Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

I didn’t have alien invasion on my 2023 BINGO card.

Republican also-rans: four mules fighting over a turnip.

There are consequences to being an arrogant, sullen prick.

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

It’s not hopeless, and we’re not helpless.

Jack be nimble, jack be quick, hurry up and indict this prick.

“Joe Biden deserved better than he got from some folks in his own party.”

Something needs to be done about our bogus SCOTUS.

People are complicated. Love is not.

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

Let’s finish the job.

There is no compromise when it comes to body autonomy. You either have it or you don’t.

‘Museums aren’t America’s attic for its racist shit.’

Accused of treason; bitches about the ratings. I am in awe.

Elections aren’t won by handwringing, cowering, and/or bashing your own candidates.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

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

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

Quote tweet friends, screenshot enemies.

Please don’t feed the bears.

Schmidt just says fuck it, opens a tea shop.

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

It’s all just conspiracy shit beamed down from the mothership.

Prediction: the gop will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.

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Open Thread

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This post is in: 

Pens v. Habs. Go Pens!

Also, don’t forget Betty White on SNL.

*** Update ***

I forgot the big news- my brother has finally decided he wants to get a dog. He is going to get a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon and is very, very excited. My sister and I pressured him to get a rescue pet, but he really loves the Griffons and wants one that will spend a lot of time in the woods with him, so who are we to but in.

I also realized that he and I want a completely different skill set in a dog. I want a dog who will go for walks with me and sit on my lap while occasionally looking up at me lovingly. That skill set can pretty much be found in every pound.

He plans on naming the dog Otis, but I thought you all might be able to come up with something better.

Reader Interactions

208Comments

  4. 4.

    lamh32

    A rare non-political/social commentary from Al Giordiano at the Field.

    Even if I wasn’t already psyched for this moive, I’m even more so now!!!

    This is probably one of his longer post. I am so psyched to see this movie. Since I’ve been in India this past week and a half, so I completely forgot Iron Man 2 was coming out this weekend, so I didn’t make early plans. Now I gotta wait for someone else who wants to see it too…dagnabit.

    Anyway, in my youth, I was much more of a “comic book” geek, but then I fell off after my lonely high school years, but marvel comics especially “X-Men” have always and still does have special places in my heart.

    Even if it seems like a “craptacular” movie, i.e. “Elektra”/”Daredevil” (I didn’t like either movie), if it’s marvel, then I’m gonna go see it… Stan Lee is a god!!!

    Of all the comic book companies, marvel has always been the most multicultural (one of my fav Blade comes to mind), which is what stood out to me a an adolescent AA girl. It’s what made me a Marvel girl over a DC comic girl.

    Anyway, here’s Al’s take:

    “We Are All Iron Man”

  5. 5.

    henqiguai

    Um, what’s a ‘Pens’ and what’s a ‘Habs’ ? I mean, if it’s a sports kind’a thingie, I really don’t care. But you keep babblin’ about this pens and habs stuff…

  8. 8.

    frankdawg

    Wonkroom.com is reporting that the BP box failed to stop the flow of oil.

  9. 9.

    jl

    This open thread inspired me to find out why the Canadiens are called the ‘Habs’.

    Hockey is so mysterious

    And, Balloon-Juice inspires one so to self-improvement and self-education.

    But, then there is Tunch, who inspires me to eat, make demands, and harrass my benefactors.

    Hard to say which side wins out.

    Charles Blow has what I thought was a very thoughtful and even-handed column in the NY Times about racism and the teabaggers (BTW, thanks for the pics on recent post that documented teabagger self identification using that term).

    Trying to Outrun Race
    By CHARLES M. BLOW
    NY Times, May 7, 2010
    http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/08/opinion/08blow.html?ref=opinion

    But then I read Blow’s links to a survey that reported teabagger attitutudes. Get a load of this:

    Obama is intelligent : 37 percent
    Obama is knowledgeable: 38 percent
    If people were treated more equally, we’d have many fewer problems in this country (Agree): 31 percent
    We don’t give everyone an equal chance in this country (Agree): 23 percent
    Blacks would be as well of as Whites in this country if they just tried harder (Agree): 73 percent

    What is Blow talking about with his even-handedness? If most teabaggers aren’t racist, then they are surely crazy, IMO.

  10. 10.

    frankdawg

    When asked whether the dome effort had “failed,” the BP official said, “I wouldn’t say it has failed, yet, . . . but it hasn’t worked.”

    DIAF asshole

  12. 12.

    fucen tarmal

    wow, what an end to the first,letang on the pp, then a hitapalooza, lets get this one! then gulp! root for the flyers to extend the bruins.

  14. 14.

    S. cerevisiae

    1-0 Pens after 1. I’ve got no dog in this fight, but my old school hockey self wants to see Boston-Montreal. It would bring back memories of Hockey Night in Canada on a snowy black and white.

  16. 16.

    Yutsano

    @General Egali Tarian Stuck: In my defense the game is a 7 pm start time. But I’m not even watching The Sidney Crosby Show the Pens. TV is off and I’m enjoying the housework I’ve gotten done today so far.

  18. 18.

    Quiddity

    I think a significant event is today’s defeat of Senator Bob Bennett (R-Utah) in the convention that determines who will be on the ballot.

    The Fox-News-powered Tea Party is largely responsible for this.

    Another scalp for Rupert Murdoch,

  19. 19.

    Yutsano

    @Quiddity: Really, this is pointless unless a D can somehow take that seat. And there really isn’t one that could, save MAYBE the mayor of Salt Lake City. I don’t think he’s interested though.

    @jeffreyw: Yesh plz.

  23. 23.

    Quiddity

    @Yutsano: Bennet may run a write-in campaign. That could make a difference.

    I agree that Utah is probably going to elect a conservative Republican, but it will likely be someone more conservative (!) than Bennett.

    This event will have an effect in other states (e.g. California), resulting in less-electable Republicans – because they are so right wing – on the ballot in November.

  26. 26.

    Yutsano

    BTW a few threads down Jules Crittenden did a trackback to the comment and I followed it. Can someone possibly translate it for me?

  27. 27.

    Dead Ernest

    At John – for as much time as I spend on the internets, can’t recall many reminders as important as yours about Betty White. Would have missed it and would have been sad. Thank you very much.
    @ the rest of you, only intended to drop into the comments to thank John but what a spirited thread. Smaht folks round heah.
    @Comrade Mary – Inspired! I truly did laugh out loud and I have never, ever claimed to do that to anyone’s comment in a thread anywhere (sadly it rarely ever happens). If I knew the word for something being both funny and sublime (is there?), I’d praise your skill at achieving it.
    @Yutsano – response to C.Mary; that word I don’t know goes here too. thanks to both of you for the true delight.

