Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

That’s my take and I am available for criticism at this time.

Today’s GOP: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

Tick tock motherfuckers!

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

Teach a man to fish, and he’ll sit in a boat all day drinking beer.

Conservatism: there are some people the law protects but does not bind and others who the law binds but does not protect.

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

Consistently wrong since 2002

A thin legal pretext to veneer over their personal religious and political desires

The GOP couldn’t organize an orgy in a whorehouse with a fist full of 50s.

They fucked up the fucking up of the fuckup!

You can’t love your country only when you win.

This blog will pay for itself.

Motto for the House: Flip 5 and lose none.

Their freedom requires your slavery.

A lot of Dems talk about what the media tells them to talk about. Not helpful.

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

No one could have predicted…

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

White supremacy is terrorism.

Republicans do not pay their debts.

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

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

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75Comments

  8. 8.

    Brian J

    If you’d like to read a good fisking of a dumb idea by Mike Pence and Jeb Hensarling, which is to limit government spending to 20 percent of the nation’s economy each year, go read Bruce Bartlett right here. This is just one more example of why, despite numerous problems, the Democrats are a far better choice than the Republicans in almost every imaginable way.

  9. 9.

    ronin122

    Probably posted already elsewhere here today but good old Erick Erickson has said something bizarre today. Says the GOP doesn’t want a black man in the senate and claims it to be sarcasm. But in a way it’s quite true probably, at least with the hoi polloi of the party. I’d ask if you think he senses the irony in his words but we know he doesn’t.

  11. 11.

    Tattoosydney

    @gbear:

    Aaaagh. I don’t know if that link is to what I think it is, and I ain’t clicking on it, but even if it isn’t I still have that song in my head now.

    FUCK YOU FUCKER.

    (Sometimes I’ve been to crying for unborn children that might have made me complete…)

  12. 12.

    Amanda in the South Bay

    Tonight I am incredibly upset and disappointed with my friends. I actually had faith they were good people.

  15. 15.

    gbear

    @Tattoosydney:

    I sincerely apologize. I knew the title but didn’t know how awful the song really was.

    Here’s another bad joke (with video) via TPM:

    A Louisiana sheriff plans to arm volunteers with shotguns, riot shields, batons, and a .50-caliber machine gun mounted on a “war wagon,” as part of “Operation Exodus,” a program to provide security in the event of a terrorist attack or civic unrest. “It’s a calling,” he says.

  17. 17.

    JGabriel

    @gbear: If that’s what I think it is, you are one sick motherfucker who should be tried in the Hague with the Gitmo torturers — because that song is no less a torture than waterboarding and sleep deprivation.

    (Besides, someone already posted that the night we did Atrocities of the Seventies!)

    Edited to add: Ah, I see TattooSydney got there first.

    .

  18. 18.

    Chuck Butcher

    I’m on my 3rd ME2, this time at “Hardcore.” I have no idea how “Insanity” plays out, I’m having a hell of a time – just got off “Horizon” after getting my ass shot off – repeatedly – and it’s not as if I had no clue and didn’t pick up some bonuses for importing a ME2 character for the replay.

  19. 19.

    RedKitten

    Good times — I just found out that I don’t have a job to go back to when my mat leave ends in July. The non-profit for which I work is pulling the plug in May.

    So, I’ve got until then to find something new (that pays as much as my erstwhile job), or we’re screwed — I won’t be eligible for unemployment insurance, as I’m currently on mat leave, which means I’d have exactly $zilch in monthly income.

    Send the good vibes, people. Send the good vibes.

  26. 26.

    Tattoosydney

    @gbear:

    I knew the title but didn’t know how awful the song really was.

    It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt.

    “Oh, I didn’t know that agent orange was bad…”

    Bastard.

  31. 31.

    RedKitten

    @John Cole: Yes, that’s one way to put it. :) I’m sure it’ll work out. I’ve got a few months to find something new. It’s just a bit nerve-wracking. We spent so much time building the house, so the thought of losing it doesn’t feel very good. And more than that, it’s the land. A house can be re-created somewhere else. But if we lose our land, that’s it….it’s gone.

    Anyhoodle, I had a job interview last week, and am just waiting to hear back, so maybe it’ll be good news.

  32. 32.

    MikeJ

    @SIA: I downloaded the bbc radio version a few months back when they aired it, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet. About 12 hours worth, IIRC.

  40. 40.

    General Egali Tarian Stuck

    @RedKitten: I hear you guys have universal health care up there. So there’s that, My vibes are a little cranky these days, but I’ll tease out a few good ones and send them north by north east.

