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Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Marge, god is saying you’re stupid.

The words do not have to be perfect.

Incompetence, fear, or corruption? why not all three?

He wakes up lying, and he lies all day.

This has so much WTF written all over it that it is hard to comprehend.

The republican caucus is covering themselves with something, and it is not glory.

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

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

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

SCOTUS: It’s not “bribery” unless it comes from the Bribery region of France. Otherwise, it’s merely “sparkling malfeasance”.

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

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

Russian mouthpiece, go fuck yourself.

They traffic in fear. it is their only currency. if we are fearful, they are winning.

Wake up. Grow up. Get in the fight.

“Perhaps I should have considered other options.” (head-desk)

These days, even the boring Republicans are nuts.

If you don’t believe freedom is for everybody, then the thing you love isn’t freedom, it is privilege.

When you’re a Republican, they let you do it.

T R E 4 5 O N

Dear Washington Post, you are the darkness now.

You cannot love your country only when you win.

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

When I decide to be condescending, you won’t have to dream up a fantasy about it.

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You are here: Home / Food & Recipes / Crock Pot Craziness / Popularity

Popularity

by Dennis G.|  February 9, 201011:51 pm| 135 Comments

This post is in: Crock Pot Craziness, Media, Open Threads, Good News For Conservatives

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Matthew Yglesias had a fine post up today about popular things in America.

It is not surprising that 3-4 out of every 10 Americans believe crazy things, but what is surprising is when these fringe beliefs are inflated by the press into a “movement” of some kind. The TeaBagger movement is a case in point. If one is generous you could cite evidence that 3 out of ten Americans are TeaBaggers (maybe 4 out of ten if you define most Republicans as TeaBaggers as well). Of course if you give a crazy idea free media it will infect more folks who believe things because they heard it on the teevee.

Yglesias points to this National dynamic with a poll out of Iowa that claims a third of Iowans say they “support the Tea Party Movement”:

55 percent of Americans say they’re personally protected by a guardian angel. 38 percent of Americans have a favorable view of Cuba and 36 percent are favorably disposed toward socialism, but I don’t see anyone writing newspaper articles about how a populist wave of socialism is sweeping the country. The number of Iowans who like the tea party movement is smaller than the number of Americans who want marijuana legalized or the number of Americans who believe the government has had secret contact with extra-terrestrials.

Polls register largish minorities of the population as saying all kinds of things. It’s very hard to know what to make of any of those polls as snapshots without some kind of context and duration over time. Do people even know what the “tea party” movement is?

As the beltway gasbags gas on about the Tea Parties and the TeaBaggers fluffed at these events by professional Republicans/Wing-nut activists like Dick Armey, Grover Norquist and the gang, I wait for somebody to put their fringe movement in some perspective. So thanks to Yglesias, I now know that they are more popular than folks who believe in Reincarnation but less popular than folks who believe in UFOs.

Somehow, I’m sure that this is all very good news for John McCain.

Cheers

dengre

…and yes, feel free to use this as an open thread. I’m going to go outside and measure the snow.

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Reader Interactions

135Comments

  1. 1.

    J. Michael Neal

    February 9, 2010 at 11:55 pm

    I think I saw polling reports on TPM today that 36% of self indentified tea partiers plan to vote for a Democrat. How much more confused can you get?

  2. 2.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    February 9, 2010 at 11:57 pm

    Which is why I don’t even OWN a teevee machine anymore, let alone watch it…

  3. 3.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    February 9, 2010 at 11:58 pm

    @J. Michael Neal:

    I think I saw polling reports on TPM today that 36% of self indentified tea partiers plan to vote for a Democrat. How much more confused can you get?

    Just you wait until self identified Democrats check in…

    No doubt they’ll double down and try to run the crazy table for sure…

  4. 4.

    J. Michael Neal

    February 10, 2010 at 12:01 am

    @The Republic of Stupidity: Yeah, I’m about 50 delta that the number of self-identified Democrats that plan to vote for a Democrat is less than 30%.

  5. 5.

    Martin

    February 10, 2010 at 12:03 am

    Well, I think the aggregate of all of these polls merely tell us that most Americans are retarded, and most of the retarded Americans would be offended that I said that for entirely the wrong reason.

  6. 6.

    rootless_e

    February 10, 2010 at 12:03 am

    what percentage of tea partiers know that medicare is a government program?

  7. 7.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    February 10, 2010 at 12:06 am

    If the Dems, as a whole, had HALF the party discipline of the GOP…

    As it is, the they – the Dems – come across as the biggest running group therapy session in history…

  8. 8.

    superfly

    February 10, 2010 at 12:08 am

    I saw some polling once that said 90% of people polled believed in God, and 50% of the same pool believed in reincarnation, which would indicate that about 40% (at least) of those polled are @#$%ing clueless.

    I didn’t believe it, because 40% seemed low to me.

    But I did read it on the “TV” in the elevator of my office building, so it must have been true, right?

  9. 9.

    J. Michael Neal

    February 10, 2010 at 12:10 am

    @The Republic of Stupidity: I’ve never trusted group therapy. You always end up with a couple of people determined to hog the spotlight and fight with each other.

  10. 10.

    Davis X. Machina

    February 10, 2010 at 12:13 am

    In a nation where Velveeta™ is marketd, sold, purchased and consumed as ‘cheese’, democracy is doomed.

  11. 11.

    Martin

    February 10, 2010 at 12:15 am

    @superfly: 90% is too high. Might be right for ‘supernatural’ or ‘supreme being’ or some such. That probably explains the 40% as well – not all groups that believe in a supernatural believe in heaven or life after death. There’s a lot of folks mired between even U/U Christian-lite and atheism.

  12. 12.

    jeffreyw

    February 10, 2010 at 12:17 am

    Watchin the hardball replay.

  13. 13.