  28. 28.

    demo woman

    Since my Saturday night date is sleeping with her head on lap, (Miss Moxie) I went online and did the NYTimes Sunday puzzle. I’m in awe at the accomplishments of the females that were clued. Don’t read any further if you don’t want one of the answers but I had no idea that a female invented the circular saw. You go girls!!

  30. 30.

    Cacti

    @jl:

    If it were just limited to Obama, you maybe chalk it up to hatred of all things Democratic.

    Among Teabaggers…

    35% believe blacks to be hard-working

    45% believe them to be intelligent

    41% believe they are trustworthy

    So, in other words, 55%-65% of the “movement” believes Black people are lazy, stupid, and dishonest, or they aren’t sure (i.e. they don’t want to admit they feel that way).

  34. 34.

    Annie

    Oops. I am in moderation. It must because I refused the $1,000 gift certificate from Walmart…Or maybe because I ignored Amber.

  36. 36.

    mr. whipple

    @demo woman:

    “Don’t read any further if you don’t want one of the answers but I had no idea that a female invented the circular saw. You go girls!!”

    That was a Shaker sister, correct?

  38. 38.

    demo woman

    @General Egali Tarian Stuck: Tabitha Babbitt! How’s your pup? Mine received a treat today because I worked outside so late rather than boring dog food, she got a large mixture of shredded chicken with her iams. She gave me the WTF look.

    Mr. Whipple yes she was.

  39. 39.

    fucen tarmal

    @Annie:

    lets protest the ban on the letter “p”

    two

    four

    six

    eight

    we ain’t got time to micturate!

  40. 40.

    General Egali Tarian Stuck

    @demo woman: Charlie is doing well. Went for a long walk and ran across a herd of deer and he wanted to chase them so bad, yelping and hollering and tugging at the harness. He’s been watching me cut pieces of wood for picture frames and is fascinated by the Miter Saw. Crashed right now on the end of the bed.

    she got a large mixture of shredded chicken with her iams.

    A growing pup needs some real meat now and then.

  41. 41.

    Mark S.

    @Yutsano:

    Sure, I’ll translate it for ya:

    John Cole is a big potty mouth who uses run-on sentences. He’s also unfair because the deficit is entirely the Kenyan’s fault and our health care system was doing just fine before his slight of hand voodoo stuff. For some sane commentary, read Mark Steyn.

  42. 42.

    Comrade Mary

    @Yutsano: Oh honey, don’t rely on me for the official Canadian explanation on anything.

    I appreciate seeing that some of you liked the hooha reference, so now I just have to ask: is that really a word American parents use with their children when they discuss their intricate bits, or is it just a sitcom convention? My moderately repressed Canadian Mum found the words “down there” sufficient when talking to me or my sisters, and I’ve never met anyone in Québec or Ontario who used the word “hooha”. Enlighten me, please!

  44. 44.

    drkrick

    What’s with all the dogs named “Otis,” anyway? Do they all stem from Bob Weir’s dog getting a name check during “Ripple” on the Reckoning album (I often think “that’s Otis” when I sing the song), or is there some other reason?

  46. 46.

    Annie

    @Mark S.:

    John can’t be a “potty” mouth. It begins with a “p.” And, we know that “ps” are bad.

    Pervert…

  47. 47.

    demo woman

    John, Your brother needs to say Otis out loud on a walk in the woods sometimes. It doesn’t sound like the type of name you would want to holler in the forests. I suggest Max or Sam but not Ted. Otis is just not the name you want to be calling out in the woods. Of course I live in GA and Deliverance made a huge impact on me.

  48. 48.

    General Egali Tarian Stuck

    @Annie: I was referring to the p in pe nis, that I thought you might have used to reply to my lame Lorena Bobbitt joke. Most P’s are okay, except for Pe nis, or Pus sy, which you wouldn’t likely use anyways, and my mind is in the gutter, like I said. :)

  49. 49.

    Brachiator

    @Quiddity:

    I agree that Utah is probably going to elect a conservative Republican, but it will likely be someone more conservative (!) than Bennett. This event will have an effect in other states (e.g. California), resulting in less-electable Republicans – because they are so right wing – on the ballot in November.

    I don’t see any California impact here at all. The most conservative Republicans rarely have an impact outside of a few GOP-safe districts and there is little evidence that stuff like the tea bagger phenomenom is resonating with anyone other than those already on the bandwagon. And conservative purity just doesn’t impress anyone on a statewide level.

  50. 50.

    wonkie

    There are griffon rescues. I don’t know how many dogs are available.

    You can contact Neal & Barb at (989) 362-5963 (Eastern Time Zone) for griffon rescue.

  54. 54.

    Polish the Guillotines

    @demo woman:

    John, Your brother needs to say Otis out loud on a walk in the woods sometimes.

    Good point.

    When I think “Otis”, I’m reminded of Ned Beatty’s character in Superman. And when I think of Ned Beatty in the woods, I think Deliverance.

    So, maybe Otis isn’t the greatest choice.

    How about Woodrow?

    +1

  57. 57.

    Something Fabulous

    @lamh32: Small world, as they say! I just got home from India too, last night! Last time I posted here, it was over the volcano-travel issue; I’ve been gone more than a month! It is SO good to be home, with my cats and my own stuff, even though I could get used to having people to turn down my bed and so on as a daily thing. Business travel is so weird.

  59. 59.

    Yutsano

    @Mark S.: So my initial impression was accurate. Jules is little more than a delicate wallflower who prefers Canadian racists to truth. Gotcha. I’ll just sit here munching my massamun curry and jasmine rice and take that all in.

  60. 60.

    eco2geek

    He plans on naming the dog Otis, but I thought you all might be able to come up with something better.

    Since the breed was developed in France, your brother should obviously name him Surrender Monkey.

  64. 64.

    Cain

    How about “AAAAAAAAAH”.. that would be a good dog name.. you can holler that all day long in the woods.

    cain

  65. 65.

    demo woman

    @kommrade reproductive vigor: Years ago I had a Shar Pei and wanted the perfect name and my sons friend saw him and said Hi Pudge and that became his name. You’re right that you have to wait. My mutt Miss Moxie was named after that horrible soda that my dad loved and she is full of moxie.

  67. 67.

    mikey

    On the upside, there’s “Tributary Otis” from Roger Clyne, which, if you’ve been drinking heavily enough can make you cry. On the downside, there’s the whole elevator connotation, which is confusing at best and a target for mean-spirited mockery at worst. On net, “Otis” might not be that bad. A good hunting dog is a good dog. I once took a few fellows out for a pig hunt where we lost three dogs. The sadness was beyond description. Those dogs never quit, and they died just as they lived…

    mikey

  68. 68.