  41. 41.

    Walker

    @Chuck Butcher:

    It is well known that you should not use an ME 2 import character (New Game +) for the harder difficulties. The enemies scale with your level, but you do not have the upgrades to help against them. It is easier to be lower level so that the enemies are lower too.

    I would be on my 3rd play-through right now, but after two playthroughs, my wife grabbed the X-Box from me and started her own.

  42. 42.

    Anne Laurie

    @RedKitten: Sorry to hear that, RedKitten. You’ll be in my… positive thoughts. Since you were dreading returning to your old job, here’s hoping the new job will be a lot more enticing!

  43. 43.

    Annie

    @RedKitten:

    Ugh is right. Hopefully, something will come up before July. If not, I think we can have a “save the land” project. If nothing else, we, here, at BJ, are a community. I am in…

  44. 44.

    Anne Laurie

    @Tattoosydney: Does it mark me as a helplessly vile excuse for a human being if I admit I kinda liked the original version?

    Even under that handicap, yours is pretty dam’ terrible.

  45. 45.

    J. Michael Neal

    @RedKitten: Sorry about that, Ms. Kitten. I’d offer to help, but my vibes don’t seem to be any good at job finding. I think others should handle this.

    If you ever need someone gang audited, though, I’m available.

  47. 47.

    DonBelacquaDelPurgatorio

    @RedKitten:

    Crap, that is rotten news.

    LD and I send big lovewaves toward you guys while you deal with this. Hang in there.

  48. 48.

    Dr. Morpheus

    @RedKitten:

    Good times—I just found out that I don’t have a job to go back to when my mat leave ends in July. The non-profit for which I work is pulling the plug in May.
    So, I’ve got until then to find something new (that pays as much as my erstwhile job), or we’re screwed—I won’t be eligible for unemployment insurance, as I’m currently on mat leave, which means I’d have exactly $zilch in monthly income.
    Send the good vibes, people. Send the good vibes.

    I’ll send whatever good vibes I can. After 11 months of unemployment I get a part-time, temp job at a non-prof myself only to discover that this means I am no longer eligible for unemployment now that the temp job has ended.

    So unless I can either convince the unemployment office that this only discourages people from getting any employment other than full time permanent positions (and thus staying on unemployment longer) or perhaps convince one of my Senators or Representatives to advocate for me, I too am stuck in the same situation.

  49. 49.

    Tattoosydney

    @Anne Laurie:

    Does it mark me as a helplessly vile excuse for a human being if I admit I kinda liked the original version?

    Not really. The Sarah Brightman/Andrea Boccelli version is, I admit shamefacedly, one of those songs I kind of like a little bit perhaps maybe deep down in my heart (and my mum loves it ever since she heard it as her cruise ship was leaving Venice), so I can’t hate it.

    The Donna Summer version, however, is the aural equivalent of mustard gas.

  52. 52.

    Svensker

    @Tattoosydney:

    The Donna Summer version, however, is the aural equivalent of mustard gas.

    Really? Really? Hmmmmm. I like Donna Summer. A lot. Under appreciated artist, in my mind. And I feel no shame for making this statement.

  54. 54.

    Chuck Butcher

    @SIA:
    Mass Effect 2, a video game – space opera genre. The story line attempts to be an equal player to the action element, pretty much succeeds. I’m playing on XBox 360 w/50″ screen and surround theater sound.

    That’s pretty effective once the room starts to shake…

  61. 61.

    The Main Gauche of Mild Reason

    I really liked the character development in Mass Effect 2, and I feel like the gameplay was much more streamlined (i.e., less randomly running around figuring where to go in the Mako) but I was sort of disappointed in how short/small the zones turned out to be. The tiny Citadel (you can’t even go to the council chambers!) was also a disappointment.

    Hopefully ME3 will be more of a happy medium between ME1 and 2. Sometimes I feel like ME2 is just Dragon Age in Space. Which is not to say it’s bad, just that where ME built up gradually to an awesome climax, ME2 stayed at pretty much the same drama/difficulty most of the way through and seemed anticlimactic at the end.

    Also, was it just me, or did ME2 steal lots of plot from Battlestar Galactica? Come on–secret base near a black hole?

  63. 63.

    Walker

    @The Main Gauche of Mild Reason:

    Which is not to say it’s bad, just that where ME built up gradually to an awesome climax, ME2 stayed at pretty much the same drama/difficulty most of the way through and seemed anticlimactic at the end.

    I disagree. Once you go through the Omega-4 relay, the game is pretty rockin.