    Martin

    February 10, 2010 at 12:18 am

    Oooh. Network just started on TCM.

  14. 14.

    Comrade Luke

    February 10, 2010 at 12:19 am

    Newt Gingrich is on The Daily Show tonight.

    I hate it when he has Gingrich, Stephen Moore, Kristol or any of those other tools; I literally can’t listen to them and have to turn it off.

    My hatred of the right is visceral. I guess I need help.

  15. 15.

    scav

    February 10, 2010 at 12:19 am

    so, how many do you think we could get believing in the Robin Hood Tax?

    And I’m getting slightly obsessed, is that Anton Lesser with Bill Nighy?

  16. 16.

    jeffreyw

    February 10, 2010 at 12:20 am

    Open thread? here are some pretty birdies:

    Cardinal

    Blue Jay

  17. 17.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    February 10, 2010 at 12:21 am

    Just clicked through a Very Concerned David Brooks telling Charlie Rose that the Tea Party movement “represents something real in this country”. Then I switched to a Seinfeld rerun. ‘Cause it was Bobo Brooks. And Charlie Rose.

  18. 18.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    February 10, 2010 at 12:21 am

    @J. Michael Neal:

    You always end up with a couple of people determined to hog the spotlight and fight with each other.

    Which describes folk like Ben Nelson and Joe Lieberman to a T…

    Group therapy… a bunch of pasty-faced, middle-aged white guys sitting around whining how they can’t get in touch w/ their inner warrior… today’s Democratic Party…

  19. 19.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    February 10, 2010 at 12:23 am

    @Comrade Luke: I just hope Stewart’s feeling a little ornery. That bloated prick is perfect bait for Stewart.

  20. 20.

    Martin

    February 10, 2010 at 12:25 am

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: We already got a preview earlier. Stewart was off his game – had a chance to nail Gingrich in a lie and missed it.

  21. 21.

    MikeJ

    February 10, 2010 at 12:26 am

    I’m going to go outside and measure the snow.

    My girlfriend was wondering why I drew 12 marks on my dick. Measuring snow with half inch accuracy of course.

  22. 22.

    Steeplejack

    February 10, 2010 at 12:27 am

    @Martin:

    TCM is running Oscar movies all month. I’ve been overloading the DVR and furiously trying to play catch-up the last week. Highlight so far, oddly enough, was Spencer Tracy and an all-star cast in Bad Day at Black Rock, a slightly overwrought but very good morality play about corruption in a small town. I recently got a wide-screen TV, and it was nice to be able to enjoy the wide ’50s format of the movie in all its glory.

    Okay, the other highlight was Bullitt the other night. It holds up well after all these years.

    Nice noir double feature tomorrow night: Kiss of Death and Pickup on South Street.

  23. 23.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    February 10, 2010 at 12:28 am

    @Comrade Luke:

    My hatred of the right is visceral. I guess I need help.

    No no no…

    Listen to your body…

    The body is smart… it’s the head that’s stupid…

  24. 24.

    Martin

    February 10, 2010 at 12:30 am

    @Steeplejack: Anything with Steve McQueen holds up well.

  25. 25.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    February 10, 2010 at 12:30 am

    @Comrade Luke:

    My hatred of the right is visceral. I guess I need help.

    No no no… listen to what your body is telling you.

    The body is smart… it’s the HEAD that’s stupid.

  26. 26.

    Kevin K.

    February 10, 2010 at 12:32 am

    If one is generous you could cite evidence that 3 out of ten Americans are TeaBaggers

    You’re being extremely generous with that guess. Cable news and the blogosphere have made it seem a lot bigger than it is. I’d lean toward 1 out of ten and I think that’s pushing it.

  27. 27.

    J. Michael Neal

    February 10, 2010 at 12:35 am

    @MikeJ: If you can measure the depth of the snow with your dick, it isn’t worth measuring. I don’t care how manly you are.

  28. 28.

    MagicPanda

    February 10, 2010 at 12:39 am

    Just watched clips from the president’s performance at the press briefing room (via Olbermann), and my thought is this: Robert Gibbs has to go.

    Gibbs has good rapport with the press, but he isn’t the right person for the moment in time we’re in. His use of humor might defuse a tense situation or two, but it seriously undermines the message.

    The press secretary needs to project a message on behalf of the president: we’re the grown-ups. We’re fixing things. He also needs to present a message about the opposition: they’re playing politics. They’re obstructing government. They’re hurting you.

    Gibbs’ humor undermines his core message. Today, the president was 5x better at delivering his own message than his press secretary. Some of that might be due to the gravitas that the president brings with him because of his office, but I think a lot of that comes from the particular style that Gibbs brings to his role.

    He’s a good guy but he’s not a good fit for the times. Obama needs to find a new press secretary.

  29. 29.

    Mike Kay

    February 10, 2010 at 12:40 am

    @J. Michael Neal:

    You always end up with a couple of people determined to hog the spotlight and fight with each other.

    Sounds like Daily Krybabies.

  30. 30.

    asiangrrlMN

    February 10, 2010 at 12:43 am

    Hey, wait a minute. I am favorably predisposed to sockulism along with nearly forty percent of the country. Where is MY movement, huh? Huh? Huh?

  31. 31.

    Mike Kay

    February 10, 2010 at 12:46 am

    @MagicPanda:

    Gibbs is a little tongue tied.

  32. 32.

    Steeplejack

    February 10, 2010 at 12:46 am

    @Martin:

    True dat. Although The Great Escape gets overplayed somewhat, for my taste. Give me The Getaway or The Thomas Crown Affair a little more often.

  33. 33.

    Lev

    February 10, 2010 at 12:46 am

    I believe in UFOs.

    In other words, I believe that people have occasionally seen objects or lights that they couldn’t get an explanation for. I am absolutely sure that virtually all of these things can be easily explained–the rumor of Area 51 got started because of all the “UFO”s sighted right next to an experimental Air Force testing grounds.