    Yutsano

    @mikey: I dunno. Dogs are pretty damn good at naming themselves. For example, there was zero doubt my parents’ border collie is a Jack, it was just a matter of how Jack would get into his name. My mom says she knew as soon as she saw him. So he’s Crackerjack.

  71. 71.

    South of I-10

    Well, Otis is an ok name. If I had to name a dog right now, I would go with Skillet or Coullion. “Skillet, get your ass on the porch!” See how that works?

  72. 72.

    skippy

    sorry to be the grammar police here, but you and your sister would “butt in” not “but in.”

    like a head-butt, not like a ‘however.’

  74. 74.

    South of I-10

    @Yutsano: Well, I was going to edit to add South + 3 or 4 but who the hell is counting, but I was too late.

  76. 76.

    madmommy

    @South of I-10:

    Why not Fideaux? :)

    I also immediately went to the Deliverance reference with the name Otis. And there’s always the chance that when he gets the dog, it will look like some other name. It would be a shame for the poor dog to spend it’s life with some other dog’s name, wouldn’t it?

  77. 77.

    Cain

    I hope y’all going to watch the Rush Documentary (the band) coming out later this month (or is that next month?) Plus a tour!! Woohoo!!

    cain

  78. 78.

    Annie

    I am sitting in the family room with many places to sit…My two kitties are fighting over one chair…One sits on the chair, and the other walks around the chair until the one sitting can’t stand it anymore and jumps off to attack…While she is getting ready to pounce, the other gets on the chair…And, we begin again. The one off the chair now is walking around the chair …This has been going on for more than an hour…

  79. 79.

    South of I-10

    @madmommy: Fideaux works, but come on, you know Skillet and Coullion are great dog names. Eh Coullion, get back in the boat!

  80. 80.

    madmommy

    @South of I-10:

    Gotta admit, the names do roll trippingly off the tounge. But you’ve gotta have the right accent to do justice to a name like Coullion.

  81. 81.

    Mark S.

    South Africa’s police chief hopes US gets bounced early in World Cup:

    “We are told if they go to the second or third stage, the American president might come,” Cele said. “It’s one big challenge that we will be facing.” South Africa’s top policeman said he had provisional confirmation that 43 heads of state would go to the World Cup, and “those 43 will be equal to this one operation” if Obama made the trip.

    I don’t know, the US usually does pretty well when the World Cup isn’t in Europe for some reason. But have we always been this big a pain in the ass? Is it really equivalent to 43 other countries?

  82. 82.

    jl

    I would call it Rover, or Spot, or Rug.

    Never heard of a wirehaired pointing griffon before.

    Wikipedia says the dog’s real name is Griffon d’arrêt à poil dur Korthals.

    Someone plesase explain that to Cole, who should show more respect for high class dogs.

    If it had wings it would look like a ‘real’ griffon, or griffin, or however you spell it.

    If Cole longs for pets that ‘sit on my lap while occasionally looking up at me lovingly’ I guess I see how Tunch might be found lacking in some respects.

    Edit: Actually a nice looking dog. Resembles a mutt in some respects. I would give it the name Griffon d’arrêt à poil dur Korthals. That would be a mouthful, but it sounds classy.

  83. 83.

    MikeJ

    @Mark S.: The heads of state in other countries often take the subway to work. There are more credible threats against any US president on any random Tuesday of the year than there are threats against the other 43 heads of state combined.

    Blah blah blah we’re awful. Happy?

  84. 84.

    burnspbesq

    My kid is pissed at me because I am busting on him on a regular basis to make sure he’s studying for the AP test which is next Thursday.

    Am I a bad dad? Should I let him decide how much to study, and make him own the consequences if he fucks up?

  85. 85.

    South of I-10

    @madmommy: I admit, I do not have the accent, but my husband doesn’t and should! He comes from a long line of Richards, Prudhommes and Melancons, and I know you know how to pronounce them all!

  86. 86.

    Yutsano

    @Mark S.: A) This assumes Obama attends. The President more than likely will have that time scheduled with other matters. What with two wars, a massive oil spill, an opposition party throwing fits after he sneezes over the color of the hanky he uses to wipe his nose. B) The Secret Service will have this all planned out as far as the President’s security long before he sets foot in any foreign country. Whether that includes assisting with the costs I’m not certain. I do want to note, however, that other presidents have visited South Africa without breaking the country.

    @burnspbesq: No. He’s 16 years old. He has no idea he’s fucking up his life yet and he won’t until he’s in his 20’s. It’s perfectly okay to be a parent here and lean on the kid, especially if he’s got the brains to excel in the test.

  87. 87.

    burnspbesq

    @Mark S.:

    The South Africans are expecting their racist right-wing fringe to get violent during the World Cup, because football is the black man’s game. They just busted a huge cache of weapons the other day. So yeah, they’re not being unreasonable in hoping that they don’t have to protect Obama.

  89. 89.

    Yutsano

    @Punchy: You can’t go back until you spell it correctly. It’s Hawai’i. And yes they will bust your balls over it.

  90. 90.

    Cain

    @Mark S.:

    I don’t know, the US usually does pretty well when the World Cup isn’t in Europe for some reason. But have we always been this big a pain in the ass? Is it really equivalent to 43 other countries?

    On the other hand, Obama coming to see World Cup would blow people’s mind over there. I would be proud to see the guy make the trip and show some patriotism for our country

    cain

    ps and man the obama t-shirts would be everywhere if he showed.. people would make money too :)

  92. 92.

    Cain

    @burnspbesq:

    The South Africans are expecting their racist right-wing fringe to get violent during the World Cup, because football is the black man’s game. They just

    Somebody should tell these people that they are sitting on a continent full of black people of various hues. I think they might have been there first. They can also like kick your ass.

    cain

  93. 93.

    South of I-10

    @burnspbesq: What Yutsano said. He may think he knows it all, but he doesn’t. Are there any incentives you can give him to study? I can see this problem down the line, the trick with Little South will be to make her do the right thing, but make her think it is her idea to do it. If it helps, everyone I know with a teen is facing the same problem.

  94. 94.

    Cain

    @burnspbesq:

    Am I a bad dad? Should I let him decide how much to study, and make him own the consequences if he fucks up?

    I don’t have kids, it really depends on the kid’s personality. 15 years later, they’ll come back to you saying “you should have pushed me more..” If you know it’ll be good for him and his future, you should push him. He’ll thank you later for it. If he’s not interested in doing well now, then he needs to figure things out for himself on what he wants. There is a fine line somewhere on that kind of thing.

    cain +1

  95. 95.

    Annie

    @burnspbesq:

    You are not a bad dad…You want the best for your son. However, “busting on him” may not work. Try having him focus for say two hours at a time, and then the two of you do something fun…Or make it a team effort, you work with him and review the material together…

    In my experience, when we push, kids do the opposite…When we introduce incentives and work with them, it often works better…

    As a step-parent and an education professor, I have tried everything and have learned that incentives work.

