Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

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

I really should read my own blog.

Republican obstruction dressed up as bipartisanship. Again.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

“Cheese and Kraken paired together for the appetizer trial.”

Republicans want to make it harder to vote and easier for them to cheat.

DeSantis transforms Florida into 1930s Germany with gators and theme parks.

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

The line between political reporting and fan fiction continues to blur.

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

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

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

We’re not going back!

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

Fuck these fucking interesting times.

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

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

I was confident that someone would point it out and thought why not me.

After dobbs, women are no longer free.

You don’t get rid of your umbrella while it’s still raining.

Republicans do not pay their debts.

Innocent people don’t delay justice.

Balloon Juice has never been a refuge for the linguistically delicate.

He seems like a smart guy, but JFC, what a dick!

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Reader Interactions

45Comments

  1. 1.

    Kered (formerly Derek)

    It is impossible for me to disapprove of the above video and this whole “Pomplamoose” thing more than I already do. God, it’s so…self-conscious and totally phony.

    ETA: I especially hate that one main chick who always looks like O_O.

  3. 3.

    Ben JB

    Does anyone have experience taking a road trip with a dog and without any other people?

    I’m going to my parents’ home this summer, and I want to introduce my family to my dog, so I’ve decided to drive. (Chicago to Long Island, NY.) My dog is pretty good in cars–she doesn’t get sick and she doesn’t jump around, so I’m not so worried about her.

    However, since I’m traveling alone, I don’t have anyone to watch the dog when I go to the bathroom. Should I just bring her into the rest area and hope no one gives me grief over her?

  4. 4.

    mistermix

    Yeah, the Pomplamoose treatment has definitely had its fifteen minutes, but one of my favorite genres is the love/hate song, and this one has some great lines, such as:

    There’s a twitch in my left eyebrow that tics for nobody but you

  5. 5.

    Scamp Dog

    Ben JB: I’ve brought my dog (a Border Collie) into restrooms and never gotten any grief from anyone. Throw in the fact that it’s summer, I wouldn’t take any chances about leaving her in the car.

    Enjoy your trip!

  7. 7.

    A Guest

    Disagree-Nataly Dawn is delicious. She can do whatever she likes, and I will at least watch on mute.

  10. 10.

    Kered (formerly Derek)

    Touché. I felt pretty lame saying “phony”, but went with it anyway. But I stand by it, especially when discussing Pomplamoose, where it’s worse than here. Pomplamoose seems, to me, like, “Hey, look! We’re doing a MUSIC VIDEO!”

    It just doesn’t seem genuine, to me. It seems like an ironic attempt at being a band/musicians, and I don’t care for that. Like, in all the Pomplamoose videos I’ve seen (which I guess is probably like, four?), I can’t remember them looking like they’re actually having fun.

    ETA: And the music itself is way too fuckin’ cutesy.

  13. 13.

    kid bitzer

    huh. it’s almost like tastes differ, or something.

    i think pomplamoose’s music is pretty great, and i’m a very old guy not easily impressed (i for one *never* thought that emmett rhodes was really paul macartney trying to get out of a contract clause).

    i think this new venture is going to turn out some good music, too.

  14. 14.

    Comrade Mary

    I’m on my Blackberry, and can’t see the video, but I have to say their cover of September, complete with cameos from fuzzy guy’s Grandma and his lovely little belly, is one of those most guiless and joyful things out there.

  15. 15.

    A Guest

    Most of their videos it is apparent they are having a blast.

    And she is very cute in a fey/elfin way.

  16. 16.

    canuckistani

    I’m so out of touch with current trends in music and video that this looked fresh and enjoyable to me. I’ll go listen to the Cure now and adjust my mood to something more appropriate.

  17. 17.

    Ben JB

    @Scamp Dog: Thanks for the advice–I figured that’s what I was going to end up doing that, but I’m glad to hear that you brought the dog in with you without any problems.

  18. 18.

    Comrade Parnell

    Agree with the comment about “September” — I thought that was great!

    Also, Nataly Dawn gets more mileage out of not blinking than just about anybody.

  19. 19.

    jayboat

    Nataly could rock my world anytime, anywhere…

    but I got a thing for that pixie look.

  21. 21.

    Punchy

    Saw “Despicable Me” last nite. Oh. My. Fucking. God. One of the Top 5 best movies ever. Absolutely brilliant.

    So good, that me and the wife ALMOST went and saw it again, an hour after it ended.

  24. 24.

    slag

    I’d never heard of the Pomplamoose thing before, but after seeing more and reading more, I’ve decided I like it. It appears to be a cheap way for musicians to produce their videos and it’s like show-and-tell:

    What you see is what you hear (no lip-syncing for instruments or voice), and if you hear it, at some point you see it (no hidden sounds).

    Who doesn’t love show-and-tell?

    As for the self-consciousness, it’s clearly baked right into the show-and-tell format. Not exactly phony.

    That said, I probably won’t go out of my way to watch their videos because there are very few things that I go out of my way for. But that doesn’t mean their videos are bad.

  25. 25.

    Mark S.