    The more instructive question is: do you believe that aliens exist? Which I do not believe in, but I suppose they are possible.

  34. 34.

    J. Michael Neal

    February 10, 2010 at 12:47 am

    Job interview tomorrow. I’m not even nervous. At this point, I’m confident that I can project exactly the image that I want to. If that’s not the image they want to see, fuck ’em. I’ve made as many compromises to the job search process as I’m willing to.

  35. 35.

    asiangrrlMN

    February 10, 2010 at 12:49 am

    @J. Michael Neal: Good luck. That’s the right attitude to have.

  36. 36.

    Mike Kay

    February 10, 2010 at 12:49 am

    @Steeplejack:

    “The Blob” was his best.

  37. 37.

    Lev

    February 10, 2010 at 12:50 am

    @MagicPanda: I agree about Gibbs. I think Obama needs someone a little nastier to deliver his message, someone who can burrow the message into the MSM. I really hate to say it, but I think this might be a job for Howard Wolfson. Damn if the guy didn’t do exactly what Obama needs when Wolfson worked for Clinton.

  38. 38.

    John S.

    February 10, 2010 at 12:51 am

    Knock em dead, JMN.

  39. 39.

    Martin

    February 10, 2010 at 12:53 am

    @asiangrrlMN: France

  40. 40.

    Dennis Kucinich

    February 10, 2010 at 12:53 am

    In Shirley MacLaine’s new book, the actress and longtime friend of Dennis Kucinich makes an interesting claim: During a visit to her home in Washington state, Kucinich said he saw a UFO and heard messages from it.

    “Dennis found his encounter extremely moving,” MacLaine writes. “The smell of roses drew him out to my balcony where, when he looked up, he saw a gigantic triangular craft, silent, and observing him.

    “It hovered, soundless, for 10 minutes or so, and sped away with a speed he couldn’t comprehend. He said he felt a connection in his heart and heard directions in his mind.”

    Kucinich’s campaign and Congressional offices did not return calls

  41. 41.

    asiangrrlMN

    February 10, 2010 at 12:54 am

    @Martin: Plus, really damn good food. Hm. You have a point, Martin.

  42. 42.

    D Kucinich

    February 10, 2010 at 12:55 am

    In Shirley MacLaine’s new book, the actress and longtime friend of Dennis Kucinich makes an interesting claim: During a visit to her home in Washington state, Kucinich said he saw a UFO and heard messages from it.

    “Dennis found his encounter extremely moving,” MacLaine writes. “The smell of roses drew him out to my balcony where, when he looked up, he saw a gigantic triangular craft, silent, and observing him.

    “It hovered, soundless, for 10 minutes or so, and sped away with a speed he couldn’t comprehend. He said he felt a connection in his heart and heard directions in his mind.”

    Kucinich’s campaign and Congressional offices did not return calls

  43. 43.

    Martin

    February 10, 2010 at 12:56 am

    @J. Michael Neal: That’s the way to go in. The interview for my current job was like that. I argued the nature of the job description with the hiring committee and whether or not someone in this position would ever be able to do anything if it took 7 people to get hired.

    Good or bad, I stood out. Apparently it worked. Go get ’em.

  44. 44.

    Yutsano

    February 10, 2010 at 12:57 am

    @asiangrrlMN: Heh. I’m French by descent and don’t particularly care for most French food. Some of it is wonderful but some is just too fussy to mess with IMHO.

    Hi hon. I thought I was gonna kill someone tonight, I was moody for some weird reason.

    EDIT: Southland on my teevee. Woot.

  45. 45.

    Martin

    February 10, 2010 at 12:58 am

    @asiangrrlMN: And french accents are HAWT!

  46. 46.

    Martin

    February 10, 2010 at 1:00 am

    @Lev: John Cole for press secretary. I want to hear how Obama is going to punch Republicans in the neck and skull fuck Joe Lieberman.

  47. 47.

    asiangrrlMN

    February 10, 2010 at 1:00 am

    @Yutsano: I hear you. I like fussy sometimes, though. I have a friend who lives in Nantes and has a food blog. I would eat anything she makes.

    Why so moody, my dear hubby? And, I am glad you didn’t kill anyone. I would hate to have to visit you in prison.

    @Martin: To truthful, I find almost all accents hawt.

  48. 48.

    Lev

    February 10, 2010 at 1:00 am

    @Martin: Seconded.

  49. 49.

    J. Michael Neal

    February 10, 2010 at 1:02 am

    @Martin: I’m applying for a job with the federal government. If it’s anything like when I applied to the IRS, I’m going to be interviewed by two people, who just write up notes to send to someone in washington, who makes the decision. It’s a fucked up system, particularly since the IRS actually offered me a position, and *then* asked whether I’d taken advanced accounting. I asked what they meant by “advanced accounting.” It basically turned out that they wanted a class that had “Advanced” in the title. I told them that, no, I hadn’t taken such a class, and I’d sent them a copy of my transcript when I applied, so they should know what classes I’d taken.

    They withdrew the offer.

  50. 50.

    Lev

    February 10, 2010 at 1:05 am

    Hard to know what to make of this:

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100210/ap_on_bi_ge/us_health_care_overhaul

    On the one hand, I could go Hamsher over it. On the other hand, it might be political shtick to make himself more reasonable. I hope it’s the second. The notion of another round of Lucy and the football, or of making a compromise where none is needed, just makes me hotter than a pistol. I guess I’ll withhold judgment until the whole thing is over.

  51. 51.

    Yutsano

    February 10, 2010 at 1:06 am

    @asiangrrlMN: Personally I am not above chicken with forty cloves of garlic, but that’s not one of the really elaborate dishes out there. Some of the exact amount dishes drive me nuts, plus I don’t bake so the vast majority of pastry is out. I don’t really consider cookies baking, they are a bit more freeform than that.