  96. 96.

    kommrade reproductive vigor

    Am I a bad dad? Should I let him decide how much to study, and make him own the consequences if he fucks up?

    Based on personal experience (as a kid, not having them):
    1. Anything you say to him besides “I’m off for a five week vacation, here’s a million dollars, have fun,” will piss him off. Don’t worry about it.

    2. “Don’t cry to me, I warned you,” will not teach him an important life lesson.

  97. 97.

    Martin

    @Mark S.: Yes. It really is that big of a deal. But tough shit. We bring our own army and Obama brings a shitload of positive attention to wherever he goes.

  98. 98.

    Mike Kay

    @burnspbesq: just let him play hockey and bang messed-up chicks, just like Levi Johnson’s dad. maybe you can build him a lab in the garage so he can learn to cook up meth.

  99. 99.

    qkslvrwolf

    You guys really need to add a confederate tag, because I’m trying to get people to come read that whole series. Would be easier if you could just hit a tag link and bring them all up in order…

  100. 100.

    Yutsano

    @qkslvrwolf: I think they all are under the same tag, however I don’t recall which off the top of my head. We could also ask our benevolent blog host to collect all those posts and put them under a side link. I don’t know exactly how difficult that would be but I imagine it’s about as tricky as setting up the lexicon. Great idea there though!

  101. 101.

    Turgid Jacobian

    @burnspbesq: If he is junior, bust on him. If he is a senior it HONESTLY doesn’t matter. Takeing 4 or 8 addl hours of whatever 100/200 level course at college will NOT mess up his life in any meaningful way.

  102. 102.

    Yutsano

    @Turgid Jacobian: FWIW (and I only know this because it’s been mentioned before) he’s 16. Pretty sure he’s a junior. Hard to tell just by age alone anymore though.

  104. 104.

    Mark S.

    @Martin:

    People like the World Cup a lot more than they like our fucking Secret Service. South Africa has got a lot on its plate hosting this thing, and if we would be too much of a pain in the ass, just send Biden or Hillary.

  105. 105.

    Brachiator

    @burnspbesq:

    My kid is pissed at me because I am busting on him on a regular basis to make sure he’s studying for the AP test which is next Thursday.

    How are his grades otherwise?

    And apart from your anxiety, is your kid stressing out?

    Rather than busting the kid, just talk to him, and give him a little breathing room.

  108. 108.

    Mark S.

    I didn’t pass my AP Calculus exam. I ended up having a much better teacher when I took it in college.

    On the other hand, those nine or so hours I got in other classes helped a lot. It’s really hard to do college in four years unless you take summer classes or have AP credits.

  109. 109.

    Fern

    @Annie: Also setting a goal for each review/study session and deciding what is the best approach for learning that topic.

  110. 110.

    General Egali Tarian Stuck

    @qkslvrwolf:

    Would be easier if you could just hit a tag link and bring them all up in order…

    bwa ha haa . You must be new. This blog is barely held together with duck tape and FSM prayer. Any sudden moves could send it into convulsions. “bring them all up in order” LOL.

  111. 111.

    MikeJ

    @burnspbesq: “Pass the AP test and you don’t have to study this shit ever again. Fail it and you have to hear the same stuff and pay $500/credit hr for it. “

  112. 112.

    burnspbesq

    Thanks for all the advice, y’all.

    The biggest “incentive” card I have to play is how quickly he gets “his own car” when he gets his license this summer.

    And I backed off and let him go out with friends tonight after he got a 4 on a practice test. I know my attitude is colored by my experience as a litigator, where no amount of preparation is ever enough.

  113. 113.

    Yutsano

    @MikeJ: This response would work perfectly if you were saying it to a rational human being. Show me a rational 16 year old, and I’ll show you a Stepford child.

    @burnspbesq: Four out of what?

  117. 117.

    Turgid Jacobian

    @Yutsano: Five is the AP scale.

    And I noticed the kid was 16, but it truly is hard to tell these days. There
    was a girl who started her phd in
    the same research group as me when she was 17, and two other people in that group graduated HS at 16.

  118. 118.

    Yutsano

    @Turgid Jacobian: Obviously I never took those tests. It would have embarrassed my teachers if I had, since I’d do better than they probably would. If that’s the case then yeah lean but don’t push. He still needs to be the dad here though.

  119. 119.

    Cat Lady

    My oldest daughter just got engaged. Are there any BJers in the Boston area that do wedding photography for less than $2000? The military industrial complex has nothing on the wedding industrial complex. Please FSM, let her wake up tomorrow and decide to treat me with a Mother’s Day gift with a plan to elope.

    kthxbai.

  120. 120.

    Yutsano

    @Cat Lady: Do what my parents did. Offer her $1000 to go to Vegas and get married by Elvis. Granted my brother didn’t take them up on that offer, but still…

  122. 122.

    madmommy

    SNL has started out promisingly. Which is saying quite a lot, considering the recent offerings. In addition to Betty White, looks like they’ve brought back Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Mya Rudolph.

  123. 123.

    asiangrrlMN

    @burnspbesq: I think that was a good response.

    @Jennifer: I gotta agree. I don’t like Otis as a dog’s name. I looked up the breed. I’m thinking Max is a good name. Or Rumplestiltskin. I could go either way.

    I’m DVR’ing Betty White and then watching it later. It’s gonna be pure gold.

    @Cat Lady: Too bad you added “in the Boston” area because my bro would do it for less than that, and he’s amazing.

  127. 127.

    de stijl

    Re: First Things throwing the Cheeks post and the comments down the memory hole. Very Ministry of Truth.

    My armchair psychiatrist diagnosis is that the Tienanmen Square et al. comparisons cut to the bone, Cheeks did not want to try to defend his position, so the whole thing was just disappeared. In fact…

    It appears that First Things and Mr. Cheeks advocating ‘the maintenance of order’ had no stomach for criticism, no yearning for the barricades of debate, that in fact they lacked the courage of their puerile, epigonic Stalinist convictions.

  128. 128.

    Yutsano

    @Cat Lady: Hell, even if you say eloping is okay they might just bite. If I need to I’ll get my mother to write a very long treatise on planning my brother’s wedding, and she even used a wedding coordinator. The harder you make the process look you might just convince them to say fuck it and go for the elopement. If not, see if you can’t get some photographers in a bidding war.

    @asiangrrlMN: I’d be willing to pitch in for a plane ticket to ship him out there.

  129. 129.

    Scamp Dog

    I think that dogs should have dog names, not human names. My dogs have been named Buddy (a job title, more or less) and Biscuit.

