    ==-+

    @Elie:

    Death is to good, too good. I want them awake and aware…

    Totally agree Elie. Which is why if life was fair Rush would be stricken with Parkinsons.

  278. 278.

    Elie

    @The Republic of Stupidity:

    Yep — but its still metabolic and tied to his personality…

    Its almost operatic — he would leave the stage in a flash of catastrophe…

    How about something Faustian where the last scene has him swallowed up in the fire of Hades?

    I like that.

    Win all around. He gets a dramatic exit — lots of heat and light and we get him to exit forever..

  279. 279.

    MoeLarryAndJesus

    Bad news – there are reports that he’s now “resting comfortably.”

    I hope he at least has a painful catheter.

  280. 280.

    Martin

    My vote is that Rush has some really rare tropical disease that requires a transfusion of blood from a half black/half white male who was born only in Hawaii between 1960 and 1962 and who lived in Indonesia during his youth.

    Oh, and he’ll need it in the next 45 minutes, so dear God let’s hope that individual is close by.

  281. 281.

    Mike Kay

    I can’t believe fatso didn’t rush back to the mainland after the xmas plane incident and instead chose to stay in “foreign”/”exotic” Hawaii.

  282. 282.

    Yutsano

    @Martin: Yeah I wish diseases were that specific. Plus Hawai’i being the diverse state that it is odds are there are quite a few candidates that meet those criteria.

  283. 283.

    GregB

    Limbaugh is back on the pain meds.

    The GOP is being lead off the cliff by a bloated junkie.

    Good enough for them.

    I think we should start profiling scrip junkies.

    -G

  285. 285.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    @GregB:

    Limbaugh is back on the pain meds.

    Pssssshaw… what do you mean by ‘BACK on‘…?

  286. 286.

    Yutsano

    @GregB: It must really be a pain for the docs treating him right now. You have to alleviate his pain but at the same time you can’t give him anything that will stimulate his addiction and/or he’s developed resistance to. That doesn’t leave a whole book of options.

  287. 287.

    AnotherBruce

    But can a hollow void where his soul should be actually cause chest pains?

    There is always the possibility that he is having these pains in his sphincter, and because of where his soul is located, has mistaken them for chest pains.

  288. 288.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    @AnotherBruce:

    There is always the possibility that he is having these pains in his sphincter, and because of where his soul is located, has mistaken them for chest pains.

    Or… given the location of the pains, perhaps Rush was simply have a migraine…

  291. 291.

    Comrade Kevin

    @Tomlinson:

    Something REALLY fishy here. Warren says that donations fell off a cliff in the last weekend? I really doubt that. Something very not right.

    I wouldn’t be surprised if something “fell” off a cliff, but it’s probably not donations.

  292. 292.

    Corey

    Browsing Memorandum after coming home just now, I made a prediction that every. single. winger commenting on Rush’s illness would make a point to make some comment about “the left” wishing him ill. Of course, they all did.

    It’s too bad idiots like some here have proven them right. You’re as repugnant as he is.

    That said, this is like Ted Kennedy for us, times about a million, and I certainly don’t remember left blogistan’s first reaction being to use the news to bludgeon the other side. What won’t these people politicize?

  294. 294.

    AnotherBruce

    I don’t wish him anything, but I’m sure not going to feel sorry for him. He has greatly added hatred to the world, and he has been very well paid for that hatred. I wish mostly that he would change his ways, but short of that, I’m not going to feel a damn thing but a certain amount of relief if he leaves the world. (yes this comment is meant for Corey)

  295. 295.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    Gee, Corey…

    ***sniff… sniff***

    I’m… I’m… soooooooo sorry.

    Yer better than all of us.

    No, really… you are.

  297. 297.

    Wannabe Speechwriter

    I’m surprised no one pointed out the obvious regarding Rush:

    this is a plot by ACORN, the ACLU, Fannie Mae, the UN, and Obama’s army of time traveling Nazi Muslims to turn America into a commufascist state. Very disappointing people!

  299. 299.

    bago

    I bet Rick Warren knows a guy with a spare million or two to give to his church on short notice…. Some kind of author or something. It would be a shame to see all of the money that feller made off of his book to prevent him from getting into heavn, as per the Gospel. It’s a win/win!

  301. 301.

    Anne Laurie

    @==-+:

    if reincarnation is real… who will Rush come back as?

    Rush Limbaugh. Because he needs to internalize the “Fat, drunk addicted, and stupid is no way to go through life, Son!” message before he can move onto a higher life-form. Possibly a battery chicken, or one of those grossly inbred little dogs that spends its days humping pillows and barking weezily at imaginary intruders.

  302. 302.

    Ruemara

    I make very tasteful beaded jewelry. On a lark, I did a cooter pendant out of wire. Many lovely pieces sit around on display, languishing for just the right person for weeks before they go. I hung the cooter pendant out….it sold within 2 days. Of all the—

    I’m not sure if my faith in humanity is restored or dissolved. The mate says triple my price and make them in sterling. I R SIREOUS R TEEST! had to share since this has made me laugh for whole day.

    In regards to rush’s fate, he doesn’t have to die, but can’t he be laid up infirm, silent and alone with his cats? Please?

  303. 303.

    Little Macayla's Friend

    @SiubhanDuinne: @SGEW:

    Do any of you own a good globe?

    Because I pictured some sort of spherical monitor when someone else mentioned electronic globe, I eventually found this company:
    http://en.souvr.com/product/200809/1450.html
    When I went to the ARC Science Simulations homepage, it hung up my browser (IE 8) twice, even after restarting it. Because of my security settings, I think it may involve their active X controls.
    I couldn’t find their prices; the larger ones appear to be institutional size and price, but maybe the 32″ / 60 lb. version would be no worse than a saltwater fish tank experience.