    Not sure why I’m being kinda sour tonight. I might need to just sleep it off and focus on the day tomorrow.

  52. 52.

    Martin

    February 10, 2010 at 1:08 am

    @J. Michael Neal: Oh, dear. So, no assessment of whether you can do the job or not – just whether someone thought enough to put a particular word on a transcript. Being in .edu, that makes me want to punch something.

    And then you’re hired on the basis of notes? I know inside of 10 seconds if a candidate is worth considering or not. It’s never failed, even though I always have two others interviewing as well (policy) that reiterate the call. But you have to meet the person. I can spot slackers, yes-men, connivers, assholes even before the handshake.

  53. 53.

    Steeplejack

    February 10, 2010 at 1:09 am

    @Mike Kay:

    Haw. Spit-take.

  54. 54.

    de stijl

    February 10, 2010 at 1:11 am

    The more instructive question is: do you believe that aliens exist? Which I do not believe in, but I suppose they are possible.

    Since there are at least a 100 billion planets in our galaxy, and there are 100 – 500 billion galaxies, the thought that Earth supports the only life in the universe seems more than a bit geocentric.

    Unless you mean that aliens are visiting earth in spaceships – possible in theory, but extremely unlikely given the distances involved.

  55. 55.

    asiangrrlMN

    February 10, 2010 at 1:11 am

    @Yutsano: Yeah, well, as long as other people cook for me, I don’t much care what it is. I like pretty much any food–except water chestnuts, kiwi, and anything still living.

    Maybe you should turn in early and get some extra sleep. That might make you feel better.

  56. 56.

    ronin122

    February 10, 2010 at 1:12 am

    Well on Tweety’s Hardball today the almighty dipshit Mark Halperin even had to admit that Palin is fucking bonkers. I am torn, we all know and have known for over a year that she’s a moronic lunatic; on the other hand, if most things that come out of Halperin’s ass mouth are pretty much true if you take the opposite, how does one reconcile agreeing with him? (I am leaning towards the whole “broken clock” thing)

  57. 57.

    parksideq

    February 10, 2010 at 1:12 am

    OT, but it’s an open thread, so yeah. Hiram Monserrate, the NY state senator that beat up his girlfriend a year ago, was just voted out by his senate peers (link is HuffPOS, but it’s the first place I found the story).

    Now if only the US Senate could get rid of its assclowns so easily. Ah, but to dream.

  58. 58.

    Yutsano

    February 10, 2010 at 1:13 am

    @asiangrrlMN: I could also immerse myself in amazing amounts of teh cute:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/44164793@N05/4344908675/

  59. 59.

    J. Michael Neal

    February 10, 2010 at 1:13 am

    Jesus. They’re doing Dante’s Inferno as a combat based video game?

    Fucking cretins.

  60. 60.

    Martin

    February 10, 2010 at 1:14 am

    @Lev: That’s an easy claim to make knowing the calculus in the House. In order to pass there, the bill needs to move left, not right. All the burden is on the Senate, particularly turning the 60 vote requirement into a 50 vote one.

  61. 61.

    Martin

    February 10, 2010 at 1:16 am

    @parksideq: The CA GOP is even more lethal. During the state budget crisis, the minority leader signaled that he was willing to compromise with the majority on tax increases. 3 hours later, at 1AM, he was no longer the minority leader.

  62. 62.

    J. Michael Neal

    February 10, 2010 at 1:16 am

    @Martin: Yeah, but at least the two guys who interviewed me were actually revenue agents, not clowns from HR. And, hey, they were smart enough to offer me a job. Temporarily, at least. It’s closer than I’ve gotten anywhere else.

  63. 63.

    Tax Analyst

    February 10, 2010 at 1:16 am

    @Davis X. Machina:

    In a nation where Velveeta™ is marketd, sold, purchased and consumed as ‘cheese’, democracy is doomed.

    Davis XM – Perhaps what we have is a “Velveeta Democracy”?

  64. 64.

    MagicPanda

    February 10, 2010 at 1:18 am

    @ronin122: I think it’s more a matter of Halperin being somewhat spineless. Chris Matthews was being so strident in saying “Sarah Palin is completely bonkers and dangerous! Am I right, Mark?”

    If Mark were on a show where the other pundits were talking about how inspiring and charismatic Sarah Palin was, he would be parrotting that as well.

  65. 65.

    Yutsano

    February 10, 2010 at 1:20 am

    @Lev: I’m thinking it’s another chess move. Obama is willing to show that he’s not going about this in an ideological fashion, and now the Republicans either bite or firm up. Personally I think they firm up, because they have a vocal minority doubling down on the crazy just itching to go all NY-23 on them if they’re perceived to be stepping out of line.

  66. 66.

    D Kucinich

    February 10, 2010 at 1:20 am

    @ronin122:

    if most things that come out of Halperin’s ass mouth are pretty much true if you take the opposite, how does one reconcile agreeing with him?

    The GOP establishment is afraid if she wins the nomination they’ll lose 45 states. Being the DC courtesan that he is, Halperin is only doing their bidding by bashing the palm reader.

  67. 67.

    Mike Kay

    February 10, 2010 at 1:20 am

    @ronin122:

    if most things that come out of Halperin’s ass mouth are pretty much true if you take the opposite, how does one reconcile agreeing with him?

    The GOP establishment is afraid if she wins the nomination they’ll lose 45 states. Being the DC courtesan that he is, Halperin is only doing their bidding by bashing the palm reader.

  68. 68.

    asiangrrlMN

    February 10, 2010 at 1:21 am

    @Yutsano: Awwwwwwwwwwww! So cute!

  69. 69.

    Tax Analyst

    February 10, 2010 at 1:23 am

    @J. Michael Neal:

    @Martin: Yeah, but at least the two guys who interviewed me were actually revenue agents, not clowns from HR. And, hey, they were smart enough to offer me a job. Temporarily, at least. It’s closer than I’ve gotten anywhere else.