    Biscuit is usually sweet and shy around people, but occasionally we’ve run into coyotes (we’re in Colorado, north of Denver), and she has to do her Border Collie duty of running off the predators, and then she gets all fierce and fearless. Scourge might be a better name in those circumstances.

    Both of these names came after getting the dog, so I’m with those suggesting waiting to pick out the name.

  131. 131.

    Cat Lady

    @asiangrrlMN:

    I’ve got a free plane ticket waiting for him when I’ve exhausted my options here. Rusty garden implements may come in handy for the next person that tells me one year away is too late to make plans. [insert Dean scream here].

  132. 132.

    de stijl

    Otis is a fine name.

    Every time your brother walks in the door he can yell “Otis! My man!” as a greeting a give a half-hearted black power salute before the jumping and licking and the “Who’s the good boys?” ensue.

    Besides, it’s your brother’s dog and if he wants Otis, and if it’s still a good fit after a few days of settling in, Otis it will be.

  133. 133.

    Yutsano

    @asiangrrlMN: I’m just going to file this away for future reference. Oh and for mockage of FH #1 for missing this. Maybe THAT will get him out of lurking.

    You already know my attitude towards marriage. If I didn’t plunge with the Dawg odds are it wasn’t going to happen ever.

    @Twisted_Colour: Oh. My. Fucking. Gravy. WIN!!

  135. 135.

    General Egali Tarian Stuck

    Watching Burns Civil War after 20 years has reminded me what an absolutely brilliant documentary it is. And also the unbelievable carnage it brought from Americans fighting Americans. All of it over slavery.

  136. 136.

    asiangrrlMN

    @Cat Lady: Cool! My brother and his wife planned their entire wedding in five months for less than $6,000 total. It can be done.

    @Yutsano: Yeah, well, I am never getting married, so I can say that I’ll get married nude in the snow on Halloween day while all my attendants are dressed as Elvira if I want. Maybe THAT will lure FH#1 out.

    @Twisted_Colour: Win. Game over. Thanks to everyone else for playing.

  139. 139.

    Yutsano

    @asiangrrlMN: I highly highly doubt I’m going to get that close again. Even if I have the whole affair pretty much planned out already. I don’t need glassware that badly yet. And I would gladly dress as Elvira for that happy occasion. Hell I’d even shave my legs!

  140. 140.

    Cat Lady

    @asiangrrlMN:

    five months for less than $6,000

    Your His ideas are intriguing and I would like to subscribe to your his newsletter.

  141. 141.

    Steeplejack

    @asiangrrlMN:

    Hey, girl, hey! [RuPaul’s Drag Race voice] Just got in from work. Had to laugh, because the shuffle program on my MP3 player is reading my mind. At the bus stop this afternoon it played “Here Comes My Baby” by the Tremeloes and then, very next song, “Here Comes My Baby” by the Mavericks. Lolwhut?! Walking home tonight in nice mid-50s weather and 20mph winds, I got some good mellow jazz–Bill Evans, Miles Davis doing “Blue in Green”–and Dusty Springfield doing “The Look of Love.” And then right when I got to my door–the Mavericks again. Hilarious.

    Steep + what the hell I don’t even have a drink yet be right back.

  142. 142.

    asiangrrlMN

    @Cat Lady: They are both VERY frugal people. I was a bridesmaid, and the dress my SIL picked was a very nice flowered dress from Dayton’s for eighty bucks. I never wore it again, but it was pretty and not hideously expensive. This was fifteen years ago, mind you. There were three bridesmaids and three groomsmen. They used their church. It was all nice, though.

    @Yutsano: Not. Gonna. Happen. I am not the marrying type at all.

    @Steeplejack: Steep Man! Good to see ya. Did you buy The Royal Tenenbaums today? I have to listen to that song again, all the different versions. You go grab a drink. We’ll be here, and maybe we’ll get our eighties music on when you return.

  145. 145.

    burnspbesq

    I don’t listen to much mainstream rock any more, but I gotta say the new Hold Steady record izz the shizz.

  146. 146.

    Steeplejack

    @Polish the Guillotines:

    How about Woodrow?

    My brother has a (rescue) Italian greyhound, and I can tell you from personal experience that “Woody!” is a great name to yell in the woods–or anywhere else–as bony little haunches disappear in the distance chasing a squirrel, a rabbit or anything else that moves.

  147. 147.

    wrb

    Names just come to me after I’ve watched the critter. Ones that have fit well include:

    Jimmy, Harriet, Eliot, Daisy, Hannibal, Clayton, Verla, Bumbie, Leona, Iko, Giocomena, Abelard, Helloise, Tink, Stinky, Pip…

    None of them seem transferrable between critters.

  149. 149.

    Steeplejack

    @South of I-10:

    [. . .] and I know you know how to pronounce them all!

    Well, I do, anyway. Lived in New Orleans as a kid and then later in Mobile. Went out with a woman with the great name Delpha Throwier (“Throw-yay”) and regularly drove through Gautier (“Go-shay”), MS.

  151. 151.

    Anne Laurie

    @Cat Lady:

    My oldest daughter just got engaged… Please FSM, let her wake up tomorrow and decide to treat me with a Mother’s Day gift with a plan to elope.

    First off, congratulations! Can’t help with photographers, except to note that when we got married, we decided to forego the still photographer entirely & just hire a videographer — which was still a novel & daring option, 17 years ago. And then, of course, the videographer didn’t show up (medical emergency). So our only visual memorabilia of the wedding is the shaky video footage and a ton of duplicate prints taken by our guests… and yet, our marriage remains legal. Digital photographer has improved many orders of magnitude since then, so unless there are beloved family members who won’t be able to attend the event in person, I would say that spending a ton of money on “professional” photography is even less important.

    I would also recommend that you give your daughter, and possibly her fiance, and maybe her mother-in-law-to-be a copy of One Perfect Day: The Selling of the American Wedding , because it’s fascinating & very readable, and when we were planning our wedding I would have loved to have written verification that 85% of the Bridal Industry Must-Haves are about as “essential” and “traditional” as a second navel!

  152. 152.

    wrb

    I should add that “John” is a most excellent dog name.

    My brother James always seemed suspicious as to why I named my dog “Jimmy.”

    The connection hadn’t actually occurred to me, but it was good to keep him wondering.

  153. 153.

    Anne Laurie

    @Cat Lady:

    Rusty garden implements may come in handy for the next person that tells me one year away is too late to make plans. [insert Dean scream here].

    The line that threatened to drive me to violence was “We can’t deal with a wedding for just 75 people. Surely you must be able to find another 25 guests?”

  154. 154.

    Yutsano

    @Anne Laurie: Wow. I just went to a wedding in Arizona that they planned for 75 people. 120 showed up. Maybe they were just suggesting you were going to have a lot of crashers and wanted to be ready.