  304. 304.

    Little Macayla's Friend

    P.S.:
    It would be useful for people like SGEW if there was software to show the existing countries for a given year.
    Or if things like these Flash maps are some of the available software.

  305. 305.

    Platonicspoof

    Commenters feelings about Rush may be colored by a perception that there is a conservative meme about suffering (for Others anyway) and character.
    I was reminded of this by a catch (John Holbo) at Sadly No by Brad:

    “Contemporary conservatives still value that old American character. William Bennett in his lectures reads admiringly from an account of the Donner party written by a survivor that tells the story in spare, stoic style. He puts the letter down and asks incredulously, “Where did those people go?”

    If conservative demagogues believe that desperation (or at least living without gov.t safety nets) that leads to cannibalism (or at least daily fear) makes us better humans, then when one of those demagogues (especially if a hypocritical one) is suffering, those who have suffered the consequences of that conservative meme hope that the demagogue might learn empathy from his experience. They might also feel sorry for him, but they are the ones who were paying the most for his words. Payback’s a bitch all the way around.
    A Ted Kennedy is considered to already know that it’s compassion that makes for a higher human character, so his passing is mourned by normal people.
    Holbo says much more and much better.

  307. 307.

    RedKitten

    I don’t want Rush to die – I want him to take a long, hard look at his life, realize what he has wrought, be wracked with remorse, and spend the rest of his life (and money) doing good works. Starting with a public apology to Micheal J. Fox and a HUUUUGE donation towards the Parkinson’s Foundation.

    Edit: I know….nah gah happen. But, a girl can dream.

  308. 308.

    asiangrrlMN

    @RedKitten: Ditto this. I really would hope that Limbaugh would take a look at himself and say, “Man, what a shithead I’ve been most of my life. I should change that now”, but it’s not gonna happen. Some people are changed for the better by a brush with death, and some for the worse. I think we all know into which category Limbaugh will most likely fall.

  310. 310.

    JGabriel

    Corey:

    Browsing Memorandum after coming home just now, I made a prediction that every. single. winger commenting on Rush’s illness would make a point to make some comment about “the left” wishing him ill. Of course, they all did.
    __
    It’s too bad idiots like some here have proven them right. You’re as repugnant as he is.
    __
    That said, this is like Ted Kennedy for us, times about a million…

    Right. Because of all the legislation Rush passed to help people in need, and all the radio broadcasts by Kennedy urging people to hate their political opponents and calling said opponents traitors, etc.

    Yeah, I can see exactly how Rush is just like a million Ted Kennedys.

    .

  312. 312.

    Elie

    @RedKitten:

    In a weird way, I think he does have a lot of pain with what he does. Why else all the pain meds and abuse of his body? This is not the behavior of a person who likes himself in my opinion..

  313. 313.

    Mike G

    I made a prediction that every. single. winger commenting on Rush’s illness would make a point to make some comment about “the left” wishing him ill. Of course, they all did.

    Their highest achievement in their minds is pissing off “the left” because they have nothing else. They are like a kid in elementary school who gets attention by annoying everyone in the class because they have no other talents.

    Unlike Ted Kennedy, Rush has no personal achievements or betterment to the lives of others of which to be proud, just a life spent enriching himself by sowing hate.

  314. 314.

    mandarama

    @Steeplejack: & SGEW:

    LOVE the Aubrey-Maturin series. Have read a bazillion times, and find new and interesting aspects each go-round. I’ll probably never get over the one-sentence death of one of my most beloved characters (don’t want to spoil).

  315. 315.

    mandarama

    @Steeplejack:

    Another book I love is a big photo book by David Miller called The World of Jack Aubrey: Twelve-pounders, Frigates, Cutlasses, and Insignia of His Majesty’s Royal Navy. I got it for Christmas last year, along with Cochrane’s memoirs.

    I came to the series via my love for Austen and her contemporaries too. I can’t really pay O’Brian a higher compliment than to say that I often forget I’m not reading late 18th / early 19th century texts.

  316. 316.

    Steeplejack

    @mandarama:

    As I said last night, I have been thinking about starting up again. It has been quite a while. And today on Wikipedia I noticed that the tenth anniversary of Patrick O’Brian’s death is Saturday. Synchronicity?

    The other thing I was trying to find for my brother (with no success) was a CD anthology of some of the music that Aubrey and Maturin play in the novels–Corelli, etc. It was briefly popular during the heyday of the novels’ first popularity, but I couldn’t find it by any of the keywords I tried. Have to admit I didn’t try very hard, though, after I scored the book.

    Finally, the other book I like is A Sea of Words: A Lexicon and Companion to the Complete Seafaring Tales of Patrick O’Brian. Amazon link here.

  317. 317.

    mandarama

    @Steeplejack:

    Did you know that some crazy ladies decided to cook every single type of food mentioned in the series? They wrote a book about it. They even included “millers” (eeeewwww), and of course, all the different gelatinous puddings. And they tried to use the same kind of (lack of) technology to do the cooking! Link

  318. 318.

    Steeplejack

    @mandarama:

    I briefly thought about buying that cookbook. But then I realized, “Hey, that food wasn’t that great in the books. Why would I want to recreate it in real life?”

    One of my favorite scenes is (I think in Desolation Island) when Aubrey and his stranded shipmates make do for Christmas dinner with salted penguin or some such.

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