    Just remember to follow Harvey Mansfield’s “Manliness” protocols. You might not get the job but maybe you’ll get hit on by the interviewers.

    Seriously, good luck with the position.

    (Why does that sound just “wrong” here?)

  70. 70.

    MagicPanda

    February 10, 2010 at 1:23 am

    @Yutsano: I’m hopeful as well. Over the last few weeks, Obama’s MO has been to more forcefully call the GOP on its BS, and to try to show the American people what the GOP obstruction is all about.

    Will it work? Maybe not. But I think this is another exercise in showing the American people what game the GOP is playing. On national television. (crossing fingers)

  71. 71.

    J. Michael Neal

    February 10, 2010 at 1:24 am

    @Tax Analyst:

    Why does that sound just “wrong” here?

    It’s not wrong if I come out on top.

    Errrr. . .

  72. 72.

    Yutsano

    February 10, 2010 at 1:25 am

    @asiangrrlMN: I totally forgot I had that picture then found it as I was drifting through some old saved e-mails. The friend who sent that to me has unfortunately disappeared, however I’m glad I still had that. Adorable doesn’t even begin to cover it. Other than it was taken in Afghanistan I know nothing else about the puppeh or the soldier in the picture.

    @MagicPanda: I want them to refuse the Obama meeting now. That would basically give the Democrats permission to close the deal in whatever way they want with very few political consequences. After February 25th the sidecar fix might just happen and all the American public at large will see is another Obama victory.

  73. 73.

    Tax Analyst

    February 10, 2010 at 1:27 am

    @J. Michael Neal:

    It’s not wrong if I come out on top.
    Errrr. . .

    I think there’s just way too much innuendo going on around here tonight.

    If you catch my gist.

  74. 74.

    Yutsano

    February 10, 2010 at 1:28 am

    @Tax Analyst:

    I think there’s just way too much innuendo going on around here tonight.

    You must be new here.

  75. 75.

    asiangrrlMN

    February 10, 2010 at 1:29 am

    @Yutsano: WTF, disappear?

    As for Obama and the idiotic Republicans, yeah. Time for some hardball, motherfuckers. Bring it.

    @Tax Analyst: Bwahahaha! You must be new here (I know you’re not). Welcome to Late Night at BJ where every comment is suggestive.

    @Yutsano: Great minds and all.

  76. 76.

    Tax Analyst

    February 10, 2010 at 1:30 am

    @Yutsano:

    You must be new here.

    No, maybe just a little too sheltered in my earlier years.

  77. 77.

    J. Michael Neal

    February 10, 2010 at 1:30 am

    @Tax Analyst: I mean, I know I can work long and hard for them.

  78. 78.

    Yutsano

    February 10, 2010 at 1:31 am

    @J. Michael Neal: Okay now you’re just trying too hard.

    By the by good luck on the morrow. I have an interview for a promotion myself tomorrow, so hopefully we’ll both have something to celebrate this weekend.

  79. 79.

    Tax Analyst

    February 10, 2010 at 1:32 am

    @asiangrrlMN:

    @Tax Analyst: Bwahahaha! You must be new here (I know you’re not). Welcome to Late Night at BJ where every comment is suggestive.

    You mean there isn’t a prize in every box?

  80. 80.

    asiangrrlMN

    February 10, 2010 at 1:34 am

    @Tax Analyst: Oh, there most certainly is. Sometimes, though, you have to dig deep to find it.

  81. 81.

    Dennis G.

    February 10, 2010 at 1:36 am

    @MagicPanda:

    Gibbs is great.

    I’ve been watching the press briefings for about a year and it is a very enjoyable show. He balances humor with the appropriate amount of contempt for the idiocy of the WH Press corps.

    Gibbs is very good in this job and I’m glad he’s there.

    Cheers

  82. 82.

    Tax Analyst

    February 10, 2010 at 1:36 am

    @J. Michael Neal:

    I mean, I know I can work long and hard for them.

    But what if they’re looking for the reverse? Can you work hard and long for them? Will you be able to deliver when push and shove requires one to come?

    I sure ask a lot of questions.

  83. 83.

    Tax Analyst

    February 10, 2010 at 1:39 am

    @asiangrrlMN:

    Oh, there most certainly is. Sometimes, though, you have to dig deep to find it.

    It’s times like those that (sometimes, but not always) separate the men from the boys…although not necessarily the men from the women or the women from the women.

  84. 84.

    Yutsano

    February 10, 2010 at 1:40 am

    @Dennis G.: I happen to agree with that assessment. Personally I can’t think of anyone else I’d want in that role in Obama’s administration, however that position does tend to have a high washout rate, so folks may get their wish about Gibbs being unemployed.

  85. 85.

    J. Michael Neal

    February 10, 2010 at 1:41 am

    @Tax Analyst: If need be, I can go to the mattresses.

  86. 86.

    asiangrrlMN

    February 10, 2010 at 1:43 am

    @Tax Analyst: I would only trust a grown man or woman with the prize in my box.

    @Dennis G.: I am with you on this. I like Gibbs diffident style and the way he slyly gets his digs in.

  87. 87.

    Tax Analyst

    February 10, 2010 at 1:45 am

    @Yutsano:

    And good luck to you in your job promo interview.

    I’m almost at the opposite end of the spectrum. This has been such a crazy fucking Tax Season I’m seriously considering hanging up my Pub 17 after it’s over.

    But I probably won’t. Hell, I’d lose my HC Benefits and I’m a couple years short of Medicare eligibility. How’s that for “Golden Shackles”?

  88. 88.

    asiangrrlMN

    February 10, 2010 at 1:47 am

    @Yutsano: Oooh, I forgot about that. Good luck tomorrow!