  155. 155.

    CynDee

    Talking of dog names, my Grandfather had a lovely reddish-gold cocker spaniel named “Timmy.” If he saw any other dog, he nicely addressed that dog: “Well hello there, Spider. You’re a nice feller.”

    We always kind of hoped to have a male dog and a female cat at the same time and call them Matt and Miss Kitty. Maybe sometime; we have a few years to run yet.

    Some years ago we acquired a wonderful black lab / doberman mix with an atrocious and unmanageable name that we couldn’t deal with. Mainly because it did not fit his personality AT ALL. The name was clownish, and he was a serious and very intelligent doggie. We couldn’t really come up with much, and not wanting to wait too long, we settled on “Charlie.” A couple of years later, observing his body shape as it matured, we wished we had named him “Angus.” He was just a lovely animal. He’s gone now, but I know he’ll be waiting for me when I go.

  156. 156.

    Yutsano

    @Yutsano: BTW the wedding coordinator for my brother’s wedding was also the best man. So he was probably a bit more vested than others might be. Oh and the photographer was $500.

  157. 157.

    Steeplejack

    @qkslvrwolf:

    Here are the collected “Confederate History Month” posts (in chronological order), as well as related posts from Ta-Nehisi Coates’s blog at The Atlantic.

    I know this has so many links it is going straight to moderation hell, but I hope a front-pager will release it soon.

    – “Confederate History Month” (11:21 p.m. Sat 10 Apr): https://balloon-juice.com/2010/04/10/confederate-history-month/

    – “Confederate History Month (cont.)” (10:52 p.m. Sun 11 Apr): https://balloon-juice.com/2010/04/11/confederate-history-month-cont/

    – “Confederate History Month: Mississippi Learnings” (9:39 p.m. Mon 12 Apr): https://balloon-juice.com/2010/04/12/confederate-history-month-mississippi-learnings/

    – “Confederate History Month: Bobby Lee” (9:19 p.m. Tue 13 Apr): https://balloon-juice.com/2010/04/13/confederate-history-month-bobby-lee/

    – “Confederate History Month: Stolen Labor” (11:53 p.m. Wed 14 Apr): https://balloon-juice.com/2010/04/14/confederate-history-month-stolen-labor/

    – “Confederate History Month: Night Riders” (12:46 a.m. Fri 16 Apr): https://balloon-juice.com/2010/04/16/confederate-history-month-night-riders

    – “The FL Senate Race Celebrates Confederate History Month” (11:47 a.m. Fri 16 Apr): https://balloon-juice.com/2010/04/16/the-fl-senate-race-celebrates-confederate-history-month/

    – “Confederate History Month: 3 Wars, Only 1 Resolved” (11:49 p.m. Fri 16 Apr): https://balloon-juice.com/2010/04/16/confederate-history-month-3-wars-only-1-resolved

    – “Confederate History Month: Lending a Hand” (9:57 p.m. Sat 17 Apr): https://balloon-juice.com/2010/04/17/confederate-history-month-lending-a-hand/

    – “Confederate History Month: Something to Read” (10:46 p.m. Sun 18 Apr): https://balloon-juice.com/2010/04/18/confederate-history-month-something-to-read/

    – “Confederate History Month: Open Thread Deadline” (11:54 p.m. Mon 19 Apr): https://balloon-juice.com/2010/04/19/confederate-history-month-open-thread-deadline/

    – “Confederate History Month: God on Our Side” (11:33 p.m. Wed 21 Apr): https://balloon-juice.com/2010/04/21/confederate-history-month-god-on-our-side/

    – “Confederate History Month: Words of Steele’ (12:31 a.m. Fri 23 Apr): https://balloon-juice.com/2010/04/23/confederate-history-month-words-of-steele/

    – “Confederate History Month: Truck Advertising” (11:50 p.m. Sat 24 Apr): https://balloon-juice.com/2010/04/24/confederate-history-month-truck-advertising/

    – “Confederate History Month: Role Playing” (11:25 p.m. Sun 25 Apr): https://balloon-juice.com/2010/04/25/confederate-history-month-role-playing/

    – “Confederate History Month: It’s Pat” (10:35 p.m. Mon 26 Apr): https://balloon-juice.com/2010/04/26/confederate-history-month-its-pat/

    – “Confederate History Month: Prone to Violence” (11:38 p.m. Wed 28 Apr): https://balloon-juice.com/2010/04/28/confederate-history-month-prone-to-violence/

    – “Confederate History Month: The Feds Decide to Help . . .” (12:02 a.m. Fri 30 Apr): https://balloon-juice.com/2010/04/30/confederate-history-month-the-feds-decide-to-help/

    – “Confederate History Month: Musical Interlude” (3:01 a.m. Sat 1 May): https://balloon-juice.com/2010/05/01/confederate-history-month-musical-interlude/

    – Ta-Nehisi Coates, “An Absurdist Take on ‘Both Sides’” (11:22 a.m. Fri 2 Apr). http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2010/04/an-absurdist-take-on-both-sides/38376/

    – Ta-Nehisi Coates, “‘The Victors Write History’” (3:47 p.m. Fri 2 Apr). http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2010/04/-the-victors-write-history/38403/

    – Ta-Nehisi Coates, “Proud of Being Ignorant” (8:30 a.m. Wed 7 Apr). http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2010/04/proud-of-being-ignorant/38569/

    – Ta-Nehisi Coates, “Proud of Being Wise” (9:00 a.m. Thu 8 Apr). http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2010/04/proud-of-being-wise/38617/

    – Ta-Nehisi Coates: “Hair Tonic and Alchemy” (2:00 p.m. Thu 8 Apr). http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2010/04/hair-tonic-and-alchemy/38646/

    – Ta-Nehisi Coates: “One Last Thought on McDonnell and Confederate History” (9:04 a.m. Mon 12 Apr). http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2010/04/one-last-thought-on-mcdonnell-and-confederate-history/38738/

    – Ta-Nehisi Coates: “Haley Barbour Doubles Down” (10:00 a.m. Mon 12 Apr). http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2010/04/haley-barbour-doubles-down/38764/

    – Ta-Nehisi Coates: “The Ghost of Bobby Lee” (9:46 a.m. Tue 13 Apr). http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2010/04/the-ghost-of-bobby-lee/38813/

    – Ta-Nehisi Coates: “When You Don’t Honor the Confederacy, the Terrorists Win” (8:55 a.m. Wed 14 Apr). http://www.theatlantic.com/personal/archive/2010/04/when-you-dont-honor-the-confederacy-the-terrorists-win/38893/

    – Ta-Nehisi Coates: “Heroic Memory” (11:00 a.m. Wed 14 Apr). http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2010/04/heroic-memory/38915/

    – Ta-Nehisi Coates: “Honoring CHM: One Drop” (6:53 p.m. Wed 14 Apr). http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2010/04/honoring-chm-one-drop/38952/

    – Ta-Nehisi Coates: “Honoring CHM: One Drop, Cont.” (9:42 a.m. Fri 16 Apr). http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2010/04/honoring-chm-one-drop-cont/39036/

    – Ta-Nehisi Coates: “Honoring CHM: One War. Three Sides” (1:00 p.m. Fri 16 Apr). http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2010/04/honoring-chm-one-war-three-sides/39024/

  158. 158.