    I think Greenwald is being sarcastic:

    These CNN journalists have a very good point, of course: it was, after all, Internet bloggers — using the scourge of anonymity — who convinced the nation of a slew of harmful conspiracy theories: Saddam had WMD, an alliance with Al Qaeda, and responsibility for the anthrax mailings. Anonymity is also what allowed bloggers to smear Richard Jewell, Wen Ho Lee, and Steven Hatfill with totally false accusations that destroyed their lives and reputation, and it’s what enabled bloggers to lie to the nation about Jessica Lynch’s heroic firefight, countless U.S. airstrikes, and a whole litany of ongoing lies about our current wars.

    Considering the stellar job the press did just this week with Sherrod, it really takes some brass balls to be complaining like this about anonymous people on the Internet.

    John Roberts also tells young people to not take their clothes off on the Internet, which is pretty good advice most of the time.

    via

  26. 26.

    Bostondreams

    @Punchy:

    i want to see it again just for the Minions. They were so…well, full of more personality than half the working live actors today.

  27. 27.

    slag

    @Mark S.: Anonymity threatens the nepotistic class to no end. Why should anyone be judged on the content of their ideas rather than on the content of who their friends and parents are? It’s not fair!

    ETA: I should note that anonymity does make it harder for the audience to use Authority as a means of determining the veracity of information. But, as Greenwald intimates in that quote you pulled, Authority is hardly a reliable determinate. I’d like to think it’s time has come. But in all likelihood, Authority will not die easily.

  28. 28.

    Comrade Darkness

    Discussions about China’s economic situation came up yesterday. I’ve been doing some reading today and have to pass on this gem from Mish:

    how a massive loan shark ponzi scheme is fueling the real estate boom

    This is illuminating because every time someone tries to defend China as “different this time” they point out that banks require 30-40% down for a mortgage. I always thought, okay, fine, but *where does that money come from*? It has to come from somewhere. Buying an inflated asset requires that even MORE money materialize from somewhere.

    If you click through on the first source link on Mish’s post there is video and stories of the government suppressing news of rioting villagers where the principal cash in the scheme was lost and 85-90% of the citizens lost money. Shades of Holland and tulips.

  31. 31.

    Michael

    @Comrade Darkness:

    If you click through on the first source link on Mish’s post there is video and stories of the government suppressing news of rioting villagers where the principal cash in the scheme was lost and 85-90% of the citizens lost money.

    Money boys love to bid up the price on commonly used necessities for outsized rates of return. Putting money into actually doing stuff is hard and only yields returns of 3-8%. Its far better that the untermensch struggle under oppressive prices for rents, mortgages, food and energy than than to forego extra vacation homes, mistresses, dick ruler cars, private planes and power.

  32. 32.

    Punchy

    @Bostondreams: I almost fell out of my seat when they’re in the air duct, and the one minion grabs the other, cracks and shakes him, and makes him into a glow stick. Pure genius.

  33. 33.

    Comrade Mary

    Ah. Now that I’m home, I can see and hear the video. My Terrible Friend: got it! Lauren’s got a wicked way with a lyric and a voice to go with it, and Nataly is, I swear, parodying her wide-eyed thing just a wee bit here.

  34. 34.

    Cat Lady

    Finally got around to watching A Single Man yesterday. Colin Firth’s face when he gets the bad news phone call left me stunned – it’s a long tight close up that is so intimate and unselfconscious and searingly honest that I can’t believe he didn’t win an Oscar for that five minutes. Honestly, I never ever ever want to experience emotional pain like that ever. It makes me want to die before anyone I love does. It’s an amazing performance, and Tom Ford has a great future in film and I’m really looking forward to his next project, and anything else with Colin Firth.

  37. 37.

    PIGL

    @A Guest:

    Call and raise: she’s gorgeous(*).

    Also, very good vocalist….reminds me of the original lead singer from the B Good Tanya’s. Which no doubt the young lady has heard.

    How anyone could look at these young women and think they are not genuine, and not having a blast, is mystifying.

    (*)And at 3:00 and thereabouts, she is the spitting image, as in the unnatural cloned daughter of, a spooky women I went out with in the mid 80s. Facial expressions are identical. The only difference, the girl in question really was as crazy as the song portrays, and she had not one speck of musical talent.

  38. 38.

    debit

    @Cat Lady: That’s been on my to watch list since I first heard about it. Meant to see it in the theater, but never got around to it. Today’s a do nothing day; think I’ll go pick up the dvd after the dog park.

  39. 39.

    Bnut

    The woman from Pomplamoose looks like Michael Cera. And the music makes me want to hurt myself.

  40. 40.

    Yutsano

    @Comrade Mary: Did they boo the video when it came on? That reaction should tell you about all you need to know about NN.

    @Bnut: Put down the Internet and back away slowly…I refuse to watch the video now based on the reactions here.

  41. 41.

    NickM

    I like the song, I could live without the video. The singer definitely has something about her, and the song has some lyrics good lyrics – “I’ve got long fingers for a woman” sounds like she’s repeating something the guy in the song once said.

  43. 43.

    Arclite

    I appreciate what Pomplamoose does and the way they do it. And, yes, Nataly is cute. But I wish she were more vocally talented. It would make the actual music more listenable.

    Perhaps she has come to accept her limitations, as the singer here is more talented and interesting to listen to.

  44. 44.

    skippy

    i’ve heard of my terrible friend, but never heard their music before now. good stuff, i will definitely look for more.

    and yes, they are both attractive ladies, i’d do ’em.

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