    @Tax Analyst: Why is it so crazy this year?

    @J. Michael Neal: Night and knock ’em dead tomorrow.

  89. 89.

    J. Michael Neal

    February 10, 2010 at 1:47 am

    Night, folks. Time for my manly beauty sleep.

  90. 90.

    Yutsano

    February 10, 2010 at 1:49 am

    @Tax Analyst: I personally think the idea of lowering the Medicare eligible age was sheer genius. Not only would it have covered folks like you, there would have been a huge spate of retirements plus a lifting of the highest costs from employer HC rolls. I also think if it was done right it would have saved Medicare for a longer time until this country wakes the hell up and figures out we really don’t have to re-invent the wheel. But we gotta try everything else first, to badly paraphrase Churchill.

  91. 91.

    J. Michael Neal

    February 10, 2010 at 1:51 am

    @Yutsano: We should get together for celebratory drinks tomorrow night.

    Now I really am going to bed. Honest.

  92. 92.

    Tax Analyst

    February 10, 2010 at 1:52 am

    @J. Michael Neal:

    If need be, I can go to the mattresses.

    Ah, yes…and I believe it was Harvey Manfield himself who said, “It’s hard to take a good man down”, wasn’t it?

    And I guess he would know, after all.

    @ asiangrrlMN: Well, grown men, yes…otherwise you could find yourself in an unsatisfying predickament…or postdickament, for that matter.

    I’m still working on the “woman” part there, I might need a little more time.

  93. 93.

    asiangrrlMN

    February 10, 2010 at 1:55 am

    @Tax Analyst: Ha! Now you’re getting into the swing of things. As for the woman thing, take your time. I’ll wait.

  94. 94.

    The Republic of Stupidity

    February 10, 2010 at 1:56 am

    @Tax Analyst:

    Ah, yes…and I believe it was Harvey Manfield himself who said, “It’s hard good to take a good hard man down”, wasn’t it?

    Actually, I think that’s what Mansfield meant to say…

  95. 95.

    MagicPanda

    February 10, 2010 at 1:58 am

    @everyone: I had been on Gibbs’ side for a while. I always liked his lighthearted wit. But today, after seeing how Obama communicated, it just struck me that being lighthearted — even when he is getting his digs in — makes the whole process seem like a game, which is exactly the problem. The press treats politics (and policy) like it’s a sports game between two sides. And it’s not a game.

    *shrug*. Maybe I’m wrong (I hope I am) but my sense is that a different, more serious tone might be more effective at communicating to the press the seriousness of things like health care reform, GOP obstructionism, etc.

  96. 96.

    Tax Analyst

    February 10, 2010 at 2:02 am

    @asiangrrlMN:

    Why is it so crazy this year?

    Foreclosures, for one. I work at a Service Bureau assisting tax preparers who license our software when they have difficult issues. Foreclosures can result in huge amounts of “Cancellation of Debt” income being added to someones return, but if they meet certain criteria they can exclude it. It’s a little tricky, but if you are talking to a preparer who is fairly intelligent it’s not that difficult to explain most of the time. Guess what? The preparers I end up talking are not always fairly intelligent. And the states don’t always follow Federal rules…more research and explanation. There are 3 Tax Analysts here (including myself) and we’ve been getting 25 to 30 inquiries a day about these issues. It’s very draining.

    Then you have a raft of new and refundable or partially refundable credits – there are twists and turns in the criteria for each of them that often require explanation and interpretation – and on top of that just the usual every-season difficult questions.

    There, aren’t you sorry you asked? You’re probably thinking I’d complain if they hung me with a new rope.

    But hey, if it wasn’t hard then they probably wouldn’t call it “work”, would they?

    BTW – In general I really like my job and the people I work with here.

  97. 97.

    robertdsc-PowerBook & 27 titles

    February 10, 2010 at 2:04 am

    I would only trust a grown man or woman with the prize in my box.

    But would you trust Tunch?

  98. 98.

    Tax Analyst

    February 10, 2010 at 2:06 am

    @The Republic of Stupidity:

    Ah, yes…and I believe it was Harvey Manfield himself who said, “It’s good to take a hard man down”, wasn’t it?

    Actually, I think that’s what Mansfield meant to say…

    On reflection I’d say I’m almost certain you are correct.

    @asiangrrlMN:

    ‘Fraid it will have to be on the ‘morrow (or later), for I’ve nearly overstayed my welcome here this evening and need to get home for a bit of sleep.

    Good night, all…it’s been rejuvenating.

  99. 99.

    Yutsano

    February 10, 2010 at 2:07 am

    @robertdsc-PowerBook & 27 titles: I think there may have been a time when the answer to that question would have been yes, however after he spurned her advances I think the Tunchinator is no longer welcome within. She is a forgiving sort though.

  100. 100.

    bago

    February 10, 2010 at 2:08 am

    @J. Michael Neal: It’s actually a perverse kind of awesome. You get to riff off of hell, and as part of the advertising they did westboro style protests outside of e3. It’s amusing conceptually. You even get to co-opt the phrase “go to hell!”.

  101. 101.

    bago

    February 10, 2010 at 2:13 am

    @Tax Analyst: It’s hard. To take a good man down.

  102. 102.

    Tax Analyst

    February 10, 2010 at 2:15 am

    @Yutsano:

    @Tax Analyst: I personally think the idea of lowering the Medicare eligible age was sheer genius. Not only would it have covered folks like you, there would have been a huge spate of retirements plus a lifting of the highest costs from employer HC rolls. I also think if it was done right it would have saved Medicare for a longer time until this country wakes the hell up and figures out we really don’t have to re-invent the wheel. But we gotta try everything else first, to badly paraphrase Churchill.

    Shoot! I almost left before replying to the one serious comment I’ve provoked in several weeks.