    Steeplejack

    @qkslvrwolf:

    Just submitted a comment that contains links for all the “Confederate History Month” posts, as well as related ones from Ta-Nehisi Coates’s blog at The Atlantic. Hopefully a front-pager will release it from moderation hell soon.

    Regrettably, the posts did not use consistent tags, but you can also find them by searching for “Confederate History Month” in the “search the site” gizmo. But once my preceding comment is released you can link to that.

  161. 161.

    Steeplejack

    Thanks to the Balloon Juice blog gods. That’s the quickest trip through moderation purgatory I’ve ever had. I could actually see the lights dimming here as I clicked “Submit” on the comment with so many links in it.

  162. 162.

    Steeplejack

    Hope I didn’t scare everybody off. Never a good sign when I have four of the five slots in “Recent Comments.” Yutsano, you got my back!

    Well, I guess it’s Baseball Tonight and demon rum for me. Hmm, I wonder if there’s a 1950s Japanese insect fear film on IFC tonight.

  163. 163.

    Martin

    @Cat Lady: Congrats!

    My wife and I went from engagement to wedding in 9 months. Could have done it in 4 with no problem. $5K end-to-end.

    Not that hard, really. Found a good restaurant that would seat 50 with a nice outdoor area. Had the ceremony there. $3K covered the rental and food since they didn’t run a lunch service and we wanted to get married in the morning. Got a photography student to do the photos. Did the flowers, etc with friends.

    Cut out the planners. Call in favors. Get creative. Don’t freak out over every detail – most of them won’t be remembered, but the stress and fights over those details will be remembered. Try and make sure everyone remembers that this is supposed to be a happy day.

  164. 164.

    Yutsano

    @Steeplejack: Godzilla will haunt you until the end of your days. I think wifey went to nap. Or something. It’s hard to keep track of her.

    @asiangrrlMN: Awww. You haz a crush. I haz a happy.

  165. 165.

    asiangrrlMN

    @Steeplejack: You were so on top of the CHM shit! Awesome.

    A friend turned me on to Vienna Teng. Now, she’s my latest obsession. Great composer, great vocals, and very attractive. Too bad she’s retiring and going back to school! This is my current favorite song by her.

  166. 166.

    asiangrrlMN

    Another awesome Vienna song. The male vocal singer is Alex Wong, lead singer of The Paper Raincoat. Here is an excellent song by them, Brooklyn Blur.

    Yutsy, am not napping yet. Will be soon. Am fucking tired.

    P.S. I don’t have a crush on Vienna; I want to BE Vienna! Her parents are from Taiwan, too, but Mainlanders.

  169. 169.

    Steeplejack

    @asiangrrlMN:

    Re “Gravity.” Very nice. And she tasty! Crush Identity fantasy approved.

    I thought the CHM stuff was a high point for Balloon Juice–not just Dengre’s posts but the comments from Juicers as well–so I tagged and banded it as the month went on.

    And Coates knocked it out of the park with his stuff. He is the best writer going on race these days. But, god a’mighty, I wish he had a full-time copyeditor following him around.

  170. 170.

    Yutsano

    @Steeplejack: I run with the grammar Nazi gene myself (did I just Godwin this thread?) so I confess to grinding my teeth on typos. I think it’s why we get a little rough on the front pagers. Having said that, I think TNC could probably hurt me if he wanted, so I’m not up to that duty.

    @asiangrrlMN: Snow or screw it. I’m not half-assed on these things.

  171. 171.

    Steeplejack

    @asiangrrlMN, @Yutsano:

    It’s game on for me. I didn’t go to bed until 5:30 a.m. last night this morning, and that was in the face of another long shift of work tonight. But I’m on my weekend now, so the gloves are off. Yee-haw.

  172. 172.

    Anne Laurie

    @Steeplejack: Danke. I intend to try adding a ‘CHM’ tag to all the BJ posts you’ve listed, but not tonight (Spousal Unit is demanding my attention).

  173. 173.

    Yutsano

    @Steeplejack: Define how many + you are now or it didn’t happen. And I know you’re at least some.

    @Anne Laurie: I will choose to behave myself with this comment. I could REALLY have fun with it…but I will choose to be a good boy for now.

  174. 174.

    asiangrrlMN

    @Steeplejack: Agreed on all accounts. I really wish dengre and TNC would do a collaboration. They both were just sensational. And, as you pointed out, so were the commentariats as well. as for Vienna–yum yum yum.

    @Yutsano: Why behave? You’re better when you’re bad!

  175. 175.

    Steeplejack

    @Yutsano:

    Steep + 2 beers (Sam Adams Boston Ale) + 2 rum and tonic (Mount Gay Eclipse, Schweppes, 1/8th lime squeezed and submerged each). Oh, plus hummus and crackers, Dove dark chocolate, green olives and wasabi-coated peanuts. I think that covers all the main food groups. Except caffeine.

    ETA: What can I say? I come home from work wired. I can’t go right to bed. I have to decompress. That means Balloon Juice, drinks and snacks. And nights like this (and last night) I don’t even try to rein it in.

  180. 180.

    Yutsano

    @Steeplejack: Okay I couldn’t get The Mavericks doing Yusuf out of my head. So I stuck it back up on YouTube. I’d be upset but it’s not in my nature.

  183. 183.

    Steeplejack

    @asiangrrlMN:

    Hey, they’re all smooth stripper songs. And, yeah, this song cries out for a dark, nighttime noir video. Give me some rain-swept streets and somebody looking down enigmatically from a window. Preferably somebody I’d like to sleep with. WTF were they thinking?

  184. 184.

    Twisted_Colour

    @wrb: Abelard would certainly be a good name after the poor little bugger has been fixed.

  185. 185.

    Steeplejack

    @Yutsano:

    What are you even talking about? Clarify, please. Let the Mavericks go and get on with your life. If Nicky Holland isn’t enough of a palate-cleanser for you, how about Matt Alber’s “End of the World”? I think this originally came from your fake wifey’s other fake hubby, so this should be okay. And what is it with your people and your complicated relationships? I don’t even know when I’m offending someone. Not that I care, but still . . .