    Yes, the recruitment/loyalty missions are uneven (though Tali’s recruitment is awesome), but the Collector missions are solid.

  64. 64.

    Yutsano

    @RedKitten: I swear to stop bitching about my job until you haz a new one. Also let me know when your husband starts up stone carvings, my parents bought a new house and will need some artwork for the new ranch.

    Oh yeah just to whore for that, RedKitten’s husband does some amazing stone carving work.

  66. 66.

    Tax Analyst

    @RedKitten:

    Good times—I just found out that I don’t have a job to go back to when my mat leave ends in July. The non-profit for which I work is pulling the plug in May.

    Ugh. That sucks.

    So, I’ve got until then to find something new (that pays as much as my erstwhile job), or we’re screwed—I won’t be eligible for unemployment insurance, as I’m currently on mat leave, which means I’d have exactly $zilch in monthly income.

    Make that a Double-Suck.

    Send the good vibes, people. Send the good vibes.

    Attempting to transmit Good Vibes. Hope you will be receiving them.

    EDIT: BTW – Except for the maternity leave (biologically impossible) I was in a similar situation at the end of 2003. Job ending, medical problem, medical insurance going to very expensive COBRA or going away altogether. 53 years old and absolutely no prospects or clues as to what to do/where to go.

    10 months later I landed my current job and I’ve been happily/gainfully employed ever since.

    Hope you can catch a similar bounce.

  69. 69.

    asiangrrlMN

    FYWP Part Two Repost.

    @RedKitten: That is massively sucky. Major good vibes headed up north. Keep us posted!

    @Dr. Morpheus: Massive vibes to you, too. I will not kick your ass for screwing with my sleep. Not until you get your job sitch worked out.

  70. 70.

    RedKitten

    @Brian J:

    I’m very sorry to hear that. If you don’t mind me asking, what line of work are you in?

    I’m a PR flack, believe it or not. :)

    The problem is partly of my own doing. We live in a rural area, and while there are two decent-sized towns within a 45-minute drive, the only two cities (Moncton, N.B. and Halifax, N.S.) are an 1.5 hours and 2 hours away, respectively. I probably COULD find something if we were willing to move back to the city. But, we put three years of our life and a lot of blood, sweat and tears into building our home. And our land isn’t just your generic building lot. It was his dad’s land — 4.3 acres, with over 500 feet of riverfrontage, and my husband used to play on this very land all the time as a kid. So if we were in a generic apartment, we probably would be willing to look at relocating. But there’s just an absurd quantity of sentimental attachment to our home. Plus, we have so much family here. And free babysitting.

    Plus, the contrary side of me, which gets pissed off at the fact that our government is always talking about job creation, but only creates jobs in Halifax, balks at the idea of contributing to the outflow of young families abandoning the rural areas.

    I’m sure something will come up. Thank you for all of your kind wishes, and I’ll keep you posted.

  71. 71.

    Seth 4:10

    I’m about 90% done with my Insanity playthru, trading my run and gun Vanguard from my Hardcore game (Biotic Charge OWNS) for a more tactical Infiltrator build. Lob an Incinerate to get any organic to break cover and then pop ‘em like a balloon. Fun times….

  72. 72.

    Walker

    @Seth 4:10:

    Infiltrator turns Insanity into easy mode. My next goal is to go back to my Adept and see if I can get it to work on Insanity.

  73. 73.

    Eric

    Just finished my first playthrough of ME2 last night… Paragon Adept imported from ME1. The suicide mission did not go as well as I’d hoped. Some choices I made that I thought were good resulted in sub-optimal conclusions. It’s weird, it actually left me pretty depressed! I’m going to have to go through the ending again tonight so that everything works out well. Yay second chances!

    I’m pretty curious to do a playthrough where I deliberately do everything wrong, so that the suicide mission becomes a clusterfuck. A cool thing about the game is that a clusterfuck suicide mission is exactly the result you get if you zip through as fast as you can, skipping everything that’s optional. Great game design choice.

  74. 74.

    Walker

    @Eric:

    Who you assign to the second teams in the final mission matters, even if you have their loyalty. And it affects things in subtle ways. If you pick someone who is a not good enough for a mission (e.g. Miranda for the biotic shield), then that will result in the death of OTHER people.

  75. 75.

    Eric

    @Walker: Walker: I learned that afterwards, because I checked a walkthrough to see where I went wrong! That’s how upset I was! In my note above I wanted to avoid spoilers, but I’ll say this: I picked Jacob for that part, thinking his barrier power would protect him from enemy fire. Turns out that didn’t matter at all! DAMN YOU JACOB!!

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