    Yes, I remember when the idea of lowering it to 55 was floated at some point in the HCR discussion (or whatever you want to call it). I would think it a good idea even if I wasn’t anywhere near the affected age bracket. Good point.

    OK, NOW I’m outta here.

    later.

  103. 103.

    Yutsano

    February 10, 2010 at 2:17 am

    @Tax Analyst: I provoked a serious discussion. My reputation on here may never recover from this.

  104. 104.

    Tax Analyst

    February 10, 2010 at 2:17 am

    @bago:

    It’s hard. To take a good man down.

    Ah, truth (or so I’ve heard anyway)…I have nothing to add to that.

    Yeah, I lied about being outta here a couple minutes ago, but this time I REALLY, REALLY am.

  105. 105.

    Yutsano

    February 10, 2010 at 2:21 am

    @Tax Analyst: Don’t make me go all Jewish mother on you. I’ll do it. Don’t make me go there.

  106. 106.

    Anne Laurie

    February 10, 2010 at 2:42 am

    @MagicPanda:

    I had been on Gibbs’ side for a while… But today, after seeing how Obama communicated, it just struck me that being lighthearted—even when he is getting his digs in—makes the whole process seem like a game, which is exactly the problem. The press treats politics (and policy) like it’s a sports game between two sides. And it’s not a game.
    __
    shrug. Maybe I’m wrong (I hope I am) but my sense is that a different, more serious tone might be more effective at communicating to the press the seriousness of things like health care reform, GOP obstructionism, etc.

    Another way of framing it would be that Gibbs plays the Good Cop or shop-teacher role to the press corps’ conception of Obama as the hardarse school principal. Gibbs larfs & jokes with th’ Bhoyos of the Fourth Estate, who lap it up, whilst Obama is the slightly scary guy who only rarely shows up to commend the Bhoyos for a job well done. This is an inversion from the Cheney Regency, where Bush (like the stereotype of a bad gym teacher) was always dragging the Bhoyos out to jog or mountain bike, giving them semi-abuse nicknames, and generally acting like the held-back 16-year-old in a class of 13-year-olds who’s “popular” because they’re all terrified of him. And Fleischer / Rove played the Bad Cop role, arbitrarily punishing Bhoyos to “set the tone”, demanding that Respect Be Shown, generally acting like petty tyrants and getting away with it. (Remember “People need to watch what they do, watch what they say?”)

    It would, of course, be better for American public discourse if the press corps were to start acting like grown-ups with grown-up jobs to do, but after so many years of arrested development, it’s not surprising that so many of them are incapable of moving beyond junior-high behavior.

  107. 107.

    Chuck Butcher

    February 10, 2010 at 2:51 am

    I like Gibbs. Sometimes he over explains things that don’t need it and gets himself tangled, but at least it is nothing like BushCo. I didn’ t much like McClelland but he was the only one I didn’t find myself wanting to strangle. I knew he was a lying SoS but for some reason was able to restrain impulses to violence.

  108. 108.

    bago

    February 10, 2010 at 3:24 am

    @Tax Analyst: Specific ambiguity is fun, no?

  109. 109.

    frosty

    February 10, 2010 at 3:41 am

    @steeplejack

    Saw Bullitt when it came out, watched it every time I could since then. Did you know someone tracked down one of the two Mustangs used in the movie? Strange backstory.

  110. 110.

    Restrung

    February 10, 2010 at 3:50 am

    @Dennis G.
    I wish I didn’t have to wait to hear what Cokie Roberts has to say about this very interesting poll. I fear it’s a real problem for Democrats going into this year’s elections.

    Hopefully NPR will have Jonah Goldberg and the liberal Rich Lowry on TOTN tomorrow for the Junkie segment.

  111. 111.

    asiangrrlMN

    February 10, 2010 at 3:55 am

    @Tax Analyst: Not sorry at all. That was a fascinating read. Hope you are sleeping now.

    @robertdsc-PowerBook & 27 titles: I would. Alas, he has been so aloof as of late. I barely remember what he looks like.

    @Yutsano: I yearn uncontrollably for the great white Tunchinator. Endlessly longing for him…sigh….

  112. 112.

    Restrung

    February 10, 2010 at 4:02 am

    @Chuck Butcher:
    That’s the odd thing about Scott. I knew he knew he was lying, so I gave him some slack? wtf?
    Tony Snow was a killer, tho.
    Ari can DIAF. what a dick.
    Perino had a tough mf job, by that point. She really sucked at it, too. ha!

  113. 113.

    Chuck Butcher

    February 10, 2010 at 4:18 am

    @Restrung:
    It’s a toss up who between Snow and Ari most infuriated me, I give a slight edge to Snow. His smirky pallsy smarter than thou almost drove me to root for the cancer, on the other hand Ari…it would have given me great pleasure to have plucked his remaining hairs one by one, one right after the other.

    A sock in Dana’s mouth then and now would’ve been a real improvement, lying is bad enough, being really bad and obvious about it while being sincere in it is too much.

    There was some pathos involved with Scottie, watching a true believer stuck with shoveling shit and squirming while doing it had some form of redemption.

  114. 114.

    Chuck Butcher

    February 10, 2010 at 4:27 am

    Is it sick and wrong to find something vaguely erotic in the idea of stuffing a sock in Dana’s mouth? I realize it doesn’t involve wetsuits and stalls and…

  115. 115.

    Robertdsc-iphone

    February 10, 2010 at 4:29 am

    I have just one extremely unhealthy observation about Dana Perino: she looked hot with the black eye she received by accident when Bush got the shoe tossed at him. Otherwise she can DIAF justl like the rest of the Bushies.

  116. 116.

    NobodySpecial

    February 10, 2010 at 5:05 am

    Just had some shaking in Rockford, IL. Earthquake?