    ETA: Okay, I care. Grumble, grumble.

  186. 186.

    Yutsano

    @Steeplejack: Okay now I’m grateful. I couldn’t remember the name of this song or the artist. So now I’m quite pleased. You could just blame me being fickle. Or the booze. I think either will fit adequately.

  187. 187.

    Steeplejack

    @Yutsano:

    You realize you couldn’t get it out of your head because you secretly liked it, right? Come over to the dark side, Luke. You know, where the go-go dancers and nouveau country guys with goatees are. LQTM*

    &#042 “Laughing quietly to myself” (one step down from LOL).

  188. 188.

    Yutsano

    @Steeplejack: Hell the subtle homoeroticism between the guitarist and the drummer pretty much makes that video. If you blink you’ll miss it, but it’s there. Plus I love mock 50’s throwback clothes like that.

  190. 190.

    asiangrrlMN

    @gwangung: Oh, man. That’s horrible. Go rest. I hope you feel better soon.

    @Steeplejack: That’s why I called you my standing in the rain guy. And, just for you.

    @Yutsano: Plus, the lead singer looks like Rick Warren. Gr.

    Betty White’s stripper name was Ascertain!

    You did want to sleep with her at one point, right? I’ve liked all your songs the last few days (except for the atrocious Dwight Yoakam cover), so pay no attention to FH#2. He just gets grumpy this time of night.

    I am just finishing up the SNL from tonight, and Betty White kicks ass. Plus, they invited all the women of the past ten years or so. The episode was hilarious.

  192. 192.

    asiangrrlMN

    @gwangung: Oh, man. That’s horrible. Go rest. I hope you feel better soon. Glad you got positive attention for your production.

    @Steeplejack: That’s why I called you my standing in the rain guy. And, just for you.

    You did want to sleep with her at one point, right? I’ve liked all your songs the last few days (except for the atrocious Dwight Yoakam cover), so pay no attention to FH#2. He just gets grumpy this time of night.

    I am just finishing up the SNL from tonight, and Betty White kicks ass. Plus, they invited all the women of the past ten years or so. The episode was hilarious.

    P.S. To any front-pager, go ahead and delete my post at 190.

  193. 193.

    Steeplejack

    @Yutsano:

    I am aware of all most some homoerotic traditions. Okay, hell, I’m white bread. But I do like Bronski Beat. (Notice how I’m subtly weaving in the threatened ’80s music thread thing.)

    That song always makes me tear up. And if it doesn’t, this one does. When I’m in a maudlin mood, anyway.

    ETA: Which I am tonight, it goes without saying. In a maudlin mood, I mean.

  199. 199.

    Yutsano

    @asiangrrlMN: Actually I’m gonna go find my pillow as I do have to work tomorrow. Yay weird Mondays. At least I cleaned out my coffee maker so I can go back to being a total hoor on that front. Oh and I have to get cat food tomorrow or there will be blood. Fortunately I have a can of moist food to tide the beasts over until I can show proper deference. Oh and there is tuna in the house as well if things get too desperate. Night y’all!

  200. 200.

    Steeplejack

    @asiangrrlMN:

    Here are some subtle homoerotic overtones for you.

    Okay, now you’re going full Aussie Tattoosydney on me! No fair.

    Have been out of action the last little while because (a) I had to listen to “Boys Don’t Cry” and “Smalltown Boy” multiple times each and find some tissues because apparently I got something in my eye, and (b) you were breakin’ my balls with that Texas video. Damn, girl, you know that’s like kryptonite to me. I’m no Alan Rickman, but that Texas chick is like the spitting image of the former future Mrs. Steeplejack (Model 1). Took me a while to shake that off. Especially the assault-at-the-gas-station scene.

    And, yeah, I know we have that late-night rain thing going on in the background. Think it got pushed to the down low because of some infelicitous phrasing at some point, but, hey, blogs aren’t the perfect form of communication. But then what is? Spooky. (As usual, lame video, great song.)

    ETA: Possibly another smooth stripper song.

  202. 202.

    wrb

    @Twisted_Colour:

    His loss did have something to do with his name. Abelard is actually a bummer lamb who thinks he’s a dog.

    Thinking about it there is no name that could give as much pleasure as John. Imaging being able to say “John peed on the rug, bad John, sit John, get off of the couch, john”

    A blue day could be brightened by just a short session of ordering John to do crap.

  203. 203.

    gil mann

    Anything is better than Otis. Including “Anything.”

    There’s nothing wrong with the name per se, but naming your dog after whatever famous movie pooch comes to mind kinda outs you as a bit of a dullard, no?

    Or maybe Otis was the cat, I forget.

    BTW, protip: If you have a dog named “Parker” and you adopt another dog named “Peter,” for God’s sake change one of their names lest you find yourself, two months on, introducing them to a cute girl at the dog park like so: “This is Peter, and this is Par… uh… believe it or not, I didn’t realize until just now that my dogs are named after Spider-Man.”

  204. 204.

    Seth

    Ok, this is John’s brother. A little clarification on the name. First, I have never sen Dilverance and had no idea that there was a guy named Otis in it. I was also somehow unaware that this was a famous dog name. I simply liked how it sounds. However, prior to his post I had informed John that it had already been rejected as I was told by multiple people that it suggests that the dog is not all that bright. Also, some friends of mine just got a Bull and named it Otis, so that took some of the oomph out of it as a name. I had actually moved on to Otto as a name, which I am sure you will all now rip to pieces (unless this post gets buried on the back pages). But by all means keep the suggestions coming. While I will no doubt spend the next two months thinking of names for the puppy, I doubt anything will really stick until I have him (or at least see him).

  205. 205.

    Steeplejack

    @Seth:

    You really need to wait and get a feel for the dog’s personality, but Otto is a cool name. Try stepping outside and yelling “Otto! Get back here!” a few times. I think it works.

    And it reminds me of the dog in Beetle Bailey.

  206. 206.

    de stijl

    @Seth:

    Your dog, your name, dude.

    If after a few days you like it and he still feels like an Otto to you, then let him be Otto. If not, the two of you will figure something out.

    Congrats!

  207. 207.

    asiangrrlMN

    @Seth: I like Otto. Otto is a good, strong name. Or Rumplestiltskin, but YMMV. Congrats!

    @Steeplejack: Well, since TS hasn’t been around, someone had to take up the slack. Sorry to do you that way, but, man, you got to do someone who looks like that! The fond memories should be enough to stave off the memories of the crazy, amirite? And the newest link hits just the right note. I think I need an entire set of slow stripper songs.

  208. 208.

    Gus

    Griffons are great dogs. My neighbor had one when I was a kid, and she would chase sticks all day if you would allow her. She was a real sweet and beautiful dog, too.

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