  117. 117.

    rachel

    February 10, 2010 at 5:19 am

    @Chuck Butcher: The thing about McLellan for me was that everybody could tell when he was was lying because he knew he was lying and he felt bad about it. The rest of that crew either didn’t know the difference between truth and lies (Perino), or they didn’t care (Fleischer and Snow). So I didn’t hate him. I did feel something approaching weary disgust toward him, but I never despised him like I did the others.

  118. 118.

    geg6

    February 10, 2010 at 6:07 am

    I love Robert Gibbs. I think his style is exactly right for his role. His role is not always to be the gravitas guy. That’s Obama’s and his policy people’s jobs. His job is to wrangle with the perpetual frat boy adolescents who make up our very serious (not) WH press corps. Gibbs manages this well while at the same time showing us that he has a contempt for them underneath it all that just gives me joy whenever I see it. I can’t think of a better person for that job in this White House at this point in time.

  119. 119.

    SiubhanDuinne

    February 10, 2010 at 7:12 am

    @NobodySpecial #113: Yes, a 4.3 with epicenter near Sycamore, according to the Tribune alert that just hit my inbox. How far is Rockford from Sycamore? Article says no reports of damage.

  120. 120.

    geg6

    February 10, 2010 at 7:22 am

    I am beginning to think that Mother Nature is really pissed at Amurika. The East Coast is in the midst of Snowpocalypse II: Electric Bugaloo. The West Coast is either perpetually on fire or drowning in rain and mud. And now the Midwest has a fucking earthquake. Considering the asshole ratio there, I hate to see what is going to hit the South.

  121. 121.

    New Yorker

    February 10, 2010 at 7:38 am

    How about the number of Americans who believe the King of Sweden is using his penis as a radio transmitter to send anti-semitic lesbian meatloaf recipes to Soupy Sales and Marvin Hamlisch?

    Believing such a thing is more reasonable than believing Sarah Palin is qualified to be President.

  122. 122.

    2th&nayle

    February 10, 2010 at 8:06 am

    @Martin:

    Anything with Steve McQueen holds up well.

    Excuse please, but if you don’t mention “The War Lover” and “Nevada Smith” in the same breath with McQueen, then you don’t qualify as a fan. “The Great Escape”, not so much. Just sayin!

  123. 123.

    SiubhanDuinne

    February 10, 2010 at 8:12 am

    @geg6 #117: We are surrounded by wacko wingnut xenophobic teabagging ranting racist redstate religionist secessionist southerners. Isn’t that punishment enough?

  124. 124.

    geg6

    February 10, 2010 at 8:16 am

    Another free vacation day due to blizzard conditions. So I’m cruising the Net on the BlackBerry and see a very intriguing Mike Madden post on Salon re: Murtha’s seat and names being floated. The one that most set my bells ringing (and Mike’s too) was that of former Leutenant Gov. (under Bob Casey Sr.) Mark Singel. He lost a US Senate primary bid in a bizarre turn of events and kinda dropped out of electoral politics (of course, he’s a lobbyist). But his name still resonates and many machine Dems in the state think he got screwed by the Dem electorate in that race and that he had a real chance to have won the general had he gotten through the primary. My initial reaction is that he is the Dems best hope to hold that seat, a seat in a very socially conservative, rural and working class district. Like Murtha, he’s a proud son of Johnstown and he has a ton of name recognition. I have to think about this some more, but this could be inspired.

  125. 125.

    demo woman

    February 10, 2010 at 8:29 am

    @SiubhanDuinne: Wake me up when we have reached peak wing nut! So far our state reps have enacted a law that makes it illegal to implant a microchip in your brain without your permission and now they are discussing the possibility of rewarding counties for turning in illegals.

  126. 126.

    NobodySpecial

    February 10, 2010 at 8:33 am

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    It’s about an hour southeast of us.

  127. 127.

    SpotWeld

    February 10, 2010 at 8:40 am

    If teabaggers are a valid political movement, then furries are the shadow goverment.

  128. 128.

    rachel

    February 10, 2010 at 8:44 am

    @SpotWeld: Republicans are furries? No wai, they can’t all be furries.

  129. 129.

    Cheryl from Maryland

    February 10, 2010 at 9:23 am

    A kind neighbor explained to me that even though the fed has closed the SI museums and I have another day at home, I am still working because I provide him with an object about which to complain. It’s good to have a purpose.

    How come no one mentioned Le Mans as the best of Mr. McQueen’s films? Hot cars, fabulous direction, fascinating POV and “cinema verite”. It’s a fabulous movie.

  130. 130.

    MagicPanda

    February 10, 2010 at 9:37 am

    Fwiw, my favorite press secretary of recent memory is Joe Lockhart. I thought he was funny, smart, sincere and effective.

  131. 131.

    Nicole

    February 10, 2010 at 10:02 am

    @Mike Kay: My first horror movie ever! I watched it with my dad when I was 5. I remember I was terrified. Now, of course, the most terrifying thing about it is 35-year-old McQueen playing a high schooler. Truly frightening.

  132. 132.

    Li

    February 10, 2010 at 1:30 pm

    What I love is how ‘fringe’ beliefs are defined.

    Some 60% or more of the American people, and most of the 9/11 commission members, want a new investigation into 9/11 because of all of the unanswered questions and outright lies we have been told about that day. And that belief is treated by the media as a fringe and crazy belief.

    30% of the American people think that Obama is secretly a Kenyan, and that belief is covered extensively and the people that hold it are bound together into a ‘movement’ largely by the efforts of our ‘news’ organizations.

    The first step to healing this nation is getting news sources that don’t act as if mind control and manipulation of the populace are their primary mission.

  133. 133.

    oscarbob

    February 10, 2010 at 5:55 pm

    Test comment to see if it allows me back on main page.

  134. 134.

    Cassidy

    February 10, 2010 at 7:28 pm

    test

  135. 135.

    SimplerDave

    February 10, 2010 at 9:19 pm

    @ scav Just watched the video, and yes, yes